December 6, 2012

Volume XVI, Issue six

december 6, 2012

The Scripps Voice LEED certification debate for the new dorm continues

By Kara Odum ‘15 Staff Writer

O

n Dec. 3, SAS held a LEED panel to answer student questions about the construction of the new residence hall. In attendance on the panel were Professor Denise Mitten, Dean Bekki Lee, Professor Lance Neckar, Joanne Coville CFO, Eera Babtiwale of Agency Architects, alumna and director of LEED support Megan Saffitz, and President Lori Bettison-Varga.

Debate has been ongoing since the idea was first introduced, but up until now the student community was short on information. The panel discussion was very clear on the fact that LEED certification is not financially feasible at this time, seeing as there is literally no money to build the new residence hall in the first place.

So if LEED certification isn’t an option at this time, why bother hosting a panel and discussing it? Because it is a perfect opportunity to open up a dialogue between students, staff, and faculty on the debate and to lay the groundwork now

photo | Caroline Novit ’14

in case funding comes through to make LEED a possibility. Students in support of LEED argue that the college professes environmental sustainability but doesn’t follow through.

Some of the more vocal supporters insist that a price tag can’t be placed on a better environment. Others feel that the gains from building the new dorms to higher standards than is re-

quired in California—which by law has similar standards to LEED silver certification—will have a larger impact on the environment and will save the school money over the long run, which will justifies the present cost.

Some students raised the concern that Scripps would just be paying for a label; they would prefer the money be spent elsewhere.

The first part of the discussion was facilitated by Student Body President Emily Jovais. President Bettison-Varga gave a brief history of the plans for the new residence hall, including the fundraising process. As of now the board has approved plans for a $15 million residence hall with unknown funding sources. Some possibilities include donors or Scripps taking on additional debt to fund the project.

The board is taking a holistic view of the project with consideration for other priorities including other building projects, financial aid, faculty sala-

Features: Dance at the 5Cs

By Emily Jovais ‘13, Alexa Kopelman ‘13 SAS President, SAS Vice President

pting-in: the short phrase that gets every SAS member’s blood pumping. Within SAS, the term “opt-in” is much like “Voldemort”—it is “that which must not be named.” Almost nothing frustrates SAS members as much as this hurdle that, in our opinion, prohibits students from being able to easily participate in an organization they are automatically a part of as students of Scripps College.

SAS elections determine who represents the student body to the Board of Trustees, the President of the College, the first-year students and their parents. SAS elections determine the SAS representatives who ultimately decide where students fees will be spent, what activities will be available on campus, and much more. Clearly, those who sit in these positions of power are important—and yet SAS elections have never been able to reach even 50% voter participation.

To date, the most votes we have had in an election is 382.

A large reason for low voter participation in the past was the fact that elections took place in Seal Court on paper for one day only. If students were off-campus or didn’t come to Seal Court, they couldn’t vote. In an effort to make voting more convenient for students, increase voter turnout, and reduce waste, SAS went paperless.

This was great in theory. Yet at Scripps, nothing is ever that easy. SAS elected to use Simply Voting, a secure voting platform, to conduct online elections. The site works by assigning a specific URL ballot to each student’s email address. The idea is to input all students’ email addresses into the voting system so that everyone receives an individual email ballot and can choose to vote (or not) at their convenience.

However, SAS is NOT allowed access to a list of stu-

Pandora’s Box: A beginner’s guide to BDSM page 12

continued on page 2

SAS Corner

O

Inside...

dents’ names and email addresses. This is because, according to Scripps administration, SAS is a third party to the college and is not recognized as part of the institution. For this reason, students must authorize SAS to input their email addresses into the Simply Voting system, which they do through the “Opt-in” button found on the Academic Portal. If students do not opt-in by a certain deadline they are not eligible to vote. Given this extra step, many students do not vote.

If you’ve been at Scripps for long, you have surely been hounded by SAS members asking you to “opt-in.” Why is this term not more ubiquitous among our neighbors? Because Scripps is the only school in the consortium, maybe among all liberal arts colleges for that matter, that requires students to do this. Why, you ask? How do other schools conduct elections?

At Pitzer, their SAS equivalent uses a similar third party online system called FormStack to conduct elections. This site functions similarly to a Google Form: students enter their name and ID number into the form prior to voting, and afterwards the student leaders cross-check the names and ID numbers with a master list of student names and ID numbers given to them by the registrar (after getting approval from an Assistant Dean). This way, they can ensure that only current students voted and only voted once.

Why can’t SAS do this? The administration has made it clear that they will not provide a student list to SAS. Therefore we have no way of ensuring an honest and fair election. Because we are viewed as a separate entity, this would be a “privacy violation” for the college.

At Pomona, their IT department created a simple voting

pages 6-7

Op-Ed: Will CA Prop 14 decrease the quality of democracy?

page 5

Student Life: Scripps professors’ work outside the classroom

continued on page 11

1030 Columbia Avenue | Claremont, CA 91711 | Box 892 email: scrippsvoice@gmail.com | website: voice.scrippscollege.edu

page 10

2•News

Feminism: a radical concept at Scripps?

By Kehaulani Jai ‘16 Staff Writer

O

n Friday Nov. 30th, the Motley hosted a teach-in focused around feminism and feminist ideals. This discussion was introduced by President Lori Bettison-Varga and led by a panel of students, including Olivia Buntaine (‘15), Emily Areta (‘14), and professors Chris Guzaitis, Seo Young Park, Andrew Jacobs, and moderator Kimberley Drake. Hoping to bring more feminist dialogue to the Scripps community, discussion topics ranged from incorporating feminist pedagogy into classroom instruction to the shape of third-wave feminism. left to right: Jacobs, Park, Areta, Drake, Guzaitis, and Buntaine Panelists were first asked to share their personal definitions of feminism. Responses included, sexist, anti-transphobic, and anti-homophobic.”

President Bettison-Varga, who introduced the but were not limited to, the following: Andrews teach-in, said, “I define feminism as a movement said, “When I think of feminism, I also think in terms of the ideological . . . Feminism is about for equality of opportunity because I think de-mystification of these natural patterns of it’s a somewhat naïve endeavor to have a single definition.” relationships.”

The teach-in then moved to a discussion of Buntaine said, “My personal definition would preconceived ideas of feminism upon entering be an everyday activism and way of living. Making Scripps and the realities of feminism on campus. an everyday practice of being anti-racist, antiIn particular, much attention was given to question of whether Scripps is a place where feminism can thrive, or if being a feminist student or faculty member is actually counter-cultural.

Many panel members felt that not enough active engagement is happening. Park admits that she wants to see “more stirred up, more powerful, more controversial conversations” about feminism on campus.

Guzaitis is personally disappointed in the fact that there is not a feminist group on campus.

The discussion then moved toward a constructive

Eleanor Clift visits Scripps

By Lauren Prince ‘14 Editor-in-Chief

E

leanor Clift, a political reporter, television pundit, and author, came to Scripps College on Nov. 29. As a contributing editor for Newsweek Magazine, Clift shared her wisdom and insight into the changing future of journalism and politics with roughly 14 students at a roundtable discussion.

Clift believes her career “parallels the history of women entering the workforce and of the rise and fall of media.”

photo courtesy | hws.edu

Clift dropped out of college and got a job at Newsweek, starting as a secretary. When they began to offer internships for women, Clift became a reporter. Newsweek assigned her to cover the campaign of a man who was never going to win the presidency: Jimmy Carter.

“The rule is that if you cover the winning candidate, you get to go to the White House. I call Jimmy Carter’s election my Cinderella story,” said Clift.

“Clift’s adaptability is impressive,” said Megan Petersen ( SC ’15). Even though Clift admits to not being active enough on her Facebook and Twitter accounts, she understands the importance of the Internet for journalism.

Offering advice to young women thinking about entering the journalism industry, Clift believes, “there will always be jobs for people who can think and write clearly.”

“Her perspective about what it was like to enter an industry with few women and how it has changed helps me understand how it will continue to evolve in the future,” said Elisabeth Pfeiffer (SC ’15).

Clift currently writes for The Daily Beast and is a contributor on The Mc L a u g h l i n Group.

critique of feminism and the panelists’ hopes and expectations for third-wave feminism. Areta made it known that she feels feminism needs to change, needs to move away from its white, privileged image. Areta said, “Feminism needs to be radically restructured to be all-inclusive.”

Buntaine agreed: “Feminism has a history of being a white word.”

Panelists encouraged the audience and all Scripps students to address these issues by moving forward and being conscious of categories that exclude people.

After the discussion, the professors and students

photo | Tianna Sheih ‘16

took questions from audience members. Questions ranged from whether it was accurate to call the event a “teach-in” to whether feminism really is counter-cultural at Scripps.

The event comes as a part of a broader effort to include feminism more directly in the Motley’s mission statement and operations.

LEED debate continued from page 1

ries, and research. However, President Bettison-Varga clarified that any LEED certification would not take away from existing programs since it would be funded separately.

The cost for LEED certification comes from the registration fee, certification fee, and cost of labor from the architects. The total cost is estimated at about $500,000 for Gold level and $1.5 million for Platinum.

The potential pros of a LEED-certified building include setting the standard for sustainability, making Scripps more green, and increasing environmental benefits. Scripps has recently implemented a “green button” on its fundraising page and current trends show that donors are more likely to give to schools that are environmentally friendly.

The Sustainability Committee has been working to make the whole campus more sustainable and building a LEED Gold or Platinum building would definitely help. The spokeswoman for the architecture firm projected that quantitatively, Scripps can expect to see 20-50 percent energy savings, 40 percent savings in water efficiency, divert 50 percent of waste from landfills, and have an 18 percent decrease in illness due to air quality.

All panel members agreed that building the residence hall to a LEED gold or platinum standard should be a goal but there was a lot of hesitation on the practicality of the venture.

President Bettison-Varga stated that the trouble

december 6, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue six

continued on page 11

Opinions & Editorials•3

The Scripps Voice voice.scrippscollege.edu Editors-in-Chief Rosemary McClure & Lauren Prince Advisor Sam Haynes Design Editors Lily Comba Aidan Harley Copy Editors Megan Petersen Star Schneider Alexandra Vallas Photo Editor Caroline Novit Business Manager position open!

Web Assistant Jane Condon Staff Writers and Columnists Lily Foss Rachael Hamilton Rachel Hennessey Stephanie Huang Kehau Jai Elizabeth Lee Hannah Long Dagny Lu Caroline Nelson Kara Odum Priya Srivats Stephanie Steinbrecher Abby Volkmann Staff Photographers Pink Chutrakul Comments and letters can be sent to T h e S c r i p p s Vo i c e C/O Scripps College 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 If you want to contribute to The Scripps Voice send your articles or photos to editor.scrippsvoice@gmail.com The Scripps Voice is a student fo r u m a n d i s n o t r e s p o n s i b l e for the opinions expressed in it.

I Am Scrippsie, Women inside, Hear Me Roar women outside

By Lily Foss ‘13 Feminist Columnist

The first time I went to the California Institution for Women, I was nervous. I’m taking a class called “Feminisms in Community” and part of the class is a bi-weekly writing workshop with the women inside the prison. I had never been to a prison before. What would it be like? How would I talk to these women?

I couldn’t get over how different we were. They were in prison—how could I even begin to imagine what that was like? And how would they feel about me? After we leave CIW, I go back to my room, watch some “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” maybe go to the Motley if I feel like some hot chocolate.

They go back to their cells. Would they resent me for my freedom?

I didn’t know what to talk to them about. If I talked about school, would I be rubbing in their faces the fact that I go to this fancy college? If I mentioned my family, would that just make them miss theirs? What were we supposed to discuss, the weather? I had no idea.

It’s getting to the end of the class now, and while I still get anxious about my own privilege sometimes, I no longer dread going to CIW. Actually, out of all my classes this semester, the writing workshop is probably my favorite. Contrary to my expectations, the women inside are really...well, sweet. I’ve never gotten the sense that any of them resent me.

They want to know all about me—my family, my classes, my friends. I thought we wouldn’t have anything in common, but I was so wrong. While

they have a life in prison that I can’t even conceive of, they weren’t born there. They had a life outside too. And they like to talk about it. A lot of women tell me about their kids. On the first day of class, one elderly woman talked about living in Iran in the 70s, right before the Shah was overthrown. It was fascinating.

Last week we were working on a collaborative writing project and we decided to write about our holiday traditions. Once again I was worried that this would make the women from CIW sad. I’m guessing that holidays in prison aren’t particularly “merry” or “happy.” But the two women in our group loved writing about their families and communities. One wrote about her experience converting to Judaism in prison. Another told us about her Mexican community celebrating Las Posadas on the nine days before Christmas. I really loved her description of it: “And like, the whole town does it!

And everyone has a candle—I didn’t even know all the people in the parade, but some guy just handed me a candle and I was like, ‘Okay!’ And it lasts for, like, a week—it’s so weird!” Hearing her talk about something that’s so important to her town made me really happy.

And that was the point at which I realized that these women and I aren’t as different as I thought.

We all have families, cultures, traditions that mean a lot to us. They may be ‘women on the inside,’ but ‘inside’ doesn’t define them. They’re really just women. Like me.

The Problem with

“ vs.Palestine ” Israel

by Leah Soffer ‘14 Contributing Writer

The Claremont Colleges pride themselves on being a community that focuses on learning through discussion and open dialogue, yet in my experience, the Colleges cultivate an environment that is hostile to controversial opinions, no matter how nuanced or well-supported they are. Furthermore, there is an overarching worldwide discourse of dichotomous views that leaves many students mute or apathetic to one of the largest issues facing the world today.

In particular, college-wide discussions of the IsraeliPalestinian conflict that give equal weight to the Israeli and Palestinian voices are few and far between.

I often struggle with labels of “pro” and “anti.” I identify as pro-Israel because I believe Israel has a right to exist and a right to defend itself, but that doesn’t mean that I am anti-Palestinian. I would love to see a Palestinian state alongside a Jewish state in the Middle East. From my experience, because I identify as pro-Israel, many of my peers

photo courtesy | peoplespresscollective.org

view me as blind a supporter of Israel and consequently anti-Palestinian. This notion is simply false.

To most people, identifying as any of these makes a strong statement pronouncing undivided and unquestioned belief. This assumed lack of nuance is toxic to our understanding of the conflict and the world. If we continue to let these labels define how we view others, we will never be able to generate meaningful discussions where we can hear multiple points of view in a respectful manner.

Because the discourse surrounding the conflict is constructed as an oppositional binary between Israel and Palestine, many students whose views fall along a wide spectrum of potential opinions are reluctant to take part in the discussion. A number of students have told me that even if their views generally align with Claremont Students for Israel or Students for Justice in Palestine, they don’t attend Continued on page 8

December 6, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Six

4•Opinions & Editorials

Dorm Foodie

Holiday Recipes

By Hannah Long ‘15 Food Columnist

With winter break quickly approaching, I am eager to get home and start cooking some of my favorite holiday meals. Along with the traditional peppermint bark and pumpkin pie, this year I’m planning to try a few new dishes. Here, we’re sharing a few holiday recipes gathered from around Scripps campus.

The first is the Malott Commons’ Double Chocolate Bread Pudding, which is my favorite dessert on campus. With glorious amounts of dark and white chocolate, I think that this decadent treat would be perfect to make for my family on a cold winter night. The recipe is simple enough to whip up for an intimate gathering, but can easily be multiplied to feed a crowd. If you want something a little more health conscious, dried cranberries or chopped apples can easily be substituted for the chocolate (although it won’t be quite as gooey).

Next is a Beet, Quinoa, and Tahini Salad from Motley Baker Allison Barnwell (CMC ’14). This dish is full of flavor and substance and perfectly highlights my favorite winter vegetable. It would make a great side dish for a holiday meal, but is also perfectly suitable for a main course thanks to the protein-rich quinoa.

As Allison explains, it’s also very festive for the holiday season: “This dish is Christmas colored, with its deep red beets and dark greens, and it’s a nice break from all of the heavy holiday food.”

We hope that these recipes inspire you this holiday season, and wish you a fun, relaxing, and delicious winter break!

Malott Commons’ Double Chocolate Bread Pudding 20 cups stale bread cubes 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped 5 large eggs ½ cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups whipping cream 1 cup whole milk Place chopped bread and chocolates in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine eggs, ½ cup sugar, vanilla, 2 cups cream, and milk.

Pour over bread mixture and let stand 1 hour to overnight. Preheat oven to 350°. Pour mixture into a greased pan. Top with remaining cream and sugar. Bake until custard is set, about one hour.

Allison Barnwell’s Beet, Quinoa, and Tahini Salad 1 cup cooked quinoa 4 medium beets with greens attached 2 tablespoons tahini 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1-2 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons olive oil salt Cut apart beets from greens and wash beets thoroughly, saving greens. Peel the beets and chop into 1-inch squares. Coat beets with a splash of olive oil and roast for 30-50 minutes. They will be done when you can spear them with a fork easily.

Coat a small skillet with olive oil.

Over medium heat add beet greens and then garlic; cook until wilted.

In a salad bowl, combine tahini, lemon juice, one tablespoon of olive oil, and salt to taste. Stir together, adding water as necessary, to form a creamy dressing.

Add quinoa, beets, and greens and mix to combine.

photos courtesy | Jan Golinski

Tree Hugger Cap and Trade in

California

By Abby Volkmann ‘13 Environmental Columnist

A cap-and-trade scheme was developed under California’s 2005 Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32) as a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) was designated as the primary regulatory agency in charge of designing the plan for the state to meet the statutes of AB32. The cap- and-trade program is just one of the projects that CARB established in the Scoping Plan. Others include performance standards for cleaner cars, fuels, energy efficiency, and renewable energy requirements.

AB32 is one of the most aggressive climate action strategies in the world right now.

The cap-and-trade program will take effect on Jan. 1, 2013 and will use market mechanism to provide incentives for companies to find cost-effective and innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The first phase of the scheme includes electricity suppliers and industries that emit more than 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, but in the future the program will extend to providers of gasoline, diesel, and natural gas.

Businesses buy pollution allowances (pollution permits) that represent one metric ton of carbon and must emit

equal or fewer metric tons of carbon than the number of allowances they purchased that year. For example, if an industry emits 25,000 metric tons of carbon then that industry is required to turn in 25,000 pollution allowances.

A company will be punished if it fails to obtain the correct number of pollution allowances. In order to ensure the state’s emissions are consistently reduced, CARB will reduce the number of pollution allowances available by 2-3 % each year.

On Nov. 14, 2012 CARB held the auction for the pollution allowances, which occurred online and lasted three hours. Participating bidders submitted bids to purchase three times CARB’s available 23.1 million allowances for 2013, which is evidence of California’s dedication to lowering its greenhouse gas emissions.

As the number of available allowances decreases, companies must decide how to pay for their emissions.

Their choices include burning less fossil fuel, buying allowances from other companies, or becoming more efficient.

The world is watching as California instates its cap-and-trade scheme, and I look forward to seeing the overall performance of the program.

photo courtesy | Dessert.net

December 6, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Six

Opinions & Editorials•5

Will

California’s

Proposition 14

Decrease the Quality

Democracy?

of

By Juliet Carnoy ‘13 Contributing Writer

P

roposition 14, also known as the California Top Two Primaries Act, was a proposition on the June 2010 ballot. It passed with 53.8% approval and was approved as a legislativelyreferred constitutional amendment (a ballot measure placed on a state’s ballot because the state legislature voted to put it before the voters). But what is Proposition 14, and why is it important?

A few basics: Proposition 14 requires that candidates of all parties for state office run in a single, open primary. In this primary, listing candidates’ party leanings is optional, and the top two candidates with the highest number of votes will face each other in the general election regardless of whether they are of the same party.

This amendment has powerful implications for California’s party system. Yet from where did this state constitutional amendment originate?

The concept of a single primary was first developed in Washington State in 1935. Since then, various versions of the single primary were enacted in Alaska (1947), Louisiana (1975), and California (1996). In 1996, Proposition 198 replaced California’s closed primary nominating system with a blanket primary. This was challenged by both Democrat and Republican Parties in California Democratic Party et al. v. Jones, et al (2000). The California Democratic Party claimed that Proposition 198 violated a political party’s first amendment right of association. However, the District Court found that the statute was not in conflict with the First Amendment and The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the District Court decision.

The case ascended to the Supreme Court, which overruled the lower courts’ decisions and confirmed that Proposition 198 violated political parties’ first amendment rights, and closed primaries were reinstated in California. But in 2010, Proposition 14 was approved as a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment.

Why is Proposition 14 constitutional while Proposition 198 was not?

The answer lies in the fact that Propo-

photo courtesy | Walt Dinsey Company

sition 14 is modeled after Washington’s Top Two primary system, a new form of single primary which was held constitutional by the Supreme Court in Washington State Grange v.

Washington State Republican Party, 552 U.S. 442 (2008).

The difference between an open primary, a blanket primary, and a ‘top two’ primary is that in an open primary, voters may choose to vote in the primary of either party, but they must vote in that party’s primary for all races on that ballot. Each party’s primary winner advances to the general election in a multi-party field. In contrast, in a blanket primary, voters may choose a candidate from any party in every race, and all parties’ primary winners advance to the general

election. In a top two primary, the nominees from all political parties, including multiple candidates from the same party, campaign in a single primary election. Then, the two candidates with the most votes compete in the November election.

However, the current controversy surrounding Proposition 14 is not centered on its constitutionality, as it was in the past. Rather, the contestation is a result of the uncertainty regarding the consequences Proposition 14 might have on voter turnout and minority parties. Opponents predict that Proposition 14 will decrease voter turnout due to lack of plurality, as write-ins will be eliminated and only two candidates will contend in the general election. Further, they

view the law as unconstitutional since candidates may only list their party preference if they belong to a ballotqualified party (such as Republican, Democrat, Green, or Libertarian).

The belief that Proposition 14 will debilitate and obstruct minority parties from getting their names on the ballot by instituting additional regulations compounded with the Proposition’s prohibition for write-in ballots is seen as restrictive and discriminatory against minority party access.

In contrast, supporters of Proposition 14 believe that by running more moderate candidates who appeal to a larger cross section of the electorate, an open primary will increase competition and enhance voter turnout. The notion that low voter turnout and party polarization are dichotomous in nature has led to the hypothesis that reducing party polarization will in turn lead to higher rates of turnout.

The objective of Proposition 14 is thus to make elections more competitive by appealing to and encouraging non-partisan and independent constituents to vote in California’s assembly primaries and general elections.

So, if elections are a means by which to tie citizens to their government, and public participation (let’s define that as voting) achieves that end, then the theory put forth by many political scientists that political parties have high-level mobilization power becomes integral for candidates running on a party platform. But will Proposition 14 lead to lower levels of party contestation by running candidates of the same party against each other in certain districts? And through this logic, will this result in lower levels of voter turnout in those districts? The proponent argument for Proposition 14 is that it will result in more moderate representatives in the California state government. However, even if Proposition 14 results in more moderate legislators, but these legislators were elected with a significant decrease in voter turnout, then does Proposition 14 hinder the quality of democracy by diminishing political participation? That is the milliondollar question.

December 6, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Six

6•Features

Claremont Colleges Ballet Company debut

A revealing

By Rosemary McClure ‘13 Editor-in-Chief

By Elizabeth Lee ‘16 Staff Writer Last weekend the newly formed Claremont Colleges Ballet Company celebrated its first public showing at Scripps College’s Richardson Dance Studio and made its debut as a guest during the 5CDC performance at Garrison Theatre. Modest but lively, the performance included a choreographed warm-up, a refreshingly comedic group piece, and classical variations en pointe. It reflected an eagerness within the budding company to develop and share with the Claremont Colleges the lasting, but often ignored or misunderstood, world of ballet.

The company, originally a ballet club, was formed by co-Presidents Vivian Delchamps (SC ’14) and Emily Kleeman (PZ ’14) along with Vice President Nicole Wein, who felt the need to create more performance and learning opportunities for the classically trained dancers across campus. “The hard work that … many of us in CCBC have put into ballet since we were very young should … be celebrated by the colleges,” says Delchamps. “Amazing performances of modern dance, hip-hop, and ballroom have been available to the Claremont community for years, and now it’s time for ballerinas and danseurs to get to share the stage.”

While many other genres of dance are featured in mainstream entertainment like “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Dancing with the

Ballet Theatre (ABT) soloist Sarah Lane, who has spent over twenty years training and provided most of Portman’s dance performances on screen.

Ballet has served for many years been the clandestine base for most current forms of dance while continuing to progress as its own art form. Originally a court dance of the aristocrats, ballet has undergone many phases and changes—the invention of pointe shoes, the Romantic “sylph” Era, the Classical Era (from which came the iconic tutu image), the Neoclassical freemovement Era, Contemporary Ballet, ballet comedies, ballet music videos, and so on. Most recently, worldrenowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon created an incredibly innovative ballet production of “Alice in Wonderland,” which made use of surreal video projections, ingenious puppetry, and even denim pants.

Despite all this, most people do not know much about or appreciate ballet as a contemporary art form.

The CCBC hopes to spark new interest by making ballet shows and opportunities easily accessible.

“The nice thing about being an amateur company is that we’re able to take something that you usually need to have at least $100 spending money to see and make it available to literally anyone who wants to come see it,” says Kleeman. “The 5C environment

photo courtesy | Justin Wang

Stars,” and just about any pop music video, ballet has somehow managed to evade the spotlight despite centuries of development.

The lack of attention the current, real world of ballet has received suggests that the general public’s disinterest stems primarily from assumptions and stereotypes. Practically everyone can now conjure up images of Natalie Portman’s temporary transformation into the psychotic and sexy black swan, but the sad truth remains that almost no one has even heard of American

is definitely a big group of art lovers … I think the difficult part is being a new company who performs something that lots of college students might think of as ‘out-of-date’ or ‘oldfashioned.’”

By exposing fellow college students to the world of ballet, the Claremont Colleges Ballet Company is helping to form a new generation of culturally knowledgeable and appreciative people who just might decide to go see a ballet production once in a while after graduation.

reverie

Features•7

photo | Caroline Novit ’14

In the Works:

Pomona/Scripps

fall

dance concert

By Dagny Xinyue Lu ‘15 Staff Writer The annual Pomona-Scripps fall dance concert, “In The Works,” will take place this coming weekend. The show times are Thursday, Dec. 6 and Friday, Dec. 7 at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 8 at both 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. in the Pendleton Dance Studio at Pomona College. Tickets are priced at $5 and are available at the door.

The concert will feature dance works choreographed and performed by students. “This performance is the first showing of senior theses in dance. It gives seniors, as well as underclass majors and minors, a chance to try out their work in a more informal setting and get feedback from their peers and faculty so they can prepare for their performances in Seaver Theater in the spring,” said Laurie Cameron, Associate Professor of Dance at Pomona College and one of the faculty directors for the concert this year.

Professor Cameron has been involved in the concert for twenty years. “What always stands out to me is the variety of styles that are represented, and, even more important, the range of students involved. Some are relatively inexperienced and make huge strides as performers in such a short period of time; some with more experience find something new in their dancing, ” said Cameron.

“This concert is an amazing collaboration of a great number of people. Over fifty dancers are performing in eleven choreographers’ works. The lighting is designed by students and all tech duties are performed by students. The wonderful faculty and staff of the Scripps and Pomona dance

departments handle logistics and provide immense support,” said Emily Simmons (SC ’14), double majoring in psychology and dance and one of the choreographers for the concert.

Simmons’ dance piece is titled Cyclosomnia, a word she created combining the prefix of cyclo- and the suffix –somnia to reflect the cyclical nature of the stages of sleep.

“I used the stages of sleep and their patterns during typical sleep to shape the movement and structure of the choreography. I also delve into common dream motifs such as disorientation, death, flying, and nudity,” said Simmons.

This is Simmons’ third year being involved in “In The Works” and her first year participating as a choreographer. “Participating in a dance concert at the Claremont Colleges is a great way to make lasting connections. The time and sweat put into a piece bonds people in a unique and gratifying way,” said Simmons.

Samantha Hill, a junior with an applied mathematics major and dance minor at Pomona College will be presenting her choreography piece that explores different aspects of dreams at the concert. “I want to invite the audience to join my dancers for a short time in inhabiting this other, nonsensical world where the rules are different, emotions are heightened, and the only escape is through waking up,” said Hill.

Most choreographers began their creative process at the very beginning of the semester. “My process began with breaking down what dreams mean to people,” said Hill. “I asked my friends, my acquaintances, and my dancers: what do you think of

When was the last time you attended a show that opened with the Master of Ceremonies asking the audience, “Who’s gonna masturbate later?” If you answered “last weekend,” that probably means you were one of the lucky few who obtained a ticket to the semiannual “Queer Burlesque Reverie” on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

The show’s performers used a combination of improv, dance, spoken word, and singing to explore themes such as BDSM, gender identity, gender expression, pleasure, body hair, love, and imagination.

Many pieces, including “The Orgasm Orchestra” and a nipple tassel demonstration, invited members of the audience to participate.

In America, burlesque refers to a type of camp variety show that prominently features stripteases and suggestive comedy.

While stripping has been dismissed by some feminists who insist that one cannot eliminate gender inequality by “owning” or appropriating the

power of objectification, burlesque has generally been embraced as a subversive celebration of marginalized representations of sexuality and beauty. Likewise, while your average “strip joints” remain predominantly male spaces, women in burlesque have been able to take control over the productions.

Lucy Blumber (SC ’15) performed as this year’s Master of Ceremonies, also known as The Mistress. She said, “The goal of queer burlesque is to open the minds—and the genitals— of the audience, and make them feel as turned on as possible, but question why they’re getting turned on.” This goal further separates “A Queer Burlesque Reverie” from cabaret shows and sex shows. “We try to stray away from the provocative as much as we can so we’re not seen as just a bunch of people who wanna fuck on stage. That’s not what we want.

What we want is to give the audience something new to think about and to make them think critically.”

continued on page 8

December 6, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Six

The clear crowd favorite was an act that did just that. Mason Weiss (PZ ’15) A Queer Burlesque Reverie performed a poem called “The Reflection” which tells the story of a transboy coming to terms with his gender identity. The piece won a standing ovation.

Tickets were in high demand for this semester’s Queer Burlesque. It is against the cast and crew’s politics to charge for tickets, though it is clear they still Nov. 30th & Dec. 1st could have sold out. There 8PM, Benson Auditorium were long lines of students Tickets are Free, must be clad in lingerie and fetish presented at the door.

Get them Nov. 20th and 28th wear hoping to obtain tickets 6PM, at Seal Court (Scripps) for both performances. For a FMI: ng012011@mymail.pomona.edu self-described radical group, photo courtesy | Angela Moore this practice allows greater If you missed out, be sure to line creative control. Ticket sales would up early for next semester’s edition, or introduce a capitalist pressure to fulfill join the cast! Email LBlumber4139@ more marketable, mainstream ideals scrippscollege.edu for more rather than promote critical thinking information. about those ideals.

Dreams

Avantika Saraogi’s Senior Art Thesis

photos by Avantika Saraogi ‘13

8•Features The problem with Israel vs. Palestine continued from page 3

double

SUDO KU!

meetings of either group because they are not comfortable with others associating them with a perceived extreme ideology regardless of the actual ideologies of the club.

As much as we say we encourage open dialogues here, I know we can do much more to live up to that ideal. As a student who identifies as pro-Israel, I feel my opinion is unwelcome and isolated on campus.

My peers see my opinion as invalid because I am Jewish and therefore “biased,” as if there are people who have opinions that are not biased. My peers are anxious about engaging in conversations with me because they perceive me to have a “strong” view.

Just because I identify as pro-Israel does not mean that I do not want to engage in respectful discussions with those who identify differently. I’m sure there are students who identify as pro-Palestinian who feel the same way.

The conflict is a huge problem in the world today and it is something that needs to be discussed in a welcoming, and academic environment. I call on all students and faculty members to be more welcoming of all views. This is the only way we can learn to think clearly and independently, as Ellen Browning Scripps hoped we would.

In the Works continued from page 6

when I say ‘dream’? I used people’s experiences as jumping-off points to create movements. My dancers have been wonderful about bringing their own strengths and creativity into the process.”

Auditions were held on the first Friday of the semester, and weekly rehearsals began shortly after. “Auditions are open to all levels of dancers, but to be in the concert you have to be currently taking a technique class. Picking dancers is entirely up to choreographers,” said Simmons.

Amelia Bishop (PZ ’16) will perform in two different dance pieces at the concert. “I love being a part of the creative process. The dancers work side by side with the choreographers to figure out the best way to put ideas into physical forms, ” said Bishop.

Before taking the stage at the concert, the choreographers showcase their works-in-progress to faculty members from the Scripps and Pomona dance departments twice at different times of the semester and receive critiques and suggestions.

“The creative process of this work was a cycle of production and destruction. The dance has taken many different forms throughout the semester and has been reworked and revised repeatedly,” said Simmons.

Hill finds the entire experience to be rewarding. “I have had the chance to re-think and vastly expand my approach to choreography.

Everyone involved in the concert has been working extremely hard, and I hope that people come to the concert to see what we have created for you!” said Hill.

photos | Avantika Saraogi ‘13

photo | Caroline Novit ’14

December 6, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Six

arts & entertainment • 9 Keep it Reel This week’s Netflix Instant fix:

“Best in Show”

By Caroline Nelson ‘16 Film Columnist

F

inals season can be extremely stressful, so what better time to watch a movie about cute dogs and the people who love them obsessively? In the 1990’s, Christopher Guest made a few very funny mockumentaries, including “Waiting For Guffman” and “A Mighty Wind,” that affectionately satirized the pretentions and fixations of their subjects. While the other two centered around community theater and folk music respectively, “Best in Show” chronicles the dog owners and their beloved canines competing to win Best in Show at the Mayflower Kennel Club Show in Philadelphia.

The characters train and prepare their dogs before they make their way across the country, only to show up at the competition and encounter a plethora of last-minute catastrophes. The people range from a trophy wife who insists that she and her fossil of a husband have a lot in common (they both like soup), a pair of aggressive yuppies who treat their dog like their child, a terrier-loving couple (the wife of whose sexual history seems to include half the men

photo courtesy | starpulse.com

in North America), a flamboyantly gay couple who still somehow manage to be hilarious despite the fact that the trope they embody has been done to death, and a fishing store employee whose hobbies include ventriloquism and naming nuts.

Guest has a talent for simultaneously making fun of his characters and treating them with generosity; even though these characters completely lack perspective it is often hard not to admire their striving. Part of their appeal comes from the immensely talented people portraying them.

Guest is one of those directors who uses the same group of actors over and over again, almost without variation.

Filmmakers who do this are often criticized, but such scoffing misses a few points. Filmmaking is highly collaborative and thus can be made significantly more difficult if the people involved are not committed to realizing the filmmaker’s idiosyncratic vision (and visions do not get much more idiosyncratic than Christopher Guest). Additionally, if the actors in question are so good at what they do— this could definitely be said of the regular cast of Guest’s mockumentaries—then it would be unwise to avoid using them. If a director had Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, and Parker Posey at their disposal, then a better question might be: why wouldn’t that director use them for multiple films? “Best in Show” features some great comedic performances, the chief amongst which is Guest himself sporting a pitch-perfect Southern accent and deadpan description of his dog’s telepathic powers.

Then there are, of course, the dogs themselves. They are pampered, groomed, shown-off, talked to, sung about, and examined from every angle. This event is allegedly all about them but in their eyes is often a look of absolute mystification at the antics of the humans around them. This is the film’s great underlying joke: this event is allegedly all about the dogs, but the canines in question couldn’t care less.

Emmeline Miles rocks The Motley Stephanie Steinbrecher ’16 Staff Writer

W

e love the Motley so much now, so why wouldn’t we want to come back after graduation? Some Scripps alumni return not just to reacquaint themselves with the coffee and cozy atmosphere, but to perform. Returning to her alma mater, Emmeline Miles (SC ’07) graced the Motley Coffeehouse with her original music and lively spirit for a concert on Thursday, Nov. 29.

Traveling from her home in Dallas, Texas, Miles performed original, selfdeclared “pop music for smart people” as well as some covers and mashups to an audience of studious, sociable, and live music-appreciating Motley-goers. With only her keyboard to accompany her soulful vocals, Miles appeared confident and quite at home on stage. Her love of music as well as her vocal and piano talent led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in general music from Scripps College in 2007. She cites her time at Scripps as not only influential in her musical career, but in all parts of her post-undergrad life as well.

“A Scripps education gave me confidence not only as an intellectual and as a musician, but as a female. Without a doubt, the relationships formed during my years at Scripps gave me the strength to chart an unconventional course into the music industry,” Miles said. Which is not to say that finding her way has been an easy experience. “When I got home [from college], I tried really hard to be a practical person who did practical things.

independent musician really began.

Miles has worked hard to find her musical niche and is happy to share her talents in order to connect with other people. “There’s no shortcut to success,” she said. “I have this crazy hope, though, that if you trust yourself enough, and you love your work enough, you will eventually do something great. Scripps women are motivated to actually change the world. It’s not just a motto for us—it’s a calling.”

She is motivated by one lesson held very dear at Scripps. “Women have a unique voice, and it’s one that not only deserves to be heard, but needs to be heard. Now, more than ever, we have a responsibility to speak out and advocate for ourselves and others like us,” she said. “As Scripps women, we’re given the education and the opportunity to do that, and that’s not a privilege I take lightly.”

Keeping Scripps friends close, her passions close, and never giving up was the recipe for success to which Miles credits her growing musical success. As for future plans, she hopes to play Cowboys Stadium and perhaps win a Grammy. “My goal is to keep making music that makes people feel like they’re not alone. I want to make records that people put on to feel better about the world. To play a song and hear people singing along is the coolest feeling in the world, so I’d also like to make sure that happens a lot more,” she said.

As she continues to navigate the intricacies of post-college life, Miles

photo | Caroline Novit ‘14

I tried to put music behind me…[but] within a few months, I was dragging my keyboard into a coffee shop that looked almost exactly like the Motley.”

Incidentally, she wrote one of her first songs in the Motley about a relationship that developed in the time she spent at the Motley. It is only fitting that she should return to the place where her career as an

promises to never lose sight of her talents, goals, or her past time at Scripps. To Miles, paying a visit to the Motley so she can be surrounded by Scripps women facing the same challenges as she has is inspiring.

This is a habit she hopefully will do until she’s on the Grammy stage.

december 6, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue six

10 • arts & entertainment

Gonzales-Day shines light on racial discrimination and violence Rachael Hamilton ’16 Staff Writer

W

e spend all day with them and yet we never really think about their lives off campus. Professors: what do they do when they’re not in their classrooms and offices?

Professor Ken Gonzales-Day, head of the Art Department and a

Ken Gonzales-Day

photography professor at Scripps College, has been busy the past ten years putting together an exhibit that is now currently on display at the Luis de Jesus Gallery in Los Angeles. The exhibit, entitled “Profiled / Hang Trees / Portraits,” is a threepart exhibit that focuses on lynchings of Latino men that occurred in California as well as themes such as racial discrimination and the way that race was and is portrayed in art.

The exhibition received a rave review in the Los Angeles Times in November from art critic Christopher Knight.

The first part of this exhibition, “Profiled,” explore the way race once

was perceived through photographs of busts from around the world.

Gonzales-Day hopes that this presentation of the busts will provide a sort of “text that us as the viewers can read to understand” more about representation.

Although the work he put into this part of the exhibition has taken place during the past four years and has accumulated into a book, GonzalesDay views this as a prequel to his “Lynching / Hang Trees” series, since the portraits are taken from busts dating back to the 1850s-60s, whereas “Hang Trees” is focused more on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

His thought process was that in order to understand the racial bias towards those who were unjustly being lynched in California, he had to go back to see where these victims and perpetrators came from, which lead him to visit museums in Europe for the sources behind the racial discrimination.

This leads to the second part of his exhibition, “Hang Trees.” “Hang Trees” showcases photographs of lynch trees located around California. These trees were used to hang

photos courtesy | Ken Gonzales-Day

Latino men (and one woman in 1858), who were accused of murder and stealing and subsequently lynched without trial. The purpose of this exhibit is to reveal past racial violence that is not widely known.

According to Gonzales-Day’s research, more Latinos were lynched in California than were persons of any other ethnicity.

Over the course of six years, Gonzales-Day tracked down over 300 lynching sites around California through the use of old newspapers and photographs, which he has also accumulated into a book entitled “Lynching in the West 1850-1935.”

The final part of Gonzales-Day’s exhibition is “Portraits,” where continued on page 11

An accent’s worth a thousand words Megan Petersen ’15 Copy Editor

H

e is probably most famous on campus for his “Ulysses” Core II, his love associated with Liverpool, the dialect is also associated with working-class of the Oxford English Dictionary, and his two adorable children whom people and is sometimes looked down upon in Britain. Crowley said that, he brings to Wednesday Tea each week. But Tony Crowley is less known for according to studies, Britons tend to look less kindly upon people with Scouse accents in the hiring process, but are more likely to describe “Scousers” as one of his most important characteristics: he’s from Liverpool.

The Scripps College Hartley Burr Alexander Chair in the Humanities friendly and kind. But that’s a fairly recent development, he added. Liverpool was the center of popular culture just 50 years ago, with recently penned and published a book that is, in some ways, as much about himself as it is about his hometown. many artists and famous musicians (like The Beatles) located in Liverpool, so Scouse was a much more popular “Scouse: A Social and Cultural History,” which was released dialect to speak. this fall in Europe and will come out sometime next year in In spite of some prejudice its citizens face, Liverpool is the U.S., is a history of the city in the context of its dialect. rich in culture and tradition. “People have a very strong Liverpool English, called Scouse, has its own unique sense of being from Liverpool and being proud of being history. “There’s no accent like it. There’s no dialect like it,” from Liverpool,” Crowley said.

Crowley said, explaining how Scouse has been influenced This pride can sometimes be problematic, though. by immigrants from Ireland and other places over the years, “Nostalgia is often a form of misremembering,” he said. “If and includes words not used outside of Liverpool. The book you look it up in the OED, there’s two forms of nostalgia.... is about words (which is no surprise, if you ever have taken We think nostalgia means remembering a time, but the a class with Crowley), but he also problematizes the urban older sense of nostalgia means, actually, remembering a legends and stories he grew up with, sometimes proving place.” them, sometimes disproving them.

“I miss Liverpool a lot,” said Crowley, who grew up in And would he like to instill the Liverpool identity in the Dingle area of the city and left at the age of 17 to study his kids? His book is dedicated to them, he said, in the photo | Alexandra Vallas ’15 at Oxford. He said he hasn’t lived in the city full-time since hopes that they can read it and someday understand the then, and this has given him a critical distance from which to analyze his city where he grew up. They wear Liverpool t-shirts and they watch Liverpool hometown. “I never would have written the book if I’d lived in Liverpool.” Football Club games as a family. But Crowley joked that he can’t get them to Liverpool was a major port for Britain during the colonial era, and within wear shoes, so they often don’t. “They’re California kids,” he said. a century became one of the poorest cities in Europe. Since Scouse is directly

december 6, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue six

Student Life•11

CLORG Spotlight:

By Rachael Hamilton ‘16 Staff Writer

S

ince Feb. 2011, there has been a new type of social scene on the 5Cs, one that does not adhere to the stereotypical college party, instead attending to the needs of those who are uninterested in the same old alcohol, music, and crowds. That social scene is Alter Ego. “Alter Ego was formed a few years ago when a group of friends, disgruntled and dissatisfied with the social scene on campus, decided to throw their own parties and have their own events,” the club wrote in an e-mail. “From there it bloomed, as many people on campus appreciated what we were doing and supported our continuation.”

Alter Ego is an all-female CLORG that hosts events that

Alter-Ego

Entertainment are the “alter ego” of a normal party one would find happening at the 5Cs on a Friday or Saturday night. That means no alcohol, an alternative social experience, and a whole new meaning for nightlife.

Their most wellknown event that embodies this practice is the annual Black After-Party, which directly fol- photos courtesy | Alter-Ego Entertainment lows CMC’s White aims to build community by conParty. They also threw the Child- tributing alternatively to the soish Gambino after-party. cial experience on campus. This Alter Ego’s mission statement organization provides educational states, “Alter Ego Entertainment opportunities via events that introduce different types of music, cultures, and interests of the community. Through non-alcoholic events, which are led and organized by women, Alter Ego Entertainment seeks to serve underrepresented interests on campus and provide a socially safe space for campus nightlife.”

Alter Ego’s next event is a collaboration with Pitzer’s Black Student Union. They will be DJing the 90’s Throwback Party on Dec. 8.

If you are interested in joining Alter Ego, they have meetings every week at the Scripps Student Union.

e c i o V s p ip

The Scr

wants

YOU

to be our next Design Editor or Business Manager applications available on our web site at voice.scrippscollege.edu/apply for more information, please email scrippsvoice@gmail.com

Gonzales-Day continued from page 10

Gonzales-Day brings faces to the victims of a series of unjustified deaths. Gonzales-Day took photographs of people who were of the same race and age as recorded victims of the lynchings, the majority of whom were Latino men between the ages of 1822.

Through this wide diversity of portraying the idea of racial discrimination and violence towards Latinos as a part of California’s past that needs to be acknowledge allows the viewer realize and take in the multilayer system that is racial discrimination and learn from it and share it with others.

Professor Gonzales-Day’s exhibition will be open until Dec. 8 at the Luis de Jesus Gallery in Los Angeles.

You can also learn more about Professor Gonzales-Day’s work, past projects, and other upcoming exhibitions through his website at www. kengonzalesday.com.

SAS corner continued from page 1

system on the “My Pomona” portal.

Students access this page with their username and password ensuring security and that everyone only votes once.

The Scripps Information Technology department refuses to create or maintain any voting tool on our portal. SAS offered to hire another student to create such a system but Jeffrey Sessler, the Director of IT at Scripps, is not willing to allow such a system to be housed on the Academic Portal under any circumstance. He is unwilling to dedicate “any resources or time to this project” per Scripps’ administration’s request. It is clear that Scripps sees no responsibility to extend its resources to SAS and treats us as an unwanted nuisance.

While SAS is technically an independent non-profit, we are clearly part of this institution. SAS’ asking for student emails addresses is not the same as ZipCar or Subway, third parties to the college, asking for this information—and yet we are treated as such.

While SAS does not have a master list, we still have the ability to send emails to the student body through the SASL—so technically, we are already sending emails directly to students! This paradox is utterly frustrating—we have this information and the ability, yet we don’t.

Overall, SAS has been left with little to no options moving forward. The administration refuses to budge, and therefore we are forced to take measures into our own hands. We have tried to work with them and their “rules,” and now we will find our own way to do what we need to do without them.

SAS is sending a formal letter of complaint to the administration as a final effort to receive the support that we need to give Scripps students the opportunity to be part of the organization that they themselves fund. Increasing opportunities for participation is the only way to help SAS grow and become truly democratic. More importantly, it is the only way to foster the kind of active community that Scripps is so eager to create. Why the administration wants to impede this goal is truly perplexing.

LEED debate continued from page 2

lies in building a residence hall both to Scripps’ aesthetic standards— which includes sinks in the rooms, browsing rooms, and overall cohesiveness—and to LEED standards while staying within the budget.

There were some concerns raised over valuing the aesthetics too highly, but President Bettison-Varga urged for a more holistic, long-term view on the matter. Discussion on LEED certification will continue as Scripps goes through the fundraising process, but for now no conclusive decisions have been made.

december 6, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue six

12•Student Life

Pandora’s Box BDSM 101: a beginner’s guide

Anonymous

W

hen I first arrived at Scripps College, I was incredibly naïve about what my peers were comfortable with in the bedroom. I had just gotten out of a lengthy relationship with my sexually-petrified high school boyfriend, who not only ignored my persistent efforts to do the dirty, but confessed a few months in that if I took his virginity, he’d try to marry me.

Needless to say I was quite virginal— uncomfortably virginal. I not only wanted to pop my cherry, I wanted to pop it standing up, laying down, in a box, like a fox—I wanted to try it all.

When the time came (my first raunchy, random, I’ll-figure-out-his-name-in-the-morning hook up) I couldn’t bring myself to request anything I’d fantasized about. I figured he’d just be able to follow my body language—an assumption I now realize is ridiculous, but I suppose it takes a couple times to understand your vagina isn’t your most effective means of communication.

While I didn’t realize the wonders of a torn hymen that night, I did learn one important thing: there is no universal way to fuck someone.

Considering the overwhelming number of fetishes and fantasies that exist, the chance that you’ll find a partner who is on the exact same sexual page as you is basically nonexistent. So why was I so uncomfortable asking my partner to smack me around? Many creative sexual practices seem to unfairly carry negative stigmas, preventing them from being brought up in public or in private. This attitude is incredibly limiting; sex should be fun and freaky, not disappointing.

I’m going to focus on one fetish in particular: BDSM. Bondage and dominance, dominance and sadism, and sadism and masochism form a category of sexual expression that emphasizes the fusion of pleasure and pain through power role-play, intense stimulation, and consensual restraint.

In intimate, one-on-one settings, the roles vary between the dominant partner and the submissive partner. The goal of the dominant partner is to build stimulation until the submissive partner achieves headspace. The sensations are introduced slowly, alternating between lengthy periods of mild stimulation and brief bursts of intense stimulation and gradually inverting the extent of each type of stimulation. Alternating between different levels of sensation releases endorphins and adrenaline in

the submissive partner, lifting their pain threshold and eventually delivering them to a state of ecstasy (headspace).

That being said, BDSM doesn’t even require penetration. It is often the achievement of an altered state through variations of stimulation.

However, in light of the prevalent discourse about sexual assault on the Claremont campuses, it’s

understandable that anyone would feel trepidation about introducing dominance or submission during sex.

However, BDSM isn’t about abuse or torture or force. It’s a form of sexual appreciation that is just as consensual as a delicate night of lovemaking surrounded by candles. It’s practiced both professionally and as a lifestyle, and though there is a fine line between being kinky and getting carried away, there are techniques that can help foster a safe environment for all parties involved.

The most important thing is to establish a safe word. BDSM is all about testing your physical and emotional boundaries, so words like “no” and “stop” can often unfortunately get lost in the game. Choosing a nonsexual word, like “bacon,” makes it clear when you or your partner is uncomfortable. Another

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way to assure the experience is pleasurable on both ends is to make sure both parties are fully on board. I cannot stress this enough, especially when dominant behavior is involved. The achievement of headspace can impact the submissive partner’s ability to communicate, and thus the dominant partner must be sensitive to the other’s behavior. In addition, inflicting intense sensory stimulation can be dangerous. Practicing with toys like whips or hot wax before attempting with another person allows the dominant partner to satisfy the other safely. If you have any other questions regarding safety, the BDSM community supports two philosophies: Risk-Aware Consensual Kink (RACK) and Safe Sane and Consensual (SSC). You can find more information on both online.

BDSM obviously isn’t for everyone, but it shouldn’t be written off as abnormal. There is a massive BDSM community (seriously, just Google it) that only continues to grow, and the practice has existed since the days of the Kama Sutra. It is both a spiritual and sexual practice, and worth experimenting with in a safe, consensual environment. If headspace doesn’t sound like your space, there’s still nothing wrong with asking to be tossed around or tied up. There’s also nothing wrong with saying no (or “bacon”) to your partner if that isn’t your thing. Remember: it’s all about pleasure—make sure you’re both comfortable with whatever you try, but feel comfortable bringing it up in the first place! Sex is about communicating physically and verbally, so don’t be afraid to assert yourself and try something new.

Don’t miss the upcoming BDSM workshops and discussions this week. On Dec. 6 from 4:155:30 p.m. there will be a discussion of Juana Maria Rodriguez’s “Queer Gesture in Mambo Time” at Pomona’s Queer Resource Center. For a copy of the article, contact CGuzaiti@scrippscollege.edu. Later that evening, from 7:00-9:00 p.m., Rodriguez will deliver a lecture called “States of Submission: Racialized Gender and the Critical Promise of Fantasy” in Vita Nova 100 on Scripps campus. See you there!

UPCOMING CMS SPORTING EVENTS

12/6 Women’s Basketball vs. La Verne @ La Verne (7:30) 12/7 Women’s Basketball vs. Wheaton (Ill.) @ CMS (7:30) 12/8 Men’s Basketball vs. Caltech @ CMS (7:00) 12/11 Women’s Basketball vs. Cal Lutheran @ Cal Lutheran (7:30) 12/12 Men’s basketball vs. Cal Lutheran

wundabar.com

@ Cal Lutheran (7:30)

claremont@wundabar.com • 201 N Indian Hill #101, Claremont CA december 6, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue six