Ath 77.4

Acadia’s Students Newspaper since 1874 October 30 th , 2014 Issue 77.4

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Letters to the editor ASU Executives

moderate the discussion between the two negotiating parties, and that this new phase of deliberations were set to begin within the next two weeks.

This is incorrect, as a conciliator has not been assigned to the case, and so negotiations are still ongoing in their initial state.

The October 17th edition of the Athenaeum presented an article regarding the negotiations between AUFA and the Board of Governors. While some of the information presented was accurate, there were some areas of concern that the ASU would like to Secondly, the ASU was concerned take time to clarify. with how some opinions in the article were being presented as fact.

Firstly, it was reported that a third par- For example, the claim that a sigty representative, otherwise known nificant impasse had been reached as a conciliator, had been chosen to or that minimal progress was made over the summer months, has no way The Athenaeum to be supported by evidence and is Acadia University’s Student News Paper simply speculation. The notion that Issue 77.4 the ASU works as lapdogs for the adASU Box 6002, Acadia University ministration is also an opinion, and Wolfville, NS, Canada is one that is particularly slanderous.

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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 Ceileigh Mangalam News: Alex Quesnel Alyssa Gerhardt Opinions: Tess Pooran Dawn Veinot Sport: Laura Jeha Christian Vail Production Manager Jordan Waterbury Megan Stanton Brent Arnold Photo Manager Jon Smith Robin Lawson Andrew Haskett Copy Editor Jalen Sabean Trevor Braxton-Barto Lila Hope-Simpson Online Manager Andrew Bethune Deirdre Campbell Victoria Forsey Advertising Manager Cover Art: Mark Pound Chase McRobie Business Manager Robyn McMillan 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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The ASU is elected to represent students at Acadia University, and while we work closely with both faculty and administration, we continue to have a pro-student approach in everything the union does. The opinion that students have no part to play in negotiations is also damaging, as the article itself indicates that students are the ones that are most impacted by the process, which is exactly why the ASU has positioned itself to play such a major role in communications.

Additionally, ASU has been asked why we have positioned ourselves to be the main vehicle of information to students regarding negotiations between AUFA and the Board of Governors. This is a very important question, and the ASU would like to

apologize for not articulating our reasoning in the first place. Historically, at Acadia and other post-secondary institutions, students have been used as leverage by one side or the other in order to gain ground in negotiations. We have asked both parties to allow the ASU to be the main source of information for students, not to control or smother conversation, but as a protection mechanism to prevent students from being misinformed or used as leverage in the negotiating process. We encourage students to be aware of current events on campus, and to ask questions they may have. The ASU hopes to create a safe environment where those questions, robust debate and inquiry can occur in a balanced manner with a pro-student approach kept in mind.

Lila Hope-Simpson One year ago, on the night of November 2, 2013, my 23 year old daughter was struck by a hit-andrun driver in the Subway parking lot in Wolfville.

The driver pinned her between two cars, backed off, then fled, leaving her on the ground and injured, with no assistance. A group of passing Acadia students called 911 and remained with her until the ambulance arrived, and for that we are grateful.

The driver of the black Mazda 6, which was owned by an Acadia University student, has not been identified.

If you KNOW anything, if you HEARD anything, if you SAW anything, if you THINK of anything, if you SUSPECT anything at all that might help the police find the driver, do the right thing and notify the RCMP. Sometimes just one clue can be enough to find the missing piece of the puzzle.

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77.3 corrections

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In the article “My Transgendered Punk Rock Super Hero” the title should read “My Transgender Punk Rock Super Hero.”

The article “Fluidity of Sexual Identity” was anonymous, not written by the section editor, Tess Pooran.

Alex Quesnel’s name was misspelled.

Victoria Forsey was a contributor to the issue.

If you notice any mistakes in The Athenaeum please contact us.

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The unity moment is over Time to get back to the argument David McLaughlin iPolitics Writer The tragic and stunning events in Ottawa this week have sparked a welcome mood of unity on Parliament Hill. All of the party leaders have spoken to Canadians with great conviction and poise.

Too often the default position when critiquing our politics is to decry partisanship. It can be loud, messy and unappealing to many. Worse, it can be pointless and polarizing.

Their tones differed but, together, spanned the spectrum of opinion felt by Canadians: Prime Minister Stephen Harper, defiant; Leader of the Opposition Tom Mulcair, empathetic; Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau, inclusive. Leadership all around.

But principled partisanship has its purpose and its place. Its purpose is to clarify contrasting ideas and positions; its place is the House of Commons. Differing points of views are expected; they are the basis of any democracy. Ours is a particularly successful and resilient one, almost 150 years on. Partisanship has been Unity of feeling amongst Members there at every juncture. So why stifle of Parliament is to be expected. it now?

They were literally in the line of fire, along with the institution of Parlia- In fact, now would be a very bad ment itself. As they work through time to repress partisanship. heightened emotions, Canadians need them more than ever to double- Big questions remain unanswered down on the very essence of that in- about the attacks in Ottawa — both stitution. That means passing laws, the ‘why’ and the ‘how’. We are told representing our views and holding information will be released in due those who govern to account. course as investigations wend their way forward. What we do not know And they need to do so with a is how much we, as citizens, will be healthy dose of partisanship — in told. We saw the good with the bad tone, not volume. on Wednesday. The ugliest part is

Acadia research Sex and sexuality in the workplace Jordan Waterbury Contributor Sex and sexuality are inherent in our lives as human beings. It makes us who and what we are, defines our identity, and plays a part in how we interact with others. Traditionally, in the social science of Organizational Behaviour (OB), or Human Resource Management, sex and sexuality have no part to play in the management, work, and goals of an organization, such as a business or a university like Acadia.

Now, most who study and research OB agree that since sex and sexuality are so much a part of being human that it is hard, or nearly impossible to prevent these factors from influencing our lives as students, employees or employers.

At Acadia, second-year undergraduate Business Administration students are assigned in their Organizational Behaviour class to complete their own “research” in to how sex and sexuality play a role at Acadia.

yet to come. But it must.

In today’s post 9/11 world, with necessarily intrusive intelligencegathering systems, security officials have a privileged vantage point on such events. They know more than any of us. In other words, we do not know what we do not know. We can, however, fully expect that the information they have now and will gain in the weeks ahead will be vital in framing future security actions and government policies, regulations and legislation.

It is exactly this privileged perspective that needs to find its rightful place in the debates and deliberations of the House of Commons.

Important values are at stake, from personal freedoms to personal security. These values are fundamental to any society, any democracy. The weight we give each demands open debate to make sure we get the balance right.

this never happens again — must not be confused with unity of opinion on the best way to do that. It is here that the ‘principle’ of partisanship is regularly superseded by the ‘practice’ of partisanship.

“Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice,” said a failed United States presidential candidate in 1964.

That perspective echoes often in the language and policies of partisans everywhere. But it is the zealotry of partisanship that offends citizens, not the existence of it.

This is not a call for a Utopian, ‘kinder, gentler’ form of partisanship in Canada. But at this traumatic moment, when our politicians declaim seminal values of Canadian democracy such as openness and respect, we should remind ourselves of the rightful place of partisanship in our democracy.

Bringing principled partisanship to the fore now ensures we have a better chance of getting things right.

And it ensures the shooter — and anyone who thinks like him — will always get it wrong.

Political parties, with their partisan orientations, are the only legitimate vehicles to represent the shades and divides of public opinion in our country when it comes to answering the big questions about how we want to This article was originally published on be governed. iPolitics and is reprinted here with permission as part of the partnership beUnity of purpose — when the pur- tween iPolitics and the Canadian Unipose is to make sure something like versity Press

at our university. “We [or Dr. Grant and I] encourage students to take a critical look at their own lives and the organizations with which they interact. Students are always surprised by what they find, especially the insidious nature of power and privilege As Dr. Jim Grant, who developed the constructed through gendered roles, assignment for the course explains, rules, and communications.”

“The assignment was designed to encourage students to examine evidence One of the main conclusions of one of of sex, sexuality, and gender on cam- the groups of students was that some pus. We recognize the perpetuation faculties at Acadia have more equality of barriers that create inequality in in the sex composition of their staff, the management Academy as well as and that faculty members are still within management practice.” Thus predominately male. Also, it is noted students are let loose on campus to that certain advertisements and postdocument instances of gender and ers may be found offensive or sexist sex inequality, whether it is taking by some in the Acadia community. pictures of inappropriate sayings in Some examples of this include quotes a residence or a conversation in the from the movie “Mean Girls” found SUB. in residence buildings, which may be found to be inappropriate when taken Sometimes, students are surprised to out of the context of the film, and adfind that there is sex typing and in- vertisements by the Athletics departequality in places and institutions on ment featuring male athletes more campus that they would have never predominately than female athletes. considered before, Dr. Dye explains how this assignment can change per- According to Dr. Kelly Dye, one of the spectives on the role of sex and gender instructors of the Organizational Be-

haviour class, “This assignment also encourages students to surface their own latent understandings of and contributions to the gendering of organizations and construction of barriers.”

Also, Acadia has been found to have diverse examples of sex, sexuality and gender on its campus. Acadia should strive to be as welcoming as possible to this diversity. As a scholarly institution preparing young minds for entrance in to the workforce and society, instilling an acceptance of diversity and the ability to question and research surroundings. Acadia should, and does, advance our knowledge of how to build a more equitable and safe organization for all people to study, teach, and work at.

But more could be done… there are still cases of gender inequality on our campus and this is an issue that should be addressed in a manner that is constructive for our scholarly community and builds us as an institution that strives to be one of the best small universities in Canada.

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Graduate Student Profiles

Fave spot in the valley: The ravine behind the agricultural farm in Kentville. It’s a beautiful hike.

Book… it’s a hidden gem.

What’s grad school like so far? You have a lot more freedom to pursue what you love, but it can be really stressful at times.

Alyssa Gerhardt Age: 24

How do you deal with stress? Reading for fun, dancing, and a nice cold beer.

I wish I knew how to: Speak Russian

What’s grad school like so far? Challenging, much more work than I expected, clarifying on a number of intellectual and emotional fronts.

ian roddis

Next trip? Costa Rica.

Hometown: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia Program: Masters of Sociology

Best advice you’ve ever received: Depend on yourself for what you want in life.

Length of program: 12 months

If you could eat lunch with anyone, Current research question/area: Nova who would it be and what would you order? Foxy Brown (90’s female rapScotia Rap Music per) and I would order sushi.

Supervisor: Dr. Tony Thomson Morning glory or night owl? Definitely morning glory!

Inspiration hits you where? Anywhere by the ocean.

Why Acadia? I did my undergrad here, also because Acadia is a close-knit community and there is a lot of support from professors.

Fave spot in the valley: The Odd

Hopes for your research impact on the world? I want my research to inspire people to look beyond the surface and see the complex relationship between rap music and society. Rap is a personal narrative that is influenced by history, race, class, gender, education, politics, capitalism, globalization, media, etc. I also hope my research will show how rap music in Nova Scotia represents the unique history of local communities and the experiences of those who grew up there.

Homecoming hooliganism: Wolfville residents seek to address “student problem” Alex Quesnel News Editor

Students at Acadia University have come under some harsh criticism from Wolfville community residents following last weekend’s Homecoming celebrations. Excessive noises, acts of vandalism and public indecency were all reported over the weekend of 18 October. What was supposed to be a festive occasion for the school and the community has since been marred with controversy.

disorder.” Other residents expressed similar displeasure regarding the students’ conduct over the weekend.

In the aftermath of the Homecoming debacle, Wolfville Town Council and RCMP Inspector Chris MacNaughton met on Monday evening to discuss the weekends’ events. Since the beginning of the semester, many of the residents have been unhappy with the foolish behaviors of the students.

Homecoming weekend proved to be the tipping point. As a result of the Town Council meeting, the RCMP has devised a new strategy that will crackdown on house parties. This plan involves more strict enforcement of noise-complaints and possible criminal charges to those who host such disruptive parties.

The raucous behaviour made news headlines province-wide. On 21 October, CBC Nova Scotia reported that residents were “fed up” with the excessive partying of students.

In an article published that same day, The Kings County Register recounted some residents’ grievances.

In particular, Nancy Tregunno was so distraught by the students’ lousy behaviour that “she’s beginning to The current bylaw regarding noise levfeel like she has post-traumatic stress els has certain stipulations. In order

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Age:

34

Hometown: I’m not sure anymore.

How do you deal with stress? Vigorous repression.

I wish I knew how to: Write with greater clarity.

Program: Msc Mathematics and Sta- Next trip? Texas (hopefully) for a reunion with amazing Tex-Mex. tistics Best advice you’ve ever received: Don’t build models of people in your Current research question/area: mind. They are who they are. If you’re Bayesian structural time series analy- imagining conversations with people in your head, you’re doing them, and sis with co-variates. yourself, a huge disservice.

Length of program: 2 years

Supervisor: Dr. Hugh Chipman

If you could eat lunch with anyone, Morning glory or night owl? I’m not who would it be and what would sure, my office doesn’t have windows. you order? Myself, 15 years ago. I’m not sure what I’d order, but I’d deliver Inspiration hits you where? In the a large plate of insight. Also stock advice. face.

Why Acadia? Definitely my supervisor. He’s a leader in the field of Bayesian methods, and an incredible person.

Hopes for your research impact on the world? An increase in the awareness of Bayesian methods in contrast to Frequentist methods.

to maintain the “peace and tranquility” of the Town of Wolfville, noise levels are not permitted to exceed 45 dBA from the hours of 10pm to 7am.

To put this into perspective, Temple University Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering compares 45 dBA to the ambient noise of a library. However, Wolfville’s bylaw starkly contrasts those of other similar university-oriented towns in the Maritime region. For example, the bylaw of Antigonish NS states that between the hours of 10pm and 7am, no noise shall exceed 70 dBA. Sackville NB, has not defined a decibel limit in their noise bylaw. Such a stark contrast between these towns begs the following question: is Wolfville’s “peace and tranquility” more vulnerable than that of Antigonish or Sackville?

mischief was restricted to the “student housing area.” Here, students and community residents seem to live separate from one another. Instead, Wolfville residents such as Wendy Donovan are integrated within “a neighbourhood full of students living together in big houses.” Perhaps a well-defined student-living area would ease the tensions between these two parties.

This type of “student problem” is not confined to Wolfville. For example in recent years, police in Kingston ON have had to “crack down” on Queen’s University students for excessive partying. But as The Kingston WhigStandard reported at the time, the

Ultimately, firm bylaws may serve to remedy the “student problem” temporarily.But there are fears that students may react negatively to further restrictions on their behaviour. In the best interests of the student the local residents, a more cohesive approach to solving the problem is in order.

Simply put, the actions displayed by a select number of students were inexcusable. Nevertheless, the Town of Wolfville greatly benefits from the economic stimulus and community involvement provided by the influx of Acadia University students. A peaceful and tranquil coexistence is certainly attainable through mutual respect and cooperation.

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Brew review Jon Smith Contributor Beer: Alexander Keith’s India Pale Ale Serving Type: Bottle, 341ml, at a crappy bar This week’s brew review is going to be a bit different. I headed back to my home in Glace Bay, Cape Breton for the weekend, so I did not have the opportunity to grab some expensive hipster beer and sit down to write a wordy review. Instead, I found myself at a local bar with

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some old friends drinking Keith’s for some reason.

I generally dislike Keith’s. The main reason for this is the false hope it promises for IPA lovers. It claims to be an IPA, which is probably the most bold-faced lie I have ever seen on a label. Traditionally, an IPA has between 40 and 120 IBU’s, which is a measure of bitterness. However, Keith’s sits at a paltry 19 IBU’s, less than half the IPA minimum. When drinking it, my mouth just feels betrayed. If this were a basic lager, like every single other beer at that damn bar, my verdict would be ‘not awful’. However, the decision was made to call it an IPA, thereby perpetuating the biggest joke

Hardcore Armour:

Nomeansno’s Wrong Christian Vail Contributor Two Wrights make a Wrong. With an album that places them in the sonic missing link between Ian MacKaye’s bands Minor Threat and Fugazi, Nomeansno turned hardcore on its head. Brothers Rob and John Wright, from Victoria, British Columbia, created a hardcore powerhouse that may be the greatest punk band that ever came from Canada.

I know, that title usually belongs to D.O.A., and in terms of influence and impact on the hardcore scene, D.O.A. has certainly played the biggest role. However, Nomeansno’s brutally precise musicianship sets the band apart from most hardcore bands. By 1989, hardcore was alive, but far from well. Most of the best original bands were dead, either literally dead or they had “sold out” in the eyes of fans. The next wave of bands had a hard time catching a break from rabid hardcore fans who would only accept a very small definition of “hardcore punk” set out by that first wave of bands. With Wrong, Nomeansno perfected the marriage of very skilled, precise instrumentals and memorable vocals within hardcore punk. Widely considered to be the best album made by the often-deemed best live act in punk, Wrong is an absolute classic from start to finish.

I first listened to this album when I was around 16. At this point, I was well acquainted with bands like Black Flag, Minor Threat, Bad Religion, and on a semi-related note, I

was crazy about Slayer. I was not very aware of a Canadian punk scene and never really considered at 16 that we had that much to be mad about. Sure, Americans were pretty mad about politics and stuff and we are not thrilled with ours either, but I figured Canadian punk would be a 2 minute blast of angst followed by a quiet “sorry.” I became aware of Nomeansno through a short video about hard to find hardcore singles that I was watching in an attempt to try to find some new bands whose shirts could not be found at Hot Topic. Hearing that a Canadian band was so highly regarded in the hardcore punk scene despite a minimal following was an absolute shock to me and I had to listen immediately. Being their most popular album, Wrong was the first I stumbled upon. The first feature that struck me was the album cover, it weirded me out. It looked cheap as hell, and not in an artistic minimalist way like other bands I was into. The mask, the NOMEANSNO name lifted from the anti-rape slogan, and the huge red “WRONG” were striking in a way Henry Rollins pressing his ketchup-covered hand against a broken mirror was not. It looked creepy and intimidating. I had to hear it.

The first song I heard was “The End of All Things” because it had a title that I felt was almost strange for a hardcore punk band, especially considering the very next track is called “Big Dick”. The intro sounds very

from the Maritimes since ‘New Bruns- deal at a table, and my grade 8 English teacher is drunk with her friends. The wick Tourism’. walls are covered in neon light ads for I will instead be describing a situation beer, and there is a UFC fight on the in which I really want to drink Keith’s. TV. My friends and I are sitting at the bar.

Country music is playing, but nobody around here is a farmer or even owns a horse. We are literally the only people there under thirty. My friend tried to open a cooler outside by smashing it open and chugging it, and we are 90% certain that he had ingested glass. Every guy in the bar has holes in his jeans. Most people there are personally friends with my father and remember me when I was twelve. I am pretty sure I just witnessed a drug

I do not like Keith’s, but goddammit, there is no better time to drink one.

Being in a room that smells like smoke and unemployment insurance, some kind of fancy Russian Imperial Stout is not going to do. When everybody else is wearing flannel and boots, a simple lager will be my choice every time. Except Coors. It is never time for Coors.

much like an 80’s hardcore band, until the vocals hit. I almost felt cheated at first, he was not even yelling! Who the hell sings a punk song? The chorus was even pretty, repeating “hear the angels sing, this is the end of all things.” What a rip off… better listen to it again (I would later have a similar reaction to hearing Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” for the first time). I have since listened to the entire album many times and it is more than worth hearing from start to finish at least once. As far as hardcore punk goes, “Rags and Bones” may be one of the catchiest and most interesting songs you will ever hear. With insanely precise and heavy guitar/bass/vocal interplay between Rob Wright and guitarist at the time, Andy Kerr (both of whom swap lead vocal duties throughout the album), this song is 5 minutes of hardcore ear candy that will be stuck in your head for hours after your first listen. The track is immediately followed by “Oh No! Bruno!” which has a very hardcore-Ramones feel and a great sing-along chorus that begs to be heard live. One of the albums main highlights is “Two Lips, Two Lungs, and One Tongue” which I would recommend to fans of more typical hardcore. “Two Lips” features a short solo of one bending note being repeated multiple times, with no other accompaniment, something that a quick YouTube search will show did not go down well with the typical hardcore audience with the band being booed and heckled, prompting them to prolong the solo with insults, taunts, and purposefully long digressions in order to annoy the audience further. That is punk. Oh, and remember that song “Big Dick” that I made fun of earlier? That is actually one of the best songs on the album. Featuring some of the greatest bass work you will

ever hear in any genre, the Wright brothers fly into a drum/bass-only jam reminiscent of their first jazz-influenced album which only featured the two brothers on drum and bass.

This one is a must-hear for any fans of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Flea’s bass playing style.

Summary: I don’t like it, but sometimes you just need a Ke

I do not know how much more I can play this album up. It is absolutely essential. It is a gem that seems to have been lost over the years. Despite its relative success at the time of its ‘89 release in the frenzy that would turn into grunge, Wrong and Nomeansno as a whole seem to have slipped out of the consciousness of hardcore punk fans. Which is a shame in my eyes, as this album may be one of the greatest albums ever recorded. Forget hardcore, this album transcends those boundaries. The band did not need commercial success to press on, however, with their most recent LP released in 2006. Still touring and working to please their cult following today, Nomeansno seems intent to find out just how many songs can be sung with two lips, two lungs, and one tongue.

TOP 3 SONGS: I talked about a bunch of songs in detail in this one.

This album cannot be broken down into a few key songs; it is all essential. I will point out one more: “All Lies”. I kid you not, it is exactly what the Beatles would sound like if they went on to become a hardcore punk band. Also, check out some of the band’s other albums particularly The Sky Is Falling and I Want My Mommy, on which Jello Biafra, front man of the hardcore royalty that is Dead Kennedys (whose article will come in time) takes lead vocal duties. It is more than worth hearing. But more importantly: LISTEN TO WRONG.

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the ever changing face of cutten classic Brent Arnold Contributor In the fall of 2012 Cutten House was reopened to residence. This marked the end to a four year hiatus brought about by disturbed asbestos. Due to the four year gap between residents living in Cutten a unique opportunity to establish a new residence culture presented itself. Four years in a University town is a lifetime. When it reopened there were simply not many people around who remembered what Cutten was like.

However the apparent clean slate was not so cut and dry. The return of Cutten House meant the homecoming of Slutten Cutten. One of the few holdovers from before the closure, during the hiatus responsibility for throwing what is arguably the most popular Mackeen Room event of the year was given to Crowell Tower.

The previous year (2012) the event had been a source of minor controversy amid the Acadia community.

Promotional materials for the event depicted the silhouette of a female pole dancer, which initially bore the logo of the ASU without consent from the union. These early posters were taken down and replaced with the same silhouette this time with no insignia from the ASU who issued a statement saying they did not sponsor or endorse the event. The event itself was accompanied with the tag line for dress as CEOs and Office Hoes.

Male students arrived in business attire while female students would arrive in next to no clothing. As seen in a release from Martell Consulting Services Ltd for Students Nova Scotia “At the party girls typically dress sluttily, very risqué, to the point some girls wore almost nothing, bras, and lace panties.”

not coincide with the Slutten Cutten event. Their hope for the reopening of Cutten was to embrace the diversity of the community that resided within, that Cutten house would not be defined by a single story or event.

They decided to change the event to something that did not perpetuate a demeaning focus and culture. Thus the name "Slutten Cutten" was all but abandoned. However, the history of the event was difficult to overcome.

Going into the year the residents were familiarized with the event of years past and expected it to be exactly the same as the years previous.

The leadership committee never used the name "Slutten Cutten" but instead through word of mouth from upper year students who had experienced the event before, the name was perpetuated, and with it the story it represented. The hope was to shift focus away from the previous event onto a new chapter with a new name and image. Nevertheless when advertising was released for the event, the change was not as all encompassing as originally hoped. Although the phrase "Slutten Cutten" was nowhere to be found the event was rebranded "SC Burlesque". This reluctance to abandon the "Slutten Cutten" name entirely, as evidenced with the inclusion of "SC" coupled with the strong word of mouth from the previous year’s event crippled the hopes of a departure from the old narrative.

Photo Credit: Chase McRobie

was initially hoped for by the leadership it was an indispensable stepping stone forward for what was to come. With SC Burlesque came the introduction of the ‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’ event in which members of the Acadia community gathered on the steps of University Hall and marched down Main Street to protest against victim blaming in incidences of sexual assault and cases of rape, similar to Slut Walks seen in major cities across North America. The event was attended by over 50 people in its first year and was considAs part of the re-branding strategy the ered successful for its ability to raise event was promoted with the prom- awareness of an issue and stimulate ise that proceeds would be donated conversation. to an anonymous women’s shelter in Halifax. However the ASU, specifi- SC Burlesque was the first step tocally the equity officer who had been wards what can now be considered a an active participant in the movement 360-degree turn from Slutten Cutten away from Slutten Cutten, stepped in to what the event would become in and decided in conjunction with the Cutten Classic. The event started a leadership that the proceeds could dialogue for the year to come, which not go to the women’s shelter as was accompanied by a refocusing the backlash from the source of the on what the community wanted to funds would have been horrible and achieve. SC Burlesque got the ball far outweighed any good the dona- rolling and from the momentum it tion would have done. The proceeds generated the next leadership comwere instead quietly distributed to mittee was able to achieve another step forward which resulted in Cutten various local charities.

Classic.

In the 2013 calendar year the responsibility for hosting this event shifted back to Cutten House. Heading into the first year back in Cutten the House Council and RA team were tasked with establishing a house identity.

Prior to residents arriving, this leadership team held several meetings, or brainstorming sessions, about what they wanted the forthcoming year to be. As a collective the group decided that the community values of Although SC Burlesque did not what they hoped Cutten could be did achieve the new image and idea that The second time around the event was truly refocused away from the

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old concept of Slutten Cutten and moved towards a celebration of body image and self-confidence. From the brainstorming sessions the idea that individuals were “The Artists of their own Image” took root as a foundation the event could be based around.

This idea was promoted throughout the year in an effort to fill the vacuum that had allowed the specter of Slutten Cutten to creep into SC Burlesque and unreservedly promote a real change in the culture surrounding the event.

Despite this effort, in the days leading up to the event, House Council in particular was bombarded with questions about what to wear to "Slutten Cutten". Then House President Jessica Boone tweeted “there is no event called Slutten Cutten this year so I don’t quiet understand your question… you can dress however you want for Cutten Classic though.”

This apparent lack of dress theme was a departure from years past, which had featured some variation on the CEOs and Office Hoes. In its place the leadership promoted wearing an outfit that you would feel comfortable wearing.

Despite the effort put forth to disContinued on pg 7

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was a wonderful community and the event was promoted as one where all of us could go do something fun together that asserted Cutten's identity, but I never felt that it was a sexist, derogatory or negative identity in any way. I don't think myself or any of my girlfriends from Cutten would have continued to live there had we When asked about the attire of felt threatened in any way for being guests at the event the leadership re- women.” sponded that it was not really their place to tell people what they can and During the years Slutten Cutten was cannot wear. The focus was more on hosted by Tower the event had both changing the culture of the event so its detractors, and defenders. that people can arrive in whatever outfit they desire and not feel judged Mira Chiasson wrote in a 2012 article for what they are wearing. The fo- for this very publication. “Slutten cal point of the change was to remove Cutten, in my opinion, is a disgrace. the pressure that people needed to It’s a blatant disrespect for what dress a certain way to be welcomed women have fought for in the past.” to the event.

Meanwhile in response Olivia Switzer Throughout the years of change the wrote on a personal blog, “There is event has continually seen a huge no one to blame for the outfits worn turnout. At the inaugural Cutten at Slutten Cutten but the girl who is Classic tickets could not be sold at the wearing them. She herself chose to door due to strong pre-event sales, wear what she was wearing, do not with proceeds distributed evenly blame society, do not blame men, do between Relay for Life and L’Arche not say the ASU is allowing events to Homefires. degrade women.” tance Cutten Classic from previous incarnations of the event the dress of attendees remained largely unchanged. Male guests by and large wore business attire while female guests were clad in outfits that were rather revealing.

Much like SC Burlesque the year before, Cutten Classic was associated with a Walk a Mile in her Shoes event. This time the event took on greater importance for Acadia’s image. In the wake of the YOUNG cheer scandals at other universities during welcome week the twitter activity of several athletes at SMU were highlighted to reveal posts condoning bullying, condemning homosexuality, and endorsing violence against women. The ASU actively encouraged the Acadia athletics teams to participate in the Walk a Mile event to illustrate the commitment of Acadia University students to equality. However despite the push from the ASU, the turnout for the Cutten Classic Walk was noticeably smaller than that of the previous year. Nevertheless the event was considered a success towards the ultimate goal of changing the story of Cutten.

ership) wanted to move beyond that party with revealing clothing to a debate and focus on the continuing platform for social action accompanied with a party. The change has rebranding of the event.“ been very recent so it is impossible When speaking about the move away to measure any success in separating from the Walk, previous years group the event from Slutten Cutten. members said they would love to see it continue but understand that if When asked about the separation of the excitement is not there like it has the two events Megan Beliveau forbeen in years previous, you can see mer SRA of Cutten responded “It (Slutten Cutten) will never go away, how the ideas can change. it is a part of our history. What we Obviously it is quite early in the plan- wanted to do was change the focus to ning stages of this year’s event but it something different something more appears that another minor refocus- positive. By no means are we hiding ing will be undertaken. Whereas the for the past just refocusing our attenfirst Cutten Classic focused on the tion away from the language towards issue of body image and being com- acceptance.” fortable with yourself, this years incarnation will put a greater emphasis Cameron Ashe addressed what he on equality in the vein of the He for was hoping to see from the event in the future, “Every year that it [CutShe campaign. ten Classic] is successful is one step The one question looming over my closer to achieving a lasting positive head was will the Cutten Classic be event that will continue to be talked able to get out from the long shadow about. [In place of Slutten Cutten] We have such a great platform here to do cast by Slutten Cutten? amazing things with. We just want There is no question that this is no to keep the success and momentum longer the same event it once was. going.”

The event has changed from just a

Both of these women were Acadia students when they wrote these remarks. It is clear that the event is a very divisive topic. So it was no surprise when the move to separate the Walk a Mile event from Cutten Classic was met with backlash.

Much like the leadership committees of years past the Cutten group gathered at the beginning of the year to discuss their hopes and ideas for the year. The result of those conversations was a unanimous decision to take a step way from the walk in an effort to explore different avenues for promoting the message of equality. The leadership team, which included members of the previous year’s group, felt that the event last year was mainly populated by RAs, house council members, and members of athletic teams only present in response to the Twitter scandal, and still attendance was down. This year’s leadership feels that the event may still have a place in the Cutten Classic but have decided to focus their efforts elsewhere. They felt that the language surrounding the original event and by extension the walk was obscuring the message that they wanted to send.

Despite these somewhat radical changes questions still remain around this event. Without a doubt some individuals felt offended by the language used in the previous event, but was this offensive attitude present in the event and the house itself? Not so according to Acadia graduate and Cutten resident from before the shutdown, Nikki Pichette: When asked about the walk, Cameron Ashe, the SRA of Cutten stated "I can just say that the attitude toward “There is debate about the reclamaSlutten Cutten and Cutten in general tion of the word slut and that discusnever felt negative to me, ever. It sion is healthy but we (Cutten Lead-

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All is fair in art and war Alex Quesnel News Editor In commemoration of the centennial anniversary of the First World War, the Acadia University Art Gallery presents Consuming Conflict. In this exhibit, curator Dr. Laurie Dalton investigates the role of popular culture in the conceptualization of war and conflict. Moreover the exhibit argues that media, tourism, and video games construct unique narratives of conflict and war. These narratives are consequently entrenched in our culture.

Consuming Conflict features many different displays that relate to war and culture. It begins with the poignant work of French artist Marcel Augis, whose drawings of damaged buildings in post-war Europe capture the melancholy of battlefield tourism.

Next, the exhibit showcases a number of war propaganda posters from both historic and contemporary time periods. The patriotism of the posters issued by the Canadian Government is contrasted with the feminism of the posters distributed by the New York-based Guerilla Girls art collective. Finally, the exhibition ends with an interactive analysis of contemporary video game culture as it relates to modern conflict.

Photo Credit: Anjuli Ripley

As the title suggests, this piece features ten thousand miniature green army men standing in battle formation on the gallery floor. Hollenkamp, an artist based in the United States, sought to “call into question the nature of play and the impact of repeated visual imagery” with this piece.

Furthermore, the central location of the piece within the gallery helps it serve its role as the driving force of the exhibit.

A fall speaker series is also underway compliment the gallery exhibition.

Lecturers have already discussed different themes and attitudes related to war and popular culture. On 2 OcAll of these displays, however, are tober, Dr. Paul Doerr delivered the based around the focal point of the opening lecture on the history of batexhibit: Francis Hollenkamp’s 10,000. tlefield tourism. Visiting former battle

Fast Times at Slow Dough Andrew Haskett Contributor I nearly shit when I saw the bookshelf come crashing down. Lined with pots, pans, a tin teapot, numerous knives, forks, and spoons, a toaster and a ceramic chicken, it all fell apart. I thought an artillery strike was raining down upon this cozy little café. Newly renovated and already turning to shambles makes for an eccentric and homey venue on a sleepy Sunday night. As a celebration of Slow Dough Café’s grand opening, three talented musicians took to adding a little warmth to our land which clearly seems to be growing colder and colder. Huddled tight like a fleece sweater three sizes too small,

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sites in the aftermath of war has been a common trend throughout history and Dr. Doerr’s lecture offered much insight on this topic.

The lectures continued on 16 October with guest speaker Dr. Diana Lary.

The University of British Columbia professor delivered a memorable lecture about Canadian efforts made to alleviate misery and suffering in China during the Second World War. On 23 October Dr. James Sedgwick, another Acadia professor delivered his lecture titled “Words of War: Naming Atrocity”. This talk surveys the words used to describe mass violence. As Dr. Sedgwick explained, the “emotive valence of labels gives them power.”

come. Andria Hill-Lehr and Wendy Elliot will speak on 10 November about the case of Mona Parsons. On 20 November, Dr. Jon Saklofske will deliver a lecture about the representation of war in digital games. Finally, a film screening will be held at Al Whittle Theatre on 5 November. The film, titled “Shameless Propaganda,” will surely be an appropriate way to end the exhibit.

All students and faculty at Acadia University are encouraged to view the Consuming Conflict exhibit. The Art Gallery is an institution that ought to play a meaningful role in the university community. In honouring the one-hundredth anniversary of the First World War, this exhibit seeks to But many exciting talks are still to accomplish this goal.

we all crunched deep into the stand- bittersweet melodies about lost love ing room of the Slow Dough café. and opportunities passed by. All in a day’s work.

Breaking open was local humorist and resident coordinator of Axe-Ra- Stemming all the way from British dio, Kelly MacNeil. He strums mel- Columbia is renowned folk musiancholia and breathes somber tones cian Pat LePoidevin, a man truly in while keeping an upbeat and wide- his element judging from his superb eyed crowd swaying to his notes. You storytelling abilities and lighthearted have two choices here: a sad song, or humour. His latest album, American an even sadder song. Kelly touched Fiction, holds many tales both tragic upon subjects that everyone can re- and joyful. Although traveling solo late to in a small town—boredom, Pat packed a bands worth of music alcoholism, drugs, disparity. Death. into his set, utilizing a double-microAll of these things seem to force us to phone setup with some reverb, raw, think beyond ourselves and to trace unadulterated lyrics, his trusty goldour thoughts out into the open. en-brown ukulele, and a voice that could make a fully grown man weep Next up was Peter Bohan, a man with in tearful nostalgia. Purely visionary as much soul as the fiery hair perched in his take on small town America, upon his scalp. Peter, brandishing Pat is truly a musical force to be reckhis guitar and harmonica in a very oned with.

Bob Dylan-esque manner, brought a little sunshine into the room while a His song, Centralia, Pennsylvania, storm raged outside. Keeping with tells the story of the titular Centralia, Kelly’s opening, Peter played some a small ghost town that was slowly

abandoned throughout the 1980’s.

Centralia was reduced to rubble due to a raging coal fire, lit in 1962, that still burns underneath the town to this day. The fire, caused by reckless burning of garbage, caused the citizens of Centralia to relocate to neighboring cities. At this time only four elderly residents call Centralia their home. These are the landscapes for Pat LePoidevin’s latest releases, obscure and forgotten places aligned with people who live secluded and magnificent existences.

These musicians brought a calming and mediating essence to Main Street Wolfville on Sunday night and made the Slow Dough café a place full of companionship and storytelling. Similar to sitting around a campfire with a six-pack of cold beer and a couple of close friends, Slow Dough offers a setting where calm and healthy respite blossom.

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Dear Mind,

Dear Heart, I don’t really know how to start So I guess I’ll tell you what I did

Me and Trevor decided it was time to get together We really hope you get this letter It’s been a while now since you left

I’m leaving you with Trevor

And it really sucks, it feels like we’ve been the victims of theft

And sweet goodbye I bid

And now it’s Trevor speaking, since you left

He hasn’t slept in weeks, Because me and you do bicker I was going to leave a little later But I figured I’d go quicker

I haven’t past a single test I’ve felt like an idiot in school And all the other kids say I’m so thoughtless All I can do is stare and drool

So out of Trevor’s head I tore,

And maybe I am a mindless fool,

The government offered me a job

But at least I am not a heartless waste of space

I’m not allowed to tell you more

To mutter such utter disgrace

But you and he will be okay

Like those which were said to me

He barely heard me anyway So you and thought

he

are

left

What you must be

without

But second best to mind is you So please, if you have the time Because I really don’t think that kid can find a mind Help him write a letter, I’d like to hear from him And I’m truly sorry to put you in this position

But I am following my feelings only now, Because I really have no mind But what I really want to say Is please come back, we need you, We are incomplete now, of three we are two And such a young age to lose my mind, And another I can’t find, So please write back, tell us how you feel, Tell us about your job, maybe you can make a deal

I know it’s no one’s fault but mine

And come back to me, set me free from this misery

So if you can find it at the bottom of yourself

Maybe one day we will meet again,

Please forgive, I am sorry, Sincerely, The Mind

But I’m getting away from the point which I did start So I bid you back a sweet goodbye, Love Trevor and the Heart

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what is sin?

Betty and Veronica Contributors An unoriginal question with intimately original answers.

Lying on the floor, I can feel the rhythm of the bass from the layers beneath. The floor feels cold and damp and welcoming against our flushed skin. Bodies assembled in a heap. Life ebbs and flows above and below. Spaces condense as we come closer, fluid touch transcends the gradient of separation. Incense curls up to the ceiling in tendrils, barely perceptible in the semi darkness of the room, reminiscent of something holy, pure, yet decidedly corrupted and transformed. We are peripheral to the others, but not on the edge. Sage and sandalwood mingles with cigarettes, the scents of autumn and alcohol and perfume and bodies, sweat and dirt. What did she say?

“This is a place of sins.”

Her mouth touches his as I watch in anticipation of what is to come. A position of control, that on the outside fades quickly as another enters and consumes my docile lips pushing me back into submission.

Closer, closer, closer, contact is made.

sex!

Andrew Bethune Contributor

Sex! What a wonderful world! I have never written about sex before, so this piece will constitute a particular loss of virginity. Read me gently!

To warm up for this, I re-watched my favorite war movie, Weapons of Ass Destruction. Look it up if you like, it is easy to find on the internet. Indeed, we live in a world almost totally saturated with sex. It is hard to go anywhere without encountering some form of erotica, whether in marketing, pop culture, or any guy’s internet history. We truly live in a sexual world.

Even while we sit in our sexually frustrated moments, there are tiny animals banging like crazy in our eyebrows and our pillows. As my favourite comedian Dave Attell says, “things are having sex on you, while you’re not having sex.”

So, we might as well warm up to it. It is not like it will hurt you, unless you

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Lips against skin, my skin, my body enters her mouth, she presses harder, grips and begins to fight against the friction that is quickly disappearing, lubricated, and movement within the moment transcends all other sensation. Her mouth is warm, electric.

Ohhhh yes. A steady rhythm of motion, circular, back and forth. Her saliva covers me. I am getting wetter and wetter. Tension builds within as I arc my back. He pulls my hair and I extend fully, pulled back against my will but I am fully willing.

I take him into my mouth and begin to work in a circular manner, imitating her. I bite gently at first and then harder, harder. She pinches me and I pinch him as he pulls harder. They both reciprocate, and we coalesce.

Collective pursuit of a common end.

Photo Credit: Chase McRobie

Pain as pleasure.

equilibrium. She’s so close, I’m so close. We are tense amid the tension palpable in the air.

“Did you know it is impossible, by the laws of evolution, to bite off your own finger?”

“Ohhhh!!” Inhale toward the liquid snap, limits are simultaneously reached and surpassed, my back arches, I can’t take it anymore. Teeth puncture me. Prick me. Blood rises to the fore and they taste me, metallic stimuli corrugates the scent and taste of the room, drawing, bending, and folding into the alternate furrows and ridges of our collective experience. Hearts pounding, we are sensitive to the point of numbness.

Breaking the silence, we examine our fingers. Blood drips down after pooling on the tip of my index, thumbs, and hits the bruise now expanding beneath my skin. Sighing, we recline.

Beside me he runs his hand slowly up my thigh, between my legs, acquainting himself with the unknown.

are into S&M, in which case hurt is so meant. Enough said. good.

My friend may be an exception to the And why not experiment with plea- average relationship, but maybe not. sure? It is not like humans are the only Certainly, our culture resists changanimals who get creative. I hope you ing definitions of sexuality. Just look have seen the internet video of a chimp at the struggle of same-sex couples to enjoying fellatio from a frog. The am- get the same rights as vanilla-sex hetphibian is nature’s Fleshlight! Even eros. Habits are hard to break. Just deer will poke a hole into certain veg- think of the conversations couples etation with their antlers and then ride have! Whether you are a woman pushit like an expensive date. It is nature’s ing for marriage or a man pushing for horniness! anal, the logic is the same: “I want to bring our relationship to the next level.

Speaking of creative sexuality, the Do you think it would be nice to get popular mind seems to be wondering more intimate? Come on, it will be an more and more about what is behind adventure!” door number two, if you get my meaning (anal sex). I have an eccentric friend And the argument this man uses who always has interesting opinions. against marriage and this woman uses Curious, I asked him if he and his girl- against anal are also identical: “What is friend have ever used the ‘other’ hole. wrong with the way we have been doing things? Everything has been good “Are you crazy? No way,” he said, as as it is, why change what we do? I do if I was crazy to ask, “if we did that she not care what your friend does with his might get pregnant! We’re not ready or her partner, I am not ready for that!” for that.”

Whether for or against, you can make I opened my mouth to ask another your own decision, and I will not judge question when I realized what he you for it, because I am too busy.

So, let’s go further into fetish territory.

I am sure you have heard about the Japanese vending machines which sell used girls’ panties for sniffin’, but have you heard about the latest in animated Japanese erotica called “Shitting Dicktits”? It involves drawings of monstrous breasts which have penises instead of nipples, and the penises have poop flowing out from them. There are also internet videos of a person wearing an animal costume struggling in a pit of quicksand, which are not really that good.

Pleasure is pain.

Harder, harder, down further until we surpass the barrier. He caresses my leg, grips it, and pushes, as if to puncture the place I bruised in a moment of past carelessness. She leaves her mark. Fuck. Terrible, beautiful.

My head spins as it is pulled further, my scalp on the verge of ripping, the fabric of our bodies woven ever closer together. We are intoxicated.

Chemical imbalances bring us into

I move his hand away, distractedly, “Maybe later”.

The human mind is very complex, which dictates that our sexuality is also complex. Just about anything can become a sexual object for a person, from feet to vacuum cleaners to picnic tables to cars to frogs. And that is okay. Does your own sexual object have any special significance? Maybe, but as Freud or Bill Clinton will tell you, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

My own personal fetish is writing. If you will excuse me, I must finish with that. It is getting tiring typing all this with one hand.

athopinions

the true meaning of cunt Tess Pooran Opinions Editor Cunt. C-U-N-T. The word elicits various reactions, depending on your background and upbringing. I truly hate the word vagina. Vagina means, “sheath for sword”, not surprisingly “sword” represents the penis. Personally, I do not like to think of a part of my body as a penis holder.

A woman’s body is not defined by the ability to give pleasure to a man.

Cunt is most commonly used as a derogatory term, but in fact the word has a long and powerful history.

The word kunta meaning “woman” in several languages in Africa, and can be traced to the tribe of peoples called the Kundas who reside in Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Sumeria, which existed in the area that is now Iraq, is where the first language Cuneiform originated from.

Cuneiform means “the sign of the cunta”; cunta literally means “one with female genitalia”. How amazing is that? Cunt is not a bad word, but represents innovation, language, women, and the divine!

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I only recently discovered the true meaning of cunt and I was instantly fascinated. Many words that either should be neutral or positive are used as derogatory terms, such as “bitch” or “pussy” or even telling some they are “acting like a girl”. All of these words relate to women, so is it the word that is seen as negative or women as whole? Jessica Valenti, author of Full Frontal Feminism (worth a read!) said, “The worst thing you can call a girl is a girl. The worst thing you can call a guy is a girl.” I think we are all guilty of calling someone a bitch or a girl (in a negative way) and we must change our language if we want to change our society. There is absolutely nothing shameful about being a girl or a woman. There is nothing disgusting about the word cunt. Everybody has genitals, so why are we so uncomfortable about talking about it?

In India, there is a Shakti goddess called Cunt-Devi, who is the goddess of the Kundalini energy, a powerful female energy that travels up the spine. Female genitalia are also called yoni in Hindi. Yoni refers to both the vagina and the womb. Cunt is the only word describing female genitalia that encompasses the whole. A vagina is actually a muscular passageway. Most people mistakenly call the vulva – which is the labia, clitoris, urethra and vaginal opening – the va- Many cultures revere the human gina. Cunt solves this problem be- body, yet in North America talking about bodies is frowned upon. I have cause it is all-inclusive.

a button on my backpack that is a quote from The Vagina Monologues that says, “I Call It Cunt.” This button has started so many wonderful and interesting conversations with friends and strangers alike. I was in Just Us! one day when I was asked about the button by a middle aged woman. She was thrilled to see it and we spoke about body positivity, feminism and activism for several minutes. I have had other people tell me it is vulgar and I should not have it on my bag.

Each of these conversations, whether positive or negative, has added to my life. I have gained more understanding of the people around me and been able to help others understand what cunt really means.

Cunt is not a bad word, but it has unfortunately been given a bad name.

Cunt represents life, spirituality, and the power of the female body. Take back the word cunt, stop giving it negative power and reclaim the power of cunt.

My Anaconda don’t: a guide to asexuality Anonymous What is asexuality?

Most people know that human sexuality is a spectrum that ranges from heterosexuality (sexual attraction to people of a different gender), to homosexuality (sexual attraction to people of the same gender), to bisexuals (who experience sexual attraction to their own gender as well as people of differing genders). However, many people exclude the lack of sexual attraction to anyone, regardless of sex or gender.

This is called ‘asexuality’ which is also known as non-sexuality, and sometimes shortened to ace. It is estimated that about one percent of the world’s population is asexual. Like other sexualities, asexuality comes in many different forms, such as demisexuality, which refers to “sexual attraction after a deep, emotional bond has been formed”, graysexuality, which means that “sexual attraction is only experienced under certain circumstances”, among many others.

You might be thinking “But if asexuals do not experience sexual attraction, then how are they queer?” Well, just because you might consider yourself straight does not mean you want to have sex with every person of the opposite gender, right? Asexual people

are the same way! Romantic attraction is just as valid as sexual attraction, and asexuals can fall in love too.

For example, someone who is asexual but can fall in love with people of the same gender as them can be referred to as “homoromantic asexuals”, while someone who does not experience romantic attraction can be called a “aromatic asexual”. Romantic attraction does not only apply to asexuals; everyone is different with how they feel, and that is okay too.

Common misconceptions Asexuals are commonly derided for their sexuality, and the vast majority of this ridicule is completely incorrect.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with not experiencing sexual attraction to people! Here are some common misconceptions about asexuals and asexuality: “So, asexuals do not have sex?”

While many asexuals refrain from sexual activities, some do participate in them whether it is through self love or sex with a partner. This is an individual person’s choice, and it is not common in the asexual community. That being said asexuality is not the same

Photo Credit: Taylor Brown

thing as abstinence or celibacy, which are the refraining of sexual activities by choice. Asexuals do not choose to not be sexually attracted to people.

Asexuality is also not an imbalance of hormones or some kind of “mental problem”. It is a valid sexual orientation experienced by many people around the world.

spores, or parthenogenesis (as cool as that would be). If an asexual person wished to have a child they would have to do it through a conventional method, such as adoption or sexual reproduction.

“You just have not met the right person yet!”

“So you are like amoebas or some- This one is really annoying, to put thing?” it bluntly. It suggests that someday, somewhere, someone will show up Asexuals cannot reproduce on their and you will fall head over heels in love own. They cannot create offspring with them and want to make sweet, through asexual reproductive meth- sweet love to them. Many asexuals ods such as budding, production of Continued on pg 12

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have dated people in the past, and some have even had sex. That does not mean that they are suddenly not asexual anymore. This misconception also perpetuates the idea that you have to date people or have sex to be seen as a normal person. Society expects all people to have a partner but many are happy without one, and this is a normal and legitimate human experience.

“Asexuals do not experience the same troubles as other queer people.”

Asexual and other queer people have many overlapping and unique struggles, and it is unfair and unnecessary to belittle one another. Many asexuals self-identify as queer themselves, as they fit under the umbrella of being “not heterosexual” (and many are also of varying romantic orientations, as mentioned before).

Let’s look at this topic from my point of view: I identify as demisexual, but also as queer because I have the capacity to love or fall in love with almost anyone, after forming a strong emotional bond with them (demiromantic). I have identified as asexual for six years now (since I found out what it was), and I apologize for this becoming so personal all of a sudden, but the last point is something that happened to me recently. I was told that I “do not have the same struggles as other members of the LGBT community because [I am] demisexual.” I come from a place where it is expected of young people to get into a heterosexual relationship, marry each other, and live happily ever after. The place I come from is also very... “traditional” in its values, and so from a young age, everyone is taught that anyone who is not straight is going to hell, you should punish nonstraight people, etc. I have been personally threatened by my own family members for the possibility of not being straight (grandmother threatened to write me out of her will when Ellen DeGeneres got married, among other things). Getting away from my home and being able to see that other people like me exist have all helped me come to terms with myself as a queer individual (even though I still have trouble with sometimes). That said, I love myself and my identity, even with the troubles I have to face every day.

Anyways, I hope that I was able to teach you something today, whether you identify as asexual, queer, or otherwise. Please take into consideration asexuals and their feelings, as well as the misconceptions that many people have about us. Thank you for reading!

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My Surrogacy Story Dawn Vienot Contributor If you have the power to make someone happy, do it. The world needs more of that. I am a fellow third year Acadia student and in addition a gestational surrogate (carrying a baby that is not genetically linked to me) over 50 percent of all surrogates are gestational. I have two wonderful friends, and I am lucky enough to make them future dads. I find myself humbled at the thought of helping grow another family. I am truly thankful for the opportunity I have been given and look forward to the lifelong adventure that I am taking with the intended parents. Almost half of all gestational carriers give birth to multiple babies, this is due to the amount of embryos transferred.

If you transfer two-three the chances of them taking are higher. In the surrogacy support group I am in there are around six sets of triplets.

Upon talking one day about their dreams of becoming a family, they expressed to me that when they realized they were gay the idea of children seemed impossible to them.

This broke my heart; I want to make it aware to as many young people who may have the same thoughts, that there are options. To everyone who is struggling, realize that just because you are homosexual, transsexual, transgender or anything but heterosexual this does not in any way mean that you cannot have a family.

Actually, surrogacy is very common among heterosexual couples who just cannot carry. 650,000 Canadians (or 1 out of 60) are affected with some form of infertility. And there are only 50-100 surrogate arrangements per year in Canada. There are options out there and surrogacy is one of them.

Looking back at this journey so far it is hard to imagine myself doing anything else. I first heard about surrogacy when I met a friend of mine a little over a year ago. She had done a surrogacy for a family and I remember admiring her for her courage and selflessness. Sometime later I was talking with the intended parents and mentioned how interested I would be in becoming a surrogate. They have been wanting children for quite some time, and have been on an adoption list for years. Last year over Christmas we decided to try to do the surrogacy, and now a year later their baby is due on December 27th.

Since the baby can hear my family and I, and is not exposed to the fathers voices as much we have sticky ear buds with recordings of their voices. I stick to my belly so the baby will know their voices.

The Sexualization of Halloween Costumes Alyssa Gerhardt Contributor The debate surrounding promiscuous Halloween costumes, especially for women, is current and ongoing.

Growing up my Halloween costumes consisted of a very child-appropriate Jack O’Lantren, a witch, and a cat, to name a few. Writing this, I now ask myself, when did “sexy” become a necessity for my costume choices over the last six years: the sexy phoenix, Swat Team law enforcer, and ghostbuster. As a woman who self-identifies as a feminist and who

Some Celebrities who have used a surrogates are Neil Patrick Harris, Elizabeth Banks, Robert De Niro, Jimmy Fallon, Nicole Kidman, Elton John, and many more.

Since it is not my egg, I had to be on hormones for six months. This was to trick my body into accepting the embryo and to keep the embryo for

about three months of pregnancy.

Once the hormones were over everything persisted as a regular pregnancy. Surrogate mothers can be between the ages of twenty-one and forty-five years old, you have to previously have a child. Normally woman above thirty-five years of age are at increased risk for caring but through surrogacy it does not have to be your egg and the health concerns to the baby are minimal. To become a surrogate they tested my husband and I thoroughly both physically and psychological to make sure we were fit to carry the baby. This process took a couple months. Medical treatment needed before the pregnancy (such as fertility drugs, blood work/endometrial lining checks via ultrasound/ physicals/gynecological exams/doctor visits) is not covered through the Canada Medical System. As for the legalities, there are a lot of rules and regulations surrounding surrogacies in Canada. It is illegal to pay a surrogate in Canada, but surrogates can be reimbursed for their out-of-pocket expenses. We are the first surrogates to go through the Kentville hospital.

I hope through more exposure and education that these issues can be resolved so that future parents and surrogates will have an easy road ahead.

Lastly, I would like to thank my beautiful understanding family for being by my side and supporting me though this, the wonderful intended parents for giving me this opportunity, and everyone out there who has hugged me, cried to me, asked me questions and accepted my decision.

I love talking about our story if you have any questions please feel free to come talk to me any time.

is familiar with feminist theory and script off by heart. From the age of discourse; why do I willingly partake ten, before developing the tools for in my own exploitative sexualization? critical reflection, images like these were presented as ordinary and natuThis topic shows the negative im- ral to her. plications of normalized and sexualized images of women in our so- Although not all women particiciety, especially in the mass media, pate in this, costume websites are and popular culture. I am sure most dominated by scandalous attire, and of you are familiar with the movie choices are fairly limited unless you Mean Girls (2004), when the main want to make your own costume. character, Cady, goes to a Halloween Sexualized costumes are also being party dressed as a traditional zombie marketed to a younger and younger bride and is ridiculed by other girls demographic.

During my braindressed as slutty bunnies and kit- storming for this piece, I stumbled tens. Not only is this disturbing be- on costumes marketed to 4-6 year old cause the girls in the movie are still girls that showed short dresses/skirts in high school and the movie itself and high boots, compared to boys of was directed to a pre-teen/teenage the same age who portrayed a realisaudience, but this movie was watched tic image of a police officer, pirate, or (by my then ten year old) younger sis- superhero. ter so many times that she knew the Continued on pg 13

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Fantastic sex blogs: and where to find them Ceileigh Mangalam Contributor like: “how should I effectively perform cunnilingus on my girlfriend?”; “what is the best way to ascertain that my sexual partner is not riddled with STIs?”; “how do I broach the topic of a threesome with my longterm romantic partner?” or; “what in Thanks to the Internet (and its wide the name of all holy orifices is this array of digital self-publishing) there sex toy and how do I use it?” Fortunately, all the answers, or at least are: sex blogs! some very helpful suggestions, are As University students in North just a couple of clicks away.

America, we are privileged with access to an incredible store of digital Of course, the answers to the above information. No small part of the questions are not one-size-fits-all.

World Wide Web is dedicated to sex- Queries like these are multifaceted, ual knowledge, some of which comes and differ from person to person.

However, the only way to gain the in comic format! most accurate answers is to keep Most of you are probably familiar asking questions. One of the best with the hallowed search bars of things about these blogs is that they pornography websites. Porn is of- unfailingly point their readers to ten the first thought of those who their favourite blogs and sex-sources! look for sexual knowledge available Chances are, if you cannot find the on the Internet. However, as explicit answer to your specific question on and fantasy-satisfying as Redtube or one of the blogs listed below, odds Pornhub may be, it is fairly rare that are you will find a list of links that their films feature an after-climax point you in the direction of someone who can!

Q&A with their sweaty stars.

Would not it be great if, instead of relying on your bros’ or girlfriends’ whispered, tipsy tales of sexcapades, there were established places where you could go to read about how to have good sex?

Thorough knowledge about sex also involves more than just self-arousal, which is, after all, porn’s focal point.

Protection, sex accessories, promiscuity, STIs, pregnancy and contraception, positions, communication, comfort, gender, terminology, stimulation, relationships, and consent are just a small sample of the topics covered on blogs dedicated to thoroughly exploring the topic of sex.

www.theath.ca

Written by Erika Moen and her husband, Matthew Nolan, this site answers questions about diverse sexual issues, while reviewing sex accessories and offering stellar webcomicstyle art. It is thoughtful, unassuming, informative, and enjoyable to read.

Venus Envy (venusenvy.ca) I am so pleased to be able to offer something locally-based in this list.

Venus Envy is a bookstore located in downtown Halifax. If you are interested in exploring sex and sexuality, their site is worth visiting. They even have a section of their website entirely dedicated to sex blogs! Additionally, their staff are extremely knowledgeable and willing to help you find exactly what you want to know. If you happen to be in the area, I encourage you to drop in!

The Pervocracy (pervocracy.blogspot.com)

“The Pervocracy is a kinky, feminist sexblog. I write about my experiences as an active member of the BDSM community, a partner in a polyamorous relationship, and an allaround completely horny slut.” That is from the creator’s introduction.

That is pretty much all you need to know. ‘Cliff Pervocracy’ is informative, thorough, and enjoyable to read.

He is also in the middle of a regular Be curious, be inquisitive, and be critique of the BDSM in Fifty Shades insatiable in all senses of the word. of Grey, which requires a lot of critiKeep searching out ever-more-de- cism. tailed explanations, and you will eventually develop some favourite Autostraddle (autostraddle.com) blogs of your own!

A great news and discussion forum Here are my personal recommenda- with a distinctly lesbian and “girltions: on-girl” focus, autostraddle has a lot of eye-opening articles and LOTS of Oh Joy, Sex Toy (ohjoysextoy.com) different types of media to explore.

Sex blogs can answer questions This is my top recommendation. Scarleteen (scarleteen.com) Continued from pg 12

It is in my opinion that women should feel empowered sexually, and should not be shamed for choosing to dress a certain way. However, I am not saying that I agree with the sexualization of Halloween costumes and the pressure on women to wear them.

The question is; what kinds of sexual empowerment are we encouraged to portray? Ones that truly empower us, or ones that reproduce male fantasies of us? I also do not think it is right to criticize a woman for her costume choice. By “slut-shaming” a woman for wearing a revealing costume, we will not overcome sexism as a whole. If there is anything I have

learned during my education it is that we cannot emphasize individual responsibility for resolving larger societal problems.

I am glad that I have experienced wearing the revealing Halloween costume. It shows me that there is a point of tension in what we believe and how we are socialized to act. As women, we should have the freedom to dress how we want to, but I think women need to critically think about their choices. As long as we are aware of the larger issues at hand, we can attempt to make an educated decision. Unfortunately, unlike during the ‘60s and ‘70s when feminism

was a mass social movement and almost impossible to ignore, it is now frequently limited to Women’s Studies classrooms and university settings. For example, until I came to university I had limited knowledge about sexism, my education changed the way I saw myself as a woman, a privilege not made available to many.

If this a problem for grown women, then it is especially alarming for younger girls who have not developed the tools for critical self-reflection, and who are most likely not educated on sexism (unless school curriculums have been updated). They are being marketed visibly age inappropriate,

I have not explored this site too much yet, which is why it is toward the lower end of this list, but what I have read has been fantastically helpful.

This site offers lots of “How-To” and “What-Is-This?” articles, which are jam-packed with helpful information.

Laci Green (youtube.com/user/lacigreen) Let’s not forget our stalwart video interface. Youtube contains tons of useful, informative channels about sexual health. Of course, this resource takes some triaging, as there are also many hurtful and misleading videos (not to mention comments!) on this site. Laci Green’s channel offers lots of fun, accurate discussions about sexuality in the present day, as well as lots of tips about sexual health.

OGLAF (oglaf.com) I cannot resist a good webcomic.

This particular candidate is not really informative, but it is hilarious. For those of you who need a quick pickme-up, this comic offers X-Rated humour paired with medieval culture and warfare.

I should mention here that Acadia University does offer some great sexual resources. Listed below are the websites of organizations at Acadia that are dedicated to improving student sexual health and understanding: The Women’s Centre (theasu.ca/#!womens-centre/cxpu) The Acadia Student Health Clinic (counsel.acadiau.ca/On_Campus_ Health_Services.html) Acadia Pride (theasu.ca/#!acadia-pride/c158) sexualized costume choices that emphasize appearance as their key selling point. For example, a Halloween scarecrow costume description for tween girls on a popular costume website; “No wonder the crows flock to the fields—they want to hang out with this scarecrow cutie!” or for a tween ‘20s flapper costume; “behave any way you want in this Flirty Flapper tween costume.” We may never be able to completely overcome the sexualization and exploitation of women; but how different would the world be if an empowering education were as accessible and encouraged to a young girl/woman as a sexy Halloween costume?

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Close Quarters

of the same size but in a bigger city, it is entirely possible to hookup with someone and never see that person Anonymous again. At Acadia that is not the case, I want to preface this article by stat- here are a few awkward stories: ing that while all of the stories in here are true, they did not all happen to At the start of the semester, I hooked one person. I have written them as up with a girl on a Saturday night. I if they all happened to one person to found out the next Monday that she make it sound believable and for sim- was in my (very small) philosophy plicity. They all happened to some- class. I have since dropped the class, body I know personally–there are for what I say are academic reasons, no stories that involve “a friend of a but if I’m being realistic, are entirely friend”. The stories come from both because I couldn’t “get it up” that males and females, but have been night. reworded so the gender stays consisAt the start of the year last year, I tent throughout. hooked up with a girl I had not met Acadia is a small campus. Unless before. I found out the next day that you have attended another university she lived with my roommate’s girlat some point, it is unlikely that you friend, which was around the same can fully understand the difference time I found out what her name was. between a big university and small university. It is one of Acadia’s selling points in its recruiting. It is one of the things I love about Acadia, as it makes for a very intimate university experience. There are very few classes after second year that are much bigger than fifty people. Most of your professors will know you personally by the end of the semester.

But the small campus can make your university sex life interesting to say the least. It is rare to meet someone with whom you have no mutual friends. So hooking up with someone on any given night can lead to some awkward situations. At any larger university, or even a university

Passion Parties:

Both my roommate and I took girls home one night. In the morning, one of the girls left with the other’s shoes.

It was winter time, so the shoeless girl was stranded at our apartment until the first one returned the shoes.

I now work with the “shoe stealer.”

I hooked up with a girl from the ‘Vil on a Thursday night. She left before any of my roommates saw her. Two days later, one of my roommates went home with the same girl. I now see her around campus just about everyday.

Consider this scenario: You go home

Andie Anderson Contributor

10 dollars. Guests buy the squares and all the money is placed in a jar. At the beginning of the party a die is rolled, and whoever’s square it lands on wins the money to put towards buying a product.

What is a passion party you ask? A passion party is a less-intimidating and more fun way to shop for sex toys.

Passion parties have been around for a while and are hosted regularly in homes all over North America. You can arrange your very own passion party through the website passionparties.com. You simply select your province and city, enter your email address, and the closest consultant will get in contact with you via email.

You then arrange a date, place, and time for your passion party. There is no cost to host a passion party, so the whole arrangement is pretty lowkey, and the consultant takes care of most of the arrangements. The only thing I was asked to do before the consultant arrived was to set up a quick game, where I constructed a board of squares that had a price between 2 and

Being a passion party host also has its perks. As a host you receive a discount on the products the consultant brings, and complimentary gifts are given to the host throughout the party. Guests also have the opportunity to score free products throughout the party by playing games that the consultant facilitates. The games were fun and helped everyone feel more comfortable, encouraging even the more shy guests to come out of their shell. There was also a wide range of products to suit everyone’s tastes. It was not all dildos and handcuffs, there were also massage oils, creams, candles, and other beauty products for the more demure guests in the group. Some highlights included an edible body shimmer, presumably intended to be licked off, that was chocolate-flavored.

There was also a gel that was meant to

not just about the dildos

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with somebody from the ‘Vil on a Thursday night. You leave the next morning knowing this person about as well as you knew them before getting to the ‘Vil (read: not at all).

There is about a 75% chance you will see this person within a week, if not at the ‘Vil, then somewhere around town or school. How does the subsequent conversation play out (if at all)? It likely does not have much substance to it outside of “hi, how are you,” followed by an equally brief response. Now, this is not exactly a problem, but it definitely makes for some awkward situations going forward.

Now, extrapolate any of the above stories out two to three years. How does your relationship with this person work? Do you continue to say hi to them when you see him or her?

Do you pretend not to see or know him or her? Trying to choose between the options can be an interesting decision to say the least, as each one has its own consequences.

least of your worries).

Pretending not to see the person is risky, as it requires you to be sneaky, and see the person before they see you so you can employ whatever method of (intentional) ignorance you choose.

Going to school in a small town is a great thing. Looking back at my decision to come to Acadia, I am indescribably happy that I did not go to a big school. But, there are definitely downsides to living in a small town with a small university. This article is by no means an attempt to discourage hooking up. There are people who want nothing to do with a relationship, and there are others who want nothing to do with hooking up with people. What you do is your choice, and yours alone. So, continue on with your hookups (or whatever you choose to do) and remember that it can lead to awkward situations, especially if the person is in your group of friends.

Continuing to say hi is probably the best option, in my opinion. It is polite, and has little to no downside, outside of the physical burden of speaking one syllable.

For good measure, here is one final story for the road:

be rubbed on the clitoris, which was supposed to enhance sensitivity in the area. We were allowed to try out this product, which many of the girls did, but we were not sure how effective it really was. We later moved on to more intense toys like whips, vibrators, and dildos. The consultant was very informative and would walk us through the products, explaining how to use each item, when to use it (ie. during sex), and if lube was required.

help them to pick out the products that would be the best for them, and this gave guests the opportunity to ask more personal questions they perhaps did not want to share with the rest of the group. The overall response from my guests was very positive and the party was definitely a success.

I woke up the morning after a house party with a girl in my bed. We were both naked. I still have no idea how Pretending not to know the person in far things went. She was in one of my question is probably the worst option groups for a class the next semester. (unless you genuinely don’t remember him or her, in which case posthookup awkwardness is probably the

Some other products to note were a flavored spray to use when giving oral sex, and a special gel to deter your gag reflex when going “downtown”. Who knew there was such a thing? There are also products available for men, like creams to enhance self-pleasure and shave cream. Many of these items we found to be reasonably priced and accessible for the student budget. Vibrators started around thirty dollars, and many of the other toys were under twenty dollars. Each guest also received a one-on-one session with the consultant, which took place in a separate room. The consultant would

Passion parties may seem silly and cheesy, but they are a great way to help people embrace their sexuality.

In a society where sex is often a taboo topic, passion parties offer a private environment where you can learn about what products are available and how they can benefit you and your partner. It is also a great way to bond with your friends, and is a fun event to have in a small town such as Wolfville, where access to these types of items is limited. One of the major reasons for a decline in sexual frequency is bedroom boredom; if you have a partner this can help you take your sexlife up a notch. If you happen to be single, a few toys could allow you take your pleasure, literally, into your own hands.

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Tinder Trauma Victoria Forsey Contributor Tinder (noun): “a substance that burns easily, such as paper or thin sticks of wood, used to light fires” OR as we now define it, in the Urban Dictionary, “A popular dating app for college students used on iPhones and Androids in which you select individual based on your attractiveness to said individual and an individual brief statement. It is pretty much the most shallow thing in the world.” Another definition states “A mobile phone app to get free STDs and other fancy venereal diseases from desperate weirdos around your area.”

I downloaded Tinder in early September after growing tired of having a dry spell of meeting single men. Although I thought that the app was for quick hook ups only, I soon discovered that real relationships can form using the application. The premise of the app, while totally shallow, is easy enough: if you think the person’s profile picture is cute swipe right to start a conversation on the application’s messenger, but if not, swipe left to continue on to the next possible match. Although I have always been super weary of online dating, I was encouraged to try it by friends who were having success with the app. I understood going into it that most people use Tinder just to hook up and have very casual relationships so that was my resolution as well, to just use the app to have some fun and meet new people. This was a whole new approach to relationships for me but I figured that I might as well go out on a limb and see what online dating had in store for me. Although I felt a boost of confidence each time I matched with someone, the excitement at the prospect of meeting new people on a romantic level quickly wore off and was replaced by a little tinge of fear. I would speak to matches but felt like I had to censor what I could talk about.

What if these people did not like the real me? I mean they only swiped right based on my carefully selected profile pictures, what if when they discovered my personality they would be completely turned off from pursuing me further?

Photo Credit: Chase McRobie

date with someone who I had never met and felt like I was walking into some sort of practical joke. I honestly thought that once this guy spotted me in the coffee shop, he would laugh and walk out. To my surprise, that scenario did not happen and although I quickly realized that we did not have much in common, I found myself enjoying the company of someone new. Even though I knew that if I were to meet this guy in any other scenario I would probably roll my eyes at him and walk away, my usual good judgment when meeting new people was a little fogged because of the fact that I felt like this crappy but nonetheless existent ‘relationship’ was the only thing going for me. Having thoughts such as “I might as well keep on hanging out with him even if it is a little painful since this is probably the only guy that will be interested in me for the next eon.” Once we started sleeping together and I discovered that with him I had the best sex since a few years ago, any thought that I had previously like “I do not need this guy, I am a strong independent woman” completely flew out of the window.

What is it about the prospect of romance or at least having regular sex that makes us sacrifice who we are? Is there some part of the brain that erases all of our wits temporarily when we think that there is a chance of connecting with someone on a deeper level? I have come to realize that during my brief days on Tinder, I let go of my judgment because of ‘tinder blinders’. I actually believed that because I When I set up my first date with a was not looking for anything serious, Tinder match, it was a VERY scary it excused my personal belief that I prospect, as I had never gone on a need to be with someone who I feel

emotionally connected with and actu- whatever was on his mind, but come ally enjoyed being around. on! Do not start what you cannot finish. I thought about maybe staying The last time I saw this guy, a few and that maybe ‘round two’ was just weeks after our first date, I finally around the corner but quickly came came to terms with the fact that he to my senses, got dressed, told him I was not the guy for me, even if he was felt like an idiot and stormed out of someone I was just seeing casually. his bedroom. After screaming “FUCK No matter how much his words did YOU!” in the courtyard outside of his not hurt me emotionally, visualizing residence, a very classy moment for steam coming out of my ears and hav- me by the way, and venting to my sising to come up with witty comebacks ter and some friends about what had to him for much of our conversations just happened, I deleted his phone was not my ideal way of spending time. number, tweeted about how empowNot only was I unimpressed with him ered I felt having walked away from a in conversation; his behavior in gen- bad situation and pretty much got over eral was something I was completely it then and there (well, maybe this arbaffled by. He would chirp random ticle is a sign that I am holding on to strangers as we passed them, some- some resentment). thing that I think is a) super immature and b) a waste of energy; he asked me Surprisingly enough, I did not delete if I was on my period pre-coitus (UM, Tinder right away; I kept on playing HELLO? HAVE YOU NEVER HAD and matching with some lookers. UnSEX WITH AN AROUSED WOMAN fortunately, it just made me realize BEFORE?); he made inappropriate how bleak the dating scene is right comments about my lady parts and now as I think I swiped my way out pubic hair; and then the cherry on of the Valley and right into Halifax, top of it all, after he had reached cli- Truro and even NB. Not only did I max and was ‘finished’ having sex, he keep matching with people in difturned the light on and sat at his desk ferent locations, but also, those that to start a Fantasy Hockey Pool. I was clearly had no tact. One match was left feeling confused and very sexually quite charming and it seemed to me dissatisfied. Sure, I was emotionally like things would progress, but when unattached to this guy but someone I brought up the awkward topic of not had never treated me so poorly and being in the same town, he deleted as I always believe the best in people me mid-conversation!

I was so confused as how to act in this situation. He sat at his desk and did After such a poor experience with Tinnot acknowledge me, so when I fi- der, I think I am going to stay far away nally got over my shock at this bizarre from online dating for a while. That behavior, I asked him what the fuck is, until the thought of buying multiple was going on? I remember him saying cats to fill the void of a man in my life that since he had finished he did not crosses my mind. want to deal with me. Sure, maybe he was tired and wanting to get back to

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Pour Some Sugar On Me Laura Jeha Sports Editor Would it not be nice if you could graduate from university debt free, without the weight of student loans and tuition fees weighing on your shoulders, and without distracting yourself from your studies with a part time job? For some university students they have found what seems to be a quick fix in “mutually beneficial” relationships. The students are primarily women seeking “sugar daddies” to help them pay their way through school, and they connect with these affluent men through websites such as Seeking Arrangement. With tuition fees in Nova Scotia being some of the highest in the country, the concept is admittedly, tempting, the question is what price are you willing to pay for your education?

The website takes an upfront and direct approach to romance where members state exactly what they want out of the relationship and how much they are willing to pay for it.

That being said, it is not designed to be a form of disguised prostitution.

The key term the site emphasizes is “relationship”. Kristen Johnson, a public relations manager for Seeking Arrangement explains that, “A prostitute is conducting a transaction with a customer. Our site is a dating website for people seeking a certain type of relationship…most sugar relationships resemble a typical boyfriendgirlfriend type relationship, with an added financial incentive.” The website is free of charge for “sugar babies”, but “sugar daddies” pay from

Acadia Athletics and AVRSB Partnership

$80 a month for a regular membership to $180 for a diamond membership. Most of the women that use the site are either college educated or currently in school, they are not using the website as a substitute to a career of their own. The average age of these women is 27, while the average age of a “sugar daddy” is 39. These “daddies” are in hot demand; there is an 8 to 1 ratio of sugar babies to sugar daddies.

On one side you could think of the arrangement as a scholarship of sorts.

Beauty pageants are competitions where girls are judged on their physical appearance to earn college scholarships, is this much different? Also, what if you genuinely are interested in and attracted to your “sugar daddy”? They could almost be seen as your “friend with benefits”, except this time the payoff is higher than the rush you get from a between-class afternoon romp. One highlight for younger women is that they can avoid questioning the motives the men they meet have; seeking arrangement uses this to advertise their site, stating, “avoid dating games”, as a benefit for using their service. Matches agree on conditions before they meet, Sugar daddies state the financial commitment level, ie: substantial, negotiable etc. that they are willing to make on their profile and what type of relationship they are looking for, sugar babies do the same. The men also post their net worth and annual income. been a great response from the athletes, with 54 athletes already signed up to partake in these visits. The AVRSB has expressed great satisfaction with this level of anticipated involvement as there are forty-three Annapolis Valley schools that will have the potential opportunity to have a visit from a student-athlete. Ultimately, the goal of this partnership is to reach as many AVRSB students as possible, all of which have different backgrounds and will benefit from this opportunity in very different ways.

Jalen Sabean Contributor When you walk into any Annapolis Valley Regional School Board gymnasium you will see a banner displaying Acadia Athletics as a proud partner. The same is true of War Memorial Gymnasium displaying AVRSB as a proud sponsor.

But the way this partnership impacts the community goes well beyond a On Sunday October 5th representatives piece of fabric hanging on the wall, and of both Acadia Athletics and AVRSB came together to train the studentit is only growing stronger. athletes and shed some light on just Over the past month Acadia student- how important this experience is for athletes have been signing up to visit those elementary, junior high, and high schools across the Annapolis Valley school students who get to interact with at all different grade levels. There has the student athletes. Everett MacPher-

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Surprisingly, when browsing through the website, it does not consist of entirely of “dirty old men”, in fact there are “sugar daddies” as young as 21 with profiles on the site. Whether these individuals see Seeking Arrangement as the new Tinder, or just have a hefty trust fund is hard to determine. There are also many filters you can use to find what your looking for, including age height, ethnicity, education, net worth, and if they smoke or drink. On their profile members can go into more detail about what they are looking for.

The profiles range from the creepy: “seeking perfection” to the genuine: “looking for companionship”. Many of the men travel frequently for work and will just meet up with their sugar babies when they are in town. Others are looking for a travel companion to keep their company on their business trips. Often, these men are just looking for some arm candy to help maintain their image.

pictures match your identity. This helps to weed out those who are not who they say they are. “We have had members report other members and get them kicked off the site before,” Kristen says.

son, Supervisor of School Support Services at AVRSB was very vocal at the training in letting the athletes know just how important they are to this process. “You really are superstars in their eyes,” MacPherson told the athletes in attendance. As far as advice for their trips to the school he said “Be yourself, you have to be a super role model to do what you’re doing.”

the two parties are working hard to find ways to improve the already successful initiative. When athletes attended the schools last year they provided the students with free tickets to Axemen or Axewomen games of their choice, which will continue to be a big hit. Last year over 2,000 of the ticket vouchers given out were redeemed at Acadia games.

When the student-athletes make their school visits they will be engaging in a variety of activities, tailored to what is requested by the principal of each individual school. This will provide for some unique experiences for each athlete as they will not just be showing their athletic abilities, but also engage in some deep conversations with the students about a variety of subjects. While this is not the first year that these visits have been performed,

While it was great to see the athletes being educated about their reach in the community, this story is just the beginning. Keep an eye out for many future articles which will reflect on the types of visits that are taking place, including feedback from the Acadia studentathletes as well as the AVRSB students regarding how they feel about this experience. It is certainly an incredible partnership, and one that deserves the exposure.

The concept of “sugar daddies” and “sugar babies” almost seems like a step backwards in regards to feminism. Are we not constantly being told that women are strong, independent, and can be their own breadwinners? By pursuing a “sugar daddy” you may be pushed to perform sexual favours you do not want to do. Also, what will these women do when their “sugar daddy” money runs out, and they can no longer maintain the lifestyle they have become accustomed to? On the other hand, it can be argued that these women are being resourceful in harnessing their sexuality to help them achieve their goals. Some women also use their “daddies” as mentors, and to help them make business connections.

So the match is made, the rules are Perhaps these women just need a set, what could go wrong? First of little leg up on their journey to being all, prospective sugar babies should successful businesswomen. proceed with caution; roughly 40% of the men that use Seeking Arrange- Clearly the idea of “sugaring” is catchment are married, and are essentially ing on fast. The search “How to Get just seeking mistresses. By meeting a Sugar Daddy” on About.com has and going on dates with these men had over 60 million visitors. There you are also making yourself pretty are also tutorials and blogs online all vulnerable, with little protection but about how to become a “sugar baby”. your intuition. Seeking Arrangement In the battle of romance versus capidoes have a few security measures in talism, capitalism is coming out on place to ensure the safety of its us- top. The number of students using ers, but they “rely heavily on mem- Seeking Arrangement has more than bers reporting any suspicious activ- doubled in the past year, and there ity”, says Kristen. The site offers are currently 1 million students using background checks on all its’ mem- Seeking Arrangement worldwide, I bers, and also uses a program called suspect as tuition rates rise, so will Verified by Cam that makes sure your the number of aspiring sugar babies.

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