Celebrating diversity since 1874 October 17th , 2014 Issue 77.3
LGBTQI+ ISSUE
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Threat of strike looms: AUFA files for conciliation Alex Qusnel News Editor With contract talks in a stalemate, the Acadia University Faculty Association (AUFA) has filed for conciliation. A third party representative has purportedly been chosen to settle the fivemonth long dispute between AUFA and the Board of Governors. Although no timetable has yet been confirmed, AUFA seeks to begin this new phase of deliberations within the next two weeks. The Athenaeum Acadia University’s Student News Paper Issue 77.3 ASU Box 6002, Acadia University Wolfville, NS, Canada B4P 2R5 Editor In Chief: Stephanie Bethune email: eic@acadiau.ca SUB room 512 EIC Office Hours: Sunday 2:00-5:00 Advertising Enquiries: mark.pound@gmail.com Business Enquiries: 116765m@acadiau.ca Hailey Winder Editor In Chief Sarah MacKinnon Stephanie Bethune Will Cann Section Editors Art: Riley MacKinnon Contributors Alexis O’Connell News: Alex Quesnel Andrew Haskett Opinions: Tess Pooran Christian Vail Sport: Laura Jeha Dan Aurell Production Manager Emma Hachey Megan Stanton Evan Phinney Photo Manager Jalen Sabean Robin Lawson Laura MacNeil Copy Editor Malcolm MacKenzie Trevor Braxton-Barto Mandy Blanchard Online Manager Rebecca Cuevas Deirdre Campbell Rebecca Pacheco Advertising Manager Sam White Mark Pound Sara Klapstein Business Manager Cover Art: Robyn McMillan Chase McRobie Staff Writers The Athenaeum is the official student newspaper of Acadia University and is published in print and online year-round at theath.ca. The opinions expressed herein do not represent the Acadia Students Union or the staff of the Athenaeum, they are held by the individuals who contribute to the Athenaeum as essential members of our completely studentrun newspaper Articles submitted will be published at the discretion of the editorial board. If there is content that we feel will not add to the philosophy, dialogue, or tone of our newspaper, it will not be published. That being said, all of our staff members look forward to working together with writers to improve their quality of writing, and to make sure the Athenaeum remains professional and well-rounded. The Athenaeum may accept submissions from any student or member of our campus, present and past, and is always looking for more writers and photographers. If you are looking for coverage of an event or story, would like to notify us of a complaint or correction, or would like to submit a letter to the editor, contact Stephanie Bethune at eic@acadiau.ca There are open story meetings every Wednesday at 6pm in the Athenaeum office, room 512 in the SUB—all are welcome, and we encourage you to come!
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Negotiations for the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) began on 1 May 2014. However progress during the summer proved to be minimal and many issues remained divisive. In particular, matters pertaining to compensation and the number of tenured faculty were brought up by AUFA. The 2010 CBA had fixed the number of tenure and tenuretrack positions at 182. Over the past four years, however, 38 tenure positions have been cut. Moreover the Board of Governors is proposing additional cuts in the near future. AUFA has made this issue one of their focal points. As President Stephen Alcorn holds: “The university’s commitment to fairness, and to tenure-stream and continuing faculty is essential to its academic mission.” In August, AUFA put forth an offer with what it describes as significant concessions to the Board of Governors. The
CBA are between the Board of Governors and AUFA only, so students are essentially unable to become meaningful players in the procedure. Although the ASU tries to convey the impression that the situation is under control, they have earned a reputation in some circles as the lapdog of the administration. The lack of student involvement in the process is unfortunate considering that it is If conciliation proves to be ineffective, the students who suffer in the event of a then Nova Scotia labour laws require strike or a lockout. the conciliator to inform the government of the impasse. This is a situation Ultimately, both parties are hopeful that that both parties would dread as it effec- an agreement can be reached via contively publicizes their various grievances ciliation. Still the threat of labour action and infighting. To spare themselves the on the behalf of the Board of Governors embarrassment, both the Board of Gov- or AUFA remains. A lockout or strike is ernors and AUFA will likely try to avoid always a possibility when CBA negotiations come to this kind of a standstill. getting the government involved. Contract talks can deescalate quickly, as The Acadia Student Union (ASU) has the situations in 2004 and 2007 demattempted to inform students on the onstrate. Accordingly, the optimism progress of negotiations. Moreover, it expressed by the Board of Governors, has sought to play an active and helpful AUFA and the ASU should not be taken role in the negotiation process. Unfor- at face value. Students ought to remain tunately the reality is that there is sim- skeptical of decisions that are made out ply no part for the students to play in of their control, especially when they the talks. The negotiations for the new can so dramatically affect their future. counter-offer was largely uncompromising, and it soon became clear that a significant impasse had been reached. On 29 August 2014, AUFA independently filed for conciliation in hopes that a third party’s perspective might help the two sides come to an agreement. This is what was required to settle the 2010 CBA deadlock.
Ebola:
should we be worried? Malcolm MacKenzie Contributor Ebola is one of the world’s deadliest diseases with a 90% fatality rate. If untreated, it is expected to infect more than one million people by January 2015. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) almost 10,000 cases of Ebola and 5000 deaths have been reported in West Africa so far. There is little evidence that the spread of the hemorrhagic disease is being contained; while there are concerns that infection rates are being under reported in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Nigeria. Isolated deaths have occurred in Spain and the United States; more cases are expected in France, Belgium and the United Kingdom, where air traffic to West Africa is significant. Recently, health officials in Texas could not save the life of Thomas Eric Duncan, the American Ebola victim. Panic is spreading in the United States where health centres have received up to 5000 reports of Ebola-like early symptoms including fever, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Western health officials are doing their best to contain panic, confident that the Ebola virus will not spread in North America or Europe. Transmission of the Ebola virus requires direct contact with bodily fluids — blood, sweat, feces, vomit, semen and saliva. The incubation period is 10-12 days, although people with Ebola may not be symptomatic for up to 21 days. It is not airborne and therefore is less likely to become a world-wide pandemic.
Photo Credit:Robin Lawson Currently there is no effective cure for the disease, although some success has been achieved by treating infected patients with antibodies of Ebola survivors. Antibodies are Y-shaped proteins produced by the immune system in response to a pathogen like Ebola. They target and bind to the surface of the Ebola virus in efforts to neutralize its ability to infect host cells. International agencies and governments are fighting to contain the world’s worst Ebola epidemic since the disease was indentified in 1976. This week the United States implemented new screening measures at five major American airports for passengers travelling from infected regions. Temperatures will be taken and passengers are asked to fill out questionnaires. The efficacy of this screen is only as effective as the honesty of the responders, argues the New York Times in a recent editorial. For example, Thomas Eric Duncan reportedly lied saying he had no contact with infected persons.
and voluntary agency initiatives to build medical centres and send support to over-stretched and under-staffed health workers in West Africa. If Western governments had responded more quickly there may have been a chance to contain the spread of the deadly virus. Guinea reported the first cases of communities being infected in late March 2014; Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) on April 1 warned the spread of the epidemic “was unprecedented.” A WHO spokesman dismissed the MSF’s alarm calling the outbreak “relatively small.” Now the Atlanta Centre for Disease Control (CDC) officials estimates between 550,000 and 1.4 million people in West Africa may be infected with Ebola by January.
Western governments are rushing to help. The United States and the United Kingdom are sending military and humanitarian experts. Cuba is sending doctors and nurses; and the United Nations General Assembly is calling on more countries to help. Meanwhile the Aid agencies and health officials are re- North American public should take a luctant to cut off all transportation and chill pill. The best remedy for our panic travel to affected West Africa countries is to turn off the TV. since this would undermine military
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The right honourable Kim Campbell at Acadia Stephanie Bethune Editor-In-Chief The Right Honourable Kim Campbell, Canada’s 19th, and only female Prime Minister, visited Acadia University on September 23rd to deliver a panel on women and leadership. Acadia’s president, Ray Ivany, noted the synchronicity of Canada’s “woman of firsts” visiting one of the first commonwealth universities to admit women in his introduction and welcome.
in your hand.” Further, Campbell explored the issue of qualification, asserting, “a woman is going to have to be able to do things at a fairly high scale to be given [a] degree of credibility.” She encountered this gender bias firsthand, as her qualification for Prime Minister candidacy was questioned, being described as a “rookie”, despite having more caucus experience than 10 of her 18 precedents. In her experience, “you have to prove yourself over and over again to be taken seriously” as a woman in politics. Despite the pessimism apparent in that assertion, Campbell remains hopeful: “A woman is going to have to do that, and I hope someone does.” Although she does not know of a potential second female Prime Minister in the current Canadian political landscape, this is something that perturbs her. Campbell cites this, in part, with her recent return to Canada after a number of years abroad, she stated “It bothers me that I can’t give an answer. That there isn’t a person who stands out so much that I would know even from out of country.”
Campbell discussed a wide variety of topics, as prompted by the student and faculty panel, comprised of Dr. Rachel Brickner, Dr. Alice Cohen, Dr. Stephen Henderson, Amanda Loder, and Iain Bauer, and chaired by Acadia Students’ Union President Callie Lathem. Of the questions asked, by far the most dramatic audience response to Campbell’s answer was a question on everyone’s lips, asked by Dr. Rachel Brickner: “Do you self-identify as a feminist?” Without giving sufficient time for the crowd to dramatically inhale in anticipation, Campbell responded “Oh yes. Absolutely.” The cheers from the crowd temporarily halted the panel, as students, educators, and community members When asked if there was any issue that alike celebrated the simple affirmation. could tempt her to re-enter the Canadian political sphere, Campbell brought up When discussing her political experienc- her current proposal for Canada to shift es, Campbell explained the hindrance to two member constituencies, allowing that her gender had on her success. “If I for enforcement of gender parity. She was too assertive, or if I allowed myself compared the proposed system to that to get cross, that was a difficult thing. of the US senate, comprised entirely of If you’re fighting for something you be- two member constituencies. This syslieve in, it’s hard to do that with a teacup tem would allow for the continuation
What is Acadia Pregnancy Support? Mandy Blanchard Contributor You may have heard of Acadia Pregnancy Support (APS), a relatively new ASU club. Perhaps you saw our table at Club Extravaganza, have seen our posters around campus, or have heard of us through word of mouth. We were ratified as a club in January 2014, and have grown to include over a dozen student members. We would like to take this opportunity to clarify what we are all about. Who are we? Acadia Pregnancy Support is a free resource for Acadia students experiencing a pregnancy and looking for support. Mission Statement
Photo Credit:Keegan Francis of Canada’s grassroots generation of leadership, however the representation of women in politics would help create a public environment in which the nature of “leadership [as] gendered male” could be challenged.
school and university students, over coffee after the panel. In response to a young student wondering how to change the world as soon as possible, Campbell responded “life is both shorter and longer than you think. It’s shorter in that you can’t let any time go to waste, and Campbell cited the highlight of her po- longer in that you don’t need to win a litical career, other than her policy work Nobel prize by 21 in order to be successas PM, as an exceptional Canada day. ful.” She began her day watching the sunrise celebrations at Signal Hill in Newfound- Acadia was incredibly lucky to have this land, then flew to Ottawa for the capi- inspiring leader and politician speak on tal’s mid-day celebrations, then finally our campus, however attributing this to flew to Vancouver to watch the sunset luck fails to recognize the tireless work fireworks. The opportunity to spend of the Acadia University Faculty Assothe day celebrating her country with her ciation Women’s Committee, Women’s fellow Canadians, across the country, and Gender Studies, and Acadia Univerwas one she spoke of fondly. sity, and the selfless dedication of Dr. Zelda Abramson. With the positivity of Campbell inspired and ignited the audi- the campus and community response to ence she spoke to formally, however her Campbell’s visit, we can keep our hopes work did not finish there, and arguably high that similarly exceptional speakers the most inspiring words came from will speak to our small and passionate her personal conversations with 20 high community.
To provide resources and support to students looking for help in continuing their pregnancy and education.
Material support (maternity and baby dent member that you talk to, and the club clothes, formula, diapers, etc. when liaison (Mandy) will know your name. Our available) club has a strict confidentiality policy that all our members must agree to when joinWhat we do The following addresses some of our most ing Acadia Pregnancy Support as volunWe are a confidential service available to frequently asked questions: teers. any student (male or female) experiencing a pregnancy. APS is a safe environment Are you an advocacy group? How can I get in touch with someone at offering nonjudgmental peer support, ac- No, our club is not an advocacy group, Acadia Pregnancy Support? curate information, and practical help to meaning that we do not engage in arguthose interested in continuing their preg- ments about pro-life/pro-choice issues. We Call/text: 691-2660 nancy while at Acadia. are a support group for students who want Email: info@acadiapregnancysupport.com our help, and we serve all students with- Website: www.acadiapregnancysupport. What we offer out judgement or pressure (see our Mission com We offer personal support, free pregnancy Statement). Facebook: www.facebook/acadiapregnantests, pregnancy information, referrals to cysupport.com community resources, and long-term preg- Does it cost anything to get help from nancy/parenting support. Acadia Pregnancy Support? You can contact us through any of these No, our help is completely free. This in- methods to set up a private meeting. We We have connections to local resources to cludes our consultations, pregnancy tests, also host office hours every Tuesday and help pregnant and parenting students with: material, and baby items that we receive Wednesday from 1:00--3:00pm in the MiFinding housing through donation. This does not mean that chener Lounge if you would like to visit Financial support all the local services we connect students with one of our club members. We would Medical support, including doctor re- to are necessarily free, although many of love to meet you! ferrals them are. Individualized parenting programs If you are interested in joining Acadia PregHealth & nutrition, as well as assis- If I ask for help, who will know about it? nancy Support as a volunteer, we are altance with food Our help is completely confidential. When ways welcoming new members! Transportation you contact us for support, only the stu-
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Graduate Student Profiles Why Acadia? Excellent place for research, CARE labs are wonderful for analytical environmental chemistry.
What is grad school like so far? So far I love it! There is a lot of work involved but it molds you into becoming a more responsible and hard-working individual. It is also very different from undergraduate studies, but in a good way. You work by your own schedule while being trusted to get the job done.
Fave spot in the valley: Dyke lands trail at sunset. What is grad school like so far? Busy but great. Research is very rewarding and sharing that research at regional and international conferences is unbeatable.
Sara Klapstein Hometown: Antigonish, NS.
How do you deal with stress? Naps, the best thing since sliced bread.
How do you deal with stress? Eat cheese, go for a walk somewhere outside, and make incremental “to do” lists until I can focus that stress into produc- Hometown: Charlottetown, Prince Edtivity. ward Island.
Laura MacNeil
Program: PhD Environmental Science through Memorial University of New- I wish I knew how to: Invent a timeturn- Program: Geology. er or portal, either would do. foundland. Length of program: 2 years. Length of program: 4 years (Acadia for Next trip? Vancouver for a conference. 2). Current research question/area: DeterBest advice you have ever received: If mining the paleoecology and sedimentolCurrent research question/area: Methyl- you can positively impact even just one ogy of the Early Carboniferous Windsor mercury persistence and contamination person it was worthwhile. Group saline giant, Nova Scotia. in Kejimkujik lakes. If you could eat lunch with anyone, who Supervisor: Dr. Peir Pufahl. would it be and what would you order? Supervisor: Dr. Nelson O’Driscoll. Sergey Zimov and we would order Chi- Morning glory or night owl? Morning Morning glory or night owl? Night owl. nese dumplings. glory! Inspiration hits you where? Hopefully Hopes for your research impact on the Inspiration hits you where? Where I least world? To provide a data framework that expect it. the brain. policy makers can use to limit wildlife and human mercury exposure. Why Acadia? A smaller school really appealed to me, where one on one interaction with your supervisor occurs on a Inspiration hits you where? Where ever regular basis. Having that support has exI am that there is no computer, hahaha. ponentially improved my knowledge and It actually hits me randomly and never in ability to write an excellent thesis. one predictable place. Often while working but not always. hence I carry a pen and Fave spot in the valley: Just Us! They paper with me everywhere. have delicious specialty coffee beverages Why Acadia? To study with Kevin Whetter and because I love the vibe of the Valley. I think it makes for a unique learning environment that is especially good for grad students. There are so many UNESCO sites in NS and I was lucky enough to stumble across a piece of the Berlin Hometown: Miami, Florida. Wall in Lunenburg while I was there for the Scarecrow People Festival, and I was Program: MA - English Literature. also able to visit Oak Island where the medieval knights known as the Templar Length of program: 2 years. Knights are rumored to have brought “the Current research question/area: The co- grail”. dex of medieval knighthood in Arthurian romance literature and how this affects Fave spot in the valley: Ah! I could never the way readers during the medieval era choose just one, but I can choose a town: read the text as a social political device Wolfville. to strengthen the standing of knights, as well as later the use by the Tudors to What is grad school like so far? Tough, secure their position as the rightful mon- challenging, rewarding, and fun. I have grown as an academic and had some archs of England through apotheosis. amazing experiences so far, such as going to graduate conferences, presenting Supervisor: Kevin Whetter. papers, meeting people whose work I adMorning glory or night owl? Night owl, mire, and learning about all the possible careers my degree can give me. definitely.
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and a very friendly environment for doing schoolwork.
How do you deal with stress? Yoga, gym time, going to bed with some pleasure reading, photography, dancing, long walks by the ocean, talking with other University students and professors, and sometimes just a simple meal and some rest. You never know what you need, but going through grad school teaches you to really pay attention to what your body and mind are telling you. I wish I knew how to: Sky Dive... it is on my list of things to do that I did not get to do this summer. Next trip? San Francisco for the HERA conference. Best advice you have ever received: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint” ~Dr. Cheryl Fury~ If you could eat lunch with anyone, who would it be? I would love to eat lunch with
I wish I knew how to: Play guitar, so anytime I go to a place with a big crowd I can bring it out and people must join me in song. Next trip? Hopefully someday to Alberta, where the dinosaur fossils are! Best advice you have ever received: Confidence is integral to success and happiness. If you could eat lunch with anyone, who would it be and what would you order? My favorite singer, Elton John. I would order the least messy thing on the menu so I would not embarrass myself. Hopes for your research impact on the world? I am hoping that my research will provide some clues as to how thick gypsum and salt deposits formed throughout geologic history. Saline giants, which are evaporate deposits that are at least 1 km in thickness, are very enigmatic as to how they formed because there are no current modern analogues. Nova Scotia contains a large saline giant deposit that is currently being mined for gypsum and salt, but it is questionable as to how this deposit came to be so thick.T hese profiles are brought to you by AGSA, Acadia graduate students’ society. If you want to be featured contact Lyndsay Sprado, president of AGSA at agsapresident@acadiau.ca Fidel Castro so I could ask him so many questions about what his life has been like. He is so outside the box and he was friends with El Che. I can only imagine how fascinating that lunch would be. Hopes for your research impact on the world? I hope this thesis demonstrates the ideology of medieval texts were complicated and nuanced. We assume people during Malory’s time we not sophisticated readers, but many of the ideological codes found in Arthurian legends concerning chivalry are very much relevant today. These codes have undergone a change of language, and our knights have been made over into other honorable male figures. I hope this opens readers up to realize we have very old and very universal ideas that we honor and hold dear through out the ages: the universal human condition.
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LGBTPUNK Christian Vail Contributor Forgive me, but I am going to be stepping away from hardcore for this one. This is much bigger than hardcore. It is definitely bigger than punk rock, but I have to confine myself somewhere, and this is the medium I have chosen. The 70’s were an important time in punk rock, before hardcore had even taken off. You basically had four big bases for punk in the 70’s: The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, and Crass. Four incredibly different bands make up the earliest major influences of punk rock. The reason I bring these up is to show where punk rock came from in it is most basic form. These bands were born out of the same scenes that brought David Bowie and Lou Reed to the masses. Back in the day, when one could express himself or herself through music and be wildly different without worrying about judgement, even in punk. Then the 80’s brought hardcore. I love hardcore with all my heart, otherwise I would not be writing these articles, but hardcore has a terrible reputation. Since the music was so simple, anyone was able to pick it up and go. You would think this would make hardcore more diverse, but if anything it made it very streamlined and any message could be put to its styling. Have strong neo-Nazi beliefs that you wish to express musically? You can be a hardcore punk. Hardcore, and punk rock as a whole, will forever be linked with the very small hate groups that have plagued its great name. That is where the bands I want you to know about come in. I had no idea ‘Queercore’ existed until I heard about the band Gay for Johnny Depp. Besides having what is probably the best band name of all time, their music was based entirely around their love of the actor. This led me to finding bands like Black Fag who recorded and performed reworked versions of Black Flag songs relating to gay issues and stereotypes, or Pansy Division and their brilliant reworking of Nirvana’s hit which they call “Smells Like Queer Spirit.”
Photo Credit:Robin Lawson Queercore was born out of several LGBT musicians’ need to have a voice in music and not in the way that people may expect. Hardcore had the “ultra-straight” persona about it, despite even Black Flag front-man Henry Rollins admitting that the very nature of hardcore shows being somewhat homo-erotic. This stereotype, coupled with the independent and DIY nature of hardcore punk meant that it was the best medium for these artists to break into to make sure that they were heard. Outside of bands made up of LGBT musicians, there are bands such as Winnipeg-based Propagandhi who present themselves as “animal-friendly, anti-fascist, pro-feminist, and gay-positive.” In Wales during the early 90’s, glam punk band Manic Street Preachers were exploring sexuality and gender identity in their image (bassist Nicky Wire very frequently would wear skirts and dresses on stage well into his 40’s) and lyrics such as the repeated “I don’t want to be a man” in “Life Becoming a Landslide”. NOFX frequently performs in front of pride flags, and for a band as crass (not Crass the band, but the word) as them, that is a pretty strong image. Bands like these show that there is no shortage of support for the LGBT community within the punk scene.
LGBTQ friendly landlords The following is a list of landlords compiled by Acadia Pride identifying LGBTQ friendly landlords. The list was compiled using a short questionnaire. Just because a landlord is not on the list does not mean that they are not LGBTQ friendly. These are just the landlords who responded positively to the email I sent out. If you know a landlord who would like to complete the questionnaire, please send me their information at pride@acadiau.ca. It is important for LGBTQ students to know which landlords are friendly for many reasons.
First of all, knowing that a landlord is LGBTQ friendly can make it easier to broach the subject. Many LGBTQ couples face a lot of worry about whether they will be accepted. For transgender people, finding somewhere to live can be especially difficult, as their legal signature on a lease will not match their preferred identity, making coming out to a landlord a necessity. Overall, we hope that the list will be helpful to all LGBTQ students struggling to find a place to live off-campus.
I have already talked about many more bands than the “one band – one album” formula that my article is based on, so I want to single out one band. At this point, everyone is very aware of Against Me! and their singer Laura Jane Grace. I think Against Me! are fantastic (and that everyone should listen to “Thrash Unreal” because that song is an absolute masterpiece), but I want to talk about a band that is beloved in some circles, while completely unknown in most: Hüsker Dü. Maybe one of the greatest bands to ever walk this earth, Hüsker Dü started as a hardcore act on the famous SST Records label owned and operated by Black Flag figurehead Greg Ginn (*spits*). From there, Hüsker Dü went on to become central in creating the alternative rock scene that would take over the 90’s by not choosing to focus solely on anger or negative topics while having sing-along melodies over punk rock with a hint of psychedelics. If you think that sounds effing amazing, it does. Go listen to “Could You Be the One?” before you have finished reading this. I do not care if you finish reading this as long as you listen to it. Hüsker Dü is mostly remembered for their incredible album Zen Arcade and are beloved by everyone from Moby, to Ryan Adams,
to Dave Grohl (*spits*). A three-piece throughout their time as a band, they featured an openly gay lead singer, Bob Mould, and a bisexual drummer Grant Hart. The most visible since the bands heyday has been Mould, who has gone on to greater success with his second band, Sugar, as well as a critically beloved solo career. Mould was one of the figureheads of the WEDrock benefit concert for Freedom to Marry and has remained as great a figure in the gay rights movement as he has for those of us whose musical tastes were Moulded (heh) by his art. The bottom line is: punk should be for everyone, as long as they can bear the sound. Although some circles have tried to take punk away from the masses and given it a negative image, these bands I mentioned have given punk back to the people. Bands like Hüsker Dü and Against Me! are going to show people struggling with their gender identity or sexuality that it is perfectly normal and that they can go far with it. I know this for a fact, as I only came to terms with my own bisexuality through my love of the Manic Street Preachers. Punk does not hate you, punk hates everything else.
Sam White Acadia Pride Coordinator Angie Taiani………………………………………………….amt@bellaliant.net Melinda Norris…………………………………………mel@melindanorris.ca Kathleen and Douglas Schofield………….douglas.s@ns.sympatico.ca OR kathleenmarieschofield@hotmail.com Marc Poirier………………………………….…..marc.poirier@hotmail.com Cathy Cantwell……………………………………...…..cathy@mackayre.com Dan O………………………………….……………….danielsrenos@gmail.com Melinda Norris……………………………..………….mel@melindanorris.ca Rosemary Segado……………………………………..rosemary@segado.net Judith Leidl………………………………….....orielfineart@ns.sympatico.ca Eric and Joanne Mitchell………………………..jmitch@eastlink.ca
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Profs let loose: Acadia’s faculty improv music group Riley MacKinnon Arts Editor As students, it is very rare for us to see our professors outside of the classroom setting. We see them share their thoughts and opinions, hear them lecture, watch them conduct learning, and see them only a couple times a week at most. In the school of music, the students are
fortunate to frequently see their professors outside of the classroom—but this usually only means they transitioned from chalkboard to centre stage. It is not uncommon for a professor within the school of music to perform in front of their colleagues and students, and music students (myself included) love
Photo Credit:Chase McRobie
A deep root and a hearty meal Andrew Haskett Contributor As you take in those final mouthfuls of warm beer, you release a heavy, content sigh. Tonight’s show is steadily creeping to its end and you feel sunbeat and slightly withered, due in part of the growing pile of empties on the table in front of you. You are egged on to dance by a somewhat mysterious brunette who has a penchant for the two-step and who sings along to unheard lyrics. As she sways to the music in her leather boots and white satin dress, you struggle to remember... what day is it? It is… It is Friday. Friday. Sherman Downey and his band, the Ambiguous Case, are flooring a
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crowd at the Old Orchard Inn. As you stand up your knowledge of the evening comes rushing back. Deep Roots. Summer has come and gone, and with it are memories of rocky surf and late nights fueled by cheap beer and even cheaper jokes. This year’s Deep Roots has also gone past, leaving us with a melancholy desire for the burning sunshine and leaves of green. Do not fret, though, because Deep Roots was as awesome an end to the summer as you will ever find in small-town Nova Scotia.
to see this! Something new has happened this year, though. Something that allows us students see another side of our beloved professors.
Drake, Mark Adam, and Paula Rockwell have all participated. To those who are unfamiliar with these names and the instruments they play and teach, let us just say that you will hear anything Every Fridays at 5pm, the KCIC hosts a from piano, to percussion, to voice. faculty improv group. The setting is in- And everything in between. formal, and the entertainment is a plenty. In the upcoming weeks, the Garden The event itself has already occurred a Room will be filled with fantastic mu- couple times. Each event last approxisic, created right there on the spot. mately an hour, and travels through a few different genres such as contempoI emailed Jeff Hennessy, acting Dean rary classical and jazz. I am sure evof Arts and Acadia music professor to eryone will enjoy, and the sheer scope elaborate on this fun event. To date, of the talent and differences amongst he, Nicholas D’Amato, Derek Charke, them proves that there will be someMark Hopkins, Christoph Both, Jamie thing for everyone! DAY 1
even knew it, I was out like a light.
I awoke Saturday morning crusty and dried out, feeling pretty prune-like. Sherman had worn me out, killed my feet, and had made me dance like a fool in front of sixty-odd middle aged men and women. The venue just happened to be the Old Orchard Inn, a rustic and wholesome barn-stage-pub setting that had me dreaming of country socials and snuffs of hot whiskey behind hay bales and cattle barns. Sherman Downey and the Ambiguous Case jammed out with their classic line-up of fun, bouncy folk-rock songs that are sure to have you singing into a brush in front of your bathroom mirror.
DAY 2 Out like a light, waxed like a candle. I was completely spent after the previous two evenings with very little gas to spare, but that did not stop me. I awoke in the morning with a fire in my belly. Most likely stale beer, though. After a wash and a shave to stave off that much-desired homeless look, I set off to the Wolfville Festival Theatre to catch the closing concert. The energy was felt in the air long before the MC hit the stage—a full house ready to rumble. Jeff Arsenault took to the stage for one final time and captivated the crowd with his dark lyrical style and a voice that only a Marlboro man could possess. Thom Swift stepped up next for some bayou-inspired rumbling, brandishing an 84-year-old completely full-metal jacketed guitar. Johnny Cash must be rolling in his grave. This year’s Valley Arts Recipient was Darren Harvey, the resident MC and a great contributor to everything musical in the Annapolis Valley and beyond.
As I sauntered down the hill to see the festivities on Main Street I was welcomed to a jam-packed and vibrant farmer’s market. The sights, the sounds, and the smells almost threw me overboard. Pure sensory overload, enough to kill a horse and then some. Children played and indulged in tasty frozen treats and laughed and sang songs that only they could imagine. Parents rested to the easy sounds of stage bands and enjoyed fine for- J.P. Cormier, a large man with an eign cuisine from the numerous market equally large talent, busted out an absolutely incredible 11-minute freestyle/ stalls. improvised guitar solo covering every As the hours crept by and the after- genre of music under the sun. Last and noon sun streaked across the streets certainly not least was one final perof Wolfville, the festival grew more formance by Sherman Downey and the and more lively. Buskers took to the Ambiguous Case. Cut short time-wise streets and serenaded passers-by while but certainly not energetically, SherI ducked into the iconic Al Whittle The- man and friends pounded out some of atre for a drink. Beverage in hand, I their best hits. Sherman and his band commanded a front row seat to par- finished with their beauty of a song take in an intimate songwriter’s circle, titled “Annalee”, which takes inspirawhere artists Sherman Downey, Caleb tion from the hit song “The Weight” by Myles and Jeff Arsenault took stage. American-Canadian classic rockers The These guys put on a deeply impres- Band. sive show with plenty of original work, some covers, and a couple of impromp- To be able to freely explore the talent associated with this year’s Deep Roots tu jams. Festival was a true blessing. I was able Polishing off a hectic and lively after- to speak with many influential artnoon was Blue’s Night at Paddy’s Pub, ists, writers, and overall great people complimented by a wide array of Valley throughout the entire festival and I was artists and ice-cold beer. Nothing jolts in the company of some beautiful souls you awake like the slap of a bass and an all weekend long. For this I am thankArctic cold pale ale. And then, before I ful.
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Castrati: Watch your words they suffered for their art Riley MacKinnon Arts Editor
Sam White Acadia Pride Coordinator
It is freshman year and I am hanging out with friends. We have a few drinks and before long I am feeling a little tipsy. I fall into my friend’s lap. “Have I ever told you how great you are?” I say to her, my arm draped over her shoulders.
“You are such a lesbian,” she replies, a running joke for her when it came to me. I hop off of her lap, suddenly Forgive me for my lack of knowledge feeling guilty. in this area. The limited knowledge I have in this I have retained from a music Fast-forward one year. history class I took two years ago, and what information I could access online. It is a Sunday afternoon and my girlfriend and I are in meal hall, laughing at our own jokes and enjoying the first I understand that the times have sunny day in weeks. There is no stress. There is just us, changed. That years and years ago, the sun and an afternoon to spend however we choose. women did not have the same rights as men, especially within the church. But There is a group of girls at a table next to us who are not to actually, physically alter the voices of feeling so stress-free. They have a list of homework quesyoung boys in order for them to achieve tions to answer for a psych class and a few of them seem the high pitches sounds of an alto or so- to be stuck on the same question. My girlfriend and I pay little mind to them, still engrossed in our own conversaprano singer… excuse me? tion, but soon their discussion is so loud that we cannot They were called castrati. They were help but to overhear. boys who were castrated just before reaching sexual maturity. They were, ‘Do you think that homosexuality is a choice or is it someso to speak, ripped of their manhood in thing engrained at birth?’ is the question, and the opinorder to sound like a lady (even though ions of the girls are mixed. there were plenty of ladies who could do “I think it’s a choice,” one of them declares, “I think that just as fine a job of singing). gay people choose a different lifestyle and that’s alright for According to www.usrf.org, the 17th them, but nobody is just born like that.” and 18th centuries involved plenty a young boy weaned from his testicles. Another girl chimes in, “I think that something over the 4,000-5,000 a year, to be semi-precise. course of their life just messes them up,” the girls giggle. The only reason for doing so? Why, for “Well, you know what I mean,” she continues, “I think it’s a beautiful sounding church choir, of a nurture thing and not a nature thing.” course! The girls went on with their discussion for a while, loudly These castrati were the be all and end and without reservation, all speaking over one another. all of the vocal world. Their voices were A few expressed differing opinions, but many of the girls crisp and clean, able to hit high notes, still maintained that sexuality is a chosen path, and wrote and also able to have strength behind so on their papers before continuing on to the next questhe note – something which is difficult tion, thinking nothing of it. to attain through falsetto. I find it difficult to wrap my head around the fact Fast-forward a couple of months. that it was “cool” to lose your “manhood” just to be able to sing high – baf- My girlfriend and I are in line at a fast food restaurant. There are two drunk guys ahead of us yelling across the fling, huh? restaurant, and from time to time I can feel their eyes on I do not see it much now, thankfully, but us, sizing us up. My girlfriend steps forward to order and I know the stereotypes still exist. When as she does, I hear one of them whisper under his breath, I was in high school, some men were sarcasm thick in his voice, “Well I know we weren’t all teased for their involvement with music expecting that.” and theatre. They were mocked and ridiculed, told they were gay, or told they As soon as he says it I know what he is referring to. He is were too feminine. Some were gay, but talking about her voice. What he is noting is the way that that is beside the point. Men: just think her voice matches her androgynous appearance. Having – centuries before your peers judged you spent the past few minutes trying to determine whether for doing what you love, boys were will- my girlfriend is male or female, he is unsurprised that her ingly taking away their manhood just voice has not given him clarity. I detect something else in to be able to stay within the perform- his voice as well: annoyance. He wanted so badly to put ing arts. Of course, these differences a pin on it, to be able to give her that same label that we are centuries apart, with laws passed give to everyone we meet: boy or girl? to end castration for musical purposes, and the acceptance of women within A lot of these things may seem little. And in many inperformance. The thought just popped stances, they are. I have had many other experiences just into my head the other day – where once like these, but I do not remember them. The majority of people physically altered themselves to them only crossed my mind for half a second, a flicker perform, there are now stereotypes that of recognition and then I have forgotten it has even hapaffect men within the performing arts. pened.
However, there are times when things that other people say, something that they may think nothing of, can affect someone very deeply. When my friend used to joke that I was a lesbian, I do not think she knew that she would make it much harder for me to come out later that year. In fact, I know that she did not. However, because she had made those jokes, she was one of the most difficult people for me to come out to. When those girls were completing their assignment, I doubt they knew that they were sitting right next to an LGBT couple. And had we been a little less comfortable with our sexualities, we may have let that bother us more than it did. Instead of walking home hand in hand and enjoying our sunny afternoon, we may have let something like that spoil the rest of our day. I can only imagine what my reaction may have been if something like that had happened a year before. When that guy at the restaurant made that comment about my girlfriend, I doubt he knew what affect that would have. I doubt he knew that I had heard what he said. I doubt he knew that my girlfriend was in the process of coming out as transgender, and I doubt that he knew that when I told her what I had heard later that night it would make her feel miserable. You do not always have to try in order to hurt someone with words. You never know what someone else has experienced. It could be the person who you are talking to, or someone across the room. But when you speak negatively about something you have never experienced, your voice carries. Somebody hears you. And you never know when your light-hearted joke could ruin someone’s night.
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Fluidity of sexual We Love You Anyway identity Emma Hachey Contributor
Tess Pooran Opinions Editor Sexual identity something that is different for everyone but it is often discussed as a binary or even as a singularity. Sexuality, for many people, is a big, confusing and sometimes wonderful, grey area. We often speak about a person or people as having a singular and constant sexuality and that is it only socially acceptable to have one sexual identity and never change (and if you really want to be the most social acceptable, you better be heterosexual). In the immortal words of Lady Gaga, “We are born this way” and while this is true, it does not mean we are not allowed to grow and discover our sexuality over our lifetime. When I was younger, most of my friends discovered their sexuality during their early teen years, whether or not they accepted it. I used to think that I had to figure out my sexuality and then stick with whatever I thought what I was when I was 16. At that age I was still confused about what sexual identity was, as a concept. I had been told there were “straight” and “gay” and that is it. Of course, I was naïve and believed whatever information I heard on the subject. Bisexuality and other non-binary sexual identities are regarded fictitious and the people who posses these identities, who are trying to live as themselves in an honest manner, are regarded as attention seeking. I now believe that sexual identity is fluid, maybe not for everyone but for many people. Guilt is one of those things that is so closely linked with sexual identity, yet has no place in it. Many of us feel guilty for perfectly normal and healthy feelings of sexual desire or interest. In our society shame surrounds most of our basic needs – and the things that make us happy – from food to sex. If you know your sexual identity and are happy with it, that is amazing, but there is no reason to feel guilty if you do not. It is not bad to be curious or to have your feelings change. I am in my 20’s and still figuring myself out, although I am much more sure of myself than I was even two years ago. I am not one to use labels on my own sexual identity, but if you want to use a certain word to define your sexual identity, you should be able to do so and feel safe and supported. That is one of the main reasons I want people to understand that sexual identity is personal, it is something that no one else can decide on or judge. Each person has the right
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to express their sexual identity in the way they feel most comfortable without fear of retribution. I have been lucky and never had anyone be critical of my sexual identity, but that is probably due to me being a private about my identity and the fact that heterosexuality is still seen as the default sexual identity. The first time I kissed a girl I was fifteen. We were good friends and just drinking and joking around, it happened quickly and naturally. We must have mentioned it to the few of our friends and immediately a few of the boys started asking if we did it to impress them! This confused me, for one thing, I had no interest in trying to impress these people and we were alone when we kissed. That was the first time I experienced people questioning others sexual identity and conduct. The next time was when one of my friends came out as gay, and more than half of our friends questioned him, because he did not “act gay”. Not only is this kind of reaction rude, but it can be detrimental to the persons mental health and discourages others from being their true selves. On a similar note, sexual identity and sexual conduct are two different things. I can be happy and fulfilled in a relationship with someone of the opposite sex, but still be attracted to the same sex. Our sexual identity does not disappear when our relationship status changes. That is like saying single people have no sexual identity; our sexual identity is personal; it is not based on who we are sleeping with at the time. Finding out who you are is not an easy process and is different for every individual, but we must learn to respect the choices of others, whether those choices are consistent or changeable. Sexual identity is a spectrum and wherever you fall on the spectrum, you deserve to be respected and accepted. Sexual identity might be different at 16, and 20, and 50; that is perfectly normal. The fluidity of sexuality can be a difficult concept to grasp at first, and it is something I have struggled to accept about myself. I am writing this anonymously because I am a private person and still trying to figure out who I am, that being said, I do not feel any shame about this. It is my personal choice to be private, but I encourage anyone reading this who is nervous or confused about their sexual identity to speak with someone they trust or check out Acadia Pride, because there is no place for shame in sexual identity.
Coming out as someone who is LGBTQ+ can be a very difficult experience but most people do not seem to realize that once you have come out to someone, once you have trusted someone with something so vital to your core being, once you have put your heart and soul out there to be potentially judged, it is not over. You will never stop coming out to people. As a queer female who looks very stereotypically heterosexual, I am never presumed to be anything but straight. Even when I am walking down the street with my girlfriend, everyone assumes we are just friends. Every time someone asks me where my boyfriend is or if I am single, I need to come out again. In the last year, I have gone through a lot of coming out scenarios with various members of my family, fellow students, and friends old and new. I have had positive experiences with my close friends and parents and brothers and sisters and I have had horrible experiences from more religious members of my family. I have been called names and I have been told that it is okay and that I am still ‘me’ to them. But here is the thing: even when people are accepting and loving and understanding, there is a certain phrase that I have been told time and time again that just makes my heart hurt. “We love you anyway!” Trust me: no one wants to hear this when they are coming out to you. While on the surface this seems like a happy and positive comment, and it most likely is coming from a place of love and accep-
tance, it does not come across this way. I do not want you to “love me anyway”. I do not want you to love me in spite of an essential part of my puzzle or even love me because of it. I want to be loved because I am still the same person you loved before I told you – you just did not know it yet. This phrase is very hurtful, even though it rarely is meant to be. No one who has just had the strength to tell you one of their biggest secrets wants to hear that you love them anyway. But this happens time and time again. People on the other end of the spectrum, they have not had to identify their sexuality to anyone, because when theirs is assumed it is correct. They do not know what it is like to actually hear someone say this to you in your moment of vulnerability. Like I said, I know this is almost always from a positive place in their hearts and that they would never dream to have this message be brought across this way, but it is. If you can take one thing away from this article, it is that language is important. We have the ability to use our language to help others and bring them down. It is essential that we know which is happening when we say something. If anyone comes out to you, please try to remember what they are going through, how many times they have had to do this, and how your reaction affects them. Please try to look at them as though their sexuality is not a defect and that it is not a fault to be loved in spite of. Instead of “I love you anyway”, please just say “I love you”.
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Discussing evolutionary aspects of homosexuality as a respectful ally Dan Aurell Contributor
When asked to write an article for the Ath’s LGBTQI+ issue, I first planned to write a brief synopsis of evolutionary thinking around homosexuality. When I bounced the idea off some friends, the common response was “you might want to avoid biologizing the issue”. Maybe this is the more pressing question to tackle: how should I discuss the biological side of homosexuality as a respectful ally? This question sits at the intersection of two viewpoints that are part of my context. As a biology student, evolutionary thinking necessarily informs how I view our place in nature, my place in the world. As well, I think of myself as an ally to the gay communities, at least in the limited sense of providing acceptance. Although several friends of mine happen to be gay (including my mother and her wife), I do not feel that I have devoted enough thought to LGBT issues (or enough discussion with them for that matter), but writing this article has been a good opportunity to talk more with some of my gay friends about the subject. In an effort to avoid repeating mistakes, I will talk about some pitfalls in discussing biological aspects of homosexuality. Also, some justifications for prejudice against homosexuality rely on mistaken, shallow, and misapplied biological thought. Thinking of homosexuality as being “against nature” is unfortunately one of the most common objections. It assumes that we can draw moral conclusions based on the distinction between natural and unnatural given an out-dated idea of “the harmony of nature”. The
underlying logic of evolution, that favours anything that leads to reproductive success, is by no means harmonious. The logic of evolution is a ruthless one, and not one by which we should wish to organize our lives or societies. So, this is one of the insights I draw from an evolutionary perspective: that the question of natural/unnatural does not determine whether something is desirable in society. Homosexuality is in all practical respects eminently compatible with modern society, and I think this is the relevant consideration. I see more reason to respect people for their contribution to human happiness than for their success procreating.
a continuum, from characteristics with a fairly direct, uncomplicated genetic basis (e.g. eye colour) to characteristics with a basis in the interaction of a large number of genes with environmental factors over a long period of time (e.g. height). Sexual orientation is certainly more akin to height in this way. Any one of the many genes can be thought of as a “gay gene” in the limited sense of contributing slightly to a gay sexual orientation. Another concern is not to exaggerate the state and scope of our knowledge of biology: the headlines can make it sound like we are aware of all the factors that influence homosexuality. Male homosexuality is also far more studied than Some other concerns that I have about lesbianism. the connection between biology and our thinking around the genetic basis of ho- In biologizing sexual orientation, there is mosexuality: headlines that talk about a often a subtext that biological accounts “Gay Gene Found”. This oversimplifies are more important, or more descriptive the causal relation between genes and than social accounts of the lives of gay bodies. To use Richard Dawkins’s analogy, people. For the many who go through our genomes are much better compared confusing and traumatic journeys of disto a recipe for a cake than to a blueprint covering their sexuality, I can see how for a car. The first point of the analogy being told “well, you must have been gay is that a blueprint describes a one-to-one all along” by outsiders could feel like a correspondence between instructions and cheapening of the experience. result. On the contrary it is nonsensical to ask what particular ingredient in the cake I do also want to share the broad strokes mix was responsible for a particular crumb of a fascinating evolutionary explanation of the cake, be it our sexual orientation or - known as the “fertile female hypothour left kneecap. Like the interactions be- esis”. The perennial question is: given tween ingredients, mixing, time, cooking the evidence for a genetic basis for hotemperature in a cake, the characteristics mosexuality, how does this set of oriof the person are result of the interaction entations persist in populations through of many, many genes and our environment. history and across cultures, even though On the other hand, some ingredients are gay people tend to pass fewer of their more important to determining some char- genes into the next generation? The feracteristics of the final product. There is tile female hypothesis answers that just
as genes may have different effects on bodies in different stages of life, genes have different effects on bodies of different sexes. Some studies have found that gay men tend to have female relatives on the maternal side that each have more children. The favoured explanation for this is that some genes that increase fertility when expressed in the bodies of women (generally thought of as genes that increase attraction to men, or female attractiveness) would be correlated with homosexuality when expressed in the bodies of men. So perhaps gayness in men (disadvantageous with regard to gene transmission) can be thought of partly as a side effect that is outweighed by the increased fertility of their female relatives (advantageous with regard to gene transmission). The jury is still out on this particular case, but it shows the form that evolutionary thinking about homosexuality usually takes: reduced reproduction of some people carrying the genes is balanced out by increased reproduction of others who carry the genes. It may be that many of us straight people, and many homophobic people, would not be here except for “gay genes” that allowed our ancestors, rather than our ancestors’ rivals to reproduce. I look forward to seeing that poetic justice confirmed. But mostly I hope that we as straight people continue to learn to see people as people who are worthy of appreciation and acceptance, irrespective of their sexual orientation. Personally, I will take the small step of continuing to discuss with my gay friends what it means to be a respectful and helpful ally.
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The How-tos (and do nots) for Allies
as insensitive to immediately express worry about how this will affect you. They are telling you something personal, and if you make it all about yourself, you can cause them to feel guilty for feeling the way that they do, which can make the situation worse.
In honour of National Coming Out Day, I thought that it might be nice to give some advice to those who may have someone come out to them. A lot of people do not expect that someone close to them is LGBT, and would not know how to react if they learned that. Below I have made a list of definite things to avoid when someone comes out to you:
• Do not out the person to others without permission. Some people will out someone to others because they think that it is easier for that person if they just let everyone know. You may think that this is helpful or supportive, but in many instances it can be terrifying. Many people will have negative reactions to someone coming out, and to have to worry that your professor, co-worker, friend, family member, etc. will suddenly change their perception of you one day without your knowledge can be scary. It is for this reason that many LGBT people prefer to come out themselves. However, some are okay or even prefer a little help. If you are not sure, it is always best to ask the person if it is okay to spread the information to others. If they say no, or limit the people they would like you to speak to, be respectful of that.
• Do not ask if they are sure. If they are coming out to you, they are as sure as they can be. They have thought about this moment and all the ways it could play out, and since they do not know how you might take it, their sexuality is the most certain thing about their conversation with you. It takes a whole lot of courage to come out to someone, so you always want to be sure before you do it. It is hard to take back something like sexuality. You definitely can, as sexuality and gender identity can evolve and your perception of yourself can evolve as well, it is just incredibly awkward and not something most LGBT people plan to do. So, while in the future their perception may change, for now that person is very certain of their identity and you should accept that.
• Do not be angry with the person coming out to you for not doing it sooner. Although you may be a supportive person and be shocked that this person would keep such a huge secret from you, you should realize that it takes a lot of time to come out. Before coming out, you want to be sure of your identity, you need to think about how your friends and family will react, and you need to build your confidence in order to come out. Some people are sure of their sexual and gender identity immediately, but others need to take the time to figure things out for themselves before speaking to others about it. You must respect this and realize that it does not change how much trust they have in you.
• Do not tell them that they have changed. Your perception of the person coming out to you may have changed, but they have not. Chances are, they have been feeling this way for a while. Try to see things from their perspective and to remember that they are the same person that you have always known.
Finally, make sure to be accepting of them and what they are telling you. Do not make the conversation about yourself, and try to listen to what they are saying without steering the conversation somewhere else. Do not ask questions that are personal about their sexuality or orientation. If they wanted to give more detail they would, and personal questions can make someone feel as if they are on display when what they really need is support. The person coming out to you just wants someone to care about what they are saying and not undermine it by implementing doubt or guilt. Try to put yourself in their shoes and realize what a difficult task this may be for them. Above all, make sure to treat them with the same kindness and respect you felt for them before they came out to you.
Sam White Acadia Pride Coordinator
• Do not tell them that they just have not met the right person yet. If someone is attracted to people of the same sex it is not because they are unable to find someone of the opposite sex, they simply do not want to. Do not assume that just because your goals are to settle down with somebody of the opposite sex that the person coming out to you has those same goals. Remember that even people who are heterosexual have their own preferences, and you cannot force yourself to be attracted to someone you are not. • Do not ask them whether they are interested in you. Asking someone who is the same sex as you if they are interested in you right after they come out is presumptuous and can make it seem like you do not care about that person’s problem or feelings. Most gay, lesbian and bisexual people are interested in people who can reciprocate their feelings. Regardless of whether you may have been wondering, it is best to keep questions that concern you for later. This is a time when the person coming out needs support, and is not usually a time when they want to be answering questions. • Do not express worry about what others will think of you if you continue to associate with the person coming out to you. Think about your own fears about this person coming out and then compare them to what their fears may be. Most LGBT people have a lot more to worry about than an ally does. You are unlikely to receive the same backlash for being supportive as LGBT people are for being themselves. Although it can be a valid concern, it could be viewed
My Transgendered Punk Rock Super Hero Alexis O’Connell Contributor The band Against Me! has lived in my MP3 library for almost a decade. They were not always my first choice, yet they always made it into the shuffle. I always knew the artist, like me, thought society was far from ideal, and that we ought to stand for what we believe in. I never realized however, the inner turmoil that the lead singer, Tom Gabel, was going through. Yet, in hindsight, I am shocked I did not see it all along.
day when searching for “Against Me!” on YouTube, I saw the name “Laura Jane Grace” and a picture of a gorgeous punk rocker holding a guitar. I had been completely oblivious to her transition, but as soon as I learned that Tom Gabel had become Laura Jane Grace, I could not let the story go. I was intrigued and I wanted to know everything.
Over the next couple weeks I read articles and watched interviews where I never paid much attention until one Laura bravely shared her story and how
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she battled her “gender dysphoria” (as she puts it) for most of her life. She would talk about being so confused when she was younger, always feeling better in women’s clothes. She talked about the shame she felt. She talked about how she tried to ignore it all and drown herself in her band and her music. She also shares how it was never enough, and how the dysphoria of being a man when she should have been a woman dominated her thoughts and her life. Finally, she had had enough and decided that she was not going to live as a man anymore. She was going to finally be herself.
Since Tom transitioned to Laura, she has been open to sharing her story in hopes of helping others like her. She wanted to set an example for the fact that gender is not clear cut, and that we need to simply normalize that reality. She talks about how she has struggled with her mental health both in interviews and in song. She compiled all of her thoughts, feelings and angst about before and during her transition in her album “Transgender Dysphoria Blues”. This find on my YouTube search gave me something amazing to listen to, but also an amazing story of a bad ass punk rocker in heels.
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Pony Girl Victoria Forsey Contributor
Pony Girl hails from Ottawa, Ontario with a sound that is a mix of atmospheric indie-rock, hip-hop, prog-rock, and chamber music. Mixtape Magazine nailed it on the head when they said that their 2013 debut album Show me Your Fears “creates something uniquely cinematic… [featuring] unique boy/girl harmonies, delicate guitar licks… intense rhythms, and tight arrangements that create a fluid flow of emotional response.” After an East Coast tour which featured a show at Acadia’s own KCIC Garden Room, as well as performing at the Ottawa Folk Fest, I got a chance to catch up with the band’s percussionist Jeff Kingsbury (Acadia, Class of 2012), here is what he had to say about Pony Girl: Who is Pony Girl?
behind the scenes by a variety of different credentials held by its members (a combination of visual art, communications and business degrees keep the engine running rather smoothly). Pascal, Julien and Gregg have played in some form of rock band with each other for a number of years now, as well Isaac has something of an ongoing solo project that he used to tour with frequently (he also played with fellow Ottawa artist Kalle Mattson for a time). The experience that Yolande and myself bring to the band stems mainly from the four years we spent in music school navigating classical performance, its traditions, and the unique avenues of problem-solving inherent to it. I actually was raised as something of a rocker, and was huge into metal as well as indie music in high school, having even played in a handful of pretty crappy bands, but I put it all on hold and found myself pretty out of touch with that side of music after I graduated from Acadia. Funnily enough, that’s now the side of music I’m exploring the most.
Pascal Huot- guitar, samples, lead vocalist, as well as the band’s lyricist. How did the band form? The previous incarnation of Pony Girl Yolande Laroche- clarinet, background was a band called Hotshotcasino, convocals. sisting of Pascal, Julien and Gregg, as well as a couple of different drummers. Julien Dussault and Isaac VallentinAt some point they decided they wantguitar, background vocals. ed to stray from what they’d done previously and introduce some new sort Gregg Clark- bass guitar. of orchestration. They met Yolande in a music class and began jamming Jeff Kingsbury- drums and samples. and writing some new material. I was living in Berlin for a bit, came back Guest musicians: to Canada and was introduced to the group via Yolande, who had already Mitch Cousineau (keys), told them I could hold drumsticks and listened to Chris Dave. At that time, Cameron Hill (sax). Isaac was drumming for them, so he was promoted to guitar and I took on What are the backgrounds of the memthe mail-room position, aka drummer. bers? Yolande and myself have music de- Why the name Pony Girl? grees, however the band is powered The band is named after a doodle Pas-
ATLANTIC FASHION WEEK 2014 Grayson Klimek Contributor Last weekend I was sent on behalf The Athenaeum to cover and report on Atlantic Fashion Week (AFW), a two-night annual event on October 2nd and 4th that takes place in various venues around Halifax. Being Nova Scotia’s largest fashion event, AFW supports the budding and well-known fashion designers of both the Atlantic Canada region as well as Canadian National designers. This gives designers, especially those based in Halifax a platform to display their creations to a market that would otherwise have no exposure to the world of fashion. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the second night due to some unforeseen circumstances, so these accounts are strictly of Atlantic Fashion Week’s Opening Showcase.
A total of eleven designers showcased their S/S 2015 collections on day one, but only three stood out in my mind as I tried to pick some favorites. The first is Dustin McCormack’s line, Clever & Clueless who’s brilliant use of Street Goth inspired designs transported the audience to a dark, post apocalyptic world of leather and mesh. The only designer to stick to a primarily black color pallet, Dustin McCormick definitely made her mark on Atlantic Fashion Week. Next is Ashley Reading, a complete juxtaposition to Clever & Clueless. Ashley’s collection took a sporty approach, a trend that has been HUGE within the past year of fashion. With bold colors, and impeccable mesh inserts, and 3-D embossed
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cal made a while ago, which in fact has nothing to do with Ponies, Girls, or Pony Girls, but still isn’t anywhere close to G-rated.
bly. Mark Adam, my teacher at Acadia, was incredibly good at relating something incredibly complex, like a Berio Sequenza for example, to a simple rock beat like Zeppelin’s “When The Levee Breaks”. It helped me see how everything in the world is connected, and music is no exception. As an artist I’d like to exploit this notion in a way that’s both vivid and homogenous, if that makes any sense. I’m always trying to connect some strange stuff together, but with careful tact.
Can you give some insight to the song writing process? Is it a collaborative effort or is it a solo effort by one member of the band? The songs are entirely a collaborative effort in the end, with everyone having their own little say, but Pascal lays all of the groundwork as far as the chords and lyrics are concerned. From my perspective, he brings these beautiful What are some fond music memories? bits of poetry sung over really catchy Are there any tour horror stories? lines to rehearsal, and I’m trying to add When I first got back from living in something tasteful or interesting that Europe for a year after school, I was draws attention to the written bits but highly charged with creative energy doesn’t just step all over it. and perspective, but I had absolutely no idea what to do. This whole Pony Who are your bands influences? Girl thing just sort of fell into my lap I could list about a hundred different within a few days of my being back, things, but lately it’s: Chad VanGaalen, and we immediately spent three solid Feist, Grizzly Bear, Flying Lotus, weeks together writing and recording Erykah Badu, Steve Reich, and any- our first song as that lineup (“Show thing that Nigel Godrich touches (Ra- Me Your Fears”). I’ll always think back diohead, Ultraista, Here We Go Magic, fondly at that time, when everything Beck, etc etc). was unsure, but the future held a ton of creative potential. Are there any bands (besides those listed as influences) that fans of the band No tour horror stories, in fact we’ve should check out? had some pretty great luck on tour, esFind a band on Bandcamp called Year pecially with living arrangements. We of Glad. We just toured with them out put out a lot of lines before leaving to East and they kicked a serious amount make sure we wouldn’t have six people of ass. Also check out an incredible sleeping in a van in a church parking band from Montreal called Suuns. lot somewhere outside Truro or something. What is your aspiration in the music industry? What is next for Pony Girl? Thinking realistically, my current goal We’re now just beginning to record our is to just make a living wage from play- second album Foreign Life, which will ing my own music. We’re doing a pret- come out in 2015. We’re all pretty exty good job at the moment, but it will cited about this music, and the amount take many more months of hard work it has left to develop still before it’s on and energy to make it sustainable. paper. It could be amazing, or it could be a total flop, but I’ll be damned if I Thinking from a more artistic stand- don’t end up in a pub at the end of the point, I’m always trying to find a way to night with the rest of the musicians, have my classical and rock/pop music pints in-hand and massive smiles on upbringings work together responsi- our faces. details, this collection of rompers, jump- nines in the usual Clutch Culture fashion. suits, and midi-dresses had the crowd The audience roared as Ms.Lion Hunter led her finale; a perfect way to end the giving a standing ovation. evening. Following the show, I proceedFinally, a collection unlike any other, and ed to ask Mo for a quick interview: one that is near and dear to my heart; Clutch Culture by Mo Handahu. Mo is a Grayson Klimek: So tell me about yourClass of 2006 Acadia Alumni who since self! Where you’re from originally, your graduating has become an extremely time at Acadia and what you’re doing prevalent figure within the Canadian now? Fashion scene. She owns a successful Fashion and Lifestyle Blog (which can Mo Handahu: I’m originally from Zimbabe found at lion-hunter.com), is the Con- bwe, and I actually came to Canada to go tent Curator for StyleList Canada, and is to Acadia in 2001. So I did my undergrad a Style Panelist and Plus Size Contribu- in Business… tor for FASHION Magazine. Her brand, Clutch Culture, was the only show on GK: Marketing? Thursday that was devoted solely to accessories. Her genius idea of pairing her MH: HR actually! So after that I did infamous clutches with outfits completely surance and group benefits and all that, styled in black drew the audience’s eyes but it just wasn’t my thing so Clutch Culto nothing but the raw beauty of this one ture came along and I’ve just been runof a kind arm candy. The show was also ning with it. Mo’s debut of her menswear line, which continued on page 15 includes several gym bags, printed to the
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Dear Trevor,
I know that you enjoyed being clever But times are over now, I’m leaving you forever. And if you really want, you can send a letter But only if you find the mind to write it Because if you send me some whacked out crazy shit I’ll throw it the fuck out and then just let it split, And perhaps it lands in the hands of some mindless man Who thinks that your thoughtless babbling is of a poet And so to the boss he shows it Then it all comes back to the escape of me And maybe you’ll go on to be some ever working part of society Maybe you will be a leader like the queen bee But that just means you have to work harder and you can’t ever leave Because that’s the way that They think that you’re supposed to be And it’s only the way you are because you lost me But I guess it’s no one’s fault but mine So I guess I’m sorry, please forgive Sincerely, Your Mind 12 October 15th, 2014
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I’m st uck in this place, this one place, a hole, a ditch, contemplating a way out that I don’t yet see. Behind my mind I scream b ecause b ehind my eyes the life I once had k nown is b eing tor n apart. If I fell into the room then I am too st uck there. Mirrors on the floor and walls, ceiling made of me. I am in a b ox looking out, but looking out is looking in. My conscience moves left, but I see it through a mirror so I move right. All the space around me is occupied by t rap doors. The hall is none but darkness. The dark ness bleeds into the light. Shall I go? I don’t k now. I k now the door at the end of the hallway, for I can only but k now, dark ness cannot seep into the mind quickly. Each step into the hallway is the hardest step I have ta ken. I step in a direction, and I still k now the door, but the dark ness has seep ed into my mind so I k now not the hallway. The w rong t ur n ta kes me to the w rong room made of windows and stones. So many times I have thrown the stones, only b ecause they say I should not throw stones in a house made of glass. If I throw a stone down I shall fall into nothing. If I throw a stone up it shall serve no pur p ose. Nor will the stone thrown to the walls. I have thrown these stones many times, only to throw them, only to k now that thrill. But no, I will not throw a stone. I stepp ed through the other door, and now it is light. Do not b e fooled, my child, it is not the light you can see in, the dark ness is gone, but the light is too bright to see, and it pierces the soul. I walk the ceramic floors of my teenage years, completely blinded, the floors paved with the halos of the angels I could have b een, but shut the door on and they fell. As walking on anything that is not a flat sur face, my feet are tor n. I cannot go any longer, but I do. I go for t wice as long as I can go b efore I cannot go any longer. This is a door I k now. I cannot f ind the sanity to say that it is the door I k new I would reach through the dark ness, but it is just as good a b et as that one, may have b een b etter. The door has led to b etter places in the past, but I can’t say that it wouldn’t lead to worse places this time. W hen my hand had once b een on the k nob I thought to myself, this room so comfortable as it is, is not my room, this is not me, this is not mine, this will not b e mine, this had b een a path, a path I have already t raveled, not for use any longer, paved with my projected halos, full of reminders of the paths I could have ta ken. W hen I stepp ed to the other side I will b e in a f ield full of moo cows, the sun shining and the grass greener than any other. The f ield is full of joy but pain, for joy is not the opp osite of pain, but is b etter than pleasure. But joy is not satisfaction, for I have only gotten out of the dark and light paths I must have ta ken. The f ield has my b est friend in it. Well it had my b est friend in it. He is gone and so am I. The f ield took us different directions neither good nor bad. I walk through the f ield until I am through with life, and I welcome death up on my plane. He looks at me, and walks away, for he k nows, I am but a yard from the hole that led to the room made of mirrors, and my life must start over again b efore it ends, and I must f ind the door in the dark ness to die, for the dark ness will bleed into my mind, and the door I ta ke will b e the one I ma ke, for the one I ma ke and ever ything b eyond it is mine, and death will come at the rip e old age of ninety-nine, in a cottage, and he will come for me and my wife who I have b een with since I was t wenty-t wo, and we shall die in p eace and har mony. I feel my life drifting off. I now awa ke.
Acadia Basketball Teams Put Making a Difference First Jalen Saben Contributor The regular season of AUS basketball does not start until November 7th when the Axemen and Axewomen head to Fredericton to take on the UNB Varsity Reds. However, both teams picked up a big win on September 19th when they took a trip to Prince Edward Island to participate in a Camp Triumph retreat. Camp Triumph is a very unique place in PEI that focuses its efforts towards an important but sometimes overlooked group of individuals. Camp Triumph’s mission statement is “to acknowledge, support, and provide an opportunity for children and youth, whose families are affected by chronic illness or disability, by building confidence and positive self-esteem through modeling perseverance, respect and understanding.” The reason for the teams’ trip to PEI was twofold and a tremendous benefit for both sides. For the Axemen and Axewomen, they got to participate in teambuilding activities to enhance their team communication and team coordination, while also developing goals for the upcoming season. At the same time the
teams both volunteered in one of Camp Triumph’s most important fundraisers, the Annual Gala Dinner and Silent Auction. The members of the team were responsible for serving and dish-washing during the event. The team and those in attendance also enjoyed the opportunity to hear two-time gold medal Olympian, Heather Moyse, deliver the keynote address. According to Men’s Basketball Head Coach Kevin Duffie the teams were a great addition to the gala; “I was very impressed with our young men and women and the job they did representing themselves and our school.” The story of how Acadia Basketball became involved with Camp Triumph leads to another incredible story of how Acadia athletes, both current and alumni, go to great lengths to make a difference. Camp Director, Jordan Sheriko is a former Acadia Axemen Basketball player who was a part of the 2005 AUS Championship team. Jordan was also the recipient of the 2005-2006 Ken Shields Award during his time at Acadia, a CIS award that recognizes basketball, academics and community service. He played a major role
Photo Credit:Jalen Saben in bringing Acadia Basketball and Camp Triumph together for this weekend. “This was a natural partnership with Axemen Alumni Jordan Sheriko and the current Acadia Basketball teams,” said Duffie. “Jordan understands the importance of team building and chemistry at the CIS level. He and his brother Matt were able to provide our teams with a weekend full of team building, communication and
chemistry.” With such a great start to their volunteering for the 2014-2015 year, it will be exciting to see what else is in store for the Acadia Basketball teams. Be sure to show your support for everything they are doing by catching them on the hardwood this upcoming season.
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Leaving the violence on the field Will Cann Staff Writer It is now over six months removed from the initial Ray Rice video being released. This video showed the Baltimore Ravens running back pulling his unconscious fiancé (now wife), Janay Palmer, from an elevator in a casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. If you saw that video at the time it was released, and only that video (not the one of him knocking her unconscious in the elevator), I think it would be pretty safe to assume what had happened. Rice showed somewhere between no and a slight amount of care for his fiancé. He did not look like someone who was thinking: “My fiancé is unconscious, what do I do?” Instead, he looked like some sort of murderer trying to drag a body to the nearest garbage can. Around the end of May, three months after the initial video was released, Rice, Palmer, and the Ravens held a press conference. The press conference, oddly enough, featured an (completely unnecessary) apology by Palmer, who apparently was apologizing for getting in an altercation with Rice, which ended with her unconscious in casino elevator in Atlantic City. This press conference came after Rice’s indictment, and Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti promising that “Ray Rice will definitely be back,” and that “[Bisciotti’s] definition of character is repeating
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offenses. If we’re all at one strike and you’re out, then we’re all in trouble.” Aside from the fact that, considering the circumstances, this is one of the most poorly worded statements ever, it is also horribly wrong. On July 24, the NFL suspended Rice for two games, and almost one month later, the NFL suspended Cleveland Browns receiver Josh Gordon for the entire season. I understand that this was Gordon’s second violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, but to consider what this says about the NFL’s priorities, the suspensions were severely disproportionate to the respective offenses. Gordon’s suspension has since been reduced to ten games, and Rice has been released by the Ravens. But to think that the NFL was punishing a player more for using marijuana than it was for a player who knocked his wife unconscious is outrageous.
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Outside of domestic abuse, the NFL has had recent problems with its players and the law. Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has been indicted on three counts of murder. Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker, and current NFL analyst, Ray Lewis had murder charges against him dropped in return for testimony regarding an altercation in 2000, involving Lewis, two companions, and another group of people. The altercation ultimately resulted in the death of two. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has twice been accused of sexual assault, once in 2009 and once in 2010.
One of the problems with this is accountability. Until the Ray Rice incident, very few of the NFL’s players have been held out of games due to criminal charges. For the most part, charges are dropped, or structured in a way so as to allow the players to continue playing and receiving their paychecks. One of The Ray Rice incident is just one in a long the solutions is quite simple. Hold these line of issues NFL players have had this players accountable for their offenses past year. Minnesota Vikings running just the same as any regular citizen. back Adrian Peterson has been suspended indefinitely by his team after he was The solution to the domestic abuse charged with child abuse. Arizona Car- problem, on the other hand, is not so dinals running back Jonathan Dwyer has easy. It is great for the NFL to speak out been charged with assaulting his wife. against domestic violence, but speaking According to NFL.com, investigators say out against something is a lot different that Dwyer “broke his wife’s nose with than doing something. To say the NFL a head-butt during a July 21 argument has handled the recent incidents poorly and engaged in a dispute the following is an understatement. Ray Rice was only day [during] which he punched his wife released by the Ravens once the team and threw a shoe at his 17 month old had no other option but to do so. In a son.” Carolina Panthers defensive end recent (and extremely vague) press conGreg Hardy has been convicted on two ference, Roger Goodell stated: “There counts of domestic violence. Again, will be changes to our personal conduct these three instances, as well as the Ray policy. I know this, because we will Rice incident, have all occurred in the make it happen.” Throughout the rest of past year. the press conference, Goodell said other
sentences that have some meaning, but give little in terms of specifics. More or less, the press conference amounted to Goodell saying the NFL was going to do things that one would hope the NFL was already doing, but apparently was not. I do not have the solution for the NFL, and I do not think anybody outside of the NFL has the solution either. The solution requires an in-depth knowledge of the culture and league policies, among other things. What I do know, however, is that continuing on as it is right now is not an option. There needs to be some sort of change made very soon, or the NFL is going to cease being the most popular league in North America. In a recent article, published on Derek Jeter’s website, The Players’ Tribune, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson addressed the NFL’s recent problems with domestic abuse. “As NFL players, we do not play a gentle game. But our hits, our anger, our aggressive behaviors need to be regulated and confined to the field. Recent incidents of domestic violence have forced The League, its fans, and the players to take a hard look into our collective conscience… This issue is much bigger than NFL suspensions. Domestic violence isn’t going to disappear tomorrow or the next day. But the more we choose not to talk about it, the more we shy away from the issue, the more we lose.” The NFL has begun talking about what to do with its problem regarding domestic abuse, however it has only been “talking.” Talking is great if it leads to something more, but if the NFL is only going to talk about it, it might as well not do anything at all.
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Acadia Gets Real Laura Jeha Sports Editor Get real is a program that first began at Western University in Ontario and has spread to schools across the country. Acadia was the first school in Nova Scotia to adopt the program and it is still relatively new as this is only its second year. Get Real started as a movement to end homophobia in varsity athletics, where unfortunately there is still a lot of stigma around the topic. At Acadia Get Real has a representative for every varsity team as well as some club teams, and its executive at Acadia is made up of a diverse group of individuals with many different kinds of sexual orientations; gay, straight, lesbian, bi, and transgender. I spoke with executive member Max Denley to learn more about the program, and he emphasized the inclusivity of the group; “the point is to have everybody working together it’s not just a bunch of gay people trying to support each other, it’s a matter of everybody really not caring about sexuality at all”. The main initiative Get Real takes is to create awareness and provide support for athletes that may be struggling with their sexuality. “We don’t want it to hinder the performance or chances any athletes have in their sport,” he says. Get Real raises awareness in a unique way that is very effective: by putting a face to their movement. Because athletes are seen as prominent figures on campus, their image is a great way to promote Get Real’s cause, and the hope is that it will encourage others to take action. Another tool they use to spread awareness is the trademark pink hats they sell with Get Real’s logo on them. The hats are an accessible way for anyone to show their support and spread the message across campus. They also help to make the point that you can be supportive of Get Real movement, without necessarily being gay yourself. Get Real hopes to continue to use the faces of athletes to promote their cause, but would also like to reach out to the greater student body to become involved; “We want to encourage other prominent figures on campus to step up and be a part of it as well,” says Max. “We think if we get a lot of people to show that they are visibly supporting this it will make Acadia a safer and more comfortable environment for everyone.” The group also hopes to expand on their program by reaching out to high schools and speaking to students
Photo Credit:Max Denley about homophobic language and how to support their peers. “I think a lot of people are afraid to talk about sexuality in high school,” says Max, “but that is unfortunate for those that are struggling.” Max tells me they want to show by example that your sexuality is not a factor of your success; “If a group of us go in, gay, straight, trans, lesbian, and say look: we are all just people, we play sports, we do music, we do art, we are on student council, we do all these things regardless of our sexuality.” This will help enforce their message. The group is working on fundraising endeavors in order to cover travel costs to these speaking events. So why is sexuality an issue? In sports or any context? Max raises some good points when he says: “When you are on the field playing a sport it really doesn’t matter, it doesn’t impact your ability to pay your sport whatsoever.” Get Real tries to shift the focus “on an athlete’s ability, work ethic, character, rather than their sexual orientation,” says Max. We talk about the issue about locker rooms, and how some players can feel uncomfortable once they find out a teammate is gay. Max points out that often people worry that their teammate will start hitting on them, when in reality this is not the case. “For some reason when someone comes out people automatically assume that it means this person is checking out everyone, just because you’re gay doesn’t mean you’re into every guy around.” Max also wants people to think about the language they are using both on and off the field. “I think especially in sports a lot of language gets thrown around like chirps during games... Somebody could be really close to coming out, and you make a stupid comment and it really just makes them uncomfortable and unable to share that with you,” he explains. Your teammates are supposed
to be your friends and supporters, you should not be afraid to tell them that you are gay. I ask Max if the duty of the Get Real Representatives is to intervene if they hear negative language or discrimination. He tells me “yes,” but he also notes that all team members should look out for one another, “I challenge everyone to take that role: you don’t need to be in a leadership position to stand up for someone.” The name “Get Real” serves as a reminder of what is truly important, “double back and asses your own thinking,” says Max, “does whom I’m dating affect my playing on the field?” So far the program has been very successful, and Max thinks one of the reasons it has been so accepted is that it is not a ‘preachy’ type
of group. “It’s just trying to show people that it’s not a big deal and that it doesn’t need to be a big deal,” he says. Max and I agree that Acadia is doing well at creating an accepting campus, especially in the athletic community. This is a message that should be made clear to prospective student- athletes, at Acadia they will not have to be afraid to be themselves, on or off the field. If you would like to take part in Get Real’s initiatives around campus or have any questions get in touch with an executive member: Veronique Elizabeth, Maddie Mackenzie, Marley Bowen, Kristine Lovatt, Leah Woodworth, Max Denley, and be sure to check out their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/getREALacadia
continued from page 11 GK: What caused you stay and launch your brand Clutch Culture in Halifax after graduating from Acadia considering the market here? MH: I think Halifax is a good place to be to start a client or fan base, you know? There’s not too much going on in fashion here, so it felt like a good decision to me when I started because people knew me. And when I started my product wasn’t perfect, but I think people like a story and they like to see growth in a brand, so it just made sense to start in Halifax. GK: Can you walk me through your creative process? Start to finish, from the initial concept to the final result. MH: It’s honestly based on the fabric that I find. It’s all about the prints. If I find a print that actually makes me super happy, I go with it. So its pretty much just a process that starts with the print; it’s never based on a design that I want to do. I always just let the print dictate what to do! GK: If you could give one piece of advice from one Axeman to another on trying to make it in the Fashion Industry, what would it be? MH: You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t need to have a perfect brand; you don’t need to have a perfect product. You need to get your name out there, and grow by learning from others, and just don’t give up.
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Believe Evan Phinney Contributor
The Axemen Varsity Football team has started the season with a 2-4 record {with the last game being a win against the St. Francis Xavier X-men 26-4.} After speaking to head Coach Jeff Cummins, he and his team are wiping the slate clean and looking at turning their season around at the Home Coming game against Mount Alison on Saturday, October 18th. When he is asked how he tries to keep the team positive, Coach Cummins says “Belief that we can always be better; belief in the process, belief in the players. You can’t be defined by failures or successes, you have to be able to write your own story.” With a short season of only 8 games there are many aspects of Acadia Varsity Football that tend to be overlooked. It goes without saying there is a huge physical toll on each and every one of the players. This includes athletes staying in shape to be able to perform to their best of their ability, nursing and rehabbing injuries, learning the playbook, and struggling with time management that includes academics, athletics and time spent on the road for away games. The team student trainers, an often forgotten part of the Axemen bench, are also included in this equation. With all of the pressures and stress building up with a loosing record, it is easy for fans to place blame on an individual or a single unit for the less than stellar season. If spectators really understood how complex this sport is, they would realize that even more support and encouragement is needed when a team is struggling. Here is some insight that may change the way you look at these athletes and the sport of football! As a quarterback (#4 Jon Shaw or #15 Darcy Lavoie), adversity arises in a very terrifying form of a row of gigantic men, mere feet away, who want to flatten you; literally flatten you! Quarterbacks need accuracy (which includes timing and delivery), mobility, and intelligence. A quarterback must be accurate at locating the ball when throwing it. When passing, the QB must deliver the ball on time with the correct trajectory, which changes depending on the receiver, and how far the ball is being thrown. The QB must have the mental capacity and ability to deliver the ball while running left, right, forwards and, occasionally, backwards (though not preferred). Next time there is an interception or a sack, instead of yelling at the quarterback, try and think of standing in his cleats and all the thoughts that would be going through your mind with 250lbs plus of opposing human wanting to pummel you to the ground. Do you think the QB was not trying to make the play work? Think again! For the running backs (#2 Zack Clark and #28 Thomas Troop), a successful play is to penetrate the wall of opposing human power, which is easier said
Photo Credit:Evan Phinney than done. The vision required to do this cannot yet be measured, but it is just this vision that is one of the most vital characteristics needed in a talented running back. RB’s need the ability to see an opening before it even appears. If he sees it too late, his opportunity will be gone in the blink of an eye. If he sees the hole, he then must have the physical aptitude to make it through the gap and advance up the field to gain yards for a first down or more. This is where running backs need acceleration and lateral agility, which takes practice and strength. Remember, all of this happens in a nano-second! For the offense, as a whole, containing and overcoming the emerging force of quickness, fearless enemies require raw strength along with speed, skill and intuition. The two main functions of a receiver (#5 Brian Jones, #7 Sabastian Robinson, #10 Eli Prochnau, #80 Jordan Koch and #88 Jasper Goodwin) are to get separation from the defenders and catch the football. Anyone can run a 12-yard pass route against air and turn around and catch the football, right? To get separation, a receiver needs quick and precise feet, to run quick and precise routes, to then plant his foot, transfer his weight correctly and sharply cut one way to put distance between himself and the defender trying to take him down. Once he is open, the receiver must catch the ball and run. Sounds easy right? I did not think so. The offensive line (#53 Alex Dodier, #56 Kirby Fletcher, #63 Sean Biard, #66 Connor Quinn-Austin and #67 Ethan Charters) may not be the most glamorous position but is arguably one of the most important. Every single offensive play involves the “O-Line” having a full understanding of not only their task but also the task of every guy lined up next
to him. Offensive linemen need to be able to anchor. This means he must put his foot in the ground (drop the anchor) and not get pushed back into the ball carrier or into the quarterback. This is critical to the success of being a blocker. As fans, we usually only notice that the offensive line makes a mistake when it leads to our quarterback getting sacked or a negative play. Most fans do not always cheer for the linemen after a long pass or run. Maybe it is about time we should. A great defense needs four characteristics to be present to win; attitude, will, leadership and craziness. Having the right measure of each of these ingredients is a skill that is hard to master. Defense has a tough job staying disciplined while also being able to change and adapt as needed throughout the game. The defensive line may be the most important unit on the field. If the defensive line does their job, they can wreak havoc with the quarterback and running game of the opposing team. The linebackers (#6 Bryan Doyle, #31 Sheldon MacDonald, #54 Drew Morris) who help make up the defensive unit, must be instinctive and fast. These boys need to be able to see and respond to plays (run or pass) in an instant. This is an intuitive gift they have to rely on, but they have only a split second to react. The job of the defensive backs (#14 Suleiman Semalulu, #23 Sean Stoqua, #25 Harland Hastings) is to keep the opposing receivers from getting separation and catching the ball. This requires cornerbacks to have speed, agility and amazing body control. Being able to quickly change direction smoothly and anticipate the play of the opposing team can turn a good cornerback into a turnover machine; including taking possession of the ball with an interception. Anticipation is key!
Football is not a simple game. The complexities and nuances of both the offense and the defense, right down to each player and their role on the field makes each and every play that much more complicated. Respecting the complexity of the game means appreciating unsung heroes, broken plays, a good pass, a great tackle, a formidable O-line, a slightly crazy but disciplined defense, special teams, the kicker (#18 Ryan Begin), the QB and the rest of the team on the sideline: the coaches, the trainers, and other players waiting for their opportunity to sub in. It helps to step back and take a look at what these athletes must endure and accomplish in order to achieve success on the field. It is not as simple as catching the ball and blocking the opposing team. At the next home game appreciate every offensive and defensive play; each catch, each punt, each interception, each and every snap, each field goal, each touchdown. Cheer when the going gets tough and cheer when the tough get going. This group of players has all the attributes and the talent of a winning team, although their 2-4 AUS record/low standing in the AUS does not necessarily reflect this potential. With Coach Cummins behind the bench, his belief in the players and his players’ belief in not only the process but also their own abilities, individually and as a team, the Axemen can end their season with a couple of wins. Maybe it is a rebuilding year; but, you have to play the game to either win or lose. For every game left to play there is the opportunity for the 2014 Axemen to write their own story with the ending they believe in.
STAND UP AND CHEER!