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s t u d e n t n e w s pa p e r o f w a s h i n g t o n a n d j e f f e r s o n c o l l e g e w j r e da n d b l ac k . c o m W a s h i n g t o n , P e n n s y lva n i a F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 0 2 1
WHAT’S IN THIS WEEK’S PAPER... CURRENT EVENTS
Netflix to Film New Series at W&J PAGE 2
With the acquittal, President Trump is now free to run for President again in 2024 should he desire to do so. -P.7
DIVERSITY
Beginning in March of 2020, we saw the rise of hate crimes that were perpetrated over the idea that Chinese people are responsible for the pandemic. -P.11
OPINIONS Norman’s explanations of how age-old social notions impact healthcare of those groups today is just one of the most brilliant features of her novel. -P.16
SPORTS
While many student athletes have opted to come back to campus, quarantine and all, some students did not have that luxury and were forced to stay home. -P.19
WJREDANDBLACK.COM
Courtesy W&J College
2 CAMPUS NEWS
Red & Black
26 February 2021
Netflix to Film New Series at W&J Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff
Starting this year on Mar. 3, and concluding on Mar 7, students and faculty might notice camera crews, and even famous actors on campus. Some of those famous actors might include “Grey’s Anatomy” star Sandra Oh, and other actors and actresses like Jay Duplass, Nana Mensah and Bob Balaba. The reason one might see these things and people on our Washington & Jefferson College campus is because Netflix has chosen W&J as one of their filming sights in their new series, “The Chair.” The show will star Sandra Oh as she acts as an English Department chair for a small university. Preparation dates will be from Jan. 27 to Mar. 2, and filming dates will be from Mar. 3 to Mar. 7. The film crews will be filming in W&J locations like in the interior and exterior of Old Main, in and around the Swanson gymnasium, Lazear Hall
and the Swanson Science Center. None of the film crews will be interacting with on-campus students or faculty and strict COVID-19 procedures will be in place all throughout filming. This is the second time Netflix has chosen W&J to be one of the sets in one of their series. The first being a Netflix show called “Mind Hunter” back in 2017. If you are a student at W&J, you might even be able to be casted as an extra in the Netflix show. “The Chair” directors are actually looking for student extras to be in the Netflix series. Students who choose to participate will be asked to quarantine from Feb. 25 to Mar. 1 because filming will start Mar. 2. Multiple COVID-19 rapid tests will be administered, and students will have to stay with their particular “pods” and will not be able to go to in-person classes, do work-study or participate on sports teams during this time. The Netflix show will be filming at multiple small college campuses around Pittsburgh to create the background of Sandra Oh being an English department chair at a small university. With the beautiful scenery and older buildings on our W&J campus, Netflix believed our campus would be a perfect place to film.
Courtesy E!.com
Famous actresses like Sandra Oh will be on set at Washington & Jefferson College.
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@wjrednblack This is the second time Netflix has filmed on the W&J Campus.
26 February 2021
Red & Black
CAMPUS NEWS 3
Symposium on Democracy: Pat Benic Session Sofya Williamson Red & Black Staff
What don’t we know about that day in the Capitol? Before I begin this review, I should first state the reasons why I picked this particular session. As many American citizens begin to lose more and more trust in what is dubbed as “mainstream media,” I was interested to see how someone’s eyewitness report would line up with what we have heard about that infamous day, Jan. 6. A Washington & Jefferson College undergraduate, Pat Benic majored in mathematics and starred in the wrestling team of his 1970 graduating class. After graduation, he found himself in the journalism world because of his love of photography. Now here he is, fifty-one years later, working as the Director of Photography with the United Press International Newspictures in Washington, D.C. My review comes with a few questions that were unfortunately unable to be answered during the session, or in my frantic search to email, call or direct message him later, so we will explore them here. Benic told us that there are several rules in the capitol house, one of them being that no cell phones are allowed, probably to try and stop unnecessary selfies; however Benic, being the press that night, had the right to take a few pictures, and seeing as he was witnessing history, he took a few more than usual. The point is, no one inside the
chamber knew of the disturbances outside because they were unable to check the news or any of their SNS— they only knew from hours before that a Trump rally was taking place nearby. Benic had noticed upon entering the house a few hours earlier that there were a handful capitol hill police stationed outside with some Trump supporters behind bicycle racks. I believe he also noted that he couldn’t even go to his car to grab some lunch because they couldn’t leave the property. He felt safe and protected, and I quote said, “D.C. knows how to handle protests.” If this is so, I question then why the disturbances, once they started, were kept from the grown adults inside the chamber. Any withheld knowledge will allow fear to take over, so for all Benic and everyone inside knew, there could have been a giant bomb in the building ready to detonate. Who decided it was appropriate to just usher them through gasmask preparations and evacuation drills with no explanation? Pat also stated that as the press, they would go last in the evacuation process. I wanted to ask when did this “rule” start? If, hypothetically speaking, someone had come in that third floor with a machine gun, with the press being last, wouldn’t they just become cannon fodder to “protect” the officials? I don’t understand where this ranking of the value of someone’s life comes from that allows someone to go first and another last. He also said that another rule in the capitol house is that guns are not to be used, however we know that that rule was violated. In response to an individual’s question of what he likes the most about his job, Benic said he has always been an observer and he states that his jobs is exactly that, just observations. He
said, “photos don’t lie,” which is true, but would have been better finished with “but the eye does.” Regardless of the “photos” and “video evidence,” people will see what they want to see that day, Jan. 6, and that is frightening. He stated that he thinks eyes are the most important thing in photography, using his pictures from children in other countries as examples, and even saying that Princess Diana and Mother Theresa eyes were “magical” and “mesmerizing.” I wonder how he would have described Ms. Babbits eyes that night she died – angry, desperate, determined, hopeful? I will end this paper with one last quote from him. “There are no “alternative facts,” there are just facts and opinions.” This viewpoint is problematic for one major reason. It’s the
same as saying “there is no “racism,” there’s just black and white people,” or “there is no “middle,” there’s just right or wrong.” Hopefully this logic makes sense, because if this is the world we’ve come to live in, then there will be no “America” in the sense of – united people living under their own government called a democracy – there will only be Left and Right forever at odds. This is, of course, making a blatant absolute, and thankfully you see that. We are all aware that the world we live in cannot be lived with an absolute mentality, so we need to be discerning and perceptive of our nation while most of all, still respectful to everyone in our nation. For those who were trapped, and for those who are dead – it was day for new history to be made.
Courtesy Twitter/Washjeff
Pat Benic spoke to W&J Students during the Democracy Symposium.
4 CAMPUS NEWS
26 February 2021
Red & Black
Upcoming Career Service Events
Event:
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Leveraging LinkedIn
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Events Calendar for the Zoom link
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This week Jami will be discussing Leveraging LinkedIn! So, grab your lunch and “Zoom” in!
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26 February 2021
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Campus News 5
Follow @wandjcareerservices on Instagram The Career Services Office would like to know if you are following us on Instagram? If you are not, you definitely should be! Not only will you be kept well-informed about the events and programs we sponsor, but you will be entered into raffles all semester long. Names will be drawn from our followers for great prizes such as: a limited edition HydroFlask, Starbucks gift cards, W&J swag, and much more!
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6 CAMPUS NEWS
26 February 2021
Red & Black
Speak Out! What are you most excited for this upcoming Spring? “I’m excited to play soccer. Fingers crossed there’s a season and we get to play after putting so many months of work into practice” - Makenna Mann ‘24
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26 February 2021
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Current Events 7
Current Events
Trump Acquitted After Impeachment Trial Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff
After the storming of the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, millions of people around the United States criticized former President Donald Trump for not doing enough to condemn this act. Not only were they calling on Trump’s lack of action after the storming of the Capitol, but also his actions before the storming. So, because of this, the U.S. House of Representatives commenced Trump’s second impeachment of his presidency. The U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 13 voted to impeach President Donald Trump on the count of ‘incitement of insurrection’ by a 232-197 margin (10 Republican Representatives voted to impeach with four other Republicans opting to not cast a vote for or against the impeachment resolution). The House of Representatives thereafter delivered the Articles of Impeachment to the U.S. Senate with the U.S. Senate
bearing the responsibility to hold a trial on the impeachment charge. The trial before the U.S. Senate began on Feb. 9, and ended on Feb. 13. In order to find the President guilty of impeachment offense, at least twothirds of the Senate would have to vote guilty. The Senate acquitted him as only 57 Senators voted guilty with 43 Senators voting not guilty. Due to the lack of achieving the required two thirds majority, President Trump was acquitted. With the acquittal, President Trump is now free to run for President again in 2024 should he desire to do so. Voting during the impeachment trial divided the Republican party in a major way. Seven Republican Senators voted to convict Trump in the impeachment trial: Richard Burr of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. These seven are the largest number of a president’s party ever to vote to have their president impeached at trial. Members of the Republican party are now trying to belittle and shame these Republican Senate members for “betraying their party and their President.” Now on the other hand,
those who did vote to have Trump acquitted have publicly stated that “the Trump movement is alive and well,” said Lindsey Graham. Supporters of Trump still believe that Trump is the most powerful face of the Republican party, and that he will be successful if he decides to run again for President in 2024. Now, if he were to run for President again, his campaign strategy would have to look a little bit different since the former President is barred from
Twitter, which helped propel his Presidential campaign in 2016 and continued to be a major outreach beacon for him throughout his presidency. Notwithstanding the obstacles that he would face in a re-election campaign, Trump has stated that “his movement has only begun,” which leads most to think that he plans to run again for President in 2024, or at least stay a prominent Republican political figure in years to come.
Courtesy BBC
57 Senators voted guilty and 43 Senators voted not guilty in Trump’s impeachment trial.
8 Current Events
Red & Black
26 February 2021
Winter Weather Blast Spreads Through USA
Courtesy Politico
Extreme winter weather is hitting states like Texas extra hard because they are not prepared to tackle the snow and ice.
Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff
This past week, at least 46 states were under a severe winter weather advisory. An alert that has been unprecedented for over 20 years. Experts estimate over 200 million Americans have been affected by these widespread storms. In states like Washington, Oregon and Virginia, they are seeing snow totals
and ice storms like they have never seen before. In Seattle they saw their highest culmination of snow in 50 years and Virginia with their worst ice storm in over 20 years. The biggest impacts of these widespread storms include record cold, dangerous ice and heavy snow. Snow totals that may seem relatively normal in states like Minnesota and Michigan are devastating states like Texas and Oklahoma as they see dangerous ice and snow totals in southern states. States all over the country are experiencing temperatures up to 50 degrees and below. Experts advise travelers to stay off the roads from Alabama all the way to New England
because of the amount of ice that continues to accumulate on the roads. Hundreds of accidents have already occurred between smaller cars and tractor trailers because of the ice on the road and the bigger cars not being able to gain traction on the roads. Not only are states all over the country getting more snow than they have seen in decades, cities in Florida from Tampa to Jacksonville are continuously under weather advisories including Tornado watches, an unlikely alert for the residents of Florida. With all of these weather alerts around the country, we must think of the impacts it is having on the
COVID-19 facilities all over the country. Different COVID-19 testing locations and facilities are being delayed and closed due to inclement weather. This could turn into major issues because those who have been tested for COVID-19 are not getting their results back as soon as they would be if there were no inclement weather. This winter weather advisory is like no other because not only do we have to worry about the storm arriving in the beginning of the week of Feb. 15, but there will be another storm arriving right after this one ends. Experts advise Americans everywhere to stay off the roads as much as possible for their own safety.
Diversity 9
26 February 2021 Red & Black
Diversity Sia’s “Music” Reveals Glaring Blindspots Akansha Das Red & Black Staff
Back in November 2020 when it was announced that Maddie Ziegler, a neurotypical artist, was cast in the role of an autistic individual in the movie “Music,” outrage swept social media about the way this took roles away from autistic artists who already find it difficult to find roles in entertainment on the whole. Director/producer Sia responded in a way that highlights many of the misconceptions about marginalized individuals, specifically individuals differently abled then ourselves, that the greater population holds. While first becoming defensive about the casting, she went on to say that she attempted to cast a person on the spectrum for the role of “Music” but that it was “unpleasant and stressful” during filming and so she ultimately recast the role. Many have commented on how representing individuals on the spectrum without input/inclusion from these individuals defeats the whole purpose of creating such a film in the first place. Additionally, her phrasing—“unpleasant and stressful”— misconstrues the whole notion of the social model of
disability, which states that it is not people with disabilities who inconvenience society but rather our societal infrastructure which inconveniences people with disabilities. Individuals on the spectrum do not think and act in the way that neurotypicals do, so it’s not only natural that filming with them will cause some initial difficulties. Yet, if the goal is to create a film—an industry—with better representation of these very individuals—structuring the filming process with the intent of including autisitic artists should have been given more consideration. With the pre-release of the musical and two recent Golden Globes nominations, specific scenes in the movie—especially one involving physical restraint of Music (the character Ziegler plays) while she undergoes a meltdown— is inciting backlash. While Sia claims that these scenes will be removed before the movie is shown to the general public, much of the damage has already been done. Many individuals on the spectrum have discussed how the scene triggers horrifying memories of their own childhood and use of physical restraint. On the whole, using physical techniques to mitigate meltdowns with deep pressure as depicted in the movie is only recommended for use by professionals. Entertainment is intended to be a litmus test for the feelings and atti-
tudes of society. In this case, the film is an indication that society simply doesn’t understand and include the autistic community to the degree they deserve. Conversions surrounding diversity and inclusion start by asking the individuals seeking to be included. The hashtag #ActuallyAutistic began trending on Twitter and this method of disclosure via social media has a valuable potential to raise awareness about the struggles about autistic individuals in a very simple way. Yet the
responsibility for education should not solely fall on marginalized individuals. Media in every arena from TedTalks (such as Stella Young’s “I’m not your inspiration, thank you very much”) to Instagram accounts (like @ wheelchair_rapunzel) to books (such as Temple Grandin’s “Thinking In Pictures”) all convey messages about the ways society puts people with disabilities at a disadvantage and how critical the talents of people we call “disabled” truly are.
Courtesy Refinery29
Sia’s movie “Music” has been described as offensive to autistic and disabled people.
10 Diversity
Red & Black
26 February 2021
Black LGBTQ+ Pioneers You Should Know Amanda Fitzpatrick Red & Black Staff
While during the month of Feburary we celebrate Black History Month to recognize the many accomplishments and contributions of African Americans, the lives of Black LGBTQ+ people are often left out of the discussion. From organizer of the March on Washington Movement Bayard Rustin to the first woman to be elected to Texas’s Congress, Barbara Jordan, Black LGBTQ+ Americans have made history with countless contributions to politics, music, art, medicine and other fields. It is important that as we go forward, we consider including voices of Black LGBTQ+ people in stories that study African American history and civil rights progress.
Marsha P. Johnson (Aug. 24, 1945 – July 6, 1992) was a Transgender LGBTQ+ liberation activist and a key proponent in the Stonewall uprising and Gay Rights Movement. Following the Stonewall uprising, Johnson was a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front and marched in the first Gay Pride rally, then called the Christopher Street Liberation Day, on the anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion. Since then, Johnson continued to play an active part in LGBTQ+ activism, helping form the Street Transgender Action Revolutionaries with close friend Sylvia Rivera, an organization that provides housing and aid to homeless sex workers and queer youth. Additionally, she partnered with AIDS Coalition to unleash Power. Bayard Rustin (March 17, 1912 – Aug. 24, 1987) was a Gay Civil Rights Activist and LGBTQ+ activist. An American leader in social movements for civil rights, socialism, nonviolence and gay rights, Rustin served as Martin
Luther King Jr.’s adviser and organized the March on Washington Movement with A. Phillip Randolph. He was known for his work in the Fellowship of Reconciliation and initiated a 1947 Freedom Ride. Additionally, he was an honorary chairperson of the Socialist Party of America. For his achievements in his work and activism, Rustin was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2013. Barbara Jordan (Oct. 4, 1947 – Aug. 27, 2009) was a Lesbian Civil Rights leader and attorney. She was the first African American elected to the Texas Senate and the first woman to be elected to Texas’s Congress. Johnson supported the Community Reinvestment Act which required banks to lend services to minority communities and is best known for her opening statement during the impeachment process against Richard Nixon. Her accomplishments are many, but to name a few Johnson was the first woman to deliver a keynote speech at the Democratic National
Convention in 1976, was awarded the Spingarn Medal for her political work by the NAACP in 1992 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994. Alphonso David (born 1970) is an American attorney and LGBT civil rights leader. He is the first civil rights lawyer, the first African American, and the first person of color to serve as president of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group in the country. Additionally, David is the first openly gay lawyer to serve Andrew Cuomo, N.Y.’s Governor. He also worked on LGBTQ+ cases across the nation and has advocated for those with HIV and AIDS. While many more names could have certainly made this list, here are just a handful of those who have moved the needle forward on equality. As Feb. and Black History Month come to a close, the groundbreaking work of Black LGBTQ+ artists and activists needs to be recognized and celebrated.
Courtesy Women You Should Know
Courtesy Bill Moyers
Marsha P. Johnson made history as a key proponent in the Stonewall uprising and her continued activism following.
Barbara Jordan broke barriers as the first African American elected to the Texas Senate and the first woman elected to Texas’s Congress.
26 February 2021
Red & Black
Diversity 11
Attacks on Asian Americans Rise Dylan Bertovich Red & Black Staff
For months, the former president called Covid-19 various names such as the “China virus” and the “kong flu.” “What’s so wrong with that?” or “Well, they did make the virus,” is often what Republican leaders around the country often replied when they were presented with these occurrences. We have painfully seen the consequences of spreading hate. Beginning in March of 2020, we saw the rise of hate crimes that were perpetrated over the idea that Chinese people are responsible for the pandemic. They are mothers, fathers, grandparents and they are victims. They have names like Vicha Ratanapakdee, the 84-year-old grandparent who died after being pushed to the ground by a teenager. Why was Ratanapakdee killed? The simple answer is that he looked of Asian descent and was a victim of racism. They are 64-yearold grandparents robbed and 61-yearold men who are cut on the subway. They are not our enemies; they are our greatest victims. Since the start of the pandemic last spring, Asian Americans have faced racist violence at a much higher rate than previous years. The NYPD reported that hate crimes against people of Asian descent jumped 1,900 percent in New York City. Further, it is reported that one in four Asian Americans have experienced anti-Asian hate amidst the pandemic. Stop AAPI Hate, a crime reporting database cre-
ated at the beginning of the pandemic, received 2,808 reports of anti-Asian discrimination between March 19 and Dec. 31, 2020. What is the answer to this increase in hate crimes? An increase in policing does not seem to be the answer. This comes along the idea that more policing would be directed at the Black and Brown communities that live along the Asians communities. One community
does not want to brutalize another. Additionally, Asian Americans are victims of police brutality too as we have seen with the death of Christian Hall, a man who was fatally shot with his hands raised while experiencing a mental health crisis. The answer may come from Congress. There are calls on Congress to pass legislation to provide Department of Justice grants to state and local gov-
ernments to improve the reporting of hate crimes and provide greater support to victims, and to hold hearings on the rise in incidents. They are also requesting a meeting with the Justice Department to follow up on enforcement actions, including investigating such crimes and engaging with the Asian American community. Whatever the answer, is it needs to come soon before more people suffer.
Courtesy People
Asian Americans have increasingly feared for their safety amid increasing racism, attacks and hate crimes since the start of the pandemic.
12 Diversity
Red & Black
26 February 2021
Vaccine Materials in Spanish Are Needed Akansha Das Red & Black Staff
The racial awakening that 2020 brought about in America brought much-needed attention to health disparities among the Black population. However, the Spanish-speaking populations and Hispanic populations also have a history of health disparities. While recently, reports of mass hysterectomies emerged from concentration centers in the south among Hispanic women, the American government has also sanctioned unethical experimentation on Hispanic women—including birth control studies on Puerto Rican women without their consent. In today’s world, Hispanic individuals are more likely to be the ones of the front-lines of the pandemic and living in close quarters that make them more susceptible to the virus. The lack of vaccination education materials in Spanish can severely reduce vaccine access to Spanish-speaking and Hispanic individuals, but increasing the amount of vaccine materials in Spanish can provide a bridge to COVID-19 protection and higher-quality healthcare for a population that could desperately use it. In “The Importance of Language Services for COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution” writer Kimberely Scamman cites how simple measures like providing written translations of “public health notices instructions, prevention information and contact tracing communications” can slow the spread of COVID-19. In a country where 41 million individuals speak Spanish at
home according to The Census Bureau, not providing education materials in Spanish puts everyone at risk as close to 13.5 percent of the population can potentially be excluded from participating in herd immunity through no fault of their own. In a more social context, only providing education materials in English assumes that English is the default and Spanish-speaking individuals are an alternate or “other” which can further alienate Hispanic individuals, immigrants and Spanish-speakers. The
very reason why vaccine education materials in Spanish is necessary—for the sheer number of Spanish speakers in the U.S.—is also what makes translating vaccine education materials so easy. Spanish translators are readily available to translate materials in a culturally competent manner. Dr. Risa Hoshino (@dr.risahoshino), a doctor and public health figure who has been instrumental in spreading medically accurate and evidence-based knowledge about COVID-19 and the vaccine during
the pandemic (and does so in Spanish as well) has remarked on Instagram “Health Equity is VITAL esp [especially] during this pandemic. This means that EVERYONE, no matter WHAT their circumstances, has a fair opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This includes removing barriers from race, gender, poverty, education, language & more. MANY HCWs [Health Care Workers] & Long-Term Health Facility residents (who are getting the vaccine first) are Latinx & English may not be their [first] lang [language].”
Courtesy CDC
With the abundance of materials in different languages available about flu vaccines provided by the CDC, more materials need to be created in Spanish for COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
26 February 2021
opinions Red & Black
Opinions 13
COVID-19 Absolutism Is Not Effective Akansha Das Red & Black Staff
New Zealand has been praised as one of the most effective handlers of COVID-19 with a little over 2,300 cases and 25 deaths in a country of five million people. Much of this success is attributed to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s tight lockdown measures and dedication to safety protocols. Yet this week, New Zealand has initiated a new COVID-19 lockdown in its largest city of Auckland after three of its residents have tested positive for the virus. With three
known COVID-19 variants, over 110 million cases worldwide, and a slower than predicted vaccination effort in the United States, many have viewed such an intense lockdown in a supposedly COVID-19-free country as a cause for concern. Many are weary that there simply isn’t a light at the end of the tunnel. Yet, I argue that this recent lockdown be viewed in an alternate manner, that in a world where everything touched by COVID-19 seems to be spinning out of control, New Zealand’s handling and tight control on a few number of cases be regarded with relief and as an example to look to. While officials are still examining the cause of the Auckland COVID-19 outbreak in its three residents, possible sources include international flight laundry which one of the affected family members handles for her job. With the endemic nature of
COVID-19 worldwide, it’s inevitable that minor outbreaks here and there will occur. As long as lockdown measures, masking, social distancing and other public health measures continue to be implemented as swiftly as possible, these minor outbreaks will continue to be short-lived. Ardern echoed similar sentiments in a press conference to her country on the 14. “I know we all feel the same way when this happens. We all get that sense of ‘Not again.’ But remember, we have been here before and that means we know how to get out of this again, and that is together.” Absolutism - a total eradication of COVID-19 and restricting every single possible means of COVID-19 spread- is an unrealistic ideal at this point. New York Times journalist David Ledonhart says “Taking every possible precaution is unrealistic, just as telling
E ditorial P olicy The Red & Black is the official, registered student-produced newspaper of Washington & Jefferson College. It is published Fridays with the exception of exams and break periods. Editorials are based upon the opinion of the respective writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper, the
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all gay men and teenagers to abstain from sex was unrealistic [in reference to the AIDS pandemic].” Human beings are social creatures who crave connection and pleasure and who cannot always minimize danger. Rather than viewing each possible means of COVID-19 spread and each COVID-19 related issue with an equal amount of fear and anxiety, we should be focused on the select few major issues that will lead to the most influential results. Our attention should be devoted to increasing mask compliance, supporting research efforts on new COVID-19 variants and addressing the rising mental health concerns, pandemic fatigue and suicide rates happening across the U.S are the important. Splitting this limited concern with a few cases in New Zealand that are being handled to the best of the country’s ability is simply not logical.
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14 Opinions
26 February 2021 Red & Black
Disney Falls Short Combatting Oppression
Courtesy Sky News
Xinjiang police detain uighur muslims in China, preparing them for time in a vocational camp.
Paul Collier Red & Black Editor
While President Trump can easily be called a fascist, people became too comfortable making holocaust and Hitler comparisons during his administration. This is not claiming that anyone should downplay any of the atrocities committed, such as the detention of children at the USA-Mexico border, but that the horrors the Jewish people faced in a widespread genocide do not deserve to be lessened by being compared to the
strife of any other group. Yet, Disney actress Gina Carano, looking to be the next in line to compare modern problems to the Jewish persecution, was recently fired for comparing the perceived censorship of Republicans to the discrimination Jews faced in the holocaust era. Disney firing her is a good decision, as these comparisons should not be used freely. However, where there is oppression of any kind occurring, one step in the right direction is not good enough, and one good action by Disney in confronting someone disrespecting oppression does not make up for their filming of Mulan in Xinjiang, where Uighur peoples have been oppressed by the Chinese government. More than one million Uighurs have been interred in what the
Chinese government call Vocational Education and Training Centers, where this Turkish-Muslim group is being forced into Chinese culture and practices. Disney’s lead actress for Mulan, Liu Yifei, also stated that she was pro-Hong Kong police, as the city struggled against the Chinese government for autonomy. Yet Disney overlooked this oppression. They ignored calls to recast Mulan or move the filming site and went as far as thanking eight government groups that have enabled or caused this oppression in Xinjiang in the movie’s credits. Disney, and any company affiliating themselves with oppression, still must do better. Dismissing Carano is a step in the right direction, but the corporation is far from perfect, and its past mistakes
cannot be so quickly forgotten. In the face of calls for Disney to change its practices in filming Mulan, they confidently gave praise to those whose oppression they enabled and endorsed through continuing to work alongside them, and in dismissing Carano, they confidently gained praise for removing one problematic actress from her position. Disney simply cannot have it both ways. They must gain enough perspective to understand that this single dismissal following the Mulan scandal does not and should not foster faith from the general public that their policies are improving, and they will have to work harder to convince the public that they truly want to represent themselves as a corporation not enabling any form of oppression.
26 February 2021
Red & Black
Opinions 15
Neurodivergence Needs Normalized in Hollywood Paul Collier Red & Black Editor
On the surface, requiring movies to cast actors with neurodivergence to play characters with the same neurodivergence is a great thing. It will improve diversity in Hollywood and enable talented neurodivergent individuals to play the roles they should have already earned had they not been reduced by the neurotypical Hollywood elite. However, it may also
be problematic to force diversity where diversity is abnormal. This is seen in movies like Sia’s “Music.” Her representation of neurodivergent and autistic people is disrespectful, and it would become more problematic if she had forced actual autistic people to play in these roles. Sure, they could deny or boycott her film, but her film is only a symptom of the larger issue: representation in Hollywood is still overwhelmingly incorrect. At this point, forcing neurodivergent actors into films that don’t represent them properly is going to do more harm than good as it overwhelmingly reinforces dangerous
depictions and stereotypes in an even more direct manner by having actual neurodivergent actors in these roles. As such, more work is needed than a simple mandate for diverse casting. Scriptwriters and directors have to continue to improve their neurodivergent characters and include neurodivergent writers so the characters become accurate representations that will advance a beneficial understanding of neurodivergent peoples. Recently, I saw posts that praised the Percy Jackson series’ representations of those with dyslexia for allowing them to thrive despite the neurodivergence. And while this representation is better
than most, it is still problematic. The characters are literally the children of gods, beings that exist on a plane higher than anyone else in the world. While it’s great to see neurodivergent people represented as such, we still need more accuracy. We need to see representations of everyday neurodivergent people, that aren’t elevated or demeaned, but allowed to be treated and represented completely normally in their neurodivergence. Then they can begin hiring actors into the roles they deserve and the characters they should be portraying and then they can create a Hollywood that actually represents the people it claims to be acting like.
Courtesy Billboard
Sia releases her movie “Music,” which has recently come under fire for its problematic portrayal of autistic people.
16 Opinions
Red & Black
26 February 2021
Abby Norman Fights Dangerous Health Norms Akansha Das Red & Black Staff
“Ask Me About My Uterus” is a short yet beautiful and heartbreaking novel about author Abby Norman’s story of her gynecological pain, her endometriosis diagnosis and her journey to better interpreting and understanding her body. While doing so, she touches on so many issues that marginalized genders and people with vaginas face in healthcare from needing male advocates to be taken seriously to having their reproductive abilities prioritized over their health to simply not being believed in the patient room. Any healthcare professional serving women and marginalized genders will tell you that many of their patients often feel they aren’t believed or taken seriously. Norman touches on how this problem stems from ancient gender stereotypes that women are “hysterics” who couldn’t handle a little pain. In the 1800s, hysteria became a “catch-all” diagnosis for any pain among women that couldn’t be explained and was even a medical synonym for “affluent white-lady boredom.” Flashing forward to today, Norman explains how this belief causes conditions related to women’s pain such as endometriosis, bladder pain syndrome and fibromyalgia to have extensively long diagnosis times. Norman’s explanations of how ageold social notions impact healthcare of those groups today is just one of the most brilliant features of her novel. Her seamless integration and descriptions can be found throughout her book from her numerous literary allusions to Greek mythology to the
history of endometriosis being used to victim blame women for not having children. One of the most touching aspects of the book for me was Norman’s discussion of pain. As someone living with endometriosis, she accounts her tumultuous journey - saying she has now reached a point where she understands that some days will be more painful than others and instead views the sensation as a signal from her body. She discusses many facets of pain from the fact that dyspareunia (pain during sex) wasn’t taken seriously or prioritized during patient visits because of stigmas around sex to how men are more likely to receive medications because they are expected to remain stoic in the face of pain which makes women seem “weak” in comparison. Norman does not simply stick to physical pain but integrates the way the physical abuse and pain from her childhood left deep emotional scars in her today. The eating disorders she developed affected her ability to feel comfortable buying food and taking care of herself and the emotional abandonment she got from her closedoff parents and abusive grandmother affected her relationships and comfort with other people. In this way, Norman provides such a raw and authentic account of pain. Rather than painting a rosy and linear picture of her journey with pain, she emphasizes how her pain is still something that comes and goes and that she struggles with daily. In this way, “Ask Me About My Uterus” has something for everyone - whether you are looking for validation for your pain, information about gender health disparities, or a true story of inspiring yet the difficult physical and emotional survival.
Courtesy Village Soup
Abby Norman poses for a picture with Village Soup magazine in which she discusses improving health literacy.
sports
26 February 2021
Red & Black
17 Sports
Sidney Crosby Plays His 1000th Game
Courtesy NHL.com
Sidney Crosby appears in his 1000th game.
John Kiebler Red & Black Staff
This past Saturday, Feb. 24, Pittsburgh Penguins long-time Captain Sidney Crosby played in his 1000th career
game. It was a special night for the Penguins star to say the least. Before the game, all 20 players who dressed for the game circled Crosby as his longest-tenured teammates, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, presented him with a special hockey stick and photo commemorating his long and successful career. The Penguins did
not show much life in the first period of the game. However, despite being outshot 16-4, the game remained scoreless after one period. After Letang scored the game’s first goal, New York responded with two goals of their own, taking a 2-1 lead going into the third. However, thanks to two assists from Crosby and in-
credible goaltending from Pittsburgh’s goalie Tristan Jarry, the Pens fought back to topple the Islanders 3-2 in a special game for Crosby. Pittsburgh sits at 10-6-1 - third in the East - and look to keep their momentum as they end February with three big games against the Capitals, and two more against the Islanders.
18 Sports
Red & Black
26 February 2021
W&J Wrestling Season Canceled
Courtesy gopresidents.com
Daniel Choi ‘22 battles it out on the mat.
Alexandra Wagner Red & Black Staff
With the pandemic still in full swing almost a year after its rocky beginnings, it is unfortunate to see a multitude of different sports and activities getting changed, or even worse, cancelled. While many of the Washington & Jefferson College athletes are lucky to have a potential season this fall, the wrestlers this year sadly cannot say the same. In early Febuary, the Presidents
Athletic Conference (PAC) made the announcement that all wrestling events would be canceled due to the fear of Covid-19 spreading. It is no surprise that this occurred, given the proximity of the players during the intimate sport. However, it is still sad to see these men lose out on a season they worked so hard for, especially after winning the conference title in 2020. Junior Vinnie Catania was devastated to learn his third year of wrestling for W&J was taken from him. “I was disappointed that the season ended so abruptly because we (the team) worked so hard in the off season and even during quarantine doing
zoom workouts to get in shape and get ready to wrestle for the PAC title again” shared Catania. Catania feels even worse for one wrestler in particular, given this was his last chance to compete as a college athlete. “I feel bad for Daniel Florentine, the only senior on the team. He had no way of knowing which match would be his last for Washington and Jefferson” said Catania. On a more positive note, the whole team is still able to practice daily, even if no national championship is in sight. The boys have kept each other motivated as best as possible, given the circumstances. Their coach still encour-
ages the boys to work on themselves and most importantly stay healthy for the remainder of the school year. Although they are not competing, the wrestlers will still be regularly tested for the virus, in order to keep themselves and their fellow students as healthy as possible. Overall, the situation may seem bleak, but the juniors have tried their hardest to keep their younger teammates excited and ready for the season next year. The team may have lost out on a 2021 season, but there is no doubt they will come in next school year, ready and hungry for that PAC title once again.
26 February 2021
Red & Black
26 Sports
Off-Campus W&J Athletes Speak Out
Courtesy gopresidents.com
Alexandra Wagner ‘22 eyes up her putt for birdie.
Alexandra Wagner Red & Black Staff
With all the trials and tribulations that the year 2020 and now 2021 has brought us, sports on every level have been greatly affected. At Washington & Jefferson College, the normality of Division III sports has been completely flipped around. While many student athletes have opted to come back to campus, quarantine and all, some students did not have that luxury and were forced to stay home. A few were able to commute and still legally participate in their respective sport, but
many at home live too far and were denied access to their own team and facilities. The smaller teams seem to be the ones who are hurting the most from these rules and regulations, as the lack of participants leaves their team feeling empty. Most notably, the men’s and women’s golf team has suffered the most from these Covid times. Originally starting with five players, the women’s team has been left with only three on campus. This means they cannot qualify to compete as a team in the President’s Athletic Conference (PAC) this fall. Of the remaining golfers, captains Alexandra Wagner and Emily Figliolia, have chosen to play as individuals for this fall season in hopes of still
earning a trophy for the school. Sophomore Madison Butler has also opted to play as an individual this semester. One of the new freshmen, Esha Vaidya, was unable to return or commute this year, but wishes her fellow teammates the best of luck. “It has definitely been tough being at home as an athlete, knowing that I am not able to practice and train with the rest of my team. I still try to keep my game sharp by going to the indoor range near my house a couple times a week. If I’m too busy to do that, I will even just try to get in a quick YouTube workout in my room - anything to keep myself active helps,” shares Vaidya. On the men’s team, freshman Harry Hamlin has also opted to stay
home in Pittsburgh, Pa. He too wishes he could compete, but knows virtual school is the best option for him this semester. “I really want to take this time I have to focus on school and improving my golf game. Remote learning helps me focus a lot more on my school, but I can’t wait to get back on the course when it’s finally warm enough. I also can’t wait for next semester to be back on the course with my team,” Hamlin states. Overall, both teams are just grateful to have a season to look forward to. Knowing they have support from their fellow teammates from all over encourages them to work harder and hopefully win the PAC title.
20 Sports
Red & Black
26 February 2021
Last Week’s Scores Feb. 19 Women’s Swimming and Diving vs. Grove City: 92-124 L Women’s Basketball at Thiel: 77-38 W
Feb. 20 Men’s Water Polo vs. Gannon: 10-14 L Women’s Basketball vs. Franciscan: 78-52 W
Feb. 23 Men’s Swimming and Diving at St. Vincent: 72-168 L Swimming and Diving at St. Vincent: 72-168 L
Next Week’s Games
Courtesy GoPresidents.com
Feb. 26 Women’s Volleyball at Grove City: 7:45 PM
Feb. 27 Men’s Water Polo Conference Tournament Men’s Basketball vs. Waynesburg: 1:00 PM Women’s Basketball at Waynesburg: 1:00 PM
Mar. 1 Swimming and Diving PAC Conference Championship
Mar. 3 Men’s Basketball at Grove City: 7:00 PM Courtesy GoPresidents.com