The Queen's Journal, Volume 147, Issue 13

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the

Queen’s University

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journal

Volume 147, issue 13

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Friday, November 8, 2019

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

since 1873

Work-study program loses more than $30,000 from Student Choice Initiative Nearly 25 per cent of students opted out of program for low-income students

HOW QUEEN’S IS HELPING FEMALE VETERANS P age 6

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY AMELIA RANKINE

R aechel H uizinga News Editor A program designed to help low-income students secure part-time jobs on campus or at a local not-for-profit lost more than $30,000 this fall as a result of the Student Choice Initiative (SCI).

The SCI was introduced by the provincial government in January, and transitioned many student fees deemed “non-essential” by the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities (MTCU) from mandatory to optional this September. As a result, many services and organizations across Ontario post-secondary institutions received financial losses.

The AMS and SGPS combined opt-out rate from the work-study program fee was 24.52 per cent, Mark Erdman, Queen’s community relations and issues manager, wrote in a statement to The Journal. The combined financial loss amounted to $31,964.

“About 20 per cent of the program budget comes from student ancillary fees,” Erdman wrote. “When the Student Choice Initiative was announced, it was anticipated that the funding might decrease after the fee was

moved from mandatory to opt-out to align with the government’s guidelines.”

The work-study program is a joint initiative between Student Awards and Career Services within the Division of Student Affairs (DSA). The University pays Queen’s departments and local not-for-profits a subsidy to help cover student salaries.

Eligible undergraduate students receive a work-study entitlement of $2,000 for the academic year, and graduate students receive an entitlement of $2,500.

When the Student Choice Initiative was announced, it was anticipated that the funding might decrease [...]

—Mark Erdman, community relations and issues manager “Queen’s will ensure uninterrupted delivery of the program this year, and the University will explore options to ensure the long-term sustainability of the program going forward,” Erdman said.

NEWS

EDITORIALS

Queen’s Legal Aid loses $22,000

Victim-blaming on campus

Director claims not enough time to convince students to opt in, page 3.

Flip the Script program poster focuses on wrong people, page 7.

OPINIONS

ARTS

Left behind by climate action

Sorrey’s first Kingston show

Marginalized communities bear the brunt of climate crisis, page 8.

Charlottetown band takes their album on the road, page 11.

SPORTS

LIFESTYLE

Eventful weekend in rugby

Clashing over Call Her Daddy

Nationals loss for women, provincials loom for men, page 9.

Two students debate over the chart-climbing sex podcast, page 12.

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News

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Friday, November 8, 2019

JDUC renovations to commence May 2021 AMS Assembly talks revitalization project, society elections Carolyn svonkin and ellen nagy Assistant News Editors AMS Assembly convened on Nov. 7 to discuss student election procedure and hear an update about the JDUC renovation.

AMS President report

In his report to Assembly, AMS President Auston Pierce encouraged all students to attend Patrick Deane’s open conversation sessions. According to Pierce, “the University is working with us to make these sessions as accessible as possible to everyone within our community.”

He plans to be in attendance, along with both AMS vice-presidents and other members of the AMS team, for as many of these sessions as possible.

Pierce also reported on the suspension of the duty to disclose requirements on the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Policy. He encouraged all students to voice their opinions during the feedback period, which will last until Nov. 22.

Vice-President (Operations) report Jessica Dahanayake, vice-president (Operations), focused her report on her collaboration with Queen’s Period, the University chapter of the Period Movement, whose mission is to “end period poverty and stigma through service, education, and advocacy within the Queen’s and Kingston communities,” according to their AMS webpage.

Queen’s Period installed Take1Leave1 bins in female and gender-neutral washrooms in the JDUC and the Queen’s Centre that contain menstrual products.

The bins are intended to foster a “culture of caring and awareness for our peers who menstruate,” according to Dahanayake.

She said the bins are “for those who are in a pinch for a product.”

Dahanayake noted the bins have been both successful and fairly self-sustaining since installation. To keep them stocked, the AMS and Queen’s Period will be holding period drives throughout the week.

In its collaboration with the AMS, Queen’s Period will also send out a survey to students.

“The purpose of the survey is to understand what Queen’s students want for themselves and their peers,” Dahanayake said.

AMS Assembly gathered on Nov. 7.

The survey will determine whether students have had to sacrifice food or rent funds to pay for menstrual products, whether they consider menstrual products luxury or non-luxury items, and whether they have had to miss class and other academic obligations due to menstruation.

“This hasn’t been talked about enough on campus,” Dahanayake said. “We will use this data [collected from the survey] to see what action needs to be taken, and what we should ask from the government in relation to period accessibility.”

PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON

Signature requirements for referenda and AMS elections

Pierce also presented on signature requirements for referenda and AMS elections.

“One of the big goals for us and our team is to make sure that AMS elections are as accessible and competitive as possible,” Pierce said.

He said that one of the main focuses in a review of AMS elections was how they run, specifically during the nomination period.

Currently, candidates running for AMS JDUC update office are required to collect 320 signatures from students within AMS membership.

In a presentation to Assembly, Chloe “That can be a barrier to a lot of people,” Draeger, special projects officer, said he said. “It can be a very time-consuming construction on the JDUC revitalization process, especially when it all has to be would begin in May 2021 and take written down by hand.”

18 months.

Concerns raised about the accessibility Draeger also addressed the failed included rules that banned potential attempts to establish a JDUC student fee candidates from talking about their in January of 2018. The fee failed narrowly, platforms with nomination signatories and feedback surveys indicated that and the time constraints placed on students felt an $89 fee was too high. platform development because of the “[In the] summer of 2018, we brought lengthy nomination process. it back to the drawing board,” Draeger COMPSA president Nana Boateng said, “We re-engaged with Queen’s Physical proposed the idea of using an online Plant Services, we brought on a new team signature system in lieu of handwritten of architects, and we invested heavily in signatures during the pre-election period. across our campus.” talking to our students.”

Dahanayake responded by saying 15.83 per cent of undergraduate students Last January, the fee passed by 52 per that online programs would be more opted out of the AMS membership fee, cent at $40. flexible and allow the AMS elections team to which allows students to work at AMS Draeger also highlighted the attention easily discern AMS members from students services and vote in elections. 21.23 per cent paid to make the redevelopment of the JDUC without a membership. of students opted out of both the AMS food environmentally conscious.

Pierce said that he was in favour bank fee and the campus safety and risk fee.

“We’re proud that the JDUC project is now of an online system, acknowledging 25.47 per cent of students opted out of targeting the gold certification through the that it would also resolve privacy concerns This article first appeared online on Nov. 1.

The Queen’s Journal. leadership management Environmental about students walking around with Nearly 24 per cent of students opted Design rating system which will lists of student numbers.

Raechel Huizinga out of the sustainability action fund, place it at the cutting edge of environmental News Editor and 25.29 per cent opted out of the stewardship models.”

Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance After fee opt-out numbers were finalized (OUSA) fee. under the Student Choice Initiative (SCI), 24.53 per cent of students opted AMS President Auston Pierce told The out of the Tricolour Yearbook, while Journal the rates were lower than expected.

20.63 per cent of students opted out of Announced by the Ford government Accessibility Queen’s.

University sends out email asking for suspended after widespread feedback in January, the SCI is a policy that allows At the Oct. 28 Senate meeting, feedback on sexual violence policy from staff, students, and Senate members students to opt out of fees deemed non- Tom Harris, interim provost and claiming the stipulations put students at risk. essential by the Ministry of Training, vice-principal (Academic), said the AMS Following two public consultation “While the revisions were intended Colleges and Universities (MTCU). Because food bank lost $1,500 in funding resulting meetings about the University’s suspended to ensure that those who experience the opt-out period lasted for the month from the SCI. sexual violence disclosure reporting sexual violence receive coordinated and of September and students had the Harris also said the Sexual Assault requirements, the Office of the Provost sent comprehensive support, community ability to appeal their opt-out choices Centre Kingston (SACK) lost $4,500, and out a community-wide email asking for concern has led Principal Patrick Deane to into early October, the AMS could not Queen’s Legal Aid clinic lost $22,000. more feedback. suspend these aspects of the policy pending confirm the opt-out numbers until “Although the AMS is able to continue Launched on Nov. 1, the email asked for further consultation,” the email stated. after Oct. 11. its work for students, the potential feedback about a requirement implemented Students and staff can submit confidential “Although many organizations and for significant damage to the student under section 8.8 of the recently updated feedback about the sexual violence policy services on campus and in our community experience will exist each year with insecure sexual violence policy that mandated online until Nov. 22. have been negatively impacted, the opt-out operational funding,” Pierce said.

Queen’s employees who are not health “Responses are completely anonymous rates are lower than what was expected,” “We hope that the provincial care professionals to provide the Sexual and cannot be traced back to you,” the Pierce wrote in a statement to The Journal. government will reconsider this mandate, Violence Prevention and Response email stated.

“This serves to demonstrate that our as it hinders future AMS teams from Coordinator (SVPRC) with a student’s A final decision about the suspended peers care deeply about our community working to ambitiously improve the name and contact information following a requirements will be announced by the end and about the services, opportunities, lives and experiences of our peers and sexual violence disclosure. of the winter term. and mission of the AMS, Faculty compounds cuts to vital services in The reporting requirements were —Raechel Huizinga Societies, and other organizations our province.”

Nearly 16 per cent of undergraduates opt out of AMS membership

Opt-out rates lower than expected across services, according to AMS president

News in brief

News

Friday, November 8, 2019

queensjournal.ca • 3

Queen’s legal aid clinic loses $22,000 under Student Choice Initiative Law students opted in to fee at higher rate than undergraduate students

next year. In the meantime, we believe that word of mouth of the many students who opted in this year and who will benefit from

“The fee descriptions, which describes the purposes of the levy on the fee slate itself, were kept short and we were limited to a small number of characters. This did not allow QLA to fully explain the benefits of th QLA levy.”

Ellen Nagy Assistant News Editor The Queen’s Legal Aid (QLA) clinic lost $22,000 in funding following the implementation of the Student Choice Initiative (SCI) this fall.

The SCI was introduced by the provincial government in January, and gave students the choice of opting out of fees deemed “non-essential” by the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities (MTCU). While

“The Student Choice Initiative caught everyone by surprise.”

—Blair Crew, QLA Director

some law schools considered challenging the province about the loss of mandatory status for legal aid student fees, the levies became optional this September.

In a written statement to The Journal, QLA Director Blair Crew said 77 per cent of undergraduate students opted in to the $5.50 QLA student fee.

“We are grateful to the large number of students who decided in favour of paying the Queen’s Legal Aid levy,” he said. “We think of the levy as an inexpensive ‘legal representation group insurance policy’ in which a majority of the AMS and SGPS students had the wisdom to participate.”

While Crew said 76 per cent of graduate students opted in to the

—Blair Crew, QLA Director

QLA Director Blair Crew.

QLA fee, more than 90 per cent of law students within the SGPS paid the fee.

“This demonstrates a very high commitment to helping to promote social justice from a group of students who uniquely understand the vital need for the services QLA provides.” Crew said. “Not only do the students who opted to pay the levy help support QLA’s anti-poverty work that assists the people of

Kingston, but they also gain instant access to a free, closely supervised law student to represent them for their own legal matters.”

Despite the promising opt-in rates, Crew said there wasn’t a lot of time for the clinic to advertise the benefits of paying the fee to students.

“The Student Choice Initiative caught everyone by surprise,” he said. “The fee descriptions, which described the purposes of

their 10 per cent tuition deduction, implemented by the provincial government in January, to the University’s general bursary for students who may receive fewer funds from the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).

“With the combined efforts of the AMS, AMS Services, and Students For Students, we hope that this campaign helped propel donations to the General Bursary and got students and alumni in our community engaged in how these new financial barriers to education can impact those of us here at Queen’s,” AMS President Auston Pierce wrote in a statement to The Journal.

Pierce said students, AMS staff members, and University administration donated to the bursary. On the service level, the Common Ground Café sold $1 SFS-branded cookies, Tricolour Outlet sold limited-edition t-shirts, and Walkhome held a raffle for a Fitbit.

In total, AMS services raised $2,956.

“The AMS would like to thank everyone who donated both their time and money to this cause,” Pierce said. “It has been a privilege to help in such an effort.”

For the month of November, the AMS will raise funds for the Kingston Youth Shelter.

AMS raises nearly $3,000 for Students for Students Society services raised funds for low-income students in October Raechel Huizinga News Editor In the month of October, AMS services raised nearly $3,000 for Students for Students (SFS), a student-run organization dedicated to raising funds for low-income students in the wake of provincial assistance cuts.

Launched this summer, SFS encourages students to donate

PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON

the levy on the fee slate itself, were kept short and we were limited to a small number of characters.

This did not allow QLA to fully explain the benefits of the QLA levy.”

Organizations were allowed fewer than 200 words in the opt-out portal to describe the potential benefits of paying the fee.

“We hope that longer descriptions will be permitted

QLA’s services will increase the opt-in rate for 2020.”

Crew said this year’s financial losses will not seriously affect Queen’s law students.

“The majority of students who participate as QLA caseworkers are volunteers who generously donate their time, without receiving either pay or academic credit,” he said.

“As such, law students will continue to have the opportunity to hone their advocacy skills while giving back to the community, despite the reduction in QLA’s revenue.”

Crew added that, for the time being, the losses to QLA funding would not result in reductions in staffing levels or the number of supervised law students. journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

News

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Friday, November 8, 2019

University to break ground on new residence in May 2020 Administration responds to residents’ concerns about noise, light pollution Sydney Ko Assistant News Editor A new residence building planned for the west side of Albert St., just south of Union and across from Tindall Field, will be around five storeys tall and contain between 315 and 335 beds.

At an information session on Wednesday about the new residence building, project managers said Albert St. is the preferred location for the new residence building, based on both a 2014 campus master plan and physical availability. The University also announced plans to begin construction of the new residence building in May 2020.

According to Leah Wales, executive director of Queen’s Housing and Services, the reason behind the new residence building is to meet “modest” enrollment growth projections and to address deferred maintenance issues in other parts of the system.

“We’re strongly committed to the first-year residence guaranteed, so as we see enrollment growth over time, we want to make sure we can continue to meet that guarantee,” Wales said at the information session.

“One of the strategies we’ve had to do more recently without a new building is to reduce the number of spaces available for upper years who may want to continue to live in residence.”

The University also plans to make the new residence completely sustainable by targeting LEED’s gold standard

certification, a guideline it’s also using for the JDUC renovation and the pending expansion of Duncan McArthur Hall.

According to Corola Bloedorn, Queen’s director of design and construction, the University is working with consultants to make sure the new residence’s design standards meet green criteria like avoiding construction in floodplains, reinstating the natural environment, and managing rainwater.

“We’re targeting gold, which is the second-highest level,” she said on Wednesday.

Bloedorn added the new residence aims to reduce on-site water and greenhouse gas emissions by metering how much energy is being consumed.

“It’s about every single detail of the building and trying to push the envelope in terms of sustainability.”

At the public information session, multiple Kingston residents raised concerns about potential noise and light pollution the new residence could bring to Albert St. Mark Erdman, manager of community relations and issues at Queen’s, said the residents were also engaged in consultations two months prior to the project’s commencement.

“We’ve been working really closely with them to understand what their concerns are and to communicate to them about what we’re doing,” he told The Journal.

According to Erdman, the building won’t have any food service, so there won’t be any deliveries disrupting the area. He also said

University to begin construction May 2020.

the University is ensuring the building will not produce any light pollution.

“We’re trying to design things around those that we can accommodate and will have as little impact on the surrounding community as we can,” Erdman said.

He added that before choosing the current location for the new

PHOTO BY JODIE GRIEVE

residence, the University did a landmass study and looked at factors ideal for students, such as food locations, classes, and transit.

“If there was an easy fix, we would have done it,” he said. “But we’ve received a lot of support and help from the AMS and SGPS in terms of reaching out to students.”

University cancels employee sessions on student disclosures of sexual violence Sessions postponed while sexual violence policy is under review

The post on the calendar references Section 8.8 as part of the University sexual violence policy, which requires notification to the SVPRC. Despite the cancellation of the sessions, multiple staff members suggested in Carolyn Svonkin the open consultation meetings that the Assistant News Editor University provide more training to its employees about the sexual violence policy All employee training sessions about how disclosure requirements. to respond to student sexual violence While the updated sexual violence policy disclosures have been cancelled while was approved by the Board of Trustees the sexual violence policy disclosure on May 10, the notification requirement requirements are under review, according to was introduced as an implementation of Barb Lotan, the Sexual Violence Prevention section 8.8 of the policy on the and Response Coordinator (SVPRC).

SVPRC website.

Suspended on Oct. 10 following However, after both faculty and students widespread criticism, the disclosure raised concerns about how the new requirements mandated non-health policy could affect both the safety and the care professionals to provide Lotan with willingness of students who disclose sexual a student’s name, email address, and violence to University employees, the student number following a disclosure of requirement was suspended. sexual violence.

The University announced last week it “Information sessions for employees will be conducting a review of the sexual about responding to disclosures of sexual violence policy during the suspension violence have regularly been offered on period. The review will include consultations campus,” Lotan wrote in a statement to with students, faculty, staff, and The Journal. “The fall sessions have now other stakeholders. been postponed due to the ongoing sexual Feedback from open consultation violence policy consultation and review.” meetings hosted by Teri Shearer, deputy On Tuesday, Lotan was scheduled to host provost (Academic Operations and an Employee Information Session about Inclusion) on Oct. 17 and 23 will also be how to respond to student disclosures of incorporated into the policy review. Queen’s sexual violence. The two-hour meeting was community members are able to provide the to be held in Macintosh-Corry Hall.

University with feedback in a confidential, “In July, information sessions for summer online form. and fall were scheduled and announced,” The consultation period will close on Lotan wrote.

Nov. 22, and the University’s senior According to a post on the Queen’s events leadership team said it will review all the calendar, the information session was feedback it has received. “designed to give all employees an overview The University’s final decision about the of how to effectively respond to student suspended disclosure requirements will be disclosures of sexual violence.” announced at the end of the winter term.

The session was supposed to cover “The number of sessions scheduled in the how employees should notify Lotan upon future will be based on demand,” Lotan said. receiving a student sexual violence disclosure.

News

Friday, November 8, 2019

Climate activists host talk on campus Extinction Rebellion activists discuss Canadian responsiveness to climate crisis

XR activists Jonathan Sendker and Zoe de Jonge.

PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON

Deane pressed on student issues at city council Claire Macpherson Contributor When Principal Patrick Deane attended a City Council meeting on Nov. 5, he was scheduled to brief councillors about his plans for the year. Instead, he was pressed on issues about student housing and street parties.

After his introductory remarks about the goals he hopes to pursue during the 2019-20 year, Deane addressed some issues he admitted “strain the relationship” between the University and the City.

Several councillors asked Deane questions about the University’s role in the student housing crisis in Kingston.

Councillor Peter Stroud, who represents

“Either you’re part of the solution or you’re part of the problem, there’s only two possibilities.”

—Coun. Peter Stroud

the Sydenham District which houses most Queen’s students, asked Deane what he’ll do differently about the current housing crisis, claiming it’s the result of increasing enrollment.

“Either you’re part of the solution or you’re part of the problem, there’s only two possibilities,” he said.

Multiple councillors also pressed Deane on unsanctioned street parties that happen during Homecoming and St. Patrick’s Day, questioning the validity of the Student Code of Conduct and whether it actually disciplines students.

“This behaviour is appalling, and it needs to stop,” Deane said, adding the code of conduct does have “teeth” and makes students accountable for their actions.

queensjournal.ca • 5

Ellen Nagy Assistant News Editor

Addressing the possibility of human extinction, de Jonge warned that, despite the figures available to the On Tuesday, Extinction Rebellion (XR) public, there is a tendency for climate activists hosted an event about the effects crisis events to occur earlier than of the climate crisis, bringing their concerns initially predicted. about the Canadian government’s response De Jonge’s co-host Sendker spoke to the forum. about the feelings associated with the XR is a movement that began in climate crisis.

London, England on Oct. 31, 2018, after the “Grief is welcome here” Sendker said. “We Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change hope this next part will give you courage, (IPCC) reported that humans have only 12 but anger, grief, fear, pain is appropriate.” years to stop climate change before the He acknowledged the scientific nature earth enters the sixth mass extinction. of the climate crisis, but emphasized Since then, XR has been active in more politics are another important dimension to than 72 countries, using non-violent civil the problem. disobedience to try to halt mass extinction “Canadian politics is definitely worsening and minimise the risk of social collapse. the problem.” Sendker said.

Most recently, XR hosted a “die-in” on Oct. Sendker said that, historically, Canada 27 at the Kingston Memorial Centre. has struggled to meet emissions targets and XR activists Zoe de Jonge and Jonathan is currently not on track to meet its Paris Sendker kicked off the Nov. 5 event by Accord emissions targets. pointing to the movement’s solidarity “The conventional ways of addressing with Indigenous peoples, acknowledging this have not worked out and looking their advocacy for respecting at [the climate crisis], Extinction Rebellion the environment. and many people around the world don’t De Jonge addressed optimism within the think we have time to keep trying.” Sendker movement, claiming that enthusiasm for said, “We are not going to recycle our way recycling and limiting meat consumption out of this.” will not be enough to combat the greater Sendker emphasized the importance effects of the climate crisis. of XR’s methods of civil disobedience in According to NASA, the world is warming the face of what the group calls inaction at approximately one degree Celsius by government. per year.

“We need to stand up, we need to get “Climate change is happening and is politically active in a way that’s probably already ending lives,” she said. De Jonge going to be uncomfortable.” Sendker said. added Canada has been warming at two Sendker ended the talk by addressing times the rate of the rest of the world. what it means to do nothing. “Will you be De Jonge described present able to look your children in the eye and say consequences of the climate crisis, including you did everything you could?” he asked. rising sea levels, growing global hunger, XR will be hosting another meeting and one million species facing extinction. to discuss the climate crisis on Nov. 16 at “This species has never lived on this earth 7:30 p.m. in Biosciences Complex, with this much CO2 in the air,” she said. room 1103.

During this year’s Homecoming, a crowd of approximately 12,000 flooded streets in the University District. Over the course of the weekend, an officer and a paramedic were assaulted on the job.

“We will not seek to soften penalties in the case of individuals who are behaving egregiously,” Deane said.

Councillor Simon Chapelle, representing the Loyalist-Cataraqui District, called student behaviour “repugnant.” Referring to the $100,000 Queen’s gave the City in 2016, he added that the University should keep its money if it’s going to use it as a “get-out-ofjail-free card.”

Pittsburgh District Councillor Ryan Boehme asked Deane how the public can see how the University uses the code of conduct.

“What further behaviour, whether it’s flipping cars or assaulting the police, does the University require?” he asked.

“What would it take? Is it going to take a death?”

Deane responded by saying a death won’t be necessary to enact real change.

“The University, in order to maintain its function, cannot indulge in arbitrary targeted measures which seek to make an example out of an individual in order to send a message,” he said.

Deane added Homecoming isn’t defined by unsanctioned street parties.

“The actual event is an extremely positive event, and it’s a crucial component of our alumni program. That’s the reason why it continues to occur, to maintain the connection with alumni.”

Following his appearance before Council, Deane told reporters unsanctioned street parties are a cultural issue.

“Punishing the egregious few only solves the issues of those few individuals,” he said. “All institutions should be very careful about arbitrarily meting out punishment in order to satisfy a Principal Patrick Deane addressed City Council Tuesday night. public outcry.”

PHOTO BY CLAIRE MACPHERSON

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Friday, November 8, 2019

Features

IN-DEPTH STORIES FROM AROUND CAMPUS AND IN THE COMMUNITY

How research at Queen’s is helping female veterans The Servicewomen Salute Portal for Resources and Research at Queen’s will create first-ever online space for women veterans Raechel huizinga News Editor

Brittany Laramie joined the Canadian Armed Forces in the summer of 2008. At age 17, she was the first woman in her family to serve in the military.

A regular force infantrywoman, Laramie served in the second battalion Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry. “I had a long family history of military service. That was why I joined, to continue that family legacy,” she said in an interview with The Journal.

In 2010, Laramie was on a domestic operation in Whistler, British Columbia.

While she was performing security at the Winter Olympics, she sustained a spinal injury in a car accident. Following surgery and nerve damage, Lamarie left the military on medical release in 2015.

Four years later, she’s pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at St. Lawrence College in Kingston.

“I’m having a good time with it,” she said. “My transition, I think, has been a pretty decent one. But it would have been nice to have more access or information about more female-centred programs and opportunities.”

In October, Laramie attended a focus group for female veterans hosted by the Servicewomen Salute Portal for Resources and Research at Queen’s.

After receiving a five-year funding commitment from Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) last year, the Servicewomen Salute Portal for Resources and Research at Queen’s is building an online resource portal for Canadian servicewomen transitioning to civilian life and women veterans currently living in Canadian communities.

“I think once it goes, it’s really going to fly,” Laramie said about the program. ***

Rosemary Park is a female veteran who, after 20 years of service, is no stranger to research about women in the Canadian military.

Park is currently managing the Servicewomen Salute Portal project, working alongside members of the Queen’s history department like associate professor of Canadian military history Allan English, who is the project’s principal investigator.

While serving from 1972 to 1993, Parkswas the principal researcher in a project to determine whether women could be placed in military roles closer to combat.

“During that time, I saw that there were large difficulties being faced by the servicewomen in gaining acceptance, and large difficulties on the other side by those who didn’t want servicewomen to have expanded roles,” she said in an interview with The Journal.

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) didn’t start publishing female-specific data until 2016, which Park said caught her eye because

military statistics usually combined both men and women’s experiences.

“The research was suggesting significant difficulties being experienced by women veterans living in the Canadian community as a result of their military service,” Park said. “That includes higher rates of suicide, depression, PTSD, homelessness, and significantly lower income after [women] leave the military.”

In December of 2017, Park helped run the Canada 150 Servicewomen’s Salute dinner, which gathered 400 female veterans into one space. While there, she met researchers from the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR), which operates out of Kingston Hall at Queen’s University, and who later helped her kickstart the portal project.

“I was just coming into wanting to see how I could support servicewomen’s lived experiences as veterans,” Park said. “After you get out, I can confirm you disappear. You take off your uniform and you disappear into a civilian community. And it’s tough.” ***

Laramie said she grew up in the military, joining when she was only 17.

“When you get out, you don’t know who you are anymore. You’re like, okay, who do I want to be? What are my dreams? I don’t know. There’s a big, I don’t know, bubble that pops around your head.”

When Laramie was released from the military in 2015, she was assigned a case manager who helped her access the resources she needed to transition to civilian life.

Not every veteran in transition is assigned a case manager, but because of Laramie’s injuries and her military husband’s complex PTSD, her family was considered a high priority.

“Based on stories I had heard from other people who got out of the military and the absolute hell they went through with Veterans Affairs, I was very prepared to do my homework and go through policy, which I did. I was very fortunate that my case worker met me on that level,” Laramie said.

She said her case manager fought for her to have a good transition to civilian life, and that while not every veteran needs a case manager, accessing support shouldn’t be difficult.

“If someone is struggling and they haven’t been given a case manager, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be able to walk into a Veterans Affairs office and say, listen, I need to talk to somebody. I’m lost and confused and I don’t know what to do,” she said. “That should go without saying.” ***

According to statistics published by the Government of Canada this year, just over 15,000 Canadian service members are women. Compared to its 80,000 male members, women make up 15.7 per cent of the CAF. One of the portal’s objectives is to address historic discrimination against Canadian servicewomen, according to Park.

“One of those continuing themes from the get-go has been challenging servicewomen’s right to serve and ability to serve,” she said. “That challenge that has described servicewomen’s history has included violence against women, ridicule,

and harassment.”

Research affiliated with the Department of National Defence demonstrated that women are more likely to suffer sexual harassment and assault while serving in the military, both on deployment and in the Canadian military workplace.

After soldiers began returning to the US after the Vietnam War, Park said researchers coined the term “moral injury” to describe acts that violate deeply-held moral values.

For women veterans, Park added, moral injury is often connected to military sexual trauma.

“You can no longer trust something that you trusted,” Park said. “It’s the feeling of betrayal you feel as a veteran. That’s the kind of research we’re undertaking.”

Servicewomen Salute contracted Claire Cookson-Hill, a faculty member of Queen’s history department, to conduct a literary review of what is known about military sexual trauma in Canada.

Cookson-Hill presented her findings at the CIMVHR Gatineau conference in October. “[Cookson-Hill’s] research review is going to be the first display for the portal’s research and resources directory that we’re creating,” Park said.

asked servicewomen when they get back from operational deployment about their lived experiences.”

Park said when she went to the Canadian War Museum and asked about the oral histories of those deployments, they had very few of women.

“But they would like more,” she said.

“We might as well fill in the gaps. That’s the purpose of the portal project, to invite women veterans to see themselves, see their history.”

According to Park, aside from the compiled resources and support services, an important component of the portal will be to exhibit the contributions of Canadian servicewomen.

“Telling your story tells that you exist,” she said. “The power of narrative, the power of sharing your story, is who we are as humans.

It connects us. When there’s that silence, you forget.”

***

During her service, Laramie was one of very few women in a male-dominated trade.

“I had to deal with a lot of situations in the military that I’m still trying to process and come to terms with,” she said. “I was let down by the severe lack of gender equality, especially in my trade, and how my presence was received there.”

Laramie said that while Veterans Affairs provides the baseline for any medical and monetary needs service members have transitioning to civilian life, she had no access to female veteran social groups and activities.

She added that female veteran support groups would be helpful for women who have suffered sexual assault or harassment during their time in the military.

“It would be good for them to have access to a group of people where they can be like, guys, I’m really struggling,” While her case manager assisted her in transitioning to civilian life, Laramie said reconciling with her time spent in the military has been her biggest challenge in leaving it.

“In the end, there were a lot of things that transpired that left me with a lot of pain in my heart. I didn’t really have any closure,” she said. “I think, overall, I just really loved my job. I really did love it, and I really wanted to be there.” ***

Canadian servicewomen have performed international missions since 1991, but Park said few records of those contributions exist.

“They never have been asked,” she said. “As best as we can find, we’ve not

GRAPHIC BY AMELIA RANKINE

Friday, November 8, 2019

queensjournal.ca

EDITORIALS

The Journal’s Perspective

Queen’s must ‘flip the script’ on damaging sexual violence culture This article discusses sexual assault and may be triggering for some readers. The Journal uses “survivor” to refer to those who have experienced sexual assault. We acknowledge this term is not universal.

Queen’s is responsible for prioritizing a safe, welcoming environment for all of its students, and that includes survivors of sexual assault.

But the use of victim-blaming language when advertising the University’s sexual violence resources does just the opposite, and it`s completely unacceptable.

A poster circulating Queen’s campus at the end of October advertising Flip the Script, a sexual assault resistance education program, has generated serious backlash from students—and for good reason.

T h e p o s t e r, written in calligraphic font on a starry b a c kg ro u n d , features the phrase “Girl, you got this. You are strong. You are smart. You are capable of resisting sexual violence.”

The implication of this phrasing, intentional or not, is intensely insulting.

Through condescending language focusing on female-identifying students, the poster’s wording implies that women control the sexual violence narrative, and any woman smart and capable enough can avoid being assaulted.

But the key to protecting all students from sexual violence is dismantling rape culture, not blaming survivors.

In her apology, Barb Lotan, Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Coordinator and campus Flip the Script program trainer, explained that the poster was developed in a focus group two years ago.

But claiming the poster is out-of-date isn’t an excuse. Instead, it’s merely illustrative

ILLUSTRATION BY AMELIA RANKINE

of another, bigger problem.

The culture surrounding sexual violence is constantly shifting. It’s the job of University professionals and offices working against this violence to share updated knowledge and resources with the community.

The decision to use an outdated poster is more than just an oversight. It demonstrates Queen’s inability to sufficiently recognize or rectify victim-blaming.

The flaws in the poster’s advertising extend beyond its language: they highlight the school’s misplaced and narrow focus on sexual assault survivors’ supposed responsibility.

While a disproportionate number of women are impacted by sexual violence, women are not the only victims of sexual assault. However, Flip the Script’s advertising singles out women as the only ones vulnerable to such trauma.

Programs like Flip the Script, aimed at empowering and educating women, have merit, but they’re not enough to improve sexual violence prevention measures on campuses.

To truly flip the script on sexual violence at Queen’s, the University must do more to engage with male students and educate them about rape culture and consent.

Sexual violence isn’t an individual problem.

It’s a pervasive, systemic issue ingrained in our culture. But as it stands, the way that Queen’s communicates campus resources like Flip the Script only places the burden of resisting assault on women’s shoulders.

This isn’t just wrong—it actively fails to protect and support the University’s students.

—Journal Editorial Board

Improv theatre benefits more than your acting skills Improv—unscripted comedic theatre—is more than just a high school hobby. It’s a subculture and community that betters the lives of all who participate.

Though some may view it as frivolous, the practice can be a meaningful space for maintaining mental wellness and forming significant life skills.

Laughter is excellent for mental health. In a regular improv meet-up, there’s wit, banter, countless terrible puns, and an abundance of laughter. Going to improv clubs regularly creates a recurring space in participants’ calendars where laughter is the main goal by the end of the hour.

Student`s days can be strictly booked up between school, work, and attempts to socialize or pad resumes. Through joining an improv club, laughter and the stress relief that follows it can become an essential part of one’s weekly routine.

Putting yourself in the spotlight within the safe context of improv, surrounded by other creative individuals, is key when it comes to developing strong social skills and a sense of confidence. The challenges presented in improv can include embracing any range of situations presented to you by others and thinking on your feet, all while interacting with others.

That in itself is preparation for future life experiences like job interviews, new social encounters, and any other instance requiring bravery and quick thinking.

Comedy, collaboration, and spontaneity can’t be taught in a textbook—but it can be

Just like life itself, improv is unscripted and constantly progressing. The legendary “Yes, and” rule that requires participants to build on the suggestions of others is just one example of how improv promotes cooperative communication.

To play improv games is to immerse oneself in a shared mindset of creatively pushing one’s boundaries.

This doesn’t just benefit your personal wellbeing—it can benefit your overall life skills.

It’s genuinely enlightening to face a room full of strangers uniting over common knowledge and love for these theatre games. There’s a point to the pointlessness of improv, and embracing its ridiculousness is a wise use of time for PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON anyone interested.

Te a m w o r k , imagination, empathy, practiced in improv games. and energy are essential values in our Improv teaches resiliency. In improv, society. In my view, improv is the ultimate there’s no dwelling on imperfections: platform available to showcase and cultivate participants are focused on maximizing those skills. their energy from one moment to the next without being discouraged. This is Lauren is The Journal’s Assistant Video excellent practice for everyday life, where Editor. She’s a second-year Film & Media we can dwell far too often on awkward or Studies major. disappointing encounters.

Lauren Thomas

•7

THE QUEEN’S JOURNAL Volume 147 Issue 13 www.queensjournal.ca @queensjournal Publishing since 1873

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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.

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

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8 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, November 8, 2019

OPINIONS

Your Perspective

PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON

Climate action leaves behind the most vulnerable Inclusive environmental justice needs to be considered at Queen’s At the intersection of race and poverty, you’ll find marginalized communities who are affected most by the climate’s rapid changes.

From last summer’s plastic straw debate to the recent federal election, combating the climate crisis has risen to the forefront of newspapers, corporate social responsibility reports, and lecture discussions. Almost weekly, you can find events on campus related to sustainability and the environment, from Sustainable Investing 101 or Common Ground Coffeehouse’s reusable cup giveaway to the Sustainability Week clothing exchange.

While these initiatives all encourage individuals to actively participate in the discussion of the climate crisis, they don’t do enough when they fail to consider how the intersections of race and poverty shape the climate justice movement.

The climate crisis and how we choose to fight it is inherently political. Race and socioeconomic status matter when we talk about the environment.

Environmental justice places the changing

climate as a political and ethical issue tied to race, socioeconomic status, gender, citizenship, sexuality, and other identities.

Institutional racism means both the causes and results of the climate crisis hit marginalized people the hardest. It allowed the construction of oil refineries and the practice of toxic dumping beside Indigenous reserves, now known as Chemical Valley, in Sarnia. It allowed the development of a garbage dump in the heart of Africville, a primarily Black community nestled in Halifax. It’s the same reason that, while Greta Thunberg deserves her praise, equally talented racialized activists like Xiye Bastida, Vic Barrett, and Leah Namugerwa are sidelined.

The environmentalist movement has historically been racist and continues to be almost exclusively dominated by white leaders. For example, John Muir, one of the founding fathers of environmental preservation and the Sierra Club, described the Indigenous people of Yosemite, the

Miwok, as “most ugly” and “altogether already act as a barrier to many Black hideous” people who “had no right place in and Indigenous activists, leaving their the landscape.” voices out of rallies, published titles, and Ironically, it was the Miwok who nurtured conferences alike. the beauty of Yosemite Valley that Muir That’s why it’s up to Queen’s students to valued so much. Muir continues to be hailed scrutinize where and from whom we get as one of the original environmental heroes. our information from within discussion However, like almost all of our country, of the climate crisis, as well as how we Indigenous peoples existed in the space long participate in further silencing the struggles before the Yosemite Valley was called the of these marginalized communities.

Yosemite Valley, and fought to protect their For instance, when we talk about not land from exploitation. wanting to bring children into a world The band of Miwok called the overrun with pollution, we must think Ahwahnechee “extinct” in the 19th century, about how Aamjiwnaang women don’t according to Yosemite Valley History. have that choice. Aamjiwnaang women However the US government evicted the living in Chemical Valley have a 39 per cent Ahwahnechee from the valley in 1851, 1906, miscarriage rate, double that of the nation’s 1929, and 1969. average, because of their nonstop exposure The Walkerton Tragedy is another to pollutants. example of how the efforts and wellbeing We must consider how our demands for of Indigenous peoples are ignored when a cleaner future must include demands for a we take environmental action. Specifically, cleaner present for those who don’t have the Walkerton, Ontario witnessed the death of time and luxury to demand it for themselves. seven Indigenous people after the drinking We also need to consider how shaming water supply became contaminated with people for not participating in veganism and E. coli bacteria due to substandard water vegetarianism risks becoming colonial and filtration processes. This became a pivotal culturally insensitive discourse. While there’s moment in drinking water legislation, and no denying the meat industry is responsible the multi-barrier approach was introduced for a shocking amount of greenhouse gas to the Ontario Safe Drinking Act. emissions, the practice of eating meat itself is Five years later, the Kashechewan Cree not what is killing our planet.

First Nation band near James Bay, Ontario Indigenous persons have long been was exposed to E. coli due to the location of advocates for animals. When animal a water treatment intake pipe downstream activists advocate that they are the “voice from a sewage lagoon. The water required for the voiceless,” they reproduce settler chlorination shocking, but the problem colonial discourse and ableism. Arundhati was exacerbated by poorly trained workers Roy, a human rights and environmental and an apathetic government when that activist, writes that “there’s really no such chlorination reached dangerous levels. The thing as the voiceless. There are only the Kashechewan developed skin irritations, deliberately silenced.” and were eventually evacuated by the Issues of animal cruelty and lack of Ontario government. sustainability in farming cattle don’t arise The evacuees presented cases of scabies, from the production of meat alone. They are parasitic diseases, impetigo, and other instead a result of the dangerous separation skin conditions associated with E. coli between ourselves and the environment, and chlorine. which began after settler colonialism and the This could have been avoided if our birth of the industrial meat industry. government had paid any attention to how Indigenous persons reject this discourse, marginalized people are exponentially claiming no spiritual difference between harmed by the climate crisis and related themselves and the animals they hunt, preventative measures. further proving the authentic respect they The emergency was well-documented by have for their game. Implying their lifestyles Health Canada, and the water supply was need to be drastically altered for the on a boil water advisory for two years. Both climate movement is insensitive, ignorant, federal and provincial governments were and unnecessary. aware of the dangerous situation.

I congratulate every vegan and Unfortunately, they did nothing to solve vegetarian out there, but remind them the problem. to consider this when championing their It’s often the case that, even as we chosen dietary restriction as a saviour of progress environmentally, we leave behind our environment. Indigenous peoples have racialized communities. As young people, we long been consuming meat sustainably have a responsibility to ensure that we are while simultaneously upholding respect serving the needs and uplifting the voices for animals. of all Canadians. We can start right here We can no longer continue to fight the at Queen’s. climate crisis without considering who Climate justice must be incorporated exactly we’re fighting for and against. Our into our campus’ collective attitude to society’s longstanding history of silencing adequately address how systemic issues of those who have always protected the planet racism and colonialism impact people and extends to today’s activism. our environment.

Climate justice starts here at Queen’s. It’s We all have the privilege to attend up to us, as individuals, to be better. this post-secondary institution. With this privilege, it’s therefore our responsibility to Aja Rowden is a fourth-year Global use our educated platforms to identify the Development Studies major with a minor in racism, colonialism, and classism that exist Environmental Science. to lift up so few while silencing so many.

Formal education and terminology

Talking heads

... students around campus

PHOTOS BY JODIE GRIEVE

What is your favourite TAM?

"Four-piece with fries, honey mustard sauce, and a Coke Zero. I’m close to Loco."

Callum MacDonald CompSci '23

“Lazy breakfast."

Ryan Simpson Sci '23

“CGC."

Sophie Campanella ArtSci '23

Friday, November 8, 2019

queensjournal.ca

Women's rugby loses heartbreaker

Scrum half Bridget Peros sends it down the line.

Undefeated season ends with gutsy loss to Laval

PHOTO BY BRADEN GARVEY

Queen’s runs away with OUA semis

Scrum half Dylan Young breaks free to score a try for the Gaels.

The Queen’s Gaels are national silver medalists after losing a hotly contested match to the Laval Rouge et Or, 22-14.

It was a blustery Sunday afternoon at Ottawa’s Matt Anthony Field and the bleachers were packed, one half allotted to the feverish Laval fans and the other occupied by the screaming Gaels faithful.

The Gaels started the game off with a strong possession, but Laval themselves looked possessed, preventing nearly any Queen’s progress, phase after phase.

Laval eventually got a hold of the ball and stormed down the field the other way. They booted it out of bounds near the Queen’s try zone, and on the ensuing lineout generated a powerful maul that collapsed over the goal line for a try. The conversion missed, and it was 5-0 early.

Not long afterwards, Laval made some clinical passes which culminated in Marie-Laura Choquette busting down the sideline and curling back to the middle of the field to deftly tap the ball down right in between the uprights. The conversion this time was true, putting Laval up 12-0.

In spite of the hole, the Gaels fans didn’t lose faith, and their boisterousness was rewarded by inspired play from the women.

After Laval put the ball into a scrum at the Queen’s five-yard line, Queen’s mounted an immense defensive stand, rebuffing attempt after attempt by the Rouge et Or to muscle it over the line.

The brick wall the women erected in front of their try zone was just one example of their physicality on the day. Queen’s, their forwards especially, were tremendous in their tackling all afternoon.

Halftime came, and the score remained 12-0.

The Gaels started putting together some more effective possessions in the second half.

After a scrum deep in Laval territory, Queen’s passed out of it and the ball ended up in Carmen Izyk’s hands.

She cut back across the grain and was brought down just before the goal line, but a quick ruck and Sophie de Goede got the ball, and she brought the Gaels within inches.

McKinley Hunt popped around the resultant ruck and darted into the try zone to break the shut out.

The delirious crowd managed to shut themselves up for de Goede’s conversion, and it split the uprights. The Gaels were just five points behind.

Laval stormed right back with a vengeance, sending it up the gut until they fell in for a try off another maul. This time their conversion was good, and the score was 19-7 with less than half an hour to play.

Queen’s came through again with another great offensive sequence that culminated in de Goede bulldozing a Laval player over the goal line. The conversion was true and the score was 19-14 with time winding down.

It was Laval’s turn to put the pressure on, and they pushed Queen’s back into their own end.

But with their backs against the wall, the Gaels put together another sensationally resilient defensive stand, refusing to give up that last inch time after time.

Queen’s ultimately prevented the try, but Laval had succeeded in burning a lot of clock. They kicked a penalty to make it 22-14, a two-possession game with hardly any time left.

The Gaels made progress down the field, but they couldn’t muster a comeback, and the game ended 22-14 for Laval.

“When you’re talking about in this echelon, it’s any given day sort of situation, where we play ten times, we’re taking five of those,” said Head Coach Dan Valley after the game.

“These [silver] medals represent a lot of work and a lot of effort, you don’t just get handed this medal, you have to earn it with days and weeks and months of work.”

Beyond the loss of the game, a lot of the players were dealing with the prospect of losing their teammates.

Fifth years Harlee Bruce, Kara Gani, Pippi McKay, Dominique Rumball, Lydia Salgo, and Sadie Stephenson, all pillars of the program, will be sorely missed next year.

“Above all, I really want to thank our graduating players,” said de Goede after the medals were handed out. “We left it all on the field, and I’m so proud of everything we did. We know we’re going to be back here next year.”

With next year’s National Championship being played at Queen’s, Valley was of a similar mind.

“Something tells me we’ll be back in this situation again,” he mused. “And on that particular day, we’ll go and get a different outcome.”

The Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship (CUMRC) is coming to Queen’s. Kingston, now set to host two national rugby championships next November, will become Canadian rugby’s mecca for a month.

Slated for November 25 to 29, it will follow closely on the heels of the women’s U SPORTS Championship that's being held at Nixon Field a few weeks prior.

Jeff Chan, co-founder and chairman of CUMRC, spoke with The Journal on Tuesday when the news broke.

“Based on the way that Queen’s men's rugby team has performed over the last few years, actually for quite a few years, and what I knew

to be the home of a great sports culture in Queen’s, [we decided] they would be a preferred partner in 2020.”

Chan said after talks with senior leadership at Queen’s Athletics & Recreation, they concluded Queen’s would put together a bid.

“They discussed the bid with our organization and we decided to accept the bid," he continued.

Chan emphasized the importance of the tournament’s selection process, as the hosting team automatically qualifies for entry. “We need to ensure that [host] schools have very good teams, so that's why Queen’s was a logical choice,” said Chan.

“One of the reasons we founded

this tournament was the sense of frustration that, here we have these great teams at Queen’s, but their season ends after the OUA Championship, unlike pretty much any other sport.”

“The Kingston Tourism people are quite excited about it, and hopefully we can make a real spectacle out of both championships being held together,” Chan said.

With two powerful rugby teams guaranteed to be playing in their respective national championships, November 2020 is shaping up to be an exciting time to be a fan of the Gaels.

Jack Rabb Sports Editor

Queen’s to host 2020 Men’s Rugby Championship

—Jack Rabb

•9

Gaels defeat Brock Badgers 61-21, move onto finals Matt Funk Contributor The men’s rugby team came back from their first-round bye in full force, routing the Badgers in a 40-point victory. The win sends the Gaels to their ninth consecutive OUA gold medal game, where they will once again face the Guelph Gryphons.

The first try of the game was made by Queen’s prop Stefan Zuliani, just moments after he made a major defensive effort.

Not even 10 minutes later, Zuliani scored once again, this time on an impressive 40-yard run. With two successful conversions, the Gaels were up 14-0.

The Gaels third try came late in the first half when eight man Liam Geddes took the ball from a scrum on the Brock five-yard line and brought within inches of the goal line Then lock Trevor Helgason finished the job, grabbing the ball from the ruck and sneaking it past the Badgers. The score was 21-0 at halftime.

The second half saw lots of scoring on both sides of the ball. Queen’s continued to pour it on with a massive 45-yard run from scrum half Dylan Young. Two consecutive

PHOTO BY MATT FUNK

penalty tries followed for Queen’s, and their lead ballooned to 40-0.

Mere minutes after the Badgers finally got on the board with a try of their own, Captain Joshua Engelbrecht blocked a Brock kick out from inside their 22 and was able to scoop up the ricocheting ball and touch it down for Queen’s seventh try of the day.

Both teams would go on to score twice more before the end of the game.

Following the win, Head Coach Dave Butcher told The Journal, “The effort level and performance in the past week and in this game, I thought were very, very good.”

However, there are still some minor corrections the team is trying to make as they head into the OUA final.

“There were big parts of that game where everything we had been practicing really came out, it was just punctuated by sometimes where we tried to hit a home run on each phase which we don’t have to do,” Coach Butcher said.

“When we’re successful, it’s the stuff we do week in, week out that gets us where we need to be, so we just need to be cognizant of what success looks like for us in a game and not feel like we have to force the play sometimes.”

The gold medal game will take place on Nixon Field this Sunday at 1 p.m. as the Gaels try to secure their third consecutive OUA Championship.

10 • queensjournal.ca

Sports

Friday, November 8, 2019

Matilda Eklund Contributor In what was billed as a rebuilding season, the Gaels still managed to win multiple medals at the provincial and national championships over the past two weeks.

Following a great performance last year that saw Queen’s claim nine OUA gold medals—and featured graduating rowers who went on to row at the national level—the program faced the challenge of following a high-water mark, while largely reconstructing their team.

This season’s focus shifted slightly from medals and rankings to development and team building.

According to a previous interview with Head Coach Rami Maassarani, practices focused on this aspect by pairing seasoned team members with new recruits, and training teams together regardless of class or experience but rather based on speed.

Rookies were recruited based as much on character as on their considerable skill, and so this transition proved relatively seamless.

“Performance is not just the results but the way we approach training ... [and] that was more of a highlight than the results themselves,” Head Coach Rami Maassarani said, However, the results were far from inconsequential.

Improving consistently from regatta to regatta in a very tight season with meets nearly every weekend is no small feat, but improve they did. The Gaels built on each

Head Coach Maassarani fist bumps Queen’s rower Ellison.

Queen’s Rowing finishes strong Gaels women finish sixth, men fifth at Nationals race before ultimately peaking at the OUA Championships and Nationals.

The team exceeded expectations,

Gaels win home opener, road game Gaels defensive efforts sink Guelph and Ontario Tech in weekend set Alina Yusufzai Assistant Sports Editor Over the weekend, the men’s basketball team won at home against the Guelph Gryphons and then on the road against the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks.

On Nov. 1, the Gaels beat the Gryphons 88-70 in their home opener, and defeated the Ridgebacks 83-61 on the Sunday for a perfect weekend.

The Gaels started strong against the Gryphons. The game began with a three-pointer by fourth-year Harry Range, which was followed by buckets from first-year Luka Syllas.

Henry Van Herk and Syllas’ strong defensive effort on the court allowed Queen’s to pull ahead early.

“Defensive effort. [Syllas] is a nightmare in terms of having to play against him,” Head Coach Stephan Barrie told The Journal in a post-game interview. “He’s always around

Connor O'Neil Staff Writer Following two solid home wins over Nipissing, the men’s hockey team suffered a winless road trip, losing matches to Carleton and McGill, 3-2 and 7-4 respectively.

Through the start of the 2019-20 season the Gaels haven’t quite lived up to the status of defending champions. Queen’s has lost five of their first nine games and are tied for

winning two gold, five silver, and two bronze medals at the OUA Championships en route to bronze medal team finishes for both

the ball, he’s making stuff happen. He will always have a huge impact on the defensive side. I’m really happy with how he played.”

In the second quarter, the Gryphons started to gain momentum and make some good plays. However, the Gaels made up for their mistakes due to the combined effort of Landon Brickendon and Cole Syllas.

“It was a matter of staying focused when things weren’t going well. We held ourselves together, we at least managed to not let them get a spread on us even though they tried,” Barrie said.

Despite ending the second quarter with a seven-point lead, the Gaels needed much more focus in the second half to protect their lead.

“Once we refocused and got ourselves back, then we played well down the stretch. Just glad that in the part we didn’t play well, we fought through to make it through Quinton Gray controls the ball. our mistakes.”

The third quarter was a difficult one Once the Gaels gained control, they for the Gaels, as Guelph clawed back to tie managed the game well and kept a it at 51-51. It was a neck-and-neck game, steady lead, winning 88-70. but at the end of the third Gaels were edging Despite their win against the Gryphons, out Guelph, 60-56. there’s lots they want to improve In the last quarter, the Gaels turned it up on throughout the course of and dominated at the end. Their combined the season. focus and effort on the court resulted “Everything,” Barrie said, referring in correcting the errors they made to what areas they want to address. in the last quarter.

The Gaels followed the win up

Gaels return empty-handed Queen’s loses road games to Carleton, McGill

PHOTO BY MICHAEL BRYENTON

fourth-worst in the Eastern conference.

Despite early scoring struggles, the Gaels have been getting phenomenal goaltending.

In the OUA, the Gaels have allowed the third fewest goals against (22), boast a goals against average of 2.47, and a save percentage of .907 per cent.

In the first game of the weekend the Gaels travelled to Ottawa, Ontario to take on the Carleton Ravens, who were ranked third in Canada.

Early in the first period, Ravens forward Alexandre Boivin opened the scoring off of a feed from the Ravens’ Parker Aucoina.

The Ravens again capitalized in the first period of action on a power play. Queen’s Ryan Cranford was penalized for head

contact, and Carleton’s Cole Carter took advantage, firing one past Gaels goaltender Luke Richardson to put the Ravens up 2-0 in the first period.

In the second, the Gaels successfully killed a Carleton power play, and almost immediately afterwards Queen’s Josh Curtis found the back of the net to cut the Carleton lead to one.

Shortly after another strong penalty kill, the Gaels were able to even the score.

Jared Bethune netted his third of the season as he fired a rocket past Ravens goaltender Mark Grametbauer.

The Ravens answered almost immediately. Aaron Boyd found Brogan O’Brien who sent home his sixth goal of the season, which eventually stood as the game winner.

The match ended as a 3-2 Carleton win, and the Gaels continued their travels eastwards towards McGill University.

the men and the women. Then, Queen’s rowers came away four silver medals at Nationals this past weekend in Victoria, British Columbia.

The women’s team scored a total of 47 points at Nationals, beating out Trent and falling just behind the University of Toronto for a sixth place finish, having scored points in the lightweight double, pair, and both single events.

The men finished fifth, just above the University of Toronto, with 46 points overall, securing their finish with strong performances in the lightweight coxed four, single and lightweight single, and pair events.

Standout efforts were put in by men’s team captain Evan Notley who finished second in lightweight single, and Michael Bryenton who also finished second in open men’s single.

For the women’s team, captain Greta Chase and rookie Danica Vangsgaard won silver in lightweight women’s double, and rookie Claire Ellison and veteran Paige Adams brought home silver in the open women’s pair in a tight race.

While not reaching the podium, the men’s pair and lightweight men’s four, both with fully rookie crews, secured fourth place finishes at nationals. This sets the stage for greater success next year and, as captain Chase said in an interview with The Journal, serves to “fuel the fire” for them.

While perhaps not as flashy as last year’s near-sweep at OUA Championships, the results bode well for the future of the team.

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

with a dominant performance against Ontario Tech. The game was close in the first quarter, but Queen’s blew it open in the second and never looked back. Queen’s never trailed in the 83-61 victory.

Queen’s has a tough weekend at home on the horizon, facing No. 1 Carleton and No. 3 Ottawa on consecutive nights.

Coming off their hard-fought loss to the Ravens, the Gaels were looking to redeem themselves and split the weekend with a win over the McGill Redmen. Unfortunately, the Gaels would be playing catch-up against the Redmen all afternoon.

In the first period of play, the Redmen scored three consecutive goals in the first eleven minutes, forcing the Gaels to climb out of a tough 3-0 hole.

Gaels defenceman Graeme Brown broke McGill’s shutout at the 13-minute mark, but McGill’s Harlan Orr retaliated with a fourth McGill goal to extend the lead to 4-1.

Luckily, in the final minutes of the period, Queen’s Mason Kohn snuck one past Louis-Philip Guindon to cut the McGill advantage to 4-2 after a hectic first.

Read the rest of this article, and much more, online at: www.queensjournal.ca/sports.

Arts

Friday, November 8, 2019

Sorrey plays Kingston for the first time Charlottetown band takes their album on the road Nathan Gallagher Staff Writer

The Charlottetown band Sorrey, named after its guitarist and singer Emilee Sorrey, burst onto the scene in 2016 with their EP Thick as Thieves.

The group played at the Grad Club on Nov. 1, showing off their upbeat sound and youthful energy.

They’ve recently released their first full album titled In Full Bloom, which they’re now playing as they tour Canada.

David Hayman, the band’s creative director, calls their sound “free-wheelin’-dark-prom-stonerdreaminess.” This captures the young and angsty feeling of their songs, which remind listeners of heartbreak and high school crushes.

One song on their new album, “Full Bloom,” is the last one they wrote for the project, but it encapsulated the mood they were going for so well that they made it the title track.

“The scene of that song is all about waiting for the right moment for you. Somebody who wants to take a [gap] year off school might relate to that song or somebody who wants to ask somebody out,”

Emilee Sorrey said in an interview.

“It’s about doing it when it’s right for you as opposed to doing it when outside forces tell you to.”

She says when that song wrapped, it really felt like the album had come together, which w vas coincidental given the song’s name—after completing this song, it felt like the album had fully bloomed.

In Full Bloom is the band’s first professionally recorded album, and Emilee Sorrey called it “a true step up” for the group. This is something they’ve wanted for a long time.

The musician, born and raised in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, moved to Charlottetown, P.E.I., in 2007. That’s where she met Colin Buchanan, producer and bassist for Sorrey.

“I’d played music since I was a little girl,” Emilee said, “but I’d never really played in a collaborative sense. It was all solo stuff.”

She was familiar with the music scene in P.E.I. and she was aware of Buchanan’s work as a producer for other bands. Before the pair met and became friends, she had wanted a chance to work with him.

It was Buchanan who later connected her with the other members of the group: Andrew Murray on guitar, Bruce Rooney on keyboard, and Luke Pound on drums.

After their 2016 formation, the band’s first EP won Canada Music Week’s Pop/Urban Album of the year in P.E.I. that same year.

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Emilee was thrilled with their success.

“After the EP, I was surprised.

I wasn’t sure how it would go or if people would enjoy it. It was a six-song smaller effort, but as soon as we put that out […] we had no trouble booking more and more shows,” the singer said.

“After the EP, I was

surprised. I wasn’t sure how it would go or if people would enjoy it.”

—Emilee Sorrey

Although Sorrey has begun to adopt a collaborative process in their song-writing, Emilee comes up with most of the ideas.

Orignally, she wanted to name the band Emilee, but her bandmates urged her to use her surname instead, telling her it sounded cooler.

She’s happy she took their advice, stating that if she’d gone with her first name, she may

Sorrey.

have been “pigeonholed as a solo singer-songwriter.”

Instead, Emilee asserts that Sorrey is a project that thrives on the teamwork of all its members, not just her ideas alone.

This was the group’s first time playing in Kingston, on their biggest tour thus far.

PHOTOS FROM SORREY’S FACEBOOK

They’re excited to take their new album on the road and have been happy to discover new fans who already know their songs.

Sorrey is a band that’s already coming into their own. Just as their album title suggests, they’re in full bloom.

Emilee Sorrey performing with band, Sorrey.

BFA student uses art to push back against animal mistreatment

Kate Malenfant McNeice.

Kate Malenfant McNeice refuses to be silenced as an advocate for domestic pets Brittany Giliforte Arts Editor

PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON

Kate Malenfant McNeice uses her artwork to force viewers to reconsider their rights as pet owners.

Fourth-year BFA student McNeice’s focus on animal rights and the fair treatment of domestic pets has brought her a lot of criticism. However, she’s met this challenge head-on and is determined to continue—even if it isn’t pleasant for viewers.

McNeice’s artwork focuses on

animal welfare and the unjust treatment of domesticated pets. Though an issue she feels passionately about, McNeice has found that others don’t care as much, and often aren’t willing to talk about it.

Her love and compassion for animals is what drives her work.

Animal welfare has been her focus for two years now, and though it’s close to her heart, she’s had a tough time sorting out how best to incorporate it into her art.

“It’s been really hard for me to put it into words because there’s a lot of deniability in this concept,” she said in an interview with The Journal.

She says she’s had to deal with a lot of pushback from people when she tries to explain her concept.

She’s faced doubt and denial from family members, friends, and peers who don’t believe the issue is a serious one, but it’s only made her conviction stronger.

“Now I’m exhausted by it,” she said. “I find it’s quite successful, though, for my artwork. It’s given me something to do. It’s not just that I’m passionate about

art, I’m passionate about my subject matter.”

Combining her art and her fixation on animal welfare has given her a productive way to channel her frustrations while sending a message to those who have doubted her cause.

“A lot of people will try to speak over me because I’m smaller, because I’m a woman, I don’t know why people try to speak over me but [they do],” McNeice said.

“It might be because of my age.

It might be because these topics aren’t well-researched and aren’t important to most people.”

The artist is speaking up against those who have tried to dismiss her, and she doesn’t care if her work is easy to look at.

Right now she’s focusing her work on indoor cats and why owners think it’s okay to release them back into the wild.

When people see her work, she hopes they reconsider whether they should get pets themselves.

McNeice wants people to question their beliefs and ask themselves, “What gives me the right to have this animal?”

One of her pieces shows cat claws and a dead bird. It’s meant

to show what happens when domesticated animals are released into the wild.

She also intends for this to touch on the injustice of de-clawing cats—though it’s illegal in seven out of 10 provinces in Canada as of July 2019.

“It’s about pushing and asking questions and putting those questions into people’s minds.”

Throughout her time at Queen’s in the Bachelor of Fine Art program, McNeice says she’s really come into her own.

Her work has changed and matured, and she hopes it continues to do so.

“My art’s very different from what it was in first year. My work’s not about ‘beautiful,’ it’s not just to be put on someone’s wall,” she said.

“This isn’t a conversation I can be shut down in. People can’t shut down my creation. They can not like my work, but they can’t stop me from doing this.”

McNeice is now at a point in her artistic career where she knows what her aim is as an artist.

Her vision is clear.

LIFESTYLE

12 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, November 8, 2019

PODCAST

The pros and cons of Call Her Daddy Two students offer their takes on this chart-climbing sex podcast Aysha Tabassum and Kiana Buzza If you’ve never listened to the sex and dating podcast Call Her Daddy, chances are, you’ve at least heard about it. The Barstool Sports podcast, hosted by personalities Sofia Franklyn and Alexandra Cooper, is on almost everyone’s radar for its honest and explicit exploration of female sexuality.

Given the unconventional nature of the podcast, most people either love it or hate it. While some listeners consider it empowering, others believe it sets women’s movements back a few decades.

In an effort to give voice to both sides, The Journal asked two Queen’s students to each give their take on Call Her Daddy. ***

Listening to two women in their 20s talk about sex toys, oral sex, and bad first dates might sound like an odd way to start your day, but it really isn’t that different from the honest conversations many college-age women have with their friends over breakfast.

That’s basically the concept behind Call Her Daddy: a podcast on sex and relationships that’s given a lot of young women renewed sexual and self-confidence.

After all, it’s socially acceptable for men to brag about their sex lives, so women shouldn’t be shamed or judged for sharing their experiences and preferences too.

Openly talking about sex isn’t something everybody’s used to, but the podcast offers a way for

listeners to get comfortable with intimate topics. Call Her Daddy promotes the idea that it’s okay to be open about your sexuality, and that in 2019, relationships don’t need to comply with outdated gender norms.

As our parents have probably discovered by now, young people’s relationships these days have changed dramatically.

Hookup culture is more common than ever before, especially on the university scene.

But instead of hiding behind

casual, not just meaningful.

In fact, that attitude toward sex is the norm for a lot of women, including many I know. When I speak openly about relationships or hookup culture, the people around me are often shocked. But breaking the ice on uncomfortable topics is how meaningful conversations take place.

The hosts’ brutal honesty might be deemed problematic by some, but they only speak to their

Lifestyle closed doors and whispering about it, hosts Cooper and Franklyn normalize female sexuality head-on. By sharing their personal stories in a humorous and open way, they give others the leverage to have confidence in their own lives.

Call Her Daddy proves old stereotypes wrong: women aren’t just emotional relationship-seekers who prioritize cuddles, flowers, and chocolates. It’s possible for them to look at sex as something fun and

CULTURAL COMMENTARY

own experiences and viewpoints, and don’t claim to speak for anyone else.

There’s a podcast out there for everybody. If Call Her Daddy isn’t for you, that’s fine. It’s not meant to be about long-term relationships or the history of feminism. While you might not choose to live your life the way the hosts do, it doesn’t mean you should shame those who do.

At the end of the day, they do help to empower their massive fan base, breaking social norms that

Film studios shouldn’t profit off dead stars Nobody should be allowed to use CGI to resurrect deceased actors onscreen Nathan Gallagher Staff Writer

For someone who died in 1994, legendary British actor Peter

Cushing did a remarkable job reprising his role as Grand Moff Tarkin in 2016’s Rogue One. But, of course, it wasn’t really him.

The visual effects wizards at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), combined with the motion-captured performance of actor Guy Henry, enabled Cushing to be brought back to life onscreen for the Star Wars spinoff film.

Cushing is not the first actor to be recreated using CGI (computer-generated imagery) and he won’t be the last. In 2013, Audrey Hepburn’s image was used

for a chocolate advertisement, which even featured the song “Moon River” from her 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

In both cases, the use of CGI to make a deceased actor appear onscreen drew its appeal from the viewers’ familiarity and sense of nostalgia for that actor’s work.

Rogue One relies heavily on Star Wars fans’ nostalgia. In addition to reviving Tarkin, the filmmakers also brought back a digitally de-aged Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia.

Fisher died on December

help women and men alike to live more confidently.

—Kiana Buzza, Contributor

Call Her Daddy appears to be a harmless podcast about sex and relationships. It can even be liberating when its hosts, Cooper and Franklyn, detail the most intimate aspects of their experiences.

But this podcast isn’t a game-changer. It’s a platform for two privileged white women to blatantly uphold misogynist and heteronormative ideals under the guise of female empowerment.

We need more female perspectives on sex to destigmatize

ILLUSTRATION

BY KIRSTIN POULSEN

female desire, ensure that women are comfortable in the bedroom, and reinforce the importance of consent.

Call Her Daddy only upholds damaging ideologies.

The last thing women need is to feel more in debt to the men they sleep with. Cooper and Franklyn never shy away from telling female listeners they must meet every absurd sexual expectation in the book, from hiding their sexual pasts to making up for a perceived lack of beauty by performing like porn stars.

What’s worse is that these expectations can pose serious 27, 2016, only 11 days after the release of Rogue One, which made her appearance at the film’s end all the more sentimental.

As with Cushing, Fisher’s younger face was superimposed over that of another actor in order to appear as she did in the 1977 film. However, the difference between her appearance and that of Cushing is that Fisher consented to the use of her image before she passed away.

When Fisher died, the new Star Wars trilogy was not yet completed and her character was meant to have a big role in the final installment. Given the precedent set by Rogue One, fans speculated that Disney would use CGI so that Leia could appear in Episode IX. However, J.J. Abrams, the director and co-writer of the upcoming film, stated that “the idea of having a CG character was off the table. We never even

danger. An episode called “Are We F—ing on the First Date?” details how a woman should deal with vomiting during oral sex. At no point do the hosts tell women to stop what they’re doing if that’s the case.

The girls don’t stop at sex, either. By advising people how to act in relationships, they often normalize toxic romance, putting women in psychological danger.

Among many examples is an entire episode dedicated to “Escaping the Friend Zone.” It explains how men can leave the friend zone by emotionally manipulating female friends and “essentially preying on their insecurities.”

The podcast also repeatedly discusses themes of cheating.

The women insist that “if you’re not sucking your man’s dick, someone else is.” Not only does this feed the insecurity women already often feel in committed relationships, it’s disrespectful to men. It makes them out to be animals who will put sex above the emotional wellbeing of their partners.

Moving beyond the advice they give, Call Her Daddy is misinformed in other ways, too.

O n c e , the hosts discussed Sofia’s criminal history, which included damaging narratives about drug dealing and how ethnicity can impact police attitudes and treatment.

At no point did the episode acknowledge the white privilege that allowed Sofia to commit a crime and only spend one night in jail.

It’s infuriatingly entertaining to indulge in Call Her Daddy, but every time we do, we help the podcast climb the charts.

Even if we’re only listening to it ironically, we’re increasing the likelihood that someone younger and less experienced than us is falling prey to the show’s damaging rhetoric.

—Aysha Tabassum, Opinions Editor

wanted to try.”

Instead, the filmmakers used deleted scenes and previously unseen footage from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi in order to have the real Carrie return for the finale of the saga.

They have the technology and the facial scans of Fisher from Rogue One, so they could have gone the CGI route if they wanted to, but Abrams’ reluctance raises the question: If it was unthinkable to recreate Fisher with CGI, then why was it alright to do so with Cushing?

To read the rest of this article, visit queensjournal.ca/ lifestyle

LIFESTYLE

Friday, November 8, 2019

queensjournal.ca

• 13

Y R SEX DIAR TRI-COLOU

e n o e h T w e r h t I where d e b s i h up on

This anonymous Queen's student recalls an embarrassing night with a new partner.

Recounting the time my stomach didn’t agree with my Tinder date Anonymous On a Tuesday night in March of my first year at Queen’s, I was walking through a blizzard on my way to my first Tinder meetup. I’d been talking to Ethan* for a few days, and he’d invited me to his residence room to watch a sitcom and drink cheap wine.

Ethan was funny, forward,

and resembled a character from Skins. I was insecure, seeking male attention, and a big fan of British teen dramas. It was a perfect match.

When I met Ethan in the lobby of his residence, we made small talk as we walked to his room. The conversation wasn’t uncomfortably awkward, and he was just as cute as his pictures.

When we got to his room, he opened a 1.5 litre bottle of Jackson Triggs Pinot Grigio, got his laptop out, and started the show. We drank the wine straight out of the bottle, passing it back and forth at a consistent pace.

The wine calmed me down, but I made sure not to drink too

THE LAZY ECONOMIST

much because I knew the only thing worse than awkward silence is being the drunkest one in the room—especially if the only people in that room are you and a random guy from Tinder.

After a series of events I probably don’t have to explain, I lay awake in Ethan’s bed as he snored beside me. It was 4 a.m., and I couldn’t fall asleep no matter how many times I counted backwards from 100 or took 10 deep breaths. All I could think about was how uncomfortable I was.

My chest felt tight and my heart was racing. I was thirsty. I had to pee. I wanted to be in my own bed.

I was no stranger to anxiety and panic attacks. My panic

Understanding and improving your credit score A good rule of thumb is: the higher the better Hannah Stafl Staff Writer To get the car, home, or job of your dreams, the people in charge will often examine something other than your character: your credit score.

A credit score is a rating that tells money lenders how likely you are to pay back a loan. It’s a number that encompasses all of the information in your credit report, such as the loans you’ve taken out, how many credit cards you have, how timely your payments are, and how

much outstanding debt you have.

Your score can range from 300 to 900. The higher the score, the more likely you are to be approved for loans or other opportunities involving a credit check. A score over 650 to 700 is a good ballpark range to be in.

It’s important to note that, when checking your credit, there are either hard or soft inquiries. Hard inquiries occur when a company or lender

CREDIT: GOODFREEPHOTOS

requests to view your report, and multiple instances of these can actually bring down your score.

Examples include applying for a new credit card or a mortgage.

On the other hand, a soft inquiry is one that doesn’t affect your credit score, like in a background check. This is why ordering your own personal report doesn’t bring down your score—it’s considered a soft inquiry. Basically, a soft inquiry is an inquiry that’s not attached to an application for new credit.

In daily life, a credit score or credit report is a quick way for someone to tell if you’re likely to be responsible, whether with their money or with a new job. As such, a bad credit score can be a roadblock to taking big life steps, such as buying a car or getting a mortgage.

GRAPHIC BY AMELIA RANKINE

attacks often came on after I had drunk alcohol, whether it was one drink or six. So, as I lay in Ethan’s bed, I realized I was more than just uncomfortable. I was panicking.

I knew I should get up and go to the bathroom, but I felt paralyzed.

I stared at the ceiling and counted myself through deep breathing. I tried a grounding exercise that I’d seen online. Nothing worked.

I suddenly got a feeling that could only mean one thing. My whole body went cold and my stomach felt like it had done a flip.

I immediately sat up and tried to climb over Ethan’s sprawled-out limbs to get out of bed, but before I could make my escape, I threw up all over his Target comforter.

And do you know what doesn’t make your panic attack go away? That.

Ethan reacted how you’d expect. His frustration was

palpable, but I didn’t blame him.

I put my clothes on as fast as I could, apologized profusely, and ran back to Victoria Hall before my tears could freeze on my cheeks.

30 minutes later, I was standing with Ethan in the lobby of Vic Hall, adding $10 to his laundry card. It was the least I could do.

After adding the money, I went back to my room as fast as the Vic elevator would take me and cried to my roommate. I was mortified.

In typical Queen’s fashion, I saw Ethan on and around campus several times after that. I eventually got over my mortification and chose not to beat myself up for what happened.

Anxiety is already bad enough without hating myself for it.

Plus, his comforter wasn’t that nice anyway. *Names have been changed to protect the anonymity of students.

If you don’t have any credit history, the best thing you can do is to start building it up early.

Get a no-fee credit card and use it regularly on smaller purchases that you have the money for in your chequing account—this is key. An easy way to implement this would be to use your credit card at the grocery store every week, paying it off when you get home right afterward.

If it’s not where you want it to be, here are some ways to improve your score.

even if it’s just the minimum payment—making these payments is better than making none. Consistency is key.

When using credit cards, try to stay around or below 30 per cent of your available credit—meaning if you have a $1,000 credit limit, you don’t want to regularly have more than a $300 balance.

Check your credit report to make sure it’s accurate, so there are no faulty charges or late payments bringing your score down—or, worst case scenario, that you aren’t the victim of identity theft.

You can check by mail, by phone, or online, through TransUnion or Equifax.

Finally, don’t stress. If you’re reading this as a student, you’re still in a good spot to end up with a better credit score later on in your life when it matters.

Whether you can limit your online shopping, stop ordering takeout, or trade in for a cheaper car, it will all add up down the line.

If it’s not where you want it to be, here are some ways to improve your score.

First, pay off debt: as much as you can and as soon as possible.

Once you’ve gotten your debt down, keep it low—don’t spend money you don’t have.

Pay all your bills on time,

14 • queensjournal.ca

LIFESTYLE

Friday, November 8, 2019

LIFESTYLE

Friday, November 8, 2019

queensjournal.ca

The Netflix series excels by exploring everyday life, with a twist Pravieena Gnanakumar Contributor We see a new side to Paul Rudd in the new Netflix series Living with Yourself. Sure, the opening scene shows Rudd wearing nothing but a diaper, but that’s not what I’m getting at.

Living with Yourself proves a fun and fresh watch while revealing truths about the human condition and our constant need to be successful and validated.

Created by Timothy Greenberg, Living with Yourself, starring Paul Rudd and Aisling Bea, delves into the concept of human potential and its correlation to success (and, subsequently, happiness).

Cue a weird, yet delightful, woodwind soundtrack and meet Miles Elliot (portrayed by Rudd), an ordinary married man working as a copywriter in the suburbs of New York. Emphasis on ordinary.

It doesn’t take long after meeting Miles to realize he severely lacks motivation in life.

In his marriage, work life, and personal ambitions, Miles’ life shows no promise—and he yearns for more. He wants to rekindle the spark with his beautiful architect wife Kate (portrayed by Bea),

Living with Yourself gives viewers a fresh take on the ordinary.

TV REVIEW

The perfect simplicity of Living with Yourself get promoted at work, finish the play he’s working on, and win playwriting awards.

Halfway through the first episode, we realize that Miles has a dull daily routine, which clearly stunts his motivation to pursue his dream life.

Despite having all that’s required to be considered a successful adult—a beautiful and intelligent wife, a large house,

POINT/COUNTERPOINT

and money—Miles’ life falls short because he believes what he has isn’t good enough.

An unsatisfied Miles decides to go to a spa based on a suggestion from a co-worker, who claims they’ve never felt better after a special $50,000 treatment. At this point, Miles is willing to do anything to be a better version of himself.

Post-spa treatment, the new

Should holiday music be played year-round?

Debating whether festive tunes are always jolly, or a winter-only wonder Tegwyn Hughes and Colin Walsh

No As the clock strikes midnight on Nov. 1, my life undergoes a dramatic transformation.

Pumpkins morph into evergreen trees, bags of candy turn into sacks of presents, and garish costumes change into cozy knitted sweaters.

Halloween disappears, and my life becomes a winter wonderland as visions of Christmas dance in my head like sugar plums. On top of everything else, my go-to fall playlist is replaced with the jolly sounds of winter music, too.

Despite my love for all things Christmas, I’m a firm believer in one rule for holiday cheer: holiday music should never be played before Nov. 1, no matter how much you love it.

I think I’ve already shown that I’m no Scrooge when it comes to winter festivities, but even a Christmas fanatic like myself gets sick of the cheery holiday carols—especially after months

ILLUSTRATION BY SHELBY TALBOT

of hearing the same songs repeated endlessly in malls and grocery stores.

In order to preserve the childlike wonderment that Christmas music brings, I force myself to wait until November so I can still enjoy my favourite festive songs when the actual holiday rolls around.

Imagine listening to sleigh bells on a hot summer beach, or trumpets in a springtime rainstorm. That just sounds plain wrong. There’s a time and place for Christmas music, and I refuse to believe otherwise.

Imagine listening to sleigh bells on a hot summer beach, or trumpets in a springtime rainstorm. That just sounds plain wrong.

That’s why last week, when I woke up the day after Halloween, I dusted off my “holiday cheer” Spotify podcast, hit shuffle, and got ready for another busy school day with a pep in my step and some cheer in my heart.

—Tegwyn Hughes, Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Miles is wildly successful at work, coming in with a fresh new pitch at his advertising company. He loves his wife unconditionally, and he’s an impeccable storyteller.

The twist—the spa was a cloning centre and now there’s two Miles: the original and the better version of himself, the new Miles.

Rudd’s portrayal of both versions of Miles doesn’t just showcase his talent but also offers viewers a meaningful message. As the plot constantly moves back and forth between both versions of Miles, the show reminds viewers that as humans, we’re always shifting between vulnerability

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and confidence.

It reminds us that those who appear perfect still have challenges, and that even at our lowest, we have the potential to improve.

Once original Miles sees the better version of himself living his life to the fullest, he realizes how good he’s always had it despite his negative attitude, and he fights for his old life back. While doing so, he subconsciously processes all of his flaws when he sees how great and positive the new Miles is. The real Miles has a literal fight with his clone—undoubtedly a metaphor for the emotionally taxing inner battles we have with our own insecurities.

Not only did this series lead me to relate to the original Miles, an insecure and rather bland character, but it also made me realize something about my TV-watching habits. I’m tired of watching characters do unrealistic things onscreen. I’m tired of television shows and movies that force me to imagine a world that’s not my own.

Personally, I’d much rather watch a regular man trying to be happy in the suburbs.

Living with Yourself gives viewers a fresh take on human vulnerability by showing us an ordinary, vulnerable man. Aside from the cloning, there’s no big event or revelation, but rather a slow (and somewhat boring) lead-up to Miles realizing he’s capable of being a better version of himself.

I’m glad I watched Paul Rudd talk to himself for eight 20-minute episodes. If you’re willing to do so, I encourage you to take a well-deserved Netflix break right now and give the show a chance.

Yes Imagine this: it’s a sweltering August day, and not even your air conditioner is beating the heat.

You’re desperate for anything to remind you of the frozen comfort of December. The solution: Christmas music. As soon as Bing Crosby invites you to walk in a winter wonderland, you feel cooler already.

As soon as Bing Crosby invites you to walk in a winter wonderland, you feel cooler already.

Throughout the winter exam period, listening to Christmas music helps me cope with stress as I dream about the end of exams and being able to go home for the holidays. So why can’t I do the same during the spring exam season?

I keep myself from getting bored of the same songs during my year-long celebration by switching it up. Having multiple jolly playlists, with everything from Mariah Carey’s classic 1994 album—the gift that keeps on giving year-round—to traditional carols sung by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, is the perfect

Mariah Carey, the queen of Christmas.

way to ensure that I’m never tired of holiday tunes.

Let’s face it: we’re all a little sad when the holiday season comes to an end. We can eliminate that by keeping the carols coming.

Mariah, the queen of Christmas herself, has been promoting her All I Want for Christmas Is You tour since September, and I think we can all agree that she’s the authority on holiday music.

No matter who you are, the first few bars of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” will transport

PHOTO BY ALLY MASTANTUONO

you straight to the North Pole, and that doesn’t only apply to December. Embrace it, and keep the merry melodies coming all year.

—Colin Walsh, Contributor

Follow the Lifestyle section on Twitter at @QJLifestyle

Friday, November 8, 2019

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POSTSCRIPT

Carrying on the legacy of Remembrance Day in honour of my grandfather

Sasha thinks veterans like her grandfather can teach us a lot about the importance of freedom.

Keeping my grandfather’s stories of freedom, acceptance, and bravery alive Sasha Cohen Copy Editor

I’m worried that my generation is forgetting the importance of Remembrance Day. As we move further away from World Wars I and II, I fear the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers and veterans will soon become meaningless, or worse, forgotten.

With fewer veterans around to share their personal memories, it’s becoming increasingly important to make sure their firsthand stories are documented and shared. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have grown up with a parent or grandparent who fought in one of the World Wars—wars that gained us the freedoms we have today.

I’m one of the lucky ones. I grew up with a front-row seat view to what WWII was like through the eyes of someone who lived through it himself: my grandfather, Alan Freeman.

From storming the beaches on D-Day to the liberation of Holland to even finding a hidden family of Dutch Jews beneath the floorboards of a farmhouse, my grandfather was among the

men and women who selflessly defended their country and the rights and freedoms of others.

I’m reminded of his courage every day, but especially on Nov. 11.

I'm reminded of his “courage every day, but especially Nov. 11.

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My late grandfather was one of the few Jewish soldiers in the British Army. His story, since told to Historica Canada’s Memory Project, reminds me and readers alike of his generation’s courage.

The thing about my grandfather was, like many veterans, he didn’t like talking about the War. Whenever my mother asked if he wanted to attend Remembrance Day ceremonies at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, he would say, “It was a terrible time in the world.

I don’t want to go.”

Despite his refusal to talk about his experiences, it was a moment in time that defined him as a young man and characterized the rest of his life.

You’d only need to walk a few steps through the door of my grandparents’ apartment to know my grandfather was a war veteran.

He told his story through pictures, mementos, and keepsakes from his time spent in the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards of the British Army.

All around his den were pictures, medals, and certificates of honour, and his beloved uniform beret.

I remember taking his beret to school once for show-and-tell.

When he found out, I was certain he was going to call in a security team to ensure I brought it back in one piece. For someone who didn’t like talking about the war, the thought alone of losing a piece of it seemed to devastate him.

At 18, my grandfather was eager to join the army. In fact, he worried it would end before he got a chance to enlist. Each day, he’d read the local newspaper in Middlesbrough, England to learn about the British army’s progress.

If they won a battle, he would always say, “Oh no! This is going to be over before I can serve!”

There was no doubt in his mind that enlisting was the right thing to do. When he joined in 1942, he became a member of his platoon’s tank crew as a driver and a gunner.

was no doubt “There in his mind that

enlisting was the right thing to do.

”

One of his most poignant memories was of an experience that took place in a small Dutch village called Varsseveld during the liberation of Holland. In 2010, my grandfather recounted the story in an interview for the Memory Project.

“Everything got quiet and I noticed a little kid tugging at the sleeves of the infantry as they walked by […] I jumped out of the tank and I walked over and the kid

shook me. I thought he was asking for gum or chocolate. And he said, ‘Are you Jewish?’ and I said, ‘Yes.’ So he grabs me, runs into a field nearby and into a barn, stamps on the floor that was covered in straw and up popped the trap door. There were two kids in there, plus him and the mother. They’d been living under the floorboards for I don’t know how long […] she made me kneel down and blessed me for saving her.”

Fast-forward several decades later. After the war, my grandfather tried to find the family he’d discovered in that barn so many years ago.

While in Amsterdam on a trip, my grandfather did a little of his own digging, and learned that one of the brothers had immigrated to Burlington, Ontario. However, the man didn’t want anyone to know where he was. He even anglicized his Jewish-sounding name out of fear that what happened to the Dutch Jews would happen again.

Even when my grandfather tried to reach out to him over the phone, the gentleman was quick to hang up—reluctant to reminisce about the past.

This man’s ongoing fear of anti-Semitism startled my grandfather. He believed enough time had passed that there was no longer any real need to worry.

My grandfather, who passed in 2015, would be saddened to discover the oppressive, anti-Semitic acts that have taken place in communities around the world, and at Queen’s.

The people of the “greatest

PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON

generation” fought too long and too hard to resist various forms of oppression for their efforts to be forgotten. If we fail to remember the stories of those who experienced World Wars I and II and the evils our ancestors fought against, we’re doomed to re-live similar prejudice and hatred.

Knowing and learning from stories like my grandfather’s has made a remarkable difference for my own understanding of what happened during the War. Efforts to collect similar stories can serve future generations and strengthen their connections to the past.

There are hundreds of veterans with stories like my grandfather’s, and many never get the opportunity to share them with younger generations. These stories prove how valuable veterans’ memories are for sustaining the meaning of Remembrance Day, and keeping the important roles of those before us alive.

This Remembrance Day, don’t just buy a poppy to honour a veteran. Spend a few minutes asking those veterans about their service defending our country.

Rememberance “This Day, don't just buy a poppy.

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We might not all have close relatives to share their stories of the past with us, but for those of us who do, we play an important role: to carry on their legacy so that we may never forget.