Rearraging the Alphabet: The LGBT In-Depth PAGE 8
In the Hands of Another 2
NEWS
The Chariot brings to light the problem of human trafficking, how to stay safe and what to look out for By Olivia Perron// Website Editor-in-Chief
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Human trafficking has been a fear in the back of some people’s minds. From a young age, individuals are told to always stick together, never wander off. In recent years, human trafficking fear has increased. “Human trafficking is often referred to as modern day slavery,” the Oakland County webportal on human trafficking said. “It is a multi-billion dollar criminal industry that denies freedom to over 20 million people around the world.” No matter male or female, human trafficking can happen to anyone, at anytime, at almost any location: malls, parking garages, concerts, parks, etc. Some people find that they have to change some of their daily lives in order to feel more safe when going out. For senior Laila Khan, she found herself in the middle of a human trafficking scam. While at Somerset mall, Khan was approached by a couple. After speaking to them, she was able to walk away without harm. Khan talks about what to be aware of when in the situation
she was in. “If anybody comes up to you talking about ‘the light,’ the name ‘mother’ or how God ‘sees you,’ it is a scam and a ploy to get you alone or get your information,” Khan said. “It’s always a group of people
If anybody comes up to you talking about ‘the light,’ the name ‘mother’ or how God ‘sees you,’ it is a scam and a ploy to get you alone or get your information.” Senior Laila Khan and mainly a man and a woman will come up to you and start talking about how God sees you and your light. They do this to mark you and the group of people they are with
will stand close by. Try not to be alone when in the mall, especially not in the parking lots or garages.” As for junior Lilianna Giuffrida, she doesn’t alter her habits specifically based on the risk of human trafficking, but she does it to better her general safety when going out. “If I’m out at night, I try to park near lights just in case,” Giuffrida said. “My parents set a curfew and I have GPS apps on my phone so that someone knows where I am. I don’t like places where there isn’t a lot of light.” Based off the Human Trafficking Hotlines website, as of June 30, 2019 Michigan had 172 reports by that date in 2019 and 383 reports of human trafficking for the year 2018. Since 2007, there have been about 1,676 cases of human trafficking in Michigan. When given the information about Michigan’s stance on the human trafficking issue, sophmore Rachel Clark didn’t just think about herself in an unsafe situation.
“It makes me want to make sure that I keep myself and others safe by letting people know and just make sure people know how to keep themselves safe,” Clark said. Written in a Detroit Free Press article on human trafficking, Ted Docks, the leading FBI agent out of Michigan, talks about one way human trafficking can start. “The Internet has connected people with perpetrators they may never have met otherwise, and allowed
a fact-based article published on International Labor Association estimates that internationally there are between 20 million and 40 million people in modern slavery or human trafficking today. The average age a teen is put into the Human trafficking ring in the US is 12 to 14 years old. An estimated 71 percent of enslaved people are women and girls, while men and boys ac-
perpetrators to reach into small towns they may never have visited,” Docks said. Statistical information from
count for 29 percent. The risk is out there for anyone. “It is a very relevant and pressing issue in our lives, way more than we would like to think,” Khan said.
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NEWS
The Story of History Rewritten The Chariot examines the political biases in two THS American history textbooks in comparison to Texas and California’s. By Kaitlyn Piggott // Print Editor-in-Chief The New York Times released an article on Jan. 12, 2020 examining American History textbooks produced by the same authors in two states: California and Texas. For the most part, their findings were as follows: While the facts were presented in both, Texas textbooks tended to agree more with republican ideology, whereas California had details aligning more with their state’s democratic ideals. So, The Chariot pulled out Troy High’s American History textbooks and thus began the debate of whether the story of history should follow political biases. History Teacher Gordon Gibbons says there is no way to eliminate biases, but has a theory as to why these books may vary. “Undoubtedly politics plays a role in writing history textbooks,” Gibbons said. “Within a state, the state government decides what version of history is taught. Various political actors have a vested interest in pushing a particular narrative since it furthers their own political agenda.” In addition, Massachusetts History Teacher Deborah Grady believes textbooks differ because of different publishers. Her classroom uses “The American Nation,” published in 2003 by Holt Publishers. She believes history is important to understanding people. “I think as you study history you begin to see that you know all the very different societies, how they work and how they didn’t,” Grady said. “I think the more you study history, the more you get to see the differences, [and] there’s a lot of similarities across society so you get to see that too.” Since Michigan is considered a purple state, a state where the politics are often some parts left and some parts right, it should fall somewhere
in the middle of the political spectrum. The Chariot examined two American History textbooks: The one the history classes currently use and the history textbook that circulated out two years ago. The last class to use the “old” textbook was the class of 2020 in their sophomore year. These textbooks were different. Like Gibbons noted, the new textbook generally has more representation of minority groups and females. This leads to more in-depth information, but also more critiques of events and people. One of the differences The New York Times reported was the California textbook annotated the Second Amendment, which includes the hotly debated right to bear arms, while the Texas textbook declined to have a notation. Both the “old” and the “new” American History textbooks at THS lack an annotation of this amendment, like the Texas textbook, despite having an interpretation on the first, third, fourth and fifth amendment on the same page. The violence post-Civil War is also depicted differently in each of the textbooks. California’s textbook brings up how newly-freed African Americans fell victim to lynching
from notorious hate groups as a way to prevent Black men from participating in poltics, but this small detail is non-existant in both the “new” THS and Texas textbook. While both textbooks discuss the fact that violence ensued, neither give a straight-forward answer as to why it occurred. The “new” textbook says, for the most part, white southerners were angry for loss of political power and economic stagnation and “most white southerners swallowed whatever resentment they felt over African American suffrage and participation in government.” Although, in the following paragraph, it talks through the violence African Americans faced, unlike its older counterpart which says these illegal acts were done to prevent blacks from voting. Enter suburbia, the era often called “White Flight,” where thousands of white Americans left their homes in cities like Detroit to live in the suburbs. Each textbook deals with this era slightly differently. California specifies that whites were wanting to get away from culturally-diverse regions, such as the cities, similar to the “new” textbook from THS saying “[whites] isolated themselves
from other races and classes.” The “old” textbook from THS strictly states the fact that this movement occurred. Texas’ book brings up the crime and congestion with being associated with a big city. As part of diversifying the narrative, the “new” textbook cited Wong Kim Ark, a man who took his case to the Supreme Court in 1898 in an effort to grant the children born to Chinese immigrants in the United States citizenship yet, the “old” and Texas’ textbook lack any mention of Wong Kim Ark’s legacy. All four books devoted pages for the economic and artistic boom of the Harlem Renaissance; the only one to disprove the importance of the period was the Texas textbook, saying “some, for example, dismissed the quality of literature during the period.” Similar to Texas, the “old” textbook seemed to glorify capitalism giant Andrew Carnegie, unlike California which criticized the poor environmental impact of Carnegie’s Standard Oil Company. The American History textbooks at Troy High span from Reconstruction to the date of publication. This may be why both the “new” and the “old”
textbooks dedicate one section to slavery within the United States in one of the review chapters. History is a story and there are sides to every story. Overall, the results The Chariot found aligned with their “purple” political biases. Gibbons urges students to note the biases they are reading or hearing. “[Teachers attempt] to be as neutral as possible,” Gibbons said. “Being careful to present both sides of an issue when appropriate, and playing ‘devil’s advocate’ to any student position are commonly used. A teacher can lay bare the bias in the textbook or their own position, allowing the students to acknowledge it and draw conclusions. By being open to their opinion, the students can get practice separating bias from fact.” Gibbons weighs in on how the textbooks should be written. “The only way to successfully write [the textbooks] is by committee, and with peer review,” Gibbons said. “There is no way to totally eliminate bias, or political influence totally, but by assembling a diverse team of experts, one could create a balanced textbook. Unfortunately, writing by committee usually means a book that lacks any sort of controversy, interest, point of view, and will ultimately satisfy no-one.” History spans millennials with millions of events, groups, and people. This is one textbook, in one class of high school. The story of history is never complete and never perfect because no story is ever really perfect. Whether or not the textbooks are written the way students need or want them to be or whether or not it aligns with their own biases and preconceptions, the story of history has biases and students need to keep this in mind when reading any history textbooks.
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Features
Divided on Diversity
Students disagree on the role of race in politics as Andrew Yang makes history as the first Asian American candidate in the 2020 election By Murryum Farooqi // Body Copy Editor When the 2020 presidential elections kicked off late last year, the American populace was met with candidates like Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump and Joe Biden. With this, the typical status quo category of older white male candidates was filled. One category that hasn’t ever been filled until the 2020 election, however, was the Asian American category. Entrepreneur and 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang broke the status quo as the first Asian American to run for president of the United States. Both his policy plans — for example, his plan to give everyone over the age of 18 $1,000 a month — and his race have made an impact on many people. In a New York Times article, John Chiang, the former state treasurer of California, explained why the perspective many have of Asian Americans may contribute to their underrepresentation in government. “So often, Asians aren’t viewed as leaders but they are viewed as competent,” Chiang said. The Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies provides statistics on the disparity between Asian population and representation in government. “In the United States House and Senate, Asian Americans made up 3 percent of leadership on the federal level. This is a severe underrepresentation, compared to the 5.6 percent of the total U.S. population,” APAICS said. For senior Richard Li, race should never be considered in politics. “I think that racial diversity is stupid,” he said. “Intellectual diversity is what I care about. If you’re just gonna say my opinion is more valid because I have more melanin in my skin, I don’t see how that’s an argu-
ment.” Sophomore Harrison Snow
I think that racial diversity is stupid. Intellectual diversity is what I care about.” Senior Richard Li
disagrees with Li and explains why he doesn’t see intellectual diversity and racial diversity as mutually exclusive. He believes they both have equal value in government. “We’ve [had a predomi-
nantly white and male government] for 200 years and it doesn’t work, because what ends up happening is minorities get ignored,” Snow said. “If not everyone is represented, then not everyone is going to have someone standing up for them, and that’s how rights get trampled.” Junior Sidharth Rao agrees with Snow that racial diversity is key in government, however he has one qualm. “As long as they don’t make [race] their defining characteristic,” he said. Junior Om Shah explains the importance of a child of immigrants, like Yang, running for president. “Yang has reduced the social stigma of immigrants and children of immigrants in pol-
itics, which is a huge deal for me, personally, as a child of
I feel like for minorities … they’d definitely be empowered to [run for office].” Junior Sidharth Rao
immigrants myself,” he said. Li, on the other hand, detailed why to him as an Asian American, the race of a politician doesn’t have any kind of personal impact on him.
Photo by Murryum Farooqi
Junior Sidharth Rao thinks race is an important part of politics.
“It doesn’t really affect me in the sense I’m like ‘Oh wow there’s an Asian now I feel empowered,’” he said. “ I’m just glad to see that there’s somebody out there that is actually putting out genuine ideas, regardless of whether or not I agree with them.” Rao expressed the opposite sentiment, explaining how seeing a minority run for president of the United States has a much larger effect on minorities than many people might think. “I feel like for minorities … they’d definitely be empowered to [run for office],” Rao said. Regarding the media’s many slip-ups with Yang such as muting his mic during a debate, leaving him out on polls and displaying a picture of the wrong person above his name, Li, Shah, Snow and Rao all agree that his race was not a factor. Rather, they attribute the so-called “media blackout” to Yang’s lack of name recognition and unorthodox campaign talking points, at least for the Democratic party. “ The [Democratic National Committee] is behind it,” Rao said. “They want someone like Biden … someone who’s well known, unlike Yang who’s a [lesser] known politician and businessman from New York.” At the end of the day, Shah believes that regardless of whether or not Yang wins, and regardless of what his policies are, the fact that an Asian American is running for President is a huge milestone. “Although Andrew Yang is the son of Chinese immigrants, he’s made a profound effect on all communities, not just his,” he said. “ [Minorities] feel that a lot of their issues regarding race have finally been heard through his candidacy.”
Features
Crosstown Rivarly
Troy High and Athens students discuss the rivarly and the culture, as well as their own respective traditions, at their school By Kaitlyn Piggott // Print Editor-in-Chief It’s a love-to-hate scenario. Between the two schools, they each are constantly competing. It’s normal: the two major high schools in the same city, arguing over which sports team is better, which school has smarter students, which school does more for the community, which one is just better. The rivalry, the “this side of town” vs. “that side of town,” has been engraved in students’ minds since they first enter their respective school. The students though, all live in Troy’s borders, in a school district striving to be “One Troy,” so one has to examine what the opposing school has to offer. For those living on the east side of Rochester Road, the Troy Athens side, there is a welcoming atmosphere where many students know each other in the hallways. There is a spirit week with changing themes and an eventfilled charity week. With an assortment of assemblies and plays, Athens brings the school pride together. There’s Substitute Teacher Ken Harten, who sings during class. There’s also the fact that the school has little win-
dows, in comparison to their counterpart, which most students say isn’t a big deal. Jonah Botardo, a sophomore at Athens, says the teachers at Athens are important to making the school the way it is.
limited to, ice skating, jazzercise, penny wars, t-shirt sales, jail out—students give money to have their teachers get“jailed” and cannot teach— and the charity dance. “It’s a nice week full of fun
“There’s many great teachers that care and like to have fun with the students, which makes learning subjects way easier and more fun,” Botardo said. Jack Smith, a student at Athens who wishes to remain anonymous, would like Troy High students to know that the people at Athens are really nice, nicer than he thinks most Troy High students believe. “The people [make Athens different],” Smith said. “There’s a lot less judging and it feels like everyone can be friends with anyone.” There’s also Charity Week, a crucial part of Athens’ culture. In 2019, the school raised over 155,000 dollars for FOCUS Detroit, a charity reaching out to children living in poverty and giving them an education, making 2019 the third consecutive year that Athens raised over 100,000 dollars for their charity.The school hosted events including, but not
events,” Smith said. “I know other schools do their own charity week, but no school can do it like Athens does.” Bortardo says that it is fun competing against Troy High because there are friendships across town, which leads to a good perspective on Troy High. “We’re all in the same community and should help each other out because we’re all trying to achieve the same thing,” Bortado said. Then there’s the west side of Rochester Road, the Troy High side; Science Teacher John Morrison’s “Wahoos” and a rallying group of boys carrying a deer head with fading fur make an impact on the school. There is an annual dodgeball game where students compete against their favorite teachers for charity. At Troy High, there is an atmosphere where intelli gence shines. Within the perimeter, there is a grand stair-
case and a never-ending hallway leading to strong theatre, choir, band and orchestra programs. For junior Melina Bryant, the people are important to the school. “The students here are really nice and the teachers are really good,” Bryant said. “I feel like we get a lot of opportunities.” Bryant says Troy High’s large population plays a role in how people view the school. She also believes Troy High students aren’t that different from their cross-town rivals. “We all go to the mall a lot,” she said. “We all grew up in different middle schools, but [it’s pretty much] the same. I would say we [have an accurate depiction].” Jacob Augustine, an Intro-
ership, I think both have established departments and create department chairs who do a good job of bringing along new teachers and the students are both great,” Augustine said. While they are in the same region, Augustine does believe the two schools lack an understanding of what goes on in the other. “I think we tend to have extremist views [of what goes on in the other school],” Augustine said. He says that because people are told something repetivly, it might make an inaccurate depiction, but he has advice for everyone.
ductory Physics teacher at both Troy High and Athens, sees the similarities and differences between the two schools. “I think [there is] a little bit more culture of learning and achievement at Troy High, where maybe a little bit more culture of self awareness and community is at Athens,” Augustine said. “Now, that’s not saying one school doesn’t have the other, but I think that’s maybe where the focus lies a little bit more.” He also sees the similiatries. “I think both have excellent lead-
“I think everyone’s pretty much the same,” he said. “Maybe you have some shared experiences that are a little bit different, just because we have the same teacher we have the same curriculum; but students are students, adults are adults, teachers are teachers, and almost everyone’s the same, more so than they’d like to admit.” So whether or not the schools have an accurate depiction of the other, everyone is in the same city. Here’s to One Troy.
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Features
Are Memes Really That Funny?
While most memes can bring many people together through humor, some students say memes originate from serious topics By Andy DeGrand // Staff Writer Many students are familiar with the short-form video hosting service called Vine and its six-second looping videos. After Vine was shut down on Jan. 17, 2017, many students turned to memes for entertaining content. According t o
Merriam-Webster, a meme is “an amusing or interesting item (such as a captioned picture or video) or genre of items that is spread widely online, especially through social media.” Often, it is a remix or parody of popular images and videos. Junior Abby Rizk, who uses social media apps like Twitter and Tumblr to see memes everyday, has her own definition of a meme. “[A meme is] something that makes fun of something that’s going on, either in the world or just something funny,” Rizk said. “I use me-
mes when I want to be funny or make fun of something.” Many students may also agree that sometimes memes can go too far, but junior Elizabeth Robb says memes can stem from a variety of sources. “Memes can be a serious topic turned into a joke,” Robb said. “Although sometimes memes aren’t always about serious topics. I feel like a meme is just an image with words or a moving picture that is supposed to be light-hearted.” Rizk, Robb and junior Sarah Godoy all agree that sometimes people don’t know when a meme ceases to be funny.
“I guess some people just go too far when they’re joking, but they don’t know when to stop,” Godoy said. In 2017, Harvard kicked out 10 accepted students because of the inappropriate memes they shared in a group chat with other students accepted to Harvard. Within a week of the screenshotted messages being passed around, Harvard sent letters notifying 10 of the 100 students in the group
chat that the university had withdrawn their offers of acceptance. Robb believes that people can go too far because of how certain situations make someone feel. “I feel like when someone feels uncomfortable or scared in a certain situation, they might use memes or jokes to make themselves feel better or lighten up the mood,” Robb said. Many students, including Godoy, Rizk and Robb agree that serious topics can turn into memes. “Like the WWIII memes, it’s a pretty serious and even scary subject, but there are so many memes about it and I feel like it’s to lighten the mood,” Robb said. “But sometimes, it’s best to stay behind the line before someone gets offended.”
Graphics by Emy Galustyan
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Features
Relationship Gone, Lingering Pain During the holiday of love, students weigh in on the difficulty of getting over a relationship breakup vs. a friendship breakup By Kaitlyn Piggott // Print Editor-in-Chief It’s a breakup. It is severed, no communication, that’s supposed to be the point. Yet, they still pull out their phone and scroll through old pictures, still rack their brains to figure out how to get it back to how it was. Maybe there are tears, maybe not, but it will never be the same. It doesn’t matter really, a breakup is a breakup. There will always
suggestion that men are more likely to see their significant other as their close friend. This
genre to pump the listener up once the relationship comes about a n d
really cared about, maybe a relative maybe a close friend,” Stout said. For sophomore Morg a n
Its just heartbreak either way.” be pain, whether the relationship is romantic or platonic. The pain is different, though; it leaves a different impact. Yes, the impact of a breakup is mostly circumstantial and varies by person, but there may be a general trend. A recent study by Wiley Online Library shows 75 percent of men’s closet friends are women, which may lead to t h e
Junior Maria Croci
in turn, would make men more likely to attribute romantic breakups to be more painful than friendship breakups. Senior Robert Stout supports this theory. “I think a romantic partner [is harder to get over] because most romantic partners start off as pretty close friends and if they don’t start off as close friends, they become one because you guys are around each other so often,” Stout said. “So when you lose a romantic part- n e r , you’re losing both the romantic side a n d the friendship side so it’s both of them combined.” For romantic relationships, there are plenty of songs in every
enough to express what it feels like when it ends. The media is intrigued by the hardships of getting over someone loved, but friendship breakups aren’t expressed in the same way as romantic breakups. Stout says there are less songs depicting friendship breakups than romantic ones. “[I like] the songs that do focus more on just being close to somebody, it doesn’t necessarily have to
be a r o mantic relationship, it may just be someone that you
Kneale, like Stout, she believes romantic partners are harder to get over, yet the person in the situation plays an important role. She says that in romantic relationships, people are invested in each other and have more commitment. Kneale says that while she was in a romantic relationship she
Graphic by Kaitlyn Piggott
sought happiness within it; she accounts this is different from friendship because she doesn’t rely upon her friends in the same way. “I think there are more expectations to hang out as a group and drama is more likely to happen rather than it’s just you and a friend,” Kneale said. “But romantic, it seems like it’s a big deal, everyone needs to know about it and it’s all insane when someone breaks up.” Like Kneale, junior Maria Croci believes romantic partners take more commitment to uphold than friendships. “I’d actually s a y r o mant i c partners [take more commitment] because you have to m a k e sure you’re in c o m m u - nication and und e r s t a n d one another and if somebody has an issue [you have to] really work through that, whereas I feel like friends just kind of get each other more,” Croci said. Croci, unlike Kneale, thinks close friends are harder to get over. “I feel like you share a lot more memories and usually friendships last a lot longer than I would say high school relationships,” Croci said. “I went through one myself in ninth grade and I lost one of my really best friends and that was just really hard. I think it’s a lot harder than a romantic breakup will ever be.” Most people would agree there is hurt when a relationship fizzles. “There’s a lot of memories and connections [in relationships],” Crocri said. “It’s just heartbreak either way.”
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In-Depth
Rearranging the Alphabet The LGBT community is a controversial topic, here are the facts, history and an illustration of what the community is today By Andy DeGrand // Staff Writer AJ Kowalak // Staff Writer
“We’re not gonna sneeze on your children and make them shake a stick at God,” freshman Cate Deller said. “Just because your kid is gay, trans, bi, doesn’t mean that they are a bad person. I don’t see [being lesbian] any different as being straight; girls are just cute, you know?” To many students, the LGBT community is like its own alphabet, each letter representing a different sexual orientation or identity. L is for lesbian, G is for gay, B is for bisexual, T is for transgender and there is much more. While lesbian refers to a woman who is attracted to other women, the term “gay” has a number of meanings. Most often used to describe a man who is attracted to other men, it is also sometimes used to refer to all people who are attracted to people of the same sex. Even bisexual people, who are attracted to people of the same gender and people of other genders, sometimes use the term “gay” as a self-chosen label. Junior Brianne Boyer is bisexual and wants people to know that she’s not confused. “I am attracted to males
and females,” she said. “Just because I’m in a straight relationship doesn’t mean I’m not bi anymore.” Senior Tomas D’aoust echoes Boyer on the harmful stereotypes, such as the “gay best friend” which comes from different romantic comedies starting in the 80s. “I always tell my friends, I’m your best friend and I’m gay, I’m not your ‘gay best friend,’” D’aoust said. There are so many different sexualities in the LGBT community, but there are also different genders. Being transgender describes people whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. To a lot of students, it might sound confusing because it differs from sexual orientation, but it can be simple. “Gender identity is something that’s a little bit shaky when it comes to the [LGBT] community,” senior Leo Peck said. “There’s a lot of controversy, but to me it’s just my gender. It’s as natural as walking is. I’ve just been a man.” Many students can agree that acceptance of the LGBT community is continuously im-
proving, but it wasn’t always like that. In June 1969, a routine police raid on a suspected gay bar in Greenwich Village New York, ended in one of the most influential riots of the late 1960s. Stonewall Inn was owned by the mafia and catered to lesbians, drag queens, male prostitutes and transgender people. Stonewall Inn ended up in flames, which ignited a revolution of gay pride that still exists today with pride parades around the world. The LGBT community is one of the newest civil rights movements around the world, with many countries still not recognizing people of the LGBT community. While the United States legalized gay marriage in 2015, there are still strides the country can take at being more accepting. “In eighth grade people would judge me a lot because I had short hair and I wore a lot of suits and plaid flannel to school,” Boyer said. Many students know what the LGBT community is, a community between lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender people and much more, but for
Photos by AJ Kowalak and Andy DeGrand and graphics by Kaitlyn Piggott
people in the community like D’aoust and Peck, it means so much more than that. “It’s a lot of discourse, but I like it,” Peck said. “It’s a good place if you’re just starting out. It’s like a family if you don’t have one.” Sophomore Declan Mallaney also agrees saying that it’s somewhere he can be himself and feel safe. “[The community] is a really accepting place for the most part and to me it’s a place where I can be myself in pretty much every way,” Mallaney said. “I just feel safe.” Although Mallaney and Peck say the community is a great place, D’aoust appreciates the normalness. “Even though our community may seem amazing we also have normal problems,” D’aoust said. Michigan is one of many states in the United States that permits legal discrimination of the LGBT community. Out individuals risk being fired from their jobs or evicted from their homes. This discrimination doesn’t just exist in the working world. “Sometimes when I have
my extreme looks, I’m afraid to go into the boys bathroom and stuff and when I was still not out, I was really afraid of the boys locker rooms,” D’aoust said. “I felt the most unprotected in those areas.” Not everyone is out of the closet and not everyone has the same experience coming out. “Coming out is a very personal thing,” Mallaney said. “If you don’t feel comfortable or safe doing it, then don’t do it.” For someone still in the closet, Boyer suggests finding someone you’re comfortable telling and approaching them first. “Find someone you can trust that is out of the closet and talk to them about how you can come out,” Boyer said. “Sometimes parents make it very difficult.” D’aoust has something a little different to say. “No matter how you’re feeling or if other people are going to pass judgement, it doesn’t matter in the end because you’re in charge of yourself,” D’aoust said. “The hardest part is not accepting other people’s decisions, it’s accepting you for who you are.”
In-Depth
Representation or Fetishization?
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Students discuss whether the media is depicting the LGBT community correctly or over-sexualizing By Rory Knauss // Staff Writer As time goes on and the internet begins to show more content, members of the LGBT community appearing in the media is
In The Media
becoming more common. This representation, however, is not always positive. Many young people are familiar with games and apps which cut to advertisements that feature illustrated couples, often same-sex individuals, engaging in risque acts. It is unclear whether to be open to this new side of the media, or to resent them as fetishization. Freshman Alysa Brown criticizes fetishization. “I don’t think being part of the LGBT community is something you should
TV is representing LGBT members By Manny Al-Nsour // Staff Writer Chloe Collins // Digital Content Editor In recent years, LGBT representation in the media has been found few and far between. While there is some inclusion in TV, movies and books, most are minor roles and are meaningless to the story line. Many viewers believe characters are often treated poorly, portrayed incorrectly or end in a tragic way. On the other hand, there are some shows and movies that portray the community well and fairly. “Orange is the New Black,” a Netflix drama, is an example of positive representation of members of the LGBT community in the media. The show is about a women’s minimum security correctional facility. Many of the characters are members of the LGBT community, and the show displays real life scenarios without romanticizing or overly sexualizing the content. “The Fosters,” a television show on ABC Family that aired for five years and ended in 2018, shows LGBT relationships in a pretty positive light as well. The show consists of two mothers raising a family together. Their daughter, Callie Jacob, dates a trans man named Aaron, whose gender identity isn’t brought up unless absolutely necessary. One international show that depicts LGBT experiences is
the Norwegian Web series “Skam,” which has now been adapted all around the world. The series shows all types of issues that teens face; this includes coming out to friends and families. In the original series, characters Isak Vlaterson and Even Bech Næsheim are two teenagers who are both struggling with their sexuality in their own way. With the third season revolving mostly around Isak, the viewer gets an inside look into the extremely realistic life of a teenage boy trying to accept himself. Many shows have influenced LGBT viewers and included LGBT characters of their own, but many of them have been treated unfairly. Originally a book by Kass Morgan, the TV series “The 100,” which airs on The CW, formerly treated their LGBT characters poorly. Alycia Debnam-Carey’s gay character Commander Lexa was killed off at the end of season three. Backlash from viewers on social media led to an apology from one of the producers, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, at the San Diego Comic Con 2016. “There is something called the lesbian death trope which has deep roots in homophobia,” Gril-
draw that much attention to, they’re just people,” Brown said. On the contrary, freshman Adrien Crowell believes that these new media additions can be used for the greater good. “I think it helps people feel more included because the entire community is being represented,” Crowell said. “Some people feel a little bit more accepted with it.” Not everyone sees these comics and TV shows the same. Some may think that the addition is a bit too much, while some think that it helps others in the community feel safe and respected. Sophomore George Lawless looks at this subject from more than one perspective. “I think [LGBT representation is] important to be in movies so we understand their point of view instead of just having our own point of view,” Lawless said. “We think of them
lo-Marxuach said. “Whether we intended to or not, we played into it. Now we are looking at a community which is mobilized and using social media very productively to move forward an agenda that is saying we do not want to see this anymore.” Sometimes viewers will see the community being used to keep or increase TV and movie views. Media such as “Riverdale,” a teen drama on The CW, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the ninth installment in the Star Wars franchise, have been accused by the public of queerbaiting. The term “queerbaiting” is a marketing strategy that companies and creators use to advertise while avoiding same sex relationships in the content. They do this to attract audiences that the show might not normally get. Not everyone is aware of this happening, but some members of
being the weirdest people you’re ever going to know, but really, they’re the nicest people you’re ever going to meet.” Lawless also sees how this specific depiction might be a problem to others. “They make it so sexual in comics, and they have a vision,” Lawless said. “We can see the characters talking to each other and what they’re thinking and what they’re seeing, but [the comics] are turning all these into sexual things.” Lawless explains how members of the LGBT community act like every other person, but in some parts of the media, these people’s true personalities become twisted for someone else’s enjoyment. Conversations, movements and even wardrobes are changed to make the reader believe that scandalous things will happen between the characters. Everyone has their own opinion on fettishization of LGBT members, whether they’re aware of this trend or not. It’s up to the individual to stand up against the media, or to accept and protect this new movement.
the comm u nity can catch even the smallest thing. “Even if a lot of people don’t notice it, as someone who is part of the community it does stick out,” senior Lexi Novoselsky said. “It could be the smallest thing and I could still notice it.” Although there is negative representation of the community, there are some positive moves that have been made. “People are starting to realize that not everyone is the same,” senior Ronnie Roach said. “Not
everyo n e likes the same gender. That needs to be represented in the media just like straight people.”
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Sports
Unified Basketball for All
The newly formed basketball team focuses on the inclusion of all students, as athletes commence play against other schools By Bridgette Scott // Staff Writer Many students and staff are excited to introduce the newest team that gives certain students a chance that they might not have had before. According to the Special Olympics website, “Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding, while being able to represent their school and community.” History Teacher David Aldinger, newly appointed coach of the Unified team, is excited about the opportunities that the team’s creation presents. “These kids don’t have experience with Troy High’s athletic program,’’ Aldinger said. “To have this opportunity is really exciting. Not only for the kids, but the parents as well to have the feel of people cheer-
ing for them.” Assistant Principal DanHouse is enthusiastic for the team’s formation. “It is a wonderful forum for compassion and kindness with a whole bunch of fun mixed in for everyone,” House said. “This is such a great event and the community support has been excellent. We had more people in the stands for the Unified game than during the boys’ varsity game”. Sophomore Xavier Newell joined the team as a partner who gets to play alongside the other members. There are seven players and five partners on the team. Newell is enjoying his experience so far and loves the connections he is making. “I’ve been getting to know people I wouldn’t have really talked to on my own,” Newell said. “It’s extremely fun playing basketball with everyone and it’s humbling to see what
the athletes go through on a daily basis.” Many of the players are happy to be on the team and to attend a school that offers this
It is an amazing display of sportsmanship by both teams and fans.” Assistant Principal Dan House
opportunity. This change at Troy High is a stepping stone for a future in Unified Sports. House sees this shift in the sports program. “It is an amazing display of
sportsmanship by both teams and fans,” House said. “It gives our students a chance to be on the front stage during a high school event.” Newell feels like the team’s structure has every element that any team would. “The team isn’t that much different than a traditional basketball team,” Newell said. “We still practice, play games and bond as a team like every sports team.” Shane Hynes, the athletic coordinator at Troy High, describes the process behind getting the team together. “I first learned about it around October,” Hynes said. “That was when the athletic director at Royal Oak High School really pushed the idea. From there, we started putting together a team, getting the players as well as the coach, Mr. Aldinger. We started talking about it last year at our
OAA AD meetings. We had Special Olympics come in to explain it to us and everyone was on board to do it. It didn’t take too long, about a couple of months with getting Mr. Uberti’s help, making a team and getting parent signatures.” The teammates can also agree that they are enjoying playing. “We get a lot of points because we have a good team,” senior Jacob Gu said. As a senior, this is Gu’s first experience playing sports in high school. Every student at Troy High deserves a chance to show their talents and abilities to the world. Many are hopeful that the Troy Unified Basketball team could be a building block for future Unified sports teams. The next game will be on Feb. 22 in between the junior varsity and varsity boy’s basketball games.
Athletes line up, preparing for the start of the basketball game.
Photos by Vanisa Kumar
Students fight for the ball after the tip-off.
Athletes get ready for a play against Troy Athen’s Unified Team.
Sports
High school athletics are divided into boys and girls sports, separating them into gender-based competitions. While girls have specifically named “girls’ sports,” boys regulations are not gender specific. This leads to many discrepancies when it comes to how the rules of high school sports are and should be interpreted. According to the Michigan High School Athletic Association handbook, the gender rules are there simply to ensure the teams are fair for the athletes. Technically, it is up to the schools to decide how they want to interpret this rule; most schools just decide to divide the sports up by gender. In actuality, if a school wanted to allow both genders to participate in all sports together, then that would be their choice. Football, for example, is technically a co-ed sport— where girls have the option to play with a majority male team; wrestling also allows female students the option of playing with the boys. Junior Jessica Green plays Genders are often separated, but don’t have to be football for the varsity team and says that even though playing on an all boys team can By Jessica Geisler // Staff Writer be a little weird sometimes, it is an overall great experience. “All the guys at Troy High made me feel so welcome,” Green said. “They treated me Photo by Manny Al-Nsour with respect and like I was one
Girls vs. Boys to Girls and Boys?
of the boys.” However, sports like volleyball only allow girls to play, leaving boys who are interested in the sport left with no teams to play with. Since the school has no boys’ volleyball team, boys who enjoy the sport have come up with other alternatives. Some of the students came together this past summer to form what they refer to as Volleyball Club. This group of individuals got together a few times a week during the summer to play volleyball for up to eight hours. Although the club has not been made official, that does not stop the students from making co-ed teams and going to the community center, or their local park. According to senior Varun Channasiddeswariah, who helped form Volleyball Club, having co-ed teams is always a fun aspect of the group. “A lot of the girls that play with us are really good too, but overall the goal is just to have fun,”Channasiddeswariah said. During the summer was when the group really joined together to make the club, but now that it is too cold to play outside, they play when they can at local indoor gyms. “We just organize days where whoever wants to come can come and bring food for everyone, and we all just play
Powerpuff and Powderpuff
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and have fun for hours,” Channasiddeswariah said. Senior Grace Shlafhauser, another participant in Volleyball Club, says she loves playing with the group. She thinks it is a great way to make friends and spend time with people who share a common interest. “The club does a great job of including both girls and guys into the game,” Shlafhauser said. “Since volleyball is a very communicative sport, it really helps us all grow together.” Many people who participate have never played volleyball before. However, according to both Shlafhauser and Channasiddeswariah, the team environment makes it possible for everyone to improve in a judgement-free zone. Channasiddeswariah says he wishes Troy High would create a boys’ volleyball team. “I think a lot of us boys from the volleyball club would like to play for the school,” Channasiddeswariah said. “We would have a lot of fun, plus some of us are pretty good.” Overall, this club is an example of girls and boys deciding they can work together and have fun playing a sport despite their biological differences. For now, this is the only option the boys have to play the sport for more than just Powerpuff; in the future other boys will create an official team for the school.
Powerpuff and Powderpuff give students an opportunity to raise school spirit
By Ping-Yu Hsu // Staff Writer
Senior
Once a year, boys and girls have the opportunity to play a sport that is usually unavailable to them. Powerpuff and Powderpuff allow students to participate in those sports, which for girls is football and for boys is volleyball. Powderpuff is a school-wide event where junior and senior girls get to play football to raise money during Photo by Manny Al-Nsour Homecoming SpirCorey Pichel sets ball. it Week. This year
the senior team won and the money raised will go to fund their prom. Similarly, Powerpuff is a school-wide athletic event involving upperclassmen. The difference is that junior and senior boys play volleyball to raise money as part of Activist Week. The money raised for Pals for Pontiac will help Whitman Elementary School create a resource room for students with cognitive and behavioral impairments. Some people think the events should be open to both genders. One of these people is senior Nahiyan Shirajee. “I feel that in 2020, separating genders into sports makes it overall less fun,” Shirajee
said. “Being able to compete with everyone makes it a more enjoyable and inclusive activity.” At Troy High, some sports are offered to a single gender, such as synchronized swimming for girls and football for boys. This is unlike the boys’ and girls’ teams of sports like basketball, soccer, and tennis. English and World History Teacher Jacqueline Ciolek is the adviser for both Powerpuff and Powderpuff, who says the purpose of the events is to give students an opportunity to play a sport in which they normally couldn’t participate. “For me, having each of these respective events allows for some gender equality in
terms of the opportunities that are offered at THS,” Ciolek said. “With a lot of attention during Homecoming season going to the varsity football team, Powderpuff spreads some of the attention not only to the junior and senior girls, but also to those rallying together to support each grade and team. This support comes from the student body, staff coaches and the Troy community.” Whether or not Powerpuff and Powderpuff should open to all genders, the main idea behind these events are to raise money for a good cause, as well as grow some spirit for the school and the surrounding community.
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Communication Conflicts
Entertainment Students discuss whether they use social media or SMS
By AJ Kowalak // Staff Writer
Throughout the past decade, social media has been both a tool and a detriment to many impressianable teenagers. Senior Lauren Hughes has had social media since sixth grade, when she got her first cell phone. “Everyone had social media so I got [social media],” Hughes said. In addition to features like posting photos and sharing memes, many students, like senior Caroline Zhang, use social media as a substitute for texting. “I like dm-ing because I can text people while I’m on the computer, for example, Dis-
cord,” Zhang said. Discord is one of the primary ways for people in the online gaming community to communicate with each other. It is most known for being able to put people in large chat servers that can help organize an entire community. In a poll with 70 students at Troy High, 58 percent of students use regular short message service (SMS) text messages to communicate with their friends and family. SMS uses phone data instead of WiFi to send and receive messages. From the poll, it’s evident that most students still prefer a regular texting experience over direct messaging.
“My friend’s answer their texts faster than their DMs,” Hughes said. Sophomore Neha Aigalikar agrees with Hughes. “I prefer texting because it’s easier to communicate,” Aigalikar said. “When I go on DM’s I get distracted by Snapchat or Instagram, so when I’m doing my homework and I wanna text my friends, then I just use regular iMessages.” 33 percent of students prefer Snapchat to texting via SMS services. Snapchat has a unique feature that makes texts and photos disappear after being viewed by the other person. While the messages can disappear, people can choose to keep
the message in chat by tapping on, or “saving,” it. Aigalikar uses all forms of social media but prefers Instagram. “I’ve had social media since the beginning of 8th grade,” Aigalikar said. “I prefer Instagram because I like to see content from my favorite influencers and I like to catch up with my family overseas.” It’s clear that social media messaging services are only growing. As more of the student population uses them, peer pressure will drive this new culture into fruition. “Everyone else was on it Photo by AJ Kowalak and I just wanted to talk to my Student texts in friends,” Zhang said.
Review of Returning TV By Kaitlyn Piggott // Print Editor-in-Chief
Yes, I’ll be honest, one of my favorite things about the new year isn’t the ball dropping or some resolution I never uphold. It’s the fall series picking up after their mid-season break. As an avid “NCIS” fan, I tune in on the naval criminal investigative team every week. If I’m being blunt, fall’s final episodes made me upset. For those who don’t know the plot of the show, it’s a cop show that focuses on the murders of members of the Navy and Marines. This season, the show brought back Ziva David, played by Cote de Pablo, who is one of the best characters to ever grace the silver screen, but she has been dead... for seasons. Let the dead be dead. I bet I’m in the minority on this one because she’s a fan-favorite, but she doesn’t fit in with the storyline anymore. Her daughter doesn’t know her anymore, her baby daddy is no longer on the show. David has been distraught and angry as she attempts to find the woman who has been after her for ten years, which is understandable, but doesn’t move the plot forward; her reappearance came just as I began adoring her replacement, Ellie Bishop. The main character, Jethro Gibbs— following David’s de-
bilitating anxiety—appears to be taking a darker turn for the former Marine. There is speculation he is murdering for the sake of revenge, which might turn one of the foremost good guys into an anti-hero. For me, turning the main character into a bad guy is a big no-no. Then there’s “A Million Little Things,” ABC’s poor attempt at a “This is Us” drama. It attempted to come back at full force, struggling to uphold the impact of the 9.5/10 (according to IMDB) mid-season finale. The show centers around a group of friends whose best friend commits suicide. At the end of the mid-season episode, the wife of the man who committed suicide, Delilah Dixon, tells her teenage children that the child she gave birth to wasn’t in their dead father’s, rather their father’s best friend—who is married, may I add, to one of the best characters on the show. This is a drama, but it is trying to be too depressing to watch. My father dubbed the show, “A Million Reasons to Cry.” They are real characters who make real human mistakes, but the show can sometimes lack the light-hearted tones that make life bearable. So it’s just punch after punch, more suicide attempts, an affair, a
horrible breakup, marital disputes, possible sons popping up out of nowhere, men with dead brother’s hearts and teenage resistance. The story is always evolving, always leaving you wanting more; as a writer that’s what draws me to it. I’ll alway tune in because of this, despite the fact that they have pretty much thrown a bomb on everyone, and the only one who has a solid footing right now had suicidal thoughts late last season. Yeah, that’s “A Million Little Things.” Don’t even get me started on “The Resident.” It is a blend between a hospital drama and an investigative show following a series of doctors: a handful of surgeons, an internist turned resident this season, a nurse and a whistle-blowing resident who knows too much. The season picks up with two of the main characters, Hawkins and Chastain, jobless and the hospital they work at in shambles without the diagnostic physician. The show really wants people to adore and bow down to the “superiority” of Hawkins, but he doesn’t always do good. My main complaint about the show is how the hospital seems to stand still without Hawkins, despite the fact he is only a resident. Shows tend to do this, but
hall.
Print Editor-in-Chief Kaitlyn Piggott reviews the return of TV after their winter break
“The Resident” has so many other characters who can be developed more. For one, this season, the writers have really gone into depth with Mina Okafore, and this makes the show intriguing and with a strong female lead. This show is well-written and well-cast, and with the hybrid of different genres, its tackling difficult subjects while still having the drama of relationships and the fascinating medical issues in any standard hospital show. This show has something for everyone, plus, everyone loves a good whistleblower. Then there is “Grey’s Anatomy,” which to me always breeds consistency. Someone will come in with strange symptoms, surgeries will occur, major arguments will take place over the patient on the table and the patient will always have something to say that will change the surgeon’s way of thinking. Which is fine, I mean I enjoy the show, like most people, but I don’t want to watch the Grey’s spinoff “Station 19,” or the crossover episode. Just because I like “Grey’s Anatomy” doesn’t mean I’m going to want to watch “Station 19.” In comparison, the former has a 7.6/10 on IMDB with 226,660 votes compared
to later with a 6.4 with 5,874 votes. At this point, I’m going to be honest, I’m watching “Grey’s Anatomy” to see how the show will end its already 16-season streak. I’m invested in the lives of the characters I have watched for seasons. That crossover episode airing on “Grey’s Anatomy” didn’t hit me, except for when Bailey broke down telling Webber she miscarried. I guess what I’m saying is, stick to “Grey’s Anatomy”—they’re doing that good. Overall, I just like TV, and really for the return I didn’t have too high of expectations, because TV is meant to be enjoyed, not critiqued.
Graphic by Olivia Perron
13
Entertainment
A League Of Her Own With three female-led superhero movies coming out in 2020 alone, many students reflect on the impact that they will have By Meriam Meram // Body Copy Editor The new year usually means a fresh start, and new beginnings. With the start of a new decade, 2020 has proved to be a year of big changes. Not only are things beginning to heat up on the political side with several female presidential contenders, but the movie industry is also beginning to portray a new category of onscreen characters. Three female-led superhero movies are set to come out in 2020, more than any other previous year. Released to theaters on Feb. 7, “Birds of Prey” is a DC Comics’ movie and the first of three female-led superhero movies to be released this year. The movie follows Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie, after her breakup with the Joker. She teams up with Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to save a young Cassandra Cain from the evil Black Mask, played by Ewan McGregor.
Marvel Studios’ “Black Widow,” the second movie to be released, comes out May 1 and is widely considered to be the long awaited solo movie for Natasha Romanova, played by Scarlett Johansson. The plot follows Natasha during the two-year gap in between “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Infinity War.”
Its a new perspective on stuff and it’s fun.” Senior Natalia Amador
The third and final movie—set to come out on June 5 —is “Wonder Woman 1984,” another DC Comics’ movie and the second in the “Wonder Woman” series. Gal Gadot’s character, Diana Prince, faces off against Kristen Wiig’s
character Cheetah in this 80s era film. Senior Jaxen Klein eagerly awaits the release of these three movies, with plans to go see them in theaters. “‘Black Widow’ and ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ are movies that I definitely want to see,” Klein said. Klein is especially eager to see how certain plot twists play out in “Wonder Woman 1984.” “In the first ‘Wonder Woman,’ Steve Trevor dies, but he’s in the trailer for the second one, so I’m interested to see what’ll happen,” Klein said. With the recent rise of female-led superhero films, one has to wonder if this is the beginning of a new era of diversity for the film industry, or if this is just a guise to make money in the box office. Senior Grace Schlafhauser has mixed opinions about the uprise of these female-led films, especially in regards to their timing. “I think they’ve improved a lot, but I think [these movies] seem a little too forced because they’re all happening at once,”
Schlafhauser said. “They should’ve been happening a long time ago and been more spread out.” Senior Natalia Amador, on the other hand, has a more positive outlook on these movies. “I think it’s pretty cool that we get to see a different gender being ‘super’ for once,” Amador said. “It’s a new perspec-
Boys have Superman and Batman, so it’s cool that girls have someone to look up to” Senior Grace Schlafhauser tive on stuff and it’s fun.” Schlafhauser believes that young girls will begin to consider these female heroes as role models after watching their movies. “I think [these movies] can be a
really good thing for little girls,” Schlafhauser said. “A lot of little boys have their Superman or Batman to look up to, so it’s cool that little girls can now have a superhero to look up to as well.” Amador echoes Schlafhauser in the belief that female superheroes will have an impact on young viewers. “I could see how the movies would be empowering for young females to see how they can make a difference in the world,” Amador said. “I think it’ll be encouraging.” With the release of these three movies, many people look forward to seeing even more female-led superhero movies begin to come out in future years. Although there is speculation from some that these movies are only a ploy to make money in the box office, only time will tell whether Hollywood plans to make this a permanent trend or if these will be the last movies of their kind.
Graphics by Emy Galustyan
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The Chariot THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF TROY HIGH SCHOOL WEBSITE troychariot.org TWITTER thechariot_news INSTAGRAM thechariotnews SNAPCHAT theTHE_CHARIOT
Staff PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kaitlyn Piggott WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Olivia Perron BODY COPY EDITORS Murryum Farooqi Meriam Meram DIGITIAL CONTENT EDITOR Chloe Collins GRAPHICS EDITOR / CARTOONIST Emy Galustyan
STAFF WRITERS Manny Al-Nsour Andy DeGrand Gabby DeRose Luanni Ford Jessica Geisler Ping-Yu Hsu Grace Johnson Rory Knauss AJ Kowalak Vanisa Kumar Emma Mertz Lola Pinneo Bridgette Scott ADVISER Katelyn Carroll
The Chariot Staff Policy The Chariot is a student-produced news publication that publishes information relevant to the times as well as material that is essential to the overall well-being of its readers. It is The Chariot’s responsibility to cover school, city, state, national and international events and issues that affect the concerns of the campus, its students and its readers. The Chariot operates as a designated public forum for student expression. The Editorial Board, consisting of student editors, is the sole decision-making and policy-setting body of The Chariot and has final say over all content decisions. The adviser and administration have non-review roles and may offer advice on sensitive issues and will offer critisisms as warrant but the Editorial Board reserves all rights to determine what material shall be published.
Opinion
Which Dance?
Staff Writer Vanisa Kumar and students say which school dance is better By Vanisa Kumar // Staff Writer Homecoming: you have the uncomfortable dress or suit, the friends, the cheap dinners and the press-on nails. Many enjoy this week filled with chaos, but many could live without it. Snowcoming: you have the uncomfortable dress or suit, the friends, the cheap dinners…. So I guess the same things, just add slight hypothermia. Young Adult Movies and Teen Films would describe both dances as a very exciting, grand party filled with experiences and excitement. In reality, it’s just a bunch of kids in a gym with trash dance moves. It might seem like I’m hating, but Troy High wouldn’t be the same without our dances and I’ll probably end up attending all of them anyway, mostly because my mom already doesn’t think I have a social life. I’m here to compare and contrast the dances that build the most craze. Snowco Vs. Hoco… “ding ding ding”...it sounded better in my head. Snowco, also called Winter Formal or simply Formal, is a dance held by high schools all across the United States. It takes place between Home-
coming and Prom, usually between December and March. For many at Troy High, Snowco can be a second chance to go to a big dance. During freshman year I only went to Snowco and after finally going to Hoco this year, I can say with full confidence the two dances are very much the same. I took it to the Troy High kids themselves to see which dance they personally liked more and which one needs a bit more publicity. Sophomore Shashank Pagadala believes there are distinct differences in the dance “Hoco was definitely better, and it gets more hype,” Pagadala said. “It’s because there are so many activities that are tied in with Hoco, like the football games and the marching band performances.” As Pagadala expresses, Hoco definitely gets the pick of the draw when it comes to its popularity. It’s fortunately during the football season, and even has its own parade and game dedicated to it; it is also situated as the first dance of the year, so it is more wellknown by students and staff. Sophomore Arushi Mathri, argues the difference in
hype between the two dances. “I haven’t been to either but from the outside looking in, it looks as though Hoco is way more popular, and Snowco just is more casual and chill,” Mathri said. So it really does come down to Hoco’s popularity that brings in more students to the event. I feel that if both dances had a good sport season or even a parade for Snowco, more people would be motivated to go to the latter dance. In my opinion, it can be easy to say that the dances are very similar and that one might not be needed, but on the other hand, I feel that the difference of the hype for Snowco and Hoco makes the dances different as Hoco is more anticipated. However, I honestly don’t think the “dance culture” of our school is really about the dances or the “hype” correlated to each. Instead, dances help us escape our school life and have fun playing dress up and awkwardly shuffling into the gym, because that’s what high school is about: making a fool out of yourself with the people you care for the most, no matter what dance you go to.
Editorials represent the collective opinion of The Chariot staff. Opinions expressed by individuals and in letters to the editors represent those of the author. Letters to the editors should be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s name, signature and class or position. Names of individuals may be withheld upon request, pending a vote of the Editorial Board. Letters may be submitted in hard copy to room 104 at Troy High School or via email at troychariot@gmail.com. All letters are subject to review by the Editorial Board. Letters will not be edited except to fix space limitations. Should the Editorial Board deem a letter to be potentially libelous or containing content inappropriate for publication, it will be returned to the author with an opportunity for corrections. The Editorial Board is solely responsible for these decisions. The Chariot’s purpose is to be the voice of the school. Its purpose is to shed light on groups and people that are not often discussed while bringing news that is important to the community.
THE VOICE OF TROY HIGH. WE SEE YOU. WE HEAR YOU. WE GET YOU.
Graphic by Emy Galustyan
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Opinion
The Difference in Our Actions
Across the globe, the difference between online protests and real protests has begun to show itself, revealing certain privelege By Gabby DeRose // Staff Writer Emy Galustyan // Graphic Editor
As world issues become more prevalent, ordinary civilians across the globe take action for the sake of themselves and others. Protests have become a common trend around the world. More people are educating themselves on issues at hand in order to strive for what they think is right. As protests begin to rise in popularity, though, privilege begins to play a role in mainstream trends of protesting. Hannah Brown, who wishes to remain anonymous, has some thoughts on movements. “Places like Twitter and Instagram allow retweeting and reposting, which can spread the word like wildfire,” Brown said. “Which can be both good and bad, but I think more positive things have come out of it as a result rather than the latter.” However, Brown notes the downside of social media when it comes to taking action. “Social media and everything like that are cool for spreading the word, but it’s overused,” Brown said. Brown believes the rising disinterest in genuine action toward a cause leaves serious matters to shrink into simple online trends. Protests like the fight for climate change have become prevalent in the previous couple of months, but de-
spite its extreme media exposure, people have noticed the lack of real work put into the fight for change. “So many people think that putting something on their story or simply retweeting a post is them throwing their penny to the cause,” Brown said. “It gives people an excuse to act as if they’ve done their part, and then go on with their day. These people don’t realize the privilege they have, while others are taking action fighting for things so serious, risking their lives going against their governments or raising awareness. Social media shouldn’t be the end of one’s protest. It should be the beginning of one’s push to fight for the cause they believe.” Some protests, however, have taken to the streets. The Hong Kong protests have caught the attention of the entire world within the past few months as the protestors fight to better their lives. The Hong Kong protests started in 2019 when China proposed a law that would have allowed the transfer of fugitives to mainland China. This would let the Hong Kong Police extradite fugitives from Hong Kong who are wanted in territories with which Hong Kong did not at the time have any extradition agreements, in-
cluding Taiwan and mainland China. The demonstration has since escalated, with protestors occupying entire university campuses as their safe havens and bases. The Hong Kong Police have used tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons and armored vehicles to counter protestors. Both sides of the fight have reported injuries. Police officers have sustained attacks from bow and arrows, while protestors have sustained eye injuries from tear gas and hypothermia from water cannons. Senior Edmund Bousho shares his support for the protests and those involved in the movement. “Since the beginning I was, and remain, a strong supporter of the protestors and their fight for representation and freedom,” he said. Bousho went on to explain his immense support. “It’s only natural to want for them to have, at the least, as good of a life as I, with my privileges and freedoms that they currently lack,” he said. “In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., ‘injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’” From an opposing viewpoint, senior Shelby Smith, wishing to go anonymous, voiced her rejection of the
Hong Kong protests, com- say that this would benefit all menting on the portrayal of the of them.” protesters in media. With new changes taking “I kept up with the Hong place as the newer generations Kong protests for a month take the stage, the world is inor so, largely because I have tent on watching with analytChinese relatives,” she said. ical eyes. Whether these pro“There’s a very large narrative tests take the form of marches, difference between media [in social media callouts or street the United States] and media walks, one thing is certain: [in China], but what I find a lit- people are dedicated to their tle disconcerting is that in this causes. country where we’re talking about freedom of speech and democracy and how the government doesn’t control us… people are praising the actions of people who are trashing the national institutions, universities, harming civilians and being praised as apocalyptic heroes all over social media.” Smith went on to express her views on the protest as a whole, as well as its effect on Chinese locals. “I can’t say too much on whether or not it should happen or should not happen, honestly,” she said. “People participate in protests for different reasons, and for the civilians, I can’t Graphic by Gabby DeRose
Fact or Fiction: Your Opinion
Graphic by Emy Galustyan
By Lola Pinneo // Staff Writer Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, is celebrated by millions around the world, with traditions that back it up to a sixth century B.C. pagan holiday centered around fertility, Lupercalia. Senior Lucas Gray shares his opinion on this holiday. “I think it’s a hallmark holiday, kind of made up, but I think that it’s a cool way to have a day to show appreciation for the people close to us,” Gray said.
Junior Maria Croci has her thoughts on this winter holiday. “I think it’s a little overrated,” Croci said. “I remember last year there were rose petals down the hall and guys with huge teddy bears, it just seemed a bit much.” This could be because some people see that Valentine’s Day is made into a big fabricated event that’s overdone. On the contrary, some people have a
Students discuss their thoughts on the “Hallmark holiday”
different opinion, and they see this holiday as necessary and important. According to CNN, Americans will spend $19.6 billion on Valentine’s Day. Americans spend $4.7 billion on jewelry, and we will send out $144 million dollars worth of cards. Freshman Teja Karanam talks about the parts of Valentine’s Day that he enjoys. “I think it’s a pretty nice and romantic day for couples
to spend together,” Karanam said. Valentine’s Day can be overdone or just right; it all depends on the people that you spend this day with and what you make of it. Junior Christopher Ostrowski has the same opinion as many others. “It’s a nice way to give back to people you care about,” he said. Some people see this holi-
day as a way to give back or as something overdone. In my personal opinion, I think that it’s all about the way that you view this day. Some people have more of an attachment to it than others and that’s ok. Like most holidays, everyone has their favorite, and a reason as to why. Spend Valentine’s Day the way you want with the people you want in order to make the day the best possible for you.
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