CATALYST: 'POSITIVE', Issue 3, Volume 74

74

[catalyst] Issue 3 ↳ Positive

Penington Institute’s initiative supporting young people at risk of ice use.

Contents 6

Letter from the Editors

7

President’s Letter

8

News Updates

11

Positive Playlist

12

U=U the Future is Positive

14

Ex-Ballerina

18 Career Admiration Vs. Bad Reputation 22

Secrets to a Positive Bank Balance

24

Are you Sad, or is it SAD?

27

Ying Wang: Illustration Essay

32

Staying Positive in Politics

34

Great Barrier Reef Guardian

36

Jokes on You

38

You’re Too Nice

40

AB Postive

42

ros[e] tinte[d]

44

Law of Attraction



46 Ocean’s 8: Rebooting Girl Power at the Cinema 48

Conundrums with Simsational

50

The Snack

52

Burnt Light

↳ Fion Koh @feeyonn

Contributors Catalyst Issue 3 2018 Established in 1944

Contact rmitcatalyst@gmail.com rmitcatalyst.com RMIT Building 57, Level 4, Room 22 Editors Kasia Kosidlo Campbell Mowat Olivia Morffew Graphic Designer Lachlan Richards Typeface Brunswick Grotesque

By Dennis Grauel Basis Grotesque

By The Entente Social Media Portia Sarris Lucie Davies

News William Ton Meg Sydes

Back Cover Portia Sarris @portiasplace_

Film, Culture & Music Samuel Harris

Editorial Committee Jesse Burns Bella Cameron Claire Ciantar Lisa Divissi Ivana Domic Anthony Furci Maeve Kerr-Crowley Cameron Magusic Elizabeth Maidment Georgia Marchesi Rachel Merritt Kristen Pegoraro Julia Pillai Teja Pothumerthi Giulia Raneri Sarah RobinsonHatch Stephen Smit Jasmine Wallis Simone West Meg Whitfield Gracyn Willoughby

Video Edward James Claudia Tilley Cataclysm EP Jasmine Mee Lee AP Francesca Reid Front Cover Photographer Julia Sansone @thesansberryblog Model Kaavya Sivakumar @ka.avya Stylist Holly Karas @hllykrs

Printer Printgraphics Pty Ltd 14 Hardner Road, Mount Waverley, Victoria 3149 Australia P: 9562 9600 Special Thanks To Sydney Road Brunswick Association, Primary Sponsor Catalyst acknowledges that this magazine was produced on the stolen land of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their elders, both past and present. We also acknowledge the traditional custodians of all the lands from where the stories and artworks were sourced.

Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

5

Kasia Kosidlo Campbell Mowat Olivia Morffew

Letter From the Editors

Congratulations! You made it to another semester. Another few months of freezing cold.

Another week of class icebreakers. Another four hour break between classes thanks to the new timetabling system. Not a whole lot to look forward to is there? WRONG! Semester Two also means another issue of Catalyst has hit the stands and what better way to cure those uni-blues but with a fabulous collection of fellow student work.

If the bright colours, cheesy grins and twirly sunflowers weren’t enough of a giveaway—this issue is focused on all things positive. Ranging from groundbreaking HIV research (page 12), to achieving financial independence (page 22), to the ‘perfect’ toasted sandwich (page 50), there’s a lot in here to keep your spirits up.

But don’t worry, we get it. The world isn’t always full of rainbows and unicorns. And none of us here at Catalyst are self-help gurus trying to financially capitalise on human

emotion. In fact, some of our most positive moments come from our darkest times.

Megan Whitfield puts this idea to the test on page 36, in a superb exploration of dark humour and self-deprecation.

Ying Wang graces us with her talents once again, with her illustrations on the centrefold providing an intriguing look into the pressures of athletic performance.

And to top it all off, we welcome Olivia to her first issue as an editor! She’s an avid reader, tweeter and you can find her fangirling in the middle of a bookshop over the new releases. Get to know Liv’s powerful writing style over on page 42 with her poem ‘ros[e] tinte[d]’ (content warning).

We hope you enjoy the POSITIVE issue as much as we enjoyed making it.

Catalyst

Issue 3

Volume 74

Lots of love, Kasia, Campbell and Olivia

Positive

Abena Dove

President’s Letter

Welcome back all to Semester Two! A big welcome to new students starting with us at RMIT this semester!

RUSU has been very busy over this half of the year and working really hard on our priority list within the University. We’ve been making big strides in responding to the report by the Australian Human Rights Commission on Sexual Assault on Campus and have since had the ‘Bring in the Bystander’ and ‘Consent Matters’ Training. A total of 94 RUSU Club Leaders from 49 clubs have participated in the ‘Bring in the Bystander’ training to ensure our clubs are creating as safe an environment as possible for all their members and the broader RMIT community. I hope you’ve seen the #BeTheChange campaign that myself and other RMIT students and staff participated in all over social media.

We’re continuing to advocate in the mental health space. We have been contributing to the university’s staff training modules on dealing with students in distress, as well as various campaigns on destigmatising mental health and promoting self care. I hope you guys were able to enjoy the Chill Out Space we set up at the exam venue (as much as you can enjoy an exam venue).

Now onto the fun stuff, in Semester Two, RUSU will be launching three new Student Spaces! Coming up first we have our RUSU Games Room featuring a Poker table, Arcade Machine, Xbox and PS4. Not long after, we have the RUSU After-Dark Activity Space, where we will be able to host karaoke nights, comedy nights, live band performances, trivia nights and just good old fashioned

parties on campus! Finally, the Edible Gardens on every campus which will be launching later in the semester. Oh, and we’ll be hosting a RUSU Student Life Awards Night in August in which there will be thousands of dollars of cash prizes available to students who contribute to RMIT’s campus life and culture outside the classroom!

I’ll leave you with this message: University isn’t just about getting an education—it’s an experience, so make the most of it. You know the University experience you see in movies and TV shows—all the fun, the teamwork, the wild stories, parties, student clubs, late nights and the amazing group of lifelong friends you make? In my view, the only real way you get that experience is by getting involved the Student Union. If there is one thing I’d like you to remember, it’s that RUSU is here for you! We are your voice, your support network, and your life on campus. If times ever get tough at university, you need advice, or you just want to have some fun on campus, join us! Membership is only $10 for the year. You’ll get heaps of benefits including discounted or free entry to our events, tonnes of giveaways and a fortnightly newsletter. So what are you waiting for? Visit our information counter on your campus or go to rusu.rmit.edu.au and join today! Also, make sure you check us out on Facebook and Instagram!

7

President’s Letter

I hope to see you around, Abena Dove President RMIT University Student Union

Abena Dove

William Ton

News Updates

Timetabling Woes Not happy with your allocated classes or missed the deadline to preference them completely? Students have until 5pm on 3 August to change their class times before they’re locked in for the semester. For those wanting to add or drop classes from their courses, the system is open until 27 July to add classes and 31 August to drop classes.

Student Life Awards Recognising the outstanding contributions, big and small, that RMIT students make to university culture outside the classroom.

Scholarship prizes worth $250, $500 and $1000 are up for grabs. Applications close 30 July. For more information or to apply today, head to rusu.rmit.edu.au.

Dance Battles Show off your sweet, sweet dance moves by entering Uni Sessions 2K18 organised by RMIT’s Funkadelic Dance Club in partnership with RMIT Creative. The all-style dance competition will see 20 teams of three dance off for awesome prizes. So grab your friends and enter today!

More details can be found at the FB event.

Catalyst

Volume 74

Online Cred RMIT recently teamed up with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to allow students who undertake MIT’s microcredentials to earn academic credit to RMIT Masters degrees.

Completing a MITxMicroMasters online credential in Principles of Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management or Statistics and Data Science programs can receive credit for Masters degrees in Supply Chain and Logistics Management, Commerce, Engineering Management and Data Science.

If flexibility in learning is your thing, why not try these out?

Be the Change You may have come across RMIT’s social media posts about respectful relationships and consent. The university is nearing the halfway mark in its four year plan to reduce sexual assault and harassment at university.

The university will focus on educating students and staff on sexual assault and harassment awareness this year.

Phone Charging Stations You can keep swiping to your heart’s content, with new phone charging stations installed in Buildings 12, 16, 28, 80, 108 on City Campus, 202 in Bundoora and 514 in Brunswick.

Issue 3

Positive

9

Just a 3 minute walk from the Brunswick campus or No. 19 tram from the city President’s Letter

@sydneyroadbrunswick

@sydneyroadbrunswick

Abena Dove

www.sydneyroad.com.au

REVIEWS New music Compelling interviews Local events All by students All at rmitcatalyst.com Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

Positive Playlist 11

Psst. Pass the AUX. We’ve got the perfect playlist for all your positive needs. Whether it’s for a quick pick-me-up or a late night boogie, these tunes are sure to have you smiling from start to finish.

☛ Positive Vibrations Bob Marley and the Wailers ☛ I Wanna Dance (With Somebody) Whitney Houston ☛ Me Myself and I De La Soul ☛ Twist and Shout The Isley Brothers ☛ What a Wonderful World Louis Armstrong ☛ Girls Just Want To Have Fun Cyndi Lauper ☛ Doo Wop (That Thing) Ms. Lauryn Hill ☛ Raw Vis Vision No Zu ☛ Isn’t She Lovely Stevie Wonder ☛ Positive Affirmations (Birds) Meditation Music Zone

Positive Playlist

Julia Pillai U=U The Future is Positive HIV often conjures negativity. The grim reaper ads of the 80s and 90s reflect the stigmas which have surrounded the virus for some time.

But in 2018, the management and prevention of HIV is better than ever.

The latest research breakthrough is U=U, which stands for ‘undetectable equals un-transmittable’. An article published in The Lancet medical journal last November stated that within “three large studies of sexual HIV transmission in thousands of serodiscordant couples… not a single case of sexual transmission of HIV from a virally suppressed HIV-positive person to their HIV-negative partner was reported.”

This means that if a person living with HIV has an undetectable viral load, they will not receive HIV related complications or pass the virus on to anyone else. The Institute of Many (TIM) is a grassroots organisation for people living with HIV. TIM ran video campaigns featuring people living with HIV to educate others about U=U. “U=U is an absolute revolution,” TIM co-founder, Nic Holas said.

“You don’t want to be that person who inadvertently passes on HIV to your partner. Knowing that if you have an undetectable viral load there’s no risk of transmission is a great thing.”

Living Positive Victoria (LPV) is an organisation that provides peer support and systemic advocacy for people living with HIV. LPV Health promotion officer Timothy Krulic, says that the response from people living with HIV to U=U “depends on health literacy”.

“Some people are well educated about HIV, and for them, knowing about U=U is comforting. It takes a lot of anxiety out of their minds,” Krulic said.

“For people with lower health literacy—such as people from CALD communities, people who aren’t connected with the Queer community, or international students—U=U might be harder to understand.”

Timothy Krulic said that while the education about HIV is higher and the stigma around HIV is lower in the queer community, it is this same community “where people living with HIV experience [stigma] most”.

“For a lot of the time, when [gay and bisexual men living with HIV] experience stigma, it’s in the form of rejection and fear from partners and lovers. It’s really hard to hear from those people.”

“If a (HIV) negative person believes that they don’t know anybody living with HIV, they are wrong. They probably do know someone with HIV, they just haven’t chosen to tell you yet. So you should be aware that anything you say about HIV is going to be heard by that PLHIV (person living with HIV). They are going to believe you think that about them.”

Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

13

Timothy Krulic also thinks it is important to consider people living with HIV who are not gay or bisexual men.

“We have a small number of women who interact with Living Positive Victoria, and we are close partners with Positive Women Victoria.

Living with HIV can be isolating for women. Sometimes the health literacy can be lower if they aren’t from the queer community, especially if they are CALD. It can be scary.”

If a (HIV) negative person believes that they don’t know anybody living with HIV, they are wrong.

While the prognosis is positive for people living with HIV today, great strides are also being made to prevent HIV altogether.

Pre-exposure Prophylaxis, also known as PrEP, is a daily medication that can minimise the risk of contracting HIV. PrEP has been available in Australia through personal importation for a few years and can now be prescribed by any GP. PrEP Access Now (PAN) is an organisation that campaigns to make PrEP more accessible. PAN representative Michael Whelan says together PrEP and U=U are groundbreaking.

“Getting on board with U=U is one of the most amazing tools we have to break down stigma,” Whelan said.

“It takes the weight off them. PLHIV know that they are protecting their partners with U=U, and their partners can protect themselves by taking PrEP.” In the early days of PrEP, there was some apprehension, such as false beliefs that PrEP would lead to unsafe sex or HIV virus mutations.

“People who are advocating for PrEP are smashing down fallible misconceptions. Now [gay and bisexual men] who are not on PrEP are becoming the minority.”

Whelan also thinks it is important to think about HIV outside of the queer community.

“In a western context, about 20-30 per cent of people living with HIV are not gay or bisexual men. And outside of a western context, most people with HIV are heterosexual women,” he said.

“Talking to my family, my mum and dad, and straight friends about PrEP and HIV is important. HIV is not a gay mens’ issue. It affects us all.”

The RUSU Queer Department has ties with organisations such as Victorian Aids Council and queer health organisations. The RMIT queer department has information and brochures available in the queer lounge.

—J ulia Pillai @juliapillai City Campus Lounge: Building 5, Level 1, Room 17 Bundoora Campus Lounge: Building 202, Level 2, Room 24 Brunswick Campus Lounge: Building 515, Level 1, Room 4

U=U

Julia Pillai

Emma Sullivan

Portia Sarris @portiasplace_

ExBallerina Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

15

When I was a little kid, I would sit bare legged and wide eyed watching young Russian ballerinas on YouTube. I wanted to be just like them. Some will say I sacrificed my childhood for ballet, but to me it was worth it.

I wasn’t the most naturally gifted dancer. I scraped my way up the ranks with a lot of hard work but was far from the top.

I was so hungry for that title of ‘ballerina’ that I wasn’t phased by the many physical and mental bruises that came from 36 hours of training a week. I was counting on old sayings about hard work and success.

My ballet opportunities really opened up when I entered a competition called Youth America Grand Prix. I filmed my entry video with a stress fracture in one of my ankles—an injury I refrained from telling the committee about—which landed me a spot in their finals held in New York City. Following a series of events after the competition, I found myself on a plane to Moscow where I was to train at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. My childhood dreams were coming true.

But you know how they say love is blind? This was very much the case during my time in Moscow. Unannounced weigh-ins demanded I follow the same weight and height chart of a ten-year-old—at twice the age. 10pm curfews, catered meals that consisted of 80 per cent unidentifiable foods and an endlessly bitter winter. Warm-up clothes were forbidden during class. This included days where snow had piled into the studio from windows being left open the night before.

Despite these things, I still felt like the luckiest girl in the world for having this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Ex-Ballerina

Emma Sullivan

Now I’ve learnt to ask: how do I keep something in my life, without making it my life?

I knew my success in the industry would be limited, but I was never quite prepared for the part where I didn’t make it at all.

I started to fly to ballet companies all around Europe in search of a job. I received rejection after rejection, day after day, mostly for things I had very little control over. “2cm too short.” “Not a European citizen.” “You don’t look like your photos.” I gained stress weight, developed a serious case of uncontrollable tears and lost a sense of who I was. I felt like a failure.

I came back home empty handed, with a hole in my heart.

I had to make an adult decision and think about my long term future.

Having dedicated all my time to ballet, I had zero dollars in my account.

Once I started working, I had no time to take classes. Without my daily classes, I couldn’t maintain my technique, let alone make any progress.

It seemed like all the signs were telling me to quit completely.

Deep down I knew it was time. I had always believed that bravery meant pushing through the hard stuff no matter how tough things got. Now I could see there was just as much strength in walking away from something.

The thing about failure is that no one likes to talk about it.

Seeing all of my friends’ lives seemingly continue on without me, it felt like I was alone on this journey of misery. It felt like my identity had disappeared along with ballet. I let myself be sad for a while, but I refused to unpack and stay there.

I began rebuilding myself from the pieces that dance left me in. I made up for lost time by partying and travelling and decided to go to university. I’m pursuing a very different path now, and my experience with ballet has forced me to be conscious of balance.

I seem to go all or nothing, whether that’s study, work or play.

Now I’ve learnt to ask: how do I keep something in my life, without making it my life? When I started to think about the things that made me happy, I couldn’t help but circle back to dancing.

Despite all the hardships, I knew it gave me the biggest high.

Months after my last ballet class, I swallowed my pride and stepped back into a studio. For the first time in a long time, I danced because that’s what felt right.

— Emma Sullivan

Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

17

Ex-Ballerina

Emma Sullivan

April Austen

John Barrett

Career Admiration Vs. Bad Reputation Considering the average person will spend a third of their life at work, the connotations attached to your particular career can have a big impact on you. Some people receive gushing admiration at the mention of their occupation; others receive negative attacks on their personality.

The trustworthiness of a career is often the defining factor in determining attitudes towards all people within it. Market research company Roy Morgan conducts an annual survey into how ethical and honest professions are considered. In the most recent survey, healthcare occupations and school teachers ranked the highest. Down the bottom of the list were politicians and real estate agents, both renowned for being untrustworthy and negatively perceived.

I spoke to four individuals who love their jobs, regardless of the public perceptions they come up against. We talked about where they think the connotations attached to their profession come from and how this impacts them in their day-to-day life.

Catalyst

Volume 74

SCHOOL TEACHER Teachers, considered to be “admirable and respectable”, were rated ethical and honest by 81 per cent of respondents of the Roy Morgan survey.

“People really value the importance of teaching. It’s very powerful when people are going into a profession wanting to change lives,” high school teacher Michael Brandt said.

“Money is never a driving force behind becoming a teacher. A lot of people come into it because they had positive experiences at school. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t have a good experience with a teacher during their time at school.”

“There’s no way to escape teachers. You will always come into contact with them,” Michael added, suggesting this often leads to strong relationships between students and teachers.

However, they’re not totally in the clear and do still attract some negative connotations.

Envious remarks about long holiday periods are often the first rebuttal when teachers are negotiating for better pay and work conditions.

Despite this, Michael loves his job.

“Teaching as a profession is always well received. People respect that you’re willing to sacrifice a lot for your students.”

Issue 3

Positive

19

Career Admiration Vs. Bad Reputation

April Austen

REAL ESTATE AGENT

POLITICIAN

eal estate agents were almost at the very R bottom of the list, with only seven per cent of respondents viewing agents as being ethical or honest.

“Of course we notice the negative views. We get told,” estate agent Dean Rutland said.

“You have to have a tough skin. There’s a perception that we’re all driving BMWs and making $500k a year but it’s not true.”

“A lot of young people see it as an easy career but it’s actually quite difficult, especially at the start. There are long hours and a lot of door-knocking to get your name out there, otherwise you don’t get any clients.”

“People are always going to say negative things but you just have to take it as it is. I just do my job.”

Dean admitted that, unfortunately, there is “always justification” for the negative perceptions as some agents “do the wrong thing”. However, he hopes that new legislation—aiming to increase the transparency of real estate—will slowly improve the way real estate agents are thought of.

Catalyst

Volume 74

Politicians rated slightly higher than real estate agents in the Roy Morgan survey but still sit in the red zone with only 16 per cent.

“Australians are very quick to defend their democracy,” State MP Anthony Carbines said.

“It’s something of a national sport to pick on your pollies.”

“You’ve got to have a lot of self-belief. You can’t have short-term reactions and you have to accept that you’ll get a few things wrong.”

Anthony’s attitude is to just put up with the criticism, because he believes the ability of people to express their political opinions is one of the most important aspects of Australia’s political system.

“You have to respect that people have the right to complain. Australia is quite unique in having compulsory voting and it means that everyone is entitled to have a say.”

The “constant scrutiny” on politicians, due to the 24 hour media cycle, has been put down as a contributing factor to increasingly negative perceptions of politicians in recent times.

“Everywhere you go there is a camera.

Accountability is 24/7 and people are quicker to judge. People’s emotional responses are on the record almost instantly,” Anthony said.

Overall, Anthony is aware of the importance of his role and believes that “people are entitled to always expect more from their representatives”.

Issue 3

Positive

21

DOCTOR octors were second only to nurses on the list, D with 89 per cent of surveyed people thinking of them as ethical and honest.

“People generally trust doctors and think they’re trying to help,” Dr Freya Schmidt said.

“Usually we’re thought of as having patients’ best interests at heart. It’s considered a good and respectable job.”

Like teachers, most people come into contact with a doctor at some stage in their lives. Regularly providing aid to a patient from a young age leaves little to no room for negative attitudes.

“People have positive feelings towards doctors because they know them. Most people see a GP at least once a year. They usually think of us as helpful and they look to us for advice,” Freya, a GP herself, said.

There are some negative connotations that come with a career as a doctor, such as the belief that specialist doctors charge too much or the discrepancies in diagnosis and prescription for certain medical conditions.

But in her personal experience, Freya finds people are “quite positive” towards her. And at the end of the day, people “have a choice of who they want to see. If they don’t like one GP, there’s always someone else, especially in metro areas.”

Career Admiration Vs. Bad Reputation

These conversations revealed a self-awareness from each professional in regards to the public perception of their career. In a simplified way, negative connotations are associated with those in high-paying careers, as they can often appear selfish. Positive perceptions are connected with careers that are thought to genuinely help others. Consequently, medical professionals—who have topped the Roy Morgan survey for over 20 years—seem to have found the best of both worlds; receiving personal gain and communal appreciation.

Time to become a doctor I guess.

— April Austen @aprilausten

April Austen

Laura Green

Nai Nai Doh Secrets to a Positive Bank Balance

In an Australia of negative gearing and tax cuts for the wealthy, how can young people stay positive and take control of their financial futures?

Young people feeling bleak about their financial futures is no surprise in an economic climate where millenials are being written off by mainstream media as spoilt, greedy, brunch-loving couch potatoes and where government policy favours a voter base of comfortable, middle-class baby boomers.

Baby Boomers saw the introduction of free healthcare, cheap housing costs with large housing loans and low interest, and free, then cheap, tertiary education.

These things have contributed to their wealth while simultaneously causing exponential inflation for young consumers of today.

This is not a generational war we should be waging. However, it’s a war against bad policy which is crucial to our futures.

Coalition budgets historically look after their target demographics, and this year’s budget falls down in youth unemployment support.

Newstart and Youth Allowance payments have been frozen for another year, despite the current payment threshold stagnating for the past two decades.

In the midst of concern there must be action. How we work is constantly changing, full-time work is decreasing and contract work is on the rise. Taking advantage of the current job market is imperative, which means contract work through mobile apps could be beneficial.

Jobs offered by the gig economy are ideal routes for young people because they provide “flexibility, independence” and for matching

a skilled worker to a consumer “they’re fantastic”, Associate Professor from RMIT School of Economics, Finance and Marketing, Dr Jonathan Boymal said.

“When you’re young, it’s probably not a bad idea,” Dr Boymal said. However, he acknowledged the strain this can put on young people.

“The gig economy can be associated with a lot of anxiety. Economic anxiety, personal anxiety, without having the support of a traditional employer.”

Dr Boymal emphasised routine, structure, organisation, and self-care as important if you choose to—or have to—embark on this kind of work. He also recommends finding a purpose and inspiration behind the work you undertake.

This job market is tough, particularly when businesses categorise employees as contractors. Dr Boymal said that often “most of the people in the gig economy are paid below the minimum wage” and aren’t entitled to sick leave. They have to pay their own superannuation too, and considering the confusing state of Australia’s super system, it’s no wonder many people end up with a multitude of accounts containing very few savings.

“If you’ve got a business model that’s only succeeding on the basis of undermining workers’ rights, then that’s probably not sustainable.”

Catalyst

Issue 3

Volume 74

Positive

“If you’ve got a business model that’s only succeeding on the basis of undermining workers’ rights, then that’s probably not sustainable.”

23

Action from workers could create a sustainable skill sharing job market, because millennials largely provide the consumer and labour forces required to keep the industry alive. Without our support it could crash. The rate of youth unemployment is at a high of around 20 per cent for those aged 15 to 24, so contract jobs might only be a temporary, high stress form of work.

Owning a house is off the table for many millennials, where high unemployment and inflated house prices cause “the number of years it takes in terms of saving for a deposit” to become an issue, according to Dr Boymal.

Financial stability comes from assets and a house is just one kind of asset. Dr Boymal pointed out people aged 18 to 24 make up 9 per cent of investors—a number which is increasing because of “a growing level of optimism about the future”, so “young people will choose to invest more” as their confidence in this area grows.

“Young investors are more cost conscious,” he said, which can lead to the avoidance of seeking professional guidance, but this is another area which millennials should explore to gain the greatest return. Advisory

Secrets to a Positive Bank Balance

firms and online ‘robo advice’ use market trends and algorithms to provide lower-risk knowledge. These investments can serve as a passive income if you are careful in your choices, so research carefully while you save for the right investment. Making informed financial choices will go a long way to achieving a comfortable future for ourselves.

“In terms of relative improvements in standards of living, it’s unlikely we’re going to see what our parents saw,” Dr Boymal said, but he encouraged young people to turn our attention to Canberra.

“What’s important is being politically active.

You can vote, and over time millenials are going to make up a much larger voting block, and political parties are going to pay more attention. And maybe it’s time to set up a party focusing on issues millennials face.”

So no, there won’t be a financial apocalypse as long as we keep grinding along, though that doesn’t mean we have to grin and bear a growing problem. It’s time to stop underestimating our financial and political power. Maybe then we’ll be able to afford the occasional smashed avo and a modest home of our own.

— Laura Green

Laura Green

Sarah Krieg

Jasmijn van Houten

@jasmijnart

Are You Sad, or is it SAD? Content warning: This piece discusses mental health and depression.

The days are getting shorter, and the nights are getting longer. It’s chilly outside, and you don’t really want to go out. Even if it is lovely and sunny—your bed is much warmer.

The semester is done, so you don’t even really have to leave the house if you don’t want to.

Sometimes, it’s just chilly winter days that make you want to stay indoors.

But about three percent of Melbournians, and one in 300 Australians, suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder during the winter months. Typical symptoms include sluggishness, unexplained anxiety, sleep problems, weight change and feelings of hopelessness. In more severe cases, feelings of guilt and suicidal thoughts can affect sufferers.

The most severe cases of SAD are seen overseas, where the climate in winter is even more inhospitable. Some people living in the US, Canada, Scandinavia and other northern European countries see less than five hours of sunlight a day in winter, if there is any at all.

SAD sufferers from all over the world have congregated in a Facebook group, where they share tips and gain support from one another through the online community.

Joni, from Connecticut, has suffered from SAD for about 15 years. As winter sets in, and particularly after snow starts to fall, she loses the ambition to do anything; she often can’t get out of bed in the morning and her anxiety becomes intolerable. As a result, she doesn’t go outside, and becomes more depressed.

She also experiences carb cravings.

A number of treatments have been useful in alleviating her symptoms. Joni said she

uses a combination of vitamin D supplements, light therapy and spending time outdoors.

She also modifies her diet to reduce carb and sugar intake, as well as a ‘dawn simulator’, which helps her to get up on time, even if it is before the sun actually rises.

Another member of the group, Anna, is from southern Finland. She has only been recently diagnosed with SAD, but said that she has likely been suffering the symptoms for many years. She said that in Finnish, there isn’t a word for the disorder, and it’s not an official diagnosis—it is known as “repeating depression” in the spoken language. Due to the dark winters, she said, everyone more or less knows about it.

Anna experiences similar symptoms to Joni, as well as trouble focusing and slow reaction times. She also experiences feelings of guilt, fears of letting people down, and suicidal thoughts. Anna’s treatments include light therapy, depression medication and sleeping pills. She said the sleeping pills help to regulate her sleeping hours, particularly when she is anxious. The light therapy and depression medication, however, did not seem to help this winter. Anna said that next year, during the darkest part of the season, she has plans to go on a holiday somewhere sunny in southern Europe.

Both Joni and Anna say the biggest myth about SAD is that people think they’ll be better as soon as there’s a sunny day in winter. But for Anna, it is difficult when people think that SAD is the same as feeling a little blue when the cold, wet and wintry weather sets in, as most people do in Finland.

Catalyst

Issue 3

Volume 74

Positive

25

Are You Sad, or is it SAD?

Sarah Krieg

“What they don’t get is that I have no problem with October and November, but in January I want to die because of the lack of sunlight. People without SAD have no problem in January because the crappy weather is over then and there’s beautiful snow on the ground everywhere. Too bad the snow ain’t helping with SAD.” Dr Melissa Monfries, a senior lecturer in clinical psychology at RMIT, agrees that there is a stigma and misunderstanding surrounding the disease, due to its classification as a depressive disorder. Further, because it is only seasonal depression, she said there is less empathy because sufferers only deal with it for four to six months of the year.

Severe cases are rarely seen in Australia, but Dr Monfries is clear that SAD is not a disorder to be overlooked.

“It can often be mixed up with a general depression diagnosis, as GPs may forget to ask about the seasonal aspect of the illness,” Dr Monfries said.

It can also often be mistaken for the winter blues, she said.

“It’s important to know when it stops being a little bit sad some of the time, and starts impairing your ability to do the things that you normally would do every day.”

Dr Monfries’ top tip for recognising SAD is to not dismiss behavioural changes.

“SAD can affect anyone, the way that other mental illnesses like depression or anxiety can,” she said.

But for SAD sufferers globally, treatments such as light therapy, natural remedies and antidepressants can help to alleviate symptoms.

— Sarah Krieg

If this article has brought up any issues for you, or you would like to seek help: Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 for 24-hour crisis support. RMIT offers one-on-one free counselling services to students. For all counselling appointments at the City, Bundoora or Brunswick campus, phone (03) 9925 4365 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)

Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

Ying Wang @yiingstagram

27

Testing positive explores the use of performance enhancing drugs in professional sport. Positive can be taken more than one way— mathematically it’s a measure of deviation from zero. But what if you have a numerically positive amount of something that’s qualitatively negative?

It’s a clash of the definition of what positive traditionally suggests.

Professional sport represents a highly pressurised space where even the smallest increment can make a huge difference. Often becoming a game of numbers, the athletes’ faces have been covered up reflecting their irrelevance. Bright, almost artificial, colours reflect the foreign nature of performance enhancing drugs to the human body. The duplication of athletes furthers the distortion of testing positive.

Illustration Essay Illustration Essay

Ying Wang

Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

29

Illustration Essay

Ying Wang

Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

31

Illustration Essay

Ying Wang

Peta Petidis

Staying Positive In Politics — Are Generational Burdens Worth Our Time?

Amidst fake news, big data, climate change and human rights violations, we can all agree that the state of politics is grim.

Most of us are tired of hearing about the mistakes made by older generations and so a proportion of young people prefer to stay out of it altogether. Today, the discrepancies between those in power and young people are creating a wedge in the face of activism.

Many of us don’t feel we are being listened to and aren’t sure how to make a noise that will garner attention from those who matter.

While many students are ‘woke’ and becoming aware of global humanitarian and environmental issues, we often find it harder to be a part of matters at home. The political alienation of so many young Australians seems to be a direct result of our disconnection to party politics. Earlier this year, the UN’s youth representative Paige Burton found that less than 20 percent of Australians aged 12‑25 feel they’re represented in current policy. A 2016 Federal Election Survey found 57 percent of young voters admitted to swing voting. In 2014, political scientist Aaron Martin presented parliament with a report which found only 42 per cent of the younger generation saw voting as a civic duty.

This pessimism could be due to our inability to fit into a voting block like retirees, property investors and small business owners, meaning that we’re often not a priority for government or party policy.

Someone who knows how young people carry the brunt of policy is Triple J Hack reporter, James Purtill. James has heard first hand that “young people are bearing a disproportionate financial burden”.

He also acknowledges how younger Australians’ distrust in mainstream media can suppress their voices.

University student Paige Spurrell believes a lot of what we see on the news is destructive to our confidence.

“In general, the news is usually quite critical of youth culture … I’m happy to stick to my own little bubble if it means my mental health is prioritised and I don’t throw a cucumber at my TV screen.”

Paige believes the media’s depiction of young people as being violent, drug addicted and uninformed even has an effect on how her

Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

33

family interprets her, let alone policy makers. “If you don’t watch [the news] but your mum has, she is questioning every decision you make.”

Many of Hack’s younger listeners aren’t sure how to dissolve this common stereotype and find a way to be heard. When we’re faced with policies that have a negative effect on us, James believes, “many young people don’t know how to be heard or how to protest, whether to protest, or if there’s any alternative to the status quo that would justify a protest.”

While we care too much about the best methods of activism, creating change may be simpler than that.

“The key is creating a sense of agency—a sense that these problems are not insurmountable.”

Maybe we could just start by talking about it until others talk with us and we become louder. Yasmin Jarkin, a former Greens Party volunteer, agrees with the public sentiment that our political party system has left us misplaced. She insists that starting out as an individual voice is imperative to fuel change: “Each voice is valuable, if you don’t use your voice nobody will listen… If people choose to engage in issues, they will begin to form opinions and advocate for their positions. This will ignite rigorous debate in our political system which is fundamental to the operation of any democracy.”

Someone who’s discovered how to use her voice is Emily Cork, head of RMIT’s very own Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC).

“It’s imperative that we campaign for the world we want to live in— activism is the way in which we gain optimism,” she said.

Cork believes the smallest social imprints can usually stimulate conversation and change.

“You’re only one google search away from finding meetings and events you can get involved in.”

Emily’s spontaneity to join and head AYCC thrust her into being a part of the conversation, something she never thought could happen.

While staying out of it altogether may be one way to avoid the rut of local politics, it’s important to understand that it tends to have a downward effect, enforcing the perspective that young people are not engaged or aware. The easiest methods of activism like sharing a tweet, inviting friends to a Facebook event or showing up to a rally just to watch, could have a drastic impact on your confidence to speak and be heard.

It seems that just having a chat—negative or positive—creates some volume.

— Peta Petidis

Staying Positive In Politics

Peta Petidis

Emily Cork @ohdeer.art

Great Barrier Reef Guardian

The Great Barrier Reef is a world wonder. It is a miracle, a complex and beautiful ecosystem home to 600 types of coral—branches of chartreuse staghorn, anemone tentacles that dance in the current, swirls of vermillion and stretching surfaces of lilac sponge—but it’s all dying. Half the coral in the Great Barrier Reef has died since 2016.

Australia’s failure to act on climate change has seen no reduction to the steady rise of ocean temperatures and we need to take serious action now—and stop the Adani mine!

This is what prompted me to create the Great Barrier Reef Guardian.

She is bruised and she is battered, a broken ocean goddess who is struggling to survive against the merciless hands of the fossil fuel industry. For so long I have thought about combining my illustration style with activism, and I can’t believe it has taken me this long to finally do it. I have found this to be such a cathartic process, and it has been so rewarding to create an artwork with so much personal and political meaning behind it. I was a little nervous before sharing it with the world via social media due to it being a personal interpretation of a multifaceted issue, but it has had such an outstanding response.

Another fun project was printing this as a black and white line drawing onto a huge piece of paper and then pasting it up on Hosier Lane. It was the middle of the day and the laneway was bustling. At the time, there were no other street artists out, just me in my overalls with some wheatpaste still warm from the stove. I had so many tourists query the meaning behind the work and genuinely listen when I explained what was going on. It’s powerful to think how many others would have walked past and seen it.

I am constantly finding more confidence in combining creativity with activism. Whether it’s chalking a huge pavement mural at a politician’s office, creating a quirky poster for a protest or pasting up mini artworks around the streets, I love that I can use my passion to plant seeds of change.

— Emily Cork

Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

35

Great Barrier Reef Guardian

Emily Cork

Megan Whitfield

Jokes On You

“Each sleep brings me one night closer to the sweet embrace of death,” “Super excited to announce I’m giving up! Can’t wait to see where this takes me! ” “Having a crush is so much fun.

I know I’m going to mess it up, but how?

When? What will I do to self-sabotage this time?”.

Odds are, you’ve heard any variation of these comments before, perhaps even made similar remarks yourself. Dark humour and self-deprecation can taste so sweet, and we Australians are masters of it. We even direct those insults at anyone who we deem as getting a little big for their boots, as though it’s weird they’re not being self-deprecating.

Comedy is meant to be a positive thing, but could it be that we’re all actually engaging in negative behaviours? Are we going about our days with a concerning lack of self-worth?

Or could our appreciation for the darker side of humour, and willingness to be the butt of our own jokes, actually be a good thing?

If you ask Aussie comedian Alex Jae, it’s the best kind of humour going round. As one half of stand up show ‘Garbage Up Late,’ performed at the

Catalyst

Volume 74

Melbourne International Comedy Festival this year, she’s become a master of the art of embracing our inner trash.

“I’ve always enjoyed self-deprecating humour more than any other type. I think it’s the most relatable and honest,” Alex said.

“Also I just find that making fun of myself is the easiest thing to do and there’s an endless pool of material.”

While most can easily become bogged down with insecurities, Alex believes hearing others talk about their own self-doubts can ease some of the pressure.

“Talking and joking about insecurities makes light of them and can take the strength away. If you hear someone else having the same issues as you, it makes them less scary or consuming.” After all, no one is ever as perfect as they appear.

“We’re all garbage people, some of us just have more skills in covering it up.”

Turns out, Alex’s support for a bit of self‑negging here and there is backed up by science. A recent study from the Mind, Body and Behaviour Research Centre at the University of Granada, Spain, found making a joke at your own expense

Issue 3

Positive

37

can actually demonstrate higher levels of happiness and overall wellbeing. To a lesser extent, it can also be linked to better levels of sociability, with humour being a key way to connect with others.

It’s not the only recent study to find positive effects of dark humour, which was previously considered to have negative repercussions. In 2017, a team of researchers from the Medical University of Vienna found that a person’s intelligence can play a key role in their enjoyment of dark humour.

In a study group of 156 people, participants were asked to rate their enjoyment and comprehension of 12 “dark” cartoons, while also being tested for their verbal and non-verbal IQs. These participants were divided into three groups on the basis of their IQ, and it was found the group which demonstrated a high level of intelligence also showed the greatest appreciation for the black humour. They also demonstrated comparatively lower levels of aggression and bad mood.

Clinical psychologist Dr Irene Panagopoulos, agrees there are definitely benefits to self-deprecating humour.

“In some ways, it’s part of having a healthy mindset, being able to objectively step back, and appraise our own behaviour,” Dr Panagopoulos said.

In terms of dark humour, it can also be used as an important coping mechanism, something she has both witnessed and experienced first hand through her work in forensic psychology.

“It softens the impact of some very confronting and impactful situations.”

She suggests another reason we find this humour so appealing is the risk-taking nature it projects.

“It’s risky, and risky is exciting. It’s kind of walking that delicate line and shows you’re not afraid to speak out about things; there’s an element of excitement to it.”

However, she warns about the appropriate use of self-deprecation and dark humour, and to be aware if the habit turns negative for yourself or those around you.

“It depends on the context, the severity, who that humour is shared with, what elicits [it],” Dr Panagopoulos said.

“If you’re the only person that’s engaging with that humour it can be unhealthy, and in some ways it’s an alert someone may be experiencing a burnout.”

Jokes On You

It’s important to be aware of the audience, particularly online, and understanding of its reach.

Our online culture has played a key role in the rise of this self-negative humour, particularly for the younger generations.

“Social media has, not to sound like an old fuddy-duddy, put more pressure on how you’re perceived. Self-deprecation can be a mechanism of ‘I’m going to get in first’. It probably makes it easier. [Social media] becomes the outlet, where it’s actually far healthier to make the jokes face-to-face so people can act appropriately.”

But if you think a self-deprecating comment is beyond a gag, Dr Panagopoulos said the key thing to look out for is the “narrow focus” of the joke, which repeatedly makes light of a particular feature, such as appearance.

“If someone is doing it regularly rather than opportunistically, you get a sense from the audience too, if a joke has run its course and it’s not funny anymore.”

So good news everyone, while we should be aware of how, when and why we are using this humour, and look out for our loved ones, we’re now scientifically approved to keep calling out our unappealing personalities and overall flaws.

Besides, someone who isn’t at least a little self-deprecating is just downright suspicious, a contention echoed by Alex Jae. “I don’t trust people with too much confidence… Why are they so confident?

Did their parents love them too much?

What are they hiding?”

Meet you all in the trash, where we belong.

— Megan Whitfield @M_eganWhitfield

Megan Whitfield

Carynn E-Jin Lai

Julia Sansone @thesansberryblog

You’re Too Nice The world was strange to someone like her.

A glass half full person, the one who saw the silver lining in every cloud, the one who seemed to glow from the inside.

She heard the words “you’re too kind” more often than she would like. She took it as a compliment at first, thinking her actions were appreciated. Then they told her being too kind was her downfall. They said she would be too weak, too naïve to realise she was being used. She would be taken advantage of even if it was the the smallest of favours, people mumbled around her.

She didn’t understand. She couldn’t fathom that the first thing people thought of is how the other person would use them.

To her, it was simple. If someone is in need, help them.

She was in the food court one day, eating Japanese curry with a friend.

A man with a shirt that didn’t quite fit and dark eye circles approached their table and asked for spare change. She reached into her purse and gave him some coins—like always.

he could have used the money before—it didn’t bother her because she didn’t know the man.

She wouldn’t know what he did with the money or why he needed it. She just did what she thought was right.

She watched him move to the next table asking for spare change, again. Once he was a few more tables away, her friend leaned in and whispered, “He’s here all the time.

Probably wastes the cash on cigarettes and beer.”

She shrugged at the comment. Maybe he needed it and if he did, at least what she did was kind. She had thought of the ways

It was funny how people wished for a better world. Yet, when the opportunity came, they would shield their eyes and grumble. They reminded her of war and famine, even though the world was getting better. The lies, the back-stabbing, the hidden agendas. They swarmed her with all the bad in the world, smothering the good she had seen.

People became more wary. It was a cycle: they treated others the way that others treated them, and too often kindness and pure intention got lost on the way. She was told it was pointless to treat everyone nicely—the world, it seemed, had become a cruel place.

If it was a cruel place, then she wanted to make it better.

— Carynn E-Jin Lai

Catalyst

Issue 3

Volume 74

Positive

39

You’re Too Nice

Julia Sansone

Suzan Calimli

Jenny Nguyen

@h.o.e.k

AB Positive Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

41

AB Positive, a cocktail mixture of antigens, has a secret layer only measured by the naked eye, more than just red blood cells and plasma it’s an infusion of my cultures, of zataar and roasted chestnuts, of flat bread and simit, the ay yildiz and the cedar tree yet i only represent one half of who i am A is maternal: Turkish and feminine i stand with all things soft and familiar B is paternal: Arabic and masculine i pretended to be more to compensate for what i am missing take a sample, find the chemical compounds more red and proud, than green and humble i’m my mother’s child, raised with a pack of wolves under the velvety night sky encompassed by melodic winds stars chiming to its tune i’m not my father’s child sun-dried Lebanese bread so crisp it’ll cut your tongue, a dusty land with ancient beauties and timid foreign deer that scatter like billiard balls when you draw too near

AB Positive

the boy was neither one or the other but both at once what an oxy-moron he was, a half-caste like me, but the opposite: unfamiliar with the moon and intimate with the sun i looked into his black eyes saw hot sand, masoub, cashews and keffiyehs when he looked into mine i should think he saw Istanbul’s mosques, baklava, tea and the nazar he spoke Arabic with the softness of a Turk, his features dark but face wide like the moon a compassionate narcissist i misplaced his value in my life thought him as the B to my A Positive the side i neglected for so long i thought it easier to find it again in a stranger rather than in myself he brought the Arabian heat with him it stayed when he left, fused into my bloodstream and i realised i did not need a boy to find what i had all along

Suzan Calimli

Olivia Morffew

Regina Kelly

ros[e] tinte[d] Content warning: This piece discusses eating disorders and body dysmorphia.

it never affected you that much, so the decline was gradual. but when you were called out in front of the other kids—the ‘prettier’ ones—that tipped you over the edge. you begin to binge: ‘i didn’t have lunch so this is [not] okay.’ weight is gained. your clothes are a little tighter, firmer. your heart shatters. it was meant to make you feel better, in control. it didn’t. now you’re on the warpath and there’s no going back. you exercise more: ‘i gym therefore i am [unhappy].’ headaches occur and sight goes fuzzy. meals are smaller as a form of twisted compensation. but your clothes fit better, properly. a leaner physique forms. your mind deteriorates. it was meant to be a small change. you’ve lost what you’ve gained but you’re already so far gone. why stop there? you set a goal and everything becomes tunnel vision; it’s blissful destruction. you restrict: ‘it’s [never] only a few kilos.’ you skip lunch day in day out. hair grows rattier and nails turn brittle. fitted jeans fall. your perception of yourself fractures. it’s a rose-tinted nightmare. you think you’re happy. you’re not. never have been and never will be, until you realise it’s not healthy and seek help. you attempt to heal: ‘i [can’t] promise i’ll try.’ you acknowledge you were sick—both physically and mentally. salty tears fall. someone books a psychologist. you see them. more tears. food is eaten, spat back out. you force it down and it’s better than nothing. it’s a long process but you’ve got a support network. family, friends, colleagues. they care about you. day by day you’re a step closer to being the best self you can possibly be. ‘it’s [slowly] getting easier.’ life is as good as it can be. social events aren’t as scary—even ones where you slip into a red swimsuit. you’re in a state of comfort and that’s okay. some days are hard but you’re not living a nightmare anymore: you are recovering.

— Olivia Morffew If this has brought up any issues for you, or you would like to seek help, please contact the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673 or online. ↳ Regina Kelly, Rose-tinted, 2018.

Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

43

ros[e] tinte[d]

Olivia Morffew

Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

Jasmine Wallis

Phuong Bui

Law of Attraction

45 ↲ Phuong Bui, Grounded, 2018.

“Positive Thoughts Only.” “No Bad Vibes Here.”

“Manifest Your Dreams.” You’ve probably heard these sayings before (most likely on a Typo pencil case, to be honest). Whether you believe in it or not, there’s no denying that the law of attraction is more prevalent in our 21st century society than ever before. In a world that—due to scientific and technological advancement— is becoming less religious, it seems that the new age faith is the belief in the power of the universe and your own thoughts. While positive thoughts are scientifically proven to boost your mood, can simply believing that you’ll become rich really make you a millionaire? Or thinking about that HD grade really make it appear on your transcript?

The term ‘law of attraction’ first appeared in print in 1877 thanks to Helena Blavatsky.

The Russian occultist (occultism being the study of practices including: magic, astrology, spiritualism, and religion) was part of a philosophy movement called ‘New Thought’.

A branch of this philosophy is the belief that, by focusing on positive or negative thoughts, people can bring positive or negative experiences into their life. But how far can positive thinking go before it’s just called good luck?

With the Greek philosopher Plato noting the phrase, “likes tends towards likes” as early as 391 B.C. and scientists at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging in London discovering those who visualise a better future are more likely to create one, I thought that finding a scientific voice in the community would be commonplace. In all honesty, it was challenging to find someone who was willing to talk to me in depth about their perspective on the topic.

I even received one email from a professor of quantum physics suggesting I ask someone in psychology, since physics and the law of attraction do not relate.

Law of Attraction

In my quest for some sort of scientific backing on this ‘law’, I spoke to Dr Angela Cumberland, an RMIT researcher in psychology, focused on behavior. Although saying once again that the law of attraction isn’t very well known in her field, she did note that “having positive thoughts can be a powerful reinforcer of motivation to achieve what you want. But it’s more the actions taken to achieve a person’s desire that brings results over simply ‘thinking positively’ about it.”

So what about the people who live by the law of attraction? Liz De-Bree is the founder of Irish Angel House, where she works as a medium and angel intuitive. “I believe the law of attraction is very powerful because what we consistently put out into the universe comes back to us. For example, making a vision board and looking at that vision with love everyday.

To see it, feel it, and believe it is to make it happen.”

University student Grace McKinnon‑Leyton is also a big believer in the practice. “I think believing in it is similar to believing in luck.

Visualising where you want to be is so important, as it will help to shape every action you take. Whether that’s self-care, being adventurous, or learning a new skill.”

It seems like there’s still a lot of research needed when it comes down to the scientific and neurological backing that your dream life is simply down to the thoughts that you think.

But whether you believe it’s all mumbo‑jumbo or a legitimate daily practice, there is something in not only just thinking positively but also applying action to achieve your dreams. So maybe do some actual study while wishing for that HD. — Jasmine Wallis

Jasmine Wallis

Siri Smith

Ocean’s 8 : Rebooting Girl Power at the Cinema

In the wake of Hollywood’s freshly surfaced feminism—the #MeToo movement spotlighted at the Oscars, Dr Who’s female regeneration and 2016’s Ghostbusters reboot—the latest gender-bend is brought to us by Gary Ross, taking on the beloved and blokey Ocean’s franchise in the much-anticipated all-female reboot, Ocean’s 8. The illustrious cast of leading women boasts big stars like Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett and assembles an all-inclusive team; from rapper Awkwafina to comedian Mindy Kaling to Rihanna. The self‑proclaimed feminist film sees its stellar cast of female warriors band together at the hands of Debbie Ocean (Bullock), forming the ultimate criminal girl squad fit to rob Anna Wintour’s prestigious annual Met Gala of its jewels. Under the veil of another heist, Ocean’s 8 attempts to bring full frontal feminism to the foreground and shifts the conversation back to the complexities of all-female reboots.

There has been a noticeable push for Hollywood to produce more inclusive works following fourth wave feminism, which focuses on diversity and female empowerment through social media. Social media has driven the promotion of Ocean’s 8 and other controversial names like Ghostbusters, post-season 12 Dr Who, and the upcoming The Nice Girls (a female take on The Nice Guys). As a result, many have taken to their social soapbox of choice to state their opinion of these popular

titles filling their ensemble casts with women.

Whether these opinions are positive or negative, Ocean’s 8 publicity has earned the film top dollar in the box office, eclipsing each of Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s films.

The appeal of Soderbergh’s Ocean’s 11 (2001), starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt (and so on and so forth), is paralleled in Ocean’s 8’s star studded cast—this strategic casting is key to the success of both films.

However, contrary to the vibrant comradery in Ocean’s 11, Ocean’s 8 features a desultory dynamic between characters, with little development or backstory to match. With a cast full of strong female powerhouses, it is somewhat difficult to look past the stars themselves and engage deeper with the story.

Debbie Ocean is void of depth in comparison to her brother, Danny Ocean (Clooney).

Resorting to petty theft for expensive clothing and accessories, Bullock’s character framework lacks the richness needed to carry the feminist storyline of strong women relying on their own strengths to prosper in a world controlled by men.

Directed by Gary Ross (who is credited as co-writer alongside Olivia Milch), Ocean’s 8 uncannily echoes 2016’s Ghostbusters reboot, also directed by a man (Paul Feig) and co-written by a woman (Katie Dippold). For narratives meant to be powered by women, how genuine can these stories be

Catalyst

Issue 3

Volume 74

Positive

47

There has been a noticeable push for Hollywood to produce more inclusive works following fourth wave feminism when they’re written and directed mostly from a male perspective? All-female reboots are a gimmick that work to get women on screen and allows studios to take a lazy political stance. Keeping men in directorial positions seems to act as a fall back for studios if these reboots don’t do as well as hoped.

Projects involving a strong feminist stance can be detrimental to careers if they fail, damning women in the industry. Just look at Amy Schumer’s I Feel Pretty—the unpolished attempt at a feminist body positivity film left Schumer with a permanent blemish on her film career.

All-female reboots reprise what men have done previously, which strips a certain authenticity and creativity from the films. For this reason, both Ocean’s 8 and Ghostbusters weren’t particularly enthralling to critics and film buffs alike. Riding the stale, remake-sequel train but putting women in leading roles that we have seen before is a marketing scheme that assumes fans of old titles want to watch what’s familiar. Reboots and remakes with female leads lean on pre-existing fanbases to attract media attention and it’s this sort of focus that can cause the substance of the films to fall flat.

Caught between repeating old stories and telling a story of its own, the female encouragement in Ocean’s 8 at times feels lost in translation. What Ocean’s 8 and so many other female-led sequels need is originality—

Ocean’s 8: Rebooting Girl Power at the Cinema

without it, we are still living in a patriarchal realm. These ideas might catch our attention by riffing on existing universes, but their execution isn’t powerful enough to make an impact in the cinematic world. Nonetheless, it’s not as if Ocean’s 8 was terrible at achieving its goals—what it lacks in flair, it makes up for in transient moments of positive female energy.

“A him gets noticed, a her gets ignored,” Debbie Ocean clarified as to why she only recruited women for the heist, representing not only the dilemma Ocean’s 8 would face coming into release, but also what it’s like to be a woman in a man’s world.

As a glossy girl-power flick, Ocean’s 8 provides diverse representation that has proved to be a success in the box office.

Like Ghostbusters and Dr Who, the film may have brought forth a negative response from fans of the male-oriented originals, but these types of reactions only spark the need for more feminist influence in Hollywood.

Gender‑swapped reboots may not be the most effective way to introduce women into unfamiliar roles within the film industry, but they provide a substantial push for the creation of original female features. Though Ocean’s 8 doesn’t shine quite as much as its star-studded cast, its very existence is a clear win for women in the industry.

— Siri Smith

Siri Smith

Simone West

Yi Ying Chew

Conundrums with Simsational

My best friend has been dating this guy for six months and I really hate him.

He always brings up the names of guys I have dated and asks how they are, just to make me feel bad about my failed relationships. I can’t tell my friend I don’t like him, because she thinks we get along really well and it would hurt her feelings.

What do I do?

— Sascha, 22 I would suggest investing in a human clone.

Make the clone hang out with your friend and the boyfriend and get it to give you a summary of each hang out session so you don’t get caught out when you can’t remember vital information—like your friend’s boring sex life with her basic boyfriend who is so unhappy in his own relationship he always feels the needs to bring up yours. If this fails, move to Brazil and join a human circus! The climate is so good there and you’ll forget about all your basic struggles here in Melbourne.

I am a relationship guru and give advice to everyone. They all take it on board, but I’m a fraud. I keep stumbling in my own love life. What would you do in my situation?

— Moe, 23 Literally everyone who has written a self-help book or any love doctors on the radio are frauds. They have so much time to tell you how to live your life that they neglect their own. With the exception of the Barefoot Investor—I really like him and everyone needs to read his book.

So don’t worry! Everyone is just stumbling around in life trying to make a difference. We’re all frauds, Moe. If you’re a bird, I’m a bird.

Catalyst

Issue 3

Volume 74

Positive

49

I recently had weird symptoms <down there> and told my friend I was going for an STI test. They were really judgmental about it, treating it as if it was something dirty. All the blood and urine tests came back negative and it was just a scare, but I can’t shake off how he made me feel when I just needed to vent to a friend.

— Mac, 26 Everyone who is sexually active should get tested between partners. It shouldn’t be something that is considered shocking or dirty.

I think it’s really responsible of you to get tested and you and your future partner will have peace of mind knowing that you haven’t contracted anything from a former partner. I would have an open discussion with your mate about how they made you feel and maybe inform them of the benefits of being sexually healthy and conscious! Sex is dangerous, yo. Seriously.

There are some nasty infections out there.

But we’re lucky that they’re treatable and curable. The test is also super quick and easy —it’s just some pee in a cup (or a swab if you are showing weird symptoms) and a blood test.

So I can’t really see why your friend is being weird about it—maybe it stems from a fear that they are projecting onto you. The best conversations are honest and open ones, so start that dialogue with your mate!!

Conundrums with Simsational

I’m confused about the word slut. I used to think it was a huge insult but now I’m growing to love it. Am I being anti‑feminist???

— Char, 25 There is an engrained negative stigma when it comes to female sexual pleasure. Are you a virgin? Do you feel uncomfortable giving intimate details about your sex life? You’re a prude. Delving outside the constraints of monogamy and telling people about it?

You’re a slut.

Cinema and porn lead us to believe that all sex is, is penetration, or maybe someone performing oral sex on a man.

A 2016 interview with DJ Khaled, whose only strength lays in him shouting out his own name (probably in bed too), recently resurfaced online. He detailed his refusal to perform oral sex, with celebrities and pretty much everyone who has ever enjoyed sex then roasting him for his selfishness and arrogance.

I’m glad it resurfaced, as it’s opened up a whole new conversation about female sexual pleasure.

So I wouldn’t say you’re being anti-feminist.

Let’s redefine the word slut. Let’s celebrate it.

A woman who enjoys sexual pleasure and gets in bed with whoever she chooses.

It’s a statement really, not a label.

Simone West

Antonia Papasergio

This is a recipe for a deceptively good (but objectively BAD) toasted sandwich. The snack was made for me by a friend (read: crush) at his design studio a few weeks ago, accompanied by a green drink. It was comfort food and the gesture was really nice, but I couldn’t help noticing how strange so many parts of the meal were. I think it only tasted good because I was really cold and it raised my body temperature and blood sugar. This meal made me feel warm and fuzzy inside, a little bit sick 20 minutes later, and then warm and fuzzy again.

The Snack

51

Time: 5 minutes Preparation: 2 minutes Cooking: maybe 3 minutes Eat at 5:30pm as a snack because you’ll need a proper dinner afterwards.

INGREDIENTS (serves 1) →→ 2 slices of thin wholemeal bread (preferably IGA brand, but any $1-esque homebrand bread will work fine) →→ 4 hard smears of margarine →→ 1 slice of pastrami (a square with curved edges that’s too small to fit the bread) →→ 5 slices of hot salami →→ 1 handful of grated cheese (it was very orange and didn’t taste like cheese. Maybe try dairy-free for the same effect) →→ 1 bottle of Dijon mustard (I didn’t get this inside my toastie because my friend forgot to add it. Keep it on the bench so that it looks like you know how to structure a good sandwich) →→ 1 glass of flat SodaStream water →→ Green ‘cream soda’ syrup

METHOD 1. Turn the sandwich press on, but don’t give it long enough to heat up.

2. Spread the margarine on both sides of the bread.

Make sure the margarine is quite cold so it’s too rough for the bread’s surface.

3. Rip the pastrami slice in half and put the sides closer to the edges of the bread. Place the four salami slices in two columns and the final slice in the middle.

4. Sprinkle some cheese on, close the sandwich and place in the press. You will get margarine on your fingers.

5. Try to make some soda water but forget that the gas canister is nearly empty. It will make a very unsatisfying hiss.

6. Pour some of the green cream soda syrup into a glass and add the flat soda water.

7. Remove the toastie and cut into rectangle halves.

It shouldn’t be too brown and you could probably cook it for longer, but don’t.

SERVE After this experience I researched cream soda a lot and still don’t have an explanation as to why this one was green. I even asked him at the time, “what is cream soda and why is it green?” He just said “it’s cream soda”. To which I responded, “you’re just saying the words again” and it didn’t get anywhere. I also spent a long time looking at stock photos of processed meat, which are actually very hilarious if you look for too long.

The Snack

Antonia Papasergio

Eloise Coomber

Catalyst

Volume 74

Portia Sarris

Issue 3

Positive

Burnt Light 53

Burnt Light

Eloise Coomber

FEATURES MUSIC FILM & CULTURE NEWS @rmitcatalyst fb.com/rmitcatalyst rmitcatalyst.com

JOIN US

ONLINE

Catalyst

Volume 74

Issue 3

Positive

KEEN TO GET INVOLVED? There’s plenty of ways to contribute to Catalyst in 2018, whether it’s through our magazine, podcast or online. ↳ Email rmitcatalyst@gmail.com to get started!

â&#x2020;˛ Portia Sarris, Morning Light.