The Athenaeum, issue 78.4

Acadia’s Student Newspaper since 1874 November 19th, 2015 Issue 78.4

atheditorials Thank you! The sexuality issue Susanne Gray ASU President

Thank you to everyone who voted on Thursday and Friday. I am excited to continue serving the students in my new position.

With that being said, there are some upcoming things on my agenda that I would like to accomplish. There will be an SRC meeting on Wednesday, November 18th at 5:30pm in the Beveridge Forum (off of the Michener Lounge). These meetings are open to all students! We will be discussing the Axe Lounge renovations so we would love to have many students attend.

Over the break, myself and Jessica Boone (our VP Programming) will be working on Frost Week that will be coming up in January! Have any ideas or suggestions?

E-mail me at Suzanne.gray@acadiau. ca or Jessica at Jessica.boone@acadiau. ca - we would love to hear ideas for new events that you want to see happen at Acadia!

That’s all for now. Good luck on final exams and papers!

In Acadia spirit, Suzanne Gray The Athenaeum Acadia University’s Student Newspaper Issue 78.4 ASU Box 6002, Acadia University Wolfville, NS, Canada B4P 2R5 Editor-In-Chief: Andrew Haskett email: eic@acadiau.ca SUB room 512 EIC Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 3-6 Advertising Enquiries: connell.finance@acadiau.ca Business Enquiries: 116765m@acadiau.ca Section Editors Art: Adam Langille Creative: Chad Durling Features: Hope Latta News: Hannah Hutchinson Opinions: Kody Crowell Science: Katie McCulloch Sports: Sam Gillis

Production Manager Robin Lawson Photo Manager Anjuli Ripley Copy Editor Tyler Nelson Online Manager Senewa Sena Advertising Manager Theresa Connell Business Manager Robyn McMillan Managing Editor Kendra Petrie

The Athenaeum is the official student newspaper of Acadia University and is published in print and online yearround 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 student-run 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 If there is content that we feel will not add to the philosophy, dialogue, or tone of our newspaper, it will not be published.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 Andrew Haskett at eic@acadiau.ca There are open story meetings every Wednesday at 6pm in the Athenaeum office, room 512 in the SUB

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Andrew D. Haskett Editor-in-Chief Welcome to the sexuality issue. This issue of the Athenaeum is a representation of the vastly diverse and b eautiful demographic that nestles it self into the Acadia University and Wolf ville communities.

We are a p eople that are st rong and compassionate, and I am conf ident that the material held within these pages is reflective of this.

This issue feat ures material from a wide range of demographics, and comp oses a narrative of acceptance and equality that is sourced from p eople of all walks of life. We hop e you enjoy.

On a side note, this month is Movemb er and with that comes the t r ue meaning of the b earded cel-

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ebration: men’s health. This month I encourage ever yone to look after themselves, as with ever y month, but I highly encourage all owners to check their (ahem) crown jewels.

Give em a feel. Good luck, and good health.

happ ened in Halifa x on Octob er 14th 2015. A mother was breastfeeding in court and was told by the judge that she was not p er mitted to breast feed in his court. Breastfeeding is a basic human right. The nipple has b een so objectif ied and singled out from women’s b odies On the Cover: The cover for this is- that cases like this are unfort unatesue is a watercolour painting of an ly common.“ assortment of nipples, painted by the resident production manager Robin Lawson with help from our photo manager Anjuli Ripley. Yeah, ta ke it in.

The thought proccess b ehind the cover is b eautifully summed up in the article Rethinking Bras by Reb ekah Hutten on page 12.

“The nipple is at once deemed sexual and disgusting. Women’s breast s are flaunted in various capacities in the media; however, when a woman breast feeds in public she is often the subject of disgust and discrimination. Not all business and public places welcome women to breastfeed. A recent and local example

Unfettered Business vs Unfettered Wonder: An Open Letter to the Prime Minister for Consideration Before Paris Dear Prime Minister Trudeau,

I was devastated to hear about the fires in Indonesia, and trust you were similarly alarmed. The loss of life that accompanied such environmental devastation should have an emotional effect which transcends any of the differences that divide us. I may be a biology student, and you may be a politician, but I know that we have all – in our youth or even in adulthood – dreamed of adventuring through such jungles, spotting wild tigers or orangutans, and being witness to ecosystems so magnificent that egos evaporate in their presence. I shudder to think that this place is more than a dream lost, and that it is a home for people who are traumatized, in every way, by its destruction.

I’m writing you to urge that you to take Indonesia to Paris in December. Preserving, protecting, and honouring the beauty that was this place should be what moves us in Paris; that is, we cannot target only a number to which to aim our emissions. The devastation that is this place should be our shared fear.

As a young scientist and as a citizen, I hope that you go to Paris carrying with you much more than the goal of “securing” our economic prosperity.

We should remember, on the other hand, that what happened in Indonesia is not just some metaphor disconnected from our emissions and economic con-

cerns. George Monbiot, a journalist for The Guardian, stated “in three weeks the fires have released more CO2 than the annual emissions of Germany.” He also went on to say that the fires were a product of industry, partially resulting from illegal logging and partially from those North American companies that profit from unethical palm oil business.

In other words, the situation poses a direct threat to us by contributing to climate change and, as consumers, we have had a direct hand in its escalation.

Can we afford to ignore the role that our consumption habits play in environmental degradation? From what I can gather about the incoming cabinet’s plan to tackle climate change, it focuses primarily on investing in green energy. If I’m not mistaken, consumption has not been brought up at all during the election (or at least not to the extent that I remember any discussion of it). I am supportive of green energy initiatives, and I realise that introducing the idea of curbing consumption would have been unpopular leading up to the election. But now that the metaphorical smoke of the election has cleared, and very real smoke is forming over Indonesia, can we finally admit that solving environmental problems takes more than investment in green infrastructure? I would like you to hold the corporations that we buy from to a higher standard, while ensuring that their environmental record has an adequate impact on their

success in the Canadian economy.

While I have reservations about the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), I believe it could be an opportunity for world leaders to get on the same page about imposing reasonable constraints on corporations. This could stop catastrophes, like the one in Indonesia, from becoming the norm – although, I am afraid that, in many ways, they already have. Unfortunately, the current TPP will have the opposite effect: allowing corporations to challenge regulations in defence of the highest profit at all costs. I believe we have the capacity to set the bar higher for industry.

Making fair trade the national standard, rejecting environmentally reckless business, and cutting short the so called “race to the bottom” (corporations vying for the cheapest labour possible), will only make our national economy, global relationships, and reputation, stronger. Canada has great potential to be a leader in green energy, but this potential will be obscured in the smoke of one environmental crisis after the other in other parts of the world, and in our own backyard.

Perhaps you will say that it is overly idealistic for me to ask that you reconstruct our economy and expect unbridled markets and the resulting catastrophes to cease. I don’t expect change to happen overnight, and I don’t expect the battle for ethical business to be won without a fight, but I hate to be thought of as idealistic for having the hope, and expectation, that I can raise children in this world who might realise dreams of seeing exotic animals and far off lands in which they could experience unfettered wonder.

Sincerely, Sadie Moland

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Pope Francis On The Road Instrument Gender Bias To A Grammy?

Rebekah Hutten Contributor

Sid Kondapuram Contributor VATICAN CITY – After years of decrying Rock and Roll music as “satanic,” “Pagan trash,” and “not that good since Hendrix died,” the Catholic Church seems to have taken a softer stance towards the burgeoning Rock and Roll industry. In the official party manifesto, the Church stated “After taking a good hard look at the current socioeconomic landscape: we realized that the best way to appeal to the thirtyforty year old market is by embracing Rock music.” This preceded the recent announcement made by the Pope stating intentions to release a Progressive Rock album. “After endlessly listening to Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin in my Mother’s basement, I have concluded that today’s music is utter shite.”

The album drops on the fourth quarter of 2015, coinciding with the release of the Church’s new fragrance line Papal.

The album is going to incorporate traditional Catholic hymns in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, and also a guitar section spearheaded by former Slayer member Jeff Hanneman. The lyrical content revolves around topics such as environmentalism, love, hope, and how shitty of a city Cleveland is (it’s utter trash). There have also been rumors of a Kanye West feature on this album – which seems weird at first (even fictional, maybe). It could make a tenable plot for a movie: West, a mythic figure

that claims to communicate with God, collaborates with the Pope.

This is not to say that the project has not had its fair share of detractors; critic Anthony Fantano went as far as to say “He [Pope Francis] is too derivative of his earlier work,” and “I feel that Church music was better in 1060 A.D. The content does not seem to be evolving and it’s always about the same thing: calling Russian protestants garbage.” Other critics have decided to reserve their opinions until the album is actually out. The Pope has encouraged people to look at it as a whole work of art, akin to the likes of the Mona Lisa, or the Sistine Chapel, or any Oasis album. “There’s three things I hope to be: godly, loving, and a fucking monster on the mic,” the Pope posted on his MySpace. Pope Francis stated that in addition to releasing a Progressive Rock Album, he also intends to emulate the lifestyle of a rock star – by turning eighty and whining constantly about the state of modern day music. “When I look at the Pope now, I feel that I can relate much more; we have similar opinions on the utter trash that is modern-day music,” said Thomas Jones, a twelve year old from Wyoming. Not only does this album manage to corner the 30-40 year old market, but also a market of teenagers who’s life has the sole purpose of commenting on YouTube music videos.

Why are certain instruments associated with certain genders? Why do women tend to play instruments that are higher in range, softer in dynamic, and more elegant to hold? Why are most rock drummers male?

The intersection of music and sexuality is evident throughout much of Western history. Western cultures have historically assigned certain musical roles to a specific gender. These historical specifications play themselves out in all genres of music today.

Prior to the 20th century, the space of public performance was limited to men. Women, in the 19th century, were permitted to perform publicly only as vocalists; even then, this was deemed suspect because of 19th-century connotations that women who sang in public were essentially prostitutes.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th century, women learned to play specific instruments in primarily the domestic sphere. Learning an instrument gave a woman a commodity value for marriage; it was seen to increase her desirability. Ironically, this desirable quality could be performed only at home and rarely in public. Acceptable instruments for women were typically of the plucked string variety: lute, harp, guitar, and keyboard. These instruments did not distort the body in “unfeminine” ways, as scholars of that time were happy to point out. They also did not require an accompanist; the instruments could be played in isolation.

Women were viewed as ornamental and decorative; playing an instrument (in the home and before marriage only) enhanced this ornamental quality.

Though these instruments were the standard for women, some female instrumentalists began breaking ground as cellists when it was first introduced.

As in fashion at the time, they had to play side-saddle (both legs on one side of the instrument) to avoid any sexual connotations. Male cellists, however, were not required to play side-saddle.

Women began playing violin even though it was deemed the instrument of the devil. It was believed that the “weaker sex” would not naturally be strong enough to deal with “stronger” instruments like the violin; women were not meant to be aggressive or strong. Instruments that require aggression and strength (a misconcep-

tion, but hey it’s the 19th century we’re dealing with) were appropriate only for men: timpani, upright bass, and brass.

These women who broke ground by performing instruments societally deemed for men paved the way for a generation of women to continue performing on these instruments. A new normal was effectively created, but the instruments women most typically played have become solidified. When looking at major Canadian orchestras, there are disproportionate gaps in specific instrument categories: brass, winds, percussion, keyboard, and bass.

Approximately 85% of professional orchestral brass players in Canadian orchestras are male. Over 80% of flute players are female. 75% of upright bass players are male. 95% of percussionists and timpanists are male. Over 80% of harp and keyboard players are female.

Gendered instrument bias crosses over into popular music, as well. Though I didn’t gather similar data for popular music, one only has to listen to and watch videos of popular musicians and bands to see similarities between the two and their treatment of gender and instruments.

School band programs are not exempt from gender socialization. In a study conducted between 1978 and 2007, children consistently chose instruments that coincided with traditional instrument gender bias. Girls chose instruments like flute, clarinet, and violin. Boys chose instruments like drums, trombone, and trumpet. The results are unsurprising. Of course there will be and definitely are anomalies; this article is stating the averages and the generalizations.

The tragedy of instrument gender bias is summarized perfectly by Leopold Stokowski: “Sacrificing accomplishment to tradition.” Not only is this tragedy applicable to women, but to men.

The limitations imposed by gender bias restrict opportunities and reinforce social expectations for everyone; in the field of music, both men and women find themselves falling into predefined roles that have existed for centuries. *Information presented in this article was gathered by a major research project conducted by the author of the article.

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Rewriting Sex Appeal

skirts or dresses are paired with crop tops and cleavage, which defers from the sex appeal. Opt for short dresses with a high collar or long sleeves and emphasize your legs with heels or booties. And don’t forget the trendy #tastefulsideboob. Popular among women with smaller breasts, this trend is super sexy and draws attention when the rest of your skin is covered.

Dressing sexy no longer means baring it all. The fashion industry of 2015 will show you that celebs and models are layering up, stepping out on the catwalk with little makeup and we still find ourselves praising them as stunning and sexy. This is something to celebrate. The industry has taken a 180-degree turn from more-makeup, less-clothes to a less-makeup, moreclothes kind of sexy. An example from the sex appeal queen herself, are Kim K’s bodycon dresses and skirts, which flaunt her curves while showing little skin.

Tastefully showing your undergarments

Theresa Connell Fashion Columnist

I had the unfortunate experience of witnessing a female with a low-cut camisole, which showed her entire bra. A fashion choice that I can assume derived from the peek-a-boo trend of lace bralettes under camisoles. Lace bralettes have become a go-to necessity to wear under thin camis or loose tanks. The difference between showing off a push-up bra and a bralette can be the determinant in having a “wtf is she wearing” moment. That being said, bralettes unfortunately don’t give all women the support they need. If wearing a bra is a must, remember backless A good rule of thumb is choosing one tops are a perfect chance to leave a hint body part you want to flaunt. Showing of what you’re wearing underneath. off too much skin leaves little mystery and lets face it, temperatures are dropOf course, fashion trends don’t work ping. If you are wearing a low cut top for everyone. One of the ultimate ways to reveal some cleavage, stay modest to dress sexy is to wear form-fitting on the bottom with always-flattering pieces that accentuate your best feablack skinnies. A personal favorite tures (yes, everyone has them). Dress(that anyone can rock) are open back ing for your body type will be a lifelong tops. Backless tops are a more casual struggle for anyone who isn’t a VS anand modest option that can be worn gel. But remember ladies, the sexiest in a tonne of different settings. When thing a woman can wear is confidence. it comes to showing off your legs, stay If it doesn’t make you feel confident as mindful of the rule above. Often, short fuck, leave it on the floor.

Choosing what skin to show

Today is hard Anonymous Contributor

Today is hard Today is weird For sake of vanity I will not mention What happened last is clear Another Radical angle Another Line portrayed Another View to strangle Then think that we are saved I don’t know what it’s all about But I guess I will conjecture Whatever’s spraying from from this spout is a lost and lonely texture But can for once our people unite?

And bring this to final close?

Or should we wish to further this night?

For some advantage?

I suppose Off they went And took with them lives well spent Off we go now to take their lives unbestowed And we may not realize

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Looking through our privileged eyes That every Life, no matter, is precious But we cannot gain that common sense Because for it, we lose our causes Yet never do we take the needed pauses To think the impact of our ways And until, we will not lead to better days So we ourselves become frustrated throb To be Free, we must unite in mob Against imposing the impact of our world Even if we think we’re helping, Who are we to take their revolutionary word?

And in the words of V, on the way things are: “If you’re looking for the guilty, You need only look into a mirror. I know why you did it. I know you were afraid.”

But “Everybody is special. Everybody. Everybody is a hero A Lover A Fool A Villian

Photo Credit:Anjuli Ripley

A letter from her feet Anjuli Ripley Contributor Yo u s t a rte d o ff l i f e r u n n i n g m e t h ro u g h d i rt , m e s s a n d g ra s s C u tt i n g m e u p o n t h e p a ve m e n t , n o m atte r t o s h o e s T h e y g o t i n t h e way A s t i m e w e n t by y o u p a i n te d m y e n d s t h e c o l o r o f t h e s k y H o w d i d w e g e t u p h e re ? A t t h i s a n g l e o f p a i n I n t h e s e s h o e s t h at o n l y g e t i n t h e way With the toes like the sky crying in pain We w e n t o n j o u r n e ys a n d t o o k h e a rt a l o n g t h e way Wa l k i n g o n g ro u n d u n d e r n e w s k y ’ s New mess, new pain We wa l k e d f ro m g ra s s a n d d i rt t o b o o k s a n d p e n s F ro m p a ve m e n t t o d a n c e f l o o r s F ro m b e g i n n i n g t o e n d

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Thane’s Brain Boggler

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Being a Student Mother is Possible

Candice Main Acadia Pregnancy Support

I have gone through many things in my life, but the most challenging was becoming a mother and raising my children. Everyone always says that, and it’s true. It’s very tough, though I would do it again in a heartbeat and would not change one thing. Children are the most challenging of tests but bring with them the most rewarding of results. I never thought of myself as a mother and I never planned on having kids. The first baby I ever held was my own. I had no idea what I was doing or how to do it, but there is not a day that goes by that I don’t thank my lucky stars it happened. I am so proud and thankful that I am a mom. When my first child was 6 months old, I returned to collage as a single mom and a full time student. It was hard but I got

through it. Now, expecting my third child, I am finishing my degree and planning to continue my education at medical school.

It’s challenging being a mom, and also challenging being in school. But there are positive and negatives to doing them together. The negatives come to mind faster for most people: lack of time, sleep, energy, and money. But there are also positives: the first one that comes to mind is perspective. I have so many classmates that get overwhelmed with school, with the pressures and time lines, and I don’t blame them. I would be the same way if I were in their shoes, but my children give me the best perspective. I go home after a stressful day, with all the pressures and time lines, and I am forced to crawl on the floor and play forts and board games. They always pull me away and make me see what’s truly important, they provide the greatest perspective without even knowing it. I know at the end of the day that school, while extremely important or I would not be doing it, is not the end of the world.

When you get older you realize that the midterm in second semester of your third year that you did not do well on will not matter in the grand scheme of things. But it’s difficult to get perspective if that’s all you have known and all you do.

The Missing Letters: Beyond LGBTQI Taylor Bissnette Contributor

By now, most people reading this article will have heard of the acronym “LGBT.” This stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender. Sometimes, it is used in combination with other letters, such as “LGBTQ” (queer) or “LGBTI” (intersex). However, this not an inclusive list of sexualities or gender identities by any means. The longest list I have come across thus far is twelve letters long (LGBTQQIP2SAA), and is still not inclusive. This is part of the reason for the push towards new acronyms such as GSD or GS(O) M (Gender and Sexual Diversities or Gender and Sexual Orientation Minorities, respectively).

But what do the other letters mean when you start to get into the longer acronym? Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and….. What? This is a quick rundown of the acronym above, but is by no means an exhaustive list.

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“Lesbian” and “gay” as most people know them, indicate that a person is homosexual. This means that the individual is attracted to people of the same gender. Boys who like boys, girls who like girls. Fairly straight forward.

The term “bisexual” also has a few different definitions. It shows that a person is attracted to the same gender and also a different one, and can also be used to describe people who are attracted to two genders or more. This terms is sometimes used interchangeably with the term “pansexual.”

“Transgender” is an umbrella term.

It includes anyone whose gender and sex assigned at birth do not necessarily match on a constant basis. This can include people who are male-tofemale (MtF) or female-to-male (FtM) binary trans*, though some reject the MtF and FtM labels as feel they have

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I recently came across a group called Acadia Pregnancy Support. I never had the pleasure to be part of a group or organization such as this when I was a single mom needing support through school. I could only imagine how much it would have helped. I not only needed resources and aids but I could have benefited from information and support. From my time with the Acadia Pregnancy Support I see they provide these two aspects in spades. I am disappointed to find out that the community does not consider Acadia as an establishment of continuing education for parents. I would guess the parent population at Acadia in below 5%. I know Acadia is a challenging school, but I wish more parents knew the opportunities that Acadia offers.

There are many ways in which Acadia could improve in this respect. One possibility would be to start a grant or bursary for continuing parents. We, as a university, should also be broadcasting the benefits that we have for parents.

One improvement that should be highlighted is the potential for an on campus childcare program, not only benefitting students but also staff. This program would also benefit students that are looking for an opportunity to volunteer and gain work experience, especially those that are interested in pursuing education or childcare fields always been men/women. “Transgender” also includes those who are gender fluid (individuals who are experiencing different genders at different times), people who are agender (experiencing no gender), people who are androgynous (experiencing a mixture of male and female genders), and many others.

The letter “Q” is often added to the end of the acronym and can stand for either queer or questioning. Queer is a term that is being reclaimed by the sexuality and gender communities. It is often used to denote “not straight” or “not cis” (cis being the proper term to identify someone whose birth gender and sex match). Queer is not always strictly defined in relation to who one loves or is interested in. Questioning is used as a catch all for people questioning their gender identity or their sexuality. It is an invitation to a community you may not be sure you’re a part of yet, but it gives you a space of your own to figure out yourself and where you will fit.

The letter “I” is also becoming more common in acronym. Standing for intersex, it often represents people who have “ambiguous genitalia” where it is not clear if they have a clitoris or a

of work. For student parents, almost any night class, or for that matter any class after 2:30pm (when elementary school days end), is out of the picture.

Finding after school care is a challenge within itself and can be quite costly running $300+ a month. Having an on campus child care service may not save money for the school or parents, but it would give the opportunity for parents to take these later classes and offer them the comfort of being closer to their child, eliminating the long drive to their child’s school. I would wager that Acadia would attract students that wouldn’t have otherwise considered enrolling if they had resources and support for parenting students. On campus childcare is something that Acadia Pregnancy Support is currently researching and forming a proposal for.

I, sadly, will not be around for the day that the childcare program is implemented but I will support it as much as I can until then. I would like to personally thank Acadia Pregnancy Support for the opportunity and support they offer to parents at Acadia. Keep up the good work!

If you’re interested in learning more about Acadia Pregnancy Support, check out their website at acadiapregnancysupport.com and contact them at 902-300-4704 or info@acadiapregnancysupport.com. penis. This is also a term assigned to people who don’t fall clearly on the male or female side of several different measurements such as sex chromosomes, hormone production or male or female gonadal tissue (ovaries and testes). Some people do not find they are intersex until later on in life because their condition is internal. Complete or Partial Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome is a condition that some intersex individuals face, in which the sex chromosomes say XY but the body can’t recognize androgen (male sex hormones). As such, the visible outer body of the individual has developed breasts and a vagina.

Pansexual, or omnisexual, are terms used to describe “gender blindness.”

It is the disposition to fall in love with someone who identifies with any gender. The word pansexual is often used interchangeably with bisexual for different reasons, including the tendency of identifying as bisexual so one would not need to constantly explain their sexuality to someone during a discussion.

The acronym “2S” stands for the identity “two spirited.” This expression is most commonly used amongst

athfeatures people of First Nations’ backgrounds.

This term is used when someone feels their body manifests both a feminine and masculine spirit, so “two spirited” is used for both gender identity and sexuality. Some tribes considered those who were two spirited to be particularly special in terms of spirituality. It is a term that can be considered culturally appropriated if used by someone not of First Nations’ descent.

The first “A” in the acronym stands for “asexual.” This is an umbrella term for those who feel no sexual attraction, little sexual attraction or sexual attraction only in very particular situations. Asexuality has produced its own very deep community with many definitions and specific terms. A few common ones: being asexual for no sexual interest period, grey asexual in which sexual interest is very uncommon, and demisexual in which one needs to form a strong emotional bond before sexual interest will exist. For the most part, the sexualities previously mentioned refer not only to sexual interest, but potential romantic interest as well. With the lack of sexual interest in the asexual community, romantic definitions have developed as well to define their interest in being in a relationship with someone. The common prefixes pan-, hetero-, and homo- are attached to the term romantic, creating expressions such as panromantic (interested in a romantic relationship with any gender), heteroromantic (interested in a romantic relationship with a different gender), and homoromantic (interested in a romantic relationship with the same gender). It is important to remember that romantic relationships without sex are just as legitimate as ones with sex.

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Sleep is for Everyone Morgan Nickerson Contributor As we all know, University is known for its sleep deprived students. How many hours do you sleep on an average night? If you said anything less than 6 hours, I’m afraid you owe a debt that’s very hard to pay back. Sleep debt is something that many people accumulate without even realizing it. If you stayed up an extra couple of hours to study for that midterm, but you woke up at the same time you usually do for class, that’s two hours added to your ever climbing total. Now, I know I said 6 hours up there but everyone is different. Science will tell you that 8 hours is what you should be getting every night, but some people only need 6 while others need up to 10. Sleeping beyond those guidelines can also become harmful. So for those of you who think you can pay back your sleep debt by sleeping for 14 hours on the weekend, you’d be wrong.

You can make things right, but it will take time. Adding on one or two hours per night to your sleep is a good way to catch up. It’s even better if you are able to go to sleep when you feel tired and then wake up naturally without an alarm. This allows your body to get back to a normal sleep cycle and will give you the most sleep benefits, of which there are many. Adequate sleep

leads to better learning because you’re allowing your brain to go through your day and store all the important stuff. It also helps with healing. That goes for having a cold, a break or even just a cut on your finger. Without sleep, lots of bad things can happen. If you’re a driver, you’re more at risk for accidents because you’re less aware of the things going on around you. If you’re really in debt to the sandman, your GPA could very well reflect that. Lack of sleep impairs concentration, reasoning, problem solving and if you’ve ever been in class and awoken when your head slipped off of your hand, you know it interferes with alertness and attention.

Without a good night’s sleep, you’re not giving your brain enough time to process all the information you took in and are therefore less likely to remember it. When you are at rest, your brain is still at work. Of course, with lack of sleep also comes increased risk for heart attack, heart disease and stroke.

It also affects your libido. That’s right – loss of energy, tiredness and stress can decrease your sex drive!

There are many factors that contribute to sleep loss. Late night use of laptops and cellphones is one cause – the light disrupts one’s circadian rhythms. Others include but are not limited to the

consumption of alcohol, coffee, black tea, chocolate, energy drinks and tobacco in the 3 hours before sleep time.

If you’re struggling to fall asleep every single night and it doesn’t appear to be any of the causes just listed, there are things you can try, as student debt is enough without sleep debt on top of it.

Assuming you don’t have a sleep disorder, there are some important things to keep in mind: 1) It’s important to keep your bed and the space around it for sleep and sleep related activities only.

2) Getting up at the same time every day also helps solidify your sleep schedule, which should make you tired around the same time every day as well.

3) If at all possible, you should sleep when you’re tired. That’s not always easy, but it lets your body get what it wants.

4) Another thing that is useful, although it may seem a bit confusing, is naps. If you’re taking daily naps to get through the day, it might be what you need, but it could be affecting how well you sleep at night. Naps should not be longer than 90 minutes and 20 minute naps are ideal as long as there’s an hour between each one.

A study in the journal Sleep found that the more tired we get, the less tired we feel. While your judgement of how well you do without sleep is most certainly inaccurate, if you don’t have time to catch up, coffee is always by your side (not before bed though!)

The final “A” in the acronym stands for “ally.” For some, it is inclusive of heterosexual, cisgender allies who help with the recognition of other gender and sexuality identities. It is also an invitation to those who know they belong within the GSM groups, but are not able to be open about that fact – whether that is endangering their own life, their living situation, or that they are not ready to say so. It is a space to allow them to be a part of the community they belong with in a safe way.

Again, this is not an exhaustive list, but a reminder of sexualities and gender identities that are often overlooked for the increasingly mainstream acceptance of the LGBT in particular (you know…. when they’ll actually admit a character is bisexual on TV).

Photo Credit: Mahmoud Istanbouli

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Identifying Pronouns Taylor Bissnette Contributor

“I walked to meal hall with him today.”

“I met her at the dance yesterday.”

“Jerry? I saw them in first class.”

Now, there’s a chance that the first two of the above sentences look proper to you, but the third one doesn’t seem right. You might think that I’ve mixed up the number of people that were being talked about. After all, Jerry is only one person, right?

Welcome to the wide world of pronouns! People who identify outside of the gender binary, as a mix of genders, lacking gender, or just refuse gender altogether, have become more visible in Western society in recent decades.

Of course, many of you have heard of Caitlyn Jenner, Laverne Cox, and Chaz Bono. You might even know some friends who are transgender.

Transgender is actually an umbrella term. It covers anyone who feels their gender identity and the gender assigned to them at birth (commonly from examination of the baby’s genitals) are not necessarily the same on a consistent basis. Some people who have intersex conditions may also use a new pronoun that you may not have previously heard. With the greater mainstream acceptance of people transitioning from male to female or

female to male has come a push to more broadly recognize other gender identities.

Genderqueer, genderfluid, agender, neutrois/neutral/neuter, trigender, and genderfuck are each emerging identities asking for their bit of respect. With these identities comes new terms to be able to refer to people who don’t feel that the traditional “he” or “she” is correct.

“They” used as singular is a common identifier. You’ll hear it argued that “they” is not grammatically acceptable because it is plural, and as such can’t be used to refer to a singular third person. Oxford English Dictionary does accept this use of “they.” English is an ever-evolving language and its purpose is to serve our need to communicate accurately with each other.

In Sweden, during July 2014, the Swedish Academy (the institute responsible for choosing the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature each year) announced that they would be including a gender neutral pronoun in their official glossary. While Swedish style manuals still treat the gender neutral pronoun as a neologism, this means that the Swedish language has evolved and agreed to

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add a new personal pronoun by taking the “structure” of the established gendered pronouns (han which means “he” and hon which means “her”) and using the “middle” of gender neutral det and gender common den (both translated to the equivalent of English “it”) to come to the end result of hen, a term used to avoid identifying gender and for people who identify as transgender, a third gender, or rejecting the division of male/female gender roles.

Other pronouns that are being used are ones such as xe/xem, ze/zir, pe/per, and ve/ver. With new pronouns coming in to use, it can be confusing for people who haven’t previously had the need to think outside of the gender binary. We all grow up learning the use of she/her and he/him. It seemed incredibly easy as a child to pick up new words and their correct usage. That’s because it is. We’re optimized to learn language around the age of five. Learning new words and their uses becomes much harder as an adult. No one expects you to be perfect, but the effort means a lot to those who use different pronouns.

On that note, if you screw up and use the wrong pronoun, a quick “Oh, I’m sorry” followed by the correct pronoun is the best way to go.

The argument has been made that these “new” genders are made up, that the people who use them just want to feel special. If you look outside the Western sphere of influence (or within, but outside of the white, European influence) there are several cultures

that accept and name more than two identities. The Blackfoot Confederacy recognizes those assigned female at birth (also known as AFAB) who occupy a gender role different than male or female. The Dominican Republic has an intersex condition so common that they have differentiated a unique gender for them, the guevedoche. Precolonial Incas in Peru had the quariwarmi. The Bugis people of Indonesia recognize five unique genders.

We could be missing out on the most amazing friendship or partnership we could ever find in our lives. Would you be willing to give that up over the frustration of learning a new set of pronouns for a person?

Need a crash course on how to define these new nouns for proper use? Here’s a few websites to try: htt ps:// lgbt.wisc.edu/document s/ LGBTCC-Gender_pronoun_guide.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genderspecific_and_gender-neutral_pronouns It may take some time to get used to the idea, but introducing yourself with your name and pronouns is easy. Saying something such as, “Hi, my name is Taylor. My pronouns are they or he.

What is your name and preferred pronouns?” It’s an easy, non-invasive way to introduce the idea that you are open to respecting your new friends.

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Peeling Away Conceptions of Crazy: Acadia Theatre Company’s The House of Blue Leaves Erica Marrison Contributor “Crazy” can mean many things to many people: cracked, flawed, erratic, unusual, extreme, obsessive, and insane.

The Acadia Theatre Company’s upcoming production of The House of Blue Leaves certainly paints pictures of each and every one of the ways you could see the word as “crazy.” The volatile and quirky atmosphere manifests in a grim and hysterical fashion.

Artie and Bananas, a married couple in the production, exemplify two differing aspects of the term. While Bananas is mentally ill, Artie is unable to appreciate her or his job. He is unable to live in the moment because of his obsession with fame. Robert Seale, director of the ATC’s upcoming production, refers to this as, “our unbelievable pursuit of material wealth and… celebrity worship.” The black comedy illustrates what can happen to a longstanding and deep relationship when one of the parties is driven by these pursuits.

Despite being originally written in the late 1960s, The House of Blue Leaves is still an incredibly relevant play. In many ways, it’s about the desperation for fame and validation, and the

ways in which this desperation drives an individual’s actions. “Witness Facebook,” says Seale, “or the constant onslaught of tweets... We constantly need to know how many followers we have, know how many people like us... [We want others to] think well of us or think that we’re something that they’re not privileged enough to be.”

In fact, Bananas is the only character that looks out for others more than for her own personal gain. Jenna Newcomb, the actress playing Bananas, states that, “she is probably the calmest character as well as the sanest character in the play… Which is kind of funny and ironic considering everyone thinks she’s crazy. But, [the other characters] are so wrapped up in their own lives... and very driven to get what they want.” In fact, Bananas’ schizophrenia is treated in a way that makes it clear that, as Newcomb states, “she’s not the one in the wrong and the way [the other characters] treat her is not okay.”

Seale cites the inclusion of Bananas as a central character and catalyst is what makes The House of Blue Leaves so groundbreaking and courageous.

Mental illness is incredibly present in everyday life. “We could talk about vets coming home from Afghanistan and committing suicide,” says Seale.

“We could talk about Robin Williams and his depression. We could talk about... the de-stigmatization of a number of mental disorders and our wish to have them simply considered like any physical malady… They should be on an equal basis.”

Although each character shows glimmers of “crazy” throughout the production, there is also a far gentler side that only leads to explosive chaos after misunderstanding. Chris McE-

wen, who plays the role of Artie, said “[Artie’s] just trying to be accepted by everyone, and loved by everyone… but, he doesn’t go about it the smartest ways... He’s just very out of touch with reality and himself.”

One of Seale’s hopes for the audience is that seeing the characters show the many layers of their personalities, bit by bit will cause “some questioning, some searching and some re-examination of one’s own attitudes - as a result... I think that’s a good thing for anybody at any stage in their life.”

Synopsis: Artie Shaugnessy is a songwriter with visions of glory. Toiling by day as a zoo-keeper, he desperately wants to escape his lower middle-class existence to become a popular singer and

songwriter. He lives with his wife, Bananas, much to the chagrin of Artie’s downstairs mistress, Bunny Flingus.

She’ll sleep with him anytime but refuses to cook until they are married.

The ambitious Bunny hatches a plan to commit Bananas and move to Hollywood so Artie can collaborate with his childhood friend Billy Einhorn, who grew up to be a film producer.

Also on the scene are a deaf movie actress (in Billy’s tow), a trio of excitable nuns, and an AWOL relation of Artie’s.

November 19-21 & 25-28, 7:30pm Denton Theatre. Tickets at the Acadia Box Office (902) 542-5500 or at the door. $15 regular, $10 students & seniors, $7 for groups of 8 or more. 25% OFF JOE’S BREAKFAST & LUNCH WITH PROOF OF ATTENDANCE.

November 19th, 2015

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ASU ByElection Results

Hannah Hutchinson News Editor

The results for the ASU By-Election came in on Friday November 13th. A new President, VP Communications, and Sustainability Officer for the Student’s Union were elected. The successful candidates are as follows:

The new president, students voted in fourth year business student Suzanne Gray. Gray plans to use her previous experience within the ASU to lead the executive team for the remainder of the 2015-2016 year.

The incoming Sustainability Officer is Malcolm Anderson. Within the ASU, the Sustainability Officer represents the interests of environmental and sustainability initiatives within the university and student body.

Holding the position of VP Communications is fourth year business student Ted Higa. Higa recognizes the importance of communication, and hopes to use previous leadership as an RA to strengthen communication of all students.

sexy news Hannah Hutchinson News Editor

New STI? Mycoplasma Genitalium Although the infection has b een around since the 80s, only recently has a st udy found that the bacteria can b e t ransmitted through sex, classing Mycoplasma Genitalium as an STI. Although commonly asy mptomatic, p ossible sy mptoms include discharge, painful testicles, and bleeding after sex for women.

Alt¬hough research is limited at the moment, doctors recommend practicing protected sex to prevent cont racting MG, as well as all other STIs.

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Acadia community Embraces New Mental Health Resource Graham Bull Contributor myWellness: A student resource hub of all things mental health and wellness!

Guess what? We all have mental health. That’s right, each and every one of us. That’s why the Acadia Students’ Union has partnered with myWellness to provide a free online information centre to help students navigate their way through mental health concerns and questions. It even has a medically approved, anonymous, online mental health assessment tool that provides instant feedback with suggested resources to reach out to should there be a need. You would be surprised how many resources are on your campus, in your community, and online to help you out. The games and apps section has been completely vetted by professionals and is full of free apps that you can download today.

and we all have a story. Either with a family member, a friend, classmate, roommate, or perhaps yourself – we all have a connection with a situation that may have impacted us along the way. That’s why myWellness also aims to erase the stigma associated with mental illness through awareness and education. Every month there is featured topic or event that shines a light on a mental health issue and reminds you that help is available. Keep your eye out for these campaigns around campus!

Lynda Davenport, Former Director of Health Services University of Guelph (retired), Ontario, had this to say about myWellness. “There is no x-ray into the soul, but myWellness

comes fairly close.” So the question is – when is the last time you have your mental health check-up? Being a student can be very stressful at the best of times and the Acadia Students’ Union knows this and wants to help you in as many ways as they can.

Check it out. Help yourself, help a friend. Visit www.mywellnessplan.ca .

Should you need to speak to someone right away, please contact the counselling department at 902-585-1246.

For more information about myWellness and other resources around campus please contact janet.aucoin@acadiau.ca.

The statistics don’t lie – 1 in 5 students in Canada will suffer from symptoms of mental illness this year. On the flipside, 5 in 5 of us have mental health

Ontario Sex Ed Many Ontarian parents have been adamantly protesting their children receive an accurate sex education update for 2015. Despite the outcry, the province now plans to begin teaching the new sexual education curriculum after students’ return from March break.

The new curriculum has been dubbed “the most up to date in the country” and begins teaching students about correct anatomical terms and concepts such as sexual orientation and gender identity beginning at young ages.

Victoria’s secret(ly sucks) The already highly contested Victoria’s Secret fashion show has been under further fire this past week. Several fans and critics alleged that the company pulled black model Jourdan Dunn from the show’s catwalk to make room for white-privilege poster child Kendall Jenner. Although the company has had no comment on the situation, Rihanna pulled out of the show, supposedly to show support for Dunn.

Photo Credit: Anjuli Ripley

scared of sex?

An interesting study from the University of Michigan has shown that negative stigma surrounding STIs has contributed to many people being “terrified” of having unprotected sex. According to the study, participants reported thinking

they had a 7% change of dying from an unprotected sexual encounter, compared to 0.4% chance of dying in a car accident.

The researchers focused on the way that stigmatization of sexual encounters, especially “unsafe” situations, is harmful to individuals and may in fact run the risk of increasing such encounters.

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L aV i e E n R o u x ’ s T w o B r e w R e v i e w s : F r o m M e T o Yo u S o Yo u G e t T h r o u g h

down. You’ve been dating this guy for dark chocolate, but still subtle. St. like 4 months and you really think it’s Ambroise Oatmeal Stout is about as going somewhere, so tonight you’re pleasurable as your first coffee in the gonna have some wild yet committed morning, and kinda tastes like it too. tipsy intercourse after your semi-fancy I would go so far as to say this is one dinner date. It will probably be some of my favorite stouts, and I’m pretty of the best sex you’ve ever had, and peeved that you can’t buy six-packs

Jon Smith Beer Aficionado/Town Drunk

The Beer: La Fin Du Monde

honestly, you would be kinda alright of it in Wolfville anymore. Still, it’s a with getting pregnant from it.

spooning somebody of just the right

solid, deep, sexy beer, and it honestly turns me on a bit.

istic spice of a Belgian trippel, with

The Beer: St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout The Sex

biscuity malts and a generally fruity

This beer pours almost as deep black This beer probably goes well with

undertone. No hop bitterness, just

as my heart, with a brown one-finger forbidden, mildly kinky long-time-

pure unfiltered beauty. Aftertaste is

head. The nose is ripe with heavy coming sex with your ex. Like, you’re

light and kinda feels like juice. La Fin

roasted malts and a bit of chocolate. about to leave your hometown for-

Du Monde is fucking good. It’s really

The mouthfeel has some light carbon- ever and you both figured you may

of carbonation with a smooth medium

damn good.

ation and a nice heavy body, which is as well give one last kick at the can.

feel. The top-tier 9% alcohol content

The Sex

This beer pours a murky unfiltered orange-amber with a two finger white head that drapes down the side of the glass as you drink The nose is malty and fruity with a slight citrus note.

I had a good time smelling this one.

On the mouth, there’s a slight tingle

is completely undetectable, which is either very good or very bad. The body of this beer is medium and sits perfectly in your mouth, like you’re

height. This beer has the character-

pretty much what you’re signing up for It may leave a slightly bitter taste in with a stout. The taste is fully char- your mouth and it may have reawak-

This beer is good for when you’re hit-

acteristic of dark chocolate and nuts, ened some dark parts of your soul,

ting your late 20’s, you’re gainfully

and just screams “aphrodisiac.” The but you’ll be damned if it wasn’t pretty

employed living in an apartment in

aftertaste lingers with the bitterness good.

the city, and you’re ready to settle

of that weird high percentage cocoa

On Parity in Parliament Kody Crowell Opinions Editor

their culture, gender, orientation, and cabinet: Afro-Canadians are not at all race? If these biases do exist, then the present. Is this a big problem? I guess bigger question becomes: should equal- it depends on whether you value diverity be forced? Should we impose quotas sity of opinion and experience over pure on gender and race in our cabinet?

In the past few weeks, several pundits,

eral election. They come from a diverse

politicians, and Facebook activists have

set of backgrounds; they are scientists,

taken it upon themselves to stress the

CEOs, and doctors. There is no need to

importance of having either a gender-

question the merit of those elected, and

balanced cabinet, or from the opposite

to assume that meritocracy and parity

argument, a cabinet based solely on

cannot be reconciled as one is absurd.

meritocracy. This type of debate bothers me psychologically. I think it’s ab-

That being said, if one MP were to slip-

solutely wonderful that a gender-equal

up and say, incur thousands of dollars

cabinet exists, but truthfully, I’m not

in limousine expenses and over-priced

sure that the issue warrants the level

orange juice and then bill it to taxpay-

of attention it is getting. I will explain

ers (here’s looking at you, Bev Oda),

this at the end, but first, let me explain

then will the fact that they are under-

where I think both sides of this whole

represented

argument collapse.

them? Voices like Tasha Kheiriddin of

in

Parliament

protect

the National Post, speak out against Firstly, I am in no way opposed to any

the “fawning” of parity, and claim that

sort of equality in government, wheth-

Trudeau’s appointment should not make

er it’s of gender, of culture, or of reli-

him immune to criticism as a leader

gion. In a representative democracy, the

and politician. Agreed. On the other

elected cabinet should be just that: rep-

hand, prejudice is a very real thing. If

resentative. Therefore, an equal number

one member makes a mistake, then

of women and men serving makes com-

the public vilifies the entire subculture

plete sense. Some writers, like Andrew

to which that MP belongs, using them

Coyne of the National Post, say it steals

as a scapegoat for their own problems

away the positions from more qualified

(though anyone willing to make such

people; that the people given the job

generalisations is perhaps an idiot). If

should be the best people for the job.

you don’t believe me, just take look at

But in this particular case, the people

any history book. What protects these

appointed are the best people for the

individuals from unjust attacks on their

job. They won their seat in a fair fed-

character if the public is intolerant of

ability and talent, if you had to choose between one or the other.

Yes and no. Meritocracy in its purest form does not exist. Favouritism exists. While Trudeau’s “It’s 2015” quote was a Pierre Trudeau’s first cabinet was com- fantastic one-liner (almost on par with posed entirely of old, white men. It’s Pierre’s “just watch me”), I don’t believe difficult to believe all were appointed it does justice to the issue. Instead of on merit alone. Meritocracy only works just saying “I have appointed the best when the playing field is level. Currently, people for the job, regardless of genit is not. Typically, certain groups have der of religion,” calling attention to the more privilege and resources granted to fact that his cabinet is gender-equal has them in their lifetimes that allow them for some, already tainted those indito gain the title “merited” in the eyes of viduals coming from a non-privileged the public. A part of that comes from background. People are fickle – they race and gender, and another from eco- will look for any reason to cast doubt nomic background. So cheating a little on others’ competence. It is this editor’s bit can help rectify that imbalance, cre- opinion that one of the greatest aspects ating role models for future would-be of Canada is its diversity (even though cabinet ministers. However, the pres- we don’t always treat each group the sure to create wholly equal cabinets same). It’s important that our nation is every term might put undue stress on one that has equal parts male and fethe leader: what if this quota forces male in important roles deciding the fate them to place an MP in a position they of our nation. We still have a long way feel would be better suited by another? to go though, and I think that moving What if one term we have 16 females forward, we should strive to be a state and 14 males, and the next, 16 males such that the notion of gender parity in and 14 females? At some point, we must Parliament is, in fact, a complete nonconsider it sufficient to be governed by a issue. We shouldn’t have to celebrate cabinet that represents the best of both the fact that we have gender equality in worlds: diverse representation coupled our country, because in many ways, it with merit and experience. But consid- should just be. I know, I know – easier er other forms of disproportion in our said than done.

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Equality: One Size Fits All

objectify women it is sexist, but when women objectify men it’s liberating.”

This statement threw me for a loop. Is treating men in the same negative way women have been treated for years really liberating? Women have been thrown into media campaigns using their bodies as the selling tools for as long as media has been running. While

Anjuli Ripley Photo Manager

this is wrong and should be monitored

“I’m not an object for the viewing plea-

thing? For example, Kraft recently put

sure of men.” This is a phrase that has

out a series of ads for salad dressing in

been uttered repeatedly by women ev-

which they used scantily clad men lay-

erywhere, and it is a true statement – a

ing in blatantly sexual positions holding

statement said out of aggravation with

salad dressing bottles. How is this any

the objectification of the female body.

different than companies using women

However, there exists a double stan-

or their sexuality as a way to make a

dard! This is the societal norm that

profit? The answer is that there is no

shames the objectification of women

difference. The media is not the only

but allows the objectification of men.

bad guy in this situation, women are

People get all in a huff when men ad-

causing this issue as well. I have person-

dress the body of women as if it were a

ally heard many conversations among

product for purchase. While objectifica-

women of all ages where men are spo-

tion of women has been occurring for

ken about as if they are pieces of meat

centuries, men are being displayed as

and only good for one thing. However,

merchandise and objects in the modern

these same women would later become

world as well. Why is it okay to sexu-

enraged when men speak about women

ally objectify the bodies of men but not

in the exact same way. Men are sexu-

okay to do the same to women? If we

alized just as much as women, and no

wish to have gender equality, then there

one has taken the time to think about

truly needs to be equality – meaning no

the way this effects the everyday man.

objectifying anyone for any reason.

Women are constantly being told that

closely, are men afforded the same

they do not need to look like the women I recently asked a male friend of mine

in the magazines because the women in

how he felt about the objectification of

the magazines don’t even look like that.

men, to which he replied, “When men

But who’s telling guys that they don’t

e q u i t y at a c a d i a The kNOwMORE Team Contributor Hey Acadia! Did you know that our school doesn’t have a full-time Equity Officer? Currently, administration has only allotted one day per week for Meg Townsend to come to campus and work.

Think about a night class that you have once a week; you only have 12 of those this semester. That’s just about how many days Acadia’s Equity Officer has to tackle all of the issues of equity on campus. And while Meg Townsend has been very flexible in the past and will come in whenever a student is in need, it is unfair to expect her to work so much outside of her contracted hours.

As a community, this should move us to action.

The roles and responsibilities of the Eq-

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uity Officer as outlined by the Acadia University Equity Office are: - Take reasonable steps to protect the health, safety, and security of any member of the University community in relation to the Discrimination and Harassment Policy.

- Receive, investigate, and resolve complaints by: (1) informal resolution (2) mediation (3) formal complaint - Provide and promote programs that raise campus awareness of the nature of, and problems associated with, discrimination, sexual harassment, and

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons need to look like the super model in the inappropriate. If we had elected a fesports wear ad, or the basically naked male prime minster and similar posts man in the Kraft commercial? No one. were being made about her the country The sexualisation of men is just as sex- would be in an uproar; women would ist and demeaning as the sexualisation be rioting in the streets. Men would be of women. It is not liberating and should blamed for slanderous statements and stop just as much as sexualizing women human rights called to question. Yet, should stop.

few have taken a negative stand on the sexualisation of our current prime min-

Let’s take an example that hits more ister. This points blatantly to the fact close to home. Canadians have just that our society is completely acceptelected a new prime minister; a man ing of the sexualisation of men, or so who I will admit is very attractive. How- they seem to be. No one is an object ever, media has begun to use this fact in for the viewing pleasure of anyone, not a sexual, and in my opinion, inappropri- a single person on this earth is here to ate way. While Trudeau has not made be seen as an object. Gender equality a statement saying that these memes, means equality, which means that all of tweets, and posts are affecting him in us are seen as equal. Equal people, not any way, I would argue that it is highly objects. personal harassment and to educating those in positions of responsibility in the objectives and implementation of the policy.

In addition to this, based on Acadia’s Harassment and Discrimination Policy, when handling a complaint the Acadia Equity Officer must have a final report submitted to all parties involved including senior administration within forty days. Depending on when the Equity Officer’s working days fall during this period, this may mean she is only able to work five of the forty days. It is impossible to expect all issues of equity on campus to be dealt with effectively in this time period.

It should also be noted that faculty receive no training to help students and peers deal with issues of equity if someone chooses to confide in them. While this training could fall under the roles and responsibilities of the Equity Officer, there is simply no time for this

training to be planned and implemented. It is unfair to leave our staff and faculty unequipped to deal with these often emotionally charged situations. It can leave them at risk, too.

#kNOwMORE is planning on moving forward with a petition to demand that senior administration provide Acadia with the resources we need to exist in a safe and equitable community. We need a full time Equity Officer working for the University to make this happen.

We encourage students, faculty, family of Acadia members and the Wolfville community at large to personally email and write to the Board of Governors to make our voices heard. The contact person for the Board of Governors is Board Secretariat Kathy O’Connor and can be reached at koconnor@acadiau.ca. Alternatively, feel free to email Ray Ivany directly at president@acadiau.ca. Stay tuned by following our Facebook page for our online petition through change. org as well.

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rethinking bras Rebekah Hutten Contributor Over the past month, I’ve worn a “real” bra twice. I’ve let my breasts be as nature designed them: free of restriction, free of coverings, and free of the pain bras had been causing me.

Wearing a bra is a personal choice. However, I know that for a lot of women, wearing a bra doesn’t feel like a choice: it feels like a requirement akin to a medical necessity. My day would begin as such: wake up, search for bra, put on bra, push up the slipping straps all day, shift around the underwire to minimize it digging into my ribs, and finally – the miraculous, joyous return home where I could slip the bra out from under my shirt and toss it to the floor!

bras, there is strong societal pressure to do so. In fact, wearing a bra is the norm.

As soon as girls’ breasts begin to grow, they’re hauled off to Wal-Mart or Victoria’s Secret to go bra shopping. I vividly remember the humiliation I felt because of my breasts: they were something I was expected to hide.

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ic cotton bamboo bandeau-style (yes, I know, very granola of me). My reasons stemmed from comfort, initially, but have evolved into wanting to actively resist societal pressures that dictate how women should dress themselves.

Wearing a bra should be a choice, not because of societal expectation. Anyone

who has breasts has both the right and the responsibility to decide for themselves whether or not they want to wear bras. Unfortunately, bra-wearing is not typically framed as a choice, but as a requirement. By rethinking bras, we are reclaiming our innate right to decide.

As I grew into my teens and twenties, I noticed how breasts were only portrayed sexually in the media. Examples are easy to find: one only has to glance at magazine covers while waiting in line at the grocery store to see sexualized breasts.

My mother is a doula (a homeopathic birth assistant), so I am perhaps extra sensitive to ways in which the nipple and breast are portrayed.

My decision to forgo traditional bras came about primarily because of the pain they were causing me (when I reference “traditional bra” I am referring to bras with a specific cup size and underwire). It had nothing to do with my breast size. I don’t have tiny breasts, and had always believed that I needed “support;” without bras, I’d be too jiggly, saggy, or sore. Within a week of not wearing a bra, my breasts felt lighter and stronger. They don’t need the support of a bra because they’re designed by nature to be strong enough to support themselves. I equate wearing a bra with wearing an arm sling; the muscles tend to atrophy and become less supple and strong.

The nipple is at once deemed sexual and disgusting. Women’s breasts are flaunted in various capacities in the media; however, when a woman breastfeeds in public she is often the subject of disgust and discrimination. Not all business and public places welcome women to breastfeed.

A recent and local example happened in Halifax on October 14th 2015. A mother was breastfeeding in court and was told by the judge that she was not permitted to breastfeed in his court. Breastfeeding is a basic human right. The nipple has been so objectified and singled out from women’s bodies that cases like this are unfortunately common.

Regardless of both dubious and real health concerns associated with wearing

I gave up traditional underwire bras in favour of no bra or a handmade organ-

Confessions: The Sex Edition

to shed light and normalize the typi-

leave early in the morning so I did

Grapefruits Are Just For Eating

cally awkward topic of sex, as well

not get to see who she was. A few

“After learning about the hilariously

as the embarrassing moments that

weeks later I was chatting with her

educational grapefr uit method, my

often come with it!

at a coffee shop and my friend later

boy friend and I decided to give it a

informed me that she was the girl

shot. I could barely keep it together

Mattresses Are Just For Camping

I had hooked up with – awkward!”

while I cut out a hole in the fr uit, to

“I was hooking up with someone on

(Male, 22)

be used while per forming oral sex

Kaela Beaton Contributor Personally, I have acquired a sense of humor for embarrassing events.

Embarrassing events that are shared publicly as well as for those shared privately. For this month’s issue, I figured it would be candid to find stories from anonymous individuals willing to publically share their embarrassing and humorous sex stories.

The pur pose of this confessional is

Photo Credit: Anjuli Ripley

a blow-up mattress and needless to

on my boy friend. While a good idea

say it was extremely loud and all of

You Are Not My Personal Trainer

in theor y, the actual execution of

his roommates heard” (Female, 22)

“I was told to “push myself” while

the method was a total fail consid-

giving head. All I could think was

ering we couldn’t stop laughing the

Awkward Innocence

no thanks, I am not your personal

entire time.” (Female, 22)

“The first time I tried “doggy style”

trainer.” (Female, 21) Strobe Lights Are Not a Girl’s Best

I had to stop and ask if it was anal because I wasn’t sure what to do.”

I’ll Knock Next Time

Friend

(Female, 20)

“I needed something from my mom

“I was hooking up with a guy. He had

so I went into her room. Let’s just say

strobe lights flashing and Eminem

Friends With Benefits?

it was poor timing and I saw more

blasting the entire time. Needless to

“I hooked up with someone, but

than I ever wanted to.” (Male, 24)

say I got out of there as quickly as I

when I met her it was dark. I had to

could.” (Female, 19)

November 19th, 2015 13

athsports

A Very Informative Tour of the Athletics complex Sam Gillis Sports Editor

www.theath.ca

shut that one down.

only noise of the corridor. I still can’t

The aggravating hum does bring a

decide what is more unnerving: the

cold intensity to the dressing room

six larger than life posters screwed

which you can see to your left as

to each wall, each sporting their

we walk in the bottom doors of the

perfectly timed vinegar faces; or the

complex. No wonder hockey play-

one poster of Shaffy, off the wall

ers are so loud, you can’t even hear

and sloping over a picnic table, look-

yourself think in here. If you’re bold

ing like he did while playing for DAL

Welcome everyone, and thank you you listen to their moans – clearly

enough to poke your nose into one

during last week’s playoffs. Regard-

for taking this tour of your Athlet- the idiom “beggars can’t be choos-

those rooms, you’ll get a hefty whiff

less, time for a new face. Hopefully

ic Complex. Better get excited, be- ers” doesn’t apply to ghosts. On the

of the sweetest smell – victory of

with the future renovations, we can

cause we’ve got tons of funs stops left we’ll pass what I believe is either

the Summer Street Stallions in the

find a better use of this phony patio-

on the tour today. So, stretch out, a top-secret headquarters from a

last game. Nothing is more appeal-

area.

take some deep breaths, maybe even 1950’s Chicago mob boss, or a power

ing than the used hockey gear and

do some jumping jacks (if you want plant from a similar era. The place

Dry Ice combo. As we get closer to

As my feet grow weary, I realize

to look like an idiot) because we’re is windowless, terrifying yet also

the rink, you’ll note that the buzzing

that walking around mindlessly can

taking the scenic route today.

very intriguing if you’re into scal-

seems to die down, especially past

also be a workout. I won’t blame

ing bricks walls to enter dangerous

the skate sharpening area. When we

you if you skip your workout, as I’m

I decided to take the scenic route, buildings. That’s a story for another

pass the dented red nets, you can

going to skip mine. If you still have

firstly to delay my workout, but also time.

run your hand down their sides and

some steam, you may want to check

to enjoy the brisk fall air blowing up

feel the disappointing ding which

out the squash courts. That hole in

from the dykes. So everyone, please As we loop around the back of the

warped their shape. Looking at this

the wall is about fifteen feet past

take one of these clothes pegs from complex you must not deny yourself

empty rink is very intimidating, and

the varsity gym, but is usually eas-

the bag, and clamp it down on the the view from here. The dykes have

I would hate to play our hockey

ier to spot by the long line of high-

bridge of your nose, to get the maxi- a very honest feel of empty beauty,

team at home. No joke, there are

socked, visor wearing squash enthu-

mum amount of fresh air while mini- inhabitable and untouched by hu-

over 25 giant red A’s smothering the

siasts who refuse to let anyone else

mizing the smell of cow manure. If mans. Mother Nature is much more

cavernous ceiling. At this point I’m

have a turn with their space. If you

you’re starting to feel like you can decorative than us. If you’re won-

not sure if the A stands for Acadia

don’t see them at first glance, it is

taste it, quit now, it’s not your day. dering about the chopped up logs

or Arrogance.

because they don’t exist. I have nev-

Now that we’re strolling we’ll get stacked up to your left – death by

er seen a soul in those courts. This

started by trespassing through the Axemen. If you’re wondering about

Moving on from the rink, we head

leads me to a great place to end my

grassy place on the east side of Ray- the painfully loud buzzing coming

towards the turf field. I hate the

very informative tour. Go have fun,

mond Field. If you’re not careful you from the hockey rinks cooling sys-

walkway from the front entrance to

hit a squash ball at your friends. It’s

make just walk right into the long tem, don’t. The off switch is not in

the exterior. It feels like a concrete

always enjoyable. You can find me

jump pits. The tracks are usually in any public areas so you may have

desert, as weak currents combine

down there working on my game if

great condition, depending on which to do some independent research to

with aged leaves to generate the

you’re looking to continue the tour.

direction the wind is coming from.

Eurus is on our side today, as he trapped the mounds of plastic leaves and autumn garbage against the fence with his west flowing breaths.

The sand pits are messy and rugged, looking something like a guy in midMovember unsure if he really wants to commit, but wanting to see what he looks like with a moustache. On a positive note, this is the only sand in Wolfville you can stand on without the worries of sinking or having forty tipsy frosh trench around half naked and cover themselves in mud.

Seriously, try mud-sliding, it’s more fun than reading.

Hope you had time to do some jumps because it’s due time to move on. You may want to avoid the abandoned soccer field, it’s where the Old Cemetery residents come to play.

They say you can even hear them complain about the pitch quality if

14 November 19th, 2015

Photo Credit: Kamryn Minors

athhealth&wellness

www.theath.ca

Good Vibrations Anya K’Nees Sex Columnist Buz z. Buz z. Buz z. W het her incorp orated into solo or part ner ba s ed play, v ibrators have b een causing a buz z for years. Today’s v ibrators are ea sy to purcha s e, come in a variety of colours, shap es, materials, and sizes, and are p opularly endors ed by many T V shows. However, t hings weren’t always t his way.

Historically, v ibrators were created a s a “cure for women’s hysteria.”

This diagnosis wa s given to almost any ailment, including insom nia and nervousness. Early v ib es were large steam-p owered ma ssage machines, and t heir invention came ab out when Victorian- era doctors tired of prov iding manual stimulation to female patient s to cure t hem of “hysterical paroxysms.” At a time when female s exuality wa s a tab oo topic, t his “p elv ic ma ssage” met hod wa s simply v iewed by doctors a s a medical cure, w it h no s exual connotations. The p elv ic ma ssage met hod of relief wa s so p opular and effective t hat it wa s only a matter of time b efore smaller hand- cranked mechanical and elect rical v ibrators were unveiled for home us e, t hus ma king t he v ibrator t he f ift h elect rical appliance int roduced to t he home (after t he s ew ing machine, fan, tea kettle, and toa ster).

Photo Credit: Anjuli Ripley have buz zed along, and today, approx imately 52% of Canadian woman rep ort hav ing us ed a v ibrator. In fact, w it h v ibrators available on t he shelves of Wal-Mart and Shopp ers, ea sy and discreet purcha sing available online, and a w ide variety of s ex shops in most cities, purcha s e ha s never b een ea sier.

However, what if you fall in t he 48% who have never us ed a v ibrator? Perhaps you are just not comfortable w it h t he idea, you never k new how to go ab out purcha sA climate heav y w it h denial suring one, or you never t hought of rounding female s exuality may t he variety of mental and physical not s eem ideal for v ibrator sales, b enef it s often a ssociated w it h v ihowever it wa s st rangely b enef ibrator us e. Victorian- era doctors cial. Vibrator usage wa s v iewed prescribing s exual stimulation a s a s a medical t reat ment, creating a cure for hysteria m ight act ually an at mosphere t hat led women to have b een onto somet hing. A 20 09 feel comfortable purcha sing and st udy found t hat t he 52 p ercent of using t heir v ibrator in t he comfort A merican women who us ed a v ibraand privacy of t heir home. Howtor tended to b e physically and psyever, t his outlook wa s not to la st chologically healt hier t han t hos e forever. In t he 1920s p or nography who didn’t. started to feat ure “p ersonal ma ssagers” and v ibrators, and t he jig So, you want to k now what t he wa s up. Vibrators, which had prebuz z is all ab out. If you’re a v ibrav iously b een available for purcha s e tor newbie, t he f irst step is to deanywhere by anyone, disapp eared ter m ine which one is right for you. f rom store shelves.

If you are worried ab out discretion, v ibrators are available in a w ide Despite a lack of availability, range of non-a ssum ing shap es, such women were not deterred. During a s r ubb er duck s, lipstick t ub es, and t his time elect ric toot hbr ush sales shower loofa s. For your f irst v ibrasoared, and by t he 1950s v ibrattor look for one offering an ex tering ma ssagers for woman b ecame nal stimulation feat ure, a s 75% of p opular for ever yt hing f rom sp ot women achieve orga sm t h rough reducers to weight loss. Once more clitoral stimulation. In fact, 84% women could buy v ibrators w it hout of us ers rely on t heir v ib e for t his reproach, and by t he 1960’s fem ipur p os e. Look for somet hing relanist s reint roduced t he v ibrator a s tively small, w it h different sp eeds a sy mb ol of female s exuality. From or s ettings, and t he ability to b e t he 1980’s onwards v ibrator sales recharged or have t he batteries

changed out. Alt hough t he temptation is to go cheap (and I would adv is e not buy ing t he most exp ensive v ib e out t here your f irst time in t he saddle), keep in m ind t hat cheap er product s are often lower quality, leading to a shorter product lifespan.

As you increa s e your comfort level, p erhaps t r y a G-sp ot p enet ration v ibrator. Penet rative v ib es can b e purcha s ed to prov ide inter nal and ex ter nal stimulation, and come in a variety of shap es for us e w it h your part ner. If shopping for a v ibrator primarily for p enet rationba s ed play, look for one t hat is smoot h (w it hout any painf ul shar p edges) and made of a material t hat won’t absorb b odily fluids. If you are using your toy for p enet ration, keep in m ind oil-ba s ed lub es are not s ex toy f riendly, and siliconeba s ed lub es shouldn’t b e us ed w it h silicone-ba s ed toys. However, silicone-ba s ed lub es do work well w it h harder material toys, such a s hard pla stics, alum inum, or steel.

If unsure, your b est b et is waterba s ed lubricant s, a s t hes e are safe for us e w it h silicone-ba s ed toys and latex condoms.

As mentioned, v ibrators need not only b e us ed solo. Tr y using one on your part ner, or have t hem us e one on you. Vibrating cock-rings can b e a f un hands-f ree option, and cheap ones are available in local dr ug stores. Vibrating nipple clamps can also b e purcha s ed for added stimulation during play. Nex t time you’re in Halifa x, check out Venus Env y, which carries a w ide variety of toys.

If you’re uncomfortable purcha sing

s ex toys in p erson, t r y looking online. Sites like pinkcherr y.ca often have sales, and prov ide discrete tot he- door shipping. As always, ma ke sure you’re buy ing f rom a reputable site, look up rev iews on your toy of choice, and check for discreet shipping options. If you plan on t ravelling w it h your new toy, ma ke sure to check regulations at your destination. Some locations, including India, Iran, Saudi A rabia, Thailand, t he United A rab Em irates, and even Alabama, prohibit s ex toys.

Rememb er, it do esn’t matter if you’re using it at home or abroad, solo or w it h a part ner, or if it’s your f irst toy or an old favorite, always sterilize s ex toys after us e.

You can do t his by cleaning t hem w it h war m soapy water, or buy ing a pre-made s ex toy cleaner. Most non-motorized toys can b e sterilized in b oiling water, and motorized toys can b e w ip ed down w it h a 10 to 1 water-to-bleach solution.

W hen you are done using your batter y- op erated v ibrator, ta ke out t he batteries, a s leav ing t hem in leads to t he risk of your v ib e t ur ning on and r unning t he motor down, not to mention some awkward questions ab out t he source of buz zing nois es!

If you are leav ing your v ib e alone for ex tended p eriods, you also r un t he risk of t he batteries corroding and dest roy ing your toy, so remove t hem during p eriods of inactiv ity.

It’s b est to store silicone toys in a dr y and s ealed container, a s silicone tends to att ract lint and dust.

So, us e, enjoy, clean, and rep eat!

Buz z. Buz z. Buz z.

November 19th, 2015 15

athscience

www.theath.ca

Vil. Or more accurately, on top of him.

the new new workout plan

Speaking of girl-on-top, your hip flexors are also going to need some serious attention. If you’ve woken up with a case of the shaky-legs, it’s a sign Bonnie Weinman of a night well-spent (props), but it’s Contributor also kind of a bitch unless you plan on In 2004, Kanye did women everywhere the gym? And yet, somehow, whenever avoiding stairs for the rest of the day. a huge solid and introduced us to The you’re riding cowgirl, you always end Limber up with some lunge stretches.

New Workout Plan. It was never easier up in the fucking crab-walk position. Your hip flexors will thank you. to snag yourself a rapper or NBA player It always seems like a good idea at the (or at least a dude with a car). All you time. “Oh yeah,” you think to your- As we all know, flexibility is of the had to do was: a) give head, b) stop, c) self. “I’ve got this.” And, for the first utmost importance. So do yourself a breathe, d) get up, and e) check your minute or so, you do. You are a porn- favour and get into some yoga. Bonus weave. But times have changed. We star/sex-goddess! But then it happens. points for hot yoga, which will more reneed a newer workout plan. We need You start to feel the burn in your upper alistically simulate you trying to bend one that’s a bit more comprehensive so arms. You ignore it. You are capable of yourself into a sexy, sweaty pretzel. we don’t feel the brutal effects of De- this. Well, you would be if you had any This will be especially helpful if you’re layed Onset Muscle Soreness the next measurable upper body strength what- hooking up with a guy who thinks that day. We need one that corresponds soever. This means that you’re going to all girls can just casually throw their with all of the positions you know and want to incorporate some triceps dips legs over a dude’s shoulders without love. So step aside, Kanye. There’s a and shoulder presses into this workout. pulling a muscle. As if. And I’m sure new new workout plan.

And lots of them. Unless you want to you can use your imagination to figure relive those painful memories of your out why it’s good to practice downward You know that stupid crab walk relay arms giving out during your crab walk. dog. Furthermore, you can prepare that you always had to do in Phys. Ed.? Only this time, instead of collapsing in yourself to get it from behind by pracDo you remember how excruciatingly front of your grade 8 Phys. Ed. class- ticing cow pose (on all fours, with your tiring that was? Do you remember col- mates, you’re collapsing in front of the stomach pushed towards the mattress). lapsing when you got halfway across hot guy you brought home from the I can understand if you don’t want to

Don’t do it like the Discovery Channel Katie McCulloch Science Editor ... I think it broke.

This goes through the minds of more species than you may think, but not because they’ve been responsible and brought condoms. No, some animals

have some fairly disturbing mating rituals by our standards. Take for instance, certain species of orb spiders.

The male copulates with little leg-like structures near its mouth. The female

has a knob outside her genitalia shaped kind of like a bicycle seat- this is for the male to grab with his mouth, and give him some purchase to do the deed.

After scientists carefully froze some spiders mid-coitus with liquid nitrogen, they were able to examine them under a microscope and determine that males occasionally rip these knobs off, to prevent other males from being able to mate with that female.

Everyone has a first time.

And for some animals, the first time is the only time. Semelparous species die after one reproductive episode, which could be a mating season or a

Photo Credit: Robin Lawson

16 November 19th, 2015

call it “cow pose” though. It’s already weird enough to picture yourself as a doggy when you’re having sex, let alone a cow.

Abs are another key player when you’re getting freaky. Noticing that your oblique muscles are sore in the morning? That’s probably because you were using them to hold yourself up while you were sexy-spooning your brains out last night. Some Russian twists with a medicine ball will fix you right up. And don’t forget your crunches!

Those abdominals are going to come in handy when you’re on the receiving end of some oral action and you have to sit up to deliver directions and/or encouragement.

Finally, as for shower sex, I don’t really know what to tell you. You need all of your stabilizing muscles to be on point for that shit. Maybe try a Bosu balance ball or something. In order for this exercise to actually simulate shower sex, maybe try balancing on it in the pouring rain while trying to dodge a million falling shampoo bottles at the same time. That should do the trick.

single event. Biologists are still trying to find out why. Take for example, the Australian antechinus. The males of this little marsupial mammal species have sex until they die- after fur loss, internal bleeding, and getting gangrene because their immune system gives up.

Why all the fuss? Researchers now believe it may be due to a spike in their food source, insects, which occurs once yearly. The females need a regular food source while raising their babies in their pouches, and so all the mating must happen in a very short window prior to bug season. Other semelparous animals include octopuses, eels, squid, salmon and mayflies!

Imma stay for cuddles.

Said every male angler fish, ever. Deepsea angler fish experience sexual dimorphism, where the two sexes differ significantly in size. In this case, the female is up to ten times larger than the male, which is born without a digestive system. Mating consists of the recently-born male latching onto the first female he can find with his mouth, and then slowly fusing on, losing all of its organs except the testes, which remain and pump sperm into the female’s system when necessary. Female angler fish can have up to six of these parasitic mates for life.

My place?

Some animals’ mating habits are fairly straightforward, but some are complicated rituals involving lots of work and planning- usually by the males. Some creatures build structures to attract a mate. Take the bower bird for example.

It builds a bower, shaped like a small hut and built of twigs, and decorates it with flowers, stones, feathers and even plastic and glass fragments. If the female likes it, the male wins a mate!

The red velvet mite builds a ‘love garden’ of sperm dispersed on twigs and leaves, with a silk trail leading to it. If a female finds it and likes what she sees, she’ll use the sperm. If a male finds it, he’ll wreck it to better his own chances.