THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2020 STUDENT MEDIA
‘
e ff i D
f o l s o d v n i e k ’ t n re FILE
Parker McCollum will perform Feb. 14 and 15 at Hurricane Harry’s.
Love on the dance floor McCollum, Gilbert, Baker to perform in College Station Valentine’s weekend Photo art by Kaylee Cogbill — THE BATTALION
LGBTQ+ Pride Center coordinator Tori Jackson said there is a lack of representation not just of the LGBTQ+ community, but also in racial and ethnic varieties when celebrating love.
LGBTQ+ community gives their take on Valentine’s Day, commercial representation of the heteronormative holiday By Julia Potts @juliaapotts
T
he age-old romantic holiday of Valentine’s Day is now an all-encompassing celebration of love. Feb. 14 has many constants: cheesy cards, cute stuffed animals, overpriced flowers and — everyone’s favorite — crappy chocolate. However, there are some new,
refreshing qualities to Valentine’s Day, such as recognition of the LGBTQ+ community. Tori Jackson, LGBTQ+ Pride Center coordinator, said there is a present lack of representation in commercial aspects of Valentine’s Day and other holidays as well. “I think there’s probably a lot of variation on how the LGBTQ+ community thinks about and feels about how Valentine’s Day is portrayed,” Jackson said. “I think there’s a lack of media representation across the board for all holidays.” Jackson said there is not only a lack of LGBTQ+ representation in advertisements, but also an insufficient amount of racial and ethnic variation. They said the media should progress to show more variety, especially with respect to a holiday celebrating love. “There’s definitely room for improve-
By Shelby McVey @shelbyxbreann
ment,” Jackson said. “I think not just being white couples, that’s a big thing. Media tends to represent [white couples] predominantly instead of a mixed one, whatever the couple’s gender, sexual orientation. That could be an improvement of there being a variety of different races and ethnicities. Again, showing same-sex couples, aromantic or asexual romances would also be a big improvement.” Fransisca Marini, outreach and programming librarian curator with Cushing Library, has worked closely with the LGBTQ+ groups on campus. She said she thinks the amount of coverage for the LGBTQ+ community is improving. “It’s better than it used to be, but we have to do more,” Marini said. “I see more
The old wooden stage in Hurricane Harry’s has seen a few legendary performances since its debut in the ‘90s. From matchups of Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen to hosting Cody Johnson before he made it to Nashville, the bar and dancehall has been ear-marked as a milestone in the careers of Texas country music artists. With a reputation to uphold, it’s not uncommon to see Hurricane Harry’s pull out all the stops to ensure a rowdy crowd. Valentine’s Day weekend is sure to be no different. Parker McCollum and opener Grant Gilbert will roll into College Station on Feb. 14 to play for a sold-out crowd at Hurricane Harry’s. After selling out the venue only weeks after announcing the show, the venue catered to McCollum’s fans by announcing a second date on Feb. 15, this time with Hayden Baker kicking the night off. Fresh off three dates on Miranda Lambert’s
LGBTQ+ ON PG. 2
PARKER ON PG. 2
Kaylee Cogbill — THE BATTALION
On Feb. 11 DRAGgieland protestors held a banner in Academic Plaza and asked for signatures on their petition to stop the drag show in Rudder Theatre.
Kaylee Cogbill — THE BATTALION
Women gather to celebrate friendship on the growing holiday known as Galentine’s Day.
DRAGgieland sparks protest Ladies celebrating ladies Students petition against on-campus drag show citing core values, morality By Brady Stone and Julia Potts @bradystonex & @juliaapotts On Sunday, Feb. 9, a petition was started on Change.org to stop DRAGgieland, a Feb. 19 event showcasing drag queens, kings and other similar performers. Since its introduction, the petition has received over 1,500 signatures. The petition states: “This event, funded by the university, contradicts the A&M core values, especially respect and excellence. The dress and actions of these performers are disrespectful to women, with men portraying women as objects of sexual exploitation for the entertainment of the student body. The actions of this event do not promote excellence of the student body, but instead foster a climate of degradation.”
Political science junior Brendan Cassell said he started the petition with the president of Texas A&M’s chapter of The Knights of Columbus and TFP Student Action to show that some members of the student body do not support this event and would like for it to be stopped. “We’re not saying that the people putting on DRAGgieland don’t have a right to put on the show — of course they do,” Cassell said. “As students who uphold ourselves to a certain standard, we just want to make it clear that not all of us support [DRAGgieland].” DRAGgieland protesters petitioned and held a banner in Academic Plaza on Feb. 11. One of the protestors, electronic systems engineering technology sophomore Erin McBride, said free speech is different from showing off people’s bodies in a way that is “inappropriate” and “doesn’t support chastity.” “I believe people have the right to do what DRAGGIELAND ON PG. 5
Pseudo-holiday turned staple continues to gain prominence By Shelby Smith @Shelbysmith867 Valentine’s Day, a holiday traditionally dedicated to romantic love, has been celebrated for centuries. More recently, however, a spin-off of this tradition celebrating platonic love between female friends has gained popularity. Galentine’s Day, which celebrates the beauty of female community and friendship, began as total fiction. The concept first appeared in a 2010 episode of “Parks and Recreation,” where Leslie Knope, the show’s main character, gathers her female friends and celebrates their relationships on Feb. 13. The idea has since become a wildly popular reality and is growing in participation each year. Now, women around the world gather on
REGISTER
NOW! www.blinn.edu
Spring 12 Week Courses Beginning Feb. 17
n
blinnbound@blinn.edu
or around Valentine’s Day to commemorate their bond. Ashley Justynski, a graduate assistant at the Texas A&M Women’s Resource Center, said Galentine’s Day has gone far beyond its sitcom beginnings because of the all-inclusive nature of the celebration centered around appreciating those who support you. “Even people who don’t watch the show have started to celebrate it because it’s such a great holiday,” Justynski said. “To me, this day is all about celebrating my friends.” Langley Pembleton, journalism sophomore, said evolving societal norms might be the catalyst behind this pseudo-holiday’s rapid growth and popularity. “I think the idea of empowering women to love themselves and be confident without a relationship has a lot to do with it,” Pembleton said. “You don’t need a Valentine to have fun. You just need your fellow girls.” Celebrating the love of friendship and the GALENTINES ON PG. 2
Courses that fit your schedule. Tuition that fits your budget.