The Queen's Journal, Volume 148, Issue 23

the journal Queen’s University

Vol. 148, Issue 23

Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples.

Since 1873

Friday, March 12, 2021

Chown Hall, over a year later

Situated on the traditional lands of the

Page 6 • The Journal finds police failed to speak to students about the incident

• Indigenous student reports feeling “so unsupported” in year and a half since the Chown incident

ILLUSTRATION BY TESSA WARBURTON

The Journal looks

back on one year of COVID-19 page 2

Editorial: Journalism has a discrimination problem page 9

Creative Writing

professor Carolyn Smart retires page 11

Longest game in collegiate

hockey history page 13

queensjournal.ca

#PivottheClock campaign asks

• Campus Security tells The Journal that protocols “have not changed”

University to extend funding for PhD students Queen’s students are advocating for a year-long extension to the funding of all PhDs, which they say is necessary due to COVID-19’s impact on research. They’re calling it the #PivotTheClock campaign.

In an interview with The Journal, Christopher Bennet, a PhD candidate in gender studies, pointed out that all PhD students have had their work disrupted in one way or another. Workloads have increased across the board as TAs are relied upon more heavily throughout online learning. Many students have also been unable to complete their research due to campus closures.

Bennett added that, prior to COVID-19, the average PhD student at Queen’s took five years to complete their degree, making the expectation that current students complete their degrees within four years unreasonable.

In an email to The Journal,

Dean of Graduate Studies Fahim Quadir said “the School of Graduate Studies in collaboration with Faculties, is currently constructing a 2021-22 protocol to offer additional support for graduate students facing challenges as a result of the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Once the protocol has been approved, we will share more details with our graduate community. In the interim we encourage students that are experiencing challenges to speak to their program supervisor or graduate coordinator and discuss options.”

For those PhD students unable to complete their program on time, the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) currently recommends one of three pathways: dropping

@queensjournal

@queensjournal

A ysha T abassum Features Editor

out and reapplying to Queen’s later; taking medical leave; or pivoting research.

Prerna Subramanian, a PhD candidate in cultural studies, has been vocal about the need for an extension in funding. She expressed her frustration in a viral tweet criticizing an email sent out by the Department of Cultural Studies.

According to her, none of the options given are feasible.

“This was a pretty uncaring email from a department which has looked after us with their limited capacities in many ways,” she said in an interview with The Journal.

Following Subramanian’s tweet, the #PivotTheClock campaign gained momentum.

Ultimately,#PivottheClock gained momentum following this tweet and subsequent meetings between the SGS and PhD students.

Harshvardhan Thyagarajan, a PhD candidate in cultural @queensjournal

studies, added that solutions placing the burden on students, such as increased training for supervisors are just band -aids.

“No matter how resilient our supervisors are, if we don’t have the right amount of time to do the work—it’s going to cause us immense stress. It’s going to reduce the quality of the work.”

In an email to The Journal, SGPS President Justine Aman said “SGPS wholeheartedly supports the #PivotTheClock campaign that asks for blanket extensions for all graduate students who have been impacted by this global event [COVID-19].”

“This provision should be available to all, without question or compromise. The impacts of a pandemic do not end with vaccinations, and ensuring current students are financially supported is essential to the future success of Queen’s University.”

Subramanian stressed that now is not the time to assess funding extensions on a solely case-by-case basis, and that doing so creates unnecessary competition between students.

She also hopes the University will not paint finances as just one hurdle faced by PhD candidates, but as core to how Queen’s can support its students.

“You cannot gaslight us into thinking that we are overthinking this problem.” @thequeensjournal

News

2 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, March 12, 2021

As $2,000 quarantine fee takes hold, Queen’s promises financial assistance Students can apply for reimbursement through QUIC Cassidy McMackon Assistant News Editor After the new implementation of a $2,000 quarantine fee, Queen’s is promising assistance to international students entering Canada.

According to the University, international students arriving in Canada can fill out an arrival form that allows staff at the Queen’s University International Centre (QUIC) to work with students arriving in Canada and assist with their return. The University said the QUIC would work with students to rebate them for any fees incurred through quarantine.

“International students who are

seeking to arrive in Canada are asked to fill out an international arrivals form – this enables Queen’s University International Centre (QUIC) staff to work with students arriving from international locations on a case by case basis to discuss travel regulations and financial assistance needs related to quarantine requirements and mandatory hotel stay, and we work to find solutions that best meet their individual needs,” the University wrote in a statement to The Journal.

The Canadian government imposed a mandatory $2,000 quarantine fee on Feb. 22 for individuals entering Canada.

Though the University did not

state explicitly whether it would supplement the full slate of the PHOTO BY MAIA MCCANN $2,000 required of those entering QUIC is assisting students entering Canada Canada, the University maintained students are welcome to contact According to Syeda Nowskin She estimates she spent roughly the QUIC with any questions.

Nower Aurthy, there’s a waiting $1,200 for the full two weeks she “The University is constantly list to be reimbursed for expenses had to quarantine. monitoring and working with incurred from quarantining upon “I emailed [the University] government to understand any arrival in Canada. telling them that I had spent a changes in travel restrictions.

Aurthy, who is pursuing her lot of money. The University said Students with questions are Masters of International Business they would put me on a list to get invited to contact QUIC to help at Queen’s, travelled to Canada reimbursed for the fees I had to them with any questions related from Bangladesh. After landing pay,” she said. to travel to or from Canada,” the in Canada on Jan. 31, prior to the Although Aurthy is set to be University said. implementation of the mandatory reimbursed for her quarantine “Many students have received quarantine fee, Aurthy booked expenses, she has yet to hear from financial assistance for their an Airbnb to self-isolate in for the the University about when she can quarantine plans and all have been required 14-day period. expect to receive this assistance. fully supported for the duration of “It was quite expensive,” Aurthy their 14-day quarantine period.” told The Journal.

AMS discourages students from attending social gatherings for St. Pat’s weekend

Simone Manning Assistant News Editor

effect for St. Patrick’s Day. Additionally, the KFL&A Medical Officer of Health implemented a With the one-year anniversary new Section 22 Order on March of Queen’s shutting down due to 4 as a precautionary measure to COVID-19 falling on St. Patrick’s help limit the spread of COVID-19 Day weekend, the AMS, City of in the Kingston community.

Kingston, KFL&A Public Health, “Given the increasing concerns and Kingston Police are urging of COVID-19 variants, issuing Kingston residents and students this Class Order is prudent and to remain home and prevent the necessary to prevent illness, spread of COVID-19. protect our community, keep our According to the joint media schools and economy safe and statement released by Kingston open, and prevent an impact on Police and the City of Kingston, our hospital resources,” Kieran residents who host or attend Moore, KFL&A medical officer of gatherings could receive a charge health said. under the Reopening Ontario According to the statement, Act, 2020, Health Protection and the Order will be in effect on a Promotion Act, 1990, or relevant city-wide basis as of 12:01 a.m. municipal bylaws. on Saturday, March 13 and will The University District Safety continue until Sunday, March 21 Initiative (UDSI) will also be in at 11:59 p.m.

The Order prohibits hosting or attending outdoor social gatherings of more than five people.

In a media statement, the AMS reiterated this mandate.

“You may gather at home with your household—or if you live in a house with four or less people, you may add one additional non-household member,” the AMS wrote.

“If you live with more than 5 people, you may gather at home with all your housemates but are not permitted to add any additional guests.”

Students will potentially face a $5,000 fine and may be considered to have broken the Queen’s University Student Code of Conduct if the order is breached.

Upon confirmation by the

Queen’s residence in lockdown following COVID-19 outbreak

Cassidy McMackon Assistant News Editor This story first appeared online on March 11.

Queen’s is responding to an outbreak of COVID-19 in Watts Hall on Thursday after five students tested positive for the virus.

The outbreak has impacted students living both on and off campus. According to the University, all students of immediate concern have been informed of their exposure, moved

into isolation, and are following proper protocols. Watts Hall has been locked down, and all students living on the affected floor have been moved into the David C. Smith isolation residence. Some students are isolating in place in Leonard and Leggett Hall.

According to an email obtained

by The Journal from ResLife, some students in Chown and Victoria Hall have been identified as “household contacts of high risk contacts of a positive case and so they are moving to Smith as well.”

“The only confirmed cases

right now are from Watts,” the email said.

“This is a very concerning development, and we are working closely with KFL&A Public Health to ensure the health and safety of our community is protected,” Queen’s Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Mark Green said in a press release. “The University has strict protocols in place to cope with an outbreak in residence, and we are actively executing that plan to mitigate further spread and ensure the safety of all of our students, staff, and faculty.”

KFL&A is continuing to

University and KFL&A, law enforcement potentially will look for groups larger than five, and may ask students to confirm their residency.

The AMS acknowledged the challenges of limited gatherings this past year, and applauded students for adhering to guidelines ensuring the safety of the Queen’s and Kingston communities.

“Kingston has handled the pandemic tremendously, and it is important to ensure the community remains safe”, the AMS wrote. “To reduce the risk of overwhelming first responders and the spread of COVID-19, together, let’s stay home and drink responsibly this St. Patrick’s Day.” “Pandemic gatherings pose a greater risk to the community. Be smart, celebrate safely, and stay home this St. Patrick’s Day.” Addressing consequences for the broader Kingston community, Kingston Police said breaching COVID-19 regulations can result in fines ranging from $880 to $10,000, depending on the size and organization of the social gathering.

“We’re asking residents to act responsibly to keep themselves and the community safe this investigate the outbreak and conduct contact tracing.

Students are getting tested for COVID-19 on campus today at Queen’s testing centre in Mitchell Hall, with this testing further determining whether the outbreak is linked to any variants of the virus of concern.

KFL&A believes the initial case is a result of travel outside of the KFL&A region.

Students may also access the testing centre from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Testing is available for students who have travelled outside the KFL&A

St. Patrick’s Day. Common infractions could result in ticket or fine but attending gatherings could also spread COVID-19 and put others at risk,” said Kyle Compeau, manager of licensing and enforcement.

Kingston Police Chief Antje McNeely acknowledged that the majority of community members respect restrictions put in place by the government and public health officials, celebrated the work of the Kingston Police, and urged residents to maintain vigilance.

“I am very proud of the collaborative approach we have taken throughout the pandemic, by working with City By-Law and KFL&A Public Health, engaging with our community […] educating citizens on the rules and regulations for COVID-19 safety measures, and conducting enforcement as the last resort,” McNeely stated.

“We are now one year into the pandemic, but it is paramount that we continue taking a proactive and consistent enforcement approach with the goal of keeping COVID-19 infection rates low throughout our community.” region and have had visitors from outside the region in the last 14 days for contact tracing purposes.

In a press release on Thursday, the University reminded students in residence they must follow a strict protocol to ensure limited interaction with others and that students are wearing masks and physically distancing when they are not in their rooms.

This outbreak is in addition to the six new cases of COVID-19 at Queen’s that are off-campus and considered to be unrelated. journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

News

Frday, March 12, 2021

queensjournal.ca • 3

PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON

Queen’s officially shuttered online learning on March 12, 2020.

COVID-19 at Queen’s: One year later Queen’s has seen 115 cases, two lockdowns since campus shut down Cassidy McMackon Assistant News Editor One year ago today, Queen’s shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since March 12, 2020, Queen’s has transitioned to online learning, closed campus services, implemented a testing centre on campus, experienced two lockdowns, and reported a total of 115 cases in the student community since the pandemic started.

This week, The Journal sat down with Dr. Gerald Evans, chair of the Division of Infectious Diseases and a professor in the Department of Medicine at Queen’s, to examine some of the major pandemic events at Queen’s over the past year.

Early 2020

that the following day, all in-person classes would be cancelled, and the remainder of classes would be delivered remotely.

According to Evans, the University faced major concerns of community spread due to the highly concentrated nature of Queen’s campus and the University District.

“The perspective university-wide was the concern that [COVID-19] would take off in the university community because of the nature of the student body, especially with the undergrads and students in residence.”

Following the closure of the University, The Journal reported that Queen’s cancelled spring convocation 2020 on March 19.

The University later announced that all diplomas would be mailed to graduates, and that convocation ceremonies would be held virtually.

Queen’s gave students the option to declare winter 2020 courses as pass/fail, and on April 2, the first case of COVID-19 was detected at Queen’s.

the community.

“The city itself was very worried about what the impact [of returning students] would have because at that point, Kingston was pretty good. Kingston looked very safe,” Evans said.

“An outbreak that could have occurred that is centred around the university and students would pose a major threat in essence to the surrounding community.”

Amidst community tension regarding students returning to Kingston, The Journal published an editorial urging students to follow public health guidelines. Principal Deane noted that students would be held accountable if they were caught breaching public health policies, with expulsions being options for punishment.

In September, Queen’s opened a COVID-19 testing centre on campus. Homecoming was held virtually, and the Kingston Police thanked the “vast majority” of Queen’s students after only $880 worth of fines were issued. On Sept. 22, Queen’s announced the winter semester would also be online.

When the semester came to a close in November, Queen’s had reported a total of 53 cases of COVID-19 in the student community.

The COVID-19 pandemic started making global headlines in January, 2020. The pandemic was initially met with denial, Evans said.

“There were a lot of people who Summer 2020 were very much ‘oh well, maybe it’s being overplayed and is not a On May 11, the Kingston, big issue,’” Evans said.

Frontenac, and Lennox and The Journal’’s first coverage of Addington (KFL&A) region the COVID-19 pandemic included was declared clear of all cases stories “Students from Wuhan of COVID-19. The University organize to send medical supplies announced that all classes would The winter break: a second home,” published Jan. 28, 2020, be held remotely for the Fall 2020 lockdown and former Undergraduate semester. The AMS reported that Trustee Tyler Macintyre’s apology plans for several services were Following the Ontario for attending the coronavirus up in the air. In July, Queen’s made government’s announcement of themed-party in early February. masks mandatory in all indoor a second lockdown going into “The most common thing I was public spaces. In August, The AMS effect on Dec. 26, Queen’s urged asked was ‘How long do you think Pub Services (TAPS) announced all students to avoid Kingston until this is going to be here?’” Evans it would close for the 2020-2021 the end of January. said. “I remember at the time school year due to the COVIDOn a global scale, reports of a saying if you’re an optimist, maybe 19 pandemic, revoking several new variant of COVID-19 were three or four months, and if you’re student job offers. mentioned in the U.K. a pessimist, probably six to eight months. Lo and behold, here we Fall 2020 Winter 2021 are 12 months later.”

Following a summer period of In early January, Kingston March 12, 2020: Campus low case numbers in the Kingston experienced its first and only shuts down region, community concerns death due to COVID-19, Queen’s grew when students began to Professor Emeritus Robert On March 12, 2020, return to campus. According to Pike. KFL&A announced the Principal Patrick Deane sent a Evans, the return of students first detection of COVID-19 University-wide email declaring posed an “existential threat” to variant B.1.1.7. in Kingston. On

Jan. 12, Ontario entered a state of emergency and a stay-home order ensued.

Following a number of parties on campus in the fall term, the University declined to comment on how students were being held accountable for breaking regulations. After announcing two homecomings would take place in the fall of 2021, the University backtracked on plans to have in-person homecoming celebrations.

On Feb.10, Kingston entered the green zone as the state of emergency and lockdown was lifted. AMS services gradually reopened, while Deane announced at the February Senate meeting that Queen’s was anticipating a full return to campus for the Winter 2022 semester.

COVID-19: The Anniversary

On March 2, Kingston’s vaccination centre opened its doors at the Invista Centre. One year after the pandemic, Queen’s

has seen a total of 115 cases in the student community, with the most recent outbreak of the virus occurring on the third floor of Watts Hall.

According to Evans, the vaccine will “change a lot” in relation to COVID-19. “[The vaccine] will get us back to some degree of normality, in just that there will be a major push on that if you’re not going to die from COVID, you’re not going to get super sick from it, it’s just like a regular respiratory infection.”

When asked about what lessons he thinks the COVID-19 pandemic has taught Canadians in the last year, Evans noted that he hopes people are more empathetic toward each other.

“The motto in the spring was ‘we’re all in this together,’ and then as this evolved over the last eight months or so, the attitude has been more like ‘every dog out for himself’ kind of idea. We have to get back to that concept of where we place our values in life.”

News

4 • queensjournal.ca

Queen’s research projects get $10 million in federal funding Some projects focus on strengthening infrastructure against climate crisis Simone Manning Assistant News Editor Two projects led by Queen’s researchers received almost $10 million in funding to advance their work.

The funding was shared during an announcement made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledging $518 million in research support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Innovation Fund.

According to a press release from the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (FEAS), the CFI’s Innovation Fund 2020 competition was designed to provide strategic investments in research infrastructure, from supporting fundamental research to technology development.

With a look toward a post-pandemic future, the federal government is using the CFI to focus on supporting research that has the potential to build a healthier, greener, and more economically robust society while pursuing exploration and discovery.

“This support will allow Queen’s to build on exceptional international strengths and have a direct impact on how we live and understand the world around us,” said Kimberly Woodhouse, vice-principal (research), in the statement.

The Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) and Queen’s researcher Annette Hay and Jonathan Bramson of McMaster received more than $5 million from the CFI to develop a national cellular therapy translational research platform—one of the two CFI-funded projects through the University.

Expanding CELL-based Immunotherapy Research Acceleration for Translation and Evaluation (ExCELLirate) aims to develop cell therapies as safe and viable treatment options through identifying biological mechanisms affecting safety and designing cost-effective methods for the harvest, expansion, manipulation, purification, and delivery of the cells.

Andy Take (Canada Research Chair in Geotechnical Engineering) and Ian Moore (Canada Research Chair in Infrastructure Engineering) are the Queen’s civil engineering researchers leading the second CFI funded research project.

Their project addresses the impacts of the climate crisis and aims to improve the resiliency of Canada’s civil engineering infrastructure.

Called the Climate Adaptive infraStructure Testing and Longevity Evaluation (CASTLE) Innovation Cluster, the project is a collaboration between Queen’s and the Royal Military College of Canada.

Jane Philpott, dean of the FHS, said she’s “proud” of the students’ work.

Friday, March 12, 2021

PHOTO BY MAIA MCCANN

Medical students review curriculum to improve racial representation in learning materials More than 120 students reviewed over 900 pieces of learning material to inform recommendations Claudia Rupnik News Editor A group of medical students organized a review of all pre-clerkship learning materials related to dermatological conditions in the Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) to determine whether those conditions were shown on more than just white skin. Now, they’re sharing their recommendations for change in the curriculum.

“I just noticed that the majority of our lectures were only showing skin conditions on white skin tones,” Iku Nwosu, Med ’22, said in an interview with The Journal. “There were sometimes entire lectures where every single photo was only on white people and, as a Black person, it obviously was unsettling for me to see that.”

“I really just thought to myself: how would I be able to treat myself, my family members, my community members, my Black peers, Black people in general, or even just people who are of a darker complexion if we’re only being taught how things look on white people.”

She joined efforts with Aquila Akingbade, Med ’22, and Eric Zhang, Med ’23, who had both identified similar concerns with the curriculum.

“As someone who has not been able to do the dermatology block, there’s a lot of extrapolating that students are forced to do, or it feels that I’m forced to do, towards

people that are not white, which is such a growing proportion of our population,” Zhang told The Journal.

“Things like that skew our ability to understand the other components and the social determinants of health that integrate into someone’s wellbeing and makes it difficult to help.”

They started their work last May and spent the summer collecting signatures on a letter they’d written about the importance of this issue—which received support from students in every year of the program, as well as from those who had already graduated and were completing their residency—and submitting a plan to the UGME about how they wanted to review the curriculum.

The group then enlisted the help of more than 120 student volunteers to review over 900 pieces of learning material related to dermatological conditions, marking down whether skin presentations were only shown on white skin. Their review encompassed the entire pre-clerkship curriculum, which constitutes the first two years of medical school.

“I think the vast majority of photos were the lighter skin tones,” Akingbade told The Journal. He referenced the Fitzpatrick scale, a classification system for skin colour, to explain the disparity.

“It goes from a one to a six with a one being a very pale-ish white that burns very easily to a six being the darkest skin phenotype,” Akingbade said. “We noticed that the vast majority of photos used in the curriculum were Fitzpatrick one or two, maybe three, but there were very few sixes, or fives, or fours—which obviously shows an inequity in our medical education.”

Medicine is a speciality that’s dependent upon pattern recognition, especially dermatology, he said.

“Seeing something before is what determines your ability to recognize it in the future,” Akingbade said. “If we’re not exposed to something in our preclerkship years or even in residency, then how in the world would you be able to diagnose that condition when you’re a practicing physician?”

“That’s why this is a huge issue. Data shows that a lot of physicians miss skin conditions in darker skinned people.”

He used melanoma as an example.

“What happens is darker skinned people have higher mortality from melanomas because they’re caught at a much later stage compared to white patients,” he said. “That has the complication of death. There’s increased death in that population of people.”

Nwosu said it’s important the medical curriculum covers these topics because physicians often make up for what they didn’t learn in the classroom through what they encounter with their patients. This learning environment varies depending on the population.

“With the Kingston-specific patient population, it’s mostly white. So, if students aren’t taught these things during our pre-clerkship, there’s not a lot of opportunity for us to fill in those gaps in clerkship,” Nwosu said.

“With that being said, it’s an issue across Canada in pre-clerkship curriculums. This is not a Queen’s specific issue. It’s a medicine issue. It’s a systemic-racism issue.”

After the review was complete, they began advocating for the UGME to get access to Visual Dx, a medical image database with a digital repository of diverse images for various skin conditions.

Access to this repository also prevents professors from encountering issues with copyright, which Akingbade said has been an issue in the past when trying to obtain photos.

They said Dr. Michelle Gibson, Assistant Dean of curriculum in the UGME, and Sarah Wickett, Head Health Sciences Librarian, were also advocates for securing access to Visual Dx for the entire Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) through the Bracken Health Sciences Library.

The group is also making course package recommendations for individual courses, which will be sent to program directors so they can make the necessary changes for the upcoming school year. The recommendations will include the standards that all learning material should meet and where instructors can find images to meet the criteria.

Akingbade said they created a framework that’s being used by other Canadian medical schools to review their curriculum as well.

“This entire project has really shown that students are able to organize and implement things when they decide it’s important to them, even though in an ideal world our administration—our UGME—would be the people to do this work, I think the learners— the people who are feeling it the most and who can see the gaps the most—are the best people to lead the initiative and get it off the ground to start with,” Nwosu said.

Jane Philpott, Dean of the FHS, said she’s “proud” of the work done by students to improve skin representation.

“I am incredibly proud of our students’ initiatives around skin representations, both as it relates to diversifying skin representations in the curriculum of our medical school, and building learning tools for healthcare professionals,” Philpott wrote in a statement to The Journal.

Philpott said the FHS intends to continue this kind of work through its Dean’s Action Table on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, which has a working group tasked focused on curricular reform across the entire faculty.

“All of our curricula need to be inclusive and reflect the diversity and lived experiences of the Canadian population; work like this is not just important, it is critical.

As our students have pointed out, it can save lives.”

News

Frday, March 12, 2021

queensjournal.ca • 5

Queen’s hires BIPOC Equity Ambassadors for undergraduate admissions period Ambassadors to support prospective students from equity-seeking groups

ArtSci ’21; Tatiana Yunadi, ArtSci ArtSci ’21; Kidus Leul, ArtSci ’23; Fahida Hossain, ArtSci ’21; and Astrid Louise Nandoh, ArtSci ’23.

CREDIT: THE QUEEN’S GAZETTE The choices were announced The group of peer advisors are all upper-year students in the BIPOC community. on Feb. 10.

The initiative was announced dialogue with other students “Each [ambassador] is expected to seven hours a week during last November after Principal from underrepresented and to be welcoming, knowledgeable the school year, plus extra time Patrick Deane’s Declaration underserved groups who have and share their lived experiences,” during peak recruitment of Commitment to Address already navigated enrolling Coupland wrote. “The goal periods. These are paid Systemic Racism, which was and studying at Queen’s,” Chris of the Equity Ambassador part-time positions.

Julia Harmsworth released in response to student Coupland, executive director of program is to provide additional According to Coupland, the Assistant News Editor calls for action. It’s one of the Undergraduate Admissions and support to prospective students Undergraduate Admissions strategies intended to eliminate Recruitment, wrote in a statement and their families by sharing team is in the process of Five BIPOC Equity Ambassadors barriers for BIPOC applicants in to The Journal. knowledge about Queen’s and hiring more ambassadors. He have been hired to help connect undergraduate admissions and The group of peer advisors are their student experience.” did not specify from which with prospective undergraduate recruitment processes. all upper-year students who are The ambassadors were hired equity-seeking groups these students about their lived “ Eq u i t y A m b a s s a d o r s members of the BIPOC community. through an open competitive students will be selected. experiences at Queen’s. were established in an effort They were hired to support process. They have each “The University is committed The Undergraduate Admissions to help applicants from applicants from equity-seeking demonstrated leadership in the to student success. Good team has hired the first five equity-deserving backgrounds by groups through the admissions realm of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, communication skills and interest Equity Ambassadors: Tamjid Bari, creating opportunities for open process and their transition to life and Indigeneity (EDII) in their in supporting equity-deserving at Queen’s. The group represents time at Queen’s. Many have been and underserved students is a both domestic and international involved in EDII-advancing clubs quality we look for in hiring our students, and a range of programs and community organizations.

Ambassadors,” Coupland said. in the Faculty of Arts and Science.

They will work about five

Queen’s launches student experience survey

Annual survey asks about diversity and inclusion, food security, sexual and domestic violence Claudia Rupnik News Editor Beyond the limestone buildings and trailing ivy, Queen’s is trying to get a picture of how students experience campus.

The Queen’s Student Experience Survey is a survey designed to collect information about the current campus climate and issues facing students. It’s available for completion from March 4-26.

The survey, which is available to all undergraduate and graduate students via their Queen’s email, is the first of its kind at Queen’s.

“Elements of the survey build on past research, including the provincial Student Voices on Sexual Violence survey, that is informing the work of the university’s Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Task Force,” Stephanie Simpson, associate vice-principal (human rights, equity and inclusion), wrote in a statement

to The Journal.

“The survey has also been informed by diversity, equity, inclusion, and Indigenization initiatives to date. It is our intent in creating this tool that the Student Experience Survey be a recurring survey that will provide insights both at a point in time, as well as into trends over time.”

The survey is unique from other surveys put out in the past because of the broad range of topics it covers within the context of the Queen’s campus environment.

The survey questions focus on the use of campus spaces during the last year, involvement in clubs, student government, athletics, and experiences and perceptions of diversity and inclusion, food security, sexual violence, and domestic violence in the Queen’s community.

This survey is unique from other surveys put out in the past because of the broad range of topics it covers within the context of the Queen’s campus environment.

The University is hoping to identify strengths and areas for

improvement based on current perceptions and experiences through the survey results.

This survey will be conducted annually to collect yearover-year progress on key initiatives.

“Creating a more equitable, inclusive, and diverse community in which all students, faculty, and staff feel safe and welcome to participate is a University priority,” Simpson wrote.

“Last year, Principal Deane and the university’s senior leadership signed the Declaration of Commitment to Address Systemic Racism and the Student Experiences Survey will be an important tool for informing the fulfillment of that commitment.”

While student participation is voluntary, Simpson said the University is hoping students see the survey as an opportunity to inform future actions and continue “to see the university’s accountability for taking concrete steps to make the campus environment better for everyone.”

The survey doesn’t ask for any identifying information and responses remain anonymous.

When a report on the survey results is shared with the campus community, the responses will be reported in terms of groups, such as by faculty, instead of individual cases.

“Feedback gathered through the survey […] can be used in a variety of ways to identify how well existing policies as well as programs are working to achieve desired outcomes, or where there are gaps that

could be addressed through changes or additional policy considerations, based on students’ lived experiences.”

The survey report will be used to establish a common set of findings and metrics that can inform equity, diversity, inclusion, and indigeneity (EDII) conversations happening with leaders working on institutional and policy change across the University, Simpson said.

Students will also be involved in the decision-making about next steps.

Simpson said data collected during the pandemic may be “quite distinct” from data in future years.

“Survey questions have been adapted to take into account the lived realities of students during the pandemic, including the fact that students are primarily engaging in their education remotely and that the nature of their relationships and social interactions has changed dramatically,” she wrote.

The survey allows students who had on-campus experience in the 2019-20 academic year to answer questions based on that experience, according to Simpson, while also providing an opportunity for students who are new to Queen’s and whose experiences of safety and institutional culture have happened online or through limited in-person interactions affected by public health regulations. “[C]ommunity stakeholders agreed that it was important to act on the pledge to introduce this institution-wide effort as

soon as possible and to build on the findings,” Simpson wrote. “Also, although students’ perceptions of campus climate this academic year may be unusual, it is still important they be captured.”

AMS Vice-President (University Affairs) Alexia Henriques told The Journal it’s important students complete the survey because the University “relies heavily on statistical evidence.”

“We do not see this as the only way for students to express themselves, as students have expressed concerns, experiences, and perspectives, through countless initiatives this year,” Henriques wrote.

“We hope that students will participate to ensure that our asks from administration are taken seriously as the University relies on data.”

Henriques also said the data-driven survey results will allow the AMS to better advocate for students and their needs.

“We will work with the incoming AMS Executive and their Senior Management team to ensure they are aware of the survey and are prepared to receive the results at the start of their term and work with the administration on tangible solutions and policy changes.” journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

6 • queensjournal.ca

Chown Hall.

Friday, March 12, 2021

Features

The Chown Hall incident, over one year later

Internal emails and interviews with administration show University’s response to racist and homophobic note, inconclusive police investigation, and structural changes Carolyn Svonkin Features Editor This article discusses acts of racism and homophobia, which may be triggering for some readers.

At 10:27 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019, Mark Erdman, Queen’s Community Relations and Issues manager, sent an email to eight members of Queen’s top administration.

“Housing advises there was a disturbing incident in Chown Hall that (in opinion of some staff) may reach bar of hate crime,” he wrote.

This was the first mention among the Queen’s administration of the act of racism and homophobia that took place in 2019 on the fourth floor of Chown Hall, according to over 300 pages of internal correspondence and reports obtained by The Journal through a freedom of information request.

It was not the last. As the

seriousness of the incident became evident, the Queen’s administration and wider community began grappling with how to respond. It was clear that the students of the fourth floor, home to the Bimaadiziwin Ka’nikonhriyo Indigenous & Allies Living-Learning Community, needed immediate support.

At around 2 p.m. on Oct. 10, Residence Manager Geneviève Meloche and Security and Emergency Services Supervisor Tammy Aristilde arrived at Chown Hall to collect evidence in evidence bags.

Meloche and Aristilde collected six bags of evidence—three printed letters and three handwritten. The letters were passed along to the Kingston Police Department (KPD) when they arrived at the scene that afternoon.

The story of Chown has often been told as one of anti-Indigenous racism, but it’s important to recognize that the note also addressed LGBTQIA2S+ students and that on Oct. 9, an incident on the fourth floor of Chown had involved the theft of both a Métis flag and a Pride flag.

Representatives of the Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre arrived at Chown that afternoon to perform a smudging ceremony. Representatives focused on supporting Indigenous students became a meaningful presence at Chown over the following week—one reason that a fourth floor Chown resident, in an email to Principal Patrick Deane, said, “The handling of this situation has made me feel even more at

home at Queen’s despite the other student or students that have tried their hardest to make me feel the opposite.”

However, many students felt the opposite. Jessica*, an Indigenous student, told The Journal that “Indigenous students have been so unsupported during this time, and it just adds such another layer on top of university, which can be crazy, stressful, and busy.”

Upon hearing about the note, Jessica recalled feeling “shocked and horrified.” She immediately drove back to her parent’s house, where she stayed for a week.

“I was scared to be on campus,” she said. “I kind of just shut down.

I stayed off my phone. I couldn’t read anything about it because it was too hurtful. The words were too hateful, and I needed time to myself to heal from that. It was a traumatizing incident.”

Deane released a statement at 4:31 p.m. on Oct. 10, calling the incident a “cowardly violation of human rights and the dignity of individuals” that “sought to intimidate and foster hate toward, and fear in, Indigenous and Queer identified members of our Queen’s family.” Kevin Deluzio, dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, emailed a statement to all Engineering students, and statements were also released by the AMS, Arts and Science Undergraduate Society (ASUS), Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS), and Four Directions.

On the afternoon of Oct. 12, a CBC article reporting on the incident was published, including

PHOTOS BY MAIA MCANN

excerpts of the violent note, which had not previously been public. Queen’s contacted the CBC and asked for the excerpts to be removed as a measure to protect the spread of hate speech.

Kanonhysonne ( Janice Hill), associate vice-principal (Indigenous Initiatives and Reconciliation), told The Journal she was “concerned with the potential of students being re-traumatized once it was splashed all over the media.”

Jessica had mixed feelings about the publication of the note in the CBC. “On one hand, I was glad to know exactly what it said, so I didn’t have to trust the university to release the bits and pieces that they thought was more palatable.

but one declined to comment and the other did not respond to a request for comment.

The full residence Don team only had “one or two” hour-long meetings, according to Ryan*, a residence Don. “We spent the same amount of time talking about the Chown incident as the Australian wildfires,” he said. “We didn’t talk about what actions Dons would do to ensure this doesn’t happen again […] We didn’t talk about how to support students in the future, we didn’t talk about the root of the issue or preventative measures.”

Four days after the CBC article brought national attention to the incident, a meeting facilitated

by Shillington and ResLife Coordinator Melyssa Kerr was held at Chown on Oct. 16 to discuss the note. One hundred sixty students “We didn’t talk about attended, according to emails.

In an email from Shillington, how to support she said “there were a few students in the future, students who were overtly and we didn’t talk about disrespectfully laughing during the root of the issue or the talk.” from the meeting also preventative measures.” saidNotes that “on the way back from — Ryan*, Residence Don the meeting, a group of students were laughing and said something along the lines of ‘I can’t wait to But on the other hand, reading take down that sign we just signed that was horrible for me and my and keep it in my room.’” mental health.”

In an email, Shillington said Dons in Chown had meetings ResLife would be confirming these with Campus Maintenance, student’s identities to follow up Campus Security and Emergency with them.

Services (CSES), and Becky Two sources familiar with the Shillington, manager (Operations) issue said dons had suspicions at ResLife, to discuss the incident. that the students laughing during The Journal reached out to both the meeting were the perpetrators 2019-20 fourth floor Chown dons, and held these suspicions when

Friday, March 12, 2021 the first note was found. They raised these concerns with ResLife, but sources said there was no apparent effort made to investigate the students. No emails indicated further discussion on the matter. ***

On Oct. 11, 2019, KPD detectives Jamie Graham and Brian Hanwell were assigned to actively investigate the case.

Despite updates given to the Queen’s community by Deane and Tom Harris, then-interim provost and vice-principal (Academic) throughout the semester, there was no meaningful investigation, according to multiple sources close to the matter.

On Oct. 18, 2019, eight days after the incident, The Journal reported that no fourth floor Chown student residents had spoken to the police up to that point, including the student who first found the note.

“The police didn’t investigate, or at least investigate thoroughly,” Ryan said. “I’m confused what the investigation was. [The police] were not doing their job correctly […] They never spoke to the Dons in Chown.”

Another source with knowledge on the situation confirmed the police never spoke to any students or Dons about the incident, and the police did not visit Chown Hall during the period when the investigation was taking place.

In a statement emailed to The Journal, the KPD called their work on the case “an extensive analysis.”

“Detectives spoke to numerous individuals and potential witnesses in an attempt to garner leads however ultimately had negative results in identifying the suspect/s involved in this incident,” the statement read.

Since the case was classified as a criminal offence, the KPD took the lead once investigators were assigned on Oct. 11, according to Todd Zimmerman, director of Campus Security and Emergency Services (CSES).

Zimmerman told The Journal that CSES’s role after the incident was to “provide supports to people who needed support through Student Wellness Services and ResLife.”

An email issued to all Chown residents on Oct. 10, at Zimmerman’s request, instructed students and Dons to “direct anyone with information on the incident to contact CSES,” not the police.

Zimmerman said “[CSES] did not get any information as to who may have been responsible.”

One reason for this gap in communication among those affected by the incident, CSES and the KPD could be the historical tension between Indigenous people and security and law enforcement services, Hill said. KPD was the

queensjournal.ca • 7

subject of the first racial profiling study of a police department in Canada, which revealed troubling statistics regarding the KPD’s treatment of racialized populations.

“I’ve spent the last seven years being an Indigenous activist, advocating for Indigenous rights, Indigenous sovereignty, and food security. [Chown] felt so soul-crushing because all the hard work and long hours I put in, it felt like they did nothing […] It definitely does feel hopeless sometimes.”

— Jessica* “Indigenous students and staff are hesitant to reach out to KPD when they are experiencing challenges,” Hill said. “There are historic reasons for that.”

In an email to Shearer and Harris, Vice-Provost and Dean of Student Affairs Ann Tierney expressed similar sentiments.

“Students do not want security present on the floor. They don’t feel they need that and, as you know, students who already feel marginalized often have a complicated relationship with any security services.”

Zimmerman told The Journal CSES attempts not to be “overbearing,” acknowledging that “some people may not want to talk to police.” When asked what CSES does to ensure students with Indigenous and other marginalized identities feel comfortable with its presence on campus, or able to go to them for support, he said “[that problem] is not something I am aware of.” ***

After three months without any updates on the police investigation, Deane pledged on Jan. 14, 2020, to inquire with the KPD about the investigation’s status.

On Jan. 17, the investigation was formally closed. No charges or arrests were made.

The news was met with disappointment across campus, and both Deane and Shillington reached out to the Queen’s and residence

communities.

A spokesperson for the KPD confirmed the investigation remains closed as of Oct. 13, 2020.

“If any witnesses come forward with any new information that would be able to assist with the investigation, [the detectives] would gladly speak with them.”

The Journal reached out to Detectives Graham and Hanwell for comment multiple times and received no response.

As the news broke, Jessica recalled feeling “extremely disappointed but not surprised.”

She told The Journal she felt like it was just brushed off by both the University and the police.

The day after the investigation was closed, a reporter from Global News came to campus to report from outside Chown Hall and Four Directions. According to an email about the situation sent

by Hill, reporters were “taking photos, trying to get interviews, on Facebook and email — basically harassing. The students are now being traumatized […] Students are not feeling safe.” ***

In the wake of the incident, the emotional impact rippled across campus. Sources close to the matter spoke of the trauma for young Indigenous and LGBTQIA2S+ students, whose living space had been breached and violated.

“I’ve spent the last seven years being an Indigenous activist, advocating for Indigenous rights, Indigenous sovereignty, and food security. [Chown] felt so soul-crushing because all the hard work and long hours I put in, it felt like they did nothing […]

It definitely does feel hopeless sometimes,” Jessica said.

“If you’ve never been the target of racism or a hate crime, I don’t know if you can fully understand the level of it or the impact of it, and how traumatizing it can be,” Hill said.

In an email to Deane, Harris, and Shearer on Oct. 11, Tierney expressed an emotional response to the thoughts of Indigenous and LGBTQIA2S+ students facing the incident.

“I can’t help but feel like we failed in the promises we made to these families to provide a safe and supportive community for their children. These students don’t feel safe as they have been threatened in their own homes.”

On Oct. 14, extra security was issued to the Yellow House, a dedicated space for Queen’s student groups working to advance social justice and inclusion.

Vice-Provost Harris wrote in an email that the measures were “precautionary” because “haters tend to come out.”

A sacred fire was held by Four Directions on Oct. 15, the same day Principal Deane held his first Principal’s Conversation, where he discussed the incident.

On Oct. 18, nearly a thousand students, faculty, staff, and community members took to the streets of campus to march in support of Indigenous and LGBTQ+ students. The march was hosted by Four Directions.

“Many non-Indigenous staff and faculty came to things like the fire and the solidarity march and continued to show support and ask how they could be of assistance,” Hill said of the non-Indigenous Queen’s community’s response to the incident. “People I engaged with were very aware of not wanting to take over or get in the way, but support what the Indigenous community wanted to happen.”

Jessica said Four Directions was helpful both in the direct aftermath of Chown and in the time since, offering resources and providing care packages to Indigenous students at the start of this school year.

pandemic halted plans.

“There will be a sweat lodge for Queen’s, although the sites we looked at are far away from campus,” she said in an interview.

“We’ve been trying to look around campus property or West Campus to have one that is more accessible.”

Harris also suggested the installation of a totem pole on campus. Totem poles are not part of the culture or history of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Peoples, whose territory Queen’s is situated on, and according to Hill, “there was never any discussions of installing a totem pole.”

Despite efforts to support Indigenous students, some felt the response fell short. There were no specialized resources provided for QTBIPOC students or Dons, and there was limited talk about mental health supports beyond Student Wellness Services, which sources noted may be less helpful for people with complex identities and/or those impacted by trauma. Other sources said they felt that while CSES and ResLife responded strongly, the University administration did not address the issue properly.

“I felt like I couldn’t be safe at [Queen’s],” Jessica said. “I felt that academia in general […] was an unsafe place for me as an Indigenous student.”

Hill pointed to student government as another place “Many of the where the reaction could have been better. recommendations “Student governance and the students made [after administration could have done the incident] have been more to ensure students felt safe, acted on, but they feel supported and valued,” she said.

In the aftermath of Chown, Hill recommendations met with the AMS and SGPS. She around safety have not.” has not met with any student government this year.

— Kanonhysonne (Janice Hill has been working with the Hill), associate vice-principal University administration along (Indigenous Initiatives with Stephanie Simpson, associate vice-principal (Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion). They have set up a committee to talk about According to email “safety and safe spaces for students communications, Harris made on campus,” and, on May 27, 2020, suggestions on Oct. 20 to increase the University Senate approved Indigenous presence on campus the establishment of a Bachelor of through physical infrastructure.

Arts (Honours) Major and Medial One suggestion was to create in Indigenous Studies, which was a sweat lodge—a structure effective Sept. 1. in which Indigenous peoples Hill pointed to recent perform ceremonies for prayer and Indigenous faculty hires, the healing—that would be owned by construction of a new room Queen’s. Hill said the University on the lower level of Stauffer w a s looking for a site for Library built using wampum as the lodge before an inspiration, working groups t h e out of the Aboriginal Council of Queen’s University, and permanently h a n g i n g

8 • queensjournal.ca Indigenous and LGBTQIA2S+ flags at Four Directions, the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, residences, and other places on campus as steps forward.

In addition to other actions aiming to support the Indigenous community, the Living-Learning Community was moved out of Chown to another residence that “has the ability to be more secure,” Hill said.

For Jessica, the University’s actions have not been enough to combat the discomfort and fear Indigenous students feel. “It’s definitely very performative on their part, they’re just doing the bare minimum to keep people off their backs,” she said.

Security was, and remains, a topic of serious concern after the incident.

“Many of the recommendations students made [after the incident] have been acted on, but they feel recommendations around safety have not,” Hill said.

After the incident, security personnel were assigned to do additional patrols of floors and common spaces in Chown despite racialized students’ concerns regarding security services’ and law enforcement’s treatment of marginalized communities.

One request the residents of Chown’s fourth floor made was the installation of security cameras.

According to a Jan. 21 email from Hill to Shearer, this was voted down by the other floors in the building.

However, according to Zimmerman, CCTV video cameras have now been installed in the hallways of Chown Hall.

Another security concern had to do with Chown Hall’s front door. Like all Queen’s residences, the main door was supposed to be locked, with key access only to residents of the building. This was confirmed in an email from ResLife

Friday, March 12, 2021 to Chown residents on Oct. 22, 2020 meant to reassure students about safety measures in Chown.

However, multiple sources told The Journal that the front door of Chown was not as secure as ResLife indicated.

“The Chown door ‘locks,’ but you can just yank it open,” Ryan said. “Most students have realized it’s an open building.”

Unlike other residences, the only key-access points in Chown are the main floor entries, meaning once a person is inside, there’s access to every floor. According to Ryan, Dons had put in maintenance requests to have it locked before the incident but were ignored.

“You’d think ResLife would address the issue promptly, but they let it go through the entire academic year,” he said. Sources said the lock has now been fixed.

Despite the security concerns, CSES protocols for dealing with serious incidents in residence “have not changed,” said Zimmerman. “We’re trying to get better at dealing with nuance.” One change CSES has implemented is more cultural sensitivity training for officers.

Zimmerman said he didn’t see the note found on Oct. 10 as an example of poor security because “the only thing that really changed [to potentially have caused the incident] is that the people living in Chown were different than the people who lived there before.” ***

“I don’t know that [Indigenous members of the Queen’s community] feel a lot different than they did immediately following Chown. We still hear that students, staff and faculty continue to not feel safe and don’t feel heard,” Hill said.

The incident at Chown happened between a series of

Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre.

racist incidents at Queen’s. Prior to Chown, Queen’s attracted national attention for racist costume parties, and since October of last year, a coronavirus themed party took place, Four Directions was vandalized twice, and Instagram accounts @StolenBySmith and @ErasedByFEAS have provided a platform for students to share experiences of racism and prejudice on campus.

Moreover, Canadian history has long been taught from a colonial perspective, with the lived experiences of Indigenous people often being erased. It’s why Jessica believes a strong place to start changing the culture at Queen’s would be a mandatory Indigenous studies course.

“A lot of people who have preconceived notions about Indigenous people, the type of people who would write a note such as the one at Chown, never got to learn about Indigenous people properly,” she said. “That’s a testament to school systems failing us, particularly in Ontario […] There are things about my own people that I didn’t know until I was 20, because it’s not taught and a lot of colonialism is taking and ending our traditional knowledge.”

She pointed out that Ontario high schools lack almost any Indigenous curriculum, although the public school boards are “making good steps.”

In contrast, “the universities certainly aren’t doing as much as they could in terms of educating people on not just Indigenous issues, but Indigenous people and the ways in which our culture can be celebrated and appreciated.”

When Jessica brought up the idea for a mandatory Indigenous Studies course with Deane, along with other suggestions intended to alter the racist culture at

Queen’s, she said her ideas were “completely ignored, or it was said it can’t be done.”

Numerous sources told The Journal they feel ResLife is not focused on the emotional, mental, and physical safety of racialized students on campus. In addition, multiple interviewees said the University administration also needs to consider the systemic causes for inaction on racism and homophobia at Queen’s.

However, Hill sees progress in the conversations that are happening.

“The issue of racism is front and centre at Queen’s right now, and that started with the incident in Chown. Racism is top of mind for everyone right now,” she said. “How do we combat it in the community?

The biggest way is trying to change the culture of the University, which will be difficult and take time.”

Hill said she isn’t sure how to fundamentally alter the culture at Queen’s, but was happy to see it is a priority for Principal Deane, who, along with the rest of the administration, released a Declaration of Commitment to Address Systemic Racism on Aug. 12, 2020.

She believes education will play a big role in creating positive change. “Education will get us out of this. We can make positive change in the world through education.”

While Hill remains positive, Jessica said the culture at Queen’s surrounding Indigeneity has not changed over the last year and a half.

Following the hate crimes at Four Directions over the summer where within one month, five Pride and Indigenous flags were slashed and a tipi was damaged, Jessica got in touch with Deane and members of senior administration to voice her concerns.

“I told them that I don’t know if I can continue being a student here, because the environment is toxic.”

“They tried to assure me they were making steps in the right direction. But it was, again, pretty bare minimum. I wanted them to help us, as Indigenous students, enact systemic change, so these things would stop happening.”

She was put in contact with counselors, people in her major, and the undergraduate chair of her department. “Their only goal was to make sure that I personally stayed in school, not to take on the bigger challenges of changing the University culture to make it more inclusive,” Jessica said.

Jessica emphasized the work of Four Directions and other equity groups for trying to fill the gaps the administration has left, but it is not enough.

“If we were to go back to campus, I would not be surprised if more hate crimes are committed […] hate crimes on campus are a regular occurrence. I don’t think the university has done anything to change the views or actions of students.”

A year and a half after Chown, there has been no conclusion.

Not only did law enforcement fail to bring the perpetrators of the incident to justice, but Jessica pointed to the recurring vandalism at Four Directions as a testament to the lack of change within the Queen’s culture.

“We need to create a university culture in which Indigenous students are welcome, and where hate crimes won’t happen regularly,” Jessica says. “We need a culture where I don’t have to expect the worst.” *Names changed for anonymity due to safety reasons.

Friday, March 12, 2021

queensjournal.ca • 9

EDITORIALS Journalism, not just Ryerson, has a discrimination problem The Journal’s Perspective

An open letter from students alleges the Ryerson School of Journalism fails to properly represent and support BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S+ students. Ryerson should be paying attention—but so should journalism bodies as a whole.

Last weekend, the chairs of Ryerson’s School of Journalism stepped down just hours before the letter was released claiming the school creates an unsafe environment for BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S+ students within the program.

The letter lays out a very clear list of demands and actionable items. All Ryerson

needs to do is listen and act.

Janice Neil, the former chair of the journalism school, cited actions Ryerson had committed to under her leadership—such as adding a class on race reporting and hiring more diverse staff—yet this is less than the bare minimum the school should be doing.

Every journalism class, as opposed to just one, should already be addressing race, as opposed to just one, and the administration should be diverse in addition to staff.

Discrimination of marginalized communities also isn’t something that can be remedied with a singular action; it’s a systemic issue that will take a complete overhaul of the system to change. Ryerson needs to commit to that work—and shouldn’t be relying on marginalized students to do that.

The resignation of two chairs means little, especially considering they failed to take responsibility for their role in Ryerson’s unsafe environment.

In her resignation letter, Neil claimed “some students

don’t believe that [she’s] in their corner.”

While Neil acknowledges that this is “truly inequitable,” she doesn’t offer an apology or attempt to have a conversation with the students she’s failed.

Her claim also wrongly puts the blame on students. The open letter makes clear marginalized students don’t feel safe or heard at Ryerson; if students weren’t comfortable going to the former chairs for help, that’s a reflection on the chairs themselves. Neil should have acknowledged that.

The open letter is the result of marginalized students’ time, work, and energy. The safer learning environment the letter calls for should be a given; it’s not something students should have to fight for. The work of these students should be recognized and honoured—something Ryerson can do by listening and acting productively.

But this isn’t just a Ryerson issue.

Discrimination is a systemic part of journalism and needs to be addressed at every journalism school and newspaper, including The Journal. Newspapers everywhere are acknowledging how their operations systemically discriminate against marginalized communities, including publication giant The New York Times, which recently published a detailed Call to Action.

Discrimination embedded in the system of journalism itself—not just at Ryerson—has gone too long unaddressed.

Ryerson students’ open letter is a call to acknowledge that.

—Journal Editorial Board

ILLUSTRATION BY ASHLEY CHEN

Men should be feminists, but not just for themselves Anyone who considers themselves a feminist must be actively participating in dismantling misogyny in all its forms, not just those which directly impact them. This standard has to extend to men in feminism as well.

Many of the pieces I’ve read encouraging men to support feminism make their appeal by arguing that feminism isn’t something men should be fearful of—it’s something they can benefit from.

I’m in no way trying to put down these articles, which shed light on important social issues, nor is my intention to minimize the devastating impact toxic masculinity and misogyny have on men. I wholeheartedly believe that men can and do benefit from feminism. However, it’s concerning to me how frequently this particular narrative dominates the conversation meant to draw men into the fight for gender equality, because it paints a very inaccurate and one-faceted picture of men’s role in feminism.

Misogyny devalues qualities we view as feminine, discriminating against femininity in how we act, speak, dress, and feel. It’s certainly true that this can have a detrimental effect on men, but it’s women who are disproportionately impacted by feminine disempowerment and misogyny.

Men must care about that, too.

Canadian women working full-time earn 87 cents for every dollar Canadian men

earn, a gap exacerbated for Indigenous women, racialized women, women who are immigrants, and women with disabilities. One in three Canadian women experience sexual violence. Indigenous women and transgender women of colour face staggering rates of harassment and violence.

Men shouldn’t be leaving these injustices out of their feminism. And they certainly shouldn’t be speaking over women in conversations about how rape culture, domestic violence, and gender discrimination impact women, considering these issues don’t detract from what men experience.

If men pick and choose which feminist issues to care about, they’re exercising their privilege over women, not uplifting them.

Being a feminist isn’t as simple as slapping on a label and advocating for a single niche of empowerment you benefit from.

Men: to achieve gender equality, you’re going to have to lose privilege. You’re going to have to do work that’s uncomfortable, work that makes you confront your own biases and the biases of others. Yes, that work is worth it. And, yes, you’ll benefit from it. But I hope that’s not all you care about.

If you don’t care about advocating for Black women, for nonbinary folks, for Queer women—you’re not a feminist, no matter who you are. If you’re a man

who touts himself a feminist but is exclusively concerned with the ways men are impacted by misogyny, you’re not a feminist either.

Everyone can benefit from feminism, and that’s vital. However, not every discussion about why men should consider themselves feminists needs to center around how men can reap the rewards of gender equality—caring about its impact on women is just as important.

Shelby is a third-year English student and The Journal’s Lifestyle Editor.

Shelby Talbot

THE QUEEN’S JOURNAL Volume 148 Issue 23 www.queensjournal.ca @queensjournal Publishing since 1873

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O PINIONS

10 • queensjournal.ca

OPINIONS

Friday, March 12, 2021

Your Perspective PHOTO BY MAIA MCCANN

Thor believes in doing things, even when they're difficult.

We must be motivated to act during stressful times Anxiety is inevitable for many, but apathy is a choice for some

People are losing interest in challenging themselves.

It might be because we live in the age of anxiety. It’s estimated by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America that approximately 1 in 5 individuals over the age of 18 suffer from anxiety disorders. By those numbers, anyone with more than five friends should be hard-pressed to deny that anxiety, like depression, is running rampant in today’s society.

Nihilism, the belief that nothing matters, can go hand in hand with anxiety. If nothing matters, it’s easy to justify doing nothing.

This is different from anxiety, for individuals suffering from chronic anxiety—or even those just undergoing a brief spell of it—can legitimately rationalize inaction because they are experiencing negative physiological stress.

A society sympathetic to the legitimate plight of those who suffer from anxiety is long overdue, but issues arise when nihilistic apathy is mistaken for anxiety.

People who don’t suffer from anxiety may easily justify their inaction or apathy by claiming they’re too anxious to act. Since their claim uses the same language as a legitimate mental health

disorder, calling for them to act is socially impossible even if it should not be in their case.

Some might interpret these postmodern difficulties as a reason to attack anxiety and apathy, wrongly lumping them together. This sort of thinking has given rise to caricatured ideas such as the “lazy liberal snowflake,” who is supposedly too anxious and entitled to work.

For anyone vaguely familiar with anxiety disorders, this becomes problematically reductionist; equating anxious apathy to laziness delegitimizes the experiences of those suffering from anxiety every day.

Therefore, the focus must shift inward. Instead of judging those who claim anxiety, people should focus on deciphering the nature and limits of their own anxieties.

Data has shown not all stress is to be feared. A 2010 paper published in the National Library of Medicine reviews findings that, perhaps counterintuitively, report that mild levels of stress can lengthen lifespans, lessen the severity of cancer, stroke, coronary heart disease, autoimmune disease, allergies, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. More recent literature has identified this healthy stress

as hormesis, which can “make you physically stronger, boost your immune system, improve your mood, and more.”

Despite having this information, we Queen’s students are fighting a losing battle against apathy.

Student engagement has been on a downward trend for years, one example being AMS elections often going uncontested. Some of this is attributable to a lack of diversity and inclusivity in the Queen’s community, but apathy cannot be overlooked, nor should the problem be simplified.

The pandemic has not helped, either. Typical student spaces—like cafes, bars, and clubs—are shut, which further incentivizes doing nothing.

Since in-person shopping and face-to-face socialization are now considered irresponsible, students are facing circumstances that encourage them to stay inside and have their Ben & Jerry’s delivered in the name of public health and safety.

While there are alternatives to the social pleasures stolen by the pandemic, socially-distanced visits and Zoom calls can only do so much. Much of the internet has devolved into a mess of people fighting against both science and

society over what they perceive as being their right, like the “right” to not wear a mask. Come St. Patrick’s Day, the backyards of some will surely be brimming with drunk students. The insistence on throwing crowded parties during COVID-times, like the insistence on not wearing a mask, reflects a lack of originality. It’s apathy toward the idea of doing something that is non-habitual.

There are seemingly few options to manage this apathy. Too often it seems the answer is sedate, medicate, and accept apathy.

Re-watching your favourite Disney movie in bed while ruminating in a state of growing anxiety is certainly living one’s truth, yet we must consider how we can bring life and excitement back to our world spontaneously. Instead, consider other ways to spend your time, like writing a poem, finding a secluded tree to climb, or building a pillow fort for your cat—preferably with passion and without judgement.

Take a breath the next time you’re considering opting out of action. Quieting anxiety with medication or apathy, while at times necessary, limits the opportunity to charge into scary new situations headlong and with

reckless abandon. Sometimes genuine change requires this sort of energy. This is not meant to disparage people with anxiety disorders, but merely re-evaluate the relationships we all form with our anxiety. Before considering any changes to medication, proceed with care and only under the advice of a doctor.

The father of American Psychology, William James, addressed this situation poetically in the conclusion of his 1896 essay 'The Will to Believe': “Be strong and of a good courage.

Act for the best, hope for the best, and take what comes […] if death ends all, we cannot meet death better.”

While everyone needs a rest day and a bath bomb from time to time, we should always be inwardly critical of our supposed limits. The capacity to challenge oneself, to slay anxiety through action, is a quality becoming undervalued in contemporary society.

Time is running out—we can’t do nothing forever.

Thor van Walsum is a fourth-year Arts & Science student

Arts

11 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, March 12, 2021

Professor Carolyn Smart leaves powerful legacy at Queen’s with Lake Effect 10 Anthology of work by creative writing students bookends Smart’s time at the University

Editor’s note: One member of The Journal’s Editorial Board is one of the writers in Lake Effect 10.

Alysha Mohamed Assistant Arts Editor

Professor Carolyn Smart has been nationally recognized as an incredible writer and editor, but for hopeful creative writing students at Queen’s, she has been the ultimate mentor.

Smart has dedicated her career to fostering the development of emerging writers, founding the RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers, and teaching Creative Writing at the University since 1989. Twenty years ago, she started the Lake Effect project: a bi-annual publication which showcases the work of advanced Creative

Writing students at Queen’s.

“More than 20 years ago, when I was first teaching Advanced Creative Writing, I realized some students were probably going to publish books. They were so talented,” Smart told The Journal.

“I wanted to have their early work recognized in this form.”

The anthology is a collection of poetry and short stories by the 12 students in CWRI 496, with some students choosing to put forth both genres of their work.

“Every writer’s individual style shines in Lake Effect,” Smart said. “The styles are varied and damned exciting.”

The original Lake Effect came to fruition when Smart collaborated with Laurie Lewis, the publisher of Artful Codger Press in Kingston, to create the first edition.

“Laurie and her press were the publishers of the first five volumes of Lake Effect,” Smart said. “One of the original members of Lake Effect is now the publisher for the second five volumes; her name is Christina Decarie, and she runs Upstart Press with her husband.”

Decarie’s husband, DJ Berger, has been the designer of all posters for Creative Writing events at Queen’s for the last five years. He’s also designed the imaginative cover art for Lake Effect 10.

Smart described the process of editing the anthology, which is a combination of peer editing and final proofreading.

“I asked each student to pair with another student within the class and do some initial editing,” Smart said. “The final decisions come to me at the end, and I

Lake Effect 10 cover art.

go through for proofreading and editing.”

A book launch for the anthology will take place virtually on April 8 at 7 p.m. as a Zoom webinar. Students featured in the book will have the opportunity to read their pieces aloud and talk about their inspirations and writing style.

Though Creative Writing students have been unable to interact in person and experience the intimate seminar feel of the classes, Smart maintained the upcoming publication has been a real bonding experience.

“I think it’s a high point for the students because it really bonds the group in promotion and publicity,” Smart said.

“Even though this year it won’t be in person, there’s a surge of

SUPPLIED BY DJ BERGER

excitement that will be palpable during the launch.”

The 10th edition of Lake Effect also marks the end of Smart’s teaching career at Queen’s.

“After 32 years, it’s time for me to move on,” Smart said. “I’m starting my own editing and mentoring project where I will hopefully continue to work with emerging writers. I encourage all my former students to be in contact with me.”

Smart described her pride for the anthology as the final chapter in her time at the University.

“It feels remarkable as a milestone for me after all these years,” Smart said. “I’ve seen many students go on to be professional writers, and to have their early work published is incredible.”

‘My respite from the Commerce program’: KIRPAL talks two latest singles

Nathan Gallagher Arts Editor For musician Ryan O’Driscoll, Comm ‘17, if you’re not willing to be weird and different with your sound, there’s no point.

O’Driscoll, who goes by KIRPAL, got his first guitar when he was seven or eight and has been experimenting with his sound ever since. His two latest singles, ‘Again and Again’ and ‘35mm Memories,’ are available for streaming on Spotify and Apple Music.

During his undergrad at Queen’s, O’Driscoll gained some experience playing in front of a live audience at the Mansion but stopped when it ended badly.

“It’s kind of funny. I used to play a lot of acoustic stuff and I decided I was going to do a short set that was multiple instrumentations, but by myself.

Honestly, I was not prepared for it.

My computer crashed during it. It was shockingly bad,” he laughed.

“I decided at that point I wasn’t going to perform live again until I could do it right, [and] I could perform my own work. Just when I was starting to release things, that’s when COVID kind of all set in so there hasn’t been an opportunity yet.”

As a student, O’Driscoll was performing acoustic covers of artists like Ben Howard and City and Colour. Now, he writes and mixes his own songs, which are

more of an ethereal pop vibe with some inspiration from alt-J, M83, and 80s nostalgia.

“If I was to describe who KIRPAL is […] it’s a one-man project that uses the genres of electronic, alternative rock, pop with its quite deeply emotional but also metaphorical lyrics.”

“A lot of [my songs] develop around failed relationships be they romantic or otherwise, [and the] desire to hold on even amongst the devastation. I view my work as sort of a deposition on doubt, yearning, sexual infatuation, and personal connections which you share with people,” he said.

In his recording process, he tends to write the lyrics last, doing a version with gibberish words just to find the right vocal melodies. Sometimes in his early drafts of the lyrics, he’ll stumble onto a kernel of cool words or phrases and expand from there.

A typical KIRPAL song will blend synthwave with reverberating guitars, a rich drumbeat, and airy, washed-out vocals.

O’Driscoll views his music as a release from normal life.

“When I got to Queen’s, it was sort of my respite from the Commerce program, which can feel a bit dry sometimes. [Music] was my creative outlet, so I started recording and learning how to produce,” he said.

“Through thousands of hours and hundreds of projects, it’s starting to come together.”

KIRPAL mixing music..

SUPPLIED BY RYAN O’DRISCOLL

Arts

Friday, March 12, 2021

queensjournal.ca • 12

Sarah Waisvisz imagines the future of Blackness through monodrama Witness Shift

Actor Uche Ama stars in Witness Shift.

Alysha Mohamed Assistant Arts Editor

When Professor Sarah Waisvisz first read Donna-Michelle St. Bernard’s intensely intimate novel Witness Shift, she cried.

Witness Shift challenges the modern-day policing system with an alternate, community-based model of handling distress calls.

Waisviz’s adaptation of St. Bernard’s novel lives at the tension point between theatre and film, subverting the often violent interactions between racialized people and the police.

Directed by Queen’s professor Waisvisz and starring actor Uche Ama as a senior dispatcher, the nuanced one-woman show was produced as a part of Obsidian Theatre and CBC’s 21 Black Futures project, spearheaded

by Artistic Director Mumbi Tindyebwa. The national project was a collaboration between 21

STILL FROM WITNESS SHIFT

playwrights, 21 directors, and 21 actors who responded to the question: “What is the future of Blackness?”

The film was rehearsed entirely through Zoom and was shot in Toronto while Waisvisz directed online because of the provincial lockdown.

In an interview with The Journal, Professor Waisvisz discussed the importance of the piece and how it contributes to global conversations on racial justice.

Waisvisz said her initial reaction to the script was driven by its compassion.

“It portrayed a world not too far in the future from our own in which Black bodies and everyone’s bodies are treated with respect,” Waisvisz said.

This world, where calling the police is not the go-to for distress-related calls, directly addresses questions surrounding what defunding the police would look and feel like.

“It proposes a world in which instead of calling the police, you call a community dispatch service and experts on the line will either advise you directly or transfer your call to someone who can help you with your specific issue,” Waisvisz said.

“In this world, the police still exist, but they are called for police-specific things,” Waisvisz said. “They are presumably doing very particular specialized policing work in this world.”

Humanity and intrinsic support are at the core of Witness Shift.

Ama’s character leads a rookie through a day as a community dispatcher, describing the process of responding to calls without escalating the situation.

“The characters in this play show that you can be trained to do certain things, but that you have a core generous spirit inside you,” Waisvisz said. “If you begin to look at the humanity in everyone, you’ll know what to do to

support them.”

The story imagines a future of Blackness that is close to our present reality, and in many ways, feels like a parallel universe rather than a glance 50 years into the future.

“The goal is to present this world that is already possible, we just need to prioritize it,” Waisvisz said. “We have it in us to have a different world and I don’t know what prevents it, but it’s not for lack of potential.”

One of the most important facets of Witness Shift is how it acts in resistance to the police brutality that has been present in both America and Canada for decades. Although conversations about social justice have been heightened since the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Professor Waisvisz offers that the interplay between race and policing has always been dangerous.

“People I know have found

themselves at the intersection of mental health distress and their racial identity and a racist culture,” Waisvisz said. “I just wish those things didn’t collide in dangerous ways, but often they do.”

In her Director’s Note, Waisvisz dedicates Witness Shift to “Regis, Breonna, Abdirahman and everyone who deserved a different system.”

The director also spoke about personal experience with the policing system and how it has impacted people close to her.

“We all know someone who experiences mental health difficulties, and we all know that if you’re a racialized person, it’s 7,000 times more scary,” Waisvisz said. “We felt a kind of duty to take this script really seriously.”

Witness Shift is available for viewing on CBC Gem, along with the other contributions to the 21 Black Futures Project.

to fill a banquet hall, the novel is a vivid and accurate depiction of a specific slice of youth, at once universal and ultra-particular.

Written in the style of a picaresque, Happy Hour draws us into the action fueled by Gala’s charisma and Isa’s self-assured voice. As we read Isa’s diary entries over the course of their summer, we watch as the two girls hop from job to job, party to party, in a manner that verges on mythic.

“I want people to be guided through this world with them and feel like you kind of trust them enough. You don’t have to like them, but I feel like you should trust them,” Granados told The Journal about her plucky heroines.

To her credit, Isa and Gala are both trustworthy and likeable, and their relationship glows with the realistic love and tension of being attached to someone so closely since childhood.

One thing Granados was adamant about was that neither of the girls in her story be punished

by the end. Delving deeper into the novel, the reader may grow concerned that there’s a major traumatic event just around the corner; some sort of karmic retribution is sure to befall girls who purely want to have fun. But there isn’t.

It isn’t that the protagonists’ actions don’t have consequences or that they’re exempt from the turmoil of everyday life. Rather, the novel doesn’t unnecessarily punish them for their femininity or their lack of a desire to participate in capitalist society in a traditional fashion.

Granados has no interest in moralizing or chastising the actions of her characters. They know they’re not perfect and that’s enough.

I asked Marlowe whether any television series jumped out at her as breaking the mold that continues to discipline young women in upsetting or violent ways. She noted that the praise for The Queen’s Gambit was peculiar,

not because it wasn’t a good show, but rather that the audience was vocal about how happy they were that Beth wasn’t assaulted during the series.

“It was weird to me that we’re so happy that she wasn’t a victim of sexual violence […] That’s very bizarre as a culture to feel so taken aback by something like that.”

Isa and Gala experience their own shares of grief throughout childhood and adolescence, but Granados deftly depicts navigating trauma without patronizing her subjects or adhering to this unspoken rule that female pleasure should inherently be linked to pain.

“I think that that’s also a really underrated talent that women have often is when they’re able to retell a story and have a sense of humour about it, and then be able to be very self-aware about the situation that they’re in,” Granados said.

The act of developing one’s own narrative and the way we tell stories to one another is a through line in much of Granados’ work,

including her short film The Leaving Party, which she wrote and directed.

Although social media and its effects on social hierarchy—explored in The Leaving Party— are absent in Happy Hour, Isa’s documentation of her summer in New York is powerful because she exercises control over her own narrative.

“We afford men this kind of complexity, this room for error, and this redemption arc that is not really afforded to women,” Granados said.

In literature, when girls are given that opportunity, they’re often taken advantage of because of their youth and inexperience and come out stronger on the other end because they’ve overcome something. Happy Hour goes a different route.

“The novel is really about a young woman telling her own story and being able to have that kind of control, which I think is really rare.”

In debut novel Happy Hour, Marlowe Granados delves into world of glamour, parties, and friendship

Granados wants girls in books to have more fun Alexa Margorian Staff Writer Marlowe Granados likes to browse.

You can tell from the way her living room—the background of our Zoom call—is decorated, in a manner both elegant and curated.

Only someone with a good eye can make it look entirely natural.

Isa and Gala, the protagonists of her debut novel Happy Hour, also like to browse. They have that same keen eye, but instead it’s trained on searching for the next gig, the next good time.

It’s the summer of 2013, and Isa and Gala have just arrived in New York City, renting a room in a shared Brooklyn house, ready to take on whatever the city has to offer. With a cast of characters large enough

Read the full story at queensjournal.ca

Sports

Friday, March 12, 2021

queensjournal.ca 13

Sports

time to right the ship. But this plan was also thwarted, with the Gaels falling 8-1.

“There was sort of a general feeling at that point that ‘man, maybe this isn’t our year,’” Holmberg said. “But to the player’s credit, that wasn’t the attitude they took and they just gritted their teeth.”

The team’s unrelenting drive made the loss to Laurier just one of two in the new year, as the PHOTO BY JODIE GRIEVE Gaels went on to Ten years ago, the women’s hockey team played the longest game in collegiate history. win 10 of their 12 remaining regular-season games and handily marched into the playoffs.

They beat Windsor in the first round, after a double-overtime thriller.

In the semi-finals, they faced a true challenge against Laurier, the eight-time consecutive OUA champions, a team the Gaels were winless against in the playoffs.

Undaunted, they ploughed through another two doubleovertime victories each with a score of 2-1, to take the series and head to the OUA finals against the Guelph Gryphons.

The matchup against the Gryphons was one many of the Queen’s players had Matt Funk line and it was just instant relief, best-of-three series against Guelph been craving. The previous year, Sports Editor like we did it. It was almost like the for the Ontario University Athletics Queen’s was ranked second whole playoff run coming together (OUA) championship title, along entering the OUA playoffs, In the ninth period of a game watching the puck cross that line.” with a berth to the Canadian but their hopes were dashed that seemed like it may never The game that had started Interuniversity Sport (CIS) after losing to the Gryphons end, the former women’s hockey at 7:37 p.m. on a Wednesday national playoffs, where the team in the first round. centre and current assistant was finally over at 12:52 the landed a bronze medal.

It was something that needed coach, Morgan McHaffie, dove to next morning, after a draining However, while they ended with to be avenged. the Guelph net for a rebound. In 167 minutes and 14 seconds of a banner season, Head Coach Matt “There was a lot of emotion part due to adrenaline and in part gameplay. In addition to setting Holmberg noted their remarkable in the room following that loss,” due to a fanned shot, when she the record for the longest ever run started out shaky. Going into Holmberg said. “And there were landed right beside the post, she collegiate hockey game for both the holiday break, the women’s a few fourth-year players who witnessed the end of collegiate men and women, it was also a team was under .500, a rarity for had originally thought they were hockey’s longest game in history, landmark victory in a historic Queen’s hockey. The first game probably going to graduate, but as if in slow motion. season for women’s hockey. back was against the reigning I think the emotion of that loss “I remember laying on the ice, The Gaels went on to win provincial champs, Laurier inspired a small group of them to seeing [the puck] cross the goal the second game of their University, and was viewed as the come back.”

Enter Tuesday, March 2, 2011: the night hockey history would be made.

The game had was low-scoring, and with just five seconds left in the third period, the Gryphons led 1-0, and it looked as though

Golden games, vol.2: 10th anniversary of women’s hockey’s six-overtime victory Gaels’ shocker against Guelph still holds record for longest collegiate hockey game

Men’s hockey shooting for success with new recruits

Gaels add forward Nolan Hutcheson and defencemen Owen Lalonde, Trevor Longo to lineup Jack Burnham Staff Writer

While the pandemic has created a quiet year for men’s hockey, one aspect of the game has remained busy: recruiting.

Coming off their Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship in 2019, the Gaels’ shortened season last year was lacklustre. The team ranked poorly with only 69 goals and a power-play conversion rate of 13 per cent, both putting them in the bottom 25 per cent in the league.

However, men’s hockey is looking

to return to its winning ways when university athletics resume. The team has picked up some offensive firepower in Nolan Hutcheson and defensive depth in Owen Lalonde and Trevor Longo, and are looking to revamp special teams while also building strong team culture in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Hailing from the Kingston area, Hutcheson is a hometown story.

For the Gaels, he’s set to be an option to consistently put the puck in the back of the net.

Coming from the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Sudbury Wolves, Hutcheson had 89 points in 183 career games. While in Sudbury, Hutcheson had a breakout 2018-19 year, recording 44 points in 66 games and seven points in eight playoff appearances.

He also won the Most Improved Player of the year that season.

Head Coach Brett Gibson highlighted Hutcheson’s connection to the area, noting their shared connection as “Gan’ guys.”

Gibson is confident the Gananoque native will hit the ground running at Queen’s.

“He’s a full-grown man, a big body out there,” Gibson said. “We think he’ll come out there and make an impact in that way and we’re really happy to have him playing here.”

Lalonde, originally from Windsor, has already had the experience of winning an OHL championship alongside his soon-to-be Gaels teammate, Anthony Popovich, when the two played for the Guelph Storm in in 2019. Lalonde was critical in that championship campaign, providing a career-high 34 assists and seven goals while pocketing another 10 points during the playoffs.

After his banner season, he moved on to the Flint Firebirds and had the second-best season of his OHL career, recording 25 points in 56 games in the 2019-2020 season. Gibson was

quick to mention Lalonde’s past success and believes the 21-year-old will fill some gaps on the team.

“Second overall pick in the OHL Draft, champion with the Guelph Storm, he’s got a lot of talent and experience coming in and a great offensive ability with a right-shot,” Gibson said.

From the west coast, Trevor Longo joins Queen’s from the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League (WHL). In 135 games played in the WHL, Longo recorded 11 goals and 22 assists.

His best season in the WHL came while he was a member of the Medicine Hat Tigers in 2018-19, recording 13 points in 61 games. However, Longo appears to be built for the playoffs, having earned four points in six career playoff games. At 6’3”, Longo should continue to provide a solid presence on the blue line for a team that ranked near the bottom in goals against last season.

history might be repeating itself against the Gaels. But then the magic started.

After the Gryphons missed the Gaels’ empty net by inches, Queen’s regained possession and with just three seconds left in regulation, Becky Conroy snuck one past Guelph’s goalie. While overtime had become a regularity for the Gaels’ post-season, they had no idea at the time that they’d be playing the equivalent of nearly two more games that night.

The game was gruelling, and although it felt like it may never end, the Gaels were well aware that eventually it would end, and at the drop of the hat.

McHaffie recalled how the team had to calculate when to exert effort and when to rest—in between periods the team laid with their backs on the dressing room floor with their feet up against the wall to maintain circulation. Team parents who had made the trip to Guelph made runs to the grocery store for sandwiches and Gatorade.

At one point in the fifth overtime, the Gaels thought it was finally over. Morgan McHaffie’s twin sister Brittany had netted a clean goal, but the referee had lost sight of the puck and blown the play dead.

Despite the exhaustion and frustration, Holmberg recalled the high spirits his team was able to maintain.

“I came into the dressing room between the seventh and eighth period […] and all the girls are lying on their backs with their feet along the benches to get their circulation going again, and so all their heads are therefore in the middle of the room,” Holmberg said.

“And they’re singing and they’re singing. And so I walked in, looked at this for a couple seconds and tapped my assistant coach on the shoulder to go outside. There was just nothing we could do to make this better right now. The positivity and how much fun they were having in that moment—at that point as a coach you just get the hell out of the way, because they’re in that zone.”

A little while later it was all over, and the Gaels got back to Kingston at 5:30 a.m. with a heck of a story to tell.

With files from Angus Merry.

“Longo will work his way into the lineup, it’ll just take some time,” Gibson said. “It’s really good to get him here, we always love when we can get guys that really want to come to Queen’s and he’s been wanting this for three years.”

Aside from the recruiting class, Gibson also mentioned the need to work on special teams and the challenge of creating a strong team culture after a long period of separation. When asked about the power-play, Gibson mentioned the youth of the team and their relative inexperience playing on special teams, which put his players in a difficult position to succeed.

Gibson also talked about the challenges that he foresees returning to the Memorial Centre for the 2021-22 season and the effects of the pandemic on the team.

To read the full story, visit queensjournal.ca/sports

LIFESTYLE

14 • queensjournal.ca

Lifestyle

The art of sliding into DMs Advice to help message someone on Instagram without the awkwardness

two of you. As long as you’re being safe and respectful, you don’t have much more to lose than a little pride.

There’s no perfect way to make the slide, but I can offer some advice. Here are five guidelines to use when sliding into someone’s DMs while saving some potential awkwardness: Take your profile into consideration

Before you reach out to someone on Instagram, remember they can see your profile, too. If you don’t have any photos of yourself on your profile, you may lose some points with the person you’re messaging before the conversation even begins—or they might have no idea who you are.

Get in and get out

Katie Bell Contributor Sliding into someone’s direct messages or ‘DMs’ is a scary move. Many of us refrain from messaging the person we’re interested in because we overthink what to say and don’t want to come across as creepy or overeager.

While it’s intimidating, sliding into someone’s DMs can be a quick and effective way to get something started between the Kaitlyn Danielle Contributor This is a two-part series on the GameStop stock short squeeze and how it unfolded in the eyes of Queen’s students.

The Gamestop (GME) short squeeze took the internet by storm this past January as retail traders drove up the price of GME stock by more than 1,900 per cent, costing hedge funds billions of dollars.

Exactly how did retail traders pull this off? The Lazy Economist, with the help of Queen’s investors, is here to break it down.

The Short

When you buy shares, you believe you’ll be able to sell them in the future for more money. When you think a share’s price will decline, you can ‘short’ it. To short a stock, you borrow shares to sell at the current price—if the price declines later, you can buy it back at the lower price, pocketing the difference. Beware, though—if the price goes up, you pay that difference and lose money.

Hedge funds like Melvin Capital looked at GameStop, a brick-and-mortar, second-hand video game store that was already in decline before the pandemic and were certain it was going to go bust. There was such high confidence that GME was going to fall that by January, 140 per cent of GME shares were shorted.

The Squeeze

Not everyone was convinced GameStop

When you slide into someone’s DMs, your best option is to get out immediately—that is, you should ask for their Snapchat or phone number.

Most people don’t check their DMs as often as they may check their Snapchat notifications, so by getting out of their Instagram inbox you’re automatically more important than everyone else.

Friday, March 12, 2021

Don’t say “hey” More likely than not, if you start up a conversation with a simple “hey,” you won’t get an answer back—at least not one you want. Not only does this opener achieve the opposite of helping you stand out, the only thing someone can really say is a “hey” back, and if you don’t have the nerve to jump into flirting, the conversation goes nowhere.

Don’t overdo the compliments

If you start rambling compliments, something like, “You’re gorgeous, you’re perfect, …” you might overwhelm the person you’re talking to. Try to keep it to one compliment off the bat so you’re not overbearing, although I personally think the best move is to wait and build up suspense within the conversation rather than compliment someone right away.

Go with what you know

Kicking off your messages with something you know about the person brings a sense

The Lazy Economist: Introducing the GME short squeeze was doomed. Enter WallStreetBets, a Reddit channel, otherwise known as a ‘subreddit,’ comprised of retail—non-professional—traders.

As Nolan Breault, ArtSci '21, explained, “The whole point of this group is to post about obscenely risky and often stupid investment decisions, but alongside that, there are a lot of knowledgeable people that can do professional level analysis of these equities.” It was this subreddit that kickstarted the GME short squeeze.

The thought process was simple: if GME failed to fall, short-sellers would have to buy back their shares. Since the stock was so heavily shorted, this could cause a massive price surge. The odds of this short squeeze occurring were low, but the rewards could be huge.

Some of the early investors in December and January included three Queen’s students: Clay Li, CompEng '21; Logan Groves, Eng '21; and Brynnon Piccard, CompSci '21. Li took advantage of a dip in December to buy a few shares at $13.

After noticing the number of shorts weren’t falling while prices climbed, Groves took out a large position early January.

“Obviously, the risk management departments at these hedge funds were not

of familiarity to a potentially awkward encounter. If you’ve seen this person before in class, the best thing to do so is reach out to about something to do with the class and talk from there. You can say something like, “Hey, I think you’re in my stats class, have you finished the homework?”

If you don’t know this person, the best way to message them is to build on something from their profile. If they have a picture of them travelling to Greece, you can send them a message like, “I’ve always wanted to go to Greece, how did you like the trip?”

doing their job properly, to allow them to take positions like this and not close out at soon as it went to $20,” he said.

For Piccard, changes in GameStop’s management and market led him to feel “[GME] was a bit undervalued by the market, and the short squeeze potential looked pretty good.”

After GME hit $30 a share in midJanuary, hedge funds and their associates publicly accused retail traders of having gambling addictions and being dangerous and defective. The negative publicity backfired and rising prices only served to garner thousands of new investors, including Hansen Liu, Comm ’22, and Breault.

By the end of January, GME doubled three days straight, from $77 on Jan 26 to $350 on Jan 27, leaving Wall Street scrambling to cover their positions. Meanwhile, the percentage of shorts was still high, and the short squeeze looked like it was just taking off.

The Steal

In an unprecedented move on January 28, Robinhood—the American version of WealthSimple—among other trading

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platforms, announced their customers were no longer allowed to buy GME, effectively killing upward momentum.

For three of Queen’s investors, Liu, Piccard, and Li, it was time to sell.

“I remember watching GME that morning shooting up […] while I ate breakfast, and then when I went to take a shower and came back 20 minutes later, it was dropping like a rock,” said Piccard, who lost $15,000 in profit during that time.

“It was the most expensive 20 minutes of my life.”

In the end, though, both Liu and Piccard made over $30,000 off the squeeze.

Just like the negative publicity, the outrage at the trade restrictions spurred another wave of investors, including Aiden Yang, Sci '21, and Sam Alton, Sci '22. Yang described the sentiment of those new investors: “There was a bigger picture involved, not just gambling.”

The renewed support led GME to peak near $500 on Jan 28. Despite this, the momentum was crushed as retail traders sold their shares throughout the next couple days and GME plunged back down to $40 early February.

However, GME still remained heavily shorted, leading some to believe the short squeeze had not played itself out. Among these were Alton and Groves, who continued to hold their positions. Would their bet payoff? GME still remained heavily shorted, leading some to believe the short squeeze hadn’t played itself out—including Alton, Yang. and Groves, who continued to hold their positions.

Friday, March 12, 2021

The Kinky Scholar talks about some tips to approaching virtual sex The Kinky Scholar The opinions expressed in this piece reflect only the experiences of a brown Queer Muslim woman whose upbringing included poor access to sex education and reproductive healthcare. No article, author, or publication can accurately reflect the experiences of all women. Please read with caution and kindness.

If you’re following public health guidelines—which I hope you are—you’re probably having much less sex than prior to the pandemic.

This can be a blessing. Maybe it’s time to get to know yourself and your body. But if you’re still craving sexual relationships, now might be the time to start experimenting with cybersex—if you haven’t already. This can involve things like having phone sex, sexting, engaging with a cam model, or even getting on camera yourself.

If you’re going to venture into this kind of sex and haven’t before, it can be intimidating. I’ve put together a list of some key things to keep in mind. As always, read with caution, and make sure you’re having loads of virtual fun.

Make sure you trust your partner

Revenge porn—when a past partner shares your nude photos or videos without your consent—is real, and it’s being worsened by

queensjournal.ca

the pandemic. You have a right to feel like you can trust your partner with sensitive content but, unfortunately, that isn’t always the truth.

There are a few precautions you can take to protect yourself, like never sending nudes including your face or an identifiable background. More importantly you should make sure you’re sending nudes to someone you can trust. This doesn’t have to be a long-term partner, but it should be someone you can openly discuss your fears and boundaries with.

It’s also worth noting that if you’re afraid the person you’re having cybersex with won’t respect your privacy, then any kind of sex you have with them probably won’t be fun.

Like Moira Rose says, “take a thousand naked pictures of yourself now” because you’ll love them later. You’ll only be in a young twenty-something body for a short while.

Think about consent more, not less

Sexual harassment and assault are all things that can happen virtually. While platforms like Tinder, and the internet in general, can make us feel like our actions

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don’t have consequences, it’s important that we’re not forgetting the rules of consent—you always want a ‘yes,’ and that ‘yes’ needs to be enthusiastic and consistent.

It’s also important to pay extra attention to your tone and ask to make sure you’re not pressuring your partner. If you’re having cybersex via voice call or text specifically, it can be difficult to read the other person. Make sure you’re not making any assumptions about what they want.

The Tricolour Sex Column: Cybersex

Be kind to your body

Loving your rolls and stretch marks is easier said than done.

Regardless, you should feel assured that, if a person is asking you for nudes, they want to see you naked! Your partner is going to love what they see, and if they don’t, they don’t deserve to be your partner.

Also keep in mind that whatever camera angle you use won’t make you look like models.

Models, including porn stars, have professional lighting, makeup artists, and Photoshop.

ILLUSTRATION BY SHELBY TALBOT

Aysha Tabassum Features Editor

ILLUSTRATION BY SHELBY TALBOT

Burger King doesn’t care about you, but neither do other marketers

There’s no such thing as a good advertising campaign for International Women’s Day

On International Women’s Day this past Monday, Burger King UK tweeted “Women belong in the kitchen.” Its goal was to promote its new culinary scholarships for women. The chain apologized and took down the tweet after public backlash.

The funniest part of this entire debacle is that all this professional marketing team had to do was add a question mark to this tweet.

That way, it would have been crystal clear the chain wasn’t just making a sexist joke and Twitter users should stand by for more context.

Take it from a commerce student—people in marketing have zero self-awareness, and they get paid way too much money to be making hilarious mistakes like this one.

Of course, there’s something more at play here. We need to stop pretending marketers care and, more importantly, we need to stop pretending companies care whether or not they’re making mistakes like this one.

Setting aside how stupid this marketing effort was, many accounts put the cost of this campaign higher than the amount disbursed in the scholarships.

The Washington Post speculated that one ad publicizing the scholarships put out by Burger King in The New York Times print paper might have cost $65,000, more than twice the amount of one of the scholarships available.

An organization that pays

considerably more to promote its pro-women efforts than it actually does caring about women doesn’t care about women. It’s that simple.

I don’t care if RBC changes its logo to a lioness with curves or if Google puts out a special animation for International Women’s Day. These aren’t feminist efforts.

They’re marketing efforts. And, even when they’re backed with action, they’re not backed with systemic change.

Systemic change for women, to start, would probably involve dismantling the marketing industry altogether, since it’s the same one that creates our insecurities and sells us billions of dollars worth of their solutions.

Feminist movements, or any other push for social justice, have never been driven by profit. They’ve been driven by angry people joining together in collective action. International Women’s Day began as a socialist revolution. It doesn’t appreciate you commodifying it. #Girlboss feminism is not going to get women anywhere and, even when it does get women into positions of power—usually white women—it forces them to adopt the same aggressive and selfish behaviour that white men have used to oppress most of the world.

Laugh at Burger King. They made a hilarious and expensive mistake. Laugh at every marketing effort you see—because it’s all meaningless. Real change comes from mutual aid, protesting, and resistance. We don’t need these companies to do any of that.

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Friday, March 12, 2021

POSTSCRIPT

ILLUSTRATION BY SHELBY TALBOT

Navigating my body image following an abortion My unwanted pregnancy has taken a toll on my body Cassidy McMackon Assistant News Editor This piece mentions abortion and may be triggering for some readers.

The Canadian Mental Health Association Crisis Line can be reached at 1-800-875-6213.

For a while now, I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect pair of white, straight leg jeans.

I’ve visualized the pants in my head—they’ll hug my hips and waist snugly, following the length of my legs straight down to just below my ankle, so I’ll still have a little bit of room to roll them up.

I’ll pair them with my collection of band tees, vintage button downs, and beat up sneakers.

time I stumble " Each across a pair that

seems like it'll meet all of my criteria, I freeze up when I'm prompted by the website to choose a size.

I’ve scrolled through my favourite shops online for hours, looking for contenders. Each time I stumble across a pair that seems like it’ll meet all of my criteria, I freeze up when I’m prompted by the website to choose a size. After experiencing several changes in my body over the last year that largely resulted in some weight gain, every time I’m forced to ascribe a numeric

value to my waistline, I have to stop scrolling and close out of the browser.

For most of my adolescent and early adult life, I’ve been lucky enough to never experience any debilitating anxieties over my body image. In the last year, however, my usual indifference regarding my weight and healthy body image has been overcome by insecurities in the aftermath of a medical crisis.

"

***

On the day of my procedure, I felt as if an immense weight was lifted from my shoulders, and my body was finally relieved of its hardship.

I had an abortion in early March of last year after experiencing an unwanted pregnancy. From the day I found out I was pregnant until the morning of the procedure, my body went through a torrent of hardship. Over the course of one month, I struggled as I experienced extreme fatigue, crazy mood swings, bizarre food cravings, and worst of all, the most intense and incessant nausea I’ve ever experienced.

On the day of my procedure, I felt as if an immense weight was lifted from my shoulders, and my body was finally relieved of its hardship.

I’d like to make it clear that, although the choice for an individual to get an abortion is often depicted as being one of the most difficult and traumatic decisions a person can make, the decision I made to terminate my pregnancy was not that. As a university student who was 21 years old at the time of my

pregnancy, the decision to schedule an appointment at the Kingston General Hospital (KGH) Women’s Clinic was a simple choice. I had no money, no space, no patience, and, most simply, no desire to become a parent.

Instead of the abortion being traumatic, a narrative projected onto the procedure thanks to media and societal depictions of abortion, my abortion was very similar to any other doctor’s appointment I’ve had. A set of nurses and a doctor explained the procedure thoroughly to me. They informed me of the side effects of the pain killers I would later be administered, and answered every question I asked them, no matter how inconsequential the question seemed to me.

By contrast, the pregnancy itself was traumatic. The weeks I spent confined to my bedroom—subsisting on a diet exclusively of Goldfish crackers because they were the only things I could keep down, napping every four hours, and becoming unreasonably irritated with every person I had to interact with—plagued me in ways I hope I never have to relive.

Although the nausea "subsided, my appetite returned, and my period resumed, my body felt haunted.

The abortion lifted a weight off my shoulders that is indescribable to anyone who hasn’t experienced an unwanted pregnancy. I will forever be grateful for the doctors and nurses at KGH who so graciously supported me that day.

*** Although my life and routines returned to being somewhat normal in the weeks and months following the procedure—barring finding myself restricted to staying inside my dad’s apartment thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic—I felt anxious that my body would never return to its pre-pregnancy state.

Although the nausea subsided, my appetite returned, and my period resumed, my body felt haunted.

Naturally, during the pregnancy I gained weight. When one of my nurses informed me of my body mass, I felt slightly surprised at how high the number had jumped from my normal body weight, which I’d maintained for most of my young adult life. Although that figure presented a bit of a shock to me at the time, it wasn’t until a few months later when I realized the changes in my body were likely permanent.

I would lie awake in bed at night and feel hyper-aware of the space I was occupying. I’d look in the mirror after getting dressed in the morning and fixate on the details of my body—how my jeans made my hips look, or whether a piece of clothing hugged certain areas a little too tight. One night, after finally admitting I was experiencing unwanted growth in my body, I intentionally set out to reassure myself that I could still be comfortable in my own skin.

Instead, I found myself scrolling back far into my Instagram feed, examining photos where my thigh gap was visible, and feeling a terrifying mix of anger and anxiety when I looked in the mirror only to see the gap filled out by flesh.

It felt as if, even though my abortion experience was positive overall, some aspect of it was destined to follow me for a long time afterwards.

*** About a week ago, I marked the one-year anniversary of my procedure. One year later, I can still feel the changes my body has endured throughout my pregnancy and the early aftermath of my abortion. Though I remain forever grateful for being able to reclaim my body from my unwanted pregnancy, I know the road I’m taking toward feeling comfortable once again will be long and challenging.

As time progresses, "I've gotten better at

reassuring myself that a changing body is normal.

I’ll likely continue to reflect on my changing body and the anxiety it’s caused me. As time progresses, I’ve gotten better at reassuring myself that a changing body is normal. Despite the trauma of an unwanted pregnancy, I’ve been able to carry myself through one hell of a personal challenge with as much grace as I can possibly muster.

While my body doesn’t look the same as it did prior to my pregnancy, it’s still strong, worthy of my appreciation, and able to carry me through future hardships.

I still get anxious when I notice changes in my body, and though I feel silly every time I get upset about it, I’m also cutting myself a bit of slack every time I want to mourn my thigh gap.

I’m still grappling with the ways in which my body has changed, but there’s one kind of weight I’ve gained that in reality doesn’t feel like more to carry: the weight of a thicker skin.