The Plant November 2022 Vol. 57 No. 3

the plant

SINCE 1969 VOL 57 NO 3 2022

Index

Letter from the Editor

Dearest readers, Happy November!

Last night, I dreamt of snow. Not the premature, measly flecks that precipitate unceremoniously, momentarily littering the sidewalks before melting back into their inferior state of matter. No, I dreamt of the real deal: fluffy cotton-balls of snow, floating down from the heavens, enveloping the world with its silencing, pristine, silvery carpet.

As I’m writing this, not one snowflake has yet descended upon the Island of Montréal, but maybe by the time my words go through the extensive processes of rigorous editing, meticulous graphic design, and finally materialize as the ink on this page, winter, too, may have begun to manifest itself in a more tangible way.

I await the snow with anxious anticipation. Despite my Australian blood and Floridian upbringing (or perhaps because of it, having been deprived of sledding, skiing, and snowmen throughout my childhood), the first snowfall of the season never fails to excite me. It revives a childlike sense of wonder about the world within me. Millions of ice crystals falling from the sky! How dare we neglect to appreciate such an extraordinary spectacle? My born and raised Canadian friends groan at this undeniable indication of winter’s arrival. Ridiculing my excitement, they roll their eyes at me, yet no amount of cynic judgement can spoil my delight. Though ask me how I feel about snow again come January and I, too, will display the particular brand of jadedness reserved for the inhabitants of places where the cold makes our environments feel inhabitable for six months out of the year

Forgive my flagrant display of sentimentality, this winter in particular feels particularly special to me as it’s the last one I will spend in Montréal for a long time. In January I will board a plane and relocate my existence 16 736 kilometres across the Pacific, accompanied only by my most prized possessions (my four pairs of cowboy boots). In my own personal vocabulary, “home” will lose its synonymity with Montréal and refer instead to Melbourne, Australia.

This concluding season is the backdrop for my last semester at Dawson, and my last few weeks in Montréal. And, as I write these words, it begins to sink in that this issue is the second to last that I will have the pleasure of overseeing as Editor-In-Chief. I’ll refrain from saying anymore on this topic so I can save the real emotional sap for the December issue.

Which brings me to my next point! I am very excited to announce that we will be opening applications for the Plant’s Winter 2023 Editorial Staff at the end of the month! We’ve got quite a few spots to fill, and I encourage any ambitious individuals with a passion for writing, a hunger for knowledge, and a desire to improve their writing to apply! Being a part of The Plant has truly been one of the brightest highlights of my Dawson experience; I can’t imagine what my CEGEP years would have been without it. For more information about staff applications follow us on Instagram @theplantnews, where we regularly post important announcements, updates, and information!

We’ve got a great issue for you this month. The pages may be thin and flimsy, but I hope the words inside provide you with warmth and comfort as the temperature begins to dip into the ever-dreaded negative digits.

Talk again in December,

xx Josephine Ross, Your Editor-In-Chief, Fall 2022

The Plant is an editorially autonomous student paper. All opinions expressed in The Plant do not necessarily belong to The Plant, but are those of individuals. All content submitted to The Plant or its staff belongs to the paper. We reserve the right to reject or edit all submissions for brevity, taste and legality. The Plant welcomes typed and signed letters to the editor under 400 words.

Copyright 2022

*In the October issue of The Plant, “Say Yes to Your Local Cafes”, which appeared in the Voices section, incorrectly refers to Myriade cafe as a franchise. *

Dawson Students Respond to Recent Ruling on Racial Profiling by Québec Superior Court

MATHEW ANANIA News Editor & Managing Editor

REGGIANY SABRINNAH BOURGUILLON, FATIMA DIENE & BLAIN HAILE Contributors

Author’s Note: This article addresses issues such as police brutality, racial profiling, racism, discrimination and systemic racism; topics which may be upsetting to some readers.

Reggiany Sabrinnah Bourgiullon & Fatima Diene are Executives in the Dawson Feminist Union.

Blain Haile is a legal assistant coordinator at Head & Hands Legal Clinic.

A recent court ruling from the Quebec Superior Court is prohibiting law enforcement across the province from pulling over individuals without having reasonable grounds. Prior to the ruling, law enforcement exercised the power to arbitrarily stop drivers without maintaining a suspicion that they were acting unlawfully. The 170-page ruling addresses the issue of random traffic stops and racial profiling, which specifically target and disadvantage racialized communities.

Blain Haile attended the proceedings, “The court environment was very tense. The Canadian Association of Black Lawyers [...] had an all-black team of lawyers [...] I had the pleasure to meet Me Karine Joizil and McCarthy Tetrault. She truly believes in the cause. And this is what happens when passionate lawyers represent cases that are near and dear to their hearts. Having a team of all-black lawyers made this win even sweeter for the Black community. Little by little, we can see the progress and the trail of hope that is being created.”

The recent ruling challenges a precedent set by the Supreme Court of Canada, decided over thirty years ago. In R. v. Ladouceur [1990] 1 SCR 1257, the appellant was pulled over by law enforcement in a random roadside search in order to verify if the driver’s license and registration were still valid. Although law enforcement did not suspect that the appellant was acting unlawfully, the police ultimately discovered that the license had been suspended, and Ladouceur was arrested. However, the question at hand was if the random stop

and ultimate detainment of Mr. Ladouceur was constitutional. Ultimately, the nine judges of the Supreme Court unanimously decided that the random stop violated Ladouceur’s guaranteed section 7 right of life, liberty and security of the person, section 8 right to not be subjected to unreasonable search or seizure, and section 9 right to not be arbitrarily detained, provided by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms However, the judges ultimately decided in a 5-4 decision, that under section 1 of the Charter, the random stop constituted a reasonable limit to these rights, on the basis that random traffic stops were necessary for the safety of all, and the conviction was upheld.

unnoticed, and hurting black youth and black people, by targeting them subtly. This makes us fear a system that is supposed to protect us.”

Recently re-elected premier of Québec François Legault, is notorious for denying the presence of systemic racism in the province. In a press conference following the decision, Legault noted: “When we talk about traffic stops, we have to let the police do their jobs when we see the violence in Montreal, in certain neighborhoods [...] I have full confidence in our police and it’s important to support them.” Legault’s comment specifically targets communities riddled by gun violence and other crimes, yet this further perpetuates the issue of racial profiling and overpolicing in racialized communities. Alarmingly, the CAQ has legislative authority to appeal the ruling of the Superior Court.

Québec’s Human Rights Commission known as La commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse, defines racial profiling as, “any action taken by [...] people in authority [...] for reasons of safety, security or public order, that is based on factors such as race, colour, ethnic or national origin or religion, without factual grounds or reasonable suspicion, that results in [...] differential treatment or scrutiny.”

According to Blain, “Racial profiling is simply a result of the shock when they realize that some of us actually beat the system, a system that was devised to keep us behind bars or six feet under.”

Fatima defines racial profiling as: “a way for the justice system to recreate the atrocities that happened during the segregation without using blatant extremes. It is a way to hurt the POC communities by showing a lack of tolerance and humanity that will maybe go

Reggiany recounts her own personal connection to instances of racial profiling: “As a person of colour who has lived through various instances of racial profiling, it is a real thing that is oftentimes taken too lightly. It’s horrible to have to feel scared and vulnerable, and wondering if the police are there for a valid reason, or there because of my skin color, or if I am going to make it back home alive or if I am going to be killed.”

Reggiany continues, “If we as a society take a stance against racial profiling, we can truly enact change and positively impact racialized communities and people of colour by protecting their rights. It starts with us.” While this single ruling will not singlehandedly eradicate racial profiling, discrimination and systemic racism, it spearheads the battle for advantaging marginalized and racialized communities alike.

Fatima offers a widely-disseminated perspective, “When you see such things in the news, it shows a system that is targeting the group of individuals you identify with, and that is bound to make you feel unsafe. This makes a lot of us uncertain when it comes to the police and the justice system as a whole. Why support a system that is out to get us? Our only way of protecting ourselves and our futures is by aiming to change the justice system.”

If we as a society take a stance against racial profiling, we can truly enact change and positively impact racialized communities and people of colour by protecting their rights. It starts with us.

Women, Life, Freedom: Why Now?

SHAYLIN MODARES

Contributor

Nearly a month ago, over 500 people gathered to attend an event and vigil organized in solidarity with the people of Iran. Banners, speeches, and multiple news outlets flooded the Lower Atrium on October 20th. However, for those unable to attend the event and vigil, the situation in Iran may still be somewhat unclear. To understand the revolution happening right now in Iran, one must be familiar with its cause and the Iranian people’s deplorable living situation for the past 43 years.

In the past few weeks, thousands of citizens have taken to the streets of Iranian cities to protest the brutal murder of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini at the hands of the Islamic morality police. Zhina (Mahsa) Amini was an Iranian Kurdish woman arrested on September 16th, 2022, because of an “improper hijab”. Tragically, Amini was murdered by the morality police during her arrest.

Today, the demands for justice transcend fighting for justice for Mahsa: it targets an entire movement. Since the 1979 revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic government, totalitarianism has reached a new high in the country. Dissidents, such as journalists, artists, political activists, writers, and environmental activists have all been sent to Evin prison, a place known for its employment of heinous methods including physical, sexual, and psychological torture.

The free press has also been essentially eliminated: local media, from TV programs to newspapers, is being completely controlled by the government. Even websites and applications such as Instagram, Facebook, Netflix, and Youtube which may offer dissident opinions, are banned and censored in Iran.

murdered in current protests and with queerness being punishable by death.

Economically, the country has been experiencing severe inflation for the past few years reaching 87% for food-related products in June 2022 compared to the previous year.

Economic sanctions imposed by the United States have contributed to the downfall of the country’s economy.

However, the mullahs and the country’s religious upper class have not felt this economic instability. While the people of Iran struggle financially in their daily lives, the mullahs are sending billions of the population’s hard-earned money to their children, who are living freely abroad in Western countries like Canada, the U.S., and France. The children of the same officials advocating for more “modesty” and committing horrible crimes against dissidents get to not wear the mandatory hijab and be treated with fairness regardless of their sexual orientation, political opinion, or religion. These children live on stolen money and lead lavish lifestyles that directly rely on the suffering of the people of Iran.

Mahsa Amini’s death has become a symbol of the youth’s frustration with the regime.

As expected in a conservative patriarchal state, women and other minorities are at the center of the oppression. Under this government, women are forced to wear the “hijab” and cover their bodies from head to toe. In order to access education, girls as young as 6 years old must comply. This regime also bars women from doing the most daily life activities, such as cycling, singing, and dancing, on the basis that these “go against Islamic values”. It took Sahar Khodayari, a 29-year-old Persian woman, to set herself on fire in a sports stadium in protest for women to be allowed into stadiums in 2019. Ethnic discrimination against Kurds and Baluchs and discrimination based on sexual orientation are also major issues in the country, with ethnic minorities being overly represented in prisons and

The youth have spoken and they no longer want a regime under which the simplest joys of life, like holding their lover’s hand, is condemned, and where political dissidence is punishable by death. They want democracy and freedom, and they are willing to go to the streets and die for it.

One of the regime’s main tactics to reduce Iran’s fury is to completely withdraw all access to the Internet. Whoever tells the story controls the narrative. Isolating the country from the rest of the world allows the dictatorship to censor the voice of its own people while they continue to murder them without being held accountable. That is why your participation is crucial. The attached QR code, updated on a frequent basis, lists all the actions you may take to help the people of Iran.

Photo VIA IRANIAN YOUTH COLLECTIVE

Mahsa Amini’s death has become a symbol of the youth’s frustration with the regime. The youth have spoken and they no longer want a regime under which the simplest joys of life, like holding their lover’s hand, is condemned, and where political dissidence is punishable by death. They want democracy and freedom, and they are willing to go to the streets and die for it.

The Plant Recommends: Books!

As days get darker and mornings become bitter, the season to devour a novel tucked in the mellow warmth of your coziest armchair has officially started. This November, The Plant has curated an eclectic list of bewitching novels for all tastes and predilections. Fellow reader, allow yourself to dive in this assortment of must-reads that will satiate any bookworm’s appetite. Enjoy!

SIMONE BÉLANGER Arts & Culture Editor

Go Ask Ogre: Letters From a Death Rock Cutter

by Jolene Siana

A teenage girl fully immersed in the 80’s rock scene writes letters to the lead singer of one of her favorite bands. Fascinated but also fearful of what it means to be alive and to grow up, Jolene confides her life, feelings and every thought to Ogre. The brilliant composition of artwork, journal entries and letters gives us a true insight into her life as a troubled teen trying to navigate her way through a mental health and self-discovery journey. TW: Mentions of self-harm, suicide and substance abuse.

KARA FUSARO Curiosities Editor

Passing by Nella Larsen

Set during the 1920s in New York City, Irene Redfield steps into a cafe and runs into her childhood friend, Clare Kendry. Though both women are Black, Clare has chosen to pass as a white woman and conceals her past from her husband, while Irene is just as light skinned, but deeply connected to her community. As the two women rekindle their friendship, Clare begins to charm Irene’s family, especially her husband Brian. The glamorous Clare is loved by all, but Irene starts to wonder if there is another secret hiding behind that pretty face.

EMMA MAJAURY Creative Writing Editor

Anna Karenina

by Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy was a salient writer and out of all his novels, Anna Karenina has to be one of the most prominent ones. The author explores the depths of human nature and social classes by including various contrasting characters who all end up somehow connected. No matter how many times you run through this novel, you will most certainly notice something fresh at every read, and dive deeper into a new facet of human behavior.

AYA HAFEDA Staff Writer

A Little Life

by Hanya Yanagihara

Hanya Yanagihara exhaustingly documents the lives of four men trying to survive in New York City: Jude–the successful lawyer, Willem–the successful actor, Malcolm–the architect and JB–the artist. Over the course of the novel, the men are bonded through their attempts at grappling with a wide variety of issues, such as substance abuse, childhood trauma and toxic relationships. Ultimately, as tragic and heartbreaking as A Little Life may be, it is a testament to our chosen families, the bonds we form with others, and love at its purest form. Please search up a list of trigger warnings before reading this book.

MATHEW ANANIA News Editor & Managing Editor

Photo VIA AMAZON

Photo VIA DAILY MAIL

The Plant Recommends: Books!

Beyond the Gender Binary

by Alok Vaid-Menon

This non-binary author as well as speaker, poet, and comedian essentially demonstrates in a short yet sweet book that the binary gender system as we’ve come to know it is not a static thing but a rather fluid and fluctuating experience (while also giving insight on their own struggles). A quick but worthwhile read, especially if you want to further explore the endless possibilities within yourself.

ASPEN CRICK Staff Writer

When We Lost Our Heads

by Heather O’Neill

This haze of a book envelops the reader from the very beginning as it introduces two ten-year-old girls, Marie Antoine and Sadie Arnett, who know themselves to be not like other girls and are sequestered in their uniqueness in late 19th century Montreal. That is, until their lives cross and intertwine to the point where it becomes impossible for them to do so much as breathe without the other. Together, they are free to be their most wicked selves and push each other to the very limits of creativity and cruelty. Nevertheless, brilliance and seclusion always come with a price, but this time, their wealth and privilege might not be able to save them. The book follows the two girls over the course of their lives; from the cakes and rebellion of childhood to the sexual exploitation and independence of their young adulthood. The real question is: at what point will they lose their heads?

EMMY RUBIN Copy Editor

The Ecliptic by Benjamin Wood

The Ecliptic is a mind-bending dive into creative processes through the nearly psychoactive effects art superimposes on its architect’s mind. Benjamin Wood shepherds the reader into a larger than life depiction of the mysterious places where intuitive creation lies, a subconscious journey stained by relationships, trauma, deceptions, disappointments and glory. This magnetizing novel addresses the way each of our decisions bears the power to ultimately transfigure our very identity: the art that emerges out of every bond we form, every activity we indulge in, is an omen to the everchanging, metaphysical, vaporous value of the human imagination.

SIMONE BÉLANGER Arts & Culture Editor

Breasts and Eggs

by Mieko Kawakami

Kawakami beautifully narrates a tale about womanhood in which three women strive to regain power over their lives in Japan. The reader is introduced to Natsu, Midoriko, and Makiko, the three fascinating female protagonists that evolve at the core of this novel’s soul. Kawakami, famously known for her coming-of-age books, always finds interesting ways to introduce and develop the growth of her characters through her writing. The author deftly explores the question of female ownership and body through her poetic although candid words.

ROKHAYA RODRIGUEZ Voices Editor

Men in the Sun by Ghassan Kanafani

This novella by Palestinian journalist and fiction writer Ghassan Kanafani explores themes of masculinity, family, exile, and loss, through the story of three Palestinian men in exile, seeking passage from Iraq to Kuwait to find work during the oil boom, and the driver willing to smuggle them there. It’s easy to spend hours getting lost in Men in the Sun’s endless grove of symbolism, emotions, and both psychological and political subtext reflecting the real world inspiration behind the story. Holding the novella is like holding the bleeding heart of the Palestinian refugee experience. A short yet heavy read.

SANAD HAMDOUNA Staff Writer

Photo VIA TOKOPEDIA

Macbeth At Dawson College: An Event Not To Be Missed

AYA HAFEDA Staff Writer

On November 3rd, in the Dawson New Dome Theatre, a resounding thunder crashes throughout the stage and three witches crawl upwards onto the set. They move mesmerizingly, in sync with the thunder. “When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?” declares one in a jeering voice that pierces amidst the stage.

members to make a collective decision on which play the third-year students are to perform this fall. She adds on: “I personally prefer Shakespeare’s plays with magic,” she says with a wide smile. “It’s a shorter one than some of his others; Shakespeare wrote this later in his career so that he was really starting to play with form and structure.” She then goes on to discuss the various styles within the writing: “It’s not just all in verse; there’s prose, rhyming couplets and it’s a really generous play for interpretations.”

munity has been able to get back on its feet. They no longer perform with masks and the audience can spectate without one as well. “I truly feel honored to be working on the first major play without masks,” says Buxton before chuckling. “Especially with this incredible group of young people who have been through so much.”

Why Macbeth? Director of the play, Stefanie Buxton, explains that “it’s about people and it’s about what lives deep inside all of us perhaps and what we do with choices, and I think that resonates for anyone and everyone of any time anywhere and especially for the student population.”

The artist explores the various subjects the Shakespeare play covers: “ambition, destruction, disintegration” and how they help us to “achieve harmony and balance [...] through loyalty, trust and honor”. This process can make the play an interpretation of a reflection of our human nature.

Buxton explains the precise process that goes into picking which play to perform. A certain procedure is followed that allows the theater troupe’s

Such tragedies as Macbeth are still pertinent in our current times. The play director draws an analogy between a vast number of Shakespeare’s plays and our solar system: “They orbit and once in a while they orbit closer to us. Some plays are a bit closer than others at certain times, given what is going on in the world.”

For Stefanie, she admits that she enjoys “working in a way that we are socially conscious artists,” and so finds this play to be “quite relevant to take your pick of what’s going on wherever in the world.”

When asked what she wished to say to our readers, Stefanie Buxton exulted at the question and said: “Come to the play!” while grinning. According to her, such events are crucial to the community spirit among Dawson College students. It is a foremost duty to celebrate the theater community – as well as everyone else’s achievements.

The play is set in the medieval year of 1211 AD. The costumes are working out perfectly and the props are in good hands; a lot of work was visibly channeled into the production of the play. The director declares that there were various aspects to be put into consideration when directing a salient play such as this one. They also put thought into the gender of role players, “Whether there are female, male, or non-binary [actors] must go into consideration for casting”. Furthermore, she considers other aspects such as: “What will serve the students well?” as well as “What are good challenges?”

Despite facing the Covid-19 pandemic, the Dawson theater com-

Production stage manager, Mary Davidson, also admits to have faced a ‘challenging time’. After the pandemic, the director states that “everybody’s changed, obviously, as a result.” When coming back from confinement, she witnessed many moments of ‘hesitancy’, due to the fact that “they were learning in their bedrooms”. However, it is no longer the case at the moment. Stefanie enthusiastically claims that she now sees “way more confidence” and that when entering the stage, actors are able to perform with utter assurance and stature.

During the rehearsal of Act One, several talented students enter the caliginous stage. A wounded captain limps onto the platform and gives a gripping performance. The witches come head-to-head with Macbeth and Banquo, making the spectator sit on the edge of their seat, eager for more. The actor playing King Duncan stands tall alongside his loyal and valiant companions, ruling the roost. Gracious as they come, the student portraying Lady Macbeth grants a moving performance through elegant movements needled by a disquieted tongue. The play will be a convivial event starring our accomplished fellow Dawson students, so do not miss the chance to see it!

Additional info: Starting from November 14th – 26th. For more information, visit: https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/professional-theatre/ performances/macbeth/. @dawsontheatre on Instagram & Facebook.

Photo VIA AYA HAFEDA

It’s about people and it’s about what lives deep inside all of us perhaps and what we do with choices.

Come to the play!

Artwork

by Tristan M. @TRISTAN_.OM

Artwork by Elliott Trembecka @MAYBEELLIOTT

Artwork by Alice Martin

The Twilight of the Good Ol’ Pabst Blue Ribbon Era

SIMONE BÉLANGER Arts & Culture Editor

Disclaimer: This article does not encourage alcohol consumption and serves strictly educational purposes.

If we were to rewind my storyline back to November 2021, I most likely would have laughed in the face of anyone who claimed that a year later, I would be writing an article on beer. Back then, I deemed beer as an unlikable, last resort type of alcohol, and I don’t think the term “enjoyable” could have ever been employed to render my bitter (quite literally) experiences with beer as a genre. Manifestly, I was a foolish individual. But thanks to a series of fortunate events, the hateful caterpillar I was hatched into a tender-hearted, beer-loving butterfly, eager to lead you into the fascinating craft beer rabbit hole.

I am not the only one who suffered from an early conflictual relationship with beer: among friends and acquaintances, many people’s first experience was unimpressive. As innocent, underage teenagers, me and my friends were (sadly) grateful for any manufactured good that would keep us from sobriety. Nevertheless, the fact that so many are kept from entering the beer multiverse because of the prevailing brands that demean the entire beer family infuriates me. These labels distort the collective perception of what beer is, and I can only be sorry for my younger self who believed that what all beers would ever taste like was good ol’ Pabst.

Getting into decent beers is not an easy task for all, especially when considering the following question: Are craft beers an omen to a bourgeois stratum of our society? Upon reflection, it is not the case. People I’ve interviewed blatantly told me the prices were reasonable (usually anywhere between 3 and 8 dollars for a 473ml can), which echoes the consensus reached within the craft beer community. Indeed, for the price of any generic six-pack, you can opt for three top-tier brews instead. Nevertheless, the microbrewery spectrum

is broad, and affordability fluctuates according to the beer’s attributes, the ingredients’ quality, as well as the given microbrewery’s prominence.

beers [her] go-to.” She also expressed how the locality of such products is an obvious added value, especially when considering the ecological and ethical qualities of our effervescent microbreweries. And I couldn’t agree more; the sustainability factor should definitely be taken into account when deciding on a drink.

Especially today, cultivating a fondness for the genre has never been easier. Microbreweries’ beers are starting to populate grocery store shelves exponentially and specialized, beer-oriented boutiques are flourishing (where the workers are always eager to give brilliant suggestions and demystify the process of selecting the best suited beer to your taste). Furthermore, 46 of the top 100 beers in Canada are brewed in Quebec, according to BeerAdvocate. Still, why are these canned delicacies such a hit amongst the Quebec demographic?

For starters, craft beers offer a wonderful amalgam of flavours that will please any conceivable preference. Through the type of beer (lager, pilsner, brown or pale ale, India pale ale - widely known as ‘IPA’, stout, Belgian-style, sour, etc.), the style, the chosen grain(s), the aromas (from chocolate or honey to sour cherry and even coconut), the IBU (international bitterness unit) and ABV (alcohol by volume), as well as an array of other parameters, microbrewers are granted the power to become the alchemists of exquisitely unique, peculiar drinks. Whether to satisfy their growing clientele or personal fantasies, the sky is pretty much the limit when it comes to concocting craft beers.

It is additionally no surprise that microbreweries’ appeal contributes to their fulgurant popularity ascension. When I asked my pal Ariane what is so bewitching about craft beers, she responded that “the originality and the light-heartedness of it all make craft

Through discussions with beer comrades, I realized that craft beers brought a new dimension to one’s alcohol consumption. Not only do beers distilled in microbreweries incorporate an epicurean, discovery-seeking side to the experience, but they also refine the social components behind indulging in alcohol consumption. According to a fellow craft beer enthusiast, Hugh, his consumption habits took a turn when he developed an appreciation for microbreweries: “My past experiences drinking beer were not always great, to the point I felt like I needed to try something completely different.” He adds that discovering craft beers was an “eye-opener”. Others also brought up how, through craft beers, their intention shifted from “trying to get wasted” to genuinely enjoying what they were sipping.

I seriously wish I could write ten more pages in order to accurately convey how fond of craft beers I became (and flood The Plant’s November issue with even more microbrewery discourse). For me, craft beers are the liquid proof that alcohol’s value does not reside in its mind-altering properties, but rather in its ability to lead our papillae on a unique journey. For the sake of your tastebuds, give craft beers a chance. And remember, there is nothing as heart-warming as cracking open a cold one with the loved ones.

*Personal favourites among Quebec microbreweries*

– Menaud

– La Chasse-Pinte

– La Forge du Malt

– À la Fût

– Avant-garde

– Brasseurs du Monde

– Le BockAle

– La Souche

– Isle de Garde

Others also brought up how, through craft beers, their intention shifted from “trying to get wasted” to genuinely enjoying what they were sipping.

The Comeback of Low-Rise Jeans and What It Means for Women

LÉAH TATTERSALL Contributor

Low-rise jeans are trending and Y2K fashion inspirations are impossible to escape on Pinterest, Tik Tok, and Instagram. Within the last year, more women have been wearing low-rise jeans out on the streets of Montreal, and all of North America seems to be adopting the trend as well by recreating outfits from the 2000s era. Undeniably, low-rise jeans are back in fashion and so is the body standard associated with it.

standard striving for thin, young, and white. Diet culture was at its peak during this era and was keenly reflected through women’s clothing. Some millennials have also blamed the 2000s fashion movements for inducing their eating disorders. Why is this trend back and what effect will this body mindful and restrictive style have on women in the current decade?

This comeback is not surprising, according to Borys Fridman, co-owner for 48 years of Jeans Jeans Jeans , a beloved pants store situated in the Mile-end sector. “For you guys, it’ll be something on TV, something on Netflix, something on social media, that will all of a sudden click and become fashion,” Borys Fridman continues, “That’s what drives the market.”

that makes me feel confident,” says 18-year-old Dawson student, Emma.

Like Molly Jong-Fast says in a Vogue article from October 19th, 2021 titled “For Goodness’ Sake, Please Let Us Not Return to Low-Rise Jeans”: “We don’t have to ride this cycle; we can just say no to this trend.”

Young women responded to my Instagram story where they were asked to share their thoughts on this trend. “They’re cute but I feel like they only work on specific outfits and are harder to style,” expresses Layla, 18-year-old Concordia student who owns these type of jeans, “Plus, not everyone thinks they fit them and I feel like people have a specific idea of who should and shouldn’t wear them.” The unsustainability of low-rise jeans is one of the countless reasons this trend was short-lived in the past.

This specific style of jeans doesn’t bring back fond memories for some women. On May 6th, 2022, a Vogue article titled “How Low Can These Low-Rise Jeans Go?” by author Rachel Besser writes: “There’s no denying that, for millennials, the trend’s imminent return can be stress-inducing.”

With its belly-baring pants and other body conscious trends, the early aughts were a time that perpetuated fatphobia and a beauty

Lola Garden, a young Australian woman, addresses her observations on this trend in a TikTok she posted earlier this month. “[...] Y2K low rise styles are trending, Bella Hadid just keeps getting skinnier, the Kardashians are removing their BBLs [Brazilian butt lift]” she shares, “and you can see the pro ED [eating disorder] sentiment growing online.”

Bella Hadid, a model who rose in popularity in the past three years, is followed by fifty-six million people on Instagram and is often seen wearing low-rise jeans. This shift in popularity from 2010s high-rise jeans known to accentuate the waist, making curves appear wider, to the return of low-rise jeans that are meant to highlight a flat abdomen and minimal curves, clearly illustrates an unfolding change in body standards for women.

However, clothing is becoming increasingly gender neutral and the established rules are constantly being rejected when it comes to fashion: people of all genders are seen embracing the low-rise jeans upcoming trend. With the body positivity movement, low-rise styles might not be as detrimental to women as they were for the prior generation. “There’s just something about the aesthetic of them

Photo VIA MISSONI, SPRING 2022

With its bellybaring pants and other body conscious trends, the early aughts were a time that perpetuated fatphobia and a beauty standard striving for thin, young, and white.

You May Know Him as Lil Baby

SOPHIE ANABELLE SOMÉ Staff Writer

To be completely honest I did not know Lil Baby’s real name until about a year ago. For the curious minds, his legal name is Dominique Armani Jones. I was listening to his music way before then, but digging into the artist’s personal life and history—which I highly recommend because it is definitely illuminating and allows you to connect more with their music—was not something I wanted to do. Fast consumerism seemed like an easy although lazy route that I took without questioning. The Covid-19 pandemic triggered an increasing interest and fascination towards Lil Baby. George Floyd’s tragic death and the Black Lives Matter movement undoubtedly changed my perception of the world. In the headlines, Lil Baby not only released “The Bigger Picture”, a protest song advocating for social and racial justice in the world, but was also actively helping George Floyd’s family. Lil Baby also paid for Gianna Floyd’s birthday party and attended the celebration. It was incredible to see him use his talent and wealth to convey an important message regarding justice for Black people.

Growing up in Atlanta with a single mother and two sisters, Lil Baby dropped out of high school in grade nine. He turned to “the streets” and became a virtuous gambler and a drug dealer. In 2015, Lil Baby found himself incarcerated for two years in a maximum-security prison after mul-

tiple arrests for firearm and marijuana possession. After his release, Young Thug—another renowned rapper and Lil Baby’s close friend—encouraged him to go to the studio and record music. Fast-forward to 2022 and his first album My Turn was the number one selling album among all genres. By that time, Lil Baby had left his old lifestyle behind and was committed to a music career.

The rapper has an incredibly humble spirit that is here to inspire. I remember my eyes ablaze, hypnotized by my screen as I first listened to “The Bigger Picture”. Lil baby says in the song: “It’s bigger than black and white, it’s a problem with the whole way of life, it can’t change overnight.” Those words just underline how social justice and advocating for Black lives is everyone’s concern and responsibility. In “Untrapped: The Story of Lil Baby”, a documentary about his life released by Prime Video, the rapper talks about quarantine and how it made him reflect on his life and the things that matter to him. He says that “it made [him] realize all the awards, all the numbers, it [doesn’t] mean anything.”

Lil Baby strives towards renewing people’s hope with his music and most of his songs are tied to his old neighborhood. If we take a look at his most recent songs on It’s Only Me, an album released on October 11th this year, blatant traces of Lil Baby’s past still pop up. In “Red Spill”, he says: “I moved on from slangin’ drugs and pistols, can’t be thinking simple,” and later adds on “I know I’m the motiva-

tion, they see me, they see a hero.” In “Double down”, he claims: “Watch me shake the world and wake up everyone who is sleeping on me.” In his older album My turn, Lil Baby expresses in his song “Solid” that he is a “product of the real trenches, that’s why I wear a coat”. When Lil Baby raps about his old neighborhood, he certainly doesn’t do so in order to brag about his current life situation. He is explaining the importance of the environment on one’s life choices. He is conveying how he did not have many alternatives but to turn to drug dealing and other criminal activities. He is also voicing to younger people that they should try their best to stay away from that trap and strive for something greater than “the streets”. Lil Baby’s message resides in showing the younger generation that life is not defined by their current situation: he is this philosophy’s living proof.

On September 22nd, Lil Baby was awarded the Quincy Jones Humanitarian award. The reason behind this title resides in his incredible work in advocating for racial and social justice issues. Part of Lil Baby’s contribution for his community involves an annual “Back to School Fest” where more than 3000 children from Atlanta’s West End are given school supplies, haircuts, backpacks, and have the opportunity to enjoy games, carnival rides and food. The rapper, in collaboration with Lemont Gradley, an Atlanta restaurateur, worked to offer 100 jobs to young adults. At last, Lil Baby established a 150,000$ My Turn scholarship program for students from his former high school. When it is time to give back to his community, not only does Lil Baby excel, but he is one of our time’s greatest activists for racial and social justice. p p

When it is time to give back to his community, not only does Lil Baby excel, but he is one of our time’s greatest activists for racial and social justice.

Photo VIA ARTURO HOLMES/GETTY IMAGES

Smoke

JOSEPHINE ROSS Editor-In-Chief

I feel that most Dawson students are familiar with the notorious and densely populated Smoke Spot, located by Dawson’s main entrance on Maisonneuve. Even those who don’t frequent the Spot themselves will have surely walked by it, heard of it, or referred to it in passing.

I became familiar with the Spot before the end of my first week at Dawson in September 2021. Despite my being a second-year student, I had almost no friends at Dawson. Though I would hardly ever describe smoking as a fortunate habit to have, in this case, it was. Within my first few cigarette breaks, I had already become acquainted with more people than I had spoken to in any of my classes.

Opportunities for socializing within Dawson’s walls during the heavily restricted pandemic era were difficult to come by. As a result, many students turned to the sidewalk outside instead, which is how it came to serve as an unconventional “third place.”

The “third place” is a sociological term that refers to social surroundings that are separate from the “first” and “second” places of home and work. In the past, these third places took the form of places of worship, clubs, cafés, community centres, and plazas. American urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg describes these places as “anchors” of community life that should be conducive to social interaction, conversation, and general group leisure activities. In his book, The Great Good Place (1989), Oldenburg outlined eight defining characteristics of these places. He states that, unlike work and home, attendance in third places is not obligatory. Often occupied by what he calls “the regulars,” the place encourages conversation, intermingling, and interaction between friends and acquaintances. In keeping with these requirements, they must be accessible to all, regardless of class or social status, and should maintain a homelike, laidback, and playful vibe. Oldenburg

stresses the importance of these places, as they are critical to civil society and engagement, democracy, and establishing a sense of belonging within a community.

While these types of places were abundant in North America just a few decades ago, the 21st century marked a shift in the types of third places we frequent. With the advent of technology, social media, and virtual worlds, North Americans are more inclined to fulfill their social needs in a virtual space, favoring online interaction over in-person. We may attribute this shift to a variety of factors, notably the innumerable appealing qualities of the internet (anonymity, ability to exist through a persona, abundant resources of information and knowledge). This push towards online communities was propelled by COVID-19, quarantine mandates making online interaction the best alternative to in-person interaction.

make perfectly suitable third places. Come winter, these cease to be an option, relegating the youth to their respective homes or to the aforementioned unsuitable third places.

This brings us back to Dawson. Last year, much of the campus was strictly supervised, and the enforced rules regarding masks and social distancing made socializing with other students a feat. As a result, students flocked to the surrounding sidewalks of the college as The Spot fulfilled most of Oldenburg’s characteristics and provided a space separate from social status.

The 21st century teenager’s dilemma is centered around feeling a kind of perpetual lonesomeness, yet being unable to bridge the gap between yourself and another. In kindergarten, making friends is as easy as asking “Do you want to play together?”. As teenagers, the perceived approachability of our peers dissipates. The carefree spirit of childhood is replaced by a self-conscious one by age thirteen, as we realize how unjustified interaction makes us vulnerable to rejection and judgement. Smoking dispels these fears. The “Hey, do you have a lighter?” method facilitates initiating conversation. Sharing a lighter surpasses class, status, and hierarchical divides, enabling one to meet all kinds of people.

This cultural shift was particularly damaging for Gen Z. The social restrictions of the pandemic isolated the youth from their peers at a point in their development when social interaction is critical to growth. This resulted in an uptick in the prominence of social anxiety and the popularity of online communities.

This issue predates the pandemic. Gen Z has consistently struggled to find third places that do not involve alcohol and drug consumption or spending money. The effects of this dilemma are especially tangible in Montréal. During the warmer months, outdoor spaces like parks

I don’t want my analysis of smoking as a social activity to be misconstrued as pro-smoking propaganda. In fact, the opposite is true. It is unfortunate that the Smoke Spot is one of the only genuine third places I have encountered. Although centred around vice, it is free from the total intoxication encouraged by bars and the consumerist requirements of costly activities. And unlike the coffee shops or cinemas, smoking encourages mingling between strangers. Most so-called “third places” advertised to 18- to 25-yearolds do not fulfill the requirements outlined by Oldenburg. I am all for a less cancerous third place for Dawson students, but it seems that none of equal effectiveness or popularity have arisen as of yet.

The 21st century teenager’s dilemma is centered around feeling a kind of perpetual lonesomeness, yet being unable to bridge the gap between yourself and another.

The

Spot: How the sidewalk inadverte-

ntly became a third place for Dawson students

The Modern Art of Sharing and Moving On: Performative Activism on Social Media

ANGÉLIQUE BABINEAU Contributor

Following the death of Mahsa Amini on September 16th at the hands of the Iranian “morality police,” the internet was quick to vocalize its indignation. I recollect my Instagram feed and stories being flooded with pictures of the 22-year-old woman in the hours leading up to her death. According to my social media, almost every account I followed seemed to care about the event and sought immediate, radical change. If the majority of people I befriended on Instagram were outraged by the situation, why am I witnessing little action being taken?

According to The Observer, performative activism is “activism” to increase personal gain or popularity as opposed to showing genuine support for an issue, cause, or movement.” This emerging phenomenon raises questions about whether or not activism belongs on social media. Allowing for social injustices to be reckoned as trends, performative activism strips these issues from all meaning and overshadows the work of real activists.

While social media platforms show great potential for raising awareness around social movements, several users seem to exploit these platforms for passive advocacy, begging the following question: why is this currently observed among a generation like Gen Z that strives for tangible change? Indeed,

social pressures appear to play a role in why some engage in performative activism, but not only; “It is almost as if you don’t share, you’re a bad person,” says 19-year-old Instagram user Yassine Boulahia. Boulahia continues, “I feel people want to take the moral high ground on social media, even though their morals aren’t consistent in reality. It’s just a front; that’s what it is.”

ticipated in helping the cause, so I can no longer be held accountable or expected to take further concrete actions.”

Stemming from a desire to remove ourselves from any sense of responsibility, performative activism, whether deliberate or not, acts as a way to appease our conscience. According to Annie Bélanger, obtainer of a Bachelor’s degree in communications and public relations at the Université Du Québec À Montréal (UQÀM), the motivations behind one’s participation in performative activism might go even further: “Because I shared and liked, I don’t need to do anything else.” In other words, “I par-

In the case of Mahsa Amini’s death, the noise it generated on the Internet, performative or authentic, seems to have had positive effects. With protests and haircutting occurring worldwide in support of Iranian women and governments such as the Canadian and the United States governments releasing sanctions on Iranian authorities, the posts brought light to the issue and encouraged concrete acts of solidarity. But how does one differentiate performative activism from real activism? Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible. “People will participate in things without knowing their meaning, which frustrates me. But I think that just reposting, though you should try to check your sources and educate yourself, can be useful because it draws attention to the issue and helps raise awareness,” says 18-year-old Lea Nohad Hamze, activist and events coordinator for the Dawson Feminist Union. Having volunteered at the haircutting event at Dawson on October 20 in support of Iranian women, which captured the attention of CTV news, Hamze values using these platforms to discuss socio-political issues.

Although performative activism will likely persist and remain hard to identify or repress, it should not discourage people from using social media to speak about these social issues.

Allowing for social injustices to be reckoned as trends, performative activism strips these issues from all meaning and overshadows the work of real activists.

Photo VIA CNN STYLE

Gay Hookup Culture: Living the Lana Del Rey Fantasy

ANONYMOUS Contributor

I lived the Lana Del Rey fantasy, and it sucked.

I recognize that most people would agree that being gay, especially in your early teens, is difficult. If I were to put it into a sentence, the moment you realize you might be gay is as if someone stops you halfway down the path of life, just to pick you up and kick you onto another, unknown, sometimes shittier path. While that’s easy enough to say, I honestly find it hard to express the level of alienation one can feel because of this. I grew up watching male heroes kiss princesses, reading books about straight couples, and seeing the perfect image of the nuclear family: husband, wife, and children. I believed I would probably find myself in a similar situation one day. I only realized that being gay was a thing at age eight in a school assembly.

in any way queer. I watched as my (all straight) friends would get their first kiss, their first romantic partner, and lose their virginity. It felt as if I was watching my friends’ amazing romantic lives play out on a TV as I watched along on the couch. As if I was missing out on a precious part of life. Finally, though, I had my first boyfriend, my first breakup, and then lost my virginity at age sixteen to some meaningless hookup. It felt anti-climactic, but I felt “caught up” in the thrill of it all, for lack of a better term.

When I was sixteen, I had come to terms with who I was, and while I still felt completely alone, I could come out to my family. At this age, I received a message on Instagram from an unknown account. I looked at this account’s profile. This person was older and attractive. My heart fluttered at the fact that someone very attractive would even message me, so I messaged him back, and he replied. We talked for a few days and met shortly after these first online interactions. One thing led to another, and my second time having sex was at 16 years of age with a 25-year-old man. At the time, something about that felt so empowering. I felt mature, attractive, and cool.

am I writing to condone them. My article discusses this issue that runs rampant in the gay community. Most, if not all my gay friends have recounted similar experiences with older gay men. I want to understand why this happens.

By the time I realized I wasn’t straight, homosexuality was a completely foreign concept to me, and that terrified me. The environment I grew up in didn’t help much, either. My family consists of people with strong, stubborn personalities. My parents were the suit-and-tie business types. My siblings seemed to be going down that route too. My school, while not homophobic, was as undiverse as they come. I was an emotional kid and an artist since I can remember. Everything mentioned above led to a downward spiral of denial and self-loathing. This spiral lasted for years due to the unfamiliarity of being gay and the fear of having another reason to be different.

When I first came out to someone at the age of 14, I was able to tell my entire friend group soon. Though, when I finally came to terms with being gay, I still felt completely and utterly alone. I was the only person I knew who was

By that summer, I downloaded Grindr; an app gay men use for hookups. I chatted with men who were way older than me, and I quickly met up with another man and hooked up with him. I was seventeen, and he was thirty-two. Then another, I was eighteen, and he was thirty-eight. Another, I was eighteen, and he was twenty-nine.

By the time COVID lockdowns were eased, I was able to start talking and seeing more guys my age. I felt that now was a better time than ever to start a relationship. I tried and failed. I found myself unable to commit, always wanting something better. For a reason I couldn’t explain, doing anything sexual with a boy I genuinely liked, who was my age for a change, completely grossed me out. I would make excuses not to have sex, stalling as much as possible before I inevitably broke things off. I found comfort, unfortunately, in sex with older men. It never occurred to me that I had never really been intimate but only had fucked. And then the cycle would repeat itself.

Say what you will about age gaps; I’m not writing to condemn them, nor

Living in a time that isn’t the past three years was living in a time when the queer culture wasn’t mainstream. As I mentioned, I grew up feeling alienated from everyone I knew, possibly due to this underrepresentation. Struggling with an issue is one thing, but struggling with something that you know nothing about, or don’t know anyone who has gone through the same, is inexplicably desolating. I felt worthless, different, unattractive, and, most of all, alone. A lack of queer representation in society and the media means that most queer youth feel like absolute freaks until they meet more people like themselves, possibly years or even decades later. Like others, I tried to find comfort in older gay men. These men usually had been out of the closet for many years. Thus, they were much more comfortable with their sexuality than I could have been at fifteen, sixteen, or seventeen. These men were, in a sense, “role models,” a future to work towards, in which I could be out, unashamed, not alone, and comfortable with my sexuality.

Once again, I am no professional; I am simply writing this to address an issue that I have experienced in the gay community and something I assume many other gay young men can relate to. Many of us agree that dating in the gay community is an absolute mess, and people get so used to “no strings attached” that they tend not to want any relationship in the first place. A lack of queer representation is the leading cause of gay youth feeling completely isolated, alone, and different. It ends with them finding comfort only in men who can easily be double their age and are ready with open arms to take advantage of their situation.

VIA GRINDR / VARIETY

Most, if not all my gay friends have recounted similar experiences with older gay men. I want to understand why this happens.

Photo

THE PLANT

Artwork

by Alice Boulianne @ALIEBOULIANNE

Artwork by Charlotte Ge @SMOLCHARR

Visual Arts by ALICE BOULIANNE Visual Arts Editor

Playlist by ALICE BOULIANNE Visual Arts Editor

Is 29 Too Old For 17?

ROKHAYA RODRIGUEZ Voices Editor

Disclaimer: This article does not discuss these subjects in-depth nor provides a frame for same-sex relationships in the case of the sugar industry.

Many celebrities have recently opened up about their experiences in age-gap romantic relationships. Many seem to regret them, like Demi Lovato. Did I quote her song title? Yes, I did.

Moving on, the wildly anticipated new album, “Midnight” by Taylor Swift, also featured an age gap relationship story in one of her songs. But honestly, when Leonardo DiCaprio only dated girls below 25 years old until Gigi Hadid, people asked questions. And some may have wondered why older men dating younger girls are called sugar daddies and older women dating younger men are called “cougars”. To top it all off, we need to address the elephant in the room: sugar daddies and sugar mommies (not sugaring, the Egyptian practice I kept on finding on the internet when typing sugaring because I thought the industry was called sugaring, my mistake. Though I have learned and now know better).

gether. I thought I was in for a time of exploration filled with straightforward answers. However, early on, I realized that the line was VERY blurred. It is hard to give your opinion if you have never found yourself in an age-gap relationship. What truly astonished me was how, in the grand scheme of things, we should not care about the relationships of others. Age gap relationships remain an enigma to me, so they deserve to be understood at their core value, without judgment. Hence, I invite all Dawson students into my research process/messy brain to get to the root of the stigma against age-gap relationships and much more.

By definition, age gap relationships refer to relationships with a 10+ years gap between individuals. The narrative of heterosexual relationships seems to turn around the idea that women are attracted to older men and men are more attracted to younger women. Why? I’m not too sure. It is essential to state that through gender discrimination, women are pressured to reproduce early in their lives. However, unlike their counterparts, men have the luxury of not being pushed to reproduce.

vent an individual from self-actualizing. Disclaimer: all relationships can have power dynamics, but in age-gap relationships, it seems “easier” for these situations to occur since the older person can be in a position of authority.

Coming up with the specific details of this article was challenging. I had the not-so-brilliant idea of interviewing students about their opinions. Don’t get me wrong, the views of others are valuable and should be heard. Not so brilliant because the beauty of gathering your “samples’’ while analyzing a subject is to discover something new about it alto-

Some articles have highlighted possible challenges of being in age-gap relationships. One, individuals are at different stages of their life. Although it does not make their relationship less valid, it can sometimes create a power dynamic where one is more dependent on the other. In that sense, one can become the provider and the other the receiver. In capitalist societies, we put so much importance on age. You can get your driver’s license at 16 in Quebec, or even vote at 18. Thus, there is an “age” for everything. We time ourselves based on age. The older you are, the wiser, but the younger you are, the more naïve you are. You’ve probably heard this before; I certainly have.

The phrase “in my time” has likely made its way into the conversation too many times. Several people fear that age-gap relationships are this power dynamic that can pre-

Two, age-gap couples constantly feel pressured to justify their relationship with others. So many agegap couples feel like they need to explain their relationship decisions since there are many questions about it. The constant questioning can be annoying. Please don’t do that. We should all be respectful of others’ decisions, no matter the context.

Statistics have shown that age gaps are more prominent in the LGBTQ+ community than in heterosexual relationships. According to the BBC, approximately 8 % of male-female relationships have an age gap of 10 years and more. 15% of female-to-female relationships are age-gap relationships. Finally, in male-male relationships, 25 % are age-gap relationships. Hence, statistics show that more accepting societies where there is no frame of a perfect relationship, where different types of relationships are normalized, have shown an increase in agegap couples. Age-gap relationships have always been around, but now that women have more rights and freedom of speech, they seem more taboo. Before, many women were married off to older men. Though it still happens today, the practice is not very popular in North America.

On another note, dating apps have sped up the dating process, making it more accessible and even less time-consuming since you do

In capitalist societies, we put so much importance on age. You can get your driver’s license at 16 in Quebec, or even vote at 18. Thus, there is an “age” for everything.

We must stop perpetuating this idea of “good” and “bad” relationships. We should instead try to understand the experience of others and listen with an open mind.

Understanding the stigma behind age-gap relationships

not have to go out of your way to meet someone. Similarly, the popularity of apps for sugar daddies, mommies and sugar babies has increased.

“Sugar babies” are on the receiving end of the “relationship.” They are showered with gifts: objects, money, etc. Sugar daddies or mommies give them gifts in exchange for the “services” of the sugar baby. While sugar babies can keep company to their “benefactor,” some have to participate in sexual activities in exchange for “payment”: gifts. The profile of a sugar daddy is as follows; rich (way too rich), lonely, in need of company, and in need of feeling like they are helping someone with their money. These relationships usually have age gaps. The role of sugar babies has been a

growing job prospect among young adults in financial difficulties (aka broke students since education is FREAKING expensive). Many sugar daddies confess to having seemed to have a savior complex. Sugar daddies are more common than sugar mommies. Many have compared it to sex work or escorting.

triarchal societies. Doesn’t it feel like the roles of sugar daddies/mommies and sugar babies are an excuse to justify actions? I don’t know.

However, according to sugar daddies interviewed on Vine, there is mutual respect between the sugar daddy and the sugar baby, where both have equal rights. But doesn’t being paid for services seem like sex work? We all know the sex industry is curated for men and objectifies women’s bodies. Who creates these money-profiting industries? Men. Who benefits from them? Men. What kind of societies do these men live in? Pa- p p

Age-gap couples are not different from others. The only difference is that they do not respond to societal standards and therefore are more often shamed. We must stop perpetuating this idea of “good” and “bad” relationships. We should instead try to understand the experience of others and listen with an open mind. Still working on the last one, but I am proud to say it is a work in progress. I learn every day, and so do many of you. Enjoy this chance and ability to continuously learn, for it allows us to be aware of societal issues and inequalities that prevent our world from being peaceful.

Photo VIA SHUTTERSTOCK

The Jewish Experience

Why being a Jewish student at Dawson is not a five star experience

EMMY RUBIN Copy Editor

TW: themes covered in the article such as antisemitism and the October 31st costume may be triggering to some. I’m a Jew. I have been for my entire life. Before coming to Dawson, I was immersed in Orthodox Jewish schooling from the age of three when I was enrolled in the CPE program at Hebrew Academy. That is where I stayed until I was seventeen, finally graduated, and finally free from the immensity of my Jewish upbringing. And I was happy about it. Or so I thought at the time.

Last fall was my first semester at Dawson. Coincidentally, it was also the first time that I’d attended a learning institution where my religion was not the dominant one. At first, I was giddy with the sensation of diversity, meeting so many people of different backgrounds. In my first-ever class at Dawson, Dance Fitness, I and a handful of other wide-eyed first-years sat in a circle and exchanged backgrounds. Upon hearing that I was Jewish, one of the girls in the circle exclaimed, “Wow! I’ve never met a Jew before! This is why I love being here: the diversity.”

Entering this new world of public education, I felt like a celebrity for being part of the fraction of Jewish students on campus. Then, the holidays rolled around, and my differences didn’t make me feel special anymore; they made me feel ostracized and disadvantaged. Dealing with the start of the year at a new school at a higher ac-

ademic level is trying for any student, but coming from an Orthodox Jewish background made it so that I had to shoulder that burden along with seven days of classwork and assignments I had to make up from merely observing my religion.

at the same time as currently assigned work. That is not equity - it’s barely receiving equality.

Melenie Segev, a Jewish Dawson student pointed out: “I had two midterm exams the day after Yom Kippur. My high holiday was spent studying two subjects. What are people doing on December 26th? Watching The Grinch in their PJs and going boxing day shopping. No one would even think to take out their school books on such an important holiday. Why should I?” This year’s Yom Kippur, a day of fasting, was on October 5th.

However, I am not the only Jew that is forced to trudge through the holiday season that reigns over the Fall semester. In a recent survey taken by members of the Dawson student body, ten out of ten Jewish students stated that they celebrate the Jewish holidays and that the celebration of these holidays meant that they could not attend school. Ninety percent of the students who celebrated the holidays and were subsequently obligated to miss seven days of school reported that the assignments and tests they had to miss took a significant toll on their mental health. And it’s no wonder: as one student put it, “I need to learn double the amount of work in half the amount of time. While my classmates are all ahead. Even if I manage to catch up on all of my classes before the next lecture, it’s hard and messes with my sleep schedule, but still, I can’t complain; it is what it is. We just have to do the best we can.”

This is the mindset that every Jewish student on campus has; we are bludgeoned with setbacks until we are stuck three feet below even standing, and then we rebuke ourselves for being incensed. Why? Because we’re not the popular religion and we can’t expect to be given special treatment. We are made to believe that we should feel lucky that teachers don’t outright penalize us for missing class or assignment due dates and sometimes grant us extensions that make it so that we have to complete missed work

It is one thing to try and be a normal student while being made to endure the academic ramifications of practicing a minority religion. It is quite another feat to tolerate hate for being a part of that same religion.

Most of you who are reading this will probably immediately associate the words “Jews” and “hate” with the now infamously known Halloween costume incident. Moreover, you readers are probably still hungry for information on the incident, either to have some new opinion to condemn or to try and sort this whole thing out for yourselves.

collaboration with the advocacy

those of you who don’t know, along with being the copy editor for the Plant, I am also the president of Dawson Hillel, a club that every cegep and college in North America possesses to foster a sense of community and education for Jewish life on campus. As the representative for the Jewish Dawson student body, I sent an email to the Director General of Dawson

For

in

Then, the holidays rolled around, and my differences didn’t make me feel special anymore; they made me feel ostracized and disadvantaged.

It is one thing to try and be a normal student while being made to endure the academic ramifications of practicing a minority religion. It is quite another feat to tolerate hate for being a part of that same religion.

Photo VIA REBBETZIN MORI

manager for Hillel Montreal condemning the Halloween display. I was then immediately contacted by the Director General’s office. Fast-forward two days later and I was attending the listening session most of you read about in the document sent from the college, giving the opening remark on behalf of all of Hillel Montreal. Aside from dealing with the Dawson administration, I was contacted by several concerned students who divulged to me their experience with the student who wore the costume and their individual opinions on the matter.

In a nutshell, I am the closest you readers will get to the truth behind the second-most notorious Halloween in Dawson’s history. So let’s talk about it.

The facts of the incident that everyone agrees on are the same ones you’ve heard a thousand times before; that the student was dressed up as a post-WWII East German soldier wearing a gas mask and performing a goose step in front of a crowd of cheering onlookers in the lower atrium on October 31st. What most of you probably don’t know is that an anonymous source who attended the costume contest went up to the person dressed up as the soldier and pointed out to them that what they were doing was “super f—- up”. To this, the soldier responded, “Oh, so you must be one of those people who don’t like Nazis.” However, there is another point of view that is held by many: that the student in question had not been aware of how his costume came across. These people, some of whom personally know the student, assert that he simply hyper-fixated on military history and wanted to display a fully accurate rendition of a soldier from the Eastern German Communist Party, who donned gas masks during chemical warfare. This is what the student himself claims is what happened.

At the listening session on November 4th moderated by the academic dean, Rob Cassidy, and the head of the Jewish studies department, Leila Roiter, it was announced that the student would, as a consequence, be made to take a tour of the Montreal Holocaust Museum to learn about the event that triggered many of the Jewish student body after seeing his costume and

goose step on Halloween. They also stated that in the case that new information reveals itself with respect to the Oct. 31 incident, they will reopen the investigation on the student. For now, though, they are treating the incident as one of misunderstanding and are rehabilitating the student through education which, as Robert Cassidy put it, “is an opportunity that, as a learning institution, we cannot pass up on.”

Before the events of Halloween, a teacher, during a philosophy lecture on the creation of a city (a polis), stated that a polis cannot be just any human gathering because that would be a concentration camp. Mindlessly referring to the Holocaust and concentration camps during lectures instead of acknowledging that the Holocaust was a traumatic and horrifying part of a nation’s past can be triggering for students who have personal connections to the Holocaust.

No matter which perspective you choose to align yourself with, one thing is clear: regardless of intent, this incident elicited severe emotional responses from the student body and therefore they reacted with hurt and anger. As is their right. Tone policing, the act of invalidating an individual’s opinion based on their emotional reactions stemming from past trauma, is alive and well throughout this ordeal. However, I will be the first to admit that the reactions that crescendoed into threats on the student’s life are unacceptable. He is still a human being that has a right to safety, just as we are. Even though many of the Jewish student body felt unsafe themselves after the events of this year’s Halloween.

At the listening session, several students spoke up about how they felt unsafe on campus when they presented as Jews. This means that they no longer wear their Star of David necklaces or other religious symbols for fear that they will be targeted for their Judaism. This fear began before Halloween; it was the result of years of subtle antisemitism and micro-aggressions that Jews face every day on campus but don’t report because they either seem too insignificant to make a big deal out of, or they are a one-time occurrence that will absolutely be reported if it ever happens again. But then it does, and there it lies: unreported.

Jewish students have reported that they face antisemitism every day: in the form of people walking away from conversations when the fact that they are Jewish has been brought up. In the form of basing their opinion of Jews on one bad experience with a Jewish individual. In the form of feeling uncomfortable disclosing their pro-Israel opinion as a lot of the student base appears to have polarizing views on the matter. These polarizing views are, in part, a consequence of the particular facet of performative activism that manifests itself in brief infographics that might not capture the nuances of the situation, or necessarily cover both sides. Being a zionist does not immediately categorize you as a murderer-sympathizer.

Antisemitism has spiked to an alarming peak over the last few weeks. Kanye’s antisemitic remarks are taking over the news. And yet, the number of followers on his Instagram account outnumbers the amount of actual Jews that are on the planet. It’s a scary time. A time that has the potential of either imploding into something resembling early 20th century Germany or strengthening the Jewish people and embodying the phrase ‘never again’. For students reading this that are feeling confused and scared, there are ways to find support. For one, there is your trusty Dawson Hillel that you can always turn to when you need a sense of community. Federation CJA along with Stand With Us can help you deal with antisemitism on campus and Jewish empowerment. Being Jewish doesn’t have to mean being perpetually afraid; it can mean community. Identity. And, most of all, it can mean pride.

They no longer wear their Star of David necklaces or other religious symbols for fear that they will be targeted for their Judaism.

One Year Anniversary of The Atwater Pantry

ASPEN CRICK Staff Writer

“People showed up despite the cold, and there’s this mix of students and community members and people who give to the pantry, who take from the pantry, and none of that matters right now. Everyone is just here sharing a meal which is the exact idea,” said John Nathaniel Gertler, one of the founding students of the ` and a Dawson College graduate.

The Atwater Community Pantry, or ACP, was inaugurated on October 27th, 2021. It is an initiative in the sphere of mutual aid. Many volunteers keep it going by bringing food from different places to put in the pantry. Ultimately, this allows people to take things for free without having to sign up or face judgment.

Thursday, October 27th, 2022, was a celebration to commemorate the start of the ACP initiative. Rather than the newly implemented Thursday meetings at the pantry to discuss the community’s needs and concerns,

at 4 pm, community members came together two hours earlier than usual. There was soup and stew, provided by the People’s Potato, a nonprofit organization that makes vegan food from scratch to give to community members from Monday to Thursday. People from all around had food for the soul while coming together to honor the first anniversary of the very pantry that united them. People stopped by and gave their best wishes, i.e.; someone commented that those helping with the pantry, the mere here-and-there volunteers, are doing great work, and they wished these people to be blessed by god. It was heartwarming to witness, being a volunteer for the ACP myself.

“I’m just super filled with gratitude and like a feeling of fullness,” expressed Gertler.

“It’s a magical spot,” said a community member who admitted to being thankful for the existence of the Atwater Community Pantry, which is situated at 2111 Atwater Avenue.

It was inspirational to see the person who felt positive emotions

about the pantry bringing homemade pasta to share with others. It amplified this idea of non-judgment and that of sometimes needing a little extra time; in some instances, you can do your bit for others. This community member wanted to give back, and with the timing of the first anniversary, there could not have been a more uplifting moment.

“We could just disappear, and it would still be there. I think that’s what I’m the happiest about,” emphasized Luka Vincelli, a new addition to the pantry team as well as a student studying environmental science, during an impromptu interview at the event, having previously mentioned being generally pleased about the good day they’ve been having.

Maybe now you’re inspired to do your bit for the Atwater Community Pantry or even to create your own mutual aid project. Do not feel pressured to fix the issue of a minimal amount of food redistribution which, unfortunately, is not implemented by our governments whether it be at a national or federal level.

Best explained by Mia Kennedy, now a Dawson College graduate and a fellow student founder of the ACP:

“This doesn’t solve the problem of food insecurity across Quebec. It acts as a band-aid to this major issue that can only really be solved through policy and law-making.”

The ACP is a great project and shows that our generation is seeing issues and acting on them to find solutions. As stated by Mia, “It takes more than a communal pantry to fix the issue at hand. There’s no harm in keeping it going; since community members benefit from it.”

@atwatercommunitypantry

“This doesn’t solve the problem of food insecurity across Quebec. It acts as a band-aid to this major issue that can only really be solved through policy and law-making.”

to

SANAD HAMDOUNA Staff Writer

Choosing a career path can be one of the most challenging decisions of a person’s life, and it’s one that can change along the way. There are many factors to consider including income, interests, passions, skills, and education. Interest and passion tend to have a lot of importance in this choice, considering a person’s career will stick with them for most of their lives.

According to recent research on career changes and work, the average person spends almost 100 000 hours of their lives at work. That’s just shy of 11.5 straight years at work. It’s a lot of time to spend doing something unpleasant, which can damage workers’ and students’ mental health. In fact, in a 2014 Dutch study on 17-24-year-olds struggling with psychological problems, a successful intervention with a career choice counselor helped significantly decrease said problems.

One way to avoid getting stuck in an unfitting career choice (and by extension, the field of study), is by turning a creative skill that’s already enjoyable, aka a hobby or passion, into a career. Though not all hobbies can be successfully monetized, many can, and making this choice comes with its own list of pros and cons.

The most commonly discussed con is potential income. The stereotype of the starving artist may not be completely true, but it’s a constant possibility for career artists. Indeed, many jobs in the creative field tend to take the form of freelancing and shortterm or seasonal contracts. This can lead to lower job security and unstable income, which is an important factor to consider, though its weight will vary by individual.

Another con is the fear of that hobby turning into just another dreadful task, especially considering it’d be going from relaxing and enjoyable to doing it under pressure and with a paycheck or grade on the

line. For some people, the added stress to something that could be enjoyable just isn’t worth it. This is the case for Hiyam, a visual artist who decided to pursue social sciences at Dawson instead of photography or illustration, which are simply hobbies for her. “I don’t like being told what to do, I hate deadlines, I can’t see myself drawing for someone else, drawing is just for my pleasure” she says.

craft. Such is the case for Neal Armstong, a former student and now professor in Dawson’s Illustration program. As someone who went from painting for fun and studying graphic design before choosing illustration, Neal says: “Once I was introduced to illustration, once I started getting into it, I really got obsessed with it. […] The big change for me was coming to school and being introduced to a system of techniques and knowledge that would prepare me to make money as an artist in the industry. So without going to school, I would be completely lost, and there’s no way I would ever become an artist.”

Despite these cons, many artists have made a choice to pursue a creative career. Miyuka, an illustration student at Dawson explained her choice by saying: “Of course money is really important for like… living. But, if you don’t feel anything from doing your job, then it’s just gonna be sad for the rest of your life. At least when you turn your passion into a job you can even enjoy the little things.” One of her classmates, Robin, who had dropped out of illustration several years ago and went on to graduate from McGill with a degree in social sciences only to come back to illustration, added: “No matter what you do you’re gonna suffer, so might as well do something you enjoy.”

This sentiment is echoed by Adam Savage, former co-host of the TV show MythBusters , on a YouTube video where he talks about work and fun. “Work is boring. Ninety percent of what you will do for a living is a crushing slog.” He shrugs and goes on to highlight the enjoyable side of freelancing. For him, and many less famous freelancers, it’s worth it despite the cons.

For some artists, viewing art through a professional lens actually brought about positive changes in their relationship with their

At the end of the day, everyone will have a different priority for their career choice, and there’s no shame in changing it. This is just one path to an enjoyable career, and it may not be for everyone. But with the necessary knowledge and skill set, it can kickstart a life without regrets.

Sources:

Zippia. “21 Crucial Career Change Statistics [2022]: How Often Do People Change Jobs?” Zippia.com. Sep. 15, 2022.

Kunnen ES. The effect of a career choice guidance on self-reported psychological problems. Front Psychol. 2014 Jun 4.

Ailluri94. “Job Security in the Creative Industry .” Film and Digital Media A Multi-Author Discussion of the Creative Industries in the Digital Age, WordPress.com, 7 Sept. 2015.

Savage, Adam. “Ask Adam Savage: On Turning a Hobby Into a (Still Enjoyable) Business”. YouTube, Adam Savage’s Tested, 2021.

No matter what you do you’re gonna suffer, so might as well do something you enjoy.

From hobbyist

professional

To choose or not to choose a career in the creative field

Creative Writing by EMMA MAJAURY Creative Writing Editor

November is here! This month serves as the transition from fall to winter, and for many the gap between Halloween and the winter holidays. These are the days for catching up with readings, assignments and old friends. These are the days to enjoy the last warm hours and fall leaves before the ground is covered in a white blanket.

I hope that these poems and short stories will serve as a tribute to all the good work that you’ve done in the first part of the semester, and inspire you to keep on pushing through to the end. Best of luck to you all!

untitled

SIMONE BÉLANGER

Arts & Culture Editor

I like keeping snowstorms for myself and knowing they fit there the tiny drawer of a malicious rage as beauty in all makes me a brutal bird a barking dog one who claims victory in hurting with righteous words one who cries for the flakes i buried timidly in a mild headache of some sort

i like flirting with the softness of the wild art that bites and climbs on the tips those slender fingers offer they cramp and they curve for a harm that cannot stand to be maniacally disturbed i beg, burst in laughter with my smiling humid palms i am sweaty i am so wrong

though the crescent over us drools in absurd concupiscence

In the Lavender Haze

CHRISTOPHER DIMITRIADIS Contributor

This autumn’s day We find each other In the Lavender Haze. Staring longingly into your eyes, Wondering how I managed To find someone As perfectAs caringWonderfulLovingSweetAs you. Can’t your heart Find its home in me? Longing for a finished melody. Oh, I know I shouldn’t say Everything out loud This autumn’s day. But I hope that You will stay. To construct a sentence About how much you mean to me, Will be impossible. There aren’t just enough words. I love you With all of my heart. Nothing will ever change that. And as time goes on, It will get stronger. We will still find one another In the Lavender Haze.

Nobody tells you how lonely 18 is

TOKA SIYAM Contributor

Nobody tells you how lonely 18 is

You buy your own groceries

You take the long way home because the therapist says walking is good for you

You don’t text your best friend when you cry at night

You stay in and forget what love felt like

You celebrate your birthday in the dark, no cake for you

You pick up your journal and You try to write about it but the words never find a way

No one tells you, 18 is just picking up the kid you thought you left behind

Because the sounds that scared him are still there

And now, they’re harder to ignore

Because 18 is just lonely

18 is being stuck in a dark corner isolated from everyone you know

Desperation

SARAH-ROSE MESTEL-GROINIG Contributor

You gambled my love away.

You drank the vitality of my childhood, As if it were an addiction.

Repairing me became your obsession. You crave. You tremble. You seek.

My knees chafed, I am your enabler.

Moonlight’s Silence

TIMMY TAING Contributor

Out comes the moonlight With stars glowing bright. Up to the sky I gaze Within my mind, there’s a haze.

A light that shows some stairs I see someone familiar there. He looks hot and classy Invites me for dancing that’s fancy.

He offers a hand and I madly blush Leaving my heart in a rush. Here we go, up and slow Waltzing under the moonlight’s glow.

The sights looked pure and clear And I felt nothing to fear. I thought I was in bliss But suddenly he didn’t want this.

He had feelings that were concealed And hard to believe they were real. I tried to look in his eyes But all I saw were cruelty and lies.

He shut me out of his life And twisted that back-stabbing knife. Here we were, up so high And left with a rude good-bye.

I’d look out into the sky Contemplating how things went by. Darkness and clouds started to form Leaving me in a hell of a storm.

Pouring my world with intense rain Showering with tears and heartbroken pain. I miss the old, welcoming guy I knew But here’s the reality I’m going through.

He may have thrown me off track But not worth chasing someone holding me back.

This storm fluctuates day by day But I’ll get through - somehow, some way…

Mercy VASILIKI KANARAS

Contributor

On this day, my stomach is cut open. My insides are on a steel table and dozens upon dozens of men are looking at what I have to offer.

They take my liver and are in awe of its size. They touch my lungs, unaffected by their contracting movements, and my heart. My beautiful heart beat before them. My ribs are pulled apart, granting them full access to whatever they please. “What a discovery!” One of them said to my captor.

He tells them what he is doing. He says that he is the best scientist, and I am his experiment. I am his. His, his, his. He doesn’t even tell them my name. He doesn’t care. Mercy, I begged the first time he planted the scalpel into my abdomen.

When I had made the mistake of pleading another time, he cut off my tongue.

Doodles by EMMA MAJAURY Creative Writing Editor

Squalene and Squalane: There Might Be a Shark in your Makeup

KARINA HESSELBO Contributor

Shark fin soup is a glaring issue. Every year, 73 million sharks are killed for their fins to make the dish. However, we shouldn’t just focus on shark fin soup, as there are other major problems these sea creatures face that require our attention. There is one shark related concern that we choose to contribute to whenever we shop in the cosmetic aisle: shark squalene in makeup.

Squalene is a great emollient. It helps in the absorption and spreadability of creams, prevents wrinkles from occurring, and curbs moisture loss. Within the cosmetic industry, squalene can be found in foundation, lipstick, hair conditioner, eye shadow, and more. Currently, the squalene market is valued at 143 million USD and is expected to increase to 198 million USD in 2027.

Having such a high value, it’s clear why squalane is so sought out. The big problem is that it can be found in a shark’s liver. Shark liver oil, which contains squalene, is used for buoyancy. Deep sea sharks have large livers, because the substance helps prevent them from sinking. In fact, 25% of a

deep-sea shark’s bodyweight can be attributed to their liver, and up to 96% of the oils in the liver is squalene.

Fortunately, squalene can be found in places other than a shark’s liver. Many organisms produce squalene, such as olives. Why then, do cosmetics brands use shark squalene? One word: money. As mentioned before, sharks contain high concentrations of squalene, and they are a cheaper source of the substance than others, including olives.

Lastly, don’t be fooled by the belief that squalane isn’t derived from animals. There’s a myth that squalane only comes from olives, but it can also come from sharks. Squalane is a saturated form of squalene, which is occasionally used in its place, as it lasts longer and is less susceptible to oxidation.

The high quantities of squalene in sharks’ livers have made the creatures fishing targets, and this threatens them with extinction. It takes 3,000 sharks to produce a ton of squalene. The yearly demand for squalene is around 1,000 to 2,000 tons. There are 60 deep sea shark species who are fished for squalene, and 26 of them are critically endangered to the point where scientists say that they shouldn’t

all.

We can stop the endangerment of sharks by not buying cosmetics that contain shark squalene. We must make the message clear that we want squalene to be sourced from an ethical and sustainable source, and not cost the life of a shark.

So, how do you avoid purchasing shark-based squalene? Read the ingredients list of the cosmetics goods you purchase. If the packaging doesn’t indicate that the product is fully plant based, and if it contains either squalene or squalane, then don’t buy it.

be caught at

It takes 3,000 sharks to produce a ton of squalene. The yearly demand for squalene is around 1,000 to 2,000 tons. There are 60 deep sea shark species who are fished for squalene, and 26 of them are critically endangered.

Photo VIA DOLAH ON ISTOCK

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The “Fuck Cars” Perspective: A Brief Look into Why Car Dependent Cities Suck

NATASHA MURMU Science and Environment Editor

“If I lived where you live, I wouldn’t last a week.” This was one of the first things my city-dwelling Montrealer friend told me when he first visited my hometown. For context, I live in the middle of a car centric suburb a bit more than an hour long commute away from Dawson, a situation many students can relate to. Unfortunately, car dependent places like these can definitely suck, for several different reasons.

During the Industrial Revolution, urban planners introduced zoning laws, which dictate what can be built on a given part of a city. Their original purpose was to separate noisy, polluting factories from neighborhoods where people lived, among other incompatible uses of land.

Although these measures drastically improved public health and saved countless lives, some countries, such as the US and Canada, took these divisions too far, by completely separating residential areas from commercial zones. Many of these regulations are still in place, and they prevent new small businesses, like coffee shops and bookstores, from being built in zones reserved for homes.

One of the effects this has is reduced walkability. For people living in the middle of large residential areas, workplaces, stores, and restaurants are no longer a short or convenient walk away. So, they depend on driving to get where they want to go, whether it’s to buy a bag of milk or to go to work. When most people rely on cars to accomplish all of their tasks outside their home, traffic becomes a significant problem.

Furthermore, when people need to drive to run errands, they prefer to make a single stop at big-box stores like Walmart, which carry a wide range of products, instead of

shopping at multiple smaller shops, which tend to be run by local business owners.

Moreover, in car centric municipalities without convenient public transportation or safe sidewalks and bike paths, children and teenagers who don’t have a driver’s license enjoy less independence than those in cities with greater walkability. Many depend on their parents to drive them to see their friends and to drop them off at their part time job.

commutes include small amounts of it.

In a place where the majority of citizens rely on cars, space is needed to park them. Huge areas of land are dedicated to parking lots, which are visually unappealing and empty most of the time. This is land that could be used more productively, or that could be turned into something more beautiful, like a garden or a park.

Of course, city-wide reliance on cars also has destructive effects on the environment. On top of emitting large amounts of greenhouse gasses, vehicles cause noise pollution.

This lack of freedom has a negative effect on young people’s happiness and social development. For instance, teenagers tend to spend more time on social media to stay connected with their friends, and excessive use of these platforms heightens insecurity and social anxiety.

People with lower incomes living in places with little walkability and lacking cheap and reliable mass transit can suffer from transport poverty. Not everyone can afford to buy a car and pay for gas, and when no suitable lower cost alternative is available, some may not be able to satisfy their everyday needs. Since transport poverty limits people’s ability to, among other things, apply for a job further away from home and travel for school, it makes it harder to break out of poverty.

Obesity rates are higher in car centric cities, because such places are built in a way that it’s safer, more convenient, and sometimes even necessary to drive instead of walking, biking or using public transport. Even a few minutes of physical activity, if done regularly, is beneficial for physical and mental health. It’s easier for people to stay healthy when their daily

It doesn’t need to be this way. The problems associated with car dependency can be resolved with better public policies and urban design. If you’d like to make a direct impact on your own city’s development, attend your city’s town hall events! Public consultations on future projects are often announced on cities’ Facebook page and website.

Personally, I’ve been to an urban planning event with a friend, during which our municipality’s planners asked citizens their opinion on how our suburb should be developed. During our visit, we were the only young adults there, and the vast majority of the people present were elderly and white.

Although the opinion of this demographic is important, the lack of diversity in ethnicity and age among the attendees is concerning. Our suburb is known for being among the most multicultural in Canada, and it is home to numerous young families. The new urbanist policies will affect these families and adults that are currently of working age the most. Currently, my hometown is severely misrepresented, and yours might be too.

We have the power to influence our city’s design. We can prevent policies that hurt us in the long term and encourage those that will improve our hometowns, along with our well-being. In order to see the change we want, we must participate in our local government’s decision making and encourage the people around us to do the same.

If you’d like to learn more about how our cities’ urban policies affect our lives, you can start by checking out the following resources:

· Strong Towns, the book and the YouTube channel;

· Not Just Bikes on YouTube.

If I lived where you live, I wouldn’t last a week.

Photo VIA DOLAH ON ISTOCK

HOROSCOPES

Hello everyone! With it being November and the rush of assignments coming shortly (if they haven’t already) It’s important to be as kind to yourself as you are to others. No matter your sign, self-compassion and love are essential. Be kind to yourself and I wish you all the best of luck :)

ARIES (mar. 20 - apr. 18):

Listen, I’m sure you’re doing great in the semester rush. Don’t forget that even the hardest of workers need breaks too! Whether it be a walk in the fresh air or a moment to stretch, take the time you need to ensure you’re doing okay :)

TAURUS (apr. 19 - may 20):

Handling the rush or not, you’re trying as best you can! Remember that this semester doesn’t determine your self worth or intelligence. Always remember that seeking out the help you need doesn’t make you less-worthy or weak.

GEMINI (may 21 - june 20):

By this point in the semester, you know what works for you and what’s bullshit. Much like taurus’, you need the affirmation that numbers on paper do not determine your worth and as long as you’re doing what you can, you should be proud of yourself!

CANCER (june 21 - july 22):

Although helping others is great and you’re doing amazing, remember to leave room for yourself. Your compassion knows no bounds but you should be your top priority: mentally and academically. Keep pushing, friends :)

LEO (july 23 - aug. 22):

You put all your mental energy into the first portion of the semester and now you’re exponentially exhausted. Remember self preservation is nothing without replenishing your battery so do whatever it is you need to do to keep striving!

VIRGO (aug. 23 - sept. 22):

You desperately need a day to yourself. Take a nap, bath, walk or meditate even, just ensure you’re giving yourself as much energy as this semester is taking from you.

LIBRA (sept. 23 - oct. 22):

Being a Libra, you’re probably doing all the right things to keep a balanced lifestyle. Saying this, the pressure is on. You feel like you have a constant spotlight on you and you need to be on your best game all the time - this isn’t true. You are exposed to human error just like the rest of us; it’s important to remember that you are not less for making mistakes and it’s important to learn the lesson they hold.

SCORPIO (oct. 23 - nov. 21):

You okay? I know that although it’s your birthday soon, this part of the year is the worst. Try to take the sweet moments to heart as you do with the bitter and reflect on everything this past year has given you!

SAGITTARIUS (nov. 22 - dec. 21):

The spontaneity needs to learn its place right now. Yes I agree, the most last minute of plans have the potential to be the best experiences of your life. But as much as living in the present is important, so is mindfulness and balance.

CAPRICORN (dec. 22 - jan. 19):

You’re doing great! Seeing as you’re a Capricorn, you hold a lot of ambition and goals for yourself. The most important thing to remember for November is that sometimes, change can be so positive in life! Go with the flow a little more and let go of everything you think you need to be and replace it with what you want to be.

AQUARIUS (jan. 20 - feb. 18):

You are your own worst enemy. These mental blocks that stop you from shining as bright as you have the potential to are a pain in the ass, I get it. Try and have a more positive idea of yourself by adding two nice things to each self-deprecating thought you may have.

PISCES (feb. 19 - mar. 19):

Your intuition is your greatest strength but overthinking always comes along shortly after. Use some of the compassion and empathy you give graciously to others for yourself. Keep in mind that your thoughts are not your reality.

PUZZLES

DAWSON SPEAKS

In light of it almost being the end of the semester, we created this prompt as a way for us to all learn good self care practices from one another. Hopefully, you can find new strategies that you enjoy and work for you!

“Wearing a bathing suit.” @dawson.vengeance

“Binge watching shit on netflix until i forget my problems” @graceuditsky

“Releasing conditioning i’ve been fed since childhood that suppresses my humanity” @accountgone123_35

“Drink your tea” @vaish_dabs

“Making food for myself” @little_queer_unicorn

“Going for a walk” @little_queer_unicorn

“Learn to establish healthy boundaries with your peers/friends/family; communicate!!” @virogo_

“Self care is ghosting people for a day or two” @Saraadjaiz

“Shower routine, hair care, doing my eyebrows, waxing my legs, painting my nails and toenails” @sab.absi

“I love hiking in nature, it really helps me reconnect with myself” @ juliette.regnier_

“meditation/relaxing” @Carolanne_blais

“Meditation. It never fails. Especially when the music plays from my grogu speaker” @dysfuncnoodle

“Naps; raw, unyielding shameless unconsciousness; taming life through imitation of death.ZzzZzz” @mirrenoz

“Light a candle and read a book :)” @kpoirierr

“Listen to music that makes you feel good!” @kpoirierr

“Doing skin care” @imeyezi

“Don’t listen to the advice of people who you don’t admire or respect” @iamthecolors

“Lighting a candle, creating a soft vibes spotify to relax” @aliciaa.als

“WATCHING MOVIES” @caleb.png

Curiosities by KARA FUSARO Curiosities Editor

Artwork by Wynter Bryant @BRYANTARCHIVE

“Ways you participate in self care?”

And you responded with...

MASTHEAD

Josephine Ross Editor-in-Chief

Mathew Anania Managing Editor

Emmy Rubin Copy Editor

Alessa Orsini Graphic Designer Mathew Anania News Editor

Simone Bélanger Arts & Culture Editor

Rokhaya Rodriguez Voices Editor

Natasha Murmu Sciences Editor

Emma Majaury Creative Writing Editor

Alice Boulianne Visual Arts Editor

Kara Fusaro

Pipa Jones Cover Artist

Alessa Orsini Social Media Manager

Aspen Crick Staff Writer

Sophie Anabelle Some Staff Writer

Aya Hafeda Staff Writer

Sanad Hamounda Staff Writer

CONTRIBUTORS

Reggiany Sabrinnah Bourguillon

Fatima Diene Blain Haile Shaylin Modares Léah Tattersall Alice Martin Charlotte Ge Elliott Trembecka Tristan M. Angélique Babineau Vasiliki Kanaras Christopher Dimitriadis Toka Siyam Sarah-Rose Mestel-Groinig Karina Hesselbo Timmy Taing Wynter Bryant