The Queen's Journal, Volume 144, Issue 24

the

Queen’s University

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Vol. 144, Issue 24

F r i day , M a r c h 1 0 , 2 0 1 7

ARTS

CINEMATIC MAGIC IN KINGSTON

SUPPLIED BY KINGSTON CANADIAN FILM FESTIVAL

Senate celebrates 175 years of meetings, acknowledges Indigenous history March 7 will now be known as “First Class Day” at Queen’s This Tuesday, a procession of Senators donned in historic academic robes entered the special 175th Senate meeting in Wallace Hall, while the sound of bagpipes carried throughout the JDUC. On March 7, 1842, exactly 175 years ago this Tuesday, the first Queen’s students arrived at a house at 67 Colborne St. to begin their studies. That same day, the first meeting of the Senate granted them their admission.

This week’s special meeting of the Senate set out both to celebrate 175 years of Queen’s classes and Senate meetings, as well to “provide the opportunity to take an important step in building good relations with our partners in the Indigneous communities,” Principal Daniel Woolf told those in attendance.

Nathan Brinklow, a Queen’s Languages, Literature and Cultures professor specializing in Mohawk language and culture, delivered the opening address in Kanyen’kéha (Mohawk).

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The Kingston Canadian Film Festival features a diversity of films in a variety of genres Journal Staff

Opening night at Kingston Canadian Film Festival in Theological Hall.

Maureen O’Reilly Assistant News Editor

since

The Mohawk clan mothers of Kingston then presented Queen’s with a friendship wampum. A wampum, Brinklow explained, is a type of belt traditionally used to solidify and strengthen an agreement between two parties.

In this case, the wampum represents a mutual commitment between Queen’s and its Indigenous communities to “recognize and revitalize a relationship that hasn’t always been healthy or beneficial,” Brinklow said.

According to Woolf, the

wampum will now be present at every Senate meeting as a reminder of their agreement and of the fact that these meetings take place on traditional Indigenous lands.

The presentation of the wampum was followed by a performance by the Whispering Wind Drum Group.

After the drum performance, Woolf made a statement acknowledging the University’s role in perpetuating the suffering of Indigenous people by

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

See Senate on page 4

For the past 16 years, the Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF) has been showcasing a dynamic program of Canadian films. This year was no different as the festival screened a robust lineup of the year’s favourite feature films and shorts, not to mention being hosted by Canadian rockers, Mother Mother.

Since 2001, KCFF has screened over 500 feature films and 750 shorts, highlighting a diversity of work from Kingston and beyond. The festival works to support Canadian film and recognize young emerging artists in Canada.

In addition to the screenings, KCFF hosts free workshops, networking and industry events, as well as talks, receptions, music, comedy and awards.

The Journal’s Arts team selected their favourite films to review below, ranging from an animated investigation of identity and heritage to an investigative political exposé.

Window Horses: The Poetic Persian Epiphany of Rosie Ming Alex Palermo, Assistant Arts Editor

Window Horses, directed by Ann Marie Fleming, is the first full-length animated film to be recognized by the KCFF. The moment the lights dimmed and the familiar voice of Sandra Oh came from the mouth of the adorable, stick-figure Rosie Ming, I knew I was in for a treat.

The film follows the story of a young Canadian poet of Persian and Chinese descent as she dreams of travelling abroad to perform her song-like poems. I found myself strangely enthralled by the animation, it seemed that every character was drawn in a slightly different style. Notably, Rosie was the only stick-figured, round-faced character. When Rosie receives a mysterious letter inviting her

See Kingston on page 9

Sports

Chown joins national team out West page 13

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MENTAL HEALTH

Student blog post directed at University criticizes mental health resources

Brown says the pressure to be “perfect” is overwhelming at Queen’s Maureen O’reilly Assistant News Editor “To whom it may concern at Queen’s University, I should be graduating in May. This should be my final semester. Instead I am leaving. Two near suicide attempts and one leave of absence later, I realized you were not worth my time, money or health.”

This is how Jess Brown, ArtSci ’17, began a March 3 post on her personal blog, titled “The Real Story of Mental/Chronic Illness as a Young Adult”.

In the post, Brown identifies as a person “with depression, fibromyalgia and chronic

fatigue” who always has felt like “an outsider, unable to participate in activities around campus due to illness and treated like I’m lazy and stupid by peers and profs.”

“Your ‘mental health staff’ I was sent to after a suicidal episode told me my dreams we’re too lofty and that I would never achieve them with my health conditions.

Not something someone who just 12 hours earlier was considering taking her own life really needs to hear,” Brown wrote.

Brown wrote that the “pressure to be perfect” at Queen’s “is reflected in the high achieving student body and the stigmatized ideologies of the staff.”

Conservative Party candidate speaks at Queen’s town hall

“You’ve spent the last 3 years crushing my self image and my dreams and I am done putting up with it. Goodbye Queen’s. Try to do better.”

Brown elaborated on her experience at Queen’s in an email to The Journal on Tuesday. She explained specific instances when she was made to feel like an outsider by the Queen’s community, like when a friend told her she should “try harder” to wean herself off her anti-depressants, or when she struggled to keep up with the physical and mental demands of Frosh Week.

However, Brown wrote that her worst

experience happened when she interacted with a University mental health counsellor following a visit to the emergency room to prevent her from engaging in self-harm.

“This person treated the appointment like an academic advising appointment with little sympathy. I was told maybe Queen’s was too much for me due to my illness and I should ‘try college,’” Brown wrote in the email.

“One of my major depressive issues is never feeling good enough… [so] I’m surprised I made it through the rest of that day.”

Brown also experienced disappointing treatment at Kingston General Hospital. One night during a panic attack, Brown called 911 and took an ambulance to the hospital, where after an hour of waiting, she was told she was “just overwhelmed” and could go home.

“I was living by myself at that point, and the doctor knew this, which just made the situation more ridiculous. Twice I’ve been turned away by ER doctors because I hadn’t drawn blood yet or hadn’t taken pills yet.”

Brown also faced difficulties with Queen’s Student Accessibility Services.

When meeting with the service, Brown said she was asked what she wanted them to do to help with her disabilities. Brown then requested a note taker, and was told, “that wouldn’t work” for her disability.

Through her difficulties, Brown says that Queen’s mental health staff members need to improve communication with their patients and start with smaller suggestions, rather than telling students to drop out of school during their first meeting.

“I think mental illness is still just starting to be understood. But the university is putting limits on what the mentally ill can do,” Brown wrote.

“I would like to see people with mental illnesses being given ample access to services that can help them achieve their goals. In my opinion, everyone deserves the help they need to get through school.”

Michael Chong addresses student’s concerns over the environment, employment and the future of the Conservative Party Ryan Little Contributor

larger numbers of younger voters. To Chong, the Conservative Party must gain back some of the ground they lost by becoming what he As Canadians spend the next few months calls a “big tent” party. waiting to see who the next leader of A “big tent” party is a political party that the Conservative Party of Canada will be, accommodates a large difference of political Queen’s students had the opportunity to opinion within its policy. hear from one candidate, Michael Chong.

When asked about the process of Chong spoke to Queen’s students in a creating a “big tent” party, Chong outlined town hall as a part of his campaign to be the the importance of listening to the concerns Conservative leader that will face up against of all Canadians, even those within his party Justin Trudeau in the 2019 election. whose rhetoric may be divisive, in order to Chong is the MP from the Wellington- create compromises that conservatives from Halton riding. across the party spectrum can agree on.

Serving in the Harper cabinet before Chong faced questions ranging from the resigning for political reasons, Chong has military budget and Canada’s role in an taken part in many conservative circles unstable world, to skyrocketing housing along with being a party reformer. prices in urban centres and how he would During the town hall, Chong brought make housing affordable for young people up the need for the Conservative party to in Canada. update itself in order to stay relevant in a Chong explained that his plan to do modern world. this includes privatizing the Canadian Chong said he would do this by distancing Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which the party from the divisive issues that were he hopes would make housing affordable to so detrimental to the Harper government in all Canadians. the 2015 election and focusing on creating According to Chong, this will reduce the financial stability and improving the expansion of government backed mortgage economy to benefit all Canadians. credit, which he argues is the largest single Chong explained that he wishes to create contributor to the increased housing a Conservative party that appeals to much unaffordability in Canada.

Michael Chong, Conservative Party leader candidate speaking at Queen’s town hall.

Chong was asked about his plan to enhance employment opportunity for recent Canadian university grads to which he responded, “we will introduce one of the biggest jolts to the Canadian economy in our first budget after the 2019 elections. In our spring budget of 2020 we would introduce an $18 billion corporate and personal income tax cut, a tax cut that would be the equivalent of almost 1 percent of GDP that would provide an immediate jolt to the Canadian economy and help kickstart economic growth and investment in our economy. That is the biggest single thing we can do right now.”

Chong proceeded to explain his plans to effectively combat climate change, which is a large part of his platform.

“I would eliminate the coal-fired electricity regulation, the passenger car and truck regulation, the heavy duty automotive truck regulation, the fuel efficiency regulation, I would get rid of them all” Chong said when asked about the expansion of environmental regulations in Canada.

When asked about his thoughts on the

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

sustainability of pipelines he answered that the solution wasn’t to simply halt construction of new pipelines, but create effective regulations.

“Canada used to be heavily polluted from that ground level smog and for the government of the day, the real problem was getting down emissions. But our solution was not to stop construction of the 401, or stop the construction of new streets or roads. No they said let’s regulate emissions at the source, let’s mandate new emissions ... Now our air is much cleaner than it was in the 70s” Chong said.

Chong said that he would “100 percent reopen the Keystone XL debate” if the Trump administration decides to move forward with the project.

The town hall ended with a standing ovation as Chong thanked the crowd.

Chong will compete against candidates such as Maxime Bernier and Kevin O’Leary for the head of the party. The party registration deadline is March 28 with the election to be held on May 27 in Toronto.

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Annual General Meeting provides updates on the state of AMS and non-academic misconduct Maureen O’reilly Assistant News Editor

This attitude needs to be addressed with ongoing discussion, Lively said.

Students gathered in the lower Lively also addressed the ceilidh of JDUC on Monday evening AMS’s ever-evolving relationship as AMS President Tyler Lively with the University administration, called to order the 2017 AMS specifically citing recent Annual General Meeting (AGM). conversations about changes to While usually represented by the Non-Academic Misconduct elected officials, at the AGM each (NAM) system. student-at-large that attends is According to Lively, when eligible to participate in voting, the Provost decided to strike an Lively explained to the crowd. investigation in 2013-14 into the “The AGMs used to be a venue Non-Academic Discipline system, for the AMS to impose new fees as it was called then, the AMS on students, now they have executive at the time responded become a chance to reflect on the with a threatening letter warning AMS and where the organization the Provost to “not underestimate needs to go in the coming years,” their resolve on the issue.”

Lively said.

Rather than engage productively with administration, State of the ams address that year’s executive tarnished the relationship between the Lively began the meeting with AMS and administration, making an update on the state of the it impossible for the AMS to AMS, during which he reflected make gains on the issues that on the work he and his team had mattered most to students, accomplished during their term Lively said. thus far.

This year, Team LWT has In his speech, Lively focused worked hard to improve relations largely on the AMS’s weaknesses with the administration, and has rather than its strengths. seen great success, according Lively admitted that historically, to Lively. the AMS has consistently fostered Lively then went on to discuss an attitude of “entitlement, the “poor fiscal performance” of reckless self-confidence and AMS Pub Services TAPS, which resistance to change” which has has lost approximately $100,000 often left the student government per year since Alfie’s rebranding to out of touch with the needs of The Underground. its members.

“Our predecessors tried

everything to hide the poor fiscal “student leaders and engaged performance,” Lively said. “Though students alike” for contributing we’ve tried to take a critical look, to the AMS, and encouraged it is not until now that we are them to always speak up and acknowledging there is a very challenge the AMS when they are real problem.” being shortsighted.

Lively then shifted focus to Judicial Affairs Manager Ryan list several projects Team LWT Pistorius took to the speaker’s has successfully completed podium next to provide students thus far in their term, including with an update on the NAM system. providing 24/7 study space at The Brew, broadcasting of Gaels games, the expansion of Tricolour bus services and the arrival of a skate sharpening service at Bikes and Boards.

He continued by identifying the team’s long-term commitment to revitalizing the JDUC, which he said is currently “not up to par.”

“We’ve made more progress [on the JDUC] this year than in the past five years combined,” Lively said.

Lively reiterated the team’s focus on increasing study space, improving town-gown relationships, providing better mental health services, and strengthening the AMS’s relationship with clubs.

Lively also revealed a few projects in the works, including one to allow students to send documents to the P&CC from their homes for pick-up, and another to create a digital “clubs compass” to help students find clubs opportunities that suit their interests.

In closing, Lively thanked

NAM Update Last year, the Board of Trustees took the NAM system under review and an interim protocol was put in place, which prompted contention among current and past student leaders. A Central Intake Office and student conduct See Future on page 4

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New Board members elected at Corporate General Special Meeting One and two year-term representatives and new Community Director among those named Blake Canning Assistant News Editor

Nathan Brinklow delivering the opening address in Kanyen’kéha (Mohawk).

SUPPLIED BY QUEEN’S COMMUNICATIONS

At the annual Corporate General Meeting of the AMS Board of Directors on Thursday evening, representatives of services and groups from across the AMS packed themselves in to the New Medical Building to listen to a presentation on budgets for the year and the future of Queen’s corporate services.

Retail Services Manager Leo Burns Scully summed up the meeting in his opening by stating, “you guys are going to walk out of here and not know what any of these numbers meant.”

Senate celebrates 175 years of Queen’s classes and “ Senate meetings Continued from front

participating in extremely harmful colonial traditions in the past.

Woolf also acknowledged the University’s failure to “educate our students on the deep history of [these] conflicts”, including the content of treaties and the relocation of Indigenous people from their traditional lands.

“This lack of historical knowledge has had serious consequences,” Woolf said. “The Queen’s community can and must change the narrative by taking steps to ensure that Indigenous histories are shared.”

Woolf concluded his speech by thanking the Indigenous elders, students, staff and communities who have helped guide the efforts of the Truth and Reconciliation Task Force, which will be releasing a report with recommendations for reconciliation in just a few weeks.

The Kingston town crier, Chris Whyman, then gave a traditional proclamation reminding those in attendance of the first Senate meeting that took place 175 years

ago, and explaining that “history and tradition are the cornerstone and standard of Queen’s University.”

“Congratulations on 175 years, here ends this proclamation,” Whyman concluded.

The Senate approved a motion to name March 7 ‘First Class Day’ at Queen’s, in celebration of the matriculation of the first class of students at the first ever Senate meeting in 1842.

Paul Banfield, a university archivist, gave a speech about the Queen’s Royal Charter, which was signed in 1841 and gave Queen Victoria’s royal assent to create Queen’s.

“Queen’s has the distinction of being only one of 10 royal charter universities,” Banfield said.

The royal charter, which consists of three ornately bordered pages tied together by ribbon, was on display throughout the course of the meeting.

The Senators adjourned the meeting and posed for a group photo in their traditional attire.

office were created and solidified in policy after the Board accepted a new Student Code of Conduct.

According Pistorius, the structure of the NAM system was significantly altered by this agency agreement, which now allows the University to remove students from handling NAM-related duties in some cases.

As such, the total number of cases handled by the Judicial Affairs Office plummeted last year to less than half of what was normal.

While Pistorius admitted that this change could merely be viewed as yet another shift in the nearly 120-year-old system, “it would be naïve to underestimate the significance of the review when it comes to the principle of peer-administered justice,” he said.

There is increased uncertainty among students filing complaints now, Pistorius explained, as they can never be sure whether the AMS or the University will handle their complaint.

However, Pistorius stressed that he remains hopeful about the future of NAM, as the AMS is slowly being awarded increased functions and is continuing to improve relations with the administration

”

— Leo Burns Scully, AMS Retail Services Manager

With the regular presentations on budget updates regarding the various retail, media and service industries on campus, it was acknowledged that the changing nature of corporate services under the control of the AMS needed to be addressed in a number of different aspects in order to continue providing a high quality of experience for students.

Certain examples of this that were discussed included the ability of the P&CC to adapt to less students printing textbooks or course packs, The Underground dealing with an increasing deficit and the relevance of The Journal’s print edition in the digital age.

Finally, as one of the last orders of business and what Board Chair Quinn Giordano described as “the moment I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for,” the board elected four new members to their ranks.

Mike Blair and Tyler Lively were selected as the new one year representatives, each running on a platform rich in experience.

Lively, as the outgoing AMS president, took a moment in his closing statements to share a rare personal glimpse of the Question Period student who has been such a public figure at Queen’s in the past year. “I’m from Nova One member-at-large asked the panel why Scotia” he said. “Both my parents didn’t go to NAM failed to reprimand the racist party on campus last semester.

Pistorius responded that it is the responsibility of the Central Intake Office to determine which body will handle concerns such as those, and that it is usually the responsibility of the Human Rights Office to deal with issues of discrimination and human rights violations.

Another student inquired about whether the strain on mental health services at the Student Wellness Services office will be addressed going forward, to which Vice-President (University Affairs) Carolyn Thompson responded that it will indeed remain a priority, especially with the building of the Innovation and Wellness Centre.

Another member-at-large inquired as to why politically-affiliated clubs aren’t eligible to apply for grants or student fees, to which the panel explained that it’s written in AMS policy, and is generally best practice at most universities to exclude this kind of funding.

Future of NAM discussed Continued from page 3

You guys are going to walk out of here and not know what any of these numbers meant.

university, and I had never been to Queen’s when I decided to come here.” He continued by saying “I have been blown away by this community and all the chances it’s given me.”

I have been blown away by “this community and all the chances its given me. ” — Tyler Lively, AMS President

Going in to his sixth and final year at Queen’s, Lively concluded with “this is kind of the only thing I want to do.”

Blair also pointed to his extensive breadth of experience when addressing the assembled voters.

“I have the commitment, I’ve spent about 300 hours volunteering for the AMS over the past few years,” he began. “Secondly, the motivation. The AMS can provide a lot of value to its students and I think I have the capacity to do it efficiently.”

While the four candidates for the one-year term were forced to wait another few hours before their results were announced, the two-year term nominees were more fortunate.

Aniqah Mair and Mikela Page, as the only two candidates, left the room and were both chosen unanimously in a vote of confidence by board members.

The same was done for the incoming Community Director, John Neretlis who has had an extensive career of his own — serving in the Canadian Forces as well as running a butcher shop and graduating from Queen’s in 2015.

After three and a half hours of presentations, reports and elections, the motion to adjourn was finally moved by Carling Counter and excitedly seconded by Liam Dowling.

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IN-DEPTH STORIES FROM AROUND CAMPUS AND IN THE COMMUNITY

DOMESTIC ABUSE

Unquantifiable

Emotionally, physically and financially abusive relationships are happening on campus, but how do we document an often-invisible experience?

Victoria Gibson News Editor At approximately 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 5, police officers congregated on Stauffer Library.

At approximately 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 5, Kingston Police arrested a 19-year-old in a library, who, according to witnesses, had grabbed his girlfriend by the forehead and slammed the back of her head against an elevator. The victim declined to give a statement when officers arrived.

The two incidents weren’t formally connected. Kingston Police declined to confirm whether the couple were Queen’s students or whether the library in question was Stauffer to protect the victim’s identity.

There’s a common narrative of abusive relationships at university — often quiet, sparsely-tracked and easily missed.

Emotional abuse doesn’t leave a bruise and data on the subject is hard to come by. _________ In the sterile hallways of Kingston General Hospital (KGH), Kimberly Kent — the sexual assault and family violence clinical coordinator — deals with abusive relationships daily. KGH is at the foot of Queen’s campus, yet Kent rarely sees student patients.

“We know it’s happening, we’re just not seeing them,” Kent told The Journal.

“Intimate partner violence affects those ages, 19 to 24, as well — more so — but there just seems to be a barrier.”

Kent’s belief is matched with what little statistics there are on abusive relationships in Canada.

Studies and reports by institutes like Statistics Canada report that young people between the ages of 15 and 24 are the most likely demographic to experience “dating violence”.

However, on Queen’s extremely condensed campus, Kent attributes the hesitance to seek hospital supports to fear.

Particularly, she added, there’s a significant fear around confidentiality.

“Just a lack of feeling like there’s a safe place to be,” she said. “Especially if you’re a student, you’re going to be continuing to be a student, and your perpetrator is also a student. There would be a lot to fear there about continuing your education.”

The hospital offers 25 on-call nurses 24/7, who are able to offer body mapping for injuries, on-record reporting of how they were sustained, safety planning, up to 12 free-of-charge counselling sessions — currently, with no wait list — and follow-up nursing.

But a large portion of students are still electing to turn away from professional care in favour of friends.

“With the younger demographics, there’s a lot more comfort in seeking peer supports,” Kent said. Even if nurses notice markers of abusive relationships, the student is still able to reject KGH’s help.

“I don’t know if we do a really good job as a community, or a society,” she said. “No one wants to talk about it.” _________ When listing the on-campus services, counsellors and resources she reached out to for help ending an abusive relationship, Queen’s student Eva* had to pause to think of any she missed.

*Due to the sensitive nature of their testimonies, victims sharing their stories have been identified with pseudonyms.

For Eva, the first red flag came to her as a first-year student when her partner developed an intense dependency on her.

“A lot of first-year students head into residence in a fairly vulnerable state,” she said. Isolated from her established support networks at home, she stumbled into a new relationship, which, at the beginning, she described as wonderful.

After a year of dating, Eva’s relationship began to devolve.

By a certain point, she was receiving threats of suicide if she didn’t abandon her studying — at times, the night before a midterm — and rush to the side of her partner. As they became increasingly jealous and dependent, Eva said she began to feel incredibly isolated.

from her established “ Isolated support networks at home, she stumbled into a new relationship, which, at the beginning, she described as wonderful.

”

In every mental health training session she’d taken at Queen’s, Eva said she was told to be compassionate and offer support.

“What we’re not told, really, is that there’s a limit.” In residence, for a vulnerable 18-yearold, there were sessions on how not to contract chlamydia or defining consent, but there was sparse conversation about healthy relationships.

After months of justifying the bad with memories of “that one really good date,” or romantic gestures that left her with butterflies, there came a point when she decided it was time to end it.

She sought out counselling at Student Wellness Services, which she called “helpful, though obviously limiting” due to their hefty wait lists. She underwent an

ILLUSTRATION BY VINCENT LIN

academic appeals process for the grades that suffered during crisis nights.

Eva expressed enormous gratitude for visits to the chaplain’s office, the office of the Rector and use of the TALK phone aid line.

But, fitting into Kent’s earlier statement, Eva found particular solace in the Peer Support Centre. _________

The Peer Support Centre (PSC) is, by any standards, a very small room. It’s tucked away in a side hallway of the AMS bunker and staffed by undergraduate student volunteers.

Manager Mariana Paz-Soldán, ArtSci ’17, spends every day on the front lines of student care. She told The Journal that there seems to be a trend with first years struggling with their relationships, but, the reasons behind the influx are murky.

Paz-Soldán warned that any answer she gave would be subjective. Any damaging relationship is nuanced, even within the specific cohort of first-year students, so it’s hard to pinpoint a catch-all driver.

“But it can be pretty lonely coming into first year.”

Loneliness, in her experience, has been a substantial driving force behind unhealthy undergraduate relationships. A fear of being alone on a campus of thousands — particularly for first-year students — can easily become overwhelming.

“And I think that, often, if you find one person who becomes your person — and then the relationship isn’t that good, but they’re your only person — it becomes a cycle.”

In the 355 sessions the PSC held through the fall, 48 per cent of those sessions dealt with relationship concerns. 10.7 per cent involved the student specifically citing “loneliness,” with another 8.7 per cent being concerned friends.

Following academic stress and mental health, relationship concerns are the heaviest load on the PSC. This year, the number of relationship-driven visits has spiked from the last.

“I think, ultimately, it comes down to shame and guilt that people feel in not performing their relationship,” Paz-Soldán said. “When you enter relationships, there’s this idea that they’re going to be good, they’re going to be happy. So to destroy that image, even for yourself? It’s so hard.”

If volunteers suspect a student may be involved in an abusive relationship, they’re advised not to identify it themselves unless the student uses the term on their own.

In extreme circumstances, the practice can be broken under duty of care, but the PSC isn’t intended as an advisement resource, rather, as a sounding board and support network.

“We would just thank them for coming in, and ask them what they’d like to talk about going forward,” Paz-Soldán said.

“We try to make sure the person in that chair is as comfortable as possible ... with a relationship, it’s often something so intimate that it can be really vulnerable to talk about.”

She’s observed a dangerous reluctance of young people to discuss their relationship problems with anyone other than their partner — which, if left unchecked, can create the circumstances of isolation Eva experienced.

On campus, Paz-Soldán acknowledged See that on page 6

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Continued from page 5

that there aren’t any existing support groups or networks specifically for healthy relationships, though she also pointed to the chaplain as a resource.

A larger dialogue around healthy relationships is paramount to her, but with the year nearly over, the project will have to land in the hands of her replacement.

Whatever they do, she hopes red flags crop up in the conversation.

“Red flags are intrinsic to people: if you think a red flag is happening then it probably is,” she said. “Your gut is your best friend in a lot of these situations, which is not an easy answer.” _________

Alan’s* first abusive relationship was with his girlfriend before Queen’s. “I’m from a small town. You don’t consider men being abused by females, it’s not a thing that can happen.”

When he came to Queen’s and started dating other men, the issue became all the more complex.

“In a heterosexual relationship, you have ‘traditionally the male does this, or pays for this’. When you’ve got two males, there’s a very different set of expectations,” he said.

Often, he said, a male partner will compensate for a perceived shortcoming in masculinity with dominance.

In Alan’s case, this dominance was often a slippery slope into abuse, as he experienced in his second year. Within a month of a new relationship starting, Alan described feelings of isolation beginning as well.

His partner didn’t like his friends, so he spent less time with them. Eventually, the friends began to disappear. Within two months, he was living at his then-boyfriends’ house full-time.

Physically painful experiences, first labelled as experimentation in the bedroom, began to seep into their everyday interactions. “It was all in the spirit of it being ‘fun and flirty,’ even though I wasn’t comfortable with it. I said it several times, but he would say ‘I do these things for you, you

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have to do these things for me’,” Alan said.

His partner was depending on him for financial support as their relationship continued and Alan described a feeling of his then-shaky mental state being exploited.

“He latched onto that and used it to kind of possess me,” Alan said, pausing to consider his choice of words. “Then I was his.”

Near the end of the summer, he made the decision to end the relationship.

His partner didn’t like his “friends, so he spent less time

Friday, March 10, 2017

recalls, in situations that had escalated to the point of murder.

“Those are the conversations I’m trained to have with people,” she said. “Most of the violence that happens anywhere, let alone that makes their way through the criminal justice channels, is some kind of relationship.”

In her first few years at Queen’s, she saw slightly more cases by number that pertained to abuse. “This year, not as many.

But the ones that have made their way here have actually been more frightening,” she said.

Johnson looks out for a set of red flags and certain combinations allow her to assess the risk posed to the student on her couch. With the victim’s permission, there’s been more than one occasion recently where she’s had to signal the situation to Queen’s administration.

When asked by The Journal, the University provided a list of resources, policies and initiatives they run during the year — including events on healthy masculinity and consent workshops. All dons and residence professional staff are trained in consent and healthy relationships as well as response and referral.

Still, the frequency of students who wind up sitting on Johnson’s office couch suggest that an unquantifiable number of abusive relationships are slipping through the cracks.

“It’s a demonstration of how insidious manipulative and abusive behavior is, that it can get to the point it does among a supposedly educated population before people start to realize,” she said. “That doesn’t speak to the naivety of the victim so much as it does the skill of the abuser.”

Johnson stressed that, while she’s had students come to her in crisis seeking to leave an abusive scenario, her doors are also open to students who realize they may be the abuser.

“If it’s an abuser, of any gender, who realizes that their behavior is not okay and they’re looking for a place where they’ll be compassionately held to account and helped to move forward, historically that’s

been a big chunk of the work that I’ve done,” she said.

In terms of why students aren’t seeking help from more “official” channels like the hospital or the police, Johnson said that the court process wasn’t designed for victims.

It’s about sorting out who’s wronged the Crown, leaving many victims feeling alienated from that system.

With that, she’s prepared to take on her role as an unofficial resource on intimate partner abuse. In looking at the pervasive trend of abusive relationships that’s been fostering quietly at Queen’s, Johnson cautioned students to look carefully at their partners if red flags pop up.

“Many abusers are skilled manipulators.

They pay attention to people, they study people to know what angle they can work to hook somebody and then the victim feels like they should be grateful.”

abusers are skilled “ Many manipulators. They pay

attention to people, they study people to know what angle they can work to hook somebody and then the victim feels like they should be grateful.

”

— Kate Johnson, Interfaith Chaplain

Though she’s historically facilitated restorative justice in abusive scenarios, Johnson said that any situation with that label should be victim-driven. “The offender doesn’t get to decide if they want to apologize one more fucking time,” she said, noting that she was happy to be quoted on the curse in that context.

“Sometimes, the best amends is to take responsibility for yourself so it never happens again.”

See online for resources available to students at Queen’s and in Kingston.

fill a gap in your program

with them. Eventually, the friends began to disappear.

Within two months, he was living at his then-boyfriends’ house full-time.

”

However, like Eva, he began receiving suicide threats. One night, after receiving messages and fearing for his ex-partner’s safety, Alan went to his house. There, he reports being sexually assaulted.

For nearly a year, his ex-partner would show up at his classes waiting to apologize.

“It didn’t matter how many times I told him ‘no, I’m not interested, stay away from me,’” Alan said. “I had to move houses halfway through the year because he’d show up at my house.”

Dealing with fear after ending an abusive relationship, Alan recently reached out to campus security. He was told they’d assess the issue with their threat assessment team, but is still unsure what’s going to happen. _________

Behind her doors in the upper ceilidh of the JDUC, Kate Johnson — the university’s interfaith chaplain — has become an unexpected support for students grappling with abusive relationships.

She’s seen firsthand where abusive relationships can go, in her work for Canadian correctional services. There, she worked to prepare abusers for offender-victim mediations — often, she

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Friday, March 10, 2017

queensjournal.ca

EDITORIALS

The Journal’s Perspective

Self-deprecation on social media: for expression or for likes?

Sarah O’Flaherty

Thank him tomorrow

A

W

here’s the line between celebrating imperfection and using it for approval?

In an article focusing on a demographic of young and educated people, The Globe and Mail’s Eric Andrew-Gee explores a current cultural phenomenon among millennials to find freedom or satisfaction in self-humiliation.

He calls it “competitive abjection” — the pattern of young people “putting on display sordid or pathetic aspects of one’s life with a kind of abashed defiance, to pre-empt feelings of embarrassment.”

On a larger scale, AndrewGee’s article is one of many that tries to analyze and deconstruct the cultural phenomena of the millennial generation.

The difference in this one is a refreshing perspective — it engages with the subject matter but doesn’t make sweeping generalizations or belittle popular culture. It’s a genuine analysis without dismissing the experience of an entire generation, like, for example, Time Magazine’s cover story “Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation”.

On a smaller scale, the social media posts that come out of this culture of “competitive abjection”,

THE QUEEN’S JOURNAL Volume 144 Issue 24

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ILLUSTRATION BY VINCENT LIN

which Andrew-Gee suggests can Sometimes, posting reach closer to lived experience our culturally-acceptable by freeing the individual from imperfections of overwork or the appearance of perfection, binge-TV watching is a silent still carry an underlying façade. competition to be more upfront If you scroll through and honest about our lives — a Instagram, it often seems as project always doomed to fail though the same photo is considering the act of posting recreated over and over. Maybe something on social media it’s a photo of someone’s is by nature selective in what coffee balanced perfectly on is shared. top of their homework, with a However, this same caption complaining about the acceptance can be exclusionary all-nighters and coffee addictions as well. For instance, social that come with millennial life. media accounts are often created On the one hand, perhaps in the hopes of championing this cultural phenomenon isn’t self-love and body acceptance, as negative as it seems. This but only feature photographs of kind of self-deprecating humour people with a single body type, celebrates imperfections rather like an Instagram account about than belittling them and is a way body acceptance showcasing for young people to reach out to posts of conventionally thin girls others in an online comradery, sitting in front of fast food but bridged by the acceptance of not actually eating it. our flaws.

How valuable is this culture But even these posts, part of genuineness on social media of a pattern of admitting one’s when this genuineness can also flaws and posting them for the be exclusionary? world to see, can be contrived Social media wouldn’t exist if or obligatory. it wasn’t for the ability to collect While this phenomenon of ‘likes’ or followers. It’s worth self-humiliation stems from considering, then, how much of a reaction to the idealized this self-humiliating honesty is version of reality we’re so often actually honest and not a way to confronted with — the reality in use relatability to gain approval. which all 20-somethings have their lives together — it can also — Journal Editorial Board be part of a competition.

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Clayton Tomlinson Contributors

midst the influx of #internationalwomensday posts on social media outlets this week meant to celebrate the accomplishments and plight of women past and present, one of Canada’s most visible woman, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, made a blunder.

Alongside other International Women’s Day-themed posts, Gregoire Trudeau posted a tone-deaf celebration of her husband’s feminism.

Gregoire Trudeau called on Canadian women to post pictures of themselves with their “male allies” with the hashtag, #TomorrowInHand, both to celebrate their co-operation and thank them for their help.

She posed for a picture of her and Prime Minister Trudeau, holding hands and lovingly looking at each other.

Alongside other “ International Women’s Day-themed posts, Gregoire Trudeau posted a tone-deaf celebration of her husband’s feminism.

Sarina Grewal Ryan Little

”

Whether intentional or not, Gregoire Trudeau’s post perpetuates the myth that successful women must have a man to support them.

While male allyship is important, Gregoire Trudeau doesn’t need to hold her husband’s hand to be a successful political activist nor do her accomplishments rely on her husband’s power — but her post doesn’t convey this reality.

Gregoire Trudeau’s work includes advocating against eating disorders, for the women’s Heart and Stroke association, for at-risk pregnant mothers and working with self-esteem campaigns.

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Want to contribute?

For information visit: www.queensjournal.ca/contribute or email the Editors 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.

The work that Gregoire Trudeau does can stand on its own and for her to take credit for it would be a message to girls everywhere of what they can accomplish, even without male support or approval.

International Women’s Day comes once a year, and it’s meant to be focused on women.

The point of the day is to educate and raise awareness of the issues women around the world face: access to education, child marriages, maternal health or female presence in leadership roles.

“

The point of the day is to educate and raise awareness of the issues women around the world face: access to education, child marriages, maternal health or female presence in leadership roles.

”

It’s supposed to be a way to reflect on how far we’ve come and how much farther we need to go.

Men’s contributions to feminism and women’s issues are important. Men that support their daughter’s educations, advocate against campus rape or men who’re willing to take on the oftenmocked title of a feminist should be recognized.

I will always be thankful for those men, but I won’t pretend that their assistance should be the focal point on a day meant to celebrate women who fight against sexism worldwide.

While Gregoire Trudeau likely didn’t intend to perpetuate the harmful belief that a woman’s success starts with men, she did so in the role of a public figure in Canadian politics. While I’m excited to see her continued work in bettering the lives of women across the world, we need to hold our public figures to a higher standard.

Sarah is The Journal’s Assistant Sports Editor. She’s a fourthyear 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.

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Contents © 2016 by The Queen’s Journal; all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of The Journal.

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8 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, March 10, 2017

OPINIONS

Your Perspective

Queen’s needs freedom of speech

Contentious conversations have a place worth protecting on university campuses appearance of controversial journalist Milo Yiannopoulos.

The attempts to have Peterson fired and Yiannopoulos banned exemplify problematic themes: not only do many students appear to think their knowledge is at an apex and thus would not benefit from being challenged — stamping a question mark over their pursuit of a degree — but their willingness to damage property in the name of protest denotes a grave irresponsibility.

The argument that letting Yiannopoulos talk normalizes his brand of provocative politics is dramatically undermined when protestors throw punches and smash windows, potentially normalizing violence as a response to objectionable opinions.

Though these demonstrators claim to act in the name of tolerance, permitting free

The year prior, the school had dismissed professor Michael Mason for employing politically incorrect language despite an independent investigation by the Canadian Association of University Teachers finding that he “discharged his duties... in keeping with professional standards”.

These inconsistencies paint a puzzling story as to the school’s position on the issue of free speech and expression.

It’s for this reason that I’m petitioning the Queen’s administration to endorse the widely-acclaimed Chicago Principles, as outlined in the University of Chicago’s report on freedom of expression.

These principles stipulate that a university’s overarching commitment is to vigorous, uninhibited debate, refuting the notion that it should shield its members from ideas they find unwelcome or disagreeable.

The concern is that this misguided crusade of speech “suppression could soon impose itself on the Queen’s community. The university itself is far from immune to this movement, as demonstrated by its recent checkered history on the subject.

”

Nick Pateras, ArtSci '13 Many North American university campuses are witnessing the rise of an alarming culture that endangers free speech by stifling those with nonconformist views.

Where a university used to be a marketplace of ideas, a forum to learn by way of boundless inquiry and exposure to contrasting opinions, several are now beginning to resemble a factory-type production line instructing students on what to think, rather than how to think.

The university must band together to collectively challenge this pernicious trend.

In mustering an appropriate response, it must be understood that the emerging new order extends well beyond the walls of the lecture hall, to also include the climate engendered by the broader university community, not least its own students.

For this reason, it’s imperative that the student body and all other stakeholders concerned with the delivery of a robust education commit to trading exclusively in the most valuable currency

expression is a higher order tolerance, for limitations on speech are an ominous first step towards punishment of thought.

Though I share little common ground with both Yiannopoulos and Peterson on many issues, silencing them would be to ILLUSTRATION BY ASHLEY RHAMEY deny myself the right to hear and learn from their arguments, or at of learning: free speech. the very least claim vindication for my As a recent Queen’s alumnus who keeps a own views. close eye on campus events in both Canada Conversely, those who seek to ban and the United States for the foreshadowing contentious speakers from campuses or of any prominent social or political issues, ostracize peers for holding the ‘wrong I’ve become quite discouraged with the opinion’ must question why their own state of free speech at many institutions of convictions warrant such protection if their higher education. reasoning is so universally evident.

At any rate, these individuals betray the well-natured intention of the curious ...it’s imperative that the student who understands that learning necessarily involves exposure to conflicting student body and all other perspectives and attempts to curtail speech stakeholders concerned are an impediment to this end. with the delivery of a robust The concern is that this misguided education commit to trading crusade of speech suppression could soon impose itself on the Queen’s community. exclusively in the most The university itself is far from immune valuable currency of to this movement, as demonstrated by its learning: free speech. recent checkered history on the subject.

To its credit, Queen’s identifies free Two instances of this climate inquiry and free expression as essential of asphyxiation are the outcry at values on the Secretariat’s website, which University of Toronto over professor also hosts a statement on “Freedom to Read” Jordan Peterson’s refusal to use online. However, in 2013 a free speech wall gender-neutral pronouns and the recent was removed by the school due to ostensibly UC Berkeley riots protesting the speaking ‘offensive content’.

“

”

At the same time, the report remarks that on-campus speech must still be held accountable to the law’s parameters, signifying that hate speech, harassment and incitements to violence would remain prohibited.

Since its release, this carefully-worded manifesto has been publicly endorsed by many American schools such as Princeton and Columbia, so in following suit Queen’s would become the first Canadian university to take this symbolic step.

Amidst the backdrop of rampant calls for speech codes at many schools, this is a timely opportunity for Queen’s to showcase its leadership on a contemporary issue of utmost importance.

Free speech is the fundamental underpinning of any society invested in progress because holding space for any and all ideas, even those considered offensive to some, is the most effective filtering system by which to separate valuable from invaluable and good from bad.

As young adults engaged in our minds’ cultivation, we should be seeking out opinions that differ from our own — the endorsement of the Chicago Principles will ensure that Queen’s fosters the environment for us to fulfill this ambition.

Nick Pateras is a Queen’s Comm ’12 and ArtSci ’13 alumnus.

Talking heads ... around campus

PHOTOS BY AUSTON CHHOR

Who did you celebrate for International Women’s Day?

“Mom. Always.”

Hayley Chung & Sophia Su, Comm ’17 & ArtSci ’18

“Myself and Beyoncé.”

Elorm Vowotor, ArtSci ’18

“My housemates.”

Meredith O’Brien, ArtSci ’17

“All the women in my life.”

Michael Patenaude, ArtSci ’19

Friday, March 10, 2017

Arts

queensjournal.ca

•9

REVIEW

Kingston Canadian Film Festival PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY KINGSTON CANADIAN FILM FESTIVAL

Continued from front

to perform at a poetry festival in Iran, the darker edges of the story begin to reveal themselves. She flies across the world alone and is instantly charmed by the customs and beauty of Shiraz. Many of the scenes abroad were animated in a surrealist way, detailing people floating in the sky, and daydreams melting into reality. Throughout her weeklong adventure in Shiraz, Rosie begins to piece together parts of her Persian family’s past. I didn’t expect a history lesson on the Persian empire, but the artfully drawn, colourful scenes didn’t disappoint, and I was riveted for the entire 89 minutes.

Rosie’s story touched me in a way that I didn’t expect. Her bravery contrasted with her inexperience was heartwarming and I couldn’t help but feel that the unique way she was drawn was reflective of her alienation in Iran. Fleming’s stunning film will go down as my favourite animated movie, surpassing even the Disney favourites from my childhood.

Window Horses Nirvanna the Band the Show

Nirvanna the Band the Show James Murray, Contributor

Saturday evening, the KCFF delighted its audience with a three-episode showing of Viceland’s new series Nirvanna the Band the Show.

The show follows the exploits of Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol, two Toronto musicians trying to land a gig at The Rivoli, a renowned bar. They use any means necessary, aside from playing or recording a song, to achieve their status. The show has an awkward and quirky humor that thoroughly entertains its audience through numerous stunts, a loosely-written script and a cast that's always on its toes.

Johnson and McCarrol have worked together since 2009 on the web series Nirvanna the Band on YouTube. Viceland has put their writing and directing to the test as they hilariously advertise their band, and create mayhem across Toronto. The episodes screened featured antics such as sneaking a film into the Sundance Film Festival and stealing wishes from the children at Make-aWish. Nirvanna the Band the Show hits that comedic sweet-spot between ridiculousness and reality that will leave you shocked, but laughing the whole way through.

Viceland has drafted the unique comedy duo to their team as they’ve shown their skills as improv actors, always willing to see how far they can take it with their audience.

If you find yourself with a half hour to spare this week, kick back and watch the first episode, “The Banner” on YouTube, or look out for future episodes airing Thursdays at 10 P.M on Viceland.

Operation Avalanche Ghazal Baradari-Ghiami, Video Editor

“Have you ever heard of a conspiracy theory?”

“Yeah, I think we’re in one.”

Operation Avalanche follows two CIA agents as they infiltrate NASA to expose a Russian mole. However once there, they find that NASA doesn’t have the ability to reach the 1969 deadline for the Apollo 11 moon landing. They subsequently become involved in a plot to fake the moon landing.

In a film directed by Matt Johnson where Matt Johnson is also playing Matt Johnson, it can be difficult to figure out what is real.

Johnson often goofily mugs to the camera in the mockumentary style he has adopted in his debut film The Dirties, and currently in his Viceland show, Nirvanna the Band the Show.

The art of trickery is embedded right into the film’s production. Every detail, from the specific period lenses and Kubrick’s own use of a front projection effect are implemented

Operation Avalanche in order to deceive audiences.

Following their Kingston premiere, Johnson and his crew came out and directed their Q&A largely towards student filmmakers. Johnson advised students to be as experimental as possible when collecting footage and to deal with the ramifications later.

The scenes from NASA were shot on location. To obtain permission, Johnson duped the agency by telling them he was making a student documentary. This borderline illegal venture was made possible by liberal application of United States fair use laws.

The film is hilarious, with naturalistic improvised dialogue. The outlandish plot and Johnson’s own frantic energy do much to magnify the dark twists near the end of the film.

Operation Avalanche is a marvellous testimony to the ambition of those who’re constantly pushing the boundaries of film.

Ontario Shorts Josh Malm, Staff Writer

On Saturday night, KCFF presented the best short films from across the province at the Grand Theatre.

Eight short films screened and to my surprise they were all excellent and covered nearly every thinkable film genre.

Some highlights from the night included Thyrone Tommy’s semi-autobiographical navy thriller, Mariner.

The film, which explores the day in the life of a young man struggling at a naval academy looked and felt like professional cinema. Mariner’s strengths were in its editing, which generated genuine edge-ofyour-seat suspense as well as its distinct and

haunting violin score.

Tess Girard and Ryan North’s documentary, Road to Webequie was another powerful film that stuck with me. Webequie explores the hard lives of First Nations peoples on an impoverished Canadian reserve. Through a series of interviews, we meet a host of individuals who’ve experienced trauma and incredible hardship. From a percocet-addicted youth who’s lost his entire family to suicide, to a single mother raising a family in a decrepit, substandard home the film was a shocking and haunting truthful account.

My favourite film of the evening was the rather unconventional documentary, Detroit Blood. Director Dusty Mancinelli filmed old, abandoned homes and establishments in run-down areas of the formerly-booming Detroit city, following the financial collapse of the 2000s.

Accompanying this imagery is a haunting voiceover of an unidentified man who discusses his childhood and the relationship he had with his brother. I loved this film because of its minimalist style and lush cinematography. The film told a deep, emotional and engrossing story with simple shots of empty rooms narrated by this emotional voice. The narrator details the tumultuous relationship he shared with his older, abusive sibling and how they would later interact as adults.

I was blown away by the director’s ability to tell such a powerful story using only narration and a few stills of empty rooms. It may not sound interesting, but the story was completely enveloping.

Local Shorts: Epics Josh Malm, Staff Writer

Local Shorts On Sunday night, Theological Hall hosted Local Shorts: Epics, a program for shorts a little longer than usual — somewhere in between shorts and features. The films Barren, Small Talk, Day Players, and Peephole were all professionally-made and thoroughly enjoyable to watch.

John Abrams’ Barren explores the relationship of a couple and their attempts to survive in the harsh, cold wilderness following a plane crash. The cinematography

by Jackie Li, as well as the original score by the multi-talented Abrams and his wife, were two highlights of the film.

Going into film festivals such as this I’m always wary of comedy entries, however, I was pleasantly surprised by the comedy, Day Players, which follows a group of struggling young actors in their day-to-day lives. It was genuinely funny, and the fact that every character represents a different acting style, from intense method acting to provisional acting, made the film incredibly entertaining.

Steven Griffin’s mysterious extraterrestrial film, Small Talk had an ethereal vibe due to its fantastic score as well its use of cinematography and lighting. The film also had a very relatable and poignant message about the struggle of living on the edge as opposed to in your head. It was by far the deepest and most cerebral outing of the night.

My favourite, however, was Doug Cook’s pulpy, horror film Peephole. Although the film was rather shallow and offered no deep plot or message, it left the audience in awe. It starts out with a conventional, Hitchcockian, peeping-Tom plot that’s soon turned on its head, leaving the audience stranded.

This made the film enthralling and completely entertaining up until its bizarre, unpredictable and gory crescendo.

10 •queensjournal.ca

Arts

Friday, March 10, 2017

THE ISABEL

Pitch, please!

Fourth annual a capella competition shatters the Isabel Michelle Boon Contributor A full house, seven teams, all aca-armed with nothing but their voices and a passion for singing.

This year’s annual a capella competition had all the ingredients for a great show. A capella has gained popularity in recent years thanks to Internet sensation Pentatonix and cinematic masterpiece, Pitch Perfect. I had nothing but high expectations for this year’s competition, but my numerous viewings of Anna Kendrick’s ‘No Diggity’ didn’t prepare me for what was in store.

For the fourth inception of their annual event, the Queen’s A Capella Association (QAA) welcomed three out-of-town teams: the Hit Paws of the University of Vermont, Simple Harmonic Motion of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Hawkappella from Wilfred Laurier University. Joined by Queen’s groups Momentum, The Trillers, All the Queen’s Men and The Caledonias, the night offered a range of distinct styles and an overwhelming amount of talent.

Returning champs, All the Queen’s Men, entered the stage, and a woman behind me actually shrilled — understandably so.

If you’ve never seen them perform, imagine N’Sync with five times the members and they’re all Justin Timberlake.

This all-male ensemble came prepared to defend their title with an arsenal of killer bass compositions, combined with buttery harmonies and smooth dance moves. The shining moment of the men’s set was their rendition of Sam Smith’s ‘Lay Me Down’ featuring soloists Alex Loe, and Jack Babulic. Loe and Babulic have a higher range suited for Smith’s power ballad, as well as a similar pure quality. Their voices complemented each other during the chorus of the song, and made for a blend that was soft and sweet. All the Queen’s Men sang their hearts out, all the way to third place.

Fellow Queen’s group, The Trillers, also gave a standout performance. This co-ed group made a statement with their dynamic set list, featuring Coldplay’s ‘The Scientist’ in juxtaposition with Marvin Gaye’s classic ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, but what really set them apart was their original choreography.

Each movement was deliberate, from moving closer to the audience in one uniform line, to turning to the person beside them and putting a hand on their chest.

Even details like eye contact with each other added to the intensity of their performance

and emphasized Coldplay’s lyrics.

Their performance was a spectacle for both eyes and ears. Clearly the judges were also impressed, as The Trillers seized second place.

And the winner is… the Hit Paws!

And to me, it was no surprise.

The moment they opened their mouths and Jon Bellion’s ‘All Time Low’ came out, I was captivated.

I was immediately enchanted by the lead soloist whose rich tone was reminiscent of Florence and the Machine. Their set included a variety of genres including indie, choral and pop. With each cover, they made a capella look cool.

These weren’t a capella singers, they were a hot indie band with a Twenty One Pilots-esque style.

Although the Hit Paws was one of the smallest groups, their arrangements utilized bass vocals and beatboxing to round out their sound.

Their voices filled the room and resonated in the air as if it were a stadium concert. Vocals aside, the group used minimal choreography, however, the performers connected with each other through eye contact and allowed the song to dictate their movements. As they simply jammed in a semi-circle, it was like the audience was invited in to share an intimate moment of music.

The competition was a celebration of performance, community and of course, a capella.

If you missed this sold-out show, get your tickets ahead of time next year because it was nothing short of aca-mazing.

Competitor’s belting out their best a capellas at the Isabel.

PHOTOS BY AUSTON CHHOR

Arts

Friday, March 10, 2017

queensjournal.ca

• 11

REVIEW

A look Down There ASUS Equity and Diversity tackles social issues in a hilarious and serious show Aj Lockhard Contributor

Georgia O’Keefe’s Black Iris VI.

The cast and crew of Down There.

SUPPLIED BY RON COGSWELL VIA FLICKR

SUPPLIED BY DOWN THERE

LITERATURE

As I walked into the H’art Centre, I was greeted by posters of handdrawn flowers and butterflies, one with “pussy” written in immaculate cursive and another encouraging me to “feel your feelings”. I’d arrived at Down There.

Down There is an annual performance of stories covering a range of topics, spinning off The Vagina Monologues. This year’s cast performed pieces varying among invisible disabilities, suicide, eating disorders, gender and sexuality.

The lights went down and the feeling began. The show is primarily short monologues, interspersed with appearances by the talented and satirical “spoof sisters”, who perform parodies of songs, played by Kate Neweduk, ArtSci ’18, Ruth Oketch, ArtSci ’18, and Sarah Skelding, PheKin ’17. The show is bookended by a song, written and performed by the entire cast that also weaves its way throughout the show.

Pieces like “Femininity, In a Word”— written by Anastasia Szymanski, ArtSci ’17 and performed by Megan Vahabi, ArtSci ’17 — are witty, inviting the audience to laugh at the ridiculous and restrictive nature of many

social ideals. This piece comments on our discomfort with saying “pussy” in a loud and comical manner, while bringing real heart and emotion to a word that many associate with vulgarity.

The purpose of the show was really brought to light in pieces like “Please and Thank you”— written and performed by the eloquent Tiffany Ledesma, ArtSci ’18 — which recounts the details of a sexual assault.

This piece is brave in its truthfulness about the pain and reality of sexual assault that I’ve heard far too many times from friends and strangers and which comes up again in Neweduk’s equally powerful and moving piece “Consent Doesn’t Kill Passion, Sexual Assault Does”.

Down There is a place to tell stories and talk about deeply personal and emotionally wearing feelings that often aren’t given a space in the mainstream.

The piece “My Disease” — written by Bessie Cassidy

and performed by Jess Moniere — elaborated on the poster that greeted me at the door, reminding me that it’s okay to be emotional and to be vulnerable.

Another piece I found particularly striking was Vanessa Ajagu’s “Sirens” which deals with police brutality and the killing of unarmed Black people. The powerful piece ends with Ajagu holding up a sign that reads “#Justice4____”, bringing into focus the severity of a systemic and violent reality.

Down There is willing to open up discussions rarely acknowledged anywhere else on Queen’s campus.

Its writers and performers are doing the brave and important work of finding ways to tell their stories and make space for these topics on a campus that often pretends these issues don’t exist.

I left the show feeling all of my feelings and particularly feeling grateful for those who are willing to take us down there.

Q&A with renowned poet Liz Howard Q: Has your career in science with her fearless recitations and influenced your writing style? thoughtful, informative responses during the discussion afterwards.

On March 6, poetry enthusiasts She generously signed several A: In going to school, I’ve had further gathered in Watson Hall to hear books and sat down to a Q&A with contact with scientific terminology.

I look at drawings of the brain. The renowned Canadian poet Liz The Journal. whole idea of reading these unseen Howard read from her debut novel, cognitive processes. Poetry is like Q: How would you describe Infinite Citizen of the Shaking Tent, that: rendering seen unseen. It’s Infinite Citizen of the as part of the Creative Writing at largely conscious and unconscious Poet Liz Howard reading in Watson Hall.

Shaking Tent?

Queen’s reading series. working together.

Howard, who’s been authoring poetry since early childhood, A: I would describe it as a joyful riot Q: Which poem from Infinite writes with an extraordinary style of language, science, and tragedy.

Citizen of the Shaking Tent is influenced by writers such as Sylvia your favourite and why?

Q: You’ve mentioned in other Plath and Gertrude Stein. Howard’s interviews that your poetry poetry, which has appeared in A: “Thinktent”. It serves as an discusses feminism. Can you various Canadian literary journals organizing core to [the novel]. It’s elaborate? Specifically, what and which she describes as a personal. A weird juxtaposition does your poetry accomplish “decolonial feminist document,” is of different types of language, within a feminist context? verbally fantastic.

Northern Ontario and the urban.

Howard writes the enormous beauty and terror of the Canadian A: I wanted to write the fullness It’s colliding in this electrical storm wilderness with a new and of my mind without apologizing where the elements of the storm energetic voice, revealing the for it; its difficulties, its messiness, are elements in that collection. morbidity, darkness, deadliness its darkness. I grew up with Everything that is happening in the and wonder of the Canadian parents who had very traditional book is happening in that poem.

North. Her poetry is a wild and gender roles, and when I left town unapologetic song that explores I was able to fully be who I was. Q: What advice can you give to aspiring writers? everything from ecological issues, to I developed an appreciation for feminism, Indigenous reconciliation my own mind and embodiment.

I could accept the differences A: Read voraciously and broadly. and more.

Infinite Citizen of the Shaking and messiness of the body, and I Henry David Thoreau said Tent is an amalgamation of soft and wanted to write about that from a something about going bravely in sharp; poetry and science making female perspective. In “Of Hereafter the direction of your obsessions. love in a sad, lovely and delightfully Song” [a section from the debut] I Follow what sets your mind weird collection of complex pieces. talk about missing and murdered on fire.

Howard captivated the audience Indigenous women.”

Students and faculty at the reading.

Rachael Hulzinga Contributor

SUPPLIED BY CAROLYN SMART

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Friday, March 10, 2017

MEN’S HOCKEY

Thirty-six years in the making

Gaels compete to hoist Queen’s Cup for the first time since 1981 Sarah O’Flaherty Assistant Sports Editor This Saturday, the Gaels will travel to North York to battle the York University Lions for the 106th Queen’s Cup — a competition the Gaels haven’t had the opportunity to take part in since 1981.

The men’s hockey team has been particularly strong this season. Goaltender Kevin Bailie, the strongest in the OUA playoffs, had the best goals against average (1.10) and save percentage (.969) of the playoffs. Conversely, the Lion’s goaltender, Mack Shields, was one of the top of the regular season with a goals against average of 1.78 and a save percentage of .930.

Forwards Eric Ming, Slater Doggett and Dylan Anderson give consistent and effective offensive attacks, while defensemen Spencer Abraham and Patrick Downe both stop attacks and support offensive efforts.

Ming, a third-year forward and one of the team’s lead scorers, says the team is excited for the game this Saturday. “We’re really proud of the

Sports

work we’ve put in to get here, we feel like we have earned the right to play for the Queen’s Cup and we are prepared and excited for Saturday,” Ming said. “To play for this trophy is an opportunity that doesn’t come along very often so hopefully we can relax and enjoy the experience.”

only talk for the “11I can years that I’ve been with the program but the program’s come a long way and to have the opportunity to flex the Queen’s Cup is an exciting time for this program.

”

— Brett Gibson, head coach

The only time the Lions and Gaels faced each other during the regular season resulted in a 5-4 shootout loss for the Gaels on the Lions’ turf, where the teams will face off again this weekend.

“The bigger ice in York is an adjustment,” Ming said. “Being over aggressive can get us into trouble if we get too spread out.

We just have to pay attention to our positioning and try and keep our mistakes to a minimum.”

“I think the team that sticks

Eric Ming scored 13 goals and 15 assists this season.

to their system and doesn’t get exposed by mental errors will win the game, both teams are very evenly matched,” Ming said. The Gaels and the Lions had nearly parallel seasons this year, as the Gaels finished with a 18-7-3 record, and the Lions a 18-6-4 record.

Ming feels confident in the team’s roster going into Saturday’s game. “I think the fact that our lineup doesn’t have any holes at any one position is one of our strengths,” Ming said. “We feel confident in our identity, what we are as a team. We’re going to play three periods of Queen’s hockey and find a way to win.”

Head coach Brett Gibson also

The women’s hockey team was knocked out in the first round of the OUA playoffs.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

Gaels gearing up for U Sports championship Eighth-seed Queen’s prepares to host national tournament Brittany Almeida Contributor With the U Sports Championship around the corner, the women’s hockey team is preparing for battle in Napanee.

Queen’s will host the national tournament from March 16 to 19 at the Strathcona Paper Centre in Napanee. It’s the first

time the Gaels are hosting the championships since women’s hockey made its U Sports (then CIS) debut in 1997.

Over the past six years, the women’s hockey program has been a high-achieving varsity team at Queen’s, winning a national bronze, two OUA championships and one OUA silver medal.

The tournament will see the nation’s best face-off during the three-day competition. With a 15-12-0 regular season record, the eighth-seeded Gaels are more focused than ever in preparation for tough competition.

“We’re preparing with a 360 degree approach,” head coach

Matt Holmberg said. “Not only are we on the ice, but we’re training off-ice, watching video, attending mental skills sessions, managing academics, and yes, some relaxing as well.”

Preparation is essential for the Gaels, who haven’t played a game since they were eliminated in the first round of OUA playoffs by U of T. The Feb. 26 game went into double overtime.

The recent playoff loss against the Varsity Blues could have been detrimental to the team’s confidence, but overcoming adversity served as a motivational tool for the resilient Gaels.

“Seeing the faces of some of my

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

feels the energy around the team’s advancement to the Queen’s Cup that Ming discussed. “I can only talk for the 11 years that I’ve been with the program, but the program’s come a long way and to have the opportunity to flex the Queen’s Cup is an exciting time for this program,” Gibson said.

In planning for the game, Gibson is focusing on the playoff games rather than the regular season, which he sees as having more merit for preparation. “[The Lions] are playing really well.

They’re a very well-coached team, obviously with Chris Dennis being Coach of the Year back-to-back, so we’re going to have to be on our best. But I like the match up, a one game series, we’re well-prepared and well-rested going into it.”

In terms of his roster, Gibson is satisfied that the team has

achieved a depth that wasn’t necessarily there during the start of the regular season. “The way the playoffs have gone, it’s been surprise guys that have stepped up at opportune times,” Gibson said. “Dylan Anderson scoring three goals against McGill, Andrew Johnson scoring the game winner in game one, it goes on and on,” Gibson said.

However, he still has faith in the team’s tried and true powerhouse players. “I’m excited because we have a great team and different guys have stepped up at different opportunities but obviously everything starts with Kevin Bailie.

If he’s on, I think we’ll have great success,” Gibson said.

“We’ve been battle tested already and we’re not scared of anyone.”

teammates in that dressing room after the loss against Toronto is an image difficult to erase,” Addi Halladay said. “We couldn’t sit on the loss for long. We knew that if we wanted to compete at nationals we had to regroup as a team and continue to physically and mentally prepare.”

Since the loss, the Gaels have pushed forward with the national title in their sights. “We’re keeping our weekly schedule as regular as we can with practice, workout and team video sessions,” Halladay said. “The only difference is we haven’t played a game in a week and a half, which calls for an extra spin class and practice on the weekend to keep the intensity and conditioning up amongst the team.”

The bounce-back mentality is a competitive culture that the coaching staff has fostered.

“The silver lining of our loss is that we have more time to prepare, less travel and less academic stress, which we intend to take full advantage of,” said Coach Holmberg.

“We have great depth at all positions, and anyone can be the ‘hero’ on any given night,” Holmberg said. “We play with confidence, heart and passion and will compete relentlessly until the final buzzer.”

Tactically, Queen’s will do as much as they can to prepare for their competition in the tournament. “We’ll certainly

review as much information as we can about our opponents prior to each game but in a short tournament such as this you really just need to stick to your own game plan,” Holmberg said.

“I’d estimate that our tactics will remain roughly 80 per cent the same from game to game, with the remaining 20 varying depending upon our opponent.”

The energy and excitement surrounding the host position transcends competition. The tournament is truly meaningful for the Queen’s hockey community and alumni says Holmberg.

“There is an incredibly strong and proud tradition of women’s hockey at Queen’s and this event honors that history.”

The Gaels will likely face-off against UBC in their opening game — a team who has been seeded first all season.

The official opponent will be determined this Sunday as playoffs come to a close. Whoever the opponent, the Gaels have tirelessly prepared for their moment.

“I’m confident in our team’s ability to bring an elevated level of play because of the stage we’re on,” Halladay said. “Being at Nationals doesn’t just come to anyone.

We’re fortunate enough to have this opportunity and we wont let anyone down. We’re prepared to battle.”

Sports

Friday, March 10, 2017

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ATHLETE PROFILE

Chasing national dreams out west Former Gael Emma Chown in British Columbia as part of National Rugby 7s program Joseph Cattana Sports Editor After three years of moving from a practice squad player at Queen’s to OUA All-Star, Emma Chown has added yet another item to her list of accomplishments in rugby.

In July, Chown represented Canada at the Rugby 7s portion of the FISU games in Wales. Just a month after that, Chown was invited to move to Victoria to be a part of the centralized women’s national team.

When Chown got the call, she was both surprised and very excited.

“I had an amazing three and a half years at Queen’s but knew that I would develop as a rugby player so much more being part of the centralized environment,” Chown said in an e-mail interview with The Journal.

Although it was tough to leave Queen’s and her teammates, Chown knew she couldn’t pass up on this opportunity.

“I was definitely nervous as I was coming into a new environment, but it’s been a great experience so far.”

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

Emma Chown was an OUA-All Star last season for Queen’s.

After joining the national program in the summer, Chown was allowed to stay in Kingston for one last semester to finish some courses. Although she wasn’t allowed to play during the OUA season — partially due to a risk of injury — Chown had a busy schedule.

During her last semester as a Gael, the former OUA All-Star worked on her

conditioning, speed and strength to prepare for her time in Victoria. Chown balanced practice with going to Victoria to train, as well as going to Trinidad in October with her new teammates.

Since January, Chown has traded in her time as a student-athlete to become pro.

With a schedule that used to be filled with class, Chown now trains from 10:30 a.m. to

4 p.m., four times a week. When training is done, Chown does video review on her own time, as well as taking one online class.

As a member of the women’s national team, Chown competes in the World Rugby HSBC Seven Series, as well as development tournaments. On a team of 25, 12 of the more veteran players travel on the HSBC tour, with Chown going to more of the developmental tournaments. No matter what tournament she’s at, Chown is proud to wear the maple leaf.

“Being a part of this program, I am reminded of how lucky I am to live in Canada and have this great opportunity to do what I love every day.”

Although she admits her biggest complaint about Victoria is that food and gas is more expensive, Chown also misses her family and friends back home.

“I definitely miss my friends from home and at school, but I’ve been able to keep in touch through texting and Facetime. I’ve also been encouraging all of my friends to visit me in Victoria,” she said.

Even though she might have been planning for graduation just a few short months ago, Chown now has bigger plans for herself — the 2020 Summer Olympics.

“Obviously, this will take lots of hard work, but being centralized in Victoria gives me the opportunity to train and improve every day to the level where I need to be.”

AWARDS

Gaels recognized in OUA All-Star awards Strong seasons result in personal accolades Joseph Cattana Sports Editor Women’s Volleyball Robyn Pearson is a first-team OUA All-Star.

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

After a 10-9 season and first round exit in the OUA playoffs, the women’s volleyball team was celebrated for their strong effort.

Caroline Livingston and Isabelle Korchinski were named OUA East-All Stars.

On the year, Livingston was one of the top performers in the OUA, finishing second in both kills (271) and kills per set (3.82). Korchinski stepped into a bigger role during her third year on the team, providing a defensive presence, with 205 digs on the year.

Rookie Danielle Corrigan made the OUA All-Rookie team, finishing fifth in the OUA with 31 service aces.

Men’s Volleyball

With a young team, the men’s volleyball impressed in the OUA this year. Veterans Markus Trence and Jamie Wright were named OUA East All-Stars, with rookies Joel Rudd, Malcolm Prentice and Lukas Kaufman being named OUA East All-Rookies.

With graduating a large portion of their starters last year, Trence took a key role on this Gaels team. In just 16 games, Trence finished second in the OUA in kills (261), and fourth in kills per set with 4.08.

After four years, Jamie Wright went from walk-on to OUA East All Star. Wright was integral to Queen’s high power offence, finishing with 9.75 assists per set.

The future is bright for the Gaels, with Rudd, Prentice and Kaufman receiving honours.

Men’s Hockey

Making the OUA finals, individuals on the

men’s hockey team were rewarded with provincial accolades.

Forward Slater Doggett and defenceman Spencer Abraham were named OUA All-Stars this past week.

In 22 games this year, Abraham scored three goals and added 13 assists. In Dogget’s second year, he was able to build off his 2015-16 year where he scored 24 points.

This year, Doggett scored 33 points in 22 games. Both Doggett and Abraham were a part of the U Sports Canadian team that went to the FISU games and won bronze.

Men’s Basketball

After a disappointing year — losing 10 of their last 11 games — the men’s basketball team has a lot to improve.

The team’s lone All-Star is Sukhpreet Singh. As he has done for the last five years, Singh was the Gaels leader in points, averaging 17.7 per game. This year, Singh broke Queen’s all-time scoring record, previously set by Mitch Leger at 1,345 career points.

Women’s Basketball

With a 19-1 record, the women’s basketball team was bound to reel in the accolades.

This year, Robyn Pearson, Emily Hazlett and Andrea Priamo were named OUA All-Stars. Fifth-years Pearson and Hazlett were named to the first team, with Priamo finishing on the second team.

Rookie Bridget Mulholland was an important player off the bench in her first year at Queen’s, and was named an OUA All-Rookie for her efforts.

In their best regular season in the team’s history, head coach Dave Wilson was named OUA Coach of the Year. On Wednesday night, he was named U Sports Coach of the year as well.

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Friday, March 10, 2017

Lifestyle Shivani Gonzalez Features Editor

BUSINESS BASICS

Student start-ups: Bri Bakes Kitchen

From a part time hobby to a full-time business

PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY BRIANNE MOORE

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Kicking off our look at student start-ups is a multi-coloured baking project by Queen’s own amateur baker.

While the rest of us sit around watching Cupcake Wars on the Food Network and stalking pictures of cupcakes on Instagram, Brianne Moore, ArtSci ’17 is on her way to making a business out of baking.

Always having had a passion for baking, it started out as a hobby.

Her friends would send her cakes from Instagram, asking if she could make them, so Moore started baking for friend’s birthdays and for fun.

Moore’s baking is both colourful and delicious. Options for cake and cupcake colours include vanilla, rainbow, pink, blue, yellow, green and purple with the same rainbow offerings for the frosting. From the BriBakesKitchen website you can currently order “funfetti” cookies, macarons, classic sprinkle cupcakes and “funfetti” cake.

BriBakesKitchen’s Instagram boasts 857 followers. Following her recent website launch, she has begun to receive orders from people around campus.

The orders aren’t as daunting as they may seem because making the cupcakes in bigger batches is actually easier. However, Moore does acknowledge that it can be a

bit overwhelming.

Moore bakes everything at her house and all the recipes are from what her “nana” — who Moore credits for the recipes — taught her when they would bake together.

The company has taken off so quickly after her official Instagram launched five weeks ago that Moore isn’t exactly sure what the future holds during her time left at Queen’s.

She loves doing it right now and plans to carry on baking until she graduates at the end of the semester. Because she has developed a following, she doesn’t necessarily want to just leave it and is considering moving the business back to Vancouver with her next year.

She’s adding a build-yourown-cake feature to the website so people have more chances to customize cakes and continue the giveaways she’s been doing on Instagram.

Moore’s favorite thing to make is her sparkly-sprinkle cake. “They are so fun to make and people are so excited to see them! I usually do them layered rainbow in the inside, and people love when they cut into them because they are so surprised,” Moore said.

Moore’s one disappointment so far? The fact that she wishes she had started the business sooner.

Breaking down misconceptions of women in Islam

Islamic Awareness Week woman’s panel

Nabeela Jivraj Staff Writer Islamic Awareness Week brings together students from various faculties and groups participating in activities and presentations to bring knowledge about Islam to the student body.

Opening the series of talks being held throughout the week, Chaplain Kate Johnson and Mona Rahman, a post-doctoral fellow at Queen’s and the education co-ordinator with the Islamic Society of Kingston, presented Monday night in Dunning Hall on the topic of “Women in Islam”, an intersection of education on women’s rights and Islam.

Islamic Awareness Week at Queen’s is hosted by Queen’s University Muslim Student Association. The group held several events on campus throughout the week.

Both speakers presented from very different backgrounds, each aiming to address the image of Islam as inherently oppressive to women.

As a Muslim woman, I’ve never personally felt oppressed by my religion and find any oppression I experience typically stems from elsewhere. I appreciated the points each woman brought to the table, and the general sense of solidarity in the room for combatting oppression against women.

Kate Johnson, the University Interfaith Chaplain since 2013, spoke to the mistreatment of women in society at large,

illustrating how the problem isn’t by any means unique to Islam. Rahman, a postdoctoral fellow in Biochemistry, spoke to the history of Islam and women’s position in it.

Johnson opened the discussion by speaking to the oft-overlooked oppression of women in Canada.

“We need to remove the log in our own eye,” she said, speaking about women gaining personhood rights only in Canada’s very recent history. She also discussed the status of the female in other religions, namely Christianity, and the role of female ministry which has only recently become more widely accepted.

Johnson closed by addressing consumerism, and how women often experience oppression as a result of the economic marketplace.

Rahman, went deeper by exploring the place of women in Islam since the religion’s inception, both historically and in scripture.

She spoke about women being viewed as equal to man in Islamic scripture, with equal rights in marriage, the economy and politics.

On the topic of current misconceptions of women in Islam both within and outside the religion, Rahman spoke about the role of education and colonialism in reproducing inequities seen today among many Muslim societies.

Rahman’s explanation for removal of educational opportunities for women in many Muslim societies is the spread of

colonialism. By any standard, she said, this isn’t unique to the Islamic world, as women everywhere are fighting for equity in education and the economy.

Both women spoke about the Islamic practice of hijab and its role, which is often mistakenly perceived and discussed as an oppressive tool. Rahman spoke to the misconception that the concept of hijab as modesty applying to women only.

According to the Qu’ran, Rahman said, both men and women must cover themselves appropriately and “guard their modesty.”

This week, International Women’s

VIA WIKIPEDIA

Day was an added chance to celebrate women, show solidarity and support for women around the world in different countries and cultures. In a broader sense, it’s an opportunity to collectively agree to continue fighting for a seat at the table — wherever the table may be.

As Rahman summed it up, “when you don’t know your rights, you can’t fight for them.”

Islamic Awareness Week continues to Friday of this week.

LIFESTYLE

Friday, March 10, 2017

Why? The accepted theory is that it’s because racquet sports incorporate high intensity components of aerobic and anaerobic exercise since they’re “stop and go sports”.

This change with your heart has been hypothesized to be more efficient in training it and preventing your risk of heart disease.

What does this study mean for you? All those interval training routines may truly be warranted.

Your cardio doesn’t have to be painful or mindless activities that you dread. It can

HEALTH

PHOTO BY AUSTON CHHOR

Racquet-ing your way to a longer life A new spin on your average cardio

Monica Mullin and Meghan Bhaptia Contributors When you think of fitness, what do you see?

Is it someone running in a park, someone doing yoga, someone lifting weights at the gym or someone playing sports? It may be time to think again.

Forbes magazine recently rated squash as the healthiest sport in the world. Now, who would’ve thought of that?

A study from Britain that looked at specific sports and their connections to mortality and cardiovascular death show that racquet sports decrease mortality by 47 per cent.

That’s a bold statement so allow us to explain.

We all know sports are supposed to

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

be healthy for us. Research shows us this by linking decreased rates of any kind of death in people who participate in certain sports. But they can also look specifically at deaths related to heart disease or “cardiovascular” deaths.

Scientists were confused by the results of this because positive outcomes only came up sometimes and not consistently across the board.

They wondered if it was because certain sports were better for your health and this study was born. This study looked at swimming, cycling, aerobics, squash, badminton/tennis, and football — which is soccer, since this is a British study.

Now, you’ll note that all of these sports are traditionally thought of as “aerobic” activities, but the results of reducing your risk of death varied greatly amongst them.

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be a game of squash or tennis with friends, and another reason for self-care. Get your heart working, but give it a break in between too and never feel guilty taking time to play sports!

LIFESTYLE

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Friday, March 10, 2017

POSTSCRIPT

QNSA celebrates Indigenous students and Indigenous presence at Queen’s

Personal accounts and events that make Indigenous Awareness Week special Lauren Winkler Contributor My name is Lauren Winkler, I’m the president of Queen’s Native Students Association (QNSA) and this year have taken on the role of Deputy of Indigenous Affairs of the Alma Mater Society’s Social Issues Commission. I’m finishing up my fourth year here at Queen’s with a major in History and minor in Indigenous Studies.

I’m Kanien’keha:ka (Mohawk) with my roots in Tyendinaga, about an hour west of Kingston. I grew up in Markham, Ontario and although I’ve always known and been proud of my ancestry, I never really felt a strong connection to my culture.

Indigenous Awareness Week, formerly named Aboriginal Awareness Week, is the highlight of the school year for students in the QNSA. A group of both Indigenous students and settler-ally students, the QNSA works all year to plan events and projects that raise awareness of Indigenous histories, cultures and current issues.

What the QNSA strives to do is give a voice to Indigenous students who’ve historically been marginalized here on campus. The Indigenous Awareness Week strives to show reconciliation and resurgence of Indigenous culture on a campus that has seen relatively little, while being a hub for Canada’s leaders of today and tomorrow. QNSA saw the importance in creating events for everyone over the course of a week, so that they too can be a part of reconciliation on campus.

Lauren Winkler, the president of the Queen’s Native Students Association.

Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island and participate in a story of genocide, displacement and betrayal. With an estimated thousand Indigenous students at Queen’s, it’s important that Queen’s staff, faculty and students are familiar with the history of Canada from an Indigenous perspective.

This year’s theme for Indigenous Awareness Week is Nation to Nation. As Indigenous peoples, we see ourselves as equal to the other 96 percent of non-Indigenous Canadians. A mistake that Canada has made, and continues to make, is taking a paternalistic role in their relationship with Indigenous peoples who were perfectly fine, and, it can be argued, better off without the imposition of settler society.

Indigenous students, we’re “Ashoping to teach and remind

students that our ways of knowing and being are unique, but just as legitimate.

”

As Indigenous peoples, we wish to have our voices, opinions, knowledge and systems, seen as legitimate and not minimized and dismissed by our nonIndigenous neighbours. As Indigenous students, we’re hoping to teach and remind

students that our ways of knowing and being are unique, but just as legitimate.

In my years at Queen’s, I’ve seen increased interest by Queen’s students and the administration to improve relationships with Indigenous peoples. I’m really hoping that a lot of students will take this week as an opportunity to learn and engage in conversations they may or may not normally be comfortable being a part of. I know that sometimes it can be intimidating to engage in these conversations but, as future leaders and participants of Canadian society, it’s our responsibility to acknowledge our history, learn from it and work toward a more equitable future for Indigenous peoples.

The first year of my undergrad I was pretty wrapped up in making friends and trying to find my place at Queen’s. I didn’t know that it wouldn’t be until I joined the Queen’s Native Student Association in second year that I would find a passion that would carry me throughout the rest of my time here.

Here’s a description of this week’s events: This year’s Indigenous Awareness Week events include a Powwow Bootcamp which will take place Saturday, March 11 from 10 a.m. -11 a.m. in Studio 4 of the ARC. Later that evening we will be hosting a Poetry Slam on the upper floor of the Grad Club from 7 p.m. -10 p.m. On Monday we team up with the Mental Health Awareness

SUPPLIED BY LAUREN WINKLER

Committee to host an Indigenous Mental Health Open Discussion in the fire side lounge on the second floor of the Queen’s Centre from 6 p.m.- 8 p.m.

Tuesday we team up with the Education on Queer Issues Project to present a series of documentaries on Two-Spiritness. followed by a panel discussion in the Red Room at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, the History Department is presenting a documentary called Colonization Road in the Kinesiology Building room 100 from 4-5:30 p.m.

On Thursday, Indigenous students and our allies are invited to walk through campus in solidarity as we acknowledge and celebrate Indigenous presence, successes, and contributions to Queen’s. This event will start and end in Grant Hall. Sign-making and craft vendors will open at 10 a.m. and the walk will begin at 12 p.m.

Later Thursday night the Language Literature and Cultural Understanding department will be screening The Pass System in Ellis Hall at 7 p.m.

Finally, on Saturday, March 18 QNSA has teamed up with all of the groups involved with the Next Steps Charity Gala to give the Queen’s and Kingston community the chance to discuss environmental issues and how they affect First Nations communities.

This will be in the BioSciences Atrium, doors open at 6 p.m.

group of both Indigenous “Astudents and settler-ally

students, the QNSA works all year to plan events and projects that raise awareness of Indigenous histories, cultures and current issues.

”

One event the QNSA is hosting as part of Indigenous Awareness Week was selected specifically to bring the Queen’s community into conversations on reconciliation. On Friday, March 10 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the ARC main gym, the QNSA, alongside Four Directions Aboriginal Student Centre, will facilitate the KAIROS blanket exercise.

KAIROS is an interactive exercise that gives its participants an Indigenous perspective on Canadian history.

The participants of the exercise temporarily step into the shoes of the

GRAPHIC BY RACHEL LIU