The High 72 by The High

THE HIGH EDITION 72 | MARCH 16, 2018

SHOOT FOR GLORY

Photograph by Diana Van Dooren

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Edward Fraser Amara Sarao

THE CRUCIBLE

CALL ME BY BOYS YOUR NAME DON’T CRY

Witchcraft and stage wizardry

And I’ll call you by mine

Redefining masculinity

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

ince the beginning of 2018, we’ve come to understand just how valuable each person’s voice is. We’ve learned the power of one voice on its own, and more recently, the profound force of many together. This has reminded us of our important role as The High: to give voice to all corners of our community, both loud and quiet. Many recent events have inspired the articles in Issue 72. In particular, we think back to the horrid event that took place in Parkland, Florida just one month ago. The mass-shooting that occured at a high school similar to our own prompted its students to stand up for themselves and voice their opinions while striking the difficult balance between boisterous protest and diplomatic activism. Christy Ma, the staff editor of their high school’s newspaper, explains how “[they] were working really hard so that [they] could show the world what was going on and why we need change.” We aim to do exactly this with The High — to investigate a range of stories important to our community and to act as the megaphone between our student’s thoughts and our readers’ ears. In this issue, our writers investigate many of 2018’s recent revolutionary movements. We’ve seen the beginnings of a paradigm shift for the black community in pop culture as Hannah reviews the latest Marvel film Black Panther. This is in parallel with an increasing appreciation of homosexual romance as seen in Eleanor’s commentary on Call Me by Your Name. Though such movies have been previously made, these before-untold stories are becoming accepted as the new norm in the cinematic arts. Finally, we also must acknowledge the voices speaking directly to us. Our latest Letter to the Editors comes from our very own Lily Johnson, The High’s former Editor-in-Chief in 2014 in which she explains the fallacy of reverse-sexism and to which Leonardo responds in his article about machismo. As much as we seek out the voices of our community, we encourage you all to respond to what we report, especially if you feel your voice isn’t being heard.

EDWARD FRASER & AMARA SARAO Editors-in-Chief

EDITORS

Hannah Besson Sophia Scokalo Suhasini Mehra Eleanor Payne Leonardo Morosini

Fredrik Falk Ipek Özkazanç Nick Jennings Maddie Johns Raquel Muzquiz

TABLE OF CONTENTS Girls Basketball ISL Anthem Are We Civilised? Gun Control Boys Don’t Cry Stages of Crushes Dating Too Young

03 04 05 06 07 08 09

FCD The Crucible Call Me by Your Name Black Panther Edtech Letter to the Editors Comic & Crossword

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

SILVER LINING Raquel Muzquiz gets her head in the game

et’s go back to last Friday: the Sports Hall packed with middle schoolers, high schoolers, teachers, parents, and of course players. Everyone was there supporting our Girls Varsity Basketball Team. As soon as the bell for first break rang, and everyone was let out of class, people rushed to the Sports Hall with huge smiles, chanting “Let’s go ISL” over and over again. People showing their support by wearing the team’s colours: red and white, and students showed up during lunch time, even though the game was delayed to 13:30, to see the girls training and doing their pre-game warm ups. “It was an amazing atmosphere, it cheered us up and showed us how supportive our school is” said one of the players. Everyone seemed very encouraging at the tournament last Friday, but do we really know our varsity girls basketball team? It was already in 2014 when some girls in that graduating class wanted to start a girls basketball team, but it was not until 2015 when a group of girls in the Class of 2017 actually managed to get it going. They started a petition for girls who would be willing to form a basketball team and start by training once a week. They also exchanged emails between each other as well as emailing teachers like Ms Secker and Ms McArthur about starting the team, and after the team was informally approved, one day a week trainings finally started. Unfortunately, because the team had not been officially approved, as in, it wasn’t on the after school activities list, not many girls showed up to the trainings, and therefore the team was not very competitive. Luckily, when the new school year started, Ms. McArthur made a tremendous effort to make this team happen and made the girls basketball team an official after school activity. This was an amazing starting point for the team and many girls came to the first basketball practice, showing the profound interest

there was for having a girls basketball team. Since 2015 the team has grown to have a junior girls as well as a middle school girls basketball team. They have become so successful that even though they only train twice a week (3 hours total), the Varsity Girls Basketball Team has not placed less than third in any of their games. Talk about girl power! So, what is so special about this team? Well, the fact that the team was created because of students’ petition, and has managed to expand themselves to the three actual teams, already makes them quite special. This team has also become more popular than the boys basketball team, not to mention more successful. It is also clear how dedicated these girls are to this sport. Luckily, we are at a school where the boys basketball team and the girls basketball team train the same amount of time, and are treated very equally. Sadly, there are still some schools where girls basketball is not a thing. For example, the International School of Paris, one of the schools that came to play in the tournament last Friday. One of the girls on the team told me that they don’t have the facilities to train more than once a week, which is way less than what they would like; and they don’t have a very committed team. Thankfully, ISL is a school where the women’s basketball team is shown Photograph by Diana Van Dooren

to have great support from most people within the ISL community, and is on a line to great success in future generations. So now that you know a bit more about the girls basketball team, let’s go back to last Friday: As soon as you entered the sportshall, you could feel their positive vibe and their amazing sportsmanship in every single one of their games. The ISL Girls Varsity Basketball Team ended up winning the sportsmanship award, which for them, was a greater accomplishment than winning a trophy. Even though they didn’t come out on top, they finished second with a huge smile on their faces, showing great team spirit — playing as a team, and not as individual players. It was a very intense final match, with a very close score of 37 to 34.It is very important to see how women have gained such an important image and how our perception of women in sports has changed. Before this team, at ISL, we would see basketball as a “manly” sport and something that only boys were good at. Now with this very successful girls basketball team, the ISL community has started to see basketball as a sport for both men and women. Not only that but this team’s success throughout their league, their amazing skills, and their undeniable commitment, which we were able to catch a glimpse of last Friday, have contributed to the empowerment of women.

SMELLS LIKE SCHOOL SPIRIT

s you may know, many of ISL’s important assemblies are topped off with a performance of the school band, and a lightshow to accompany it. However, this was not always the case; as some of the students and staff can remember, especially those who were here long before the expansion took place, important events featured an anthem, written by ISL, composed by ISL, and which praises ISL. Curiously enough, despite being prevalent in the primary school, there is no mention of it in secondary to high school. If you were to ask any secondary student today about the existence of an ISL anthem, you will probably get a blank stare of confusion. On the off chance that you meet a student that does remember the anthem they will express the following: nostalgia, cringe, humour-related emotions, or a combination thereof. Anyway, if you are unaware of the existence of the anthem, the following is a breakdown of the nature and contents of the anthem: it was originally written and composed to accompany any important events that occurred on campus which featured large-scale student involvement, such as the assembly before summer break. The tune was nothing too special, and although I don’t remember much about it, I am fairly certain that a grand piano was involved in the composition. Naturally, there were lyrics, for what is an anthem without lyrics? Effectively, the lyrics just praised ISL’s International-ness, and how ISL will always be moving forward, which was interpreted in both English and corresponding French lyrics. Did I mention that there was a (mostly correct) sign language text to accompany the whole thing? Whilst a majority of the signs were correct, there was one major concern; one of the verses goes “wisdom, wit and will”, and all the signs are correct, save for the sign for “will”. Instead of signing will, as in the ability to do, we signed “will”, as in the sort of document one writes on his deathbed. How this managed to stay implemented for the longest of time is beyond me. It should also be noted that the entire thing was cooked up by two former staff members: Mrs. Valli (former teacher) wrote the lyrics, and Mr. Jackson (former music teacher) composed the music. As for who came up with the sign language, there is uncertainty as to who translated and implemented it. Now that you have some degree of knowledge on the school anthem, its importance to the history of ISL, and where it came from, there is still one question left: why was the anthem left in primary? During the course of my investigation, I found out that the anthem wasn’t as universally known (or used, for that matter) as I had previously thought: only the reception and primary school actually learned and sang the anthem, whereas secondary and high school did not. Mr. Ivett, headmaster of the secondary school at the time, deemed that it was not necessary for the secondaries, and consequently, high school, to

Jelle Banck and Suhasini Mehra

sing a school song. In theory, this lack of unity between the primary and secondary schools may be the reason most secondary students have forgotten that we ever had an anthem. However, this is only one possible explanation. Could it be that the anthem was simply phased out during the expansion period of ISL, when the courses and buildings alike were expanded to house more students? According to Mr. Ivett, this could well be the case: when ISL underwent the expansion, the mission of the school (what it is trying to achieve) changed alongside of the expansion, and in his words, “people don’t need to sing songs to be part of a community”, and to further clarify his opinion, he mentions that there are other ways to become part of a culture, without having to declare continuous allegiance. As such, the song was simply phased out in the secondary community, and with the influx of new students across all the grades, the wise words of ISL will disappear in the darkness of a cabinet in the bomb shelter, between props of winter festivals long forgotten. But really though, does anyone who still knows about the anthem, much less remembers it, even really care? We’re going to carry with us the wisdom, wit and fun, the love of learning all things new. We’ve only just begun. We’re going to take around the world the strength to talk not fight, the skill to use both head and heart to know when something’s right. It’s our school, international. We are international. We’ve got our strength and hope and will from our school in Lausanne. This is our school. This is our school. Nous emporterons dans le monde ce que nous avons appris ici : la tolérance, le respect de chacun, le désir de paix et de partage. Nous emportons dans le monde ce que nous avons appris : écouter et comprendre avec la tête et notre cœur. It’s our school, international. We are international. We’ve got our strength and hope and will from our school in Lausanne. This is our school. This is our school.

MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR

Tom Secheyron fights for food

eing civilized. An extremely simple character trait that many of us have learned to carry out on a daily basis: holding the door for classmates, not cutting people off during a conversation, and eating with our mouths closed. Straightforward. Yet much too rare in the ISL community. Here are two examples in my everyday life that have struck me as being unacceptably uncivilized, and sadly, one is a loved ISL tradition. Aah, International Day. A special day during the school year that many look forward to, but most importantly, a sharing of cultures from all around the world. An event that undeniably shows the variety of people in our everyday community and will always bring a smile upon any student’s face. However, to most, it’s all about the food. This is understandable: the food offered during International Day is colorful, varied, and flat-out delicious. It should and will always be the main focus of this highly-anticipated event. But, as a new student this year at the International School of Lausanne, the gigantic excitement that builds up to the well-known lunch led to some serious questions regarding some students’ ways of acting. How did such a welcoming student body suddenly turn into an unstoppable pack of undernourished beasts? How was it possible to see such a calm school environment unexpectedly turn into a zoo? Pushing, shoving, bulldozing, insulting, and a red-faced Mr. Harrison were all part of the process that I had to go through in order to get to the food-filled area on International Day. For some reason, I specifically remember standing in the middle of this chaos and not being able to process what was going on around me. It felt so ridiculous, selfish, and childish. It was the type of behavior that I had never thought possible at ISL; none of it aligned with any of the values that many of our teachers repeat on a day-to-day basis. All of this for food. As if all of us hadn’t been fed for the past couple of days. As if we weren’t all very privileged and lucky people: after all, we never run out of food, water, or necessities such as a roof over our heads. Yet, in the span of a couple minutes, ISL’s usually safe and enjoyable mood was altered completely and left me, the confused witness, speechless. One word stayed with me for the rest of that day: unacceptable. The second example came while using a mode of transportation that many of us use every day: the bus. The Transport Lausanne buses are often quite packed, and while going through a long commute, a seat can be vital in order to relax after a hard day at school. However, there is no reason for anybody not to give up their seat to anybody who might have a limited range of motion: the elderly of course, but also a pregnant woman or an injured individual. Multiple times during my bus experiences, I have seen young, fit ISL students not willing to give up their seat to anybody. No matter the circumstance. No matter the state of this person

and what they might be going through. No matter how hard it seemed for them to stay standing through the rocking and never-ending back and forths of the bus. Once again, I was shocked by this behavior and could not get myself to forget about such inadmissible acts of arrogance and self-absorption from usually likeable and good-natured ISL students. Now, I’m not writing this article in order to tell all potential readers that they should completely rethink their lives and daily behaviors. Instead, I took my time before writing this piece. I took the time to reflect upon what I witnessed, so I would know exactly what message I wanted to send out. I just want ISL to take a hard look at themselves. Are we really representing the school’s values that are preached over and over again? Are we really being decent human beings in all situations of our lives? Once again, this message goes for everybody. Not only for the people that were being extremely rude in the queue to get to the food at International Day or that were unwilling to leave their comfy seat on the bus. Stay alert, ISL. Even though we might have very busy lives, keep yourself in check. Being civilized and well-mannered human beings isn’t all that difficult: we just need to make sure it actually happens. Hopefully my International Day and public transport experiences open up your perspective on this subject a little more and makes you reflect on your day-to-day behavior in all situations of your lives. I know that writing this article has definitely had this type of impact for me.

Illustration by Pia Tiwari

BULLETPROOF REACTION

t’s no secret that the world isn’t a pretty place. Dictators use chemical weapons on their own people, governments intentionally starve persecuted minorities, and there is probably at least one nuclear missile pointed at every major city. Last month, we were reminded of these tragedies, when seventeen people were killed during the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. The most infuriating part of this is that it could have easily been avoided, had anybody done anything to prevent it. There could have been background checks to prevent a bona-fide psychopath from buying an assault rifle. There could have been tighter age restrictions on firearm purchases so that a kid couldn’t buy a gun before he was allowed to buy beer. The police could have listened to the dozens of calls made about the disturbed Nikolas Cruz and his worrying behavior. The trained and experienced policeman at the high school could have done his job instead of cowering outside while gunshots rang out. Because of the complete failure of the system, high school students across America are taking matters into their own hands. For the first time in the history of the modern gun epidemic, students are standing up to the law enforcement who sat idly by and the politicians who took the money of the National Rifle Association rather than act on the will of the overwhelming majority. “The adults aren’t the ones sitting in the classrooms, feeling scared when they hear a loud noise outside and wondering somewhere in the back of their mind where the nearest exit is,” says Whitney Bowen, a 16 year old from Washington D.C., echoing the thoughts of thousands living with that same sense of danger. If nothing changes, the United States will continue to stand as a warning against giving power to a wealthy few who care nothing for the safety of their citizens as long as they continue making money.

So what can these high schoolers, like you and me, do about this crisis gripping an entire country? Well, for one, they are the next generation of voters, and I know I would have to be insane to allow for a representative who cares more about lining their wallet than ensuring my safety to stay in power. When you stand the considerable risk of being killed by that weird kid humming “Pumped Up Kicks” because he can skip the sessions with the school counsellor to go buy military-grade hardware, you’re not going to just wait for the day when you’re dodging bullets instead of homework deadlines. So why does it feel like nothing is being done about it? It’s a long, complex story, but the core concept is the fact that the NRA has a chokehold on the Republican Party. The students from Parkland have called out to these politicians, reminding them that it is not their responsibility to represent whichever group donates the most money. Their priorities are owed to the districts and states that elected them.

You’re not going to just wait for the day when you’re dodging bullets instead of homework deadlines This inaction on the part of the country’s leaders has so much precedent that the very kids leading the protest

Nick Jennings calls BS for better gun control have little faith in the media staying focused on what they are doing. People already seem to care more about the recent Oscars than this pressing issue, and not a single social media outlet has yet shut up about how awesome Black Panther was. Barely a month after one of the worst shootings in recent history against one of the most vulnerable groups in society, and the world has already turned a blind eye to the aftermath. Imagine if this happened at ISL. Forget the debate on how effective the lockdown procedure is, because it wouldn’t save you in that situation. The shooter in Parkland pulled the fire alarm and shot the people that ran outside. The doors at ISL aren’t bulletproof, and the locks are designed to resist the mild force of someone trying to pull on the handle instead of oh, I don’t know, a bullet travelling at 2800 km/h. Set that aside though, and imagine what would be going through your head if you had just witnessed seventeen of your friends and teachers die at the hands of a psychopath that had been allowed to walk freely this whole time because the police ignored you. Now imagine a bunch of rich, old men talking down to you and saying that you don’t know anything about it, or that you are being hysterical and not thinking straight, or that you’ve been brainwashed by others, or that you’re not actually going through any grief and you’re just acting to advance your political agenda. Imagine knowing that the entire world has its eyes on you, not the war in Syria, not the crisis in Nigeria, not the upcoming nuclear talks with Kim Jong-Un. The spotlight is on you and nobody else. If only you can show the world how corrupt and weak these rich men are, knock them out of your way, and finally get your friends the justice they deserve. And then, out of nowhere, everyone forgets about you and instead talks about the movie where a woman has sex with a fish. That my friends, is how it feels to be an American high school student.

FEARS FOR TEARS Leonardo Morosini lets out the waterworks “Smettila di piangere, sei un maschio” “Stop crying, you’re a man” hese were the words I’d heard my dad say to me since I was a child. When he wasn’t around to say it anymore, teachers and other figures of authority were there to say those same exact words. Because we all know that crying is for ‘pussies’ and women (of course), while men have to be strong and never be vulnerable, right? But why? As a child I cried a lot. Sometimes for stupid reasons like not getting the toy that I wanted, but other times it was for more serious things, like fighting or getting hurt. But for any of those reasons, my crying was often neglected; it was seen as me being too touchy and vulnerable; it was just wrong. This makes sense: not making one’s emotions visible has often been associated with masculinity. Turn on your TV and you will see famous movie characters like James Bond and Superman who have admirable characteristics like strength and courage, often withstanding intense physical pain in order to save the world — all without shedding a single tear. If we grow up in a society where the men we idolize never show their emotions, of course parents will tell their sons to stop crying. All parents wish the best for their child: they hope that one day, their children will be respected and admired, and so they enforce social norms onto their kids. This has affected me. When I do cry, I feel embarrassed; I feel like I am doing something wrong, like breaking an unspoken rule. Unfortunately, I am not the only one who has been exposed to this. Here in Switzerland, I always see mothers and fathers telling their sons not to cry when they fall on the floor, or when they don’t get what they want. I’ve also seen this happen here at ISL… This is not okay. By doing so, we condition children to believe that men are strong and don’t cry, whereas women do. Boys end up repressing their feelings and feeling like they do not live up to being a man, while women think it’s in their nature to be “weaker” than their male counterparts. Emotions do not go away; they have to be expressed in one way or another. And, because boys are often taught to repress them, they often express their feelings through anger and aggression. Could this be the reason why men are often predators and women victims? Maybe... Repressing emotions can lead to rage issues, depression, anxiety, heavy drinking and, most concerning of all, a weaker capacity to feel empathy. Yes, you heard me. Males have a weaker capacity to feel empathy compared to females. Studies have shown that there is no major neurological difference between male and female infants’ capacites to feel empathy. However, as girls are allowed to externalize their feelings, their capacity to feel empathy grows, whilst boys’ capacity to feel empathy stays the same, if not worsening. On average, men only cry 7 times a year while women cry 47 times. I am not saying this to downplay certain actions which are

usually carried out by men like rape, sexual assault, domestic violence and bullying. Because regardless of your situation, some things are unacceptable. However, if we let men externalize their feelings, maybe less of this would happen. So in a way, men have been exposed to historic oppression, as they themselves have been expected to repress their feelings and stay “strong”. If your definition of sexism is “gender discrimination based on historic oppression”, then sexism against men exists. Don’t get me wrong: like most people, I do believe that women definitely face much more discrimination than men. But having said this, it doesn’t mean we should neglect smaller problems, as while they might affect less people or be less serious, they are still in the way of us living in an equitable world. It is true that reverse sexism is not a thing. Not because men do not face any “historic oppression” due to their gender, but because regular sexism goes both ways. Most dictionaries define sexism as something along the lines of prejudice and discrimination on the basis of sex. And while Everydayfeminism states otherwise, most people believe that sexism is defined as prejudice and discrimination on the basis of sex. I conducted an online survey here at ISL to see what the word sexism meant to the majority of ISL students. They had the choice of defining sexism as “Prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex.” which includes discrimination against men, and “The ingrained and institutionalized prejudice against or hatred of women; misogyny.” which defines sexism as discrimination which is explicitly targeted at women. Out of 99 respondents, 67% choose the first definition as the more correct definition of sexism while only 6.2% of the surveyed individuals choose the second definition. 26.8% of the respondents choose to formulate their own definitions such as “discrimination against any sex” or another student stated that “... sexism doesn’t just involve women, but also men.” Ironically, that same student was (I presume) frustrated with the fact that the definitions were mostly considering women by stating “... make it more clear that this is just for women and not men…”. All this effort goes to show that the vast majority of ISL students believe that sexism is not only towards women, but also men. And I believe that the reason most dictionaries’ main definition of sexim is something like “prejudice and discrimination on the basis of sex” and NOT “based on a degree of historic oppression” is because in most people’s minds, sexism equals discrimination based on one’s gender. Shouldn’t the definition of a word be dependent on what most people intend it to mean? At the end of the day, we all strive to make the world an equal and better place. So instead of competing for who faces the most discrimination (no need to try, I’d win. I can use the gay, mixed race, monoparented and “outraged” cards) can’t we do something incredibly cheesy like unite together to fight for equality and spread love everywhere?

LOVES ME, LOVES ME NOT

pring. The sun is shining, although the air is cold, and flowers have begun to appear in the cracks of the road. On this road, several packs of Homo sapiens, commonly known as humans, make their way between buildings. Let’s look a little closer. Here is a pack of females, in the midst of what appears to be a playful argument. Suddenly, one female gives another a pointed shove. She stumbles, bumping into a male walking nearby. He helps her stand. She smiles, baring her teeth. The male returns this gesture, and moves on. The female returns to her pack and they huddle, communicating with hushed urgency. An odd display—what could this possibly mean? In fact, this is simply a part of the unique human courtship ritual, a highly complex feat of five stages.

STAGE ONE: REALIZING

Observe: this female has taken notice of a male that meets her standards. Quite unlike most animals, there is no fixed standard for attraction in the human species; it is entirely subjective. This one is of an age with the female and, perhaps most importantly, has what the female considers nice hair. After a few inconspicuous glances, the female reaches her conclusion: she likes him. This is not quite the beginning of her courtship, however; there may be other males that catch her attention. The male notices her. They talk; he makes her laugh. Weeks later, in discussion, the female has the revelation: she wants this male to be hers. Immediately, she ends the conversation. She will spend the next few weeks internally denying any attraction to the male. Fortunately for the species, these weeks of denial will only serve to strengthen her attraction: by the time a month has passed, the female will have accepted the truth. The cycle of courtship has begun.

STAGE TWO: CASUAL STALKING

Early summer. On a field in the shadow of the school, a group of males are engaged in a sort of competitive play. Split into two factions, they move an inflated sphere around the field with their feet, using it to attack a netted structure set up by the opposing faction. On the third floor, fourth window from the left, we can see the outline of another human. The female sits by the window. Until she builds up the courage to resume conversation with the male, the female will continue in this fashion. Even amongst a crowd of other humans, she will immediately lock on to the male, and make use of the crowd to conceal her sustained gaze. After a few days of this, her pack takes notice. As is customary, she withholds any information for a few minutes, before eventually giving in and pointing out the male she has selected. From this point onwards, the female’s pack becomes integral to the ritual. They will each evaluate the selected male and dedicate themselves to her cause. With their support, the female may commence the next stage.

Suhasini Mehra crushes it

STAGE THREE: STRATEGIZING

This stage is what separates the human courtship from all others—pack involvement. While competition for mates exists in the human species, it takes a backseat amongst members of a close-knit pack. Instead, pack members adopt a ‘tend and befriend’ approach, often working together to attain mates. Let’s return to our female. Today is a Monday; following her schedule, the female will be in close proximity with the male for most of today. She and her pack have, therefore, selected her clothing items accordingly— she has used rich colors combined in an appealing fashion in order to attract the attention of the male. In a silent moment during an educative session, she stands and requests leave. In doing so, she may walk past the male’s seat; the sound of her footsteps in the silent room causes him to glance up, thus observing her style and manner. Outside, the female waits for an appropriate period before re-entering. Hopefully, her efforts have been successful.

STAGE FOUR: ANALYZING

This extensive strategizing also leads to a rather unfortunate side effect: analyzing. Every action made by our female in the presence of the male has a specific intention—so, naturally, she begins to wonder if the opposite is true. Observe: they are seated together in a room of the education unit, working in silence. The female sneaks a glance at the male, only to see him already looking at her. But why? Has her courtship succeeded? Perhaps he caught her staring and is displeased. Before she can speculate further, the male walks towards her. The female panics. He passes. On his way back, he stops to ask her for help on question five, nods at her answer, and leaves. The female considers this development. Did he ask just to talk? Perhaps he truly didn’t understand. If so, does he see her as a reliable source of information? Is that all he sees her as? The female shakes her head roughly; enough is enough. It’s time.

STAGE FIVE: ASKING

Oddly enough, this stage is optional. Luckily for us, our female is determined to see it through. She will lay out her proposal, and the male will respond. So, without further ado, let’s take a look: she has gotten him alone. This, of course, is vital; any distraction, any chance to back out, and she may well lose her nerve. The female begins to talk. The male listens, face completely still, but he shifts back slightly. It is a small motion, but it isn’t a good sign. The female knows this, and anxiously awaits his response. The male speaks briefly, and then the female. They nod at each other. After a moment, the male exits. He already has a girlfriend.

TOO SOON TO SWOON

ften, when looking for inspiration for an article, I assimilate what people are talking about in our school. This gives me insight into what our circumstances are, what matters to people at the moment, and what our ‘news’ is. Recently, it seems that dating and relationships in high school are the focal point of many side conversations. Especially in the early years of high school, it seems that one of the impressive accomplishments you can have is to be in a relationship, and every year, the ‘accepted’ age to start dating lowers. Being in a relationship can now serve as a symbol of your social standing amongst your peers — something you can broadcast to the world. How many times have we seen someone’s Instagram bio include the name of his or her boyfriend or girlfriend? In high school, much like the misconception related to the amount of people that drink alcohol, there is a misconception that the majority of people our age are in some kind of a relationship. There is a clear tacit pressure to date. Take the example of media today, pop culture frequently portrays a narrative where a girl and a boy cannot be friends without a notion of romance in their relationship.

Khwaish Vohra flies solo

To gain further insight and understanding about relationships and their effect on high schoolers, I talked to Ms. Vivian, a counsellor at our school. In my interview with her, we discussed various topics related to this article, which helped broaden my perception and understanding of this topic. Dating at a young age can be damaging to a person in various ways. Apart from the pressure and stress that comes with maintaining any kind of relationship, teenagers are biologically and emotionally too immature to understand the far-reaching implications of romantic relationships. When you develop a relationship at 14-15 years old, you tend to go all-in. You are so engrossed with the person you are dating that your interest in them can easily become obsessive. What do they like? How can I fit their mould of an ideal partner? What do I need to do be desirable? Do they really like me? Our years in high school are vital for the development of our person. In this time, we begin to formulate our preferences and understand ourselves. It is a time of self-discovery and exploration. If you use these years to discover what someone else wants out of you and not what you want out of yourself, you impair your self-esteem while simultaneously robbing yourself of the opportunity to Illustration by Joseph Nobs

grow as a person. The majority of mental health issues are linked to perception: perception of yourself, perception of events and so on. We carry these perceptions with us, and they add layers to our personality. With every experience we find ourselves in, we act out of those layers as a form of a subconscious. This may lead to an understanding of reality that is not necessarily real, but based on a lack of maturity at that point in time. To go back and unpack those perceptions of reality as an adult is challenging and takes a lot of time. The truth is that it is difficult enough to balance work with relationships, friendships and family for an adult, let alone a high schooler. Trying to make a relationship work at a time when you may not have the emotional maturity to do so can then take away your energies from other things you should be focusing on and can hinder your self-growth. While writing this article, I had to have a sense of circumspect. What I write may easily be mistaken as patronizing towards people currently in a relationship, which is not the aim of this article. I wanted to take a topic that causes a lot of discussion amongst people, to dissect and fully comprehend it, which I hope I have achieved. In my interview with Ms. Vivian, she said something that really stuck with me, “I don’t think anything is definite. I do think that after a bad relationship, you may come out damaged, but there is still hope to learn from your mistakes and grow as a person.” This is valuable because it is a reminder that often, mistakes are the most valuable ways to learn and grow. Ultimately, it is your choice whether or not you date in high school. The best thing you can do is understand how willing you are to change yourself, or to what extent you will compromise who you are in the process of a relationship. This way, when it is time to move on from that person, you can move on as your own self and not a distorted perception of who they wanted you to be.

FISHY CHATS ON DRUGS

or the students of ISL’s secondary school, FCD is an organization that most of us are familiar with. Attending school-wide assemblies, filling in surveys, contributing in homeroom discussions, is all a part of the FCD experience which we have been participating in for years. If you were new this year, however, last month was your first proper introduction to FCD and their goals for ISL. According to their website, FCD aims to “provide students with the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to make intelligent, healthy choices about alcohol and other drug use.” The website then goes on to list a series of “endeavors” that it will ensure this through, including educating students, parents, teachers, and school administration on the effects of alcohol and other drugs, promoting awareness of drug addiction, empowering young people to make healthy choices, and encouraging the overall support of the non-use of alcohol and drugs. Sounds pretty important, right? But, when we really look at what FCD achieved while they were at ISL and the lasting impacts of their previous visits here, are they really accomplishing all that they set out to do? And, is FCD really worth it? In order to answer these questions, we spoke with some students to see what they thought of FCD (including both the assembly and the individual-homeroom discussions led by the FCD representative). The first student I spoke with, a boy in Year 13, started off by telling me that from what he experienced, he was able to understand the intention of FCD but he believed that their execution was poor. He stated that this was primarily due to the particular FCD spokesperson present this year. Just for some context for any readers that are new to ISL, each year a new speaker from FCD is in charge of leading the assemblies and discussions at ISL. In the past, we’ve had a range of people tasked with this, both men and women, young and old, but inevitably, some were more successful than others in connecting with the students. I guess you could say that, this year, our representative did not particularly flourish in this department. The Year 13 student explained to me that the success of FCD is “dependent on the spokesperson” and that last year’s speaker was “a lot more into what we had to say.” Arguably, for an organization that explicitly claims to work towards the betterment of students, it is quite crucial that they are able to adequately understand the specific situations of those students. He continued on to tell me that with a more considerate representative, like “in past years”, the homeroom discussions

Maddie Johns does not do Coke, or Pepsi were able to become “more open-ended”, allowing for the focus to remain on the students’ needs rather than the legal drinking age around the world, per se. This view was further supported by another student, a girl in Year 12, who claimed that because of the different speakers, this year was “not as effective or memorable as it had been in the past.” When you think about it, memorability is quite the vital aspect of FCD, considering they are attempting to prevent alcohol and drug abuse in the FUTURE, so it may be concerning that some students are finding FCD’s work at ISL easy to forget. This student also explained to me that what she felt was most missing from this year’s FCD discussions was an increased focus on general statistics. Although we were given the statistics of the effects of alcohol abuse within ISL, these were only based on a group of 20 students who claimed to get drunk more than 3 times per month. This is different to previous years where we were able to see the exact habits of all ISL students and how those compared to what students believed to occur. According the Year 12 student, “kids feel pressured to drink, do drugs, and fit it when they don’t realize the amount of people who don’t actually do that”. She told me that the statistics from prior years were extremely beneficial in contributing to this, while this year only outlined some effects of alcohol that high-risk drinkers have faced. Another girl in Year 12 also told me exactly this. So, if what the students of ISL really need is support and guidance during a time of immense social pressure to fit in, and FCD has the tools and capabilities to provide this, why aren’t they? The final thing that most students had to say when I asked about their experience with FCD was that they thought it could have been very advantageous to hear more of the speaker’s personal struggles, and eventual successes, when it came to substance abuse. As one boy in Year 12 put it, this could have not only have informed us on what is a “good idea or a bad one” but “what habits could be harmful in the future.” He makes a good point, especially considering that these are key aspects of FCD’s entire mission as an organization. However, despite these downfalls of FCD at ISL this year, students agree that its importance is undeniable. FCD comes into our school aware that students use alcohol and drugs, but they never forcibly tell us to stop. They inform and educate us on what our habits can lead to, but ultimately the decision is down to the student. This, I believe, is the primary reason as to why students still find FCD worth it and why it should continue to run at ISL.

HANG THE WITCH! Celia Lette was spellbound by the latest production

ast Thursday, I had the pleasure of attending one of Arthur Miller’s most beloved plays, The Crucible, performed beautifully by our own ISL student body. At first glance, the stage looked like the setup of any average high school play, but within moments of the lights drowning away and the overwhelming (somewhat creepy) music blasting through the auditorium, we were transferred into what felt like the magical, mysterious land of Salem, in the 1600s. The beautiful, minimalistic set, designed by Mr.Ribas was the perfect setup for the action to come. The set consisted of a few ribbons which seeped out of a cauldron-like object and not much else. This left the audience to their imagination as we waited for the action to commence. Initially, I was a bit underwhelmed by the simplicity of the props, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Any more props would have taken an ounce of focus off of the incredible acting taking place, an ounce of focus that could not be spared. Furthermore, a well-merited credit should be given to Clara, whose ability to truly be possessed by her character set the scene for the entire play, capturing every eye in the auditorium and, at times, making our spines tingle in discomfort. Inside the beautiful set, a wonderful ensemble of actors played. Starting off with Rebecca, Eliana, Gabi, Clara, Jade, Reina and Suhasini, who danced and sang in the darkness of the forest, with incredible coordination and talent I might add, as they summed supernatural forces and inflicted pain upon the souls laced into the stitching of their dolls. Then, at the end, each confessing their love for a man in the village before Gabi, in a state of rage, stabs her doll and Rebecca falls victim to a dark curse. Her father, Adil, was not very amused by this event, concluding with certainty that his daughter must have been the victim of witchcraft. The hunt for the culprit then commences. Soon enough,

a frail, charitable old lady (Agne) and a caring, pregnant wife (Olivia) are accused of being witches by a jealous, young girl (Gabi) who is in love with a far older, married man (Lewis). The women are put on trial, able to survive if they confess to their sins and hanged if they attempt to defend themselves. How does the play end? Guess you should’ve watched it… I overheard a parent speaking to a friend as I sprinted to the box of cupcakes after the play had ended. The parent murmured, “You wouldn’t know that those actors are highschool students had I not told you”. I couldn’t have said it better myself. Truly, you all did an absolutely incredible job. We were all so impressed and proud of all your hard work, it really did pay off. The lighting, the set, the choreography, the costumes, the singing, the acting; just wow, every last person in the audience was blown away. I’ll be disappointed if I don’t see all of your faces on broadway one day. In addition, and I could be completely misinterpreting the play, but the theme of misogyny perfectly coincided with the recent feminist movement, Me Too. Women’s need to confess to something completely false in order to survive when accused by men of sinning ties in with women forcing themselves to live with constant harassment in a workplace dominated by men in order to maintain a steady income. I know the Me Too movement probably came to

light after the play had already been chosen, but what an incredible link. In addition, the theme of young girls living in a society where they’re oppressed by the male, chauvinistic norms and dominating religion drove them to begin practicing witchcraft. They were finally able to be free from the restraints of their sexist society and rise to power, making them feel possessed by the new feeling of empowerment. At a time when women are really fighting for equality, a reminder of how far we’ve already come, as portrayed by the role of women in the play, is truly inspiring and motivational. That’s not to say that you ladies didn’t fulfill any wishes, you all absolutely dominated the stage with poise and incredible confidence. And last, but of course not least, a huge shout out to Mr. Fessler and Ms. Moran for bringing together such an incredible performance. I know his *special* humor and her love of acting definitely contributed to the clear tightknit bond formed between all those involved. In the words of Agne, “Although [Mr.Fessler] found a way to take every opportunity to call me an old crone, I have to hand it down to his tough love for pushing us throughout the play.” and “[Ms.Moran’s] dedication and passion really was the driving force behind the creepishly amazing prologue and her positivity and support radiated in rehearsal.” Additionally, Mr.Ribas, the lighting and sound were truly exceptional.

Photograph by Dee Libine

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

here’s been a lot of buzz around independent films lately, in particular Call Me By Your Name as a story about same-sex love and so, not knowing at all what to expect, I went to see it. The two main characters are Armie Hammer, who plays a graduate student called Oliver, and Timothée Chalamet, who plays Elio, the 17 year old son of a professor, with whom Oliver is working. It was created as a representation of the book, which goes by the same name, and no one involved in the production was expecting it to get as much attention as it did. The film is set back in the summer of 1983, in Crema, Northern Italy. The vibrant orchards and old-school fashion make it a film to remember, but the real hook of the story was of course Elio and Oliver falling in love. There are some scenes throughout the film where you see the two sort of play-fighting, which did seem a bit weird when watching the film, but at the same time clearly showed the nature of their fun, easy-going relationship and made you love them even more. Towards the beginning of the film, a lot of the bonding experiences Elio and Oliver partake in before confessing their love are quite mundane. Cycling to the post office, bathing in the pool, wading through a river. Yet, their chemistry distracts from activities that could come across as boring if it weren’t for the incredible cinematography that follows them round. The soundtrack is also something that should be talked about. It very much follows Elio’s character. He is a literature-loving, music driven teen who spends hours transcribing music from just listening, and playing “Bach’s work how Liszt would’ve played it”, just for fun. It includes classical music, and three songs written by Sufjan Stevens. If you want to, listen to “Mystery of Love” by him, it really sums up the movie as best possible in one song.

The main reason this film got so much media attention is because of how current the topic the film focuses on is at the moment. This love story redefines the social norms of film and is a massive breakthrough in the industry. A key moment where this is shown is during the monologue by Elio’s father following Oliver’s departure from their home. Elio’s father calls him over to the sofa and proceeds to talk, without making assumptions or overstepping, about how he fully accepts and even encourages the relationship Elio and Oliver had. However, because it’s set in the 1980s, and reveals LGBTQ+ themes, some may see the scene between Elio and his father as a bit too perfect, and not a true representation of what life as an LGBTQ+ member was like back then. Elio’s father rightly expresses this sentiment when he says: “In my place, most parents would hope the whole thing goes away, or pray that their sons land on their feet soon enough. But I am not such a parent,” which proves that Elio’s parents could be seen as unlike others in accepting their son’s sexuality at that time, and even now. Their love story is just like any other. The film got attention because it was depicting a gay love story as any other love story in any other film, but because it’s a homosexual love story, it isn’t normal. It hasn’t been done before in film, or done normally anyway.

Eleanor Payne thought the movie was just peachy Throughout the film, it was often quite easy to forget that Elio and Oliver’s relationship remained completely hidden from the world around them. They never talked about their feelings with each other, nor the fact that they were never talking about their feelings. This makes us think about what life was like “in the closet” and how hard it was, even when things started to seemingly get easier. They hinted at mutual desire throughout the film, but never actually vocalised it. One clear sign was when Oliver gave a back rub to Elio during one of the first days of them being together, or when they escaped into the countryside on their bikes and rolled around in the grass (they even shared a peach!), all secretive, yet screaming desire. I’m not going to give away the ending, but at the end of the film, the credits roll on the screen with a close up shot of Elio crying by a fire. Their story isn’t something from a storybook. It doesn’t end happily because it’s a true and completely natural representation of love, no matter who it involves. Elio was able to discover, or at least start discovering who he is, and what he wants out of life. Oliver was able to escape himself for a summer, and be who he wanted to be, before going back to life’s duties. As much as maybe they don’t want the affair to define them, it does. It’s the love that Oliver embraces but can’t accept, and the one that allows Elio to open the door to who he is.

PANTHER OF COLOR Hannah Besson puts on a cape

uperman 1981: Christopher Reeve as Superman – white male. Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor – white male. Margot Kidder as Lois Lane – white female. Fantastic 4 1994: Rebecca Staab as Susan Storm – white female. Jay Underwood as Human Torch – white male. Alex Hyde White as Mister Fantastic – refer to surname. Michael Bailey Smith as Thing – white male. Joseph Culp as Doctor Doom – white male. X-Men 2016: Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique – white female. James McAvoy as Professor X – white male. Alexandra Shipp as Storm – biracial female. Black Panther 2018: Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther – black male. Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger – black male. Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia – black female. Danai Gurira as Okoye – black female. Daniel Kaluuya as W’Kabi – black male. What if every time you saw a superhero movie the hero never looked even remotely like you? What if every movie had the racial demographic of Black Panther? People of color have experienced this in life and cinema alike. They grow up learning that the protagonist is white, their love interest is white, the villain is white. But don’t worry, minorities are never left out completely, they’re featured as the comic relief, the sidekick, or the victim. Even movies like The Help whose casts consist of many black actors arguably victimize the African-American community. While I would in no way assert that movies like these are not necessary, impactful, and in a way empowering, I would argue that an abundance of movies like these in combination with a lack of movies wherein the protagonist is black, limits the opportunities that young black children have to relate to the hero and feel empowered. Some might argue that children can be inspired by any do-gooder, no matter the color of their skin, however Jeff Greenberg, a social psychology professor at the University of Arizona, believes that “by identifying with the culture’s heroes and superheroes, children can begin to feel like they are aligning with what is good and can develop their own, agency, power, and value in the world.” This, is what Black Panther has achieved for all children - but especially for black children. Not only was this accomplished by casting a majority black cast, but it was done unapologetically so. In many mainstream movies the black actors are as white-washed as possible, and if they aren’t, they are cast as gangsters or hip hop artists. While this is undeniably one aspect of the black culture, it does not represent the millions of black Americans and it encourages the belief that black people are capable of nothing more. Shadeism also seems to be a prevalent problem in the movie industry. While I would argue that this issue has improved in recent years; many black actors playing superhero or protagonist roles are relatively light-skinned; in the list above, Alexandra Shipp was the only black person in the list of superhero movies prior to Black Panther; Alexandra Shipp is biracial and before her playing the same role was

Halle Berry who is also biracial. This implies, from my point of view, to black children that the lighter they are, the more potential they have to be considered “attractive enough” or in this case “white enough” to be the hero. Jasmine Pittman, a 26-year-old Harlem resident commented, “In superhero culture, you don’t see a lot of Black people. Just like we can be doctors and lawyers, we can be magical superheroes too”. This problem is not exclusively an issue in Hollywood, it exists everywhere: even in Bollywood the protagonists are fairer than their secondary characters. Nayani Thiyagarajah, one of the main characters in the film commented that “this is an issue of beauty, of old ideas that determine what is still beautiful. Of how the colour of our skin has and continues to affect how we view ourselves. This is shadeism.” Black Panther, however, features dark skin and natural hair in an unapologetic exposé of the beauty of being black, impressing the black community as well as the white community. I would even contend that the movie was equally as important for people outside of the black community. For instance, interviews were carried out in Korea about the movie and one man said, “I always thought that white people were better looking than black people, but after seeing the movie and the female characters like the general or Shuri, I realized that black women are just as beautiful”; this highlights just how much the perception of black people will improve with black actors playing more diverse roles. If white children grow up looking up to a black superhero or a black protagonist the power dynamics will also even out and respect would begin from a young age. The women in the movie were also immensely important for the female community; women made up 45% of ticket buyers, an increase from the usual 30%-35% for superhero movies. The women cast were incredibly attractive; yet I didn’t find that they were sexualized. There is a large difference between sexualizing women and demonstrating their beauty. And Black Panther was able to celebrate the women’s beauty without sexualizing them because they were strong both mentally and physically, their opinions were not taken as an afterthought, and they were involved in decision-making. Finally, one of the things that impressed me the most was that the movie praised the African continent, revealing a side rarely seen on mainstream media. The movie featured the stunning variety of African landscapes, the people, their colors, their cultures, and their intelligence. It shows us a snapshot of an Africa untouched by colonization and its potential for greatness that we seldom see. Black Panther is one of the most revolutionary movies in terms of race, gender, and culture of the 21st century. There’s a first for everything; the first black lawyer, the first black president, and now the first superhero movie made by black people for black people. Now, all we need are gay, Muslim, Hispanic, Asian, and other minority superheroes. Marvel, we’ll be waiting.

FULL STEM AHEAD Achilleas Martinis will school you

e are the Science & Technology column in a high school newspaper. So, after our introductory inaugural column in the previous issue, we thought it would be fitting to dedicate our first regular column to the use of technology in education. The case for more technology in education First, some numbers. Did you know that in Europe alone there are 120 million PK-12 (Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12) students and more than 30 million Higher Education students, according to data from UNESCO? That thee US has about 60 million PK-12 students and more than 20 million Higher Education students? The numbers of students get even higher when you add the rest of the world. More than 1 trillion US Dollars are spent annually in Europe for PK-12 and Higher Education, or more than 6,000 USD per PK-12 student and 8,000 USD per Higher Education student. The US spends almost double the amounts per student as Europe, making the annual spend for PK-12 and Higher Education in the US approach also 1 trillion USD, despite having just over half the number of students as Europe. It’s a big market in terms of both student numbers and amounts spent. Like nearly all other aspects of our lives, technology can have a big impact on outcomes (quality of education delivered) and efficiency (cost to deliver education to students). And that’s “only” the developed world. When you also consider developing countries, technology can also make a big difference in allowing education to reach the vast numbers of students who now don’t have access to education at all. Add to that the education that happens after university, such as continuous adult learning and worker/professional skill training/retraining, and you can understand why the opportunities to bring more and more advanced technology into education has attracted thousands of companies and billions of dollars of

investment. The EdTech revolution Technology has entered education gradually over the last 10-20 years. But it has mostly been basic applications such as the use of laptops by students, on-line textbooks, shared drives for homework assignment delivery, and electronic whiteboards in classrooms. More recently, a revolution has been underway and we are already starting to see the disruption happening. Probably the most visible signs are in the on-line delivery of education, leveraging the possibilities of high quality video streaming and live remote interactivity between students and educators. Think of Khan Academy, Coursera, and many other platforms which are making high quality teaching available to a mass global student population. And this is only the start. There are thousands of Education Technology (called EdTech) applications out already or in development that are promising to fundamentally change how education is designed and delivered. If we were to group them, we would see the following areas (source: EdSurge): Curriculum Delivery: There are more than 75,000 iphone, android, and computer applications, which can help students to understand complex concepts and to accelerate their learning. There applications are across all subjects, although most of them focus on teaching Math and Language & Arts. Teacher Support: These are smartphone and computer applications that help teachers to manage a classroom. They do things such as giving feedback on assignments, helping to engage the classroom with activities, and allowing teachers around the world to collaborate, sharing ideas and resources. The list of applications and companies developing them is endless. Here are a few representative examples as teasers: Jigspace, a phone application, gives you interactive holograms that will help you understand complex concepts in any subject. It brings you closer to experi-

ences, like D-Day, analyzing the anatomy of a human heart, and exploring the structure of stars, all of which you could only imagine. Virtonomics.com is an online economics game that gives you the freedom to create and manage your own business. The website teaches you important economic strategies to grow your business and to compete with other players. Another interesting interactive economics game is the Best Brokers Stock Market Game. This is a stock market simulation: you can read daily business news and then buy company stocks. Schools and universities around the world are adopting automated essay-scoring. The potential of these essay-scorers to help you improve your writing is big. They can give you quick feedback as many times as you need it with the accuracy of teacher grading. Teachers will mark your final essay, but you will have polished it by the point you hand it in. And what about us? Last year, I did my Year 11 Personal Project on the use of Artificial Intelligence at ISL. I recommended introducing teaching technologies such as Massive Online Courses, Virtual Reality Learning, Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Machine Essay Scoring, and Robot-Assisted Language instruction. I also recommended five AI-enabled facility management applications (including one that is likely to be a parent favorite: a Traffic Management System for ISL). While with the extra maturity that I now have as a Year 12 student, I might have written a few things more eloquently, the specific ideas still seem relevant. Even more importantly, the vision of making ISL an EdTech pioneer resonates more than ever. We have very knowledgeable and open minded teachers and school leadership who would be thrilled to make a difference. Let me know if you want to join the Science & Technology student community of ISL so we can bring ISL to the forefront of technology, together with our teachers and school leadership.

LETTER TO THE EDITORS Lily Johnson (class of ‘14)

he High has always been a unique school newspaper because of the flexibility ISL students have to voice their opinions. It has been nearly four years since I graduated ISL, but I still occasionally check up on new issues posted by Mr. Ribas on his Facebook page. I am so impressed by the writing and illustrative skills of ISL students, but I have not agreed with some recent articles. I must preface my opinion by saying I am a student at Amherst College, a liberal arts college in Western Massachusetts. Maybe my time here has just turned me into a “boy [who] cries wolf,” (to quote Issue 71), or maybe it has just helped me wake up. Around Thanksgiving of this year, I saw Mr. Ribas’ post with a link to Issue 69. The amazing cover art featured the title “SEXISM.” What clickbait. I obliged. Initially, I was happy to hear that ISL was having a dialogue on sexism. During my time at ISL, I had multiple run-ins with sexism from students and teachers alike. But, after a warranted discussion on sexism, the article said “that some people have experienced sexism against boys.” Wait up. Reverse sexism (or sexism towards men) is not a thing. The very essence of having to prefix the –ism with “reverse” indicates its falsehood. Reverse sexism, reverse racism, reverse classism, among other “reverse” social-isms have been categories created by privileged individuals who must come up with some sort of reasoning for why there is beginning to be some sort of resemblance to equality, or reparations, in our world. Yes, I understand that boys may sometimes feel discriminated against because of their gender. Teachers may assume a female student is more organized, has neater handwriting, and is more responsible. Maybe that hurts a boy’s feelings. Yet, failing to be chosen as “group leader” of a Year 10 MYP unit group project will in no way adversely affect these boys in the future. A young woman feeling that she is inadequate, talks too much— “never lets you finish your sentence” as the joke quoted in issue 69 goes— or bossy, has lasting and extremely damaging effects on women. The statement that we are “crying wolf,” fits into the sexism I experienced at ISL. I can recount times I heard something sexist in the IB lounge—directed at me or not—and chose to remain silent in fear of being perceived that I “couldn’t take a joke.” When I have retold some of my experiences at ISL— such as a discussion that women should not be considered for senior leadership positions because of the chance they take maternity leave—people are shocked I ever put up with such blatant sexism. That sort of thing isn’t okay, I should have been angry. I should have said something. Relating to issue 71, I do agree that just because you’re angry doesn’t mean you are woke. But nowadays, if you are at all woke, there is no way you are not angry. Just as there is no such thing as reverse sexism, there are certain things we

need to be angry about to enact any sort of social change. Being woke is the acknowledgement of privilege, whether that be based on things like your education, economic status, country you live in, or race. Just by graduating from ISL, I am privileged. Although privilege is not a definite scale, all students at ISL are extremely privileged in some capacity and must acknowledged it. The cover story of the most recent issue of The High referenced an H&M campaign making a deliberate attempt to avoid passing any judgment on the matter. Like I said, being woke isn’t about anger, but it does means that you recognize the historic oppression and violence towards people with a darker complexation. Comparing black people to monkeys has a long and dark history. The disastrous association of black people defamed as simian has been used as justification for white supremacy and slavery. So, H&M’s image of a young black boy in a sweatshirt saying, “Coolest monkey in the jungle” is not woke. And it is definitely not woke to accept it. Normalizing such things allows us to ignore serious historical oppression and marginalization for our own convenience. Yes, offense is subjective, but as I mentioned, some things are not debatable. Certain slurs, blackface, dressing as Pocahontas for Halloween, are just not okay. If it does not offend you, more likely than not, it is because you are unaware/unaffected by its associated history. Even though H&M may not have intended racism or harm, that does not mean they are excused from the consequences. People were rightfully outraged not just because the campaign was racist, but because H&M didn’t realize it was. This sort of ignorance indicates how oppression is forgotten without restitution. So, the image was removed, H&M apologized. Now what? Does the absence of definite results invalidate any outrage? We didn’t #StopKony, or successfully #BringBackOurGirls, but the lack of success on many publicized movements does not mean their formation was not justified. Darren Wilson may not have been convicted, but that shows why #BlackLivesMatter now more than ever. It’s not just the result, it’s the mindset that we as a civilization, as a global community, are acknowledging what is wrong—waking up—and trying to do better. I get the argument that we should be more selective with our outrage and what we chose to “angrily tweet” about. However, the examples used are not okay. I think that being a bit “outraged”— and writing to Mr. Ribas about it— will maybe expose ISL students to a different point of view, keep the conversation going, and let y’all know what it is like outside the “ISL bubble.” Maybe “the world had a dramatic turn towards political correctness,” because people are finally given the platform and courage to say something.

THE LAST LAUGH

Minnie Lowin

CROSSWORD

Joseph Nobs

SCAN FOR THE SOLUTION