REFINE Magazine Fall/Winter 2021: The Cyber Issue by REFINE Magazine

REFINE

THE THE CYBER CYBER ISSUE ISSUE

ERROR :// cyber shoot on pg. 19

FRONT-OF-BOOK // Pg. 4

THE MINE // Pg. 12

MAIN CAMPUS // Pg. 42

table of contents - the cyber issue 2

ERROR :// back to the 70s on pg. 34

ERROR :// i-GF on pg. 52

MESSAGE: Behind the Cover

Conceptualized by Art Director Haley Domzalski and Fashion Director Dané Simms, the cyber issue cover shoot draws inspiration from Y2K cyber-core and 90s R&B girl groups. Styled in monochromatic white ensembles, the Cyber Shoot transports you through time, code, and space to a place inspired by the “backrooms”: where reality can be anything you want it to be.

://Special thanks to our models: Garrett Ricigliano, Simone Ruth, Sarah McDuff, and Kobe Whitaker

REFINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF... Rebekah Harding FOUNDER... Sarah Madaus MANAGING EDITOR... Milly McKinnish SENIOR EDITOR... Samantha Roehl | Editorial | FEATURES EDITOR... Raven Lawson CULTURE EDITOR... Gionna Kinchen LOVE EDITOR... Bryanna Santos FASHION EDITOR... Molly Reinhard HEALTH EDITOR... Kendra Franklin FRONT-OF-BOOK EDITOR... Camillia Benjamin COPY EDITORS... Lydia Davidheiser, Taylor Johnson

| Visuals | ART DIRECTOR... Haley Domzalski DESIGN EDITOR... Nicole Hwang ASST. DESIGN EDITORS... Juliana DiCesare, Sophie Powell

FASHION DIRECTOR... Dané Simms | Social Media and Business | SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR... Tonja Butler ASST. SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR... Clare Sykes TREASURER... Peace Okiye A special thanks to our staff writers, and editorial, digital, and visuals contributors

WHO WE ARE -

We love you, but we have no qualms about giving it to you straight.

Fashion Director Dané Simms with cover shoot models on set

ED’S NOTE Oh, you’re back? What a semester it’s been. I, along with the rest of the REFINE team, can attest that this fall was one of the hardest production seasons, both as a team and for each of us personally, in our four years in publication. And I’m sure you, reader, could say the same. As we mustered the energy to tackle our forth pandemic-semester, many of us tackled mental health dilemmas, burnout, lack of inspiration, and the overall frustration of starting another year without seeing each other face to face. But here we are, persisting.

In this issue, we tackle all things internet culture inspired by the cybercore aesthetic of Y2K girl groups and tech, the Cyber issue feels like home to As we bring out this issue, this time digitally and in with pride and gratitude for each and every one of meetings with a 13-hour time difference between Philadelphia and my dorm room in South Korea during my semester abroad to pulling together three fantastic photoshoots in just a couple of weeks, the dedication that this team has shown is something I

I want to especially thank Managing Editor Milly McKinnish for her years of hard work on the

Rebekah Harding, EIC

Tonja, TU ‘22 Social Media Director

Tonja Butler, a senior advertising major, has led our social media team for two years. From picking the gagement, she’s done it all. Our front-of-book editor, Camillia Benjamin, sat down with Tonja to chat more about her role. CB: This is your second year as REFINE’s social media director and due to COVID, we’ve been operating remotely the entire time— what’s it like handling all our social media and promotional operations remotely?

CB: Has the global switch to remote work affected your career path or professional goals? As a social media team member, what does that look like for you and your position?

CB: Do you have any unpopular opinions about social media culture? What are they?

Doing social media as a career, do you have any tips regarding taking a step back from social media? How do you combat social media burnout?

CB: Any social media faux pas or pet peeves that get under your skin? TB: Definitely when people post too much of what’s going on their life instead of just being present. A lot of content is overwhelming. But if you don’t like it, you can unfollow that person. So I live with that mentality.

themine & culture&&fashion&health && love

theriseofthemicrocelebrity

byUmeSarfaraz

image courtesy of Kristen Valenti

Anyone with a functioning phone and an internet connection can become -

and inform their audience of correct encers showed their support by posting been used to document her teen years -

to understand what she can incorporate

a i identifying c e l

They are not wrong.

byraymaabdallah

The internet has a funny way of making people feel like

under that post agreed with

The original author of the a result of their loneliness. Not having support or any

deny that the stories shared are resentment.

lives around the world.

admitted to wanting to harm

their way.

a note from the editors: this article contains graphic depictions of violence and threats of physical harm by incels that may be disturbing to some readers

zillennials zillennials

tornbetweentwogenerationsbymiaparker Have you ever heard the term

makes it so that there is no true

Millennials grew up with than that of

Temple alumna Magalie Kalukula

Millennials feel as though they are just

media. something very different from what Kalukula said.

theforgottengeneration 16

A digital idea comes to life By: Joey Lomorticello

The effects of fast fashion are continuing to grow everyday, but digital fashion is here to restore hope and introduce the world to a new way of fashion.

If you spend a lot of time on the fashion side of TikTok, it is likely that you have seen a handful of creators wear dark colors and tactical gear. Usually tagged with #techwear, these accounts have only gotten more popular over the years, as social media has made the aesthetics more accessible. -

“This time it isn’t about escapism but the fear of living in the present,” said Tynan. “It is as if fashion consumers are drawn to these military-techo garments because they are projecting into a violent alienating future. The future looks bleak.

categories: techwear, warcore, and darkwear. Techwear, as an aesthetic, trades in functionality and utility. Techwear clothing is usually waterproof, adjustable, and full of pockets. “I would describe techwear as a fashion style that is supposed to keep you warm, dry, comfortable, and [is] helpful for any type of weather,” said Sarah Zerrou, whose TikTok

ent compared to the mainstream fashion of the day (Y2K, academia, and ‘90s revival, just to name a few). These aesthetics

are mainly black but don’t always have to be. They usually have many pockets and adjustable straps.”

to mess with me when I’m dressed like this,” said Rae.

that are both militaristic and futuristic. “‘Warcore’ follows on from the post-1960s rise of streetwear and military-inspired clothing,” said Dr. Jane Tynan, Assistant Professor of Design History and Theory at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. “In youth-orientated fashion, these

and anxieties.” In addition to being a powerful statement and a popular

current pop culture movement. “Being a woman myself, I live in a big city, I really love dressing in this style because it helps me feel powerful, it

@saraxssz

of risk and transgression.” the umbrella of “techwear” is darkwear. There is some question as to whether darkwear should even be included in this aesthetic grouping at all. Inspired by designers Yohji Yamamoto and Rick Owens, darkwear is more avant garde with lots of layering and draping. “I think people were afraid to use the term ‘warcore,’ which I understand is a very polarizing term,” said Taylor Rae, who runs @imtaylorrae on TikTok and has over 368k followers. “So I think people saw this style of clothing called ‘darkwear,’ heard the name, and went ‘Oh, this just means dark clothing,’ and decided to adopt the term when actually darkwear is a very beautiful, very expressive trend of fashion all on its own that I think is a little misunderstood.” cation of military aesthetics. During the Vietnam War, young people wore military coats and jackets as anti-war statements, but over the past couple decades, military-inspired clothing has become more mainstream and a popular form of escapism. Warcore, however, pushes past the boundaries of “military chic” back into a countercultural moment.

@saraxssz @saraxssz

@imtaylorrae

PHOTOGRAPHED BY Haley Domzalski STYLED BY Dané Simms MODELED BY Sarah McDuff, Garrett Ricigliano, Kobe Whitaker and Simone Ruth

A RIPER PEACH The most dangerous cosmetic procedure is growing in patients and death, so what is the driving force behind the surgery?

By: Hadiyah Muhammad Living in a society that survives on in-

*A pseudonym has been used to protect Alyssa’s identity.

It’s Not Just You

Struggling to focus? Keep Procrastinating? You may be suffering from “Pandemic Brain”

By Brianna Bowers Since coming back from online classes, many students have felt some form of burn out where they forget necessary topics, procrastinate a little more, or have increased anxiety and depression. This comes from the phenomenon currently known as “pandemic brain.” This happens when the body has suffered from too much stress, especially over a long period of time. Since the start of the pandemic, many students have been faced with different challenges. The challenge between balancing health and schoolwork while also staying inside became a hardship. Still, students were able to adapt to the adjustment overtime. During this past semester, there were a variety of different schedules students could have: all in-person, in-person/asynchronous, or all on Zoom. Regardless of the instructional method, most, if not all students, were back on campus. All these factors combined have caused students to experience “pandemic brain,” in which the added pressure of in-person classes has resulted in overwhelming stress. Many students have started to witness within themselves that they are either not doing as well as they have in the past, or they’re changing their goals because of the increased depression and anxiety. This has become a common part of living through this pandemic, where there will be ways to manage any obstacle. Alexa Smith, a senior studying communications, has had her own experiences with “pandemic brain” by doing the bare minimum for their online classes and continuously procrastinating. “Anything this semester, or going forward, like if something requires work… I do not want to do it,” they said.

completely since coming back in person. Overstimulation has also served to be an issue through “pandemic brain,” where Alexa answered “absolutely” when asked if she felt this.

the aspect of having no time. “I have had a few more mental breakdowns than I would like to admit,” she said. “I am more stressed about what I have to get from here to here, and what to do in this amount of time.” Emma mentions that with the added stress, she feels as if she has no time compared to when everyone was online. When she was able to do everything at home, there was simply more time. There also comes stress with majors themselves and the demand that comes with them in general. Julianna Davis, a junior biology major, has started to feel the pressure that comes with their major, as they have already been burned out from the past year and a half of online school. Now, they face the current demands their new professors bring, which has also led to an increase in depression. “One thing with depression is that it’s hard to take care of yourself,” they said. “Being in person makes it even harder to take care of yourself because you all of a sudden have these expectations.” Through the minds of these students, they have all come to the same conclusion: it has become harder to manage their own lives and education with a “pandemic brain.” While not many know how to work with it, students are able to agree that they need to work around the issue. Some coping mechanisms that students have used to aid their stress involve distracting themselves with hobbies, such as watching television, going outside, and cooking. “Pandemic brain” has become a normal phenomenon amongst students and others that is completely okay to acknowledge and be open about. Everyone may endure different obstacles, but some conclusions are the same. As long as students them to handle it, “pandemic brain” will soon become part of the few years students have undergone.

For other students, such as Emma Williams, a junior political

s p p A g n i t a D The Official Guide to “How To” and “How To Not”

By:KaitlynHoey

Dating is complicated Bios

Photos

Locations -

Safety

ONLINE LOVE LANGUAGES Cyber Dating and New Age Communicating

By: Samantha Brennan

The times have changed. Phones are credit

“A thirst trap is a sexy photo posted on social media to attract attention,” according to dictionary.com.

cards. iPads are notebooks. Dating is digital.

impressions, the higher their chances are at winning.

them.”

LoveontheLine

How are you dealing with online love? By: Kendra Franklin It’s 2021, meaning that pretty much everyone knows at least

dating for a year and a half before getting into a relationship.

it was through a dating app (like Tinder or Hinge) or through social media (via sliding into DMs).

Now that Johnson has entered the online dating world again after breaking up with her Bumble beau, she has a new perspective on how to navigate through dating apps.

who this person is or what they are like by scrolling through were very nice.” Johnson was pleasantly surprised at the amount of fun she had on these dates, stating that they weren’t creepy and the chemistry was good with all three dates. ing single. “I had just gotten out of a pretty bad relationship,” Gill said.

After only a week, Gill matched with a guy who connected with photos. From there the conversation quickly traveled to Instagram DMs, then to Discord. After another week, the two were ready to meet.

Despite the fun she’s been having while online dating, Johnson has recently found herself meeting people in person more often.

apps,” Johnson said. “Recently, I haven’t been on [dating apps] a lot.” with dating apps, they both gave their own advice to those in search of love online.

was like a week after we started to talk, so it was really soon.” This date turned into a relationship that is approaching its third anniversary. “We’ll talk about how we met on Tinder and it’s like ‘what the heck,’” Gill said. “We have such a close connection to each other and he really is my best friend. To think that I met someone like that on just some silly, stupid dating app is so crazy to me.” Most users of dating apps have not had Gill’s luck. Like Sarah line dating world in her freshman year of college. that it was easier to start talking to people that way,” Johnson said.

looking for,” Johnson said. “It can be really awkward because I know I hate asking people that or when I get asked that.” “one.” “If you’re not comfortable from the beginning, then take trying to be or act like somebody that you’re not before meeting them...I’d say to kind of take that as ‘maybe this is not the right person for me.’” No matter if you are in search of a partner online or are just looking for something casual, maintaining boundaries and dating.

Johnson primarily uses Tinder and Bumble, and happened to *A pseudonym has been used to protect Johnson’s identity. found her current boyfriend after a week, Johnson was online

The OnlyFans Boom Inside the complex world of OnlyFans with creator Sapphire and Dr. Renata Pontes by Vriddhi Vinay

There is discourse on how sex workers are scrutinized to the bottom tier of society due to fairly recent notions of sexual modesty. There is discourse on how Black women and women of color often have to heavily reclaim their own sexuality from how it has been exploited and used as a beacon of control due to racial and colonial history. Human sexuality is complex and thankfully we have scholars to help us understand the theory behind the politics of sexual liberation behind our screens. Dr. Renata Pontes, an adjunct instructor at Temple University’s Gender Sexuality and Women’s Studies department, is an expert in understanding human sexuality, and in her research, applies it to 21st-century cyberscapes. The rising popularity of OnlyFans, according to Pontes, falls in line with the way social construction works in our society. “We do not completely live in a society with absolute agency and free will because we are immersed in a society A woman choosing to use this platform to sell pornographic and personal content is a very complex issue. Because in a capitalist society women’s safety is tied to en in the margins of society, who may be facing many intersecting socio-economic forms of oppression, enter sex work careers out of it being a dream career or out of need. Still, she says this from a perspective of support. She elaborated that in a society where many women’s choices do not exist in a vacuum due to survival in the current economic climate, she is glad there are avenues like OnlyFans, where women get to control pornographic production and sexual perception of their bodies. According to Pontes, we should not moralize sex work. “We should treat it as another job, and it is a complex de-

minating all Not Safe For Work content but quickly rolled back on the decision after seeing a rapid drop in their client base — a drop that Sapphire also noticed. OnlyFans accumulated wealth off of the hard work of sex workers at the top of its privatized institution of power, which went into the pockets of Leonid Radvinsky, a straight, white male who considered betraying the workers who made the OnlyFans boom happen. However, Sapphire, a worker no matter how sexual culture really grateful for sex work and how integrated it is in her life At the same time, she cautions against getting into sex work based on the idea that it will be easy money. Sexiness is not Fans accounts, they have a built-in audience that migrates to the platform with them. Everyone else has to work from the bottom up. “Do you have stage presence? Are you ready to do your research? Are you ready to put in an incredible amount of time She wasn’t kidding. Sapphire had an enchanting presence and the interview herself, predicting and answering parts of questions before I could even list them.

importantly protect queer women, drag queens, and trans Dr. Pontes’s main concern about consumption culture was more so “related to the exploitation of desire and pleasure of bodies because it is dangerous when it is part of private In my interview with Sapphire, she explained the percentage that OnlyFans would take out from her earnings and how laborious content creation actually is as some of the largest drawbacks. OnlyFans takes 20% out of every subscription Sapphire and other creators receive. Sapphire also puts more work in than people assume: she calculated that she spends about 50 hours a week total to also manage “the music, the styling, the ideas, the perSapphire wears many hats in her own work’s production to acquire the subscription size she has. Again, sex work is work. In late August 2021, OnlyFans’s owner considered ter-

photographed by aidan cunningham modeled by aarushi sharma

MAIN CAMPUS 42

Feminism and the Creatives By: Mya McKeown Many Gen Z students remember getting iPads or the laptop cart from their time in school. Our generation grew up alongside technology and social media. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube became popularized and helped shape our perceptions of the world and ourselves. But back in the 1990s, when phones were shaped like bricks and personal computers just became popular, a new interpretation of feminism called cyberfeminism came about. Introduced by Donna Haraway in her 1985 essay “The Cyborg Manifesto,” cyberfeminism addresses the connection between power structures and systemic oppression. “Haraway’s writing also talks about how technology blurs many lines and allows people to reject the binary thinking created by our society and history,” Dr. Erin Pauwels, an Assistant Professor of Art History in the Tyler School of Art at Temple University, said. Similarly, post-feminism revives these ideas and applies them to social media as well. Pauwels points out the multitude of examples like sexual harassment, privacy, and protection on social media. Many modern artists incorporate technology into their art in

and a poet by choice.” For her various creative projects, she uses cameras, photo and video editing software, and social media to share her art (@ketfolio). Ray Lapinski, a senior advertising major in the art direction track, uses many mediums to create and share his work. He makes everything from jewelry to collages to posters. It can @skullduggerystudio. At Temple, many artists utilize their art for activism. Martin calls herself “an artvist,” which combines activist and artist. She believes that politics is a part of the human experience and transcends the “democrat” or “republican” parties. “Art always has the context of something political,” Martin said. “How we create is, really, how we believe.” Lapinski has faced the duality of experiencing toxic masculinity and implicit homophobia. He uses his art to educate others on said topics. “My art is a narrative of my life experience,” Lapinski said.

images courtesy of Kate Martin

its ability to generate emotion, but those emotions must be backed up by actions. Martin and Lapinski understand that it

takes more than simple creativity to fuel actual change. For Skullduggery Studio, Lapinski established a donation policy each quarter where he donates 5 percent of the Anakbayan USA, a national Filipino youth organizapaigns and uses her spare time to help with events. Social media and creating art can sometimes make people feel like they contribute more than they actually do. As a result, many people struggle with being performative activists or feeling helpless. Some say that performative activism comes from lazithe importance of regularly supporting causes: “there’s

a level of longevity necessary for activism, and your activism needs to be based on habits,” Lapinksi said. Others stress the importance of opening lines of communication, whether that be through art or other avenues. “If you have something to say: then say it. If you’re an artist and you see something you don’t like: say something. If it’s not said, then it’s not gonna be heard,” Martin said.

ANGEL JOHNSON

CTRL ALT Features writer Laila Samphilipo spoke with cybersecurity specialist, investor, director of the Guap Foundation, and Temple alumna Angel Johnson, to learn the basics of cryptocurrency.

Q: What is a cryptocurrency, and how does it work?

Q: How does one invest in cryptocurrency?

A: It’s a digital currency. You’re able to exchange it, mine it, stake it, as well as buy things with it. All of the transactions decentralized piece that makes it really attractive, originally, to people who didn’t want to have all of their account inforly grown into something much more than that. Q: What should one look for in a cryptocurrency before investing? A: Most of the coins are backed by a particular project or team, so you can always research those coins. Let’s take, [for example], Litecoin, a very popular coin. That particular coin has a foundation, people associated with that foundation, goals for the project, and goals for the coin. There are many types of coins, but I would recommend doing your research before you really jump in and start investing. Q: What do you personally look for in a coin before investing? A: I look into the project background, founder, and governors/directors on the project, as well as their mission before acquiring coins.

A: There are many apps and over 400 exchanges that allow you to buy various types of cryptocurrency coins. CoinMarketCap has a lot of really valuable information if you are a newer user looking to invest and learn more. On of crypto and the exchanges where you’re able to purchase the various types of coins. The only tricky thing is that not all coins can be purchased on all exchanges. Once you do the purchase that coin. Q: What are the risks associated with investing in cryptocurrency? A: Crypto, out of all the types of investments, is very volatile. That’s what some people like about it. For some people, it’s what they don’t like about it. I think Bitcoin is a really good example of that, where some days it’s $40,000, and some days it’s $55,000. If you’re heavily leveraged in that particular coin, then it gets a little complicated, and you get a little nervous. [So] do the research, start small, and buy a few Q: What’s the future of cryptocurrency? A: I feel like there’s going to be even more coins and even more opportunities to invest. I think the future is bright for cryptocurrency. I do see more regulation. I also see more and

DEPOSIT more countries stepping up and claiming to have crypto as one of their main sources of currency. We’re already seeing a lot of movement in Venezuela and other countries stepping up and accepting Bitcoin. Q: What can you buy with cryptocurrency? A: This is my favorite topic. I’ll speak about what I’ve bought: children’s books, earrings, clothes, hair oil, face fascinating. There’s a lot of businesses that are popping up right now that are only accepting cryptocurrency. *To learn more about Angel Johnson and Guapcoin, check out REFINE’s blog.

image courtesy of angel johnson

SLACK Writer Jordan Manson describes her experience and frustration with performative activism on social media

Ignorance is bliss— except for when my whole Instagram feed is a bunch of black squares in honor of #BlackoutTuesday. What I really needed on June 2, 2020 were the Black community, with two or three posts dedicated to Black joy sprinkled in. As social activism has picked up speed on the internet in recent years by educating on issues and providing helpful resources, “slacktivism” has become a developing issue.

TIVISM Slacktivists, or those who participate in this lazy form of to support a cause when it’s considered a trend, only to forget about it later. Speaking up when you don’t care does more harm than good. Sure, you may think that by posting a black square for #BlackoutTuesday you’re showing that you stand in unity with the Black community, but if the activism stops there it appears performative. As a Black woman, I’m not afraid to admit that for a second, I was fooled by it, too. However, what you’re failing to see is that even though you’ve deleted your black square after a week of it messing up your Instagram feed, my community and I are still facing the same injustices. That black square doesn’t mean you’ve educated yourself any further on the topic so that you can make real change in the law, the school systems, or society in general. Hafeezat Bishi, a Temple University alumna with a bachpursuing her graduate degree in engagement journalism at the City University of New York. A professional in all things content creation and social activism, Bishi takes a dedicated and passionate approach to her work. “I’m not always perfect but I always know that I do everything with the best intentions and that 99 percent of the time I’m always on the right side of history,” Bishi said.

someone’s intentions are not genuine. If a person is not actively living the life that they’re preaching, oftentimes there are skeletons hiding in their closet. consistently remind herself of areas in which she can improve upon to become a better ally to minority communities. “I’m learning more by listening to the issues of other communities than commenting on them,” Bishi said. “I see them, I witness them, but because I am not them, I like to defer to them versus sharing my two sense until I have enough information.” Empathy is the catalyst for change. It is no one else’s job to educate someone or push them to take action. It has to be recognized from a place in their heart that change needs to happen, and until that epiphany happens, you do not owe your trust and vulnerability to them. “It’s about protecting your peace, it’s about protecting yourself, and it’s about protecting your community no matter the issue, because people can say one thing and then their actions will show another,” Bishi said. “There’s nothing wrong with using discernment and being protective of your own space.” Other communities’ issues are real and deserve to be addressed and supported in a genuine manner. Where do those issues lie in your day to day lifestyle?

With the knowledge, and experience, on what it actually means to be a social activist, Bishi can easily recognize when

She’s Kinda Fake

In the social media age, influencers have become an ordinary fact of life. Their 3D rendered counterparts, “virtual influencers” are also growing in number: are AI influencers the future of marketing?

By: Biljana Nedeljkovic As you’re endlessly scrolling through your Instagram feed, you recognize her. She’s always out and about, her shiny, other night she posts a picture of her plate at a restaurant you You’re on your couch, aimlessly switching between social media while she’s at a million-dollar event, smiling with her friends on her IG story. She’s rich, but not too rich that she’s unrelatable. She’s perfection itself, and as you double-tap her new post, you kind of wish you were her. One thing, though? She’s a robot.

saulted in an Uber. The video was deleted after criticism arose for using real trauma as a way to gain followers. Relatability as a marketing technique is disturbing enough when it comes from real-life celebrities, but what happens when the person we wish we could emulate is nothing but a perfectly coded fantasy? “I think that with any tool, there’s always the opportunity for someone to misuse it,” Quentin Charles Williams, adjunct professor of social media marketing at Temple, said. “So to manipulate.” Williams goes on to say that “companies are feeling the

of an episode of Black Mirror (remember that one with Miley real, and they’ve existed for years.

known globally, the most popular being Miquela Sousa (@ lilmiquela), a teenage self-titled “change-seeking robot” created in 2015 in Los Angeles. son,” except they’re created in a computer graphics software.

embody the values that the company is promoting, probably a little more seamlessly than your typical press release.” ligence to make them seem more human to consumers. “A virtual in can embody the values that the company is promoting, probably a little more seamlessly than your typical press release,” Williams said. Indeed, the marketing agency Brud has attempted to reach out to broad audiences across the political spectrum by crecounterpart, ex-Trump supporter Bermuda (@bermudaisbae).

they’re virtually made for marketing. curious, unbidden fascination. On 2016 Instagram, back when showcasing Lil Miquela’s uncanny pixel-smooth skin were simply alluring. At the time — and still today, if we’re judging by Miquela’s comment section — the main question was: “what is she?” According to HypeAuditor’s yearly report on social media six months, Lil Miquela mentioned nineteen brands she was sponsored by to her audience of three million followers. ing: an avatar made to sell a pixelated picture of the trendiest lifestyle. They don’t get old, down, or burnt out. They have no preferences or tastes (except those expressly curated for their social media attractiveness). And most importantly, they have no morals or ethics. What could go wrong? As it happens, a lot. Like when Brud, Lil Miquela’s creator company, composed a storyline aiming to make her more relatable, in which the teenager confessed to having been as-

at us in a lovely high-tech format. They’re all conventionally attractive, racially ambiguous, pre-made micro-celebrities, designed to be beautiful. Shudu Gram (@shudu.gram), whose Instagram bio idendark skin virtual model who’s appeared in Glamour Magazine and collaborated with Hypebeast. Behind the avatar, however, there is no Black model, just a white man. Cameron James-Wilson, Shudu’s creator, has built an agency full of virtual models, most of them resembling people of color. of how we will interact with one another,” notably because of how “scalable” they are. Under capitalism, advertising has become an omnipresent feature in our lives. To satisfy ever-increasing demand, could robots, reliable and eternal, become the embodiment of marketing companies? Through an innovative breakthrough in storytelling, the coded binary of desire. She’s cool, beautiful, perfect, and who doesn’t want to be? But above all, she’s the 3D epitome of

Are tattoos the new therapy session? Tattoos and other body modifications may have had different meanings throughout history, but for some people they have powerful healing benefits. By

used to mark their bodies after coming home from a long journey; to them, tattoos represented souvenirs. rich history of tattooing. Their practice, in which they mark their heads and faces to highlight their high social class, is called “Moko.” Women often also cover their faces in tattoos, than ever in recent years, as people continue to seek outlets for Individuals who get tattoos want to stand out from the crowd. They also want to add a personal touch to their bodies, whether it’s a portrait, quote, or a small delicate tattoo. These pieces can celebrate an event or commemorate a certain time in their lives. Some people love getting tattoos, and some people love giving them. Yazzie Mojo, a local tattoo artist from Philadelphia, believes tattooing is a way to express themselves. They have been since moved to their own tattoo studio in Chester, PA. ing. “I am embedding certain messages and sacred energy into their skin when I’m doing their tattoos,” said Mojo. “I am also putting protection on them as well and I look at it as art therapy.” communities can be compared to “therapy,” especially when their clients are lying down and talking about their lives, fears, and experiences. “I am known as a therapist for my clients as well when they talk about things. We have conversations about their lives and we end up building a relationship, especially for people who come back to me,” said Mojo. Mojo isn’t the only one who believes that tattooing can be therapeutic. According to Happiful.com, the brain senses a rush of

dopamine and adrenaline when anticipating a tattoo. For many people, they receive endorphins after getting a tattoo, which is that “feel good” feeling that people get after a trip to the gym. Sacha Downes, a senior political science major at Temple University, believes tattoos are a freeing form of expression that has mentally helped many people all over the world. Downes said. Downes does not overthink about the tattoos that she is getting. It is all about the process and the experience of her new ink. to me,” said Downes. as an expression of her youth. While many believe that tattoos are an expression of freedom and self expression, others modify their body as an expression of recovery. The Philadelphia Inquirer spoke to Sylvia Metzler, an 84 year-old retired nurse who lost her breasts to cancer, to talk about the meaningful body art permanently displayed on her skin. She described her tattoos as an outlet and a way to help her cope with the sadness of going through radiation, chemotherapy, and having a double mastectomy, which left her with traumatic scars. that remind her of her cancer prognosis. Metzler is just one of millions of people who use body expression, or remind themselves of a dark or special moment in their lives. While tattoos once held a controversial status in certain social groups, millions of people all over the world use their body as a canvas. Just like stretch marks, scars, or birthmarks, tattoos are used as a way to signify growth, progression, and strength.

i-GF Photographed by Sophia Rothenstein Modeled by Natalia Lewis

STUDY BREAK

All over tiktok and fanfiction websites, people are sparking ‘head canons’ in which they create alternative endings to their favorite books or movies and open a discussion of “what if?” While these head canons are unique to those who come up with them, everyone is able to join in on the conversation and add their own creativity to it. Members in the marvel comics fandom typically dominate head canons on TikTok and talk about how each movie ties into the next as the films were made to be intertwined with other films in the franchise to create one large story of the Avengers.

Kameryn Moore, a senior public relations major, said that she finds the alternative stories fascinating and it goes into a deeper conversation about “interpretation of storytelling.” The notion of understanding and different interpretations of a story is imperative to note, especially in the media. The story can be written and executed a certain way for a general understanding but there are always small hidden details that most don’t catch. Those who do catch on to them are able to take those details and essentially create think pieces on them and open the floor to a discussion about what it meant or what others interpreted it as.

by Camillia Benjamin

What if? Head canons have also been adopted by major media companies. Marvel’s new series on Disney plus “What If ” is a series that dives into what the Marvel Cinematic Universe would look like if certain things happened at specific times in the timeline or if timelines merged that wouldn’t have merged in the first place. To avoid spoilers, the trailer shows agent Peggy Carter with a shield depicting the British flag insinuating what would’ve happened if she had taken the super soldier serum Captain America took and became the British equivalent of Captain America. With all that being said, it’s clear that creators are paying attention to social media and what the fans of their content want. Justice Dyer, a sophomore communication studies and advertising major said, “head canons not only

show us the importance of being creative but show us in real time the power of social media and communications. We’re able to see how thoughts and ideas get passed from person to person in real time.” Dyer is also a Marvel fan and explained how the What If series on Disney+ was an interesting watch as she was able to see how she would’ve imagined certain characters’ interactions and what could have happened if some plot lines crossed over. Creativity is something that should be celebrated and highlighted at any given moment. The sparking of head canons on social media and it’s spread has proven that storytelling is something everyone is capable of doing and should do.

Filter Dysmorphia by Camillia Benjamin

Over the past year, the use of filters on social media has increased significantly. Some of them have been curated for women of color and others are still in the game slimming down noses and thinning lips.

One of the filters I use is the playboy bunny filter. I use it for fun not necessarily to make my appearance.

But what does that do to the self-esteem of women of color? Has anyone truly thought about how it can negatively affect them?

Instagram has gotten somewhat better about having filters that highlight women of color and their features in a positive way opposed to previous years.

Shanelle Robinson, a senior human development major, said that when she uses filters she uses ones created by Black women. “Instagram has a feature where you can go and search up filters so I look through there.”

Some filters that typically only had blue eyes have now added brown eyes and filters that typically whiten the skin have lost visibility as well.

Robinson also made a note that she hardly uses filters and most of the filters will be ones that duplicate you or add art to the post.

Sydney Noble, a senior business management major, explained that she believes “filters push this crazy ideal that you absolutely have to look a certain way to be deemed beautiful when in reality, you’re truly beautiful with and especially without them.”

I know everyone remembers that one filter on Snapchat. The infamous flower crown slimmeddown everyone’s nose but also put a pale overlay on everyone’s faces making them look lighter than what they were.

The most important thing to note is that filters are inherently built to spotlight a certain look which subsequently has a negative impact on the self esteem of those who don’t naturally have those same features.

That filter had a grip on my middle school years and for a while, I thought it was my favorite one. Looking back on those photos is jarring, to say the least.

For women of color all over, remember that your beauty is unmatched and unique to you.

Lienne Lai Hing, a senior natural science major on a pre-medical track, said when she uses filters it’s sparingly. “I use them solely for fun so I’ll find funky filters to use with bunny ears or fake tattoos, something extreme.” 58

Everyone is beautiful inside and out regardless of what social media platforms try to push on society.

REFINE Magazine Fall/Winter 2021: The Cyber Issue

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