The Queen's Journal, Volume 149, Issue 23

the Queen’s University

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journal

Vol. 149, Issue 23

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Friday, March 11, 2022

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Situated on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples.

Since 1873

City and AMS prepare for St. Patrick’s Day

AMS talks available resources for students during St. Patrick’s Day.

Operations adjust to pre-COVID guidelines

PHOTO BY CURTIS HEINZEL

With St. Patrick’s day coming up, the AMS, City of Kingston, and Bylaw Enforcement are working towards student protection, enforcing COVID-19 guidelines, and preventing negative media attention.

In a statement sent to The Journal, Kyle Compeau, Manager of Bylaw Enforcement, outlined expectations for the upcoming celebration.

“Bylaw Enforcement is working closely with community partners, including Kingston Police and Queen’s University, to address the potential impacts of street parties and other nuisance behaviors on St. Patrick’s Day,” Compeau wrote.

While some COVID-19 guidelines have been lifted, Compeau asked for students to celebrate responsibly to avoid undue stress on emergency services.

“This isn’t just about being responsible; it’s

about keeping the entire community safe.”

The University District Safety Initiative (UDSI) will be in effect Mar. 10 to 20. Violations could result in fines up to $2,000.

City Councillor Peter Stroud said it’s important to put residents’ needs first.

“The vast majority of Sydenham residents are well-behaved (including students), in the order of at least 95 per cent I would guess. It is reasonable therefore to assume that large unsanctioned parties are opposed by the majority of Sydenham residents, students included,” Stroud wrote in anemail sent to The Journal.

Stroud also commended the work of student volunteers who have cleaned up after street parties in the past.

“Many of these kind-hearted volunteers were not the ones who left behind such a mess, but nonetheless feel obligated to act in the interest of creating a positive image, and harmony in the district,” he wrote.

“Conversely the negative actions of a select few misbehaving students can have a negative effect.”

Stroud said the media focuses too heavily on negative experiences.

“Kingston is a University town,

after all, and many permanent residents, including myself, once attended or worked at Queen’s and so don’t have a problem with their presence 99 per cent of the time.”

To better understand the City’s approach in navigating town-gown relations, Mayor Bryan Paterson said there are “no issues” with gatherings in general, but it’s important for students to follow existing city bylaws.

“Obviously, there will be police presence there to enforce and carry out penalties if needed. It is our hope that students will be respectful, but we will also be prepared if not,” Paterson said in an interview with The Journal.

He added that violations will be handled with a balanced and respectful approach.

AMS Social Issues Commissioner (SIC) Samara Lijiam, and AMS Commissioner of Campus Affairs Anika Chowdhury, discussed the student society’s preparation for St. Patrick’s.

“Our approach is two-fold: we’re going with a party safe initiative as well as ‘Know Your Rights,’” Chowdhury said in an interview with The Journal.

The Party Safe Initiative is

a collaboration between the AMS, Student Wellness Services, and DrugSmart Pharmacy to distribute naloxone and party-goer kits, which will be available at Mitchell Hall on Mar. 13 from 2-4 p.m.

“They will also be providing training to ensure that anyone who has it knows how to use it and when to use it,” Chowdhury said.

According to Chowdhury, the AMS is committed to party safe messaging to avoid alcohol overconsumption and undue stress on medical services.

A major priority is ensuring students know their rights and the resources available to them.

“Following [Homecoming] we did a Know Your Rights campaign that gained a lot of traction, and we will be doing that again to make sure that students have necessary knowledge going into the weekend,” Chowdhury said.

Information on the UDSI and what defines a nuisance party will be distributed on the SIC Instagram as well as through pamphlets that will be handed out at the Athletics and Recreational Centre next week.

The data collected by the SIC after homecoming regarding

negative student experiences with police is being distributed to relevant organizations.

“We have been in conversation with the university and have a meeting with the chief of police as well to discuss that,” Lijiam said.

“Throughout the year we have been advocating that money not go towards the police but rather towards safer harm reduction resources as police can often make situations more dangerous.”

According to Chowdhury, the AMS is “committed to making student voices heard and that proper action is taken.”

When asked about the AMS data, Paterson said he hopes for more positive relations in the upcoming weeks.

“I think it needs to be a two-way street, you need police to be respectful and also students to be respectful of Bylaw. It’s unfortunate that there were some challenges over Homecoming but there was also some disrespectful behavior towards the police in the fall,” Paterson said.

The AMS is organizing a campus cleanup Mar. 20 open to all students interested in helping.

SWS updates student advisory committee

Universities should foster connections with students

Interview with Said The Whale

Pre-playoff picture: Winter Varsity Teams

Philosophy and journalism intersect

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R ida C haudhry Assistant News Editor

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2 • queensjournal.ca

News

Friday, March 11, 2022

NEWS PGEP seeks to break barriers in politics and academia New publication encourages contributions from all disciplines Anne Fu Assistant News Editor The Perspectives on Gender, Equity and Politics (PGEP) Journal is a new student publication at Queen’s that seeks to publish academic writing and creative works on politics and intersectionality.

Established by Sasha Cohen and Anika Bousquet, both ArtSci ’22, PGEP PGEP’s first issue to launch in late March. intends to publish a wider variety of works than what’s typically centered a really cool course about in academia. culture and development, and “I think a lot of times when we’re something that we study a lot is talking about what is the political, what pieces of art and how they have contributed is the academic, that’s very confined to cultural shifts or show pieces of political to a particular sphere, and it’s often resistance in an artistic and creative way,” rigid and rooted in colonial norms. We Cohen said. really wanted to push the boundary on “In learning from things like that, we that,” Bousquet said in an interview with were like, ‘why would we only accept The Journal. research papers or essays or what a formal PGEP seeks to combat an academic submission would typically look like for any atmosphere that overvalues prestige by of your classes or any other established broadening our understanding of what academic journal?’” sorts of knowledge are worth producing Cohen said this also allows the and legitimizing. publication to remove any limit for people to To Cohen and Bousquet, meaningful submit their writings as a normal academic political commentaries are not confined journal would. to essays and research papers. Lived For their inaugural issue, PGEP opened experience and artwork can also provide their submissions to all disciplines essential insights into equity and and mediums under the theme of social justice. “resistance”—a topic Cohen said is ideal for “I’m in DEVS 240 right now, which is gathering a diverse variety of perspectives.

SUPPLIED BY SASHA COHEN

They received works ranging from musical pieces to poetry to art installations, from students’ levels of education spanning from high school to graduate studies.

“One of them is a song from a band […] and they’re talking about the intersection of race and class, in this context of feeling the pressure of living in a system under capitalism,” Bousquet said.

“It’s really an interesting kind of take, because when you look at the song and you look at the song lyrics, you may not gather all of the backstory that came into writing that song,” she added. “But then they provide [a background] for that piece, and it’s really incredible to see how critical something as simple as a song with a few lyrics can be.”

They also received an art installation of a student’s master’s thesis.

“She created a clothing line about consent from recycled pieces of clothing, and so we’re displaying pictures of this art installation in the journal alongside the meaning and significance behind it,” Cohen said.

PGEP offers an important platform for students to contribute to a new model of academia and research at Queen’s, According to Bousquet a nd Cohen.

“There are many different groups on campus who are doing absolutely incredible work. To just be part of that space, and to provide a space and a platform where people can kind of bring their thoughts together into a tangible journal, is a really powerful thing,” Bousquet said.

PGEP’s inaugural volume will be launched in late March or early April, with limited print copies and a digital edition available on Issuu.

‘Outdoor sanctuary’: QBACC pushes solar-powered picnic tables Club awaits approval from administration

Solar-powered picnic tables aim to raise environmental consciousness.

PHOTO BY SPENCER HENDRICKSON

that had sufficient Wi-Fi access and power outlets, Beber and her team saw an opportunity.

The picnic tables include outlets powered Sydney Ko by attached solar panels. Beber said, since Senior News Editor many students use laptops for schoolwork, the outlets would make studying outdoors Queen’s Backing Action on Climate more “accessible.”

Crisis (QBACC) has submitted a proposal “People can really stay there for a long to set up 10 solar-powered tables time and get their work done and do group on green areas around campus. If projects together,” she said. approved, the tables will be placed near “It’s obviously way more the Law Library courtyard, Mackintosh- enjoyable to be outside when the Corry’s courtyard, and around weather’s nice than to study in Gordon Hall. the library.”

Sonni Beber, ArtSci ’22 and Mental On top of creating more opportunities to Health Manager of QBACC, is one of the study outside, Beber said QBACC’s initiative project leads. will encourage the Queen’s community to “The last couple years, we’ve obviously be more environmentally conscious and been pretty cooped up in our homes, so this fight climate anxiety. would help get people outside […] in nature “By encouraging students to get which benefits our mental health and well- outside, they’ll feel more connected to the being,” Beber said in an interview with environment.”

The Journal.

QBACC has sent in a proposal to the The project was first introduced in University and is waiting for the process to September when QBACC noticed how be approved. many students wanted to study outside.

With limited outdoor study spaces

Friday, March 11, 2022

News

Student Wellness Services diversifies its care options

queensjournal.ca

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PSAC 901 ratifies new collective agreement

Queen’s to ratify soon Asbah Ahmed Assistant News Editor

agreement including leave, training, and an improved accommodations process.

“Some elements of the new Collective Agreement include a new Mental Health and Hardship Fund, a Professional Development Fund, paid training on sexual violence prevention and anti-racism, longer sick leave, better language around leaves including a new gender affirmation leave, and easier accommodations processes,” the bargaining communique said.

Before the new collective agreement goes into effect, Queen’s is required to ratify it. Michael Villeneuve, director (faculty relations), said details on the University’s part remain confidential until the agreement is finalized.

“The ratification process is still underway.

Details of the agreement will remain confidential until it is ratified successfully by both parties, at which time it will be available publicly,” Villeneuve said in a statement to The Journal.

On Mar. 8, PSAC 901’s membership voted in favour of ratifying a collective agreement Changes include addition Wellness Services’ Mental Health division, with the University. A tentative agreement wrote in a statement to The Journal. between Queen’s and PSAC 901 was of new staff member and Although Ontario Shores’ services reached Feb. 21, after which both parties left are currently only available by the bargaining table to ratify the agreement. increased options for CBT referral to Queen’s Students, SWS In a Mar. 8 press release, signed Anne Fu hopes to have an on-site counselor by the by the organization’s bargaining Assistant News Editor 2022-23 academic year. team—Astrid Hobill (president), Rohit “We will continue to grow our Revi (VP research assistants), and Brittainy Student Wellness Services (SWS) is relationships with regional health care Bonnis (information officer)—PSAC 901 expanding its services with the hiring of a providers like Ontario Shores to help said they were proud of the resulting new clinical practitioner and a partnership meet the complex needs of many of our components of the collective agreement. with the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental students,” McCart said.

“We hope that gains made, particularly Health Sciences, alongside continued in areas of equity and inclusion, will act guidance from the Student Advisory Updates from Student Advisory as footholds from which further progress Committee established last spring.

Committee will be made for our members and other academic sector workers,” the team said.

Hiring of Nurse Practitioner SWS’ new Student Advisory Committee was PSAC 901 made additions to the collective first established last spring in response to Roger Pilon, NP-PHC, joined the SWS team concerns about the quality of the wellness as their first nurse practitioner (NP) in services offered at the university.

February. He runs a weekly clinic in Mitchell The committee, consisting of Hall’s Côté Sharp Wellness Centre. representatives from SWS, AMS, SGPS, and Pilon can provide diagnoses, order tests, Queen’s Student Accessibility Services refer to specialists, and prescribe some (QSAS), was formed to improve SWS’ medications to students. transparency, outreach, and communication.

“I have the honour and privilege of being “The committee serves as a regular the first PHC-NP to be employed at SWS. forum where student experiences, ideas This will provide me with the opportunity and feedback are discussed, information is to showcase the PHC-NP role and shared, and the impacts of student wellbeing scope of practice,” Pilon wrote in a statement on the overall student experiences are talked to The Journal. about,” Cynthia Gibney, Executive Director of “The addition of an NP to the team will SWS, wrote in an email sent to The Journal. further increase student’s access to primary “The committee helps us respond to health care services right here on campus.” emerging needs, share best practices Pilon, whose professional background in outreach and care for students, and and research has focused on primary address any concerns that students President Kasim expressed gratitude to AMS staff.

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO healthcare and type 2 diabetes treatment bring forward with respect to in Indigenous and northern communities, service delivery.” will also offer clinical placement Since its establishment, the Committee opportunities to Queen’s University PHC-NP has formed its mission and mandate, program students. discussed ideas for improving SWS “I am a strong believer and advocate services, answered student queries, and for interprofessional education and explored methods of improving student interdisciplinary teams. I have been awareness of SWS services. involved in NP education for over 24 The committee has also helped SWS AMS annual general “Each of you have stepped up during years. The SWS will provide me with identify wellness needs and resources uncertain and challenging times,” he said. the opportunity to practice in yet another available for 2SLGBTQ+ students, students assembly ratifies six “You’ll be thrown into a race of hurdles in primary health care model.” who have experienced sexual or gender- candidates for Rector the upcoming year […] You’re in this role based violence, and students of colour in for a reason, we expect great things Agreement with Ontario Shores collaboration with many other university Sydney Ko from you.”

Centre for Mental Health Sciences and city organizations.

Senior News Editor “The [Student Advisory Committee] Other reports SWS has also signed a new partnership is very much valued by Student The AMS annual general assembly took with the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Wellness Services, and we are grateful place Mar. 10 via Teams.

Kate Burke Pellizzari, AMS judicial affairs Health Sciences, which will expand to all our student members for the time and manager, delivered an end-of-year report on students’ options for mental health services input,” Gibney said.

President’s report the state of the non-academic misconduct on campus.

“Based on student members’ ideas system (NAM) within the AMS, as well as a “The agreement with Ontario Shores will and advice, we will be making efforts During AMS President Zaid Kasim’s report, general overview on the case statistics for provide Queen’s students with access to a to broaden the reach of our call he applauded the student body for pushing the year. publicly funded, evidence-based cognitive- for new student members to help through the pandemic and the gradual The Judicial Affairs Office (JAO) is a behavioral therapy (CBT] program. CBT can ensure continued diversity of transition back to in-person learning. branch of the Internal Affairs office within help students improve their ability to deal opinions and perspectives on Kasim described this year as one filled with the AMS. with anxiety and depression,” Amber McCart, the committee.” “learning” and “growth.”

According to Pellizzari’s report, Senior Clinician and Manager in Student “Much of the work that our teams have during the pandemic, the JAO worked in accomplished will continue to enhance conjunction with the Student Conduct Office the overall student experience at Queen’s to facilitate cases of COVID-19 protocol beyond our term,” Kasim said. infringement. She added most cases were “After a year of remote learning, one violations of public health guidelines. of our biggest highlights this year was Assembly also saw the introduction of the the return to campus and Norma, Ian, and Lorna Rogers Scholarship in-person learning—I would like Committee, which asks for the nomination to applaud the perseverance of four Assembly members. and adaptability of our students and The AMS ratified a total of six rector student leaders throughout the pandemic candidates at assembly—Caitlin Sankaran, and transition back to campus.”

ArtSci ‘24, Leo Yang, ArtSci ‘25, Sahiba Kasim noted the success in passing Gulati, ArtSci ‘23, William Bruce-Robertson, three new student fees advocated for ArtSci ‘25, Emils Matiss, MA ‘22, and Owen by the Social Issues Commission (SIC), Crawford-Lem, ArtSci ‘23. four new AMS equity awards, and the Each candidate was given an allotted creation of a part-time Indigenous five minutes to deliver a speech, followed Initiatives coordinator. by three audience questions. Kasim He also expressed his gratitude to his urged the student body to read the team and gave a concluding message to the candidates’ profiles.

PHOTO BY SPENCER HENDRICKSON Student Advisory Committee continues to help next AMS executives. identify gaps in student wellness.

AMS president talks year-end accomplishments

Features

4 • queensjournal.ca

FEATURES Unpacking decolonization on campus residential schools, settlers

Faculty discuss decolonization efforts at Queen’s and within academia.

‘It’s going to be a long-term journey’ Julia Stratton Features Editor This article discusses the atrocities committed in Residential Schools and may be triggering for some readers. Those seeking support may contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives and Reconciliation or Four Directions. For immediate assistance, the National Indian Residential School Crisis Hotline can be reached at 1-866-925-4419.

Before European settlers arrived in the New World, the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe nations maintained peace and cooperation using treaties and the rhetoric of the dish with one spoon—take only what you need, leave something in the dish for other people, and keep the dish clean.

For thousands of years, what we now know as Kingston has been home to the Haudenosaunee (also known as Iroquois) and the Anishinaabe peoples.

The Haudenosaunee group is made up of five nations including Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca.

The Anishinaabe group consists of Ojibwe and Mississauga peoples.

When colonizers arrived in Canada, there were agreements not honored by Europeans who brought values of private property and expansion.

Between deadly epidemics decimating about 70 per cent of Indigenous peoples in North America, violence, and cultural genocide through

PHOTO BY SPENCER HENDRICKSON

have taken more than they needed and dirtied the dish.

For years, Indigenous peoples have fought to restore their sovereignty through efforts towards decolonization. Recently, institutions like universities have attempted to support these efforts.

“Decolonization tends to be a buzzword we throw around a lot,” Lindsay (Kawennenhá:wi) Brant, Educational Developer in Indigenous Pedagogies and Ways of Knowing, said in an interview with The Journal.

Academic institutions use language like “inclusion,” “diversity,” and “equity” to address social justice initiatives on campus like those involving decolonizat ion.

However, these terms can often abdicate responsibility rather than drive meaningful change.

“We’ve done a lot of work at Queen’s around defining [decolonization] it, envisioning, and striving towards it, but what it really comes down to is the action piece,” Brant said.

The Journal sat down with Queen’s faculty to understand the meaning of decolonization and how the Queen’s community can begin to dismantle colonial narrat ives w it hin t his academic institution.

Acknowledging Indigenous Ways of Knowing W hile inst it ut ions and research increasingly discuss Indigenous peoples, they often neglect the complex and dynamic nature of these peoples and their history.

“There’s a diverse experience of colonization of Indigenous peoples on what is now known as Canada,” Karen Lawford (Namegosibiing, Lac Seul First Nation, Treaty

3), assistant professor in the Department of Gender Studies, said in an interview with The Journal.

“There’s not one single Indigenous Way of Knowing,” she said. “Nation groups of people may have their own sets of knowledges and belief systems that are contextual and based on what has been their experience as people for tens of thousands of years.”

Although research tends to group Indigenous peoples into a monolith, it’s essential to acknowledge the immense amount of diversity that exists between nations, groups, and individuals.

“Sometimes we just put everybody together, and that’s convenient for the sake of data and population analysis, but I don’t think it’s correct,” Lawford said.

While the scientific method aims to be objective, Indigenous Ways of Knowing may emphasize a more holistic, relational, and subjective experience.

“Indigenous views are so permissive. They allow you to dream more than you ever thought you could,” Lawford said.

“Dreaming is not seen within the Western academy as an actual legitimate knowledge source.”

While Western academia rejects spiritual and metaphysical knowledge, Lawford said these aspects can help people achieve their goals and dreams.

“Between the idea of goals and dreaming is actually a component of Indigenous thought and it could be called visioning,” she said. “These dreams and goals are shaped by what we know we can do.”

Where Western thought is based on objective, cold, hard fac t s, Indigenous Ways of Knowing take a gentler approach.

“

Observing the world around you is something that is basic to the sciences [...] That is exactly the same as Indigenous worldviews, perspectives, and Ways of Knowing “With Indigenous thought process, there is a kindness and perhaps an expectation of kindness to dream more than you’ve ever dreamed before,” Lawford said. “Our answers are inside of us and what can bring us to the path to shape us in a kind, gentle, and loving way to the person we want to be.”

Western knowledge and Indigenous Ways of Knowing are sometimes framed in a dichotomy. Lawford said there are many more similarities than expected.

“Observing the world around you is something that is basic to the sciences,” she said.

“That is exactly the same as Indigenous worldviews, perspectives, and Ways of Knowing, and somehow they’ve become these opposites—but they’re just different ways.”

Curiosity, a virtue in Western knowledge systems, is similar to the Indigenous idea of dreaming.

“Maybe curiosity is a more palatable word than dreaming,”

Friday, March 11, 2022 Lawford said. “People need to talk to each other a little bit more […]

Asking questions is a great way to start.”

Decolonization throughout history “You can’t reverse history,” Adnan Husain, professor of History and Director of the School of Religion, said in an interview with The Journal.

“You’ve already been changed by the outcomes and legacies of history, [the] question is ‘what can you do about it?’”

Husain specializes in medieval and Middle Eastern world history.

By comparing the histories of different civilizations and cultures, he can gain insight into how colonialism unfolds over centuries.

In Canada, settler colonialism caused the decimation of between 90 and 99 per cent of Indigenous populations.

“In places like Canada, there was an eradication of Indigenous people through genocide,” Husain said.

“That makes it much more difficult to reverse that process historically than a case where for, 40 or 50 years, people were under foreign occupation that was military, political, and administrative but didn’t involve large numbers of settlers who participated in colonialism and expropriated the land and dispossessed Indigenous peoples.”

Since there’s no undoing history, decolonization is a matter of restoring sovereignty and rights to Indigenous peoples. “[Decolonization involves] not necessarily reversing but altering the way in which these inequalities have worked their way systematically and perpetuate themselves,” Husain said.

“That’s what has to be dismantled, and then you have the opportunity for new cultural forms to flourish that might make and bring together the best of all the participants in our common culture.”

To address these inequalities, we have to understand the nature of the systems and institutions that were built to oppress Indigenous peoples.

“Combat these gross inequalities, these systems of control and racism that perpetuate those inequalities,” Husain said. “Overall, it’s about the power imbalance.”

This power imbalance, according to Husain, is a result of keeping some groups of people privileged at the cost of others. “[In Canada], colonialism is fundamentally about privileging some with sovereignty over others—particularly Indigenous people,” he said. “That’s what has to be overcome.”

“If you overcome the legacies of those imbalances of power, then you have a chance to really construct something together that’s fruitful and humane.”

“For the last couple decades, [decolonization] has been more of a priority,” Husain said. “But there’s still so much work to do because you’r e st ar ting w it h this imbalance and this disproportionate Eurocentric approach to knowledge [a b ou t] n o n -We s t e r n

cultures, histories, religions, societies, languages, are all so marginalized and underrepresented.”

Decolonization doesn’t stop at incorporating marginalized perspectives into academia. It also requires a shift in attitudes and worldviews.

“It’s very important to think about it at the mental, intellectual, ideological, and cultural level, because we deal with those kinds of subjects in education, academic pursuits, and research.”

To begin decolonizing academic institutions, Husain said we should adopt an attitude that values Indigenous Ways of Knowing in conjunction with Western ideologies like the scientific method.

“One way to do that is combating the Eurocentrism of the way in which we produce and classify knowledge and more toward acknowledging and recognizing that there are other approaches other than Western approaches.”

I change one faculty’s “perspective and then

that is a new perspective they bring into their course, then that ripple effect is massive

Resisting and combating colonization will always be a long journey full of ups and downs.

“It’s not a linear process,” he said. “It’s not like, just because time passes, things get better. Sometimes there are reversals, or things could go in a different direction.”

As such, decolonization is something we must consistently work at and constantly re-assess.

“We’re always going to be trying to improve the conditions for everyone,” he said. “We’ll just have to keep struggling and rethinking things.”

Incorporating Indigenous perspectives on campus Recently, the Smith School of Business has introduced a new course teaching Indigenous perspectives and ways of being.

“My role on campus is really to do workshops and development of faculty and grad students around Indigenizing and decolonizing the curriculum,” Brant said.

“I developed and co-teach a course called Relationships and Reconciliation in Business and Beyond […] My course in Smith is to have an opportunity for Commerce students to engage with Indigenous Ways of Knowing, feeling, being, believing, and thinking about the world.”

The course, developed by Brant and Kate Rowbotham, adjunct assistant professor at Smith, was awarded the Ideas Worth Teaching Award in 2021.

“This course enables decolonizing of minds, bodies, hearts, and spirits to happen at the student level, but also that impact it has within our course can ripple out,” Brant said.

Brant’s role as an educational developer also has a far-reaching impact within the broader Queen’s community.

This story is continued on our website. Visit queensjournal.ca/ features to read more.

Friday, March 11, 2022

Editorials

EDITORIALS

queensjournal.ca

The Journal’s Perspective

Universities must value relationships with their students When I graduate this year, I hope I leave university as a valuable community member and as a good friend to those around me.

Since coming to university, I’ve rarely felt being a decent human being has mattered in my academic pursuits. I’m only a series of numbers—I feel like my personhood has no value to this institution.

Professors shouldn’t just be messengers from the academic community—they have a responsibility to build relationships with their students and guide their learning.

In high school, I had a great physics teacher who taught me a lot about hard work.

When I got stuck on a problem, I would come to his desk where he would look at my notebook, grimace, and comically exclaim, “Yikes!” He took the time to help me work through my mistakes because he believed in me and cared about my success.

I spent hours deliberating over physics problems after school, hoping he wouldn’t look at my final test and say “yikes” again.

Importantly, my hustling wasn’t motivated by personal development. I wanted to prove I could work through challenges and show my teacher he was right for believing in me.

This accountability fostered a genuine friendship with my teacher. I wasn’t defined by grades in a computer—I was a smart, funny, resilient, and reliable person.

I don’t take physics anymore, but my work ethic and resilience have endured beyond that class. I learned that working hard is about being a valuable, reliable

Volume 149 Issue 23 www.queensjournal.ca @queensjournal Publishing since 1873

Editorial Board Editors in Chief

Aysha Tabassum Shelby Talbot

Production Manager

Violetta Zeitlinger Fontana

Features Editors

Sydney Ko Asbah Ahmad Rida Chaudry Anne Fu Kirby Harris Julia Stratton

Editorials Editor Editorials Illustrator Opinions Editor

Anna Fouks Clanny Mugabe Cassidy McMackon

Arts Editor

Ben Wrixon

Assistant Arts Editor Sports Editor

Mackenzie Loveys Angus Merry

Assistant Sports Editor Lifestyle Editor Photo Editor Video Editor

I’m happy I finally had the chance to have these relationships in my fourth year, but I would’ve benefited a lot both personally and academically from having this support earlier.

Universities neglect relationships with their students, thinking that having one teacher for hundreds of students is more efficient. But maybe they’re missing out on their students’ best work because they aren’t giving them support and making them feel valued.

Universities need to rethink their values if professors want their students’ best work.

Academia should be a community that values people’s personhood, not a factory for manufacturing high-yielding individuals.

Julia is a fourth-year Psychology student and one of The Journal’s Features Editors.

connotations, rejecting the expectation of niceness is complicated.

An outspoken girl interested in sports is labeled a “tomboy.” A woman who sends a smiley face in an email at work is automatically a “flirt.” It feels like there’s no right answer when it comes to how to act—any choice can result in disapproval.

And that’s the crux of the issue.

When women are constantly faced with criticism whether they do and do not fit into a reductive gendered mold, they feel pressure to internalize certain aspects of themselves. Always being worried about what other people think of one’s actions leaves little space for being assertive in one’s beliefs.

But often assertiveness isn’t the magical solution it appears to be. Unfortunately, it’s naive to assume that once you speak up, you’ll overcome those expectations.

ILLUSTRATION BY CLANNY MUGABE

When women are assertive, they can be seen as rude, overbearing, or unlikeable.

Additionally, there are also many intersectional factors to consider, including the additional levels of oppression experienced by women from marginalized groups. For women of colour, for example, assertiveness may perpetuate pre-existing negative stereotypes.

For their safety, it might not be an option.

Responsibility falls on our society—men in particular—to confront and unlearn misogynistic ideals and accept assertiveness from those willing to show it, no matter where they fall on the gender spectrum.

At the same time, women shouldn’t have to be assertive to be seen as worthy of respect.

When we make a blanket statement that all women should behave in a more “masculine” way, we devalue femininity.

Women should be able to act in the way they choose—whether it’s by being nice, being assertive, or both—and still be respected.

Women don’t owe anyone “niceness,” but they can be nice if that’s what they want. It’s the freedom to make those decisions without fearing social punishment that’s important.

Add exclamation marks to your emails, or don’t. That should be a tiny choice that’s up to women, not an indication of their feminism or resolve.

Gendered behaviour is an arbitrary concept—it’s time to let it go.

—Journal Editorial Board

Curtis Heinzl Nathan Carter

Assistant Video Editor

community member and coming through for the people who care about me.

When I came to university, it was a shock to suddenly have no teachers looking out for me.

In high school, I was told professors weren’t going to hold my hand and nag me about deadlines. But I didn’t need anyone to hold my hand—I just needed someone to care about me.

Our university years are the most formative years of our life. They establish who we’ll be professionally, but they also inform us of who we are as people.

In my fourth year, I’ve built relationships with my professors by working in labs and completing my thesis. Some of the best work I’ve done in university was possible because of the support received from these professors.

Madeleine McCormick Spencer Hendrickson

Assistant Photo Editor

PHOTO BY SPENCER HENDRICKSON

Natara Ng Alysha Mohamed

Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Women don’t have to be made of ‘sugar, and spice, and everything nice’ In a society becoming gradually self-aware of its toxic, gendered expectations of behaviour, it’s time we abolish the women-centred stereotype of “niceness.”

There are many accepted inequities when it comes to how women “should” act—a prominent example being the demand that women be nice and overbearingly friendly. Although girls may not always be told explicitly to “be nice” growing up, they get the message from the societal clues around them.

The patriarchal power imbalance between genders creates pressure for women to act according to the standards set by men—and that can mean bending over backwards to be a quiet, accommodating people-pleaser.

But, in a society where something as simple as an action or phrase has gendered

THE QUEEN’S JOURNAL

News Editor Assistant News Editors

Julia Stratton

•5

Copy Editors

Leah Smithson Martin Hayes Suzy Leinster

Graphics Editor

Dharmayu Desai

Podcast Coordinator BIPOC Advisory Board Members

Lauren Thomas Alysha Ahmad Anya D’Souza Yvonne Tan

Contributing Staff Contributors

Jeremy Keyton Jordan Tallis

Staff Writers

Jack Burnham Sophie Deasy

Business Staff Business Manager Sales Representatives Fundraising Representative Social Media Coordinator

Yoli Wang Medhavi Maurya Will Stewart Riya Shah Francesca Lim

Want to contribute?

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

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

Situated on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. The Journal’s Editorial Board acknowledges the traditional territories our newspaper is situated on have allowed us to pursue our mandate.

We recognize our responsibility to understand the truth of our history.

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

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

The Queen’s Journal is printed on a Goss Community press by by Metroland Media in Toronto, Ontario.

Contents © 2021 by The Queen’s Journal; all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of The Journal.

Opinions

6 • queensjournal.ca

OPINIONS

Friday, March 11, 2022

Your Perspective

Jeremy believes Queen's must do more.

SUPPLIED BY JEREMY KEYTON

Queen’s needs to show support for Ukrainian students & staff As an institution that embraces its global community, Queen’s should make a better effort to support Ukraine Jeremy Keyton Contributor The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has escalated into war. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a tragedy. While those around the world share support for Ukraine, it’s imperative Queen’s demonstrates this same support for Ukrainian staff and students.

a university "thatAsprides itself on

embracing its place in the 'global community,' it’s imperative Queen’s uses these resources As both a university and a community, Queen’s has the resources to support Ukrainian staff and students through this crisis. As a university that prides itself on embracing its place in the “global community,” it’s imperative Queen’s uses these resources.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which started on Feb. 24, has cost the lives of hundreds of Ukrainians and Russians. The war has entered into its second week. It has forced, as of now, one million innocent civilians to leave their homes, fleeing to neighboring European countries. The result is a humanitarian crisis.

These conflicts have also led to thousands of Ukrainian military and civilian casualties.

Ukrainian students, staff, and faculty in the Queen’s and Kingston communities have been left to watch these events transpire helplessly.

Many Queen’s students, staff, and those in the community have family currently in Ukraine, adding even more stress to the current circumstances.

To better support the Ukrainian community at Queen’s, the University needs to provide its community with accessible and concrete information on how to assist Ukrainian students and staff.

On Feb. 28, the Queen’s University Ukrainian Student Association sponsored an event to discuss the war in Ukraine. It was led by Ukrainian students and faculty from Queen’s and St. Lawrence College.

Those in attendance included Kingston MP Mark Gerretson, Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson, President of Ukrainian Canadian Congress Alexandra Chyczij, and RMC Professor Lubomyr Luciuk.

Roughly 50 people were in attendance, with an additional 20 watching via Zoom. Queen’s students Taissa Martschenko and Katrina Korotky, members of QUUSA that were key to bringing the event t o g e t h e r, led the

meeting. Other students in attendance came to show solidarity with Ukraine.

"

While conversations were held about starting funds to financially support Ukrainians in Kingston in need, these fundraising campaigns are largely organized by students The meeting discussed the crisis and how those in the Kingston community can help Ukrainian students and staff as well as Ukrainians around the world. While conversations were held about starting funds to financially support Ukrainians in Kingston in need, these fundraising campaigns are largely organized by students.

Currently, the University is o f fe r i n g minimal guidance pertaining to how we can aid our fellow students.

While Principal and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane acknowledged the ongoing war in a statement over Twitter, his acknowledgement fell short of offering new and tangible support, merely electing to refer to existing Queen’s resources.

This response isn’t the standard

to which the University should be held. Due to the gravity of the situation, I expected a much more proactive response.

Queen’s University is a prestigious school with an endowment of over $1.3 billion as of 2021. Queen’s has the financial ability, connections, and resources to launch fundraising incentives with the help of its vast social media following.

While external resources are helpful, the students and staff that are in need require an outpour of support from the community—not simply a tweet with a phone number to call.

While external " resources are helpful,

the students and staff that are in need require an outpour of support from the community—not simply a tweet with a phone number to call Instead of reactive measures, Queen’s can proactively support its Ukrainian population by using its resources to make these donation initiatives well-known and widespread.

This can be done on

social media by directing faculties to send emails to students and their families with information on how, when, and where they can help.

Queen’s can also show their support by launching their own fundraising initiatives.

On social media, including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, Queen’s has a following of over 200,000. The University can help by efficiently utilizing these platforms to spread the word about what we as students and the community can do to help.

There’s only so much we as students can do to circulate these messages and fundraising initiatives on our own. As an incredibly well-connected institution, Queen’s has the abundance of resources, the platform, and the obligation to make these fundraising initiatives well-known.

It should do so.

Jeremy Keyton is a second-year Political Studies and History student.

This story was originally published online on March 4. 2022

Arts

Friday, March 11, 2022

ARTS

queensjournal.ca

•7

SUPPLIED BY SAID THE WHALE

The band is back and better than ever.

Said The Whale play The Mansion

Guitarist Ben Worcester talks music and their cross-Canada tour Ben Wrixon Senior Arts Editor Said The Whale played The Mansion on Mar. 10 as part of their cross-Canada tour.

Formed in 2007 by Ben Worcester and Tyler Bancroft, Said The Whale is a Juno award-winning indie rock group based in Vancouver. The band is on the road supporting their seventh album, Dandelion, which they released in October 2021.

“We made this record through the pandemic, over a year and a bit of going in and out of the studio in chunks,” Worcester said in an interview with The Journal.

When Said The Whale performs for

their fans, Worcester said he plays guitar while splitting singing duties with Bancroft depending on the song. He mentioned “Show Me Everything” and “Sweetheart” as two tracks from Dandelion he’s especially eager to play.

“We’re quite excited to get out and play the new material. It’s going to be awesome to play new songs for people. It’s going to be great to share.”

Said The Whale last played Kingston when they opened for Mother Mother in 2019, right before the pandemic began.

Worcester’s partner had just given birth to their child at the time.

Last summer, the band played some one-off shows and were touring with Tokyo Police Club throughout November of 2021.

Worcester raved about the experience, minus testing positive for COVID-19 after their final stop in Phoenix, that is.

“I was trapped in the US for two weeks in a hotel,” Worcester said.

“I’m forever grateful for vaccinations and modern medicine. Other people I know were hit hard by the Delta variant, but I was relatively okay, just exhausted [with no] sense of taste and smell. I just ate Chipotle every day for two weeks.”

As one of Said The Whale’s primary songwriters, Worcester explained how the pandemic influenced his and the band’s creative process.

“Personally, I feel I’ve done more song-writing during the pandemic than I have for a while,” he said. “Partially because my son is in daycare now, so during the week, I have actual free time to be creative, not just an hour here or an hour there.

I’ve really been putting my nose to the grindstone and trying to [write songs] as an exercise.”

Worcester hopes the fruits of his creative streak will help him and the band reconnect with their fans after this prolonged period of separation. “[The fans] allow us to live in this world where we get to be a band. During the pandemic, it was easy to lose sight of that—Zoom shows are amazing, but there’s nothing quite like playing in front of an audience and feeling the energy reciprocated between people.”

Avoiding a repeat of the Phoenix incident is also a priority.

“Above all, our goal is not to get COVID and have to cancel the tour,” Worcester said.

“It’s going to be a little different for us.

We’re not going to be able to be as present with people after the show. We normally like to go out and meet people and sign stuff.”

More tour dates are available on Said The Whale’s website.

KCFF brings back live showings Screenings included ‘All My Puny Sorrows’ and ‘Run Woman Run’ Mackenzie Loveys Assisstant Arts Editor This article discusses mental illness and suicide and may be triggering for some readers. The Canadian Mental Health Association Crisis Line can be reached at 1-800-875-6213.

Passionate film lovers who entered theatres at the Screening Room and the Isabel Bader Centre received the full in-person experience of the Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF).

While theatres were at half capacity, a respectable number of spectators attended. Many were excited to get out and see a movie in-person, some for their first time in two years.

KCFF’s eight in-person screenings closely replicated the traditional movie-going experience of pre-COVID times—albeit with masks, vaccination passports, and limited concessions.

Many special guests were in attendance for post-screening Q&A sessions, providing spectators the

opportunity to ask filmmakers and actors about their movies and the filming process.

The festival’s films varied in subject matter, with many highlighting important, relevant, and often heavy topics, making for an emotionally moving and t h o u gh t - p rovo k i n g viewing experience.

All My Puny Sorrows The festival opened on Mar. 3 at the Isabel with All My Puny Sorrows, an adaptation of Miriam Toews’ beloved novel.

The film deals with topics of depression and suicide, exploring the trauma and grief experienced by loved ones after losing someone to suicide.

Yoli, who comes from a family with a long history of suicide, finds herself reliving the trauma of her father’s unexpected passing when her sister, Elf, threatens to do the same.

Writer-director Michael McGowan depicted each of the female characters with great

Audiences watched enlightening and emotional stories.

depth and highlighted the strong love shared within their family, ultimately creating a powerful connection between the story and the audience.

While All My Puny Sorrows includes serious topics, it’s quick-witted dialogue offers much-needed moments of levity.

In his live Q&A session, McGowan said these humorous lines were thoughtfully timed to ensure they served a purpose, establishing tone and characters’ personalities rather than forcing jokes in at random moments.

When introducing the film, McGowan’s final words, delivered in only a partially joking manner, perfectly foreshadowed Thursday’s screening experience: “It’s hard to cry with masks on.”

Run Woman Run

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DHARMAYU DESAI

The Screening Room showed Zoe Leigh Hopkins’ Run Woman Run on Mar. 5.

The film follows Beck, a single mother reluctantly taking steps to improve her health after suffering a scare that divides her family.

In the beginning, Beck is stubbornly determined to maintain her lifestyle of eating unhealthily and comically driving to the end of her driveway to check her mailbox.

Beck’s stubbornness and refusal to take her diabetes diagnosis seriously is what ultimately weakens her once-strong relationships with family members.

However, when Beck encounters a ghostly Tom Longboat, a legendary Onondaga marathon champion and dispatch runner from WWI, she realizes

her strength lies within her unconditional love for her family, culture, and ultimately, herself.

The film also highlights Beck’s relationship with her Indigenous heritage as she undergoes a journey of reconnecting with her culture and its language.

In a live Q&A, co-producer Paula Devonshire noted the film’s dedication to hiring Indigenous actors and production crew. With the film set in the Six Nations, the team hired residents from the community, which was important to Hopkins and the producers.

Run Woman Run causes viewers to reflect on the ways family and culture give life meaning, strength, and love. Its story highlights the often-overlooked values of life and asks the audience to honour them, just as Beck learns to do.

Arts

8 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, March 11, 2022

Three Batman comics you should read

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DHARMAYU DESAI

Batman has no shortage of memorable tales.

The Caped Crusader is at his best in these great stories

recommendations with something for everyone.

Ben Wrixon Senior Arts Editor

Matt Reeves’ The Batman took inspiration from Year One. The graphic novel follows a young Bruce Wayne during his first year fighting crime.

In Year One, Batman learns the ropes—often the hard way—upon returning to Gotham City after spending 12 years training abroad.

He does so with the help of James Gordon, the good-intentioned police officer who has yet to become commissioner.

Like all great Batman stories, this is a tale of crime and justice.

It’s refreshing to see a version of Batman who hasn’t quite figured it all out yet. His mistakes remind both the reader and Bruce Wayne he is only human behind the cowl.

With the release of The Batman, the Caped Crusader has again emerged from the shadows to entertain audiences worldwide.

Since debuting in 1939 in Detective Comics no. 27, Batman has starred in countless graphic novels, movies, TV shows, and video games. However, while his blockbuster movies may get more attention, some of the Bat’s best stories have been told in comic form.

Whether you’re a hardcore fan looking to re-read some classics or a new fan hoping to get into comics, I’ve assembled a list of

Batman: Year One by Frank Miller

Batman: Year One is a fun, quick adventure brought to life by Miller’s masterful storytelling and David Mazzucchelli’s stylish illustrations. Don’t miss it.

Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore Perhaps better known for masterpieces such as Watchmen and V for Vendetta, Moore told one of Batman’s most iconic stories with The Killing Joke.

Many consider this the definitive Joker origin story.

Moore paints the Joker as a family man and failed comedian who is tragically driven to the brink by circumstance, ultimately becoming arguably the most iconic supervillain in all of pop culture.

One shocking plot point involving Barbara Gordon—which I won’t spoil—has had long-lasting effects

on the broader Batman canon, but The Killing Joke truly excels in how it portrays the similarities and differences between its hero and villain.

Batman and The Joker work because they’re moral opposites—their struggles are clashes between a man with a rigid moral code and an agent of chaos. The Killing Joke works as both a riveting deconstruction of a legendary villain and a great Batman story.

The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller When Batman v. Superman was released to lukewarm reviews, part of the frustration was that director Zac Snyder didn’t just adapt The Dark Knight Returns.

This four-issue miniseries released in 1986 is very different from Year One. It depicts a much

older Batman. He has been retired for 10 years, grizzled by a lifetime of fighting crime and haunted by the death of his one-time protégé, Jason Todd.

However, when a new gang begins terrorizing Gotham, Batman has no choice but to don the cowl once again to protect Gotham—inciting more crime in the process. The dangers transpiring in Gotham are enough to provoke Superman into intervening, leading to a climactic showdown between the two heroes that is just as awesome as it should be.

The Dark Knight Returns is a sprawling four-part epic packed with fan-favourite characters and memorable moments. It’s also a dark, mature superhero story that elevated the medium through exploring grief, regret, and morality.

‘Fight Night’ provides a comedic and youthful perspective on family Miriam Toews’ novel calls for all women to keep fighting Jordan Tallis Contributor

This book shouldn’t be missed.

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY JORDAN TALLIS

Canadian writer Miriam Toews’ Fight Night was released last August to immediate acclaim, climbing the national bestseller list onto the 2021 Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlist Toews’s other bestsellers include All My Puny Sorrows, A Complicated Kindness, and Women Talking, through which she has established herself as a must-read Canadian fiction author.

In Fight Night, Toews takes on the unique challenge of writing an adult-fiction novel from, ironically, the perspective of a child. The novel follows three generations of a lovable, tight-knit family as they find humour in the mundane.

The story begins with nine-year-old Swiv’s suspension from school for fighting. Her grandmother, who has taken over her homeschooling, tells her to write a letter to her absent father. In the letter, Swiv describes their home life in Toronto and

her travels to the United States, illustrating an intimate analysis of the characters who are the book’s true focus.

Swiv is a firecracker of a girl who fights for what she believes in, no matter the cost. While she’s often quite outspoken, she’s also a worrier trying her best to care for her pregnant mother and ill grandmother.

Swiv’s mother, Mooshie, is an actress and single mom who’s pregnant with a baby they’ve been lovingly referring to as “Gord”. Balancing her adult responsibilities—including managing stage directors, her rambunctious daughter, and the grandmother’s health complications—proves easier said than done while in her third trimester.

Mooshie’s snarky, sarcastic personality is well-developed throughout the book, trying to minimize the responsibilities and stress put on Swiv or ‘Gord.”

Swiv’s closest companion and grandmother, Elvira, is an

exuberant and charismatic old woman obsessed with being naked. She has minimal concern for her wavering health, having already experienced plenty of death in her lifetime. She teaches Swiv her free-spirited mindset while they travel and cheer on the Toronto Raptors.

Using feminist ideologies, Toews shares her perspective on the woman experience and applies it to her superb cast of characters. Fight Night is a glimpse into how women learn to fight and survive in a man’s world across all stages of life.

Despite occasionally veering into the absurd, the family portrayed in Fight Night shows readers how they can persevere through hardships with love.

Family is forever.

Toews does a remarkable job conveying heavy themes like childbearing and childrearing, fighting for freedom, and various stances on death in a light-hearted manner.

Sports

Friday, March 11, 2022

queensjournal.ca

•9

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DHARMAYU DESAI

Pre-playoff picture: winter varsity teams

With the playoffs upon them, ‘The Journal’ paints a portrait of each varsity team’s postseason journey ahead Men’s Basketball

Women’s Basketball

Men’s Hockey

Women’s Volleyball

Men’s Volleyball

Record: 9-3

Record: 8-4

Record: 15-2-0

Record: 10-2

Record: 10-1

Round 1: Mar 16

Round 1: Mar 16

Round 1: Mar 16

Round 2: Mar 12

Round 2: Mar 12

At this point in the season, it’s safe to say the Men’s Basketball team has the OUA East’s three seed locked. That bodes well for them, as Heading into the postseason they’ll be playing either York, the University of Toronto (UofT), or Nipissing in the first round—three teams they’ve beaten at least once over the course of this season.

However, prior to the postseason’s tip-off, the Gaels have one more obstacle to face. It’s an important one: a two-game series against the Carleton Ravens.

Not only are the Ravens the number-one team in the OUA— and undefeated throughout 12 games—but they’re the numberone ranked team in U Sports and a favorite to win the national title.

Evidently, these last two games will be the toughest test the Gaels have faced all year and could be a stark indication of how they’ll perform in the OUA playoffs. After all, with Carleton having won the past three OUA championships, there’s a strong likelihood the Gaels would eventually have to go through the Ravens to take home their first Wilson Cup since 1936.

Yet, after the season this team has had, it would be wrong to count them out before the fight even begins.

More so than previous years, the 2021-22 Men’s Basketball team has decisively established themselves as a winning squad in arguably the toughest conference in U Sports basketball, and that’s something that holds water come playoff time.

Although they have a guaranteed spot in the U Sports final eight, the Women’s Basketball team still has to carve a path in the OUA playoffs before they step on the national stage on Mar. 31.

With their final two games also taking place against Carleton this week—a team only one win ahead of Queen’s but seeded two spots higher in the OUA East at number two—this last series could have direct implications on the shape of the playoffs at tip-off next Wednesday.

Should Queen’s be able to jump to at least one spot in the East after their bouts with the Ravens, they’d have home-court advantage in round one—a good start against the lowest ranked team in the division. However, despite a potential favourable seeding next Wednesday, each of the top six teams in the OUA East have similar degrees of lethality. A shot at the Critelli Cup won’t come easy anywhere they go, even for a stellar squad like the Gaels.

Whether it’s in the OUA or the U Sports final eight, the Women’s Basketball team is going to experience a competitive offseason wherever they go.

However, one thing’s relatively certain: they’ll be taking a fight to whomever they encounter in the coming weeks.

With two games remaining against the Nipissing Lakers, the Queen’s men’s hockey team has virtually sewn up the first seed in the OUA East division.

Heading into the playoffs with a 15-2-0 record, the Gaels are positioned for a deep postseason run and should be considered a favorite for the Queen’s Cup and a contender for the national title.

However, even with their sterling record, this weekend’s doubleheader against Nipissing will offer the Gaels a decent benchmark heading into the postseason next Wednesday.

Nipissing is currently second in the OUA East, sitting two points ahead of Ontario Tech, and took Queen’s to a shootout last time the two teams met.

Even if they drop their final two games over the weekend, the Gaels must be prepared for a series of tough playoff matchups.

Facing some classic rivals like Concordia, Carleton, and a strong team from the University of Quebec, Trois-Rivieres, the Gaels will undoubtedly encounter some difficulty along t he way.

The Gaels’ chances for a provincial title have never been better, but with a single elimination system in place this year, the prospect of bringing home the hardware will remain precarious until the final horn sounds.

While the Gaels have failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs for the past five seasons, this year’s picture shows a lot more promise.

On the heels of a successful regular season campaign and a 10-2 record, the Women’s Volleyball team secured a bye in the first round of the playoffs, and will touch down in the OUA East semifinals against York on Mar. 12.

Given their history, Queen’s is in a comfortable position for this matchup. York sits in third place in the OUA East with a 7-5 record—right below Queen’s—and the Gaels swept them in straight s e t s last weekend.

Even though they’ll likely be playing with an edge after being handed those losses, a lack of home-court advantage won’t help the Lions on Saturday.

Elsewhere in the division, the UofT Varsity Blues are also a force to be reckoned with this year. Toronto is currently first in the OUA East, and they are responsible for Queen’s only two losses of the season. If Queen’s faces Toronto in later rounds, they’ll surely do their best to flip the script.

This team has an outbreak of young talent and tenacity that has propelled them to victory and consistency this season. If they keep it up, there is a high chance they’ll make a deep run in the coming weeks.

The Men’s Volleyball team has a title to defend as they enter the 2021-22 playoffs—the OUA title, to be exact.

Having won the last two Forsyth Cups, they’re looking to three-peat. Ending the regular season in second place, the team has a bye into the OUA East semifinals, where they’ll face the Nippissing Lakers.

The Gaels—who boast a 10-1 record—faced the Lakers just once this season and came out with a win in straight sets. Nippissing sits in third place, right behind Queen’s in the OUA East, with a 7-3 record.

Perhaps the toughest opponent the Gaels could face this postseason, however, is the UofT Varsity Blues. The Gaels’ only loss of the regular season was to Toronto, and likewise for the Varsity Blues— their sole defeat was to Queen’s back in November. To add another layer of excitement, the Gaels defeated the Varsity Blues in the 2020 Forsyth Cup final.

Despite winning most of their games in straight sets this season, the Gaels have also demonstrated they can bounce back from adversity to win. Take their recent game against York—when they heroically came back from a 2-1 deficit—as an example.

All in all, it will be a competitive path towards the Forsyth Cup final, but the Gaels have shown their ability to be consistent, and their fortitude and talent will no doubt shine on the court this postseason.

—Angus Merry

—Jack Burnham, Staff Writer

—Natara Ng, Assistant Sports Editor

—Natara Ng

—Angus Merry, Senior Sports Editor

10 • queensjournal.ca

Sports

Friday, March 11, 2022

Women’s Fencing pick up medals at OUA Championship Team sabre earns bronze, Caroline Whitehead takes bronze in individual sabre, Emily Mason named OUA All-Star has just two years of training under their belt.

Considering this, a bronze The Queen’s women’s fencing medal finish was phenomenal, team had a sharp performance at according to Whitehead. the OUA Championships, hosted at “We exceeded my expectations,” the Royal Military College on Mar. 5 she said of team sabre’s and 6. performance. “I was so proud of The Queen’s sabre team them in seeing how far they’ve earned a bronze medal, the come, because it was a really hard foil team earned a hard-fought competition for us.” fifthplace finish, and the epee Along with her medals, team finished in fourth. Queen’s Whitehead was awarded the placed fourth overall, falling short Dave O’Donnell trophy for of third-place finishers, RMC, demonstrating the highest level of by four points. skill, style, and sportsmanship at In the individual sabre event, the tournament.

Caroline Whitehead, Sci ’23, took “I was really honored and proud home the bronze medal. of myself for making a name for “The competition was really myself and […] not only doing my hard [and] my opponents were best physically but also [proving] also really well experienced,” that I have good sportsmanship,” Whitehead said in an Whitehead said. interview with The Journal.

The Journal also spoke to team “So, [winning bronze] felt captain Emily Mason, ArtSci ’22, really good.” who finished fourth in individual “I just set the goal to fence my epee. best and medal. That was my main “Knowing the field, I felt goal for [the] individual [event].” like I could make top four On winning bronze in the team pretty comfortably and event, Whitehead iterated how I achieved that,” Mason proud she was of her teammates said of her performance. for stepping up and holding their “I was really happy with that.” own during the competition.

While there is some While Whitehead has fenced disappointment that the epee since she was eight, two of her team fell short of the podium, teammates took up the sport Mason is still incredibly proud of last September and the other the team’s effort. natara ng

Assistant Sports Editor

Queen’s sabre team.

“A little bit of a heartbreak for sure, but I’m so proud of everyone and I was really happy with how we were handling ourselves as a team,” Mason said.

“A lot of our athletes are brand new to the sport and brand new to competing, and they did phenomenally.”

Mason was named an epee OUA All-Star for having scored the most points and least points allowed during the team event.

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY ATHLETICS AND RECRE-

Achieving this recognition was entire team’s talent, skill, and a perfect sendoff for the fourth- fortitude across each of the year fencer, who was glad to end sport’s three categories. the weekend on a high note.

“I want to recognize all of our “It really means a lot to finish off athletes who came and all of our my competitive tenure at Queen’s support staff and coaches, because with a recognition like that,” Mason they really made the difference for said. “I’m really proud [and] I’m us,” Mason said. really grateful for the experience.”

“I think it solidifies the fact that Mason emphasized the Queens has one of the premier successful outcomes of the training programs for fencing in weekend—medals or individual the province.” awards—are a testament to the

Women’s Hockey upsets Ontario Tech in first round of OUA playoffs Gaels move onto the Second Round, play Varsity Blues Saturday

a great developing leader as well.”

Mid-way through the period, forward Sara Di Filippo added to the lead with an assist from McKnight and forward Rebecca Thompson before Tech solved Arsenault once more with less jack burnham than five minutes left to play, which Staff Writer ended the game.

Final score: 4-2 Gaels.

The Queen’s women’s hockey team “I think what you’re seeing is beat Ontario Tech 4-2 Wednesday the evolution of a team in real night to advance to the second time,” Holmberg said, dissecting round of the OUA playoffs. the victory.

With the victory, the Gaels have “We played the fewest number now won two in a row and will of games in the entire country […] play the University of Toronto You’re seeing [our development] on Saturday. happen before your eyes and very After last Saturday’s win quickly and in a positive way.” against York on the road, the Gaels With their win over the were ready to face off against Ridgebacks, Queen’s will head on PHOTO SUPPLIED BY ATHLETICS AND RECREATION The Gaels skate to a 4-2 win against Ontario Tech. the Ridgebacks. the road to face off against the “Statistically, the teams University of Toronto on Saturday. were fairly even throughout goalie Makenzy Arsenault on the later on the powerplay after a from forwards Sydney Wilson The Varsity Blues are the topthe year, so we expected a power-play just over hooking penalty was called against and Johnson. ranked team in the East division— close match,” head coach Matt the halfway mark of the the Ridgebacks.

“Scout is as consistent as they and the entire country.

Holmberg told The Journal second period.

With less than a minute come. She’s one of the hardestHaving beat the Varsity Blues in an interview.

“Even though they scored the to go in the second, Emma working, most dedicated players in a shootout during the regular “We’d already faced a do-or- first goal, we stayed confident McKnight then gave the Gaels I’ve ever had the privilege of season, however, Holmberg offered die game […] We used that and kept at it […] I think as the a 2-1 lead to head into the coaching,” Holmberg said about both a message of hope and a momentum and the confidence game went along, we just kept final period.

Watkins Southward, who has challenge for this weekend. that comes along with knowing getting stronger and stronger,” Capitalizing on their put up five points over the “I have every confidence that we we can deliver when our backs are Holmberg said. momentum, Queen’s scored less past three games. can find success, but we’re going against the wall.”

It was Queen’s forward Quinn than a minute into the third when “[She has] a relentless style to need all hands on deck, and be After a quiet first period, Ontario Johnston who gave the Gaels Scout Watkins Southward found on the ice and a lot of speed willing to find yet another level Tech struck first, beating Gaels’ life, tying the score four minutes the back of the net off an assist and a lot of strength and is if we can.”

Lifestyle

Friday, March 11, 2022

queensjournal.ca

• 11

POSTSCRIPT

I’m both a journalist and a philosopher, and my work is better for it Honing my love for storytelling has helped me see the world more clearly Cassidy McMackon Opinions Editor As I approach the end of my graduate coursework, I’ve been trying to find the words to define what my time as a philosophy student has taught me.

This is my sixth year in the discipline.

I’ve celebrated six first days of school, lounged through ten separate reading weeks, and endured eleven equally hectic exam periods. I’ve written tens of thousands of words in assignments, read hundreds of thousands of words in course readings, and spent countless hours trying to grapple with theories that discuss the nature of reality.

Most of all, my experience as a philosopher has informed the way I tell stories.

My decision to " specialize in philosophy as an undergrad was well thought out, but my introduction to journalism was purely accidental

I was immediately drawn to philosophy as a first-year student.

Students with a philosophy degree often achieve the highest scores on

the LSAT, and I had high hopes of attending law school.

As my degree progressed, philosophy gave me the tools to address what it means to live in a meaningful way.

"

I’ve poured my heart and soul into honing my ability to tell stories The works of Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre taught me that I create the meaning of my own life through the projects I engage in.

In studying endless renditions of Philippa Foote’s infamous trolley problem, I addressed whether it’s permissible to allow suffering to maximize utility.

The introduction of these ideas helped me to articulate how I grappled with the meaning of my life experiences and goals.

These ideas helped me understand I’m responsible for making my life meaningful, my actions have consequences regardless of my decisions, and problems are worth deep engagement rather than surface-level evaluation.

My decision to specialize in philosophy as an undergrad was well thought out, but my introduction to journalism was purely accidental.

I’d been working for an online magazine on campus when I partnered with our photographer and did a few interviews with attendees of a climate rally held

by QBACC in September 2019.

Together, we chatted with students about their climate change anxieties and steps they were taking to combat climate change.

Although the published story was a simple reiteration of interviews

we’d done with students, the pride I felt in my work ignited my love for storytelling.

At this point, my desire to go to law school had been dwindling for a while, and I started entertaining the idea of pursuing a career as a journalist.

In September 2020, I was lucky enough to be given a chance to develop these skills with The Journal.

Since getting that initial first chance in my fifth year, I’ve poured my heart and soul into honing my ability to tell stories.

I spent eight months immersed in COVID-19 reporting, where I told stories about how the pandemic shaped Queen’s and its student body. I was trusted in telling women’s stories who financed their university degrees by participating in sex work. I covered the appeal of the Student Choice Initiative, and highlighted the critical work done by students in advocating for the autonomy of student organizations.

philosophy, I examine " Inhow the structures that make up the world inform our experiences in it

I also found a voice to tell parts of my own story and make better sense of how my past experiences inform the lived experiences I have today.

As a graduate student with a foot in both the worlds of philosophy and journalism, I’m immersed in examining the impact of telling stories and the ways they shape our worldviews.

Cassidy credits her work in philosophy and reporting with helping her make sense of her experiences.

In philosophy, I examine how the structures that make up the world inform our experiences in it. Through reporting, I’m tasked with telling someone’s story and how they are impacted by current events.

When I step back and examine the two different facets of my work, I see that the stories told in newspapers and the ideas communicated in academic journals both seek to communicate truth by probing us to ask deeper, more nuanced questions.

My experience as a "philosophy student

and as a journalist has played a monumental role in helping me make sense of everything I’ve seen and everything I’ve been through In my current academic career, I’ve been analyzing how storytelling helps us understand the realities of others. Whether trying to reject a solipsistic worldview to effectively acknowledge other’s values or examining how storytelling itself influences our perceptions, it’s clear that the stories we tell seek to grapple with the way the world appears to us.

After this semester, I’ll be gearing up to write my thesis.

In preparation, I’ve been finding myself at a crossroads. I want to pursue journalism as a career following my MA, and I’ve been anticipating my exit from academia for the last few months On the other hand, in anticipation of telling more

stories geared towards a public readership in news, I’m growing pre-emptively wistful for the academic environment that’s encouraged my deep dive into analyzing the world around me.

This tension has been weighing on me for the last several months, but I think I’ve found a way to flourish in it.

Two weeks ago, I read an essay

by Iris Murdoch for a seminar where she claims, “philosophy, like newspapers, is both the guide and mirror of its age.”

Murdoch was writing about how literature—in all its heterogeneous forms—demonstrates how the world shapes our experiences in unique ways. It’s apparent that through whatever work I end up doing, I’ll be able to explore the multiple layers and nuances that make up human experience.

I n short, I’m a better "storyteller because I’m a philosopher and a journalist

My experience as a philosophy student and as a journalist has played a monumental role in helping me make sense of everything I’ve seen and everything I’ve been through. I’m better off learning how to engage with different ideas, perspectives, and narratives, and now I have the tools to help others do so as well.

In short, I’m a better storyteller because I’m a philosopher and a journalist.

I’m excited to carry what I’ve learned forward, no matter where I end up.

PHOTO BY SPENCER HENDRICKSON

Lifestyle

12 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, March 11, 2022

Pattinson's moody performance carries the film.

ILLUSTRATION BY DHARMAYU DESAI

‘The Batman’ takes risks that pay off

New movie is a dark reinvention of the caped crusader Ben Wrixon Senior Arts Editor The Batman is the dark antithesis to contemporary superhero movies.

Directed by Matt Reeves, the film is unburdened by cinematic universes and stale tropes, and features Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, and Paul Dano as The Riddler. While none of

From ghee to oiling your hair, people are starting to pay attention to age-old Indian traditions Alysha Mohamed Senior Lifestyle Editor As a brown girl, it feels like 2022 is my time to shine.

Thick, brushed up eyebrows and natural curls are in. TikTok influencers have started oiling their hair with Olaplex, which is essentially a dupe for the much less expensive Amla oil that my mother would massage into my scalp once a month.

Olaplex has a leg up on the strong smell of Amla with its sleek packaging and neutral scent, but I find it almost comical to see models walking around with slicked back buns when brown girls were teased for their oiled braids in school.

‘Jalebi Baby’ came on at a club in Calgary and I listened to the crowd sing, “You got what I wanted soniye” with perfect cadence.

Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us how important it is to take care of our physical wellbeing, and I’ve seen blog posts promoting natural remedies everywhere.

These remedies often include

these characters are new to the big screen, they’ve never been portrayed as they are in The Batman.

It’s safe to say Robert Pattinson’s Twilight days are firmly in the past.

Having proven himself as a great actor in Good Time and The Lighthouse, he shines as a young, disturbed Batman struggling to find the line between Bruce Wayne and his pointy-eared alter-ego.

His moody performance carries the film for much of its three-hour runtime. He doesn’t talk much, but communicates nuanced emotions using his eyes and body language.

His portrayal—scowling, sad, somber—is drastically different

than those who came before him.

While Michael Keaton and Christian Bale were excellent in their respective films, Pattinson makes the audience feel the trauma that haunts and drives Bruce Wayne.

This sense of darkness extends beyond the titular character.

The film opens with the brutal murder of one of Gotham City’s most powerful public figures at the hands of Dano’s Riddler. He leaves a note at the crime scene addressed to Batman, which kickstarts a game of cat and mouse between villain and The World’s Greatest Detective.

In many respects, The Batman plays out more like a David Fincher

thriller than a superhero romp; Reeves clearly took inspiration from Se7en and Zodiac.

This version of Gotham is grimy, miserable, and stuck in a perpetual rainstorm. Shadows encroach on every corner, allowing criminals to run wild. The décor inside Wayne manor is borderline gothic, more akin to Dracula’s castle than a billionaire’s mansion.

Beyond its excellent atmosphere, the film also has all the twists and turns of those Fincher classics. This version of The Riddler works more like the Jigsaw killer than Jim Carey in green spandex.

Dano turns in a demented performance. There are moments

Analyzing the newfound appreciation for Indian remedies

Viral trends have their roots in South Asian culture.

ginger, lemon, cardamom, cloves, and even ghee.

I remember the feelings of pride and ‘I-told-you-so’ energy radiating off aunties when reposting articles on the health benefits of clarified butter on Facebook.

This newfound appreciation for Indian rituals is reminiscent

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DHARMAYU DESAI

of the golden milk craze which reached its peak a few years ago.

I remember being simultaneously appalled and impressed that boujee Toronto cafes could charge $5.50 for the concoction I’d been drinking every flu season since I was a child.

However, the integration of

Indian traditions and culture into mainstream society has inevitably got me thinking about how much of our cultures can be appreciated and respected—and why it takes the white majority discovering Indian home remedies and yoga for us to perceive cultural practices as valid.

when he occasionally veers a bit too far into Joker-esque wackiness, but his portrayal is deeply unsettling.

Kravitz is also great as Catwoman, AKA Selina Kyle.

Her energetic and seductive performance is much truer to the comic-book character than past on-screen iterations. However, her chemistry with Batman would have benefitted from additional screen time.

The film’s supporting cast is also excellent. Colin Farrell offers some levity as The Penguin, John Tuturro is suave and menacing as mobster Carmine Falcone, and Jeffrey Wright turns a predictably rock-solid performance as Commissioner Gordon.

With all that said, taking risks is what really makes The Batman stand out.

In a world where Disney makes billions pumping out formulaic and family-friendly Marvel movies every year, Reeves decided to make the darkest PG-13 rated movie of all time.

The film has several scenes designed to challenge viewers, toy with their expectations, and make them downright uncomfortable.

It doesn’t have heavy-handed emotional moments with clear, rewarding payoffs. It’s not a happy-go-lucky time at the movies.

Except for a short scene hinting at a sequel, the film is generally free to tell its own story without shoehorning in elements of a broader cinematic universe. It’s refreshing to see a blockbuster that cares more about its own story than setting up other movies.

The Batman isn’t trying to be fun—that’s why it’s so great.

Though I’m not Hindu, I find it interesting to analyze how rhetoric about energy and chakras has infiltrated my social media platforms. I wonder if the young people posting about karmic energy have done their research into the ancient Hindu roots of these concepts.

I feel like my inner child is beaming at the appreciation for typical Indian features, but my adult self is critically thinking about which trends will be next, and whether or not a brown person will be the one to spearhead its integration in mainstream culture.

This is a moment where brown girls and Indian practices are finally getting some of the recognition they deserve. It’s problematic that this recognition is whitewashed and Westernized, but it also makes me hopeful that nuanced representation is a possibility in the future.

For the people showing interest in Indian culture, I hope research and conversations center around the South Asian people who spearheaded and developed these practices, rather than on the distilled version of many practices we’re seeing on social media.

At the end of the day, Indian culture can never be reduced to a TikTok trend. South Asia is a diverse amalgamation of history, culture, and rich spirituality—and we should be aware of attempts to commodify practices as we attempt to appreciate them.