February 12, 2019

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CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY’S WEEKLY, INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

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VOLUME 36, ISSUE 19 | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Spread love, not disease Stay sex smart during Valentine's season Life p. 7

also in this issue

news

arts

music

sports

opinions

Snapchat and Low turnout at From emotion to Dev's passion Thompson trio ASFA town hall p. 2 abstraction p. 8 project pays p. 10 on lacrosse p. 13 dysmorphia p. 15

news

NEWS EDITORS /// news@theconcordian.com IAN DOWN & MIA ANHOURY ( @IanDown1996 @mia_anhoury)

CITY IN ASFA struggles with apathy BRIEF

STUDENT POLITICS

ASFA community conversation tackles student indifference, poor communication

MIA ANHOURY NEWS EDITOR A 44-year-old man was stabbed in a movie theatre in Côte-SaintLuc on Saturday night, according to G lobal News . Police are invest ig at ing and wit ness es allegedly saw an argument break out in the theatre. Five men were taken into custody, but released Sunday morning.

Wednesday’s event was the third and last in a series called “The History & The Present.” Photo by Hannah Ewen.

IAN DOWN NEWS EDITOR Christabell Moyo wasn’t quite sure what the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) was. Despite being in her fourth year at Concordia and her last semester of her human relations and women’s studies degree, she only knew the federation from occasional emails she received.

Moyo is not the only one unfamiliar with ASFA. She was alone, however, in attending ASFA’s community conversation on Feb. 6. Despite being open to the public and heavily advertised on social media and through posters, she was the only member at large to attend. Three councillors and three executives were also present. Internal Affairs and Administration Coordinator Elliott Boulanger facilitated the conversation.

The event was part of a series, “An Open Conversation,” which is ASFA’s effort to rebuild its policies, practices, and culture with the help of the arts and science community.

ASFA’s Advocacy and Executive Coordinator, Marguerite Rolland, said the idea for the event came around late November 2018.

“The culture, it needs to change, and so we thought [of] having some sort of town hall open meeting like this where anyone can come in, be informed, but also to air whatever problems and concerns they have with ASFA,” she said.

“We can sit here for the rest of the year, make changes to all the policies and go through it, but this is not gonna fix a larger problem with the culture of ASFA and the reputation of ASFA and the fact that there are no members at large with us in this room right now when we’re talking about policy,” said Rolland. Moyo had already left.

“I made sure that this was sent out to all of our Arts and Science students through two newsletters,” said Rolland. “We put up posters at the Hall building, we put [the event] on our Facebook page and sponsored it as an ad as well.”

The three councillors present—Haylee McGregor of political science, and independent councillors Evan Lee and Victoria SmithAyotte—discussed their views on ASFA’s internal problems, including a lack of training for new councillors and a lack of institutional memory. ASFA does not have a uniform training program for all of its new councillors. Instead, councillors are trained by their predecessors, who may neglect to pass on all of the necessary information.

Rolland said ASFA needs to improve accessibility for its students. Financial barriers mean interested students may not be able to afford to invest their time in council. In addition, the ASFA office sits at the top of three flights of stairs and is not wheelchair accessible.

However, the most common concern expressed by the councillors present was a lack of communication to the student body about ASFA and a lack of presence on campus. The councillors felt that students were not aware of the services ASFA provides.

Smith-Ayotte said that many students may not know they can receive grants from ASFA for various projects.

Rolland said it is for this reason that ASFA is often viewed as a “glorified party planner,” that exists only to organize Frosh and other events. She said that if this was what the student body wanted out of ASFA, they would follow suit. “But I think we all have enough experience and knowledge to say that we don’t think that’s what the membership wants.”

“I think some people like the parties, but I think in general what ASFA should be is a resource, and offer services that students need,” said Rolland.

ASFA also suffers from low voter turnout.

In December 2016, a referendum to increase ASFA’s fee levy failed to reach quorum of 517 votes.

Comparatively, little time was devoted to the sexual assault and theft scandals that have hit the federation in recent years. In September 2018, Concordia student Harris Turpin filed a lawsuit against ASFA for allegedly

mishandling his sexual assault complaint against former ASFA President Jonathan Roy. Just three years earlier, the federation was ordered to pay an undisclosed amount to Mei Ling, a former executive who was subject to sexual harassment and racial discrimination by other members.

In November, former Finance Coordinator Caleb Owusu-Acheaw resigned after admitting to taking $300 in petty cash from the federation.

Wednesday’s event was the third and last in a series called “The History & The Present.” Two more events, titled “The Future and Ideas for it” were held on Saturday, Feb. 9 and Monday, Feb. 11. Rolland said, once the community conversations are over, ASFA will produce a report with the recommendations in time for elections.

“That means when people start running in elections, they start running [...] with the knowledge that this is going to be their task to uphold.” She also wants the suggestions to be officially adopted at the next general assembly so they become actionable.

Nadya Mirarchi, a Rivière-desPrairies resident, is suing the City of Montreal for almost half a million dollars for slipping on the icy sidewalk in front of her home and breaking her ankle in three different places last winter, according to CBC. She is claiming damages for loss of revenue, pain and suffering, and medical expenses.

A mansion on Pine Avenue in the Golden Square Mile is on the market for $40 million, according to CTV. The most expensive house on the island used to be the home of 20th-century Philanthropist JW McConnell, whom the Concordia library was named after.

The United Nations is looking to establish four offices outside of its New York headquarters and Montreal is being considered, according to La Presse.

The bilingual quality of Montreal and its artificial intelligence hub were listed as advantages. Other cities being considered are Nairobi, Kenya, Budapest, Hungary, and Shenzhen, China.

Graphic by @spooky_soda Photo by Hannah Ewen.

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

theconcordian

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NATION Government testifies at CGA trial IN BRIEF

TRIAL

Provincial testimony focuses on trans parents, gender markers

IAN DOWN NEWS EDITOR The Alberta Teachers’ Association issued an apology after inviting a convicted murderer to give a talk on adolescent addiction at the Calgar y City Teachers’ Convention, according to The Georgia Straight. Andrew Evans was sentenced to life in prison in 2009 for killing a 25-year-old Vancouver sex worker. The association will also donate $5,000 to the Stardale Women’s Group, a charity for underprivileged women.

Ryerson’s student union has come under fire for more than $700,000 in questionable expenses, according to The Star. The union will face an independent financial audit to assess the expenses, which include thousands of dollars spent at a nightclub.

Hundreds of students attended an emergency board meeting regarding the charges on Feb. 10.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

MINA MAZUMDER ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR The Centre for Gender Advocacy (CGA) trial continued on Feb. 6 with government representatives who spoke about the legal system, how names and gender markers are changed, and the status of trans parents in Quebec.

“We can put ‘filiation’ to replace the two [parental identities],” said Jonathan Boisvert, the interim director of expertise and jurisdictional activities, who testified at the Superior Court of Quebec on behalf of the Directeur de l'état civil. Using the word “filiation” would mean a person is being designated to a child.

Boisvert added that this change would be administrative, and it would help trans parents remove “mother” or “father” from their child’s birth certificate. They could request a copy of their child’s birth certificate with the term “filiation” to maintain neutrality. However, both parents would have to change their title to "filiation," regardless of gender identity.

The CGA first filed the lawsuit in 2014.

They argued that 11 articles from the Civil Code of Québec violate trans rights under both the Québec and the Canadian Charters of Rights and Freedoms. These include article 59, which prohibits people without citizenship from changing their name; article 62, which obliges a minor to obtain parental approval before changing their name legally; and article 71, which requires residents to be citizens in order to change their gender marker on legal documents.

The trial began with Defendant Lawyer Sophie Primeau asking Boisvert general questions about the administrative and operational changes at the Directeur de l'état

civil concerning name and gender marker changes.

During his testimony, Boisvert said the parent of a newborn child is obliged to submit a confirmation that they are the parent of the child to the Quebec government as soon as possible.

According to the Directeur de l’état civil, the current law states that a birth that takes place in Quebec must be reported to the Directeur de l’état civil within 30 days.

Once this step is completed, “it is possible to establish the child’s identity and filiation, to access various programs and services, and to obtain a certificate or a copy of an act of birth.” Once the birth of the child has been entered in the Quebec register of civil status, parents must “verify that the information about [their] child and the birth is the same as that on the declaration of birth, and immediately inform the Directeur de l’état civil of any error.”

In addition, for a person “to qualify to change the sex designation appearing on the act of birth, the person concerned by the application must hold Canadian citizenship and be domiciled in Quebec for at least one year.”

Boisvert told Hon. Judge Gregory Moore that the Directeur de l'état civil is presently developing procedures to allow trans parents to change their parental designation on their child’s birth certificate.

Plaintiff Lawyer Audrey Boctor told The Concordian that the Directeur de l'état civil revealed they would allow people to request a copy of their birth certificate that does not display their gender.

Lou Taj, an intern at the CGA, said this action is not enough. “It’s not legislative, it’s administrative,” said Taj. “The problem

with administrative decisions is that they can be reversed at any moment. There is no legal obligation to [change] it.”

“I would like to have the option of writing ‘parent’ when I’ll have kids,” said Taj. “I would also like to have more choice on gender markers.”

Taj felt that the government was making administrative changes to compensate for the current laws. “We would need a legislative change to be able to have ‘parent’ on the [child’s] birth certificate,” they said.

Taj added that having the word "filiation," could be more confusing to some people. “It would be a cause of more discrimination if the person looks at your paper [and] doesn’t even understand what ‘filiation’ means,” they said. “Parent is more of a common [word].”

Michael Lubetsky, a lawyer from Egale Canada, an advocacy organization aiming to advance equality for Canadian LGBTQ+ people and their families, said that his organization is one of three intervenors in this case.

Lubetsky said that Egale supports the conclusions sought by the plaintiff lawyers. “[Our] goal is to help the plaintiffs demonstrate to the court that the impugned provisions of the Civil Code of Quebec and of the regulation respecting change of name and other particulars of civil status violate the constitutional rights of trans, non-binary, and intersex people, and their families.”

Af ter the court hearing on Feb. 6, Taj

Quebec’s Minister for the status of women said the Muslim hijab “symbolizes a form of oppression toward women,” in a speech announcing her appointment on Feb. 5, according to The Montreal Gazette. Leaders of both the Liberal party and Québec Solidaire criticized Isabelle Charest for her comments to reporters, according to the CBC. Starbucks Canada has committed to donating all of its unsold food nationwide by 2021, according to Kelowna Now. The project will begin with 250 stores in the Greater Toronto Area. The company estimates that it will provide 1.5 million meals every year once the program is implemented.

Ontario Provincial Police caught a 19-year-old man driving 246km/h on a highway on the night of Feb. 4, according to Global News. The man had his license suspended for seven days following the incident.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

felt a sense of despair. “I could maybe understand that the government is trying to [change] some things but I really feel like it’s not enough,” Taj said.

The trials will continue next week with the more government testimonies, followed by the closing arguments from Feb. 25 to 27.

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theconcordian

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

CAMPUS HISTORY

Professor acquitted after complaints of alleged sexual harassment Concordia says it is in accordance with privacy laws

MIA ANHOURY NEWS EDITOR A C r e a t i ve Wr i t i n g p r o f e s s o r i n Concordia’s English department was cleared in September 2018 of the sexual harassment allegations filed by two former students, according to a recent report

by CBC. The two former students, who filed the complaints in January 2018, reportedly learned of this exoneration through CBC two weeks ago.

Concordia University has still not confirmed if the professor was exonerated.

University Spokesperson Fiona Downey said “we cannot divulge any information surrounding potential or actual investigations, including the results of any investigations or any other employment matters.”

The sexual assault allegations date back to events that happened at the university in the 1990s. The two former students’ complaints were filed around the same time that Mike Spry, a graduate from Concordia’s Creative Writing program, wrote a lengthy essay denouncing the toxic and misogynistic environment of the program.

Francis Bouchard, a spokesperson

for the Minister of Education and Higher Education, Jean-François Roberge, told CBC it is “natural” to report results of an investigation to the person who filed the complaint. However, Downey said that Concordia contacted Quebec government officials and have been assured that they are complying with privacy and confidentiality legislation.

“We do understand this is particularly frustrating for the complainants who want to know the exact results, but this is the reality we face,” said Downey.

Downey said the university followed the guidelines established by the education department, which only requires them to inform complainants when an investigation has been completed. “I can tell you that you that we inform the complainants about the completion of an investigation,” said Downey. However, Concordia would not confirm if they did or did not inform the complainants in this case.

One of the complainants, Ibi Kaslik, a Toronto author, told CBC she tried getting updates on her complaints. Concordia would only tell her that the third-party investigator took the information presented

to them and then the university reacted.

Kaslik said she wanted to know about the outcome of the investigation, but kept hitting a wall.

Per the Act respecting Access to documents held by public bodies and the Protection of personal Information, no confidential information­ ­— including personal information— can be shared by a post-secondary institution to another person, including the person who filed the complaint. On the other hand, the institution can contact the plaintiff to see how they would like to move forward.

Downey said these practices are also reiterated in the university’s updated sexual violence policy. The university will release a climate review of the English department sometime in the winter semester. It is mandated to collect information from students, staff, faculty, and alumni about the culture and climate of the department through third-party experts.

Two English professors are still under a third-party investigation for unrelated sexual misconduct allegations as well, which were also filed at the same time last year.

In a statement to The Concordian , Downey said the Standing Committee on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence has been discussing with the university what could be implemented to provide further support for complainants. Downey added that the committee is also in the process of creating a step-by-step guide for complainants.

The university is currently in the process of implementing Bill 151, an Act to prevent and fight sexual violence in higher education institutions. The university has until Sept. 1, 2019 to fully implement the bill’s requirements.

Additionally, the committee is planning on meeting with other post-secondary institutions in May, as it did in November 2018, to discuss the implementation of Bill 151.

Meanwhile, the Task Force on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence continues its community conversations.

Undergraduate students are invited to the next community conversations, which will be on March 28 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Grey Nuns Building, and on May 24 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in PC 2.115.

TIMELINE 1982

Robert Allen begins teaching in the English department at Concordia.

1984-86

Stephen Henighan, now a writer and Guelph University professor, studies under Allen at Concordia.

Allen’s marriage ends and he begins preying on students, Henighan told The Toronto Star.

OCT. 17, 2014

Emma Healey and her essay are highlighted in The Globe and Mail article, titled “The danger of being a woman in the Canadian literary world.”

FEB. 2015

The Standing Committee continues to work on implementing Bill 151, the Act to prevent and fight sexual violence in higher education institutions.

DEC. 12, 2018

Concordia adopts a new sexual violence policy that uses a survivor-centric language in accordance with Bill 151.

early

1980S 1990S

Younger male teachers follow in Allen’s footsteps, and a culture of sexual abuse in the Creative Writing program is born, according to Henighan, who taught at Concordia during these years.

OCT. 6, 2014

Canadian writer and former Concordia student Healey publishes an essay on the website The Hairpin, in which she makes allegations of sexual misconduct against a Creative Writing professor.

Rudrapriya Rathore and five other Concordia students send a letter to the chair of the English department describing the creative writing program’s culture as “toxic” for women.

The signatories meet with a human resources employee, but their complaint goes nowhere.

NOV. 2018

late

The Sexual Assault Resource Centre is created to support victims of sexual assault in the Concordia community, with Jennifer Drummond as the only full-time employee.

JAN. 2018

Deputy Provost Lisa Ostiguy chairs the Sexual Assault Policy Review Working Group, which reviews the university’s sexual assault policies and makes recommendations.

Standing Committee on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence is created by the Task Force with 25 members.

Sexual harassment and abuse of power is “pervasive” in the department, according to former Concordia student and Montreal Author, Heather O’Neill, in a report with The Globe and Mail. O’Neill said she was repeatedly sexually harassed by Allen.

NOV. 11, 2013

AUG. 2015

SEPT. 2018

LATE 1990S

Mike Spry publishes his essay about the "toxic" culture in the English department.

Concordia President Alan Shepard said the university is launching a third-party investigation to look into

MAY 11, 2018

Healey names Fiorentino as the Creative Writing professor who allegedly sexually abused her.

NOV. 2006

Allen dies. The Montreal-based Véhicule Press publishes an obituary describing Allen as having had “a lasting influence on hundreds [of]students over the years.” The English department plans a celebration to honour Allen.

claims against Jon Paul Fiorentino and David McGimpsey.

Their classes are reassigned and their books are taken off of library shelves on Jan. 12, 2018.

Task Force on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence is created by Concordia. It is chaired by Ostiguy.

JUN. 26, 2018

Concordia University releases its first report of its Task Force on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual violence.

FEB. 2018

CBC reports that the two former students who filed sexual assault complaints in Jan. 2018 did not know the investigation looking into their allegations was closed in Sept.

2018 and the professor was cleared.

With files from Candice Pye, Matthew Lapierre, and Étienne Lajoie.

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

VOLUNTEERING

Take a break to volunteer

Community Compass is Concordia’s new experiential learning program MIA ANHOURY NEWS EDITOR Concordia University has introduced a new community-based experiential learning program called Community Compass. The program allows Concordia students to sign up with organizations that partnered with the university to volunteer during reading week.

Through various organizations in Montreal, students can register for four and a half days, or they can choose to volunteer for five days at Camp Kinkora in the Laurentians. Partner organizations include StopGap, a foundation that builds ramps to improve wheelchair accessibility around the city and Santropol Roulant, a community food hub in Plateau Mont-Royal, among many others.

As of Monday morning, 59 people were registered in the program. Alex Oster, the coordinator of student engagement at the Dean of Students office, said Community Compass will increase the number of partnering organizations, given its success this year.

Manager of Resident Life, Rich Swaminathan, set up the program, which was assessed and reinvented by Oster.

Community Compass is a new version of the Alternative Spring Break program from 2009-10, according to Oster. He said the program is “reimagined, to better align with students’ capacity mid-semester.”

After seeing a decline in the registration for the Alternative Spring Break program in the last three years, Oster said the university

conducted an assessment of the program’s strengths and weaknesses to create a new one that better accommodates the students.

Oster said that, for now, Community Compass will be focusing on the reading week program, however, it can also be used as a resource for students who want to get involved in their community, throughout the year.

Students who register for the program are automatically accepted, but there is limited availability per organization. “We’ve focused on making it as accessible as possible,” said Oster. “We want the program to be the first step into a lifestyle of volunteering and civic engagement.”

The program’s aim is to teach students about some of the critical social and economic issues in the Montreal community, according to Oster, whether it’s homelessness, a lack of accessibility or food poverty. “For example, students helping the StopGap foundation here in Montreal can help build and install ramps for single-stair entrances,” said Oster.

“Many of us who are able-bodied don’t even notice this tiny step that prevents a wheelchair user from entering a public space.” He added,

“It is an incredible chance to serve others.”

The reading week program’s option in the Laurentians is financed by the George and Helen Coward Endowment. The fund was created when the late Kenneth Coward made a donation to engage students in critical thinking and personal reflection to enrich their academic experience and foster civic responsibility, according to Oster.

Camp Kinkora is a foundation that offers camp experiences for community groups, especially marginalized and underprivileged groups. Oster said “they host an LGBTQ youth camp, for example.” Student volunteers help the Camp Kinkora crew prepare their facilities for their busy spring and summer seasons.

Find more information on Concordia’s website.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

CSU starts addiction task force Group will advise union, administration on recovery services for students

The Concordia Student Union (CSU) is launching its first addiction treatment, prevention, and recovery centre.

The CSU addiction task force is composed of five students whose mandate is to implement new addiction-harm reducing initiatives on Concordia’s campus.

The task force will be funded by the student life initiative budget, which the student life coordinator holds in order to implement any initiative for student life, including the upcoming Rapid HIV Testing Clinic.

“Addiction impacts students in a lot of different ways; it impacts their academics, it impacts their involvement in student life on campus,” said Michele Sandiford, the CSU student life coordinator and member of the task force. “We think that it is important to give them a space where they can thrive in school and thrive in the community.”

This issue is particularly important to Sandiford, who has been in recovery for two years. When she was elected as a CSU executive, she made this project part of her mandate. She said this year’s executive team has been interested in supporting mental health issues, giving her the necessary support to achieve her goal.

“For now, we really are just a body that makes recommendations to the CSU and the

university, and we’re trying to implement some sort of resources or programing,” said Sandiford. “It’s about establishing recommendations for what might work for students.”

At the moment, the CSU addiction task force is a pilot project in development, while they determine what is already available to students on campus and what they might need in the future. While the launch date of the project is still unknown, the team will continue to discuss its primary focus during their weekly meetings. They also started looking into ways to promote their cause.

“We’re looking at space, we’re looking at resources, accommodations that can be made for students, and ways that we can support them,” Sandiford said. “It might be something like peer support or better access to resources.”

The team of five, including Sandiford, whose other members have not yet been revealed, is composed of students that have backgrounds in addiction recovery or have specific interest in harm-reducing or addiction treatment.

In order to maximize the task force’s impact on students in need, the group “[goes] over research, what’s already available for students, what can be made available, and from the personal experience of the members of the committee or task force,” Sandiford said. “If [students] have specific ideas for things that they might need, we’re

5

WORLD IN BRIEF IAN DOWN NEWS EDITOR A Mexican researcher successfully cured almost 30 patients from HPV, according to El Universal.

Eva Ramón Gallegos used a procedure called photodynamic therapy to cure 29 patients across the country and treat 420 others.

For the first time, Pope Francis admitted to the systemic sexual abuse of nuns by members of the clergy, according to BBC. He made the confession in a speech on Feb. 5 during his tour of the Middle East. He cited one case in which an entire congregation had to be shut down to end the abuse.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that cannabis be reclassified to a less restrictive drug class, according to Newsweek. The announcement reverses the WHO’s 1954 recommendation that the use of cannabis in medicine be abolished.

MENTAL HEALTH

JAD ABUKASM ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

theconcordian

happy to have that information brought to us,” she added.

Since the task force is not fully operating yet, Sandiford advised students needing help with addiction to seek counselling for the moment.

Sandiford hopes the team will be able to bring the right help to Concordia students. She also hopes to offer students easy access to the proper assistance that many of the team’s members had a chance to get or are still going through.

A bipartisan group of American senators drafted a legislation that would punish Saudi Arabia for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the war in Yemen, according to the Daily Maverick. Measures would include restrictions on arms sales to the Kingdom and on refuelings of aircraft involved in the war in Yemen. The senators believe that the Trump administration has not done enough to punish Saudi A r abia for it s human r ig ht s violations.

Google has allegedly been removing search results in Russia that are blacklisted by the government, according to CNET. The allegations come after the company received a $7,500 fine last November for failing to remove blacklisted sites.

Google previously came under fire for its plans to implement similar censorship in China.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

Each of the five members of the task force has a background in addiction recovery, harm-reduction or addiction treatment. Photo by Mia Anhoury.

life

LIFE EDITOR /// life@theconcordian.com ALEX HUTCHINS ( @alexhutchinns96)

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

CONFERENCE

Memories of the SGW Affair Re-examining the socio-political climate of 1960s Montreal

Black money and activism

Exercising your economic power to put your money where your culture is JOSIE FOME CONTRIBUTOR

From left: Clarence Bayne, H. Nigel Thomas, Philippe Fils-Aimé, Brenda Dash and Nancy Warner spoke at De Sève Cinema on Feb. 8. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

ALEX HUTCHINS LIFE EDITOR In light of the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Sir George Williams Affair, Protests and Pedagogy, a two-day conference commemorating the largest student occupation in Canadian history, took place at De Sève Cinema in the LB building on Feb. 8 and 9. The series of panels saw speakers, academics and activists from across the country join together to share information and memories of the events on Feb. 11, 1969. Resituating the occupation within the broader socio-political context of racial tensions in the 1950s and 60s in Montreal, as well as globally, underpinned each discussion.

Michael O. West, professor of sociology, Africana studies and history at Binghamton University, kicked off the conference by giving some much-needed historical context to the occupation. On April, 28 1968, eight students approached the Dean of Students with the initial complaint regarding their biology professor. “1968 was a year of protests and rebellion worldwide,” said West. “The Sir George Williams Affair was deeply rooted in the revolution of 1968.” Twenty-two days before the students came forth with their initial complaint “was the assassination, on April 4, 1968, of the King of Love,” said West. “Martin Luther King.”

Following West, H. Nigel Thomas, an author of various novels, poems and scholarly texts, chaired the second panel discussion between four individuals who were all involved, in one way or another, with the events surrounding Feb. 11. Clarence Bayne, a then-professor at Sir George Williams University; Philippe Fils-Aimé, one of

the Hall building occupants as well as one of the 97 people arrested that day; Brenda Dash, a Montrealer who vocally supported the students and was also arrested; and Nancy Warner, then a student-supporter from McGill who was outside the Hall building on Feb. 11. Every panelist had unique, insightful details of the intentionally misrepresented protest-turned-riot, all to convey one theme: it’s time the truth got a fair hearing.

“Many people saw a face of Montreal that they had never seen before. The sheer hostility, the racism, the things that were said to people,” said Warner.

“The degree to which what we thought were the rules of due-process, of the people being treated like they had some kind of civil liberties, were dashed.”

Some major news outlet headlines from Feb. 11 and onwards read: “Police Stay Cool in Chaos” and “Riot Squad Impressive” (The Gazette, Feb. 12, 1969) in which police are praised for appearing “relaxed and in good humour,” as well as “Student Moderates Alienated—Extremists go it Alone,” (The Star, Feb. 12, 1969) which stated that black students wanted to “burn down the university.”

“Much has been said about the destructive danuma of February 11,” said West. “A favourite description became and remains: riot. It being assumed that the rioters and protesters were one and the same.”

To this day, the administration and major news outlets present the mysterious fire as a point of contestation from the riots that day, despite the fact that students were arrested and charged with arson, among other offences, in the ensuing trials.

“I am going to also make a few comments on the question of this fire at the computer centre. I will tell you things that I have never said or mentioned

before,” said Fils-Aimé. “As we were in jail, I had the chance to talk with Rosie [Roosevelt Douglas] and I said 'Rosie, did you start this fucking fire, man?' and he said ‘Phillippe, I must tell you, I didn't have to.’" Fils-Aimé went on to explain how Rosie speculated that an individual whom they knew to be a devoted anarchist was the arsonist.

Details of the brutal events that took place once the riot squad stormed into the Hall building have not been downplayed—they have been left out of the history books altogether.

“It is true that a riot occurred at the computer centre,” said West. “Except the riot only began with the arrival of the Montreal police riot squad.”

“The black occupiers were singled out for especially brutal retribution.

Black women, as could be expected, got the worst of it,” said West. “Subjected to bigoted bile as well as sexual violence.

[Black men’s] bodies were ground in broken glass, they were kicked in the groin and genitalia.”

The students who made the initial complaint were taking a biology course, many of whom had dreams of attending medical school and ascending to the professional realm of society. “In sum, the police riot was also an attack on black sexuality and black reproduction,” said West.

West explained that, in regards to holding the police and the university accountable for the riots, “that has occurred to no one; that is, no one in a position of authority.”

Fils-Aimé left attendees with a metaphor: when history is written by the lions, you’ll never hear the side of the antelopes. “In the process, truth became another victim,” said West.

“It’s time, officially, that truth got a hearing at Concordia University.

It’s time.”

Black History Month is upon us and I’ve got one question for you, dear reader: where is your money going? Black people all over North America spend this month bringing light to the horrible atrocities that were faced in the name of “building a republic.” In order to carve a better future, one must never forget their past; and in the case of black Canadians, they stand on the shoulders of giants. Men and women who persevered throughout the most unimaginable situations are now revered and fondly remembered.

When one thinks of slavery and Canada, it’s easy to think about how this country was the final destination of the Underground Railroad—the escape route many American slaves used, led by the fearless Harriet Tubman. However, allow me to shatter this perception of Canada.

In an article written by Joshua Ostroff published in the Huffington Post, historian Afua Cooper is quoted saying, “slavery was the dominant condition of life for black people in this country for well over 200 years.

We’ve been enslaved for longer than we’ve been free.” Although slavery was abolished in Canada in 1834, so many black Canadians are still in bondage when it comes to their finances. So again, dear reader, I ask: where is your money going?

What was once regarded as trivial and inconsequential has grown to influence economic markets worldwide. The present-day black consumer has more power and influence with their $1 bill today than ever before—but this same consumer may be more ignorant about said influence.

Pioneers of the Civil Rights and Black Panther movements were aware of their influence, as evident through their actions. Robert E. Weems, in his article “The Trillion Dollar African American Consumer Market: Economic Empowerment or Economic Dependency?,” writes: “The Montgomery (Alabama) Bus Boycott of 1955-1956 remains the model instance of organized black consumer activism. One cannot overemphasize the resolve demonstrated by Montgomery’s black community during this action.

The widespread publicity given black Montgomery’s ultimately successful campaign for respect and dignity subsequently emboldened blacks throughout the South to follow New York Congressman Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.’s advice to 'withhold the dollar to make the white man holler.'” Black consumers put their money where their mouths were, and it paid off.

During this month where we take the time to remember our past, I implore you to support black businesses and ensure our future presence within the economic scene. It makes no sense that the majority of hair product stores in Montreal—where, in my experience, most of the shoppers are black people—are owned by East Asians; and hair is just the tip of the iceberg of products black people consume that others have a monopoly over.

Support black businesses. Put your money back into black businesses. Small ones, big ones, Mom & Pop’s, and everything in between. A quick Google search will give you a list of black-owned businesses in Montreal, in Canada, and online.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

theconcordian

7

COVER STORY

Spread the love, not the disease

If you’re planning on getting busy this Valentine’s Day, stay protected VICTORIA BLAIR CONTRIBUTOR

Graphic by @spooky_soda

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, some of us who are romantically involved are preparing to spend the day with that special someone. While indulging your partner is important, so is keeping in mind the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or disease (STD).

According to Women’s Health, the difference between STIs and STDs are whether symptoms are present, and ailments are only described as diseases when symptoms are present. “You can have an infection, such as chlamydia, without symptoms,” said Angela Jones, M.D., an ob-gyn at Healthy Woman Obstetrics and Gynecology in Monmouth, NJ. Since 2005, the Canadian government has recorded a rise in reported STD/STI cases, mainly cases concerning chlamydia, which is the most reported sexually transmitted disease in Canada. In 2009-2010, 68 per cent of sexually active 15 to 24 year-olds reported using a condom the last time they had intercourse, according to Statistics Canada.

The World Health Organization states that there are more than 30 viruses, bacterias and parasites that can be transmitted sexually. Of these, eight are the cause of most reported STD/ STI cases. Four are currently curable: syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis.

The other four—hepatitis B, herpes, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human

papillomavirus (HPV)—are viral infections and are not curable.

“While most people think that STDs[/ STIs] are only transmittable through sexual intercourse, like penetration, there are really, in fact, many ways of getting them,” said Charlotte Gagné, a sexology student at the Université du Québec à Montréal.

“For example, [they can be transmitted through] skin to skin contact, blood and sharing sex toys. It can also be passed down from mother to child.”

One of the best ways to avoid contracting and spreading STDs/STIs is to use protection.

Condoms are accessible, relatively affordable and they come in various styles that can make using protection fun. Trojan has ribbed condoms geared for female pleasure, their

thinnest condom called the 'bareskin' and even benzocaine-lubed condoms for climax control, all meant to maximize pleasure. Just be sure to always check condoms for rips or tears, as well as expiry dates, before use.

STDs/STIs not only affect you physically, but mentally and socially as well. “Our society judges and rejects people with STDs[/STIs],” said Gagné. “They are often seen as prostitutes or floozies. People are afraid to touch them, they act as if they have the plague.”

Kelyane Dizazzo, a student at Collège Ahuntsic, has contracted chlamydia in the past. "It felt like the end of the world," said Dizazzo. “I know it could've been something much worse, but when I got the news, I couldn't stop crying," she said. Whether you're single or in a relationship, the importance of getting

regularly tested for STDs/STIs while sexually active is pertinent. Concordia Health Services recommends getting tested every two months, or between different sexual partners.

“I lost some friends,” added Dizazzo.

“Their girlfriends didn't want them near me, let alone talking to me.” Dizazzo went on to explain that if she had known how badly this disease would affect her, she would have been much more careful.

“Being informed is key,” said Gagné.

“Knowing about the different types of STDs[/ STIs] and how they can be transmitted not only helps you know how to protect yourself, but it lets you know what to expect if you are not careful.”

Being honest with yourself and your partner can help stop the spread of these sexually transmitted diseases. Having an STD/STI does not only affect you, it also affects your future sexual partners, and previous ones that could be carriers or infected as well.

“There a lot of resources available to help prevent STDs[/STIs], but you have to look for them,” said Gagné. “If you think you have an STD[/STI] or just want to make sure that everything is okay, go to an STD[/STI] testing clinic. It's better to be safe than sorry.”

Valentine’s Day is about showing your loved ones how much you care. While Hallmark holidays will push us to buy material items as expressions of our love, what better gift is there than the gift of protection and peace of mind?

REVIEW

LIFE HACKS

Restaurant Nilufar is known for its authentic falafel, soups and merguez. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Tasty food reccs for broke students

ALEX HUTCHINS LIFE EDITOR

JACOB CAREY ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR

Restaurant Nilufar 8

1923 Ste-Catherine St. W.

10

DISH: Falafel wrap, Moroccan chickpea soup, and lemonade trio ($4)

The warped floors, low ceiling, and limited space really add to the diveresto vibe at Nilufar, but do not let it’s slightly-lacking aesthetic fool you.

The falafel balls themselves have just the right amount of crisp before they give way to a warm explosion of flavour, and the cool veggies add the perfect crunch to every bite. The soup’s soft chickpeas, lentils, celery and onions all blend together beautifully, with just the right amount of cilantro. This was particularly impressive, since I’m not one to enjoy cilantro (it tastes like soap). Moroccan soup was my choice of the day, however there are four other options: lentil, barley, vegetable, and spicy Tunisian soup. The lemonade is the standard drink of choice, while the staff cycle out alternative juice options from day to day, such as peach, lime and pink lemonade, all of which pair beautifully with the meal.

Café Bistro Bano 7.5 10

6929 Sherbrooke St. W.

DISH: All-dressed chicken schnitzel sandwich ($6.29)

Café Bistro Bano may be easy to miss as one walks down Sherbrooke St. W., but its quality of food should not be overlooked.

Just a three minute walk from Loyola campus, the Persian restaurant provides a coz y eat ing sp ace t hat fe el s like home with its unique wall decor. The chicken schnitzel is the most popular and recommended dish, and provides clientele—mostly Loyola High School and Concordia University students— with a satisf ying bite at a low cost.

The crispy chicken breast in ciabatta bread makes for a nice crunch that is complemented by the lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and spicy sauce. The fries are mediocre, although soup or salad can replace them as a side dish. However, the dessert is shouldn't be skipped. The homemade cheesecakes are fantastic and the truffles are a must-try.

Parma Café 7.5 10

1202 Bishop St.

DISH: Chicken cutlet panini ($10.25)

Located two streets over from Concordia’s downtown campus , Parma Café is an Italian bistro with a wide selection of food options.

The moder n set-up with soothing decorations and a friendly staff makes for an enjoyable dining experience.

The deep-fried chicken cutlet panini comes with grilled eggplant, lettuce a n d h o m e m a d e m a yo n n a i s e —a l l f lavours that enhance each other b e aut i f u ll y. F or a n e x t r a d o s e of flavour, don't be afraid to add another layer of cheese. The restaurant offers several variations of paninis, salads, piz z a s and pa st a s , a s well a s the specials of the day. Their desser ts range from cannolis and brownies, to c o o k i e s a n d n ute ll a h or n s , all w i t h a h o m e - s t y l e to u c h . T h e s e are best alongside one of Parma’s espresso-based beverages.

Souvlaki George 6.5 10

6995 Monkland Ave. DISH: Poutine ($9.20)

A few weeks ago, we recommended Souvlaki George as one of the few spots around Loyola to grab some grub. While poutine is by no means their specialty, being a Greek restaurant and all, it was still surprisingly unimpressive.

The first major f law: no napkins or takeout utensils to eat the poutine with, and trying to eat greasy fries with two plastic knives chopstick-style seriously hindered my ability to enjoy the meal.

Secondly, the fries were very soggy.

While this may not have occurred had I eaten at the resto, the short walk back to campus should not have brought about that much sogginess. Honestly, the best part of the whole dish was the gravy; its savouriness cannot be disputed. While the gyros, pitas and plates are probably delicious, if you’re looking for some poutine, I’d suggest going elsewhere.

arts

Happening in and around the White Cube this week…

ARTS EDITOR /// arts@theconcordian.com CHLOË LALONDE

PROFILE

Finding catharsis and connectivity Abstraction in conversation with artist Alex Hill

Hill’s work is currently showing in The Hive Solidarity Co-op in the Hall building, along with work by artists Maya Bergeron and Nora de Mariaffi. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

DAISY DUNCAN ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR Working without a concept, yet finding influence from emotions and periods of time in history, Alex Hill’s work is not only striking and beautiful, but it also encourages a further interrogation of what is represented within the paint strokes. Influences of history, intuition, and emotion are translated into visuality through Hill’s vibrant, expressive, abstract paintings.

Almost exclusively through acrylics on wooden panels, Hill follows her intuition as she creates paintings that incorporate an interesting mixture of fluid and fixed structures and movements upon the canvas.

“I think my paintings are probably fairly accurate windows into my psyche at the moment that I'm painting them—aggressive, or serene, or methodical, etc. But beyond that I don't work with much of a concept or theme in mind,” said Hill. “These works are generally abstracts that juxtapose organic forms and ‘automatic,’ gestural marks with rigid and uniform geometry. This use of juxtaposition loosely explores how the contradictory relationship between these forms mirrors the relationship between the man-made and the natural world, but like I said, I'm not usually consciously thinking about themes or ideas like this while I'm painting.”

Originally from Victoria, B.C., Hill completed her undergraduate degree at University of Victoria (UVic) in Slavic studies and Soviet history, before moving to Montreal in September 2017. Her creative practice was a part of this move, as Hill explains, “After graduating, I moved to Montreal to focus on painting, and because it's really a ‘right

of passage’ for Victoria kids to move out here.” Currently, Hill isn’t in school, but a future enrolment as an independent student at Concordia is in the cards, especially since, as Hill explains, “I already spend four days a week on campus, working at The Hive!”

Hill was an avid painter throughout high school, even considering pursuing art in university, but ultimately found her path in studying history, which lessened her time and focus in practicing painting.

However, completing her undergraduate degree changed this, and painting became prominent once again. “When I graduated from UVic in 2016, I was hit with anxiety that came along with no longer being a student for the first time in my life and being unsure of my direction and identity from thereon out. Getting back into painting at this somewhat turbulent time was extremely cathartic and exciting.”

These previous studies, along with the influence of baby-boomer parents, find presence in Hill’s artwork. She explained the influence from these two major sources has led to Hill always feeling drawn to mid-century styles and movements, whether it be art, fashion or music. “My paintings are definitely inspired by the works of many of the abstract expressionists. From a very early age I was drawn to abstraction by its emotional and intuitive nature. I particularly love the vibrancy, colours and general sensibility of painters like Joan Mitchell, Franz Kline and Willem de Kooning.” she shared.

Being in Montreal has influenced Hill and her art practice to a degree as well.

“Since moving to Montreal, I've been able to devote considerably more time and energy to my art as well as having the opportunity to get more engaged within

an artistic community—including meeting many artists at Concordia—and visiting local galleries,” Hill said. “I really feel that the connectivity throughout the artistic communities in Montreal has helped me to feel like I'm no longer working in a little bubble. I love knowing what other painters in my demographic are up to.”

Community connection through art plays a part in Hill’s practice, as her move to Montreal has displayed. Yet, ideas of academia in connection to the abstract genre are less important to Hill, and are something she challenges within her work. “Although abstract art can get intellectualized and wrapped up in layers of theory I don't think it is an inherently elitist and intellectual art form. I don't think you should need a university degree to appreciate and enjoy beautiful colours or emotional intensity or satisfying balance and composition. These things are pretty universal and definitely what I aim for in my paintings.”

As for future works and projects, Hill is looking forward to see how things turn out, while continuing on her current path and art practices. “My work is still very much just in the experimental stages and every time I sit down to paint the outcome is very different from what I could have expected so I really can't predict what direction it'll take,” she explained. “I would like to eventually return to doing some more semi-representational work but who knows.”

Hill’s work is currently showing in The Hive Solidarity Co-op in the Hall building,until April 10, along with work by artists Maya Bergeron and Nora de Mariaffi. A selection of her works are available for purchase. You can view more of her work on Instagram: @ALEXHILL_PAINTING

Miss Chief is back! And boy am I thrilled.

As someone who grabs every chance they have to write and talk about Kent Monkman, attending the press conference on Feb. 5, for the artist’s new exhibition, Shame and Prejudice: A Story of Resilience at McCord museum, was a dream come true (I was even lucky enough to meet him!).

I’ll just go out and say it, Kent Monkman is the most relevant artist today and possibly ever. The Canadian-born artist of Cree ancestry comments not only on our current sociocultural conditions, but also colonial history and colonial art history.

“I look for places to take inspiration or to challenge art history told by different perspectives,” Monkman explained at the press conference. Both artist and curator of Shame and Prejudice, he works with existing art and artefacts in McCord’s collection to “jostle tradition” and “rep a Cree worldview.”

A beautifully set table transforms from lavish hors d'oeurves set for colonial officials and polished wood, to splintered bark topped with boney leftovers representing those that were left to scavenge or starve.

Monkman creates masterpieces, both painting and installation/sculptural work, inspired by great classical artists like Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio and Leonardo Da Vinci, as well as more arguably problematic work by Pablo Picasso.

Monkman comments on the art world’s (post) modern minimalist trends by comparing them to Indigenous overpopulation in prisons, which he emphasises as the ultimate minimalist dream, living with the bare necessities (Minimalism, 2017). Monkman even comments on natural history by making sculptural pieces, such as in Nativity Scene (2017), which mimics installations in natural history museums; neanderthals and dinosaurs sharing their space with Native Americans with the same head and body in different scenes, wearing different clothing.

Monkman’s favourite piece, The Scream (2017) depicts the violently emotional removal of Indigenous children from their families.

The massive painting is centered on a black wall in a black room, surrounded by beautiful handmade baby carriers, ghost-baby carriers (grey, empty carriers symbolising those that were lost), chalk outlines, and work created

by Indigenous children in residential schools.

There are no words to describe the sense of dread one feels walking into this room. When asked by a CTV journalist, Monkman agreed that it’s about time the impact of colonialism is brought to the public eye in such a visually discerning way.

Monkman’s work checks all the boxes, and surpassing its aesthetic and artistic qualities is its ability to educate, supported by Indigenous voices and knowledge. Present throughout is the gender fluid, twospirit teacher of the century, Miss Chief Eagle Testickle.

Visit Miss Chief in Shame and Prejudice: A Story of Resilience at the McCord Museum until May 5. Miss Chief’s newly released video performance, Another Feather in Her Bonnet, in collaboration with Jean Paul Gaultier and part of a larger installation, is now a part of the permanent collection at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

Graphic by Ana Bilokin.

CHLOË LALONDE | ARTS EDITOR

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

theconcordian

9

NEW SPACE

4th SPACE is as flexible and adjustable as a bento box A multidisciplinar y addition to Concordia’s downtown campus DIONA MACALINGA CONTRIBUTOR Concordia University’s 4th SPACE will be carrying out programs encompassing a variety of topics from avant-garde video games to open discussions about Indigenous cultures integrated in artificial intelligence for the upcoming months.

The explorative platform begins with a collaborative process between the school faculty and Concordia’s student associations, but it extends to more than a museum for school projects. After one month of its official launch in January, 4th SPACE revealed its interactive workshops to all passersby. The studio also features space for screenings and prototype installations presented by the university’s faculty members and students. Furthermore, its schedule offers roundtable events, an opportunity to spark conversation between guest panelists and the audience, that usually takes place in the center of the facility.

“Our collaborators, who will be researchers and students, take up residency in the SPACE, then they will transform the venue using specialized furniture,” said Knowledge Broker Prem Sooriyakumar. Designed to be as flexible and adjustable as a bento box, the venue can shift from a traditional science lab to a stage for visual art performances. “The way we’ve conceptualized 4th SPACE is meant to be an agile space, meaning it can transform itself to the topic we are exploring for that set period,” Sooriyakumar continued.

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Sir George Williams Affair and Black History Month, the integrative studio has just hosted a commemoration of the Affair: Protests and Pedagogy.

On Jan. 31, the second evening of Protests and Pedagogy, Dorothy Williams’s workshop aimed to educate participants with a card game she created. Williams is a historian and author of the only book that studied the

Following Protests and Pedagogy, the 4th SPACE will be hosting Landscapes of Hope on Feb. 19 and 20. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

history of black Canadians from New France era to 20th century Montreal, The Road to Now: A History of Blacks in Montreal. Her game, The ABCs of Canadian Black History, is a familiar combination between the classic bingo and childhood trading card game Yu-Gi-Oh. Instead of anime monsters, these cards feature prominent black Canadian figures and organizations such as successful entrepreneur Wilson Ruffin Abbott and the Victoria Pioneer Rifles.

Curated by Concordia’s Art Education professor, Vivek Venkatesh, and Communication Studies professor, Owen Chapman, Landscape of Hope is two-day program in which the first part will be a workshop held at 4th SPACE on Feb. 19. The workshop gives Concordia undergraduates and CEGEP students a space where they can voice their thoughts on racism and cyberbul-

lying. The program will proceed with a visual and musical art performance led by the undergraduates and graduates of the university’s Communications Studies, Art Education, Music Therapy and Education departments on Feb. 20 starting at 5 p.m.

Affiliated with Concordia’s SOcial Media EducatiON Every day (SOMEONE) project and international touring festival Grimposium, Landscape of Hope aims to teach workshop participants and viewers digital resilience in relation to online hate speech.

Since 2016, Professor Venkatesh and the SOMEONE research team have garnered worldwide attention by sharing elementary to post-secondary students’ narrative on cyber racism through music, theatre and other art mediums. Their project, Landscape of Hope, demonstrated success at their

4th space is designed to shift from a traditional science lab to a stage for visual art performances. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

official premiere in Norway last year.

On March 4, 4th SPACE will be housing Arcade 11 in collaboration with Technoculture, Art and Games Research Centre (TAG) and the Montreal Public Libraries Network. The arcade will feature experimental video games and “each game would have some kind of research component whether it was the technology involved, the experience or type of play,” said 4th SPACE coordinator, Douglas Moffat.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to discuss these topics with the indie video game developers.

This event welcomes people of all ages; parents can mark this event in their to-do list of fun March break activities with their children. From retro arcade machines to a VR gaming experience, Arcade 11 is the perfect opportunity for Concordia students to play and unwind after a study session for finals.

Taking place from March 18 to April 12, the studio’s planning team will carry out an exhibition centred around artificial intelligence. 4th SPACE will provide a platform for its visitors to reflect on the concept of Indigenous practices within AI. There will also be room for discussion about the hopes and fears of this innovative technology that is frighteningly powerful and limitless.

Since the studio’s opening, many Montreal residents and university students have come to see the new topic 4th SPACE was exploring. Successfully mirroring Concordia’s dynamic and inclusive climate, what was once a dark and forgotten corner at the downtown campus has regained a pulse.

Protest and Pedagogies was held at the space’s last event, a presentation surfacing the traumas and silences of 1969’s Sir George Williams Affair and the reparative work involved post-affair on Monday, Feb. 11. For more information, visit 4th SPACE’s schedule of activities & events.

music

MUSIC EDITOR /// music@theconcordian.com SIMON NEW

ARTIST PROFILE

Mo’ passion mo’ stardom

Dev in his natural habitat. Photo by Immanuel Matthews.

Dev sold his watch and PS4 to record his first mixtape three years ago IMMANUEL MATTHEWS ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR “Where else should I be?” Dev asked as we sank into the oversized chairs in Montreal’s renowned MakeWay Studios—the place he chooses to spend most of his nights. “I feel like an animal in his natural habitat.”

From sleepless nights recording songs for artists, to producing beats and creating his own music, Dev can be labelled a jackof-all-trades. For the past few years, he’s honed his craft and built connections in the music industry. And it saved his life.

It’s rare to speak to a 22-year-old who knows what they want to do with their life, but Dev’s sense of certainty and clarity about his future sets him apart. As I sat in on one of Dev’s studio sessions this past week, I realized that he isn’t your average 22-year-old, and it might just be time he let the world know.

Dev sold his nicest watch and Playstation 4 to record his first project in February 2016, but a lot has changed since the release of the unrefined Nocturnal Nights mixtape.

“I had a scholarship to play football at Champlain; I had a job at Target. But every day, the only thing that made me happy was writing bars on the two-hour bus and metro ride to school,” Dev said. “I would download different beats off of YouTube everyday and just write.”

The artist played football for a combined 10 years, sacrificing many summer nights to training and practices. But getting a chance to play the sport at the next level didn’t give him the fulfillment he expected.

Something was missing.

Then, while on lunch break one day at work, it clicked. Dev heard a Lil Uzi Vert song and right then and there, he knew what he had to do. “I got up and quit my job,” he said, chuckling, with a touch of pride in his voice. “I just knew that I was wasting my time. I had to do music.”

Not long after, Dev dropped out of CÉGEP to pursue his dreams, right before the highly-anticipated start of the football season. Without any formal training or experience, he turned towards music and hasn’t looked back.

Though the decision was a no-brainer for the LaSalle native, his mom was not on-board with the idea. She kicked him out of the house after he refused to get a job and return to school, and his gears shifted into survival mode.

Luckily enough, good connections and even better friends landed Dev on the couch in one of his friend’s condos, in the heart of the city. Carl Uribe, who runs multiple recording studios in the spacious location, brought Dev in on one condition. He’d have to put up with the long nights of chest-thumping bass and booming vocal recordings that played out a few feet from his head, because, well,

his room was a studio.

The uncomfortable situation turned out to be a blessing in disguise, one that kept Dev going through the doubts and off-days.

“I learned so much from the people that passed through Carl’s,” said Dev. “I would go to bed listening to people recording their music, and I would wake up to it too. I remember there were some beats that were so amazing they would just put me to sleep. Then I started to record and engineer for people, and I built my own clientele through the connections that I built there.”

Dev’s reputation of consistency and quality work began to spread through the city. Soon, he was recording artists every week at some of Montreal’s major studios: MakeWay, Planet, and Apollo Studios. His quality of his work improved, and so did his price—his business was booming.

Months went by, and Dev got a call from Anu Budz, the owner of MakeWay Studios in Verdun. Budz had heard about Dev and wanted him to come work at his studio. His foot was in the door.

When Dev's mom saw the work he had put into his music, she allowed him to move back in. His clientele grew, and he continued to work on his craft, producing new beats every week, and rapping and singing new vocals every day.

Inspired by some of our generation’s hip hop pillars like Kanye, Kid Cudi and

Travis Scott, it’s Dev’s creative use of effects and sounds, and his work ethic that set him apart.

Dev cites much of his growth to fellow Montreal artist and all-around talent, Marc Anthony Balian. He's also known as Gxlden Child, and has been making music for years, having worked with some of Montreal’s biggest talents. Dev has high hopes for the near future, for both himself and his best friend.

“I try to use my voice as an instrument, making it sound all these different ways on different beats,” said Dev. “I really don’t think there’s anyone in the city making music even similar to mine, other than my boy Gxlden Child. It’s just us.”

Dev said they're collaborating while each working on their solo material. “We can’t wait to drop the things we’ve been working on for so long,” he said.

“I didn’t know I was born for this, but I know I was born for something like this,” Dev said. “It’s like a kid who plays football all his life and finally gets his dream of playing in the NFL. Nothing makes me happier than working on music everyday.”

While Dev continues to grind as an engineer and producer, behind the scenes, he prepares for his full-blown launch as an artist, planning album release dates and brainstorming music video ideas with his management. While no dates have been made public yet, just know…

Dev’s coming.

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

SHOW REVIEW

theconcordian

11

Twenty three plus Nate Husser ups the degrees at his Apt. 200 EP launch

Nate Husser raps to his hometown fan base gathered at Apt. 200 on the night of his EP launch on January 31st. Photo by Chris Carpenter.

JACOB CAREY ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR Someone who doesn’t know what Nate Husser looks like would have had a hard time spotting him at the launch of his EP Thursday night. Blending in with his crew, mingling by the merchandise table, Husser looks no different from those surrounding him at Apt. 200. The Montreal-born rapper does not go out of his way to seek the spotlight; it has come naturally over the last five years of his career.

And the spotlight is deserved. Fresh off the release of his newest project, 23+, Husser has now completed the third part of his mixtape trilogy. Preceded by minus 23 and 6˚, the thematic series likens the artist

to one of his long time idols, LeBron James.

While minus 23 and 23+ relate to James’s departure and return to his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Husser longs for a similar experience. He hopes to go to Los Angeles to perfect his craft and return to Montreal as our beloved king, what could be the catalyst for the city’s hip hop fans wishing to see their city at Toronto’s calibre.

When asked why he was leaving for L.A., Husser said: “To sell cookies, man.

‘Cause there’s more people out there that eat cookies than over here. So I’m going where people buy and eat cookies more.

My type, my flavour of cookies, cause here they don’t really eat my flavour of cookies.”

Husser’s metaphor describes a recurring problem that Montreal rappers find

themselves dealing with. With no face to represent the city’s sound, they struggle to establish a name for themselves that reverberates on a national, and eventually global scale. Husser believes he needs to market his cookies in California in hopes that the music industry takes a bite.

Back at Apt. 200, Husser manages to pack the floor with supportive fans, proving capable of bringing out a Saturday night crowd on a Thursday evening. While the fans may have expected a modest set from behind the DJ booth, the rapper instead turns it into his own stage. Wearing his yellow custom Huss merchandise hoodie and matching Nike SF Air Force 1 ‘Dynamic Yellow’ shoes, Husser performs from on top of the DJ booth and holds the ceiling

pipes to maintain balance. Although 23+ only came out less than 20 hours before the show, lyrics are being rapped back to him. As his over six foot frame towers over those below, fans show support for their hometown hero as he prepares to embark on a journey that will not only further his career, but Montreal’s reputation in the hip hop community.

“Man, I’m just doing what I do,” said Husser when asked about his plan of attack once he gets to L.A. “Gotta be the best. I mean, not be the best, but do the best for myself and just be my best self, and do the best I can. Every single day, no matter what I do.

Keep moving forward, and keep moving smart. It’s gotten me this far.”

And Husser plans to go a lot further.

Quickspins WIZ KHALIFA AND CURREN$Y

how can you hate on that?” You can’t by 2009 standards, but when Curren$y and Khalifa come with the same hazy instrumentals, trite weed bars, and exorbitant money talk as they did 10 years ago, it’s not unreasonable to expect something more. Although the nostalgia might just be enough to keep you listening, if it wasn’t Curren$y’s hypnotic flow and hilariously detached money talk, you may realize that the real relic of the mixtape era is the bloated tracklist that so serendipitously strives on Spotify’s streaming service.

BEHEMOTH

5/10 2009 Jet Life Recordings K halifa and Curre n$y are se lling a powerful nostalgia trip on 2009. The album celebrates 10 years since the release year of their classic weed-rap mixtape How Fly. 2009 can be summed up by the Outkastappropriated hook on “10 Piece”: “Two dope boys in a Cadillac, stayed real, struck it rich,

 TRIAL TRACK: 10 Piece  STAR BAR: “I proved my point when I parked that Rolls Royce, hopped out forgot my phone was in my lap, my motherfuckin' screen cracked” Curren$y on 10 Piece — SIMON NEW MUSIC EDITOR

drum blasting. The natural guttural and animalistic vocals of frontman Nergal creates a heavy, hardcore sound, encouraging the listener to indulge in an almost ethereal manner. This is an album that was produced with immense passion, and reflects it clearly in an absolutely stunning masterpiece of a final product. I will go as far as to say that this is the best metal album of the past year. My only qualm with it is the opening track “Solve,” which, in my opinion, does not cater to, nor fit in with the overarching feel of the rest of the album. To anyone with an open mind who enjoys heavier music, it is a must listen.

9/10 I LOVED YOU AT YOUR DARKEST Metal Blade Records I Loved You at Your Darkest by traditionally Blackened Death Metal band Behemoth breaches boundaries of metal with its experimentalism, yet somehow remains nostalgically medieval with the incorporation of a full choir and orchestra.

The album juxtaposes the soft melodic sounds of the choir, arpeggiating guitar riffs, and the heavy

 TRIAL TRACK: Havohej Pantocrator  STAR BAR: “On earth as it is in the netherworld Embrace our souls untraveled Let us sail to the farthest sea Ignite our craving hearts” - Nergal on Havohej Pantocrator — AIDAN CROWE CONTRIBUTOR

sports

SPORTS EDITOR /// sports@theconcordian.com NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI ( @n_digiovanni)

PROFILE

Recovered and ready for a title

Goalie Katherine Purchase kept positive during concussion recovery NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI SPORTS EDITOR Concordia Stingers women’s hockey goalie Katherine Purchase earned a shutout in her first start this regular season on Jan. 13 against the Carleton Ravens. Purchase missed the first half of the season due to a concussion, and felt relieved when she was able to play hockey again.

“It’s pretty frustrating [to recover from a concussion], especially when it’s your first one,” Purchase said. “There are a lot of ups and downs, and it’s not really a steady comeback [...]. Some days, I would feel really good and the next, terrible, so it would be discouraging. I just had to keep believing I was going to get better.”

The fifth-year goalie suffered the concussion while at a training camp with the Canadian national team in Dawson Creek, B.C. in September. In an exhibition game against a men’s Junior B team, an opposing player collided with her, his leg hitting her head.

While Purchase was recovering from the head injury, she was also diagnosed with mononucleosis, but ultimately the concussion was what kept her out of action for so long.

“The toughest thing was to not be around the team at all, and I went a whole month without seeing them,” Purchase said. “Especially with all the rookies this year, I wanted to get to know those new girls.”

The accounting student also had to stay away from school for a while, but returned in November and passed her classes last semester. When she returned to the ice, Purchase said she couldn’t put the emotions she felt into words. “It felt like I had to relearn how to play hockey, because I hadn’t been on in so long,” she said.

Purchase hadn’t played for the Stingers since winning bronze at nationals last March, and returned to action at the Theresa Humes Tournament in December. After allowing six goals in a losing effort to the Syracuse Orange on Dec. 30, Purchase said it helped shake the dust off and get back to her usual skill level.

In the team’s first regular-season game

Katherine Purchase was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, but moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia at 9 years old. Photo by Hannah Ewen

of 2019 against the McGill Martlets, Purchase replaced Alice Philbert, who allowed five goals in the third period, and she’s played every game since. With Purchase as the starter, the Stingers have a 5-0-1 record, while she has a 1.28 goals-against average and .948 save percentage. She’s helped the Stingers climb into second place in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ), and the fifth-year just wants to keep winning.

“Knowing that I’ve missed a lot of time and that our team is trying to get some momentum going into the playoffs, I don’t think there’s time to think about anything else,” Purchase said. “Everytime you step onto the ice, you’re trying to go for a win and nothing else matters. [Playing] has kind of helped block out all the noise that creeps into your head.”

Purchase and the Stingers are focused on one thing, and that’s to defend their RSEQ championship and have success at nationals.

“We still have a very talented team and we have the ability to win a national championship, so that’s always the expectation in this program,” she said, adding that she’s well-rested after

Purchase won her first RSEQ championship last season and is aiming for a second. Photo by Hannah Ewen.

missing the first few months of the season.

For a second consecutive year, Purchase was voted co-captain, along with Devon Thompson, by her teammates. Goalies can’t wear the ‘C’ on their jersey but, despite this, head coach Julie Chu praises Purchase for her vocal leadership on and off the ice.

“We’re always emphasizing communication as much as we can, and it’s not just our forwards with the forwards, the defencemen with the other defencemen, but everyone involved, including the goalies,” Chu told The Concordian in an interview in October.

“Katherine is really understanding that role.”

Thompson, the only one to have played alongside Purchase for five seasons, also told The Concordian in November that her goalie is a big leader. “People think that because she’s a goalie, she sticks to herself, but she’s always had a really big voice in the locker room,” Thompson said.

This is Purchase’s last season with the Stingers, and she said it feels surreal that her journey at Concordia is coming to an end. She will be moving to Toronto in May to complete her Chartered Professional Accountant courses, and has a job lined up for September. Toronto has two teams in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, the Markham Thunder and Toronto Furies. At the moment, Purchase isn’t sure if she will be able to play professionally while working a full-time job.

The goalie said she’s enjoyed the family culture the Stingers have developed, and how she’s gotten along well with her teammates throughout the years.

“I’m going to miss Julie and Mike [McGrath, an assistant coach] so, so, so much, and just that feeling of coming to practice in an environment where everyone supports you and wants the best for you,” Purchase said.

“I really can’t complain about my time here,” she added. “If someone gave me the chance to redo everything over again, I wouldn’t take it because I would be scared to mess up. I wouldn’t want to be at any other school in Canada or the U.S., I can’t believe how lucky I am that I ended up here.”

COLOUR COMMENTARY WITH NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI The NHL needs to restructure its regular season schedule if it wants to have more appeal late in the season.

Currently, most teams play their division opponents four times each, with three games against teams in the opposing division in the same conference. Each team also plays every team from the opposite conference twice: once on the road and once at home.

The league changed its divisions and season structure in 2013 and wanted to make sure each NHL team plays in every arena. That way, fans in every city have the chance to see all teams, whereas before, Eastern teams would only play a team from the West once a year, with the host rotating each year.

It’s a great structure for fans, especially if you support a team outside of your hometown. A San Jose Sharks fan in Montreal gets the opportunity to see their team play every season.

Although good for ticket sales, this format is not good for the standings.

The NHL uses a division-based playoff system, with the top-three teams in each division making the playoffs—two extra teams from each conference qualify through wild card spots. So teams are in a tight battle with their division rivals all season long, but only get to play them four times.

This season, the Montreal Canadiens are in a close playoff race with their two main rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins. They already played the Bruins four times, with their last game on Jan. 14. It’s an injustice that these two teams won’t meet again this season. The Canadiens didn’t play the Leafs from opening night on Oct. 3 until last Saturday—that’s a four-month break.

It just doesn’t make sense that fans see these great rivalries only two more times than a game against a team from the opposite conference.

In reality, interconference games are useless for the standings, and there should be more intradivision games.

In 2005, the NHL had teams playing their own division eight times, which led to some crazy games between the Habs and Leafs. We need to see more of that now.

When Seattle joins the NHL in 2021 and evens out the divisions to eight teams each, the league should adapt a new schedule. In an 82-game season, it would make sense to play your division six times each (42 games total), opposing division three times each (24 games) and once against opposite-conference teams (16 games).

It’s also much easier to market Montreal-Boston six times a season for TV ratings than Montreal-Arizona for two games.

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

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LACROSSE

Thompson trio proud of lacrosse heritage The three brothers highlight the importance of Indigenous origins of the game NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI SPORTS EDITOR Growing up as part of the Onondaga Nation, just outside of Syracuse, New York, Jeremy Thompson knew he had different talents than everyone else, especially when it came to lacrosse. The Haudenosaunee people believe lacrosse originated from a game between land and air animals, with each animal using its own strength to its advantage.

“The different animals brought a different perspective [to the game],” Thompson said.

“For me, it was important to spend time with the elders in my community to learn the history [of lacrosse] and understand how these gifts came into me.”

Jeremy, 32 years old, was in Montreal with two of his younger brothers, Jerome, 30, and Miles, 28, for a talk as part of First Voices Week at Concordia on Feb. 7. All three play lacrosse professionally, as well as their youngest brother, Lyle, 26, who was not able to attend the event. Lacrosse is a huge part of their community today, and every year, people gather to play a ceremonial game.

“In the spring, to protect lacrosse players, there’s a medicine game between hundreds of people, from kids to elders,” Jeremy said.

“It brings the community together, and we get out there to make sure all the lacrosse players have a safe season.”

The Thompson brothers were educated in an all-Mohawk elementary school and went to public school in the fifth grade.

They didn’t speak English, so Jerome felt out of place when he and Jeremy needed

From left to right: Jerome, Miles, and Jeremy Thompson. Photo by Gabe Chevalier.

to be taught the language separately from all the other kids. The two played lacrosse right through high school and into university.

Jeremy played at Syracuse University, while Miles and Lyle played at the University of Albany. Jerome is the only brother who did not attend university, but he still played while studying at the Onondaga Community College.

“My dad sat all of us down and asked what we all wanted to be when we got older,” Jerome said. “We wanted to be professional lacrosse players. But he wanted us to be educated lacrosse players. He really wanted us to use lacrosse as a vehicle to an education.”

Jerome, Miles and Lyle play together for the Georgia Swarm of the National Lacrosse

League (NLL), while Jeremy plays for the Saskatchewan Rush. While playing, they don’t forget about their community.

“When I’m playing and the national anthem is going off, it’s not my song, so I make my own,” Jeremy said. “I think about all the things that have come before me, and that will come after me.”

Miles represents his heritage both in the way he wears his hair in a braid, and in his style of play. “I respect my opponent and the ref, and I’m not going out there to chirp the ref or the other team,” he said.

When each brother turned 18, their father gave them the option of cutting their hair short. All of them chose to keep it in a braid, but Lyle’s was the subject of racism last month. In an away game against the

Philadelphia Wings on Jan. 12, the in-arena announcer, Shawny Hill, said “Let’s snip the ponytail.”

“Things like that, I just try to forget about,” Jerome said about the incident. “Deep down, he has no idea what our hair means to us.”

Jeremy, who said his hair has been purposely pulled twice during his NLL career, hopes the incident turns into an opportunity to educate others. Hill was fired from his job, while Lyle released a statement in an effort to teach people that Indigenous people have their “own languages, music, culture and traditions.”

“The league is trying to educate our opponents,” Miles added. “They’re trying to push more media about where the game came from.”

RUGBY

Not taking a break over the winter How Jocelyn Barrieau is training her women’s team all-year round

ALEC BRIDEAU ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Four months since the Concordia Stingers women's rugby team finished the 2018 Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) season, the team has barely left the field.

Two weeks of rest were all the team needed at the end of last season. Stingers Head Coach Jocelyn Barrieau said that after closing their last campaign with a debrief and a few meetings, the team quickly returned to training.

“We started training again at the end of October,” Barrieau said. “After, we got into conditioning and weightlifting. I think next year we'll be able to make a step forward with everything related to performances.”

The term “off-season” doesn't reflect what happens between two RSEQ rugby seasons.

The Stingers do much more than just practice, as they play games as well.

“We officially have three tournaments this year with the RSEQ,” Barrieau said. “There’s also a good chance a Canadian championship will

Barrieau said the team works on their basic skills during the winter. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

be added in a weekend of March. These are tournaments that keep us in the community.

These are just tools for us to use, and we keep them in our pockets for next year.”

Stingers forward Nancy Napolitano said off-season tournaments keep the team motivated. “We just had one tournament, and we have more coming [up]. There’s still a reason to keep pushing.”

The RSEQ started a pilot project for the winter season in 2018. Teams play rugby sevens, which is seven players per team, instead of the regular 15 players they play with in the fall. Despite this, the off-season can be as demanding as a regular season schedule.

“In the off-season, you're working out probably harder,” said first-year forward Halee Preston. “Our practices are not any easier during the off-season. You're not taking it easy in practice to not know what it's like in a game.”

She added that the off-season is a big part of a team’s success and that, in order to perform well in games, you need to put in effort all year.

“If you’re not working in the off-season, your performances are likely not going to change next season,” Preston said. “We're looking for a better outcome than last year, so we want to keep progressing forward.”

While new players can be recruited at any point in the year in the RSEQ, Barrieau said the Stingers welcomed 25 to 30 players for a recruitment day last month.

“We had players already at Concordia, or coming [to] Concordia who are joining the program,” Barrieau said. “We had people from secondary three to CÉGEP who came to visit the complex. It’s a continuing process, as we also have on-field development.”

Barrieau said that even if it can be challenging for a team to practice without having performance dates every week, it allows for opportunities to focus on different aspects of their game.

“We really work on our bases this winter,” Barrieau said. “We work on our decision-making, our tackles, and we look back at our defensive system.”

Barrieau said the Stingers hope to have a fast and exciting team for next season. She said her players enjoy this challenge, which makes it a fun experience.

“We had a season that we needed to build,” Barrieau said. “It won't take a year, but two or three. However, the group of players we have and the energy we have [makes it] a fun process. They bring a lot, they love each other, and it's really a pleasure to do this.”

opinions OPINIONS EDITOR /// opinions@theconcordian.com SANIA MALIK

EDITORIAL

Last year, during a series of sexual misconduct allegations from within the Creative Writing department at Concordia, two students filed complaints against a professor, alleging that they were harassed in the 1990s. According to CBC News, this professor is still employed at the university and was exonerated by Concordia of all allegations in September 2018.

According to the same source, one of the complainants, Ibi Kaslik, only learned of this through a reporter at CBC at the beginning of this month.

Over the past year, Kaslik tried to remain updated about the complaint and was told

by Concordia Associate Vice-President for Human Resources, Carolina Willsher, last month that “the investigator collected the information, presented it to the university, and the university reacted [...] That’s all I can tell you,” according to CBC News. The university has been citing privacy concerns as the reason behind their lack of transparency.

The Concordian has learned that by not informing the complainants of the results of the investigation, Concordia is following privacy laws, specifically the A-2.1 Act respecting Access to documents held by public bodies and the Protection of personal information.

Essentially, in this type of case, no personal information can be shared by an educational institution—even to the person who filed the complaint in the first place. However, the institution is allowed to tell the complainants that the investigation ended. Concordia hasn’t

Graphic by Ana Bilokin

Just because it’s a law, doesn’t mean it’s right

confirmed if they did or did not inform Kaslik and the other complainant of the investigation’s closure. But considering that the complainants only learned of the professor’s exoneration through CBC News, it’s clear to us that the university didn’t inform them of this decision when it happened in September.

While we do acknowledge that Concordia is acting in accordance to privacy laws, it doesn’t excuse the fact that the university’s administration wasn’t as transparent as it could have been, especially in its communication with the complainants. These laws are not survivor-centric, as they restrict those who complain from taking part in the discussions and decisions that will ultimately affect their lives. These complainants should

have a right to know what happens to those they complain about—and Concordia shouldn’t sit idly by and claim it’s just following protocol.

We believe they should step forward and do something to change this situation. Not only will it show that they’re on the side of the victims, but it will also allow those who want to speak out feel supported.

Just because you’re following a law, doesn’t mean you’re doing the right thing.

Even though Concordia has enlisted a Task Force on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence, created guidelines that discourage sexual relationships between educators and students, and conducted a climate review of the English department, its actions are half hearted, and the administration’s words hold

no value. We need to see concrete change taking place at Concordia. We need to see the university respect and uplift victims’ voices.

We need to see this institution protect its students, rather than its abusive educators.

Stringing together a few words that excuse Concordia’s actions in PR statements isn’t good enough.

We at The Concordian would also like to note that this is a similar tactic used in 1969, when six black students at Sir George Williams University accused professor Perry Anderson of racism. The university didn’t communicate to the students about how their complaint was being handled, and Concordia exonerated the professor after concluding that nothing could support the racism claims, according to Toronto Star. He later continued his academic career. Rodney John, one of the six students, told Toronto Star that Concordia’s failure to address such bias was at the base of the incident: “It was mishandled from beginning to end.”

Mishandled. A key word here. We at The Concordian hope that the fight against sexual assault, harassment, and injustice at Concordia doesn’t end with the recent exoneration of the professor. Concordia shouldn’t be patting itself on the back. Yes, you followed the law and were not required to divulge the details of what happened to the complainant. But you could have informed them of the end of the investigation, at the very least. As a powerful institution, you aren’t doing enough. We demand more.

FOOD

The food industry is trying to kill me

Those who are physically unable to eat gluten can’t rely on incomplete and false labels

In July 2018, I was given two choices by my doctor: either I join high-profile celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Lady Gaga in their gluten-free diet fad, or I continue eating gluten and destroy my small intestine. I was diagnosed with celiac disease, meaning that whenever I consume any food product that contains gluten, my immune system is triggered and begins to attack my small intestine, causing physical pain, and the inability to absorb nutrients leading to vitamin deficiencies and anemia.

Following a gluten-free diet, whether to lose weight or to “live a healthier lifestyle,” has become popular. With high-profile celebrities praising their gluten-free diet, which is aimed at reducing the chance my intestine turns into a balloon, gluten-free foods have become much more common in the aisles of your local grocery store.

While the increasing amounts of glutenfree options in stores may seem like a good thing—especially for those of us who suffer from wheat-related allergies—it really isn’t.

I believe food companies aren’t taking

the risks of cross contamination seriously enough. Food products labelled “gluten-free” still contain traces of gluten, which won’t affect someone who is only gluten-free to lose weight but will have negative effects for celiac patients.

Since my diagnosis, I have tried my best to stay as gluten-free as I can in order to live my life as pain-free as possible. However, the gluten-free culture that we’re living in is leading me to accidentally consume gluten at least once a week—and it’s causing me extreme physical pain.

In the six months following my diagnosis, it’s happened too often that I’ve eaten something labelled gluten-free only to later read the ingredients and discover that the product may contain wheat. The food industry doesn’t seem to understand that gluten-free food is not just for people who want to be healthier and lose weight—some of us need to be gluten-free in order to live a normal life.

According to the Government of Canada, in order to be able to label a food item as gluten-free, the product must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten, which is equivalent to 20 grains of sand. While 20 parts per million of gluten seems like nothing, Very Well Health notes that gluten

consumption as low as 50 milligrams per day—which is equivalent to around 1/70th of a slice of bread—can cause intestinal damage to those with celiac disease.

This idea that gluten-free is nothing more than a fad is harmful to those of us who suffer from celiac disease. Food industries are trying to hit a new market, and while they may have good intentions, they aren’t being careful enough to ensure that their “safe” products don’t actually contain gluten.

In a perfect world, gluten-free foods

would only be produced in purely glutenfree facilities to ensure that there are no risks of cross contamination. However, no matter how much I would love for this to happen, expecting companies to be willing to spend the time and resources needed to create products that are 100 per cent gluten-free is just wishful thinking.

Instead, when producing gluten-free items, the food industry should label how many gluten parts per million the product contains.That way, those of us with celiac disease can decide if it is worth the risk.

Graphic by Ana Bilokin

LAUREN CASSANDRA CONTRIBUTOR

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

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SOCIAL MEDIA

Snapchat filters and selfie dysmorphia How social media apps that include filters influence us to desire a face different from our own Graphic by @spooky_soda

CALLIE GIACCONE STAFF WRITER TW: Body Dysmorphia I wake up in the morning and my skin is completely clear. My eyes are swimming pool blue, my cheekbones are higher than Montreal on legalization day, and my lashes are longer than Canadian winters.

As I smile, glitter sparkles around my head.

I close Snapchat and head over to brush my teeth. Staring back at me in the mirror is my face. The face that’s been with me through thick and thin, tears and laughter, and all my meaningful moments. My window to the world. And yet, I’m disappointed.

As social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram infiltrate our daily lives, we are continuously normalizing a computer-generated and artificial version of ourselves, curated specifically to fit westernized beauty norms. Our chance to finally look like Kylie Jenner, Marilyn Monroe or whoever it may be that we aesthetically idolize, is closer now than ever.

Everytime these social media platforms decide to alter our face by creating a filter, I believe they are conveying a message that says our face is wrong. Not only are they getting rid of our pimples, they are taking away our freckles, or our birthmark that our mum loves. We are no longer that badass soccer player with the scar above her eyebrow from the championship match, nor do we look anything like that black and

white photo of our grandmother as a teen.

These filters change the shape of our eyes, nose, lips, and even facial structure—some even lighten skin. With this, we become a representation of a eurocentric, unrealistic beauty standard, and as soon as our phone dies, so does that version of us. This technology is new, unregulated, and it is pervasive.

With the phenomenon of live filters comes a new term: “snapchat dysmorphia.” This term was coined by Dr. Tijon Esho, a cosmetic doctor from England, according to The Guardian. It stems from Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). According to Cambridge University Press, BDD is a “preoccupation with an ‘imagined’ defect in appearance which causes significant distress or impair-

ment in functioning.” Selfie dysmorphia addresses a similar issue, where a person wishes to look like their filtered, carefully angled selfies, rather than their natural appearance.

Our current society has not met the urgency of this rapidly developing situation with adequate concern. The Journal of the American Medical Association states that the motivation to get plastic surgery driven by the desire to look better in selfies has increased by 42 per cent in the last year alone.

The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reports that there was a 72 per cent increase of patients under the age of 30.

According to CNN, the CEO of Snap Inc.,

Evan Spiegel, made $638 million last year.

Large companies like this are intentionally seeping into our realm and disrupting our sense of self. This technology is addictive because of the way it makes us feel inadequate when we are without it. This is a dangerous cycle.

In addition to benefiting social media moguls, it strengthens a market of beauty products, diets, supplements, fashion, and fitness trends consumed by humans spending more money to make themselves feel adequate.

According to HuffPost, the average American woman spends $240 a month on beautification for their face alone. The National Report on Self Esteem reports that 98 per cent of American girls feel pressure from external sources about the way they look. Men are affected by these issues, but women spend far more time and money caught in this cycle of shame and consumption.

Manoush Zomordi, a journalist from New Jersey who works to hold social media accountable for its power, says education is the answer. Understanding the harmful patterns of exploitation that lurk beneath the surface of our technology gives people the agency to make mindful and intentional choices about their use. Snapchat makes money every time we relaunch the app. Every filter we use goes directly into the company's pockets. The more we can’t show our face without a filter, the richer they become. This breakdown may reframe apps like Snapchat as harmful to our brain chemistry, rather than a fun app you use to talk to your crush while looking like a robotized, unrealistic, dystopian, little bunny.

POLITICS

How Brexit affects Northern Ireland A Northern Ireland student’s take on Brexit and how it will affect his home PATRICK MCKENNA CONTRIBUTOR Within “Brexit”—the United Kingdom’s pending withdrawal from the European Union (EU)—is a lesson on how an international border can return to haunt the foreign power that imposed it, long before, for reasons of political expediency.

The border that separates my native Northern Ireland (NI) from its southern neighbor, the Republic of Ireland (ROI), also separates Britain from an orderly Brexit which is ironic, since it was Britain that created the border when it partitioned Ireland in 1921. It would even be amusing if a disorderly Brexit wasn't such a threat for Ireland, north and south.

In 2016, Brexit came about, largely, from British immigration angst. Since the NI-ROI border will be the UK’s only land border with the EU, you’d expect it to have customs posts, passport control, and barriers of some sort. However, this “hard border” scenario is problematic because of Ireland’s history and the tangled web of national identities that didn’t disappear with partition.

In NI, those citizens—usually Catholic— who identify as Irish see the border as an emotional reminder of partition that deprived them of basic civil liberties for 50 years. For instance, there were cases where access to social housing and to employment in private and public employment was denied

to members of the Catholic community.

However, some NI catholics pragmatically cherish the border for locking the UK into injecting roughly CAN$16 billion annually into the NI economy.

NI citizens—usually Protestant—who identify as British see the border as confirming the union with the UK and their own distinct society. Others, seeing their future in the EU, have obtained ROI (EU) passports and some might even buy into a united Ireland as to remain in the EU, according to The Irish Times.

Hardcore NI nationalists are fundamentally opposed to the border. In fact, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) would consider border infrastructures as "legitimate military

Graphic by @spooky_soda

targets." But any border attacks by the IRA would provoke reprisals by the—mostly Protestant—Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).

In this way, a “hard” (visible) border might reignite the violence that ended with the 1998 Belfast Peace Agreement, according to The Washington Post.

Meanwhile, south of the border, ROI citizens see it as a firewall against the craziness of NI sectarian politics, which is why, in a 1999 referendum, they massively voted to relinquish the ROI’s constitutional claim of sovereignty over all of Ireland. However, the border question is not exclusively in their hands because the 1998 Belfast Peace

Agreement allows NI’s Secretary of State to call a referendum on the status of the border. A similar referendum would have to be held in the ROI. How those referenda would play out is anyone’s guess.

To avoid a hard NI-ROI border, the UK’s Withdrawal Agreement includes a so called “backstop,” a post-Brexit temporary customs union between the UK and NI with the EU. However, after the UK’s attorney general judged that the backstop could tie the UK to the EU perhaps indefinitely, according to The Irish Times, the Withdrawal Agreement was struck down by more than 200 votes in the UK Parliament on Jan. 15, 2019.

At the end of January, Prime Minister Theresa May was considering an alternate backstop with technology replacing visible border infrastructures. If this option is rejected, the UK may crash out of the EU on March 29, creating a hard NI-ROI border and a possible return to armed conflict in NI, according to The Guardian.

Last year, I had a chilling reminder of the violence I knew growing up in Belfast. On DW’s “Belfast facing Brexit”, ex-IRA member Bob talks of bombers and ex-UVF member Noel, although referring to his past, speaks in the present tense: “I'll shoot a Catholic nationalist ... that way the message is sent to that community…” This is just one example of the consequences for NI, of Brexit, and the border.

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FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Graphic by @spooky_soda

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ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR DAISY DUNCAN

PHOTO ASSISTANTS GABE CHEVALIER HANNAH EWEN

MUSIC EDITOR SIMON NEW music@theconcordian.com ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR IMMANUEL MATTHEWS

GRAPHICS EDITOR WEDNESDAY LAPLANTE graphics@theconcordian.com GRAPHIC ASSISTANT ANA BILOKIN

SPORTS EDITOR NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI sports@theconcordian.com

VIDEO EDITOR SANDRA HERCEGOVA video@theconcordian.com

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR ALEC BRIDEAU

VIDEO ASSISTANT ARIANNA RANDJBAR

HEAD COPY EDITOR VICTORIA LEWIN COPY EDITORS JULIET BOOKER KAYLA-MARIE TURRICIANO KATELYN THOMAS copy@theconcordian.com BUSINESS MANAGER FRANCIS LADOUCEUR business@theconcordian.com ADVERTISING MANAGER BILAL QADRI advertising@theconcordian.com BOARD OF DIRECTORS NATHALIE LAFLAMME DAVID EASEY MIA ANHOURY ORENZO PORPORINO directors@theconcordian.com

CONTRIBUTORS: Aidan Crowe, Callie Giaccone, Diona Macalinga, Josie Fome, Lauren Cassandra, Patrick McKenna, Victoria Blair

Concordia University’s weekly, independent student newspaper VOL. 36, ISSUE 19 FEB. 12, 2019.

OUR COVER THIS WEEK

“Safe sex and STIs”

Graphic by @spooky_soda FOLLOW US ON    COME TO OUR WEEKLY PITCH MEETING AT THE LOYOLA CAMPUS CC-431 FRIDAY AT 12:00 P.M. PITCH. WRITE. EDIT. Editorial office 7141 Sherbrooke St. W Building CC - 431 Montreal, QC H4B 1R6 (514) 848-2424 ext. 7499