The Daily Illini: Sex & Dating Guide 2022

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The DI · Wednesday, February 9, 2022

UI recommends N95 masks for better protection

By Lilli Bresnahan Staff Writer

On Jan. 5 the University recommended that all faculty, staff and students wear an N95, KN95 or level 3 surgical mask.

The N95 and KN95 masks are a safer option because they have both fit and filtration, according to Rebecca Smith, epidemiologist and member of the COVID-19 SHIELD team.

“A good quality cloth mask will be anywhere between 70 to 90% effective, and an N95 mask is higher than 97, 98% effective,” said Awais Vaid, deputy administrator and epidemiologist for Urbana-Champaign Public Health District.

According to Vaid, N95 masks can last for days, and there are even ways to clean and sanitize them.

“Supply chain problems have meant

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Student Veronica Kucharczyk wears an N95 mask provided by University Housing.

that N95s, KN95s were really hard to get a hold of for a very long time,” Smith said.

Kendall McFarlin, freshman in The Daily Illini is the independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The newspaper is published by the Illini Media Co. The Daily Illini does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the University of Illinois administration, faculty or students.

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LAS, either wears an N95 mask or a level 3 surgical mask depending on how many people she will be around.

McFarlin also went and picked up an N95 mask.

“I think anything that we can do, honestly, is a good idea, especially since (the University is) providing students with something that … sounds like it’s been proven that they work better,” she said.

McFarlin said the University has done a good job handling COVID-19 and is in favor of them implementing testing every other day.

“One of my professors was talking about it, saying that if you’re vaccinated, boosted and then you go get tested every other day, you’re just having an extra security net, and it really doesn’t take that long,” McFarlin said. lillakb2@dailyillini.com Website dailyillini.com

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The DI · Wednesday, February 9, 2022

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GEO demands instructor choice in course modality

By Thomas DeMouy Staff Writer

A petition issued by the Graduate Employees’ Organization highlights concerns about the spread of the Omicron variant amid a return to in-person classes and has drawn over 1,300 signatures since Jan. 15.

The petition demands that the University devote more resources to containing the spread of Omicron, in addition to giving graduate students the choice to host classes online or in a hybrid format.

One of the key issues affecting graduate students in the shift to in-person classes is the lack of a centralized university policy on exposure notifications and shifting to hybrid format. Policies often vary by college and department.

Chelsea Birchmier, graduate student and teaching assistant in LAS, noted that having in-person teaching obligations may put other people that she interacts with at risk of contracting the virus.

“My clinical fellowship requires me to be around older people who could be affected severely by Omicron,” Birchmier said.

Contact tracing and testing are both key elements of the petition. All contact tracing in Illinois is now handled through the Illinois Department of Public Health on a more limited basis.

Awais Vaid, deputy administrator and epidemiologist for Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, said large-scale testing and contact tracing is no longer the most effective use of resources.

“It would have been feasible maybe last year, but not anymore because the entire case investigation and contact protocol has changed as of Jan. 1,” Vaid said.

Chancellor Robert Jones wrote an email response to the petition on Jan. 26 emphasizing the University’s cooperation with CUPHD. Jones also said that the statewide change in contact tracing has necessitated a shift in university policy.

Due to the new centrally managed process, “notification of new positive cases on a class-by-class basis is not feasible and that the data would be too incomplete and too delayed to add any additional protection,” Jones said.

Adam Farcus, graduate student in LAS, mentioned that the reduced role of contact tracing has impacted their department’s attendance policy.

“I am not allowed to give students excused absences when they believe that they were exposed to COVID-19,”

CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI

Students walk by an Illinois GEO sign on the Main Quad last week emphasizing the surge in COVID-19 cases among students on campus.

Farcus said. “If you kissed your partner yesterday and they tested positive for COVID-19, I would not be able to give you an excused absence for class today.”

Both Farcus and Birchmier said that these policies are set by individual departments and that the University has not issued a broader policy on these matters.

Vaid mentioned the Omicron variant can spread quickly regardless of many of the safety measures used earlier in the pandemic.

“We do know that it’s easy to spread in a classroom setting even with half capacity or three-quarters capacity,” Vaid said.

GEO Co-President Lesley Owens emphasized that an ideal system would require bi-weekly testing for all students and notify professors and teaching staff directly of cases within their classes. This would allow teachers to make informed decisions about whether to switch to hybrid or online format.

Vaid said that like social distancing, testing the entire community is less effective because of the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant.

“I don’t think that testing two, three, or even seven times a week is the most appropriate use of resources,” Vaid said. “We are moving now from a pan-

CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI

Protest signs on the Quad last week also expressed concern for the safety of teaching assistants.

demic stage to learning to live with COVID-19 through an endemic stage.

What is more important is to consider how we can protect the most vulnerable populations and keep hospitalizations down.”

Vaid said the University has had virtually no impact on the status of hospitals in the area since fall 2021, credit-

ing a high vaccination and booster rate.

Although Jones said the University’s adherence to CUPHD guidance, the email did not go into significant detail about the demands for student choice.

“We have strongly encouraged unit executive officers and supervisors to demonstrate flexibility and compassion in helping our staff, instructors and faculty to navigate the challenges the pandemic is bringing to them and to their families,” Jones said.

Despite this encouragement, the lack of a central policy regarding instructor choice continues to be an issue for both graduate students and professors.

The University has an exemption process for those with medical conditions, but there is no similar process for those with other concerns.

“As we have done since the arrival of COVID-19, we will continue to monitor the data carefully, consult with our SHIELD science experts and to work with CUPHD as the semester moves forward,” said Robin Kaler, University spokesperson, in an email.

For graduates such as Chelsea Birchmier, personal choice can help protect populations that are more vulnerable than the University community. tdemouy2@dailyillini.com

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LIFE & CULTURE

The DI · Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Sessions' visit sparks controversy, incites protests

By Shreya Rathi Staff Writer

As former Attorney General Jeff Sessions stepped up to the podium in Gregory Hall room 112, a sea of protestors silently stood up and walked out of the room. The only sounds were the disapproving words of the stillseated audience members and the chants that began to fill the halls.

On Feb. 1, Sessions visited the University to speak on current and past political issues. The effort was part of a partnership between the Illini Republicans – a conservative RSO on campus – and the Young America’s Foundation, a nativonwide organization that seeks to bring conservative speakers and conferences to campuses.

A number of students at the university opposed Sessions’ visit — the two most prominent groups being the Illinois Student Government and the Young Democratic Socialists of America. Although they didn’t organize the walkout, the groups said they felt uncomfortable having such a controversial politician speak on campus. They called for the event to be hosted off campus instead.

Niko Johnson-Fuller, sophomore in LAS and co-chair of the YDSA, was one of the student protesters that walked out of the auditorium. He said he disapproved of Sessions’ visit because of Sessions’ history of making controversial comments.

“The University has a duty to promote progressive values, and Jeff Sessions is not only not progressive, but he’s a racist bigot and homophobic bigot,” Johnson-Fuller said. “There’s no reason to allow him to speak on campus.”

Johnson-Fuller also said that by allowing Sessions to visit, it showed that the University does not truly stand behind its stated values.

“It’s further showing that the University doesn’t really stand for a lot of the things they say they do,” Johnson-Fuller said. “I know equality and inclusion and diversity inclusion are a lot of the things the University brands itself with, but they let a racist bigot talk in a prominent position on campus. That’s pretty messed up.”

ISG strongly disapproved of Sessions’ visit. They proposed a resolution, “Safe Campus,” to officially condemn his presence. When the resolution was brought to the Senate floor, it passed 21-5-1. Among those who voted “yes” was Shifra Ferziger,

Former U.S. Attornery General Jeff Sessions speaks in Gregory Hall on Feb. 1.

“Conservative voices are the minority here, and it was really nice to have a conservative speaker on campus, especially after four years of not having one.”

Nikki Adolph, sophomore in ACES junior in ACES and ISG senator.

“This should not be a partisan issue,” Ferziger said. “It’s universal that we want to respect each other. And Jeff Sessions does not have a history of that universal respect. And the issue is not his political views, but his lack of respect for other people. And that, and the fact that it was Black History Month, in my opinion, was an insult to injury.”

Ferziger also addressed the issue of freedom of speech.

“Freedom of speech is definitely important, but it’s also important that people feel safe on campus,” Ferziger

PHOTO COURTESY OF GAGE SKIDMORE/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks during an event in Washington D.C. in 2011.

said.

On the flip side, conservative students said the event was an important tool for uplifting and empowering conservative voices on campus. They employed preventive measures in order to keep the event going by denying entry to protesters holding anti-Sessions signs.

Regarding ISG’s condemnation, the Illini Republicans further defended their position and responded to ISG

PHOTO COURTESY OF @ILLINIREPUBLICANS INSTAGRAM

on their Instagram account. Their official statement called ISG’s actions despicable and unsubstantiated, and they said ISG did not support the diversity of thought on campus.

Nikki Adolph, sophomore in ACES, said she was happy to finally have a conservative speaker on campus.

“Conservative voices are the minority here, and it was really nice to have a conservative speaker on campus, especially after four years of not having one,” Adolph said “It’s a huge stepping stone for the group and for all conservatives on campus to have such a renowned speaker and politician just on campus.”

Kara Zupkus, a YAF spokeswoman who helped organize Sessions’ speech at the University, also agreed that conservative voices seem to be largely absent from university discourse.

“It’s important to have a dialogue, especially on a big public campus, like the University of Illinois,” Zupkus said.

“It’s especially important to Young America’s Foundation to be the group bringing (conservative) perspectives because, without our group, these students wouldn’t be hearing that voice.” ssrathi2@dailyillini.com

The DI · Wednesday, February 9, 2022

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The DI · Wednesday, February 9, 2022

The DI · Wednesday, February 9, 2022

7

Students, educators call for comprehensive sex education

By Yuzhu Liu Contributing Writer

SEBASTIAN HOLT THE DAILY ILLINI

Therapist, students discuss attachment styles in dating

By Carolina Garibay buzz Editor

It’s no secret that the dating scene today is much different than it was 30 years ago.

With the rise of social media, hookup culture and dating apps, the traditional steps that past generations might have taken when they were dating may look a lot different nowadays.

Heather Pierce, trauma therapist at the Steadfast Center in Champaign, said this new dating landscape has affected our communication techniques.

“It’s very hard to regulate emotions over electronic platforms where you can’t see the person and you’re not with them,” Pierce said.

She added the casual sex and relationships many college-aged people have with others is also relatively new.

“There is a certain separation of physical intimacy and emotional intimacy that didn’t used to be as prevalent,” Pierce said.

According to Pierce, knowing how romantic and intimate relationships affect us emotionally is crucial to forming secure attachments in relationships.

Secure attachment is one of the four main attachment styles developed from British psychologist John Bowlby’s attachment theory in the 1960s.

Bowlby described attachment as “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings.”

Bowlby’s research was further studied and experimented on by psychologist Mary Ainsworth in the 1970s with her “Strange Situation” study.

In this study, Ainsworth described four

major attachment styles: secure attachment, anxious attachment, avoidant attachment and disorganized attachment.

Secure attachment, which Pierce said is actually very rare, is about both feeling free and held in a relationship, “So, you have the autonomy,” she said.

“You can be who you are.”

She said anxious attachment, or anxious ambivalent attachment, often shows up in people who could never really count on their parents to be there.

“Anxious attachment is sort of like there’s almost somebody running away, and I’m kind of chasing after them all the time,” Pierce said.

Avoidant attachment, on the other hand, is where someone tends to not expect anything from caregivers because they’ve understood them to be unable to meet their needs.

“It’s sort of like ‘I don’t always expect you to see or understand my needs,’” Pierce said. “In relationships, I could take you or leave you.”

Disorganized attachment, Pierce described, is an experience that is brought upon someone.

“That can be where you have a caregiver or a parent or someone who you never know what you’re going to get,” Pierce said.

Pierce said in disorganized attachment styles, there may be substance abuse or trauma involved.

She also said these attachment styles play a big role in romantic relationships.

“What we’ve been modeled (after) often shapes our attachment styles and then tends to show up in how we enter into romantic relationships as adults,” Pierce said.

For example, she added people who had a secure attachment early in life are less likely to settle for someone who isn’t right for them or is harming them in any way.

“I think having a secure attachment growing up really helps people in knowing what they want and need in relationships and seeking that out and expecting that from people,” Pierce said.

But in anxious, avoidant or disorganized attachment styles, there are needs there that aren’t fulfilled, she said.

“When you grow up, you’re either normalizing something that isn’t OK in a relationship or you’re looking for something to fill that void that you didn’t get as a child in some ways,” Pierce said.

Even though there are written definitions for these attachment styles, for some, it may not be easy to identify what attachment style they fall under.

According to Pierce, one way to figure out what your attachment style is, would be to focus on your emotions when you’re around other people. They can be either regulating or dis-regulating.

“If I’m with a partner, who I don’t really trust, who I feel is trying to control me, who has this really difficult energy, I’m going to feel it,” Pierce said.

Though secure relationships aren’t always the norm for many, they are still possible.

Eleni Sakas, junior in Media, for example, has been in a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend since January and said they both have very secure attachment styles.

She said anxiety in the relationship isn’t that big of an issue for her.

“I’m shockingly not like that, which is weird because a lot of people, because

it’s long-distance, are like ‘How are you so comfortable with that? He’s going to cheat,’ a thing like that,” Sakas said.

Besides the trust she and her boyfriend have for each other, she said open, direct communication has helped the two develop a secure relationship.

“If I have any worries, I just tell him,” Sakas said. “We’re just open about literally whatever, especially boundaries and everything.”

For Grace Aleksick, senior in LAS, communication has been the key to her successful two-and-a-half-year relationship, too.

Aleksick said though she feels comfortable in her relationship, she swings somewhere between anxious and secure attachment styles and that she and her partner frequently have conversations if something’s feeling off.

That open communication took time, though, Aleksick said, and both she and her partner had to work to be open and trusting of one another.

“I think both of us are just individuals who are kind of guarded,” Aleksick said. “So, it took a while for us to take the walls down and be like, ‘OK, I trust you.’”

For those who might not have a secure attachment style or aren’t always good at trust, Aleksick said that a healthy amount of optimism can be useful.

“It’s always more fun to go into it with a smile and not take someone too seriously,” Aleksick said. “Just combat it with a little fun instead of thinking that someone’s going to play you from the beginning.” garibay5@readbuzz.com

Bhavana Khanna, senior in LAS, was once taught to imagine herself as a flower.

Her teacherused an analogy: Every time you have sex with someone, you are plucking off a petal from yourself.

Khanna soon realized how much fear and toxic thoughts these words would cause.

“This is not what we want sex education to be,” Khanna said.

Now the President of Sexual Health Peers, Khanna initiates conversations about sexual health on campus. When talking about what she notices has been missing from the current sex education system, Khanna gave a wry smile.

“I made a list, and I didn’t know where it stopped,” Khanna said. “But it is improving. I know that change doesn’t happen all at once. There is a long way to go.”

Enacted last year, The Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Act, calls for comprehensive sexual health education from sixth to 12th grade. Despite a common misconception that beginning sex education early encourages children to engage in sexual activity, Cary Archer, manager of education and outreach at the Planned Parenthood of Illinois in Champain, argued the opposite.

“Sex education is not just about telling kids condoms exist,” Archer said.

“People tend not to have a good sense of when we talk about ‘comprehensive’ how many topics we’re talking about.”

She also said that by validating personal choices and focusing on consent, comprehensive sex education helps youth establish boundaries, prepares them for healthy relationships and as a result delays the onset of sexual interaction.

However, enrolled in an Indian high school that did not offer sex education, Khanna said she learned about sex primarily from her friends and Facebook accounts where men publicized their sex lives.

Kathryn Rhoades, graduate student in Education and sexual health graduate assistant at McKinley Health Center, said the Sexual Health Education Program faces challenges in educating university students with diverse backgrounds of knowledge. She said while some have had rich experiences with inclusive sex education, some have hardly been exposed to systematic anatomy.

“Our job is to provide the basics,” Rhoades said. “We are trying to get a comprehensive sex education platform

The Planned Parenthood located on Strought Avenue in Champaign provides information and services about sex education. that dispels many common myths.”

Khanna said that when her sister had sex education in high school, the class was just a period of time spent merely displaying pictures of genital warts.

“My sister was really scared because the pictures didn’t make any sense to her,” Khanna said.

Archer said ineffective, abstinenceonly programs have lasted many years.

Fortunately, with the state bill requiring curriculum to align with the National Sex Education Standards, Archer said that backward techniques are disappearing from classrooms.

According to Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S., Illinois authorizes school districts to choose whether to provide sex education. If a school decides to teach, it must follow the required comprehensive guidelines.

Archer said that the optional inclusion of sex education leaves out essential subject matter. SIECUS report reveals that only 28% of Chicago schools cover every compulsory sex education in all grade levels.

On the other hand, Archer believes the bill brings high standards across the state. She said the inclusive curriculum clamps down on the stigmatization of

LGBTQ+ youth.

“Although there are schools that opt out … I think for a lot of schools who might have been trying to engage with programming but weren’t sure what to do, the new guidelines provide a really clear roadmap for them,” Archer said.

Moreover, he points out that comprehensive sex education considers students’ families primary educators. The opt-out policy guarantees parents or guardians’ right to remove their children from all sex education programs.

However, Khanna said her parents kept strict taboos about sex. She said that although she wishes her parents could have talked about her pleasure and boundaries, they always avoided mentioning these topics and refer to sex as “that” or “it” when they have to.

As a therapist in training, Rhoades recognizes sexual shame as one of the most significant challenges. She works to create inclusive and open conversations and reduce the stigma surrounding curiousity about sex and sexuality.

Now leading Sexual Health Peers, Khanna attempts to free her community from sexual shame. She welcomes new members who usually get timid at first and encourages them to be vocal

RYAN ASH THE DAILY ILLINI

about sex. During this process, Khanna observed their growing knowledge and confidence.

“They’re helping other people, and they’re taking more responsibilities,” Khanna said. “I just love seeing that transformation from a shy person to a person who’s like, ‘I know how to get this done.’ Breaking that stigma does affect our lives in lots of ways that we might not even know.”

Rhoades said that it is crucial not to pressure people to speak on private topics they are uncomfortable sharing.

“As a sex educator, you have to be a little bit vulnerable,” Rhoades said.

“You are going to talk about stigmatized topics. But we make sure that all of our spaces are very safe to have those conversations.”

Archer said comprehensive sex education consistently empowers young people to bring up conversations with adults and become educators for their peers.

“One great thing about young people is that they are curious,” Archer said.

“They want accurate information so they can talk about sexual health in a really mature, respectful, insightful way.” yuzhul2@dailyillini.com

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The DI · Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Male, female gazes battle for screen time Sexualized media affects self-image, influences gendered behaviors, some experts argue

“All women who live in a culture where a female body is treated as an object to be evaluated and measured are at risk for selfobjectification.”

By Olivia Rosenberg Assistant buzz Editor

As intimacy becomes normalized and frequent in films and television, it is crucial that viewers understand the truth and intentions behind sexual scenes before we allow them to dictate how we view intimacy beyond the screen.

Men have been dominating mass media for decades, continuously influencing the content that viewers have absorbed.

The way women have been represented in media throughout history has influenced society, changing the way people behave after being affected by those representations.

Even in today’s sexual scenes, various films, novels and television programs tend to paint women as objects of their sex, instead of as an equal part in the intimacy.

In her essay “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” Laura Mulvey coins the term “male gaze” and describes it as “a woman displayed as sexual object is the leit-motif of erotic spectacle: From pin-ups to strip-tease [...], she holds the look, plays to and signifies male desire.”

She argues that women in the media are made to be looked at by men for their own pleasure.

The male gaze paints women with a sexual aesthetic, Mulvey argues, using their bodies and behaviors unrealistically to fulfill viewers’ desires.

She says this creates an unachievable idea of sex that women off screen are expected to deliver to partners.

As reported by Mount Saint Mary’s University, women are three times more likely to appear nude on screen than male co-stars. Also, 26% of actresses in the top 100 films of 2014 appeared naked in some aspect; comparably, only 9% of men appeared nude.

The longer women are portrayed as sex objects in media, the more women may grow up believing they must look and behave a certain way to be appealing and to have good sex.

In a study done by Rachel M. Calogero titled “A Test of Objectification Theory: The Effect of the Male Gaze

Rachel M. Calogero

Sydney Sweeney and Alexa Demie star in "Euphoria" on HBO. on Appearance Concerns in College Women,” she examines the influence of female representation in society after long term exposure to mainstream media.

“All women who live in a culture where the female body is treated as an object to be evaluated and measured are at risk for self-objectification,” Calogero said. “Women who selfobjectify have internalized observers’ perspectives on their bodies and chronically monitor themselves in anticipation of how others will judge their appearance, and subsequently treat them.”

In addition to the negative impacts it has on the perception of women, Nadia Newman argues in a Lippy article that the male gaze also continues to put heterosexual relationships in the forefront of the media.

Some argue that sexual scenes are built by heterosexual men to cater to the desires of heterosexual men, dis-

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB

counting any possible queer diversity in their audiences.

Despite this newfound research on how problematic the male gaze can be, it is still central in some of the most popular forms of media today.

Sam Levinson’s “Euphoria” is well known for its excessive use of nudity, showing individuals of different genders with some form of nudity on screen. Levinson attempts to toe the line between embracing modern sexuality and oversexualizing his teen characters.

Sydney Sweeney’s character on the show, Cassie Howard, is portrayed as a sexually desirable young woman in the eyes of many male characters. It seems as though every episode she appears in, there is a scene with Sweeney topless.

Though her character arc surrounds her need for male validation and her relationship with intimacy, some argue that her nudity seems excessive even

if furthering that plot development.

In an interview with The Independent, Sweeney said she personally asked Levinson for less nudity from Cassie in the new season.

“There are moments where Cassie was supposed to be shirtless, and I would tell [Levinson], ‘I don’t really think that’s necessary here,’” Sweeney said.

As the show breaks HBO’s ratings with each new episode that comes out, it’s obvious that “Euphoria” holds much influence over its viewers. It is important that audiences take the show’s portrayal of intimacy with a grain of salt.

In response to the male gaze, the term female gaze was created to show a new perspective in which women are shown on screen, opposing the way women are otherwise objectified. It moves toward the equality of all genders in intimate moments, not putting one above the other in a power structure.

Despite male gaze still being extremely common in today’s media, some are working toward its erasure and the normality of the female gaze.

Actresses like Kiera Knightley, for example, have vowed to never partake in a male-directed sex or nude scene again.

As more actors and actresses come forward to encourage change, the more people are having conversations about ways the media can shift perspectives.

We are seeing more activists and film critics emphasize that while media is valuable and important to consume, it can consume us, too. ogr3@readbuzz.com

The DI · Wednesday, February 9, 2022

9

Intimacy directing facilitates consent-based theater

By Sydney Wood Assistant buzz Editor

Since their creation alongside the rise of the Me Too Movement in 2016, intimacy direction and coordination is a growing field within the entertainment industry that advocates for actors’ physical and emotional wellbeing.

Zev Steinrock, assistant director in the University’s theater department and professional actor, was a fighting director for more than a decade before also becoming a certified intimacy director in 2018.

Steinrock said intimacy direction and coordination are artistic positions that involve crafting and choreographing specific stories within consent-based spaces.

Intimacy direction, Steinrock said, refers to theater, while intimacy coordination refers to film and television.

“The job of the intimacy director is to advocate for the actors in scenes of intimacy and nudity to facilitate consentbased practices around those scenes and to help serve the story that the director is trying to tell while honoring the boundaries and capacities of the actors,” Steinrock said.

Steinrock uses the same definition of

consent that Planned Parenthood uses – known as FRIES – meaning consent must be freely given, reversible, informed, enthusiastic and specific.

He said actors’ consent is specific to a given scene, and once a scene ends, the actors don’t have another’s consent to continue any intimate motions.

Steinrock said his background in acting gives him the empathy to understand how difficult it is to manage the vast number of responsibilities actors have that contribute to actors’ hesitancy to set boundaries.

“We’re in an industry where actors have been trained to always be a yes, (and) that if you are in any way difficult, there’s a line of 100 people who look just like you waiting out the door to take this job,” Steinrock said.

Steinrock said that before he became an intimacy director, he assumed that because the acting was fake, it would be safe for everyone to do.

But he said he later learned that wasn’t always the case.

“It’s not necessarily safe for an actor – for a human – that has lived through physical violence, to practice telling an imaginary story of it,” Steinrock said. “It is not necessarily safe for that person,

JONAH OZER

especially if the gestures are too similar to what they lived through.”

He said an actor’s compounding identities – such as one’s sexuality and gender identity – are critically relevant in creating a space where the actors can put their full effort into their work and still go home healthy afterward.

Steinrock said he begins his approach to intimacy direction by asking himself questions like, “What are the needs of this particular story?” and “What is the

context of these characters?”

Then, he has private conversations with each actor to discuss the actor’s needs and boundaries.

He also is on-set on the days when actors rehearse intimate scenes, and after the scene, he leads them through closure rituals – which are exercises, like meditation, that aid performers to come out of character and acknowledge that the intimate scene wasn’t real.

“Having that distinct moment in which the work ends helps your body and your emotional life and your brain to actually separate that,” Steinrock said. “It’s critically important when we’re doing scenes of violence or scenes of non-consensual work.”

He said intimacy direction offers answers to problems in theater that go beyond intimate scenes, which is why consent-based theater-making and trauma-informed work should be acknowledged in all aspects of theatre.

“If we want to remake the American theater,” Steinrock said, “it needs to be remade consciously with consent and centering the wellness of everyone who interacts with it.” smwood2@readbuzz.com

ATTENTION UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CLASS OF 2022 SENIORS:

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OPINIONS

The DI · Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Straight spaces crush campus LGBTQ+ scene CHIARA AWATRAMANI COLUMNIST Business Insider ranked the University first for most fun college campuses, for our vast variety of nightlife options.

There are Legends and Murphy’s Pub for a sports fanatic atmosphere and popular trivia nights, and The Red Lion and KAMS for wild nights of partying. Whatever type of bar a student looks for, a student can find — except for LGBTQ+ bars.

Although there are many bars on campus in CU, having a uniquely LGBTQ+ bar in these areas would allow for LGBTQ+ individuals to experience the same benefits as straight people in current bars: meeting romantic interests and partners.

Many students across campus agree having a space for LGBTQ+ individuals must happen. A space for LGBTQ+ individuals to mix and mingle would allow for the community to connect as it had in the past, where many bars, such as

the recently closed Chester Street Bar, served as LGBTQ+ hubs.

As a minority population — approximately 4.5% of the U.S. population identifies as LGBTQ+ — romantic relationships and interests have developed in a majority straight environment, in classes, on the street, at parties and bars.

This limits the number of successful relationships that can be formed.

As a majority of people are attracted to the opposite sex, the majority of people would, naturally, not be interested in any advances from lesbian, bisexual, gay, trans or queer individuals.

This heteronormativity would disappear in the presence of an LGBTQ+ bar.

Having an LGBTQ+ bar around the campus area would allow many LGBTQ+ people in the community to romantically experience a world in which the majority of the people around them would be more likely to identify as LGBTQ+ — a fact that increases their chances of sparking romantic relationships. Opening an LGBTQ+ bar would give individuals the chance to experience the world as the

majority, as a straight person does.

Despite the absence of a bar for LGBTQ+ individuals, relationships form.

Pride comes and goes. “Gay Days” at bars continue on off-market days of the week like Monday and Thursday. But can’t we do better than merely accept the LGBTQ+? Can’t we show, as a campus, that we appreciate LGBTQ+ diversity by creating a space for them?

By opening LGBTQ+ bars, LGBTQ+ individuals could experience easier times meeting members of their community as well as spark romantic interests. This would show the vibrant LGBTQ+ community their sexual identities can not only survive, but thrive at the University.

Chiara is a sophomore in LAS. cawatr2@dailyillini.com

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SPORTS

The DI · Wednesday, February 9, 2022

11

MEN'S GYMNASTICS

Illinois men's gymnastics head coach Justin Spring gestures to his team during a meet.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLINI ATHLETICS

Spring reflects on new college dual meet format

By Renato Arteaga Staff Writer

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved a new dual meet format and scoring methodology for men’s gymnastics competitions back in August.

These new changes were finally implemented at Illinois’ meet against Penn State on Jan. 29 and will be followed throughout the season.

The new dual meet format will be head-to-head, which means gymnasts from both teams will alternate routines on the same apparatus before allowing opposing teams to perform.

Following the first three events, a six-minute halftime has also been implemented.

Additionally, the new five-up, fivecount scoring method means five gymnasts will compete per apparatus instead of six, and all five scores will count toward the team total.

These new changes are aimed toward

making the competition easier for spectators to follow, as well as providing more consistent judging.

Illini men’s gymnastics head coach Justin Spring shared that these changes were something he’s been petitioning to see for quite a few years.

“We pitched this eight years ago, and it got a lot of backlash,” Spring said.

“The new dual meet format is what my assistant coach and I proposed a long time ago. We even came up with the judging panel that makes this work efficiently and fast.”

Spring said the sport needed to simplify everything by including a focal point within the competition.

His original format proposition had both teams on the same event, with each matchup competing for a single point.

“We can’t have one team on a completely separate event because scores might not line up,” Spring said.

“I want to be able to look up at the score after two matchups and say, ‘The score is one to one. This is a really close

match.’”

The single point system was the only change that wasn’t adopted by the panel, which was “the real simplicity of the whole format,” according to Spring.

“It is fast paced,” Spring said. “I think something gymnastics has been missing for a long time is the ability for your opponent to have an influence on your meet since you really can’t play defense.”

Spring said the simplified format has increased the flow of the competition and will impact the exchange of energy throughout the meet.

“I think the momentum swings on the same event at the same time are going to be exciting,” Spring said. “We can go out, crush the floor team and feel like we have the momentum on our side, but now it’s possible that the other team can take the momentum back almost like a basket game when there is a big scoring rally. It’s such an exchange of momentum.”

The men’s team’s biggest focus during

training was preparing for the meet’s anticipated increase in speed and intensity.

At their first dual meet of the season implementing this format, the men’s squad defeated Penn State, 397.250-396.550.

“We trained our guys for that,” Spring said. “For that reason, we don’t have anyone in the all-around because I am worried about going too intense in this new format.”

The former Illini athlete shared that his vision for the sport has nearly come true.

“If you’ve never watched gymnastics, you can walk into that venue and recognize that two teams are tied without knowing anything,” Spring said. “That flow in the competition is what we’re missing, so I’m going to keep pushing for it. This is a good step in the right direction.” @ArtofRenato renatoa2@dailyillini.com

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The DI · Wednesday, February 9, 2022