April 4, 2013 by The Scripps Voice

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April 4, 2013

The Scripps Voice Inside... Admissions office

making tour guide changes

campus events Claremont Colleges Against Cancer Relay For Life is this weekend

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photo | Caroline Novit ’14

By Stephanie Steinbrecher ‘16 Staff Writer

Op-ED Does Scripps need a disability resource center?

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Op-Ed

I Am Scrippsie, Hear Me Roar Why are bare legs considered “unprofessional”?

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Features Students get political in this issue’s The Scripps Voice

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fter much consideration, the Admission Ambassador Team (AAT) and the Office of Admission have decided to implement significantly different changes to the student tour guides program that will go into effect in fall 2013. “ We re s e a rc h e d m a n y institutions that were making similar changes to their Tour Guide program and experiencing a lot of success from it, including our neighbor CMC who made this same change this past fall,”

said AAT On-Campus Events Coordinator Vaishali Ravi ’15. “We wanted to make the tour guide group a more tight-knit community and give them the honor and prestige that position deserves on campus.” “This change was not at all prompted by any particular incident with our current guides,” added Ravi. “We hope to create a more standard tour so that all prospective students will be exposed to the same general information.” The current tour guide p ro g r a m i s o p e n t o a l l

Scripps students and is largely volunteer-based. Interested students attend an orientation and training session, shadow tours with a tour guide for a semester, and then become fullfledged guides the following semester. “We currently have 39 lead tour guides and 14 additional shadows for the spring 2013 semester. We have about another 15 tour guides who are abroad this semester but have been committed tour guides in the past. In total, we have about 75 volunteers

who have helped with our tours during the 2012-2013 school year,” said AAT Tour Guide and Overnight Hostess Coordinator Madeleine Wills ’15. As it currently stands, any student may be a guide after completing these steps and leading once per week. Current guides are compensated in a pointssystem; after reaching fifty points, guides are given $10 gift cards to Amazon or Target. Each tour led is worth five points, meaning most guides continued on page 9

SCORE class conversation project By Stephanie Steinbrecher ‘16 Staff Writer

n the past few weeks, the Scripps Communities of Resources spotlight to less-explored topics that are as equally pervasive and Empowerment (SCORE) office has asked students at Scripps. Listening to students’ stories, SCORE has learned to consider what the concept of class means to them. In six that some students feel marginalized in every-day situations words or less, Scripps students were invited to anonymously due to their socio-economic background.” Submissions are accepted until April write their thoughts on a card that was “Listening to students’ 7, and the e-book should be sent to delivered to every mailbox on March 5. stories, SCORE has learned the Scripps community soon after. These cards will eventually be compiled that some students feel Once faculty, staff, and students have into an e-book that SCORE hopes will marginalized ... due to their had a chance to review the e-book, “start an honest conversation about how socio-economic background.” a community dialogue facilitated by the Scripps community experiences - Yuka Ogino, SCORE Program Coordinator Gender and Women’s Studies Professor and talks about their socioeconomic Piya Chatterjee will take place to examine background,” according to information the feelings and issues that were brought up in the cards. about the Class Project on the Inside Scripps website. This project is based on the Race Card Project that NPR’s “Contributors are asked to restrict their feelings to a handful of words which, when combined anonymously, will help us Michael Norris started in 2010. Seeking to begin a conversation all learn more about how we feel about class,” said SCORE about the topic of race, Norris invited people to submit Program Coordinator Yuka Ogino in an email to The Scripps cards containing their observations, personal stories, hopes, Voice. “This semester SCORE wanted to shift some of the etc. regarding this “prickly continued on page 9

1030 Columbia Avenue | Claremont, CA 91711 | Box 892 email: scrippsvoice@gmail.com | Volume XVI • Issue TEN

2•News

SASsy Sustainability Update

Green

Students goScripps

By Lauren Mitten ‘15 SAS Sustainability Chair

am thrilled to be your SAS Sustainability Chair this semester! In case you didn’t know, there are tons of people who care about sustainability at Scripps, and I’m here to update you on some of their efforts on campus. Major players: The Environmental Club i s a s t u d e n t g ro u p dedicated to promoting sustainability on campus. FMI contact Yvonna Leung, President, or Mieke Ruina, Vice President. The Sustainability Committee is a committee made up of students, faculty, and staff who all work on generating recommendations for LBV and creating our own initiatives. FMI contact Lola Trafecanty, Director of Grounds, or Claire Bridge, Executive Assistant to the President. Finally, there’s me, your SAS Sustainability Chair. Hit me up any time at sas.sustainabilitychair@gmail. com with questions, concerns or suggestions. Recycling: You’ve probably noticed the blue recycling bin in your dorm room. If you’re not already doing so, USE IT! The light blue dumpsters outside go to the city of Claremont, and in them you can recycle metal, glass, Styrofoam, and plastics. Put all paper products into the dark blue dumpsters. We process

those on campus, which reduces transportation emissions and brings some money back to Scripps. Fruit pickers: I am excited to remind you that there are fruit pickers available for checkout in the Field House. You can trade your Scripps ID in for a bright orange stick with some spikes on the end and then go snag all the oranges, oro blanco grapefruits, and loquats you can eat. Garden: The student garden behind Browning (sponsored by the Environmental Club) is currently full of lots of little plants and some freshly planted beds. If you would like to help out with the garden or get the gate code, email scrippsgreen@gmail.com. Composting: We currently have preconsumer dining hall composting, which is primarily used at some social justice garden sites off campus. We also have small-scale compost in the student garden, and I encourage you all to collect your food scraps (except meat and dairy) and place them in the bins on the East side of the garden. I’m also liaising with some senior EA majors working on a feasibility study of campus wide composting to see if that’s something SAS or the Sustainability Committee could help implement. PowerDown: Leah Hochberg did a wonderful job organizing the Scripps

PowerDown Challenge. Scripps didn’t beat the other 5Cs, but I look forward to the rematch next year. Remember to keep lowering your energy usage even though the competition is over! Food rescue: Have you ever wondered what happens to leftover dining hall food? A large portion is packaged up and delivered to a local food shelf. CMS Food Rescue, coordinated by yours truly and staffed by an amazing contingent of volunteers, is the mastermind behind this wonderful, waste-reducing and hungry-peoplefeeding initiative. I’m looking for a coordinator (I’ll be abroad) and volunteers for next semester, so if this sort of work sounds exciting, shoot me an email. New dormitory: Remember the new dorm LEED debate from last fall? Right now, the dorm is on hold at the end of the design development stage as Scripps looks for the funding to move forward. Joanne Coville, VP for Financial Affairs, told me that the Board of Trustees plans to reevaluate the dorm plans in 6–12 months. Currently, the BOT is interested in LEED, but worried about the costs. When the BOT does begin to reevaluate it will be important to speak out if you want sustainability to be a

priority in the new dorm! In the meantime, a group of students is working on fundraising for LEED certification and increased sustainability. We’re setting up an endowment for sustainability in the new dorm and will be actively fundraising soon. FMI contact Emily Jovais. Divestment: There i s a m ov e m e n t o n many college campuses to divest endowments from fossil fuel companies in an effort to weaken the hold fossil fuel companies have on our government and economy, with the long term goal of mitigating climate change. Scripps will be holding a panel discussion about what divestment would mean for us on Thursday, April 11 at 7:00 p.m, which you should all come to so you can weight in on this important issue. Stay Green, Scripps: As you can see, lots of people are doing lots of great work on sustainability, but as a student body we also have lots of work to do. We all need to do our part, from taking shorter showers and turning off our lights to getting involved in these projects and starting new ones. We have a beautiful campus and a beautiful world; let’s take care of them together.

THATCamp digital feminisms By Nikki Broderick ‘14 Staff Writer

n March 15 and 16 at the Honnold-Mudd Library, 40 undergraduates, graduates, and faculty members gathered for The Humanities and Technology (THAT) Camp, an “unconference” that emphasizes participation from everyone who attends—from setting an agenda for the weekend to helping lead discussions. The first THATCamp began at George Mason University in 2008, and has since spread throughout the country, with different emphases such as pedagogy and games, in addition to regional distinctions. The THATCamp held in Claremont, organized by Professor Wernimont of the Scripps English Department, focused on feminist digital theory and practice. Professor Wernimont also stressed the importance of undergraduate participants, and explained how she actively recruited students to attend. Five of the forty attendees were undergraduate student fellows, which created a new balance in what are typically graduate student- and faculty-heavy events. The Scripps event inspired two other simultaneous THATCamp Feminisms at Emory University and Barnard College. Professor Wernimont describes the digital humanities using Julia Flander’s definition: the critical study of how the technologies and techniques associated with the digital medium intersect with and alter humanities scholarship and scholarly communication. Digital humanities scholarship can take many different forms, from using computers to do large-scale analysis of texts to thinking about identity in digital spaces, such as social media. THATCamp Feminist West’s focus on feminism within the digital humanities developed after conversations with scholars regarding the gendered and classist elements of computer programming and the absence of feminist perspectives in the digital humanities. One of the weekend’s main events, an editing session

of Wikipedia articles, focused on creating feminist perspectives by expanding topics and creating new ones. Professor Wernimont discussed the need to have a Wikipedia editing session by explaining that most editors on Wikipedia are white men between the ages of twenty and thirty—so even though the site focuses on having an unbiased ideological perspective, a content bias still arises. The editing session included participants at THATCamp and those who participated online, with some even editing from India and Africa. Those who edited and created new pages could also tweet about their participation using the hashtag #tooFEW - a common identifier for work addressing the lack of information about women, the LGBTQ community, and feminist work on Wikipedia. In addition to the Wikipedia editing session, THATCamp also hosted several workshops and discussions, including on feminist and queer identities in social media, video game studies in the digital humanities, and a panel about how students learn with digital media in the classroom that allowed students and professors to learn from each other. Aly Monroe (’14) attended the studentteacher session, and commented that the panel created, “A good intersection of student-teacher relations. I think it also helped us think about the ways teachers can expand their use of technology in the classroom to be more productive to maximize student learning.” The Office of the President funded THATCamp Feminisms West, providing for the costs of the event and making it possible for all to attend free of charge. To learn more about the digital humanities and Professor Wernimont’s work, visit her blog at jwernimont.wordpress.com.

April 4, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Ten

Opinions & Editorials•3

The Scripps Voice

I Am Scrippsie, Hear Me Roar

Professional women and the woes of nylons

Editors-in-Chief Rosemary McClure & Lauren Prince Advisor Sam Haynes Design Editors Elaine Chan Aidan Harley Selene Hsu Copy Editors Megan Petersen Star Schneider Alexandra Vallas Photo Editor Caroline Novit Business Manager Grace Xue Social Media Assistant Jane Condon Web Designer Nicole Fergie Staff Writers and Columnists Juliana Beall Nikki Broderick Lily Foss Katherine Goree Rachael Hamilton Stephanie Huang Kehau Jai Anissa Joonas Elizabeth Lee Dagny Xinyue Lu Caroline Miller Caroline Nelson Kara Odum Laurel Schwartz Priya Srivats Stephanie Steinbrecher Abby Volkmann Staff Photographers Tianna Sheih Jacqueline Freedman Comments and letters can be sent to Scripps College The Scripps Voice, 1030 Columbia Ave, Box 892, Claremont, CA, 91711. You can also email The Scripps Voice at scrippsvoice@gmail.com or visit our website at voice.scrippscollege.edu. The Scripps Voice is a student forum and is not responsible for the opinions expressed in it.

By Lily Foss ‘13 Feminism Columnist

s many of you know, I’m not just a feminist to wear shoes that cause her extreme pain in order columnist. I’m also a member of the fabulous, to be taken seriously? award-winning Scripps Mock Trial Team. We Apparently she does. These are the impractical, just finished up a hugely successful season; not a arbitrary standards of workwear for women in certain tournament passed without either the team or an fields. And it sucks. I shudder to think of how many individual member winning an award. This is mostly pairs of nylons I’ll be buying in my future career as because of our general badassery. But in addition a lawyer. Probably a new one for every day, since to talking the talk, Scripps mockers also walk the I’ll almost certainly get runs in all of them. I have a walk. In heels. And this brings me to the point of habit of accidentally catching them on the bottom of this article: why is the standard of professional attire my high heels. Men have it easy—throw on a suit, for women so archaic? some dress shoes that certainly look comfortable I get that serious lawyer people need to look enough, and a tie, and they’re done. Professional professional. I like looking professional. But some and practical. Yet women have to conform to this of what we consider “professional” dress is so ... ridiculous and outdated image of femininity in order stupid. Like nylons. Regular to be found acceptable. In my readers of the Voice will recall mock trial experience, judges “Why is the standard of that I hate nylons. They are the are very quick to comment professional attire for worst. And I always get runs in on a woman’s attire if they them—I swear, the last pair I feel that it’s improper. I’ve women so archaic?” bought had runs even before I been told that my skirt was put them on. But what’s the point of them? They too short, and a teammate’s only comment from a aren’t providing any substantial amount of covering female judge at the end of the round was that when for my legs. Mine are the same color as my skin, so our mocker crossed her legs, the judge could see up it basically just looks like I have matte legs. Would her skirt. the sight of my bare legs really be so unacceptable? Infuriating, right? But I have no idea how to Why are they so scandalous? fix this. Say I don’t wear nylons for my trial. That Another annoying aspect of professional dress: little gesture of defiance is just going to backfire on high heels. I love heels. I love the sound that they me when a judge thinks that my bare whore legs make as they click across the floor. I love the way are indecent and rules against my client. You don’t they make my calves look. I do not love the intense get points for rebelliousness in the legal profession, pain that comes with standing in mock trial court all even if “the whole trial is out of order!” So, right day wearing them. And I know that there are some now my best solution is to complain in a newspaper women who hate them all together and would rather column, and to incorporate my criticisms into my wear flats every day. Why are heels more professional senior thesis. Read more in “Mocking Equality: than flats? Does that extra two inches really make Reproduction of Gender Hierarchy in Mock Trial,” someone look more competent? Does a woman have which will hopefully be done by April 26!

4•Opinions & Editorials

Let’s Talk About Diversity: By Laurel Schwartz ’15 Politics Columnist

Sending a message for inclusivity on campus

Step into the SCORE living room and you will find a variety of resources of empowerment with respect to class, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexuality and sexual orientation. However, for many students, this is not enough. As someone with a chronic autoimmune disease (I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when I was nine years old), I have become increasingly aware of the lack of support for disabled students in the Scripps community. With SCORE acting as a valuable resource for students who are members of many groups, I have outlined why it is imperative that SCORE recognize disability as well. 1. “Ableism” is defined as the following: a societal world-view that the able bodied are the norm in society and that disabled people must either strive to become that norm or keep their distance from able-bodied people. Failing to acknowledge disability at Scripps is inherently ableist because the community systematically ignores the disabled experience. Lack of acknowledgement and discussions surrounding disability presumes that disabled individuals must strive to become the norm of able-bodied people. 2. Upon organizing a panel discussion about disability at Scripps, it came to my attention that many members of our community are unaware of ableism on campus. Students are ignorant and unaware because disability is not officially recognized in a context outside of the Dean of Students Office. Publically

acknowledging disability and ableism would not only help disabled students feel more welcome on campus but would also educate the Scripps community. 3. Disabled students would benefit greatly from the resources given to other student groups. Many groups have a physical space in SCORE, a faculty advisor and a budget for programming. Disabled students have none of these resources. With a physical space, disabled students would be able to gather for meetings, fostering a community of disabled students. With a faculty advisor, students would have better resources to communicate with professors and navigate receiving accommodations. With photo couresty | Shutterstock.com a budget, disabled students would be able to organize events to raise awareness and create a dialogue about disability. Recognition of disability would send a strong message to the student body. This message would create a community of disabled students and a community of allies. There is currently a 5C club called Disability, Illness and Difference Alliance that allows students to gather to support each other, but it is clear to me that something more needs to be done on Scripps’ campus specifically. A panel discussion a few weeks ago revealed that many students are actively searching for disability resources, yet finding them either unavailable or inaccessible. As a small community that does so much to try to create open dialogues about race, gender and class, we can—and must—open a dialogue about disability on our campus.

Globalization of the carbon market combats climate change

Tree Hugger

By Abby Volkmann ’13 Environment Columnist

n the past, Europe has been the core of the world’s global carbon market. The Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism allows developed countries to assist developing countries in achieving sustainable development by earning tradable carbon credits for emissions reductions from clean energy projects in the developing world. Project developers invested billions to earn Certified Emission Reductions (carbon credits) that they sold to European companies participating in the cap and trade EU Emissions Trading Scheme. However, Europe’s economic downturn strongly impacted the Union’s carbon market. Not only have emission reduction targets taken a backseat to the EU’s financial problems, but collapsed industrial activity, decreased demand, and reduced carbon emissions left Europe with millions of surplus emission permits, leaving room for carbon emissions to grow as the economy recovered without hitting the cap of phase two of the Emissions Trading Scheme. While Europe’s emission trading system has faced a downturn, many other countries—developed and developing—are establishing their own carbon markets, making greater contributions than ever to the global action against climate change. Australia implemented a carbon-pricing scheme (carbon tax) in July 2012, which has been successful thus far. Their Department of Climate Change and Renewable Energy reported a 9% reduction in emissions from electricity generators just six months after the scheme was introduced. Additionally,

photo | Caroline Novit ’14

California introduced a landmark cap and trade program that will help the state reduce its greenhouse gas output to 1990 levels by 2020. The state is now working closely with British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba through the Western Climate Initiative to develop a United States—Canada emissions trading scheme. South Korea and South Africa have committed to the implementation of carbon pricing mechanisms by 2015, and the World Bank is helping governments in Asia, Africa, and South America develop some form of emissions trading scheme. The globalization of the carbon market has brought hope to what seems to be our world’s terminal illness that is climate change. If countries continue linking carbon markets as California is doing with Canada, the knowledge regarding the implementation and operation of carbon markets will expand. This may contribute to stronger cooperation and collaboration at the next global climate change summit, bringing us yet another step closer to overcoming climate change.

April 4, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Ten

Opinions & Editorials•5 Retraction: One of our astute readers brought to my attention that the reference to South Central in my previous column as “the decayed urban area in L.A. where many homies presumably live” was offensive. I was not familiar with the neighborhood or L.A. as a whole and wrongly utilized a description I found on the internet. I did not mean to pass judgment on the area whatsoever. Having learned more about the neighborhood’s history as a site of resistance against racial violence, I now realize my word choice was poor. I am truly sorry, and thanks to our readers for pointing this out! Stephanie Huang ‘16 Fashion Columnist

A Ditty on the Doody

Anynomous

The gender pay gap:

what women in the job market need to know

By Kara Odum ’15 Economics Columnist

Pandora’s Box

verybody poops. But does everybody appreciate it? This issue, I’d like to invite all of you to open your eyes and anuses to the wonders of coprophilia: the magical mentality linking feces and sexual arousal. Contrary to popular understanding, such a fetish goes beyond the mere act of defecating on someone; attraction to the smell, taste, texture, or sight of feces as a primary means of arousal and gratification, alone or with a partner, constitutes coprophilia. Before diving into the history of this practice, I’d like to clarify that coprophilia is a legitimate sexual preference with a solid following. I encourage you to receive coprophilia as you would any other fetish: as long as consent is in the mix, scat away! So here is my attempt to open up a historically taboo subject. Through some intriguing research, I’ve learned that coprophilia can be celebrated in many ways. While some prefer to witness from a distance, others like to get down and dirty with the feces. Without getting too graphic, coprophiles have testified to lathering themselves in, handling, and

EconoMix

consuming poop. One male online user has recommended using scat as a form of lube when masturbating, also mentioning that the allure of coprophilia stems from the fetish’s intimate and illicit asspects. Though the coprophile community remains pretty anonymous on the web, there are some well-known figures who have been revealed to enjoy scat sex behind closed doors. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, famous for his Piano Concertos, also wrote a delectable tune called “Lick My Ass Nicely,” a party ballad composed of the lyrics:

“Lick my ass nicely, lick it nice and clean, nice and clean, lick my ass. That’s a greasy desire, nicely buttered, like the licking of roast meat, my daily activity. Three will lick more than two, come on, just try it, and lick, lick, lick. Everybody lick his own ass himself.”

Also joining the coprophilia club is Germany’s own Adolf Hitler, whose neice, Geli Raubal, asserts the former dictator required her to squat over him so he could see all up in her sphincter. Even my modern-day queen, Nicki Minaj, has alluded to sexual poop pleasures as evident in her song “Did It On ‘Em,” when the female emcee repeats the title line between verses asserting her dominance over her partner. In short, coprophilia ain’t no thang. Sing it loud, sing it proud, and in the words of Onika Tanya Maraj, “P-p-pput your number twos in the air if you did it on ‘em.”

he gender pay gap is the systematic wage discrepancy between men and women resulting from gender discrimination, variance in chosen field, and number of hours worked. The most popular figure often quoted is that women make 77% of what their male counterparts earn, or put differently, women earn 23% less than men according to the median income of a full-time year-round worker. However, this discrepancy isn’t completely due to gender discrimination in the workplace. In fact, if everything is held constant including the type of work, experience, skill, hours worked, etc., then the gender pay gap drops to 7%, which is still an unacceptably high number. What are the other causes of the gender pay gap? Most experts agree that women choose professions that aren’t as profitable. For example, more women go into education and the social sciences, which historically pay less, while men are more likely to pursue historically more profitable fields such as engineering and computer science. This aspect of the pay gap represents the differing general career interests between women and men. Another explanation of the pay gap comes from men and women’s tendencies to negotiate for wages differently. This discrepancy starts from the first job held and grows as the women’s career progresses. If a man can negotiate a higher salary, like $35,000 compared to the woman’s starting salary of $30,000, then the next time a raise comes up or the worker gets a new job, the man will be able to get an even larger salary. The key for women starting “The key for their first job is to negotiate for women starting their salary, rather than take the first number offered. However, their first job women are hesitant to do this is to negociate for many reasons: they fear for their salary, the offer can be rescinded, rather than take they are afraid of rejection or risk, and they feel they will the first number be perceived differently for it. offered.” There is an element of truth to the concern that women who negotiate will be perceived as aggressive. In a study done at Carnegie Mellon, men and women asked for a raise using the same script, but while employers liked the men’s forwardness the women were branded as being ‘pushy’. There is some hope that over time the gender pay gap will erode. Progress has been made in attracting talented women to science, making understood the importance of negotiating, and introducing even more skilled women into the workforce. Schools have been making an effort to include more women in STEM areas by increasing visibility of female professionals, broadening the focus of science to be more interdisciplinary, and encouraging girls early on to explore math and science. Recently women have been earning more degrees, 60% of all masters and 50.4% of PhDs and programs have been set up to help teach undergraduate and early-career women how to negotiate effectively for better salaries. Slowly but surely, the gender pay gap will continue to decrease, although gender discrimination will be around in the workplace for a while yet.

April 4, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Ten

6•Features

Features•7

Scripps gets

Just in time for Pride: Does

The Supreme Court takes on marriage

By Megan Petersen ’15 Copy Editor

ou’d have to have been comatose to have missed it. The Human Rights Campaign’s red equal signs all over Facebook. The headlines quoting every sarcastic quip that rolled off of Antonin Scalia’s tongue. The photographs of the clever (and not so clever) picketers’ signs in Washington, D.C. The myriad interviews and pictures of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi absolutely everywhere… Even with “GAYpril,” a pride month at many college campuses, just around the corner, those who love and support GLBTQQI rights were hardly celebratory—at least not yet. Any celebrations, if they come at all, will have to wait until early this summer. That’s when the Supreme Court is expected to hand down its decisions on what are expected to be two landmark cases regarding marriage rights for non-heterosexual couples: Hollingsworth v. Perry, otherwise known as the Proposition 8 case, and United States v. Windsor, which deals with the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). How the court will rule on these issues is essentially anyone’s guess. Generally speaking, the court could overturn or uphold a lower court’s ruling, remand and send the case back down to a lower court for more proceedings, or the court could rule that the plaintiffs don’t have standing to sue—that is, that they haven’t been harmed in such a way that a favorable ruling would bring sufficient recourse—and will refuse to go further. Even more impor tant than the official decision will be the written opinions of the court. These documents detail the court’s logic behind its decision, and often determine whether a decision will be limited to its specific context or will

have far-reaching effects. For example, if the Court upholds the California Supreme Court’s ruling that Prop 8 is unconstitutional, whichever justice writes the opinion of the court could argue that the ruling applies to any state with a ban on gay marriage, only to states that have already approved gay marriage within their borders, or only to California. However, many analysts are more concerned about standing, particularly in the Prop 8 case, than about any other rulings the court might dole out. If the court rules that those suing can’t achieve legal resource under the law, the court would dismiss the case without any further ruling. What would a non-ruling look like on Prop 8? Potentially not much different than it does now, which, arguably, would look like a loss for many same sex marriage proponents. However, there are those who don’t see “marriage equality” as progress. Given the inherently patriarchal and oppressive history of marriage, particularly in the Judeo-Christian cultural norms that shape mainstream American society, is confining same sex relations to such a mold necessarily a good thing? Some critics of same sex marriage argue that state-sanctioned marriage itself is discriminatory, since so many rights are given to couples that are not afforded single people or those in other kinds of relationships. Arguably, it would be more progressive to abolish state-sanctioned marriage altogether. These, of course, are not the questions that the Supreme Court is grappling with, and any thoughts on rulings are merely speculative. It’s doubtful that the excitement will die down, though, so stay tuned. Happy pride month, all!

Tim Wise’s

success marginalize

antiracist activists

of color?

By Rosemary McClure ‘13 Editor-in-Chief

n Mar. 12, antiracist author and activist Tim Wise delivered a lecture titled, “I’m white. Where’s my resource center?” at Pomona College. Wise’s lecture focused on debunking common myths white people hold about race, such as the idea that affirmative action is reverse racism, or that it is unfair that white people “aren’t allowed” to say the N word. Wise, a Nashville native and Tulane graduate, is the author of seven books and has spoken at over 600 colleges. He also facilitates workshops and training for teachers, nonprofits, law enforcement, and the like, often using humor to flip the status quo on its head. This is a pretty effective strategy, as evidenced by accusations that he is a “hard Left fanatic” who “roams the countryside in search of monsters to destroy,” delivered by the types of people who put the phrase white privilege in quotation marks. Wise’s irreverence toward religious conservatives and Republicans sometimes gets him in hot water, which was the case recently over statements he made at Providence College, a Catholic institution, drawing attention to the Church’s role in Native American genocide. Wise, like all antiracist activists, is asked idiotic questions frequently during Q&A sessions. Spoiler alert: these questions are usually asked by white college students hoping to thwart Wise’s premise. Such denial of oppression by the dominant group is common, “because to be white in 2013, you don’t have to know anything about people of color to succeed. People of color have to learn about our stuff”—white literature, white theory, white art, though of course we don’t call it that (we call it “literature, theory, and art”). As Wise noted at the start of his lecture at Pomona College, the ability to live oblivious to one’s political identities—if one is a nondisabled, cisgendered, white male with class privilege, for instance—is itself a privilege. But if, as Wise says, “the white lens, in a white supremacist society, is the most inaccurate,” what does it mean for a white person to be a renowned antiracist speaker? Do we believe that Tim Wise is invited to hundreds of colleges every year because he

is just the best antiracist speaker around? Or is the white antiracist lens prone to the same inaccuracies as the white supremacist lens? Author Ewuare Osayande explored this idea in a post titled “Word to the Wise: Unpacking the White Privilege of Tim Wise” on the website People of Color Organize! Osayande wrote about the frustration expressed by student groups at several colleges and universities who wanted him to speak at their school but could not muster the administrative support (i.e. funds) necessary to host him. Meanwhile, at the very same institutions, Tim Wise “received the red carpet of administrative respect and welcome.” Asked one student in an email to Osayande: “Isn’t this what Tim Wise is supposed to be against?” Wise admits, as he did during the Q&A session following his lecture at Pomona, that his specific repudiations of racist ideas are not new: they are the same arguments antiracist activists of color have been making since day one. Although Wise is undeniably a talented speaker and writer, he also concedes that his whiteness plainly plays a role in his success: that people living in a white supremacist society see white “experts” as more credible than people of color, even regarding the issue of race is one of the great contradictions of white supremacy. This criticism of Wise and other white antiracists has been ongoing in the blogosphere. In a March 2011 post titled continued on page 8

An open letter

Bloomberg

Businessweek

By Nicole Rufus ‘16 Contributing Writer Dear Bloomberg Businessweek, By now, I know you have come under an enormous amount of heat for the cover your publication ran the week of Feb. 25, but the issue doesn’t end with your halfhearted apology. You may “regret” the cover, but the harm is already done, and the idea that Blacks and Latinos in this country are money hungry savages has already been placed, whether consciously or subconsciously, into minds of some of your readers. I would be remiss if I didn’t begin with your terribly offensive caricatures. Your depiction of bulgeeyed, big-lipped, greedy Blacks and Latinos sitting around in their house full of cash is almost comical. You’re quick to call it a mistake, something you would do differently, but the truth is that’s how you see Black and Latino people. It wasn’t some oversight. It was a reflection of your perspective. To you at Businessweek, Blacks and Latinos are the problem. We are people whose eyes bulge in delight at the thought of loans that we can’t afford, and who sit in our houses and fan ourselves with money that we didn’t really earn. In a weird way, I’m happy this happened. For once, you cannot hide behind subtle racism, the things written in a between the lines. This is clear as day, and I’m glad about that. Make no mistake, Businessweek, you sent a message loud and clear with that cover and your half-assed apology doesn’t somehow erase that. Knowing what you at Businessweek truly think about the subprime crash gives me an opportunity to discuss how completely irresponsible that line of thought is. Your cover (which had nothing to do with the actual article) implies that Blacks and Latinos are somehow responsible for the subprime crash. This comes at a time when Blacks

photo | Washington Post

Obama employs timeless rhetoric, appeals to Israeli college students By Laurel Schwartz ’15 Politics Columnist

are denied home loans at almost twice the rate of whites in this country, a time when Blacks and Latinos—because they make up the majority of the impoverished in this country—are often victims of predatory loaning schemes. Your cover isn’t only inaccurate, it’s embarrassing to your work as “journalists” because journalism is supposed to help create an informed population, not manipulate them through inaccurate, offensive images. If you’re looking for someone to blame for the crash, blame Wall Street. Blame the banks that practice predatory loaning in order to trap people. Just as I think you should hold Wall Street accountable for their bad practices, I’m going to hold you accountable, Businessweek. You have a responsibility to be responsible informers, and you failed at that job with that cover. You let preconceived, racist notions—that are false—inform your decision-making and that is inexcusable. Your “regret” means nothing to me. Here’s an idea: hire some Black and Latino people. Have people who are actually a part of the groups that your cover targeted involved in the decision making process. Crazy idea, right? Just promise you’ll think about it. Sincerely, Nicole Rufus

April 4, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Ten

n March 21—the first night of Passover—President Obama delivered a speech to a group of college students in Israel. His message was clear: Israel is about recognizing freedom, but revisions to how freedom is executed need to be discussed and implemented. Obama explained, “[The Exodus is] a story about finding freedom in your own land. And for the Jewish people, this story is central to who you’ve become.” The president acknowledged that the main contention in viewing the Exodus as a solely Jewish story supporting a Jewish state is that the story has universal meaning. He explains, “[I] t’s also a story that holds within it the universal human experience, with all of its suffering but also all of its salvation. It’s a part of the three great religions— Judaism, Christianity and Islam—that trace their origins to Abraham and see Jerusalem as sacred.” By acknowledging the signification of the experience for the Jewish population of Israel, he was able to assert that the experience holds the same significance for people of other religions. Obama calls specifically on young people to help create peace in the region, explaining, “I’d like to focus on how we—and when I say we, in particular young people—can work together to make progress in three areas that will define our times: security, peace, and prosperity.” In regards to security, The President

asserted that Israel cannot accept rocket attacks from Gaza. He also included that Israel has a right to expect Hamas to recognize Israel’s right to exist. In terms of peace, Obama acknowledges that Israel is at a crossroads that may require envisioning a new future for Israel. He expresses that peace in Israel may be directly dependent on recognizing Palestine: “And there is no question that the only path to peace is through negotiations, which is why, despite the criticism we’ve received, the United States will oppose unilateral—unilateral efforts to bypass negotiations through the United Nations. It has to be done by the parties. But the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, their right to justice, must also be recognized. And put yourself in their shoes. Look at the world through their eyes.” President Obama pointed to Tel Aviv as the key to prosperity in Israel, noting Israel’s accomplishments in regards to inventions and environmental action. Obama’s speech was an overall success in Israel and around the globe. By asserting Israel’s right to exist and appealing to the innately Israeli rhetoric he was able to open discussions regarding other religiously affiliated countries’ right to existence in the same space.

8•Features Tim Wise

continued from p. 6

“The White Anti-Racist is an Oxymoron (An Open Letter to ‘White Anti-Racists’),” blogger Kil Ja Kim wrote that white anti-racism “still makes white people the most valued people,” forcing people of color “to feel dependent and grateful to white people who will actually interact with us.” Kim takes a slightly harder stance on white antiracists than Osayande (and I encourage you to read both authors’ blogs). Kim writes, “don’t call us, we’ll call you. … don’t show up, flaunt your power in our faces and then get angry when we resent the fact that you have so many resources we don’t and that we are not grateful for this arrangement.” Osayande writes: “I do not have a problem with white people speaking out against racism … But when that acknowledgment precludes or is prioritized over and beyond our acknowledgment of ourselves, then we have a problem.” If white people are more likely to listen to a white antiracist lecturer than a person of color, is that progress—because at least they’re hearing it—or is it reinforcing the racist idea that white people’s ideas are more legitimate? Being a white person and selfprofessed Tim Wise groupie, my lens on this issue is foggy to say the least. I am, however, clear that if white people are going to engage in antiracist activism it needs to extend beyond Edmunds Ballroom. During Q & A, one student asked Wise whether colleges should provide a resource dedicated to white consciousness-raising and challenging white supremacy. A “White Student Union” is out of the question, “Because power matters and inequality exists and the dominant group doesn’t need special resources to perpetuate its dominance. That’s called redundancy,” said Wise. In light of Towson Unversity’s scary KKKesque student “patrols,” having any form of “white-designated” space (particularly a physical one, which starts getting really Jim Crowish) should be avoided. However, Wise said he has seen spaces designated for ally-building and raising critical race consciousness prove useful. Do you think Scripps needs an antiracist club or more antiracist programming that is separate from existing resources for students of color? If you are interested in exploring this issue, or are strongly opposed, I encourage you to reach out to the Scripps Communities of Resources and Empowerment (SCORE) office, which is currently in the process of planning next year’s Ally Week.

Scripps celebrates NSEW By Lauren Prince ’14 Editor-in-Chief Interview with Lesley Bonds Career Counselor and Student Employment Coordinator Why did you decide to bring this program to Scripps? Colleges and universities throughout the country celebrate the importance of the student work experience during National Student Employment Week (NSEW) each year in line with the National Student Employment Association (NSEA). This year’s celebration will take place from April 8-12. Scripps began participating in 2010, but I am hoping to infuse new elements into the program this year. Most notably, we are participating for the first time in the National Student Employee of the Year competition through NSEA by selecting one outstanding student employee from Scripps. What do you hope it to accomplish? My number one hope is that student employees feel truly appreciated for their unique contributions to the Scripps community by their supervisors, their coworkers and those they serve on a day-to-day basis. We want student employees to know that we, as an institution, simply could not operate without them. How are students involved? While National Student Employment Week provides a unique opportunity for faculty and staff at Scripps to recognize student employees, it is also my hope that students will recognize their peers and coworkers for helping to shape their experience. I also encourage students to use this week as an opportunity to reflect on their own employment experience here on campus. Not only do their jobs help them earn the money necessary to fund their college experiences, but they’re also earning valuable skills that will most certainly be applicable to any future career they pursue. How many student employees does Scripps have? We have over 600 student employment positions on

campus each year. Students serve in various capacities to support the work of departments across campus and throughout the consortium. The responsibilities of our student employees are vast and the departments diverse, with students serving in academic departments, Student Affairs, the Office of Admission, Communications and Marketing, IT and more. Whether students are whipping up the perfect latte in The Motley, mentoring high school students through the Scripps College Academy, or maintaining a safe and inclusive environment in the Tiernan Field House, we are equally thankful for the many hours our student employees contribute to building the best experience for all who step foot on campus. What should student employees expect for this week? Student employees will receive a note of appreciation from President Bettison-Varga and supervisors will have the opportunity to recognize their students in a number of ways throughout the week. Students should be sure to drop by Scripps Tea on Wednesday, April 10 to see a Thank You Quilt that supervisors will have compiled. Departments around campus will also be competing in an Office Decoration Contest and students can vote for their favorite to help them earn a pizza party for their entire staff through CP&R’s Facebook page. Last, I hope to see everyone at a reception for the Scripps Student Employee of the Year on Friday, April 12 at 4 p.m. in Margaret Fowler Garden. The finalists for Scripps Student Employee of the Year are Anna-Marie Wood (Office of Admission), LaThelma Armstrong (Scripps College Academy) and SuAnne Lee (Residential Life).

April 4, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Ten

Arts & Entertainment•9

Making cancer extinct: Relay For Life hosts 24 hours of fun this Friday By Lauren Prince ’14 Editor-in-Chief

laremont Colleges Relay For Life is finally here! After months of planning by the Claremont Colleges Against Cancer club, the 24-hour event that raises money for the American Cancer Society (ACS) will be held this from this Saturday at 11 a.m. to the next day at 11a.m. at the CMC Track. “Planning Relay For Life has been an incredibly rewarding experience, not just because it’s a wonderful cause, but because of the absolutely outstanding people I’ve worked with for the past year,” said Selene Hsu ’15, Logistics Chair. The Claremont Colleges Against Cancer club has been planning and running Relay For Life for four years. 150 students participated last year, and they raised about $34,000 for the American Cancer Society. This year, 230 participants have signed up and have already raised $20,000. The club decided to paint the entirety of Walker Wall because “painting the whole wall, like Relay For Life being a 24-hour event, is a reminder of the perpetual fight [for] people who have or have had to battle cancer. By mirroring the omnipresence of cancer and the effect is had on everyone in society, painting the entirety of the wall reminds people of the struggle and implores them

Class

continued from p. 1

topic” in six words or less. What began as a conversation starter turned into an “epilogue,” reports Norris on his project’s website. SCORE hopes that the Class Project will foster such necessary dialogues at Scripps. The topic of class, like race or gender, is not one that SCORE has spent much time exploring but hopes to talk more about in the future.

Tour guide changes continued from p. 1

are not motivated to get involved for the financial incentives. “It was important to us for our tour guides to be paid. After all, they are often the first impression that prospective students and families have of campus and we want to recognize the important role they play,” said Assistant Director of Admission Jessica Johnston. Admissions is motivated by practical reasons to change the program as well. “We determined that it was best to move to a more stream-lined corps of tour guides. This way, we are able to provide more training and meet regularly to support our tour guides. It’s a more manageable group for us: nearly 10% of the whole student body was volunteering to be tour guides! That’s a lot to handle,” said Johnston. “We do not have a huge budget so after careful planning, we concluded that we could only afford to pay 15 guides,” said Ravi. These 15 guides will give two tours a week rather than one. Given that so many students are currently involved in the program and only 15 students will serve as guides next semester, the application process is rigorous. The new positions will be open

Event Schedule:

to join forces with us in the fight against cancer by participating in Relay For Life,” said Vice President 11 a.m. Opening Ceremonies Justin Gutzwa (PO ’14). (2 5C student cancer survivors are speaking) Have you seen those purple sweatshirts around 1:30 p.m. Water Balloon fight campus? Relay For Life decided to order sweatshirts 2 p.m. Without a Box for their entire committee, so they would be walking 3 p.m. K-Pop performance and workshop billboards to recruit new participants and be liaisons 5 p.m Miss Relay Pageant between ACS and the 5C student body. The sweat6 p.m. Dodgeball Tournament ($1 entrance fee) shirts have a dinosaur that says, “Help us fight can6 p.m. Hip Hop Workshop cer?” The group has adopted a hashtag to help them 7 p.m. Kosher Chords campaign as well: #Iam5cRelay. 7:45 Men’s Blue and White Their theme this year is Prehistoric Jungle Safari, 9 p.m. Luminaria Ceremony so there will be a Dinosaur Bounce House, a dino10:30 p.m. Ultimate Frisbee saur egg hunt, and other fun dinosaur related activi11 p.mm. Inland Emperors ties. 12 a.m. Super Smash Bros Tournament ($1 entrance There will be free professional 10-minute massagfee) es, Hamster Balls, arts and crafts, pony inflatables, 1 a.m. Zumba and other fun things throughout the entire day. The 1:30 a.m. Energy Drink Pong Tournament ($1 rest of the fun activities are below. entrance fee) “There’s no advertising like someone actually do2 a.m. Jurassic Park Screening ing the event, so the better we can get people to come 4 a.m. Just Dance 3 out and see the greatness for themselves, the better 6 a.m. Sunrise Yoga Relay will be in 2014,” said Gutzwa. 10:30 a.m. Closing Ceremonies

“We’ve heard students express that Class is often silenced but definitely not hidden on this campus, lending to the importance of starting dialogue around this topic,” said Ogino. SCORE hopes that the Class Project will be a great way to continue conversations about topics that really influence how all members of the community live and interact with one another. to all Scripps students, not only previous guides. Applications are due March 25, group interviews take place from April 1-4, individual interview notifications will be sent out April 5, mock tours with Johnston will be from April 1619, and final notification will be sent to all candidates on April 23. Other jobs with AAT are also available, including Outreach Coordinator, Tour Guide and Overnight Hostess Coordinator, On-Campus Events Coordinator, and Communications Intern. “We are looking for a wide range of Scripps experiences so that prospective students can get a more holistic taste of Scripps. We are looking for passionate, dedicated, multi-faceted ladies with great communication skills,” said Ravi. In this new system, fewer students will be able to represent the college in the Office of Admissions. Yet, the few who do get chosen will be a part of a more uniform, official process. Which system better reflects the mission of the college, the aim of Admissions, the interest of current students, and the benefits of the prospective students will remain to be seen as the new system replaces the old in the fall.

Letter to the

Editors Re: Bestiality

Dear Scripps Voice, I was hoping that the author of “We ain’t nuthin’ but mammals: beastiality, morality, and the law” would be able to clarify a debate I am having with several of my colleagues. I am convinced this piece is a satirical impression on our idea of morality and rights. If that is the case, then I think it is brilliant! As the author points to Lawrence v Texas, a case that theoretically overruled Bowers v. Hardwick to the extent it sustained an anti-sodomy statute, she shows us statues that place constraints on an individual’s liberty do exist. Therefore, when the author asks, “aren’t anti-bestiality laws unconstitutional,” she presents an argument that mirrors the argument of Justice Scalia’s dissent in Lawrence. There he, like your author, states that laws exist that prohibit prostitution, recreational use of heroin, and working more than sixty hours a week in a bakery (See Lochner v. New York). Hence, as I am sure your author knows, there is no right to “liberty” especially under the Due Process Clause. The 14th Amendment allows States to deprive their citizens of “liberty,” so long as “due process of law” is provided. I am astounded that your author was able to play off her knowledge of our constitution and show that if laws like sodomy are allowed, as expressed “rights,” you may also assume bestiality, as well as recreational heroin use, and even polygamy can be assessed as “rights” just to appease the feelings of those who have a desire to do them. How can your author express otherwise? I am appalled at my colleagues’ lack of trust in the intelligence of your author! Can they not see if your author was seriously advocating bestiality on the notion that “animals [do not] have the self-awareness required to give consent” she would also be advocating sex with babies would be okay as well?? Perhaps they would laugh at me at such a suggestion citing that babies have a potential for consent, and therefore, are not part of her dialogue. Fair enough, but what about sexual intercourse with a severely mentally retarded individual? He/she will never have the full mental capacity for consent and therefore should there not be a free-for-all with any mentally handicapped person whom we can “coerce”? The argument is clearly preposterous, and I doubt personal ethics that form from “the foundation for self-actualization” can advocate for such a policy. Therefore, I commend your author who, without even going into Natural Law theories of Plato, continued on page 12

April 4, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Ten

Student Life•11

The Plan B vending machine debate:

ASPC considers making emergency contraception more accessible By Rosemary McClure ‘13 Editor-In-Chief

PRO

hile the installation of any vending machine on a college campus is obviously a decision of earth-shattering importance, much of the controversy surrounding hypothetical (at this point) Plan B vending machines at Pomona amounts to antifeminist policing of female sexuality cloaked in paternalistic concern-trolling. The most common argument against vending machines that dispense emergency contraception is that women will start using Plan B … like … a lot! (It’s always a vague amount like “too much.”) It is true that doctors recommend against the repeated use of Plan B. The whole point is that it’s a backup method. However, research shows that repeat use of emergency contraception in the same calendar year is rare, occurring at a rate of around 7% of users studied. Furthermore, if it was really Plan B’s effectiveness that was so worrying to the opposition, they would be emphasizing the importance of making it available around the clock: the sooner you take it after a broken condom or unprotected sex, the more effective it is. Because the nearest 24-hour pharmacy is nearly three miles from campus and the student health center is not open on nights or weekends, I think the vending machines fill a void in the medicine’s availability. Another common argument I hear opposing Plan B vending machines expresses concern that women might begin to rely on Plan B as their primary method of birth control. I do not think this is a valid concern. “I think the [Plan B] vending First of all, if you’re worried machines fill a void in the people might rely too heavily on Plan B simply because it’s widemedicine’s availability.” ly available, maybe you should focus on making other forms of contraception (and comprehensive sex ed) more accessible. Secondly, putting Plan B in a vending machine does not constitute a school-sanctioned contraception free-for-all. At $20 a pop, the cost alone would likely prevent “Plan B being used as ‘Plan A’”—a phrase anti-choicers manage to use in every sound bite pertaining to emergency contraception (it’s actually impressive). I’m just saying: I pass machines that dispense Diet Coke at least twice a day in the dining halls, and I don’t drink it. Ever. Because it’s bad for my health. In January, Fox News ran a sensationalist article opposing the installation of Plan B vending machines at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. The article, called “Plan B vending machines: Irresponsible and just crazy,” was written by a doctor touting the supposedly grave side effects of emergency contraception. Side effects include, according to Dr. Manny Alvarez: “mid-cycle spotting, irregular bleeding, hives, swelling of the face and lips – and for some” [pause for drama], “even nausea and diarrhea.” Hmm, those sound suspiciously like the side effects I experience after consuming dining hall breakfast sausage. And compared to the side effects of pregnancy—oh, sorry, did you forget what they were? Allow me to refresh your memory: vomiting and nausea, gas and bloating, bleeding gums, constipation, hemorrhoids, itchy skin, nosebleeds, yeast infections, mood swings, back pain, dizziness and fainting, gestational diabetes, hair loss, incontinence, anemia, and increased lifetime risk of Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis. Also: a fucking baby. I’LL TAKE THE HIVES AND DIARRHEA, THANKS! A troubling implication of all these arguments is that women are just too stupid to use Plan B as it is directed. This is a condescending and antifeminist belief. The subtext of the anti-vending machine arguments is the same tired logic used to argue against the very existence of emergency contraception, not to mention oral contraceptives and abortion. If you are a woman who has found herself expressing concern that “other women might” use Plan B irresponsibly, I must ask: if (or when) these vending machines become available, are YOU going to use them as your first line of defense against pregnancy? No, and neither are the “other women.”

CON

By Juliana Beall ‘16 Staff Writer

ecently there has been talk about installing a Plan B vending machine on Pomona’s campus. Keeping in mind that Pomona students already have relatively easy access to the medication, in my opinion adding these ‘Plan B’ vending machines on campus will only add an unnecessary causality to taking a serious and potent drug. The casualty may shift the role of ‘Plan B’ to a ‘Plan A’ in the minds of students. This will inevitably promote misuse of the drug, unprotected sex, and the spreading STDs. Both the makers of Plan B and physicians warn users of the strength and possible side effects of the pill. The Plan B information guide online clearly states that Plan B should not be used as a regular birth control method and many researchers have speculated that repeated use of Plan B decreases the effectiveness of the pill. The list of side effects is extensive. The pill contains more hormones that any one prescription-based birth control pill does and is not allowed to be sold to people under 17. The creators of Plan B and physicians are clear that Plan B should not be used as a Plan A. The first Plan B vending machine was installed on the Shippensburg University campus, nestled in the small, 6,000-person town in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania in 2010. Much of the basis for Plan B being sold in vending machines was the lack of pharmaceutical accessibility for students. However, Plan B is already available on Pomona’s campus at the student health center. An appointment and face-to-face consultation is needed in order to make the purchase, which bothers many students. Students in favor of a Plan B vending machine distributor complain that this consultation can be inconvenient to schedule or even humiliating. But if the student is practicing safe sex on a regular basis this appointment system should pose minimum burden on the student’s schedule. And if there is something obstructive in the student’s schedule that somehow takes precedent over preventing a possible pregnancy, there are pharmacies within 10 minutes walking distance of campus that require no appointment. As for the embarrassment issue, the use of Plan B has always been encouraged as an emergency situation medication. Taking the pill is, in my mind, a noteworthy enough scenario that perhaps merits face-to-face confrontation. There are several embarrassing medical situations that require the presence of a physician or a pharmacist, and the humiliating aspect does not mean we should simply remove this middleman. For example, buying birth control requires a prescription, which may present a frustratingly difficult and embarrassing situation for many young women. I would not say that we would be moving forward with women’s rights by providing birth control at the over-the-counter level of availability. We are simply taking the same necessary health precautions that we would with any other drug of that potency. Do not get me wrong; I firmly believe that Plan B should be readily available to women of all ages, backgrounds, and locations. I simply believe that its availability today, more specifically in the context of the city of Claremont and the campuses, is appropriate. Plan B has prevented numerous unwanted pregnancies and given women greater empowerment over their bodies. However, I think that with the abundance of 24 hour pharmacies in Claremont, once we have reached the over-the-counter level of access, moving a step forward in availability and convenience is not necessarily also moving a step forward in women’s rights and women’s health. On a college campus where there is already relatively easy access to Plan B, selling the pill in vending machines will only add an oversimplified, casual aspect to taking the drug that will no doubt decrease the perceived necessity of condoms. If wearing condoms become less of a priority there will almost certainly be an increase in unsafe sex and the spread of STD’s. Overall, the big difference between Plan B being sold in vending machines and Plan B being sold over the counter is convenience. And I am not sure if convenience is something that should be promoted when its presence is perhaps encouraging people to overlook the dangers of unprotected sex.

April 4, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Ten

12•Student Life

Sanskriti: “A cultural extravaganza” By Rachael Hamilton ‘16 Staff Writer

f you are a fan of bright colors, dancing, singing, and free Indian food, there is only one place to be on April 6: Sanskriti, the 5C South Asian Cultural Show put together through the collaborative efforts of EKTA, the Bollywood dance club, and the Hindu society. So what exactly is Sanskriti? According to co-chairmen Prachie Banthia (PO ’14) and Avantika Saraogi (’13), Sanskriti is “a fun celebration of the different kinds of things that are part of South Asian culture.” Sanskriti is an interactive performance that not only highlights the cultural variations of the performance pieces themselves, which stem from all across India, but also the cultural diversity that it celebrates among its performers and audience. The event features performances ranging from Bollywood to classical Indian dance, classical Indian singing to instrumental pieces, and even a couple of fusion pieces featuring hip-hop and beat-boxing. “Sanskriti is a great platform for South Asians to celebrate their own culture, but also for other people who don’t have that cultural background to experience it and to be a part of it as well,” said Banthia and Saraogi on the diversity and collaboration of the performers. The 50-plus Sanskriti performers, who have been preparing and practicing for Sanskriti all year, not only represent a variety of cultural backgrounds, but also represent each of the 5Cs and CGU. Sanskriti’s objective is to entertain as well as educate the Claremont community about the unique aspects of South Asian culture while embracing the coming together of all cultures. This is evident through some pieces, in which the majority of the performers and some of the choreographers are not of South Asian descent. “We made this organization so people who did not have the cultural background could be a part of it. That’s the whole point: for us to make a diplomatic effort to get people that don’t know much about this culture to be a part of it.” Not only do the performances t h e m s e l ve s a c t a s a m e a n s o f highlighting the diversity within South Asian culture, but also the variety of the costumes adds to the diversity of the show. In total, there are about eight different styles of costume, each one bright, colorful, and uniquely suited to the style of dance. With each of the performers in anywhere from two to four acts, some performers will go through four costume changes; what makes these

photo | Tianna Sheih ‘16

costumes all the more special is that the majority of them were bought and made in India, adding to the cultural authenticity of the show. With all the excitement brewing over Sanskriti, it is hard to believe that only three years ago, Sanskriti did not exist. Though Sanskriti had existed previously, it disappeared and was brought back to life last year by Banthia and Jessica Kaushal PO (‘14). As freshmen, they created the Bollywood dance club and EKTA, and in their desire to do something more, got support from all the 5Cs and put on Sanskriti at Garrison last year. At the revival of Sanskriti, Banthia and Kaushal did not expect a huge turn out, so imagine their surprise when people had to leave when all 700 seats at Garrison quickly filled up. In light of Sanskriti’s popularity, the showcase this year will be held at Big Bridges at Pomona, and is free and open to all the 5Cs and the surrounding Claremont community. Although last year’s Sanskriti was a huge success, both Banthia and Saraogi anticipate this year’s performance to be an even bigger success. With a wider variety of pieces, more dedicated performers, and better content, they are expecting the audience to improve with it. Although Banthia and Saraogi are nervous about moving to a bigger venue for Sanskriti’s second performance, they are anticipating a good turn out. “Even if our audience is lower than we expect, when you have a great audience, an audience that is really supportive and stuff, it’s all that really makes a difference. Maybe it’s not

as true with the classical pieces— especially coming from a Bollywood perspective, it’s very true because it’s all about performing and interacting with your audience and doing fun stuff like that. And it will be better for us, not in terms of we’ll be prouder of the show with more people watching, but I feel like the performers will be more excited, they’ll work more off the energy if there are more people

there so we are really excited for an audience that has a lot of energy,” said Banthia and Saraogi. So what should the audience take away from Sanskriti? For Banthia and Saraogi, “more than anything we want people leaving smiling and to say that they would come again.” Sanskriti opens at 6:30 p.m. with free Indian food, and the performance will begin at 7 p.m. at Big Bridges.

Letters

continued from p. 9

Aristotle, St. Thomas, Kant, John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, or even Nietzsche and Hegel, was able to show every person at the Claremont Colleges, through satirical methods, how ridiculous the argument for bestiality is. Now, release me from the ridicule my colleagues have placed on me, who also insult the knowledge of your editor, and tell them that there is no way she can be serious about advocating policies that as vile as bestiality. Best, Muhammed Syed Response: Hey Muhammed, It’s nice to get some feedback on something I wrote. That means somebody read it! My article definitely wasn’t written as an endorsement of bestiality or, god forbid, sex with babies. I was more hoping to show that “ew, gross” isn’t a basis for decisionmaking that’s proved very useful in the past (nor will it be when applied to more nuanced topics such as trans*

rights or animal testing in medicine). Personally I’m pretty clear that bestiality is unethical, but not so clear on why I continue to eat meat. I was also trying to get at those contradictions I guess. Sexist PETA ads are considered progressive; outlawing bestiality is “comically easy” while the Violence Against Women Act barely passes; Towson University insists its student-run KKK arm—excuse me, its “White Student Union”—is somehow constitutionally-protected free speech while the Supreme Court is poised to declare affirmative action unconstitutional in Fisher v. UT. I mean ... tha fuck? I tend to think a lot of it goes back to our cultural norms about which populations we stigmatize, whose suffering we normalize and trivialize. If we don’t know where those norms and attitudes come from, we kinda have our heads in the sand. *Steps off soapbox.* Hope that clarifies ... something! Best, Rosemary McClure (author AND editor, ha ha)

April 4, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Ten