November-December Issue 2022 by The Quill

The

QUILL VOLUME 10 ISSUE 2 2022-2023

CONTENTS

SHREK THE MUSICAL REVIEW

EAGLE EYE ZANDER

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT MR. G

RACISM/COLORISM IN ASIA

GENDER DISPARITIES IN CAREER FIELDS

DISABILITIES AUTISM

WEIGHT DISCRIMINATION

SKIN CONDITION DISCRIMINATION

THE RISE OF K-POP AND ITS BEAUTY STANDARDS

SENIOR SESSION CHRISTINA CHEN

HUMANS OF ICS MARK MARTY GRACE DAVID BUILT SEYONG

38 40 42 44

AMBER QUICK High school Principal

Dear ICS Students, What a great impressed with student life at happier than to

start to the 2022-23 school year it has been! I have been so the way you have transitioned back into full-on activities and school along with your many extra curriculars. Nothing makes me see us return to a sense of ‘normalcy’- I am praying that it will last!

With some relaxed restrictions and a return to intentional community comes a lot of busy! I would encourage you to find an area to get involved in while also maintaining a good sense of balance and space for yourself. Consider being active in things that bring you joy rather than only filling your plate out of duty or a sense of expectation. Freshmen and new students- welcome to High School! I hope the transition has been smooth for you and that you are finding a rhythm to everything that is new. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to someone if you have questions! Seniors- welcome to all of the “lasts”- a year of them! Last first day of school, sports season, last Eagles Camp, last SALT trip (Senior Trip), etc. While they feel unending with the finish line so far away, it will go faster than you think it Take time to invest in friendships, make memories and enjoy your time here at We love you and will be cheering you on to Graduation!

last may will. ICS.

It is a pleasure to serve as your principal this year. You bring me great joy and I love getting to know HS students! Please don’t hesitate to reach out, swing by for a chat or stop me in the hallway to talk. I hope your year is a great one! Sincerely,

Mrs. Amber

THE TEAM

MARK COOPRIDER Advisor

Dear Readers, It's been amazing being fully back on campus this year and seeing all the students back in action! I'm really proud of you guys, how you've bounced back from COVID, and how you've continued to embrace and shape the culture of our high school. And I'm really proud to be a part of The Quill again! I hope that you enjoy reading and seeing the creativity and insights on display from our wonderful team! Sincerely,

Mr.Mark

PROUD UA-ARAK Editor-in-Chief

Dear Readers, This first semester has passed by in the blink of an eye, and we hope that you all have been able to enjoy this eventful, vibrant period completely in person! As we close off the year, we’d like to highlight notable individuals, hear the voices in our community through Humans of ICS, and introduce the theme of Diversity and Unspoken Discrimination to address some of the issues that continue to exist within the struggle for equality today. We hope you enjoy this issue and stay tuned for next semester! Quillfully Yours,

Proud

FAH PRAYOTTAVEKIT Senior Editor

Dear Quill Readers, I sincerely believe that the Quill provides amazing opportunities for ICS students to express themselves creatively in writing whilst cherishing our school’s core values. We hope that through the Quill, this school year will be one that allows its teachers and students to connect and learn about each other far better than before. Furthermore, we hope that through our works we will be able to uphold the sense of community that sets ICS apart. We truly hope that you’ll enjoy our issues this year! Sincerely,

Fah

KELLY PHONGKUSONJIT Co-Art-Director

Dear Readers, Welcome to the Quill! I would like to start off by saying thank you to the layout designers, writers, editors, and Mr.Mark who have all contributed into making our issues of this school year, 2022-2023, possible. We hope that you guys will enjoy our issues of this school year as well as show us support for the other issues in the future. Sincerely,

Kelly

WRITERS

Natasha Sakulyanonvitaya Aun Thiapairat Kade Lewis Esther Bang Sybel Zou Brave Yongphiphatwong Hilight Silprachawong Belle Sertsaibua Minjae Kwon Siwoo Yoo

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Aum Kuansongtham Kush Natani Joshua Kim Brave Yongphiphatwong Rhema Zhang Belle Sertsaibua Bam Butsomboon IngIng Tongviseskul Linda Cho Russia Chawala

EDITORS

Prim Boonyasit Nicha Kulchanapark Olivia Chen Elsa Chiang Gusty Jothaprasert Zander Jeinthanuttkanont Bam Butsomboon Samik Kundu Rani Kothari Lulu Juan IngIng Tongviseskul Tam Sukvivatn Thank Sukvivatn

LAYOUT DESIGNDERERS

Hilda Kim Gloria Park Angie Tanabodee-umpon Amy Kim Grace Choi Nicha Kulchanapark Hayeong Koh Olivia Chen Chanya Ngamvirojcharoen Belle Mateedunsatits Parn Limwattananon Jacey Kim Wipha Prachamorn Ava Janejirakosit Kate Supthavichaiyakul

SHREK THE MUSICAL REVIEW Photos by: Verity Tan Interviewed by: Kade Lewis Written by: Kade Lewis

Over the last few months, our lovely ICS drama department has had the opportunity to put on another musical. This musical was like no other we had seen at ICS—it was big, green, and hilarious. ICS put on David Lindsay-Abaire’s Shrek The Musical! Unlike the last 2 previous musicals, this one, fortunately, had no COVID-19 restrictions, which I believe provided some of the best work the cast and crew have ever done. The musical version of Shrek is very different from the movie. They go into much more detail about Shrek’s and Farquad’s similar pasts. This makes for additional music numbers and more dancing, which brings me right into a prime highlight of the show: the dancing was incredible! Mrs. Liz Spiker, the musical’s choreographer, gave us some of her best work with some of the finest and most exciting dancing I have ever seen. Along with the amazing dancing, the Technical Theater Crew came together and gave us some amazing set pieces and designs. One main creation of theirs that was especially remarkable was the massive dragon. The crew made a huge dragon that flew through the stage, delivering beautiful songs and a satisfying end to the evil Lord Faquard’s terror over Shrek and the fairytale creatures. Overall, this musical had great work from every dimension possible. I couldn’t be more proud of the cast, crew, and especially our amazing director who we couldn’t have the play without Mr. Gersom. Great work, everyone, and I am excited to see what is cooking up next in the ICS drama department!

EAGLE EYE: ZANDER Interviewed by: Minjae Kwon Written by: Samik Kundu

WHAT HOBBIES DO YOU ENJOY DURING YOUR FREE TIME? Apart from hanging out with friends and playing games, I spend all my free time playing the flute and making music. However, in the past year, I have started to debate more and more.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO DEBATING? Truth be told, I joined debating because of FOMO. 5 years ago, my friends decided to join a debate class outside of school, and because I didn’t want to miss out, I asked to join the class. For whatever reason, they accepted me and I eventually got bit by the debate bug, so I have been debating every since. Ironically, none of my original friends are still debating, but we still hang out outside of class, so it’s all good.

OTHER ACCOLADES: Thai National Delegate at the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Flutist at the Thai Youth Orchestra since 2018

DEBATE AWARDS: Thailand National Debate Team 4th Best Speaker in the World U16 Asian Champion 4x Top 3 Best Speaker in Thailand Secretary for the Thailand National Debate Council

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU ENJOY ABOUT DEBATING? WHO ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT YOU ENJOY DEBATING/ COMPETING WITH? I really enjoy meeting new people and making friends, so it’s great that I took up debate as an activity. In doing so, I’ve made numerous friends in Thailand and internationally. As for who I enjoy debating with, I enjoy debating with/against my Thai friends because I can try out new ideas in spars without fear of judgement (sometimes). However, if we are talking about debating competitively, such as being in a tournament, I enjoy debating against my international friends from countries such as Indonesia and Japan.

WHAT ARE SOME WORDS OF WISDOM TO SOME OF THE UNDERCLASSMEN WHO MAY HAVE SOME INTEREST IN GETTING INTO DEBATING? I think the first step is to be consistent. Just like any other activity, you will make mistakes and you will feel like other people are improving faster than you, but so long as you continue to try to perfect your craft, you will get better over time. In addition, I would also encourage you to try debating with a lot of other people. Debate itself, is built on people’s perception on how the world is and ought to be, so by exposing yourself to more debaters, whether that be at tournaments or ICS Debate Club, you’re able to refine your debate skills while gaining a larger perspective on life. But lastly, and perhaps most importantly, know that you are good enough to achieve anything but not so good that you can’t improve.

I HEARD THAT YOU COMPETED ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL, WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE? This past summer, I represented Thailand at the annual World Schools Debating Championship in the Netherlands. My team was a team of five, and there were a total of eight rounds during the tournament. I debated in seven of the eight rounds over the course of five days, but unfortunately we didn’t qualify for the elimination rounds. In terms of the experience itself, it was one of the most stressful things I’ve ever done– more stressful than taking the AP exams and the SAT. Not only are you put under the usual pressure of speaking in front of a room filled with your peers, opponents, judges, and coaches, but you are also expected to deliver the best speeches every round since you are technically the best from your country. It felt as if there was no room for mistakes to be made, which made it even more difficult when you are already incredibly nervous. With all that being said, however, I have found and made new friendships that will last me a lifetime from that experience. 14

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: MR. G Photos by: Rhema Zhang Interviewed by: Samik Kundu Written by: Samik Kundu

Mr. G is the drama and theater teacher here at ICS. He is an ICS alumnus who has returned to ICS to teach drama and theater arts.

WHAT MADE YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR THE FALL MUSICAL TO BE SHREK? So, as for the musical itself, I already knew that the songs were really good. I like Shrek the movie in general, anyways. But, at first, I thought “It’s very hard, vocally, and diverse and I was wondering if we could do that. What if it was too hard?” And then, we did Joseph and Oliver really well before that. I was like: “We could handle harder, more technical singing pieces.” This senior class had talked about it anyways, then they found out there was a musical version which they thought was really cool. So, since they are the ones that like it, and it was on my list anyways (I have a hidden list of like 20 odd musicals that I want to do at some point) so I thought, why not bump it to the top of the list, and because it’s really funny. It’s just fun. I like to do 1 show a year that’s a little bit more serious and then 1 show that’s a little bit more lighthearted. After that, you whittle it down to who is of a level that they can be in the ensemble. Usually, voice is the most important since there’s a lot of singing. So, someone’s voice could be potentially good enough or it is in the right range to sing that part. And then, you have to compare a lot of mundane things like height.

Do these people have chemistry? Will these people be able to act off each other? Is it just not the right pairing? Sometimes, this person looks too similar to another person so you can’t cast them both because then the audience would be confused. There are all those kinds of things that factor in until you finally have these 3 people who could be Shrek. Do we pick person A, B, or C? Then, we compare them with the pairings to see who in the end makes the best chemistry on stage but also has diversity on stage. You want to mix up different looks, different heights, all these different things, and voices. So, that’s roughly in a nutshell how it works… but it's a very difficult set of choices to make.

WHAT MADE YOU COME BACK TO ICS AS A DRAMA AND THEATER TEACHER? The current teacher was leaving suddenly, and the then headmaster, Mr. Darren, reached out to me and asked if I would be interested, even if it was for a year. So, I wasn’t actually going to do it at first but I read the message and I was going to think about it. I was going to open up my own business to do workshops in Singapore. You do corporate, schools, everything, a mix and then do some acting. The night before, I had clicked to submit my documents and needed to pay $300 SGD, but when I clicked it, the page had expired. So, I told myself: “I will do it tomorrow.” That tomorrow was the day when I got the message from Mr. Darren. So, when I told my wife, she asked if I had paid the S$300 yet. And, I said: “No, it errored last night” and she said: “Why not, let’s just do it for a year and see.” When I was interviewed, I had a couple of questions about how ICS had changed since when I was here. The interview was a really good one since it was very two-way: I was asking them questions and they were asking me questions. In the end, I got a really good vibe from Mr. Luc, who was the principal at the time, and he is the one who convinced me to do another 2-year contract by being a really good boss. Then, the next one was still him, and then Mrs. Amber after that, by being great examples of what a nice boss is like, they are keeping me rolling because they are allowing this drama department to grow and thrive within the parameters of a school setting. It’s a really nice atmosphere to work in. Last and very importantly, the students are awesome! This is really true and it is a really big motivator to stay since students here contribute in meaningful ways in my classes and it just makes teaching more fun.

HOW DO YOU DECIDE AND DO THE CASTING PROCESS FOR MUSICALS AND SHOWS? So, there are auditions and we have more than 100 people audition every time we do it and there’s a really high cut rate of 50%. Essentially, think of it like a funnel, first, we do a bigger audition to just see who is ready for stage performance. And it doesn’t mean that they won’t be ready at a later time, because sometimes people aren’t ready that year or aren’t old enough or something else. There are a whole bunch of reasons why people might not make the first round.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE THEATER MEMORY IN HIGH SCHOOL? Yup, I participated in informal plays since 6th grade since there were just little skits. And then, in high school I did plays, but back then you could only join drama in 10th grade. 16

The drama teacher wanted me in 9th grade, but he realized I was in 9th grade and said I couldn’t join. I got very involved from 10th to 12th grade in every show. My favorite memory would probably be, when one year we were doing A Midsummer’s Night Dream and I had to, on the director’s insistence, run from on stage all the way down the PAC to be back on stage within 30 seconds. And, he would time me and I was wearing weird Aladdin-style slippers. I would deliver my line and then sprint all the way back down up the PAC, turn, run back down the hallway, arrive, and surprise the other actor before he finished his monologue. So, that was a fun memory. We kind of made it a game where I would be in a different position behind him, each time, and surprise him. That’s probably one of my favorite memories but in general, there’s a lot of good vibes among theater people, whether you are backstage doing tech stuff, or just on stage.

LASTLY, TO END WITH SOMETHING THOUGHT-PROVOKING, WHAT CAME FIRST, THE FRUIT ORANGE OR THE COLOR ORANGE? I think… well, no… I’ve heard a myth, I’m not sure if it’s true… that oranges were cultivated to be orange by humans at some point? They were originally green and only the inside was orange. I don’t know. This is a hard question. I’m going to say, the fruit was first because linguistically oranges aren’t called oranges in Dutch. We call them citrus fruits (sinasappels).

RACISM/ COLORISM IN ASIA

WHY WHITE? According to the interview, joined by Panpan Narkprasert or Pangina Heals–a Thai drag queen, advocate, and contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World, and Taiwan's Tourism Ambassador–, which was conducted by the Source of Success crew; as said by Pangina: “Why can’t we embrace every single skin color there is, especially with Thailand being next to the equator?”. “Why do I need to be white, why? Why does my skin have to be like paper? Traditionally, we are farmers. There’s the sun, of course, I'm not going to be the color of this wall. Therefore, why do we sell creams that whiten your skin?”.

Written by: Hilight Silprachawong

COLORISM: INTERNATIONAL OR DOMESTIC ISSUE? The problem with racism and colorism is very prevalent in our contemporary society. We may often interpret this problem as unrelatable since a possible phrase we usually conjure up in our minds when speaking of colorism and racism, might be #BLM (Black lives matter), which many believe is distinctly an American issue or an international global issue.

WHY DOES SKIN TONE MATTER? Nowadays, we’ve become more aware of racism and are mostly ready to constructively and patriotically intervene as active bystanders. Firstly, why does skin color even matter in the first place? It matters because humans are visual species and respond to each other based on how we physically present ourselves. Moreover, there are particular connotations that adhere to skin tones, which are also known as race-based prejudices that humans have attached to skin colors. Skin colors are genetically influenced by the amount of melanin found in the top layer of our skin, which determines the different colors. Amounts of historic levels of sun exposure also contribute to the color of varying skin tones. Dr.Bav Shergill–trustee of the British Skin Foundation–explains that melanocytes produce melanin, which protects the DNA of our skin against damage from the sun. Excessively reducing this concentration through applying skin whitening products–promising to be anti-melanin– increases the risk of skin cancer. The reason is that the more melanin your produce, the darker your skin tone will be. Skin color is believed to be an irrefutable visual fact that can’t be hidden. On the contrary, race is a quasi-scientific classification that has been constructed and is only visible on official forms.

STREREOTYPES In the status quo, skin color continues to serve as one of the most apparent criteria in how a person will be judged and evaluated. This is also associated with certain stereotypical perspectives that have been deeply entrenched in cultures. According to research, even the most liberal-minded progressive thinkers, still display a bias toward light-skinned people. Racial features still play a powerful role in determining who gets convicted, elected, or hired. It is becoming more evident that colorism and racism aren’t just an “American issue”. Domestically, it is so enforced in the fabric of Asia that we are all infected and implicated by its presence.

DISCOVER THE ROOT CAUSE Thus, where does this problem of racism and colorism stem from? Negative experiences with particular groups of individuals with certain skin tones partially contribute to the false notions. We’d rather automatically place these untrue, overarching assumptions on others with different skin tones. For instance, “the black is bad”. Research has shown that individuals have a proclivity to interpret that someone with a darker skin tone color has committed an immoral act. Why do we have the inclination to perceive that people with darker tones are humorous, more athletic, and are rappers?

WHY WHITE? WHY SKIN WHITENING PRODUCT? Back to our initial question sparked by Pangina “Why do I need to be white, why?... Therefore, why do we sell creams that whiten your skin?” Colorism, particularly in Asia, has been perpetuated by products, such as skinwhitening cosmetics. These companies aim to capitalize on the ideas of intolerance and racial hierarchies, which relied on convincing customers that they’re incomplete. The global narrative behind this, intrinsically, enforced idea is that those at the top of society have fair skin. Due to the fact that many issues stem from skin tones, individuals invest in skin-whitening creams in hopes of having a better existence.

RACISM IN THAILAND In Thailand, we seldom find products that do not claim to have whitening or lightening properties. This negatively impacts people physiologically and contributes to decreasing students’ performance in schools, because of how they perceive themselves, which lowers their self-esteem. In other words, corporations are capitalizing on racial inequality by deepening a sense of self-hate in people and accelerating the production of products that are dangerous and ineffectual. By purchasing and supporting companies that are capitalizing on racial inequality, we are encouraging the entrenchment of these misconceptions. It is time for us, students, to become active skin-myth busters and collectively reduce racism through education.

GENDER DISPARITIES IN CAREER FIELDS Written by: Belle Sertsaibua

High school is all about searching for your “perfect” career, whether that’s through seeking guidance from adults or the internet. While doing so, I was presented with information, both precedent and unprecedented, that relates to the immense discrimination in career fields. For example, pilota wasn’t a commonly-known word in the aviation industry until women took jobs as pilots. Previously, all pilots were marked as piloto. Recently, I was told by an adult that men are better at physics than women; hearing this, I pondered if I should consider a new career path. A reason why women don’t go into STEM is because others doubt their intellectual abilities, one very much like the remark I received. Inevitably, it is a fact that renowned scientists in the past were mostly men. Why? Men were allowed access to education, while women were designated to stay at home: they were considered to be inferior. Now that women are allowed to work, however, they are still doubted by their male counterparts because the aforementioned social norm has persisted for over centuries.

Even so, gender discrimination in occupation roles isn’t limited to only women. Not only do women face discrimination in fields dominated by men, but men also face the same problems. As the common saying in Thailand summarizes the disparities in the arts, “Men who study in the Faculty of Arts (being fine arts or language arts) are mostly queer.” Disciplines in the art fields are specifically reserved for women due to their meticulous and gentle character; on the other hand, men are associated with sharp wit and accuracy, which matches the qualities of those in STEM. However, general intelligence is not discriminated by gender or sex: each candidate should be fully considered by their abilities, not by gender or sex. In some other countries, women are underrepresented in the arts field; for example, they are paid almost less than half of a male artist’s salary. The nuances of gender disparities in career fields make it difficult to resolve gender norms on a global scale where each country utilizes the same criterion for selecting employees, for buying artwork, or for reading translated literature. Nonetheless, the mutual appreciation that men and women can work well in all fields — whether it be arts, STEM, or STEAM — could be a potential solution for bridging gender gaps in different careers. Not everything follows the old saying “Qué será, será.” Not everything in the status quo stays. As responsible global citizens stepping into a world where almost nothing is gender neutral, it is crucial to stay true to yourself. Sometimes, as social animals, we tend to please others more than we please ourselves; this is not the best path to take. Social norms are what society expects of us, not what is good for us. You can support the changes you want to see by appreciating yourself and your dream career in whichever field you set your heart on. 24

Written by: Natasha Sakulyanonvitaya

There’s no denying that whenever you see a portrayal of a person with disabilities on the internet, it’s with some sort of sad and tragic backstory. For example, the main male lead in “Me Before You” is depicted as a bitter and suffering man with mobility impairment. Although it’s good to be realistic in the struggles of disabled people, the emphasis on suffering can come across in the wrong way. Moreover, media representation of disabilities can have a real impact on how disabilities are viewed in real life. However, I’ve seen that the stigma on some disabilities like ADHD, PSTD, hearing impairment, and autism is slowly easing. ADHD, especially, is one of the more common disabilities. Like many disabilities, the effects on daily life vary on how dysfunctional the disability can be depending on the person. ADHD comes in many different forms and is usually more manageable with the help of medicine and therapy. Mobility disabilities can impact daily living, but clearly, it doesn’t mean success is unattainable. Take, for instance, the paralympic games.

On the other hand, there are also other disabilities that garner more “pity” points from society and are seen as rarer. Autism is one that many people are starting to be introduced to as a disability that doesn’t render someone completely unable. Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that a person with ASD can range from being able to have advanced conversations to being completely nonverbal. They may have a more difficult time connecting with people, however, as their perception of the world is not the same as us fickle humans. This doesn’t mean that they can’t adapt or have normal lives like any other person.

This is the same as attorney Woo in “Attorney Woo” as she navigates the justice system. She’s the first-ever autistic attorney, but while that is an admirable achievement, society makes it hard for her to be confident in her abilities because of how autism is seen. This is especially seen in an episode where she receives a case about another autistic person. The client, however, is mostly non-verbal and always in need of a caretaker. He’s far from the way Woo is able to function and it shows the difference in people with the same disorder.

Some good representations of what an autistic person’s life is like can be seen in tv shows like “Attorney Woo,” “The Good Doctor,” and “It’s Okay to not be Okay.” It’s Okay to not be Okay” depicts Gangtae, the autistic character, as someone who’s in need of a more constant caretaker, being on the more far-end of the autistic spectrum. Still, he’s able to work and interact with other people. Gang-tae, while most of the time fine, does have more public moments where noise and butterflies are a big trigger for him. He has a harder time understanding emotions, recognizing them, and seeing the meaning behind them, but he does his best for his brother (the main lead).

“The Good Doctor” on the other hand shows a very well-adapted autistic individual who’s been able to live alone, work in a medical corporate world, and have a social/love life. The show illustrates Dr. Shaun Murphy’s journey of change and discovery. Just like any person out there, he has people to help him through his struggles and adjustment to his new life as a doctor. He is met with discrimination and doubt, but he’s able to show them that he’s capable of great things because he sees and remembers things differently. There’s beauty in being different. Having a disability doesn’t mean that individuals can’t achieve anything of normal caliber; rather, it merely means getting there through a different perspective on life. 28

WEIGHT DISCRIMINATION Written by: Hilight Silprachawong

Advertisements play a vital role in setting the standard in society; they are responsible for curating a narrative of what is considered to be “thin” “fat” and “overweight.” The excerpt below is based on the Source of Success interview with Anchilee ScottKemmis, founder of the Real Size beauty campaign that promotes uniqueness regardless of shape and size. Her response to our question:

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WEIGHT BIAS AND HOW DOES REALSIZE BEAUTY TACKLE THIS PROBLEM? “I think it’s dangerous. You know, advertising is a very powerful type of marketing. Like when you see ads on TV, you have to understand that you’re seeing something that’s being shot over 3 days to get the perfect 30-second-ad and it gets ingrained, so it’s really really dangerous. But what I actually see happening is a lot of ads now are all about embracing, especially if you see the major corporations. So I recently became the brand ambassador for Colgate,

and we shot an ad where none of us had perfect teeth. We both have wonky little teeth and they still like to embrace it. It’s small changes like that that really can show the influence on the change of thinking, so I do believe that the toxicity is starting to change a bit.” “One, I've never accepted jobs that I don't believe in. Two, that has anything to do with weight because it’s something that, even though it may seem harmless, you don't actually realize the subconscious effect it has. You can be scrolling through Instagram, for example, and you see this beautiful woman in a swimsuit with abs. You automatically go like ‘woah, she’s got a

WHAT IS WEIGHT DISCRIMINATION? Weight discrimination refers to when someone receives different treatment than others because of their outer appearance, particularly their body weight. There are three major types of weight discrimination: academic, occupational, and medical. Firstly, in the education aspect, weight is often used as a motivator for behaviors, such as bullying at school. This not only happens amongst students, but in some cases, teachers can contribute to negatively harming students by victimizing them. For example, a physical education teacher might unintentionally bully children with higher weight. Secondly, weight descrimination impacts the employment rate of individuals. For instance, employers were more likely to eliminate people who are overweight, since they view them as less suitable for work (lazy?), in comparison to those of moderate weight. Sometimes, when living in a diet-driven society, being overweight equates to earning less money. According to statistics, shockingly, it shows that “as body mass increased, average pay decreased.” This portrays that weight bias still exists in different spheres, not just in the education environment.

This is apparently concerning, since a tight bond between people and physicians is essential to quality care. Education-wise, if a student is overweight, the teacher may pay less attention to the individual, which disrupts the bond and creates a distant relationship. This negatively affects a student's academic performances, due to the lack of care and attention from the teacher.

HOW WEIGHT DISCRIMINATION HARMS HEALTH? Worse of all, weight bias harms health in several different aspects. To give an example, it is alienating when encountered with weight-based bullying. This leads to lack of opportunities, and low self-esteem. Another example would be weight-related bullying causing people to increase the amount they consume. Since, less selfregulation is associated with higher cortisol levels, which increases cravings that can potentially lead to weight gain. Hence, we should address weight biased through the channels that we have to demolish the stigma.

Lastly, the third major category is in the medical field. Patients who are obese reported that they’re likely to have been made inappropriate comments about their size. In addition, physicians have less open communication and rapport with people who are considered as higher in weight.

SKIN CONDITION DISCRIMINATION Written by: Esther Bang

Skin is a protective barrier for our bodies. Everyone just happens to have different skin that serves the same function. Despite its important function, many still decide to discriminate against those with different skin conditions than what society deems as “normal.” Acne, vitiligo and eczema are just a few skin conditions that are unfortunately brought up in a bad light and are discriminated against.

Acne is one of the most common skin conditions that occurs throughout the world. This skin condition is harmless to one's health. Despite it being absolutely normal to have acne, many get bullied for looking “gross” or “nasty”. This bullying is typically found among teenagers. This can cause the victim of the bullying to lose self-confidence and possibly into a state of depression. Although acne discrimination is most commonly found among teenagers, adults may also experience this unfair treatment. Acne can even affect the chances of getting jobs. According to aadermatology.com, acne may “distract the interviewer” and “lower your self-confidence”, reducing your chances of getting the job. Which is absolutely absurd.

Vitiligo, a disease that causes loss of skin color in patches on any part of the body, has a history of being discriminated against. Being called “ugly” and isolated because it might be “contagious” are realities that most individuals who have vitiligo have lived through. This harmless disease only affects one psychologically, causing individuals to have social anxiety and be self-conscious. Despite being discriminated against, model Winnie Harlow uses this disease to empower herself and to show the world how people with vitiligo are no different than people without vitiligo. But, many still struggle to accept themselves as they were seen as the “outcast” most of their lives. Winnie Harlow gives hope to young people with vitiligo, showing them to be confident in their skin and that it's nothing to be ashamed of. Many job opportunities missed and rude stares are infused into their daily routines as most just wished they could blend into the crowd.

Much like acne, eczema is a common condition that affects the skin. Eczema is the name for a group of skin conditions that cause dry, irritated skin, most often looking like a rash. This insanely itchy condition may affect one's life drastically. It can keep one up at night because of discomfort. Some conditions may be worse than others, covering most of their skin. While others have it less, occurring only increases of the body like the inside of the elbows or behind the knees. Many who have eczema have been isolated from others, being called “unpleasant” or “disgusting”. This not only psychologically affects them but physically as stress can also cause eczema. People with eczema also face discrimination within jobs; people see their conditions as a setback that holds them from doing their best work. This is not true, as people with eczema have the same potential as anyone else without it. Skin condition discrimination is not taught and expressed enough. We all have different skin, but they all serve the same purpose. Discriminating against those who don’t fit into society’s beauty standards are things people do every day. And using these conditions to prevent them from getting close because they look “ugly” is where people have to change. It all starts with education. 32

THE RISE OF K-POP AND ITS BEAUTY STANDARDS Written by: Sybel Zou

The newest global sensations. Dominating music charts worldwide. Fashion trendsetters. Role models. We all know who they are: K-pop idols. Since the early 2000s, Korean pop has gained an overwhelming amount of fame and popularity all over the world. Which is not a surprise. Catchy melodies, perfectly synchronized choreographies, and stunning visuals can all be found in hundreds of boy and girl groups. These teenagers and young adults go through years of immense harsh training just to debut and earn a place in the competitive K-pop world. With great fame comes great responsibilities; therefore, these pop stars go to extreme lengths to maintain their physical appearances to stay crowd favorites. The K-pop beauty standards mostly consist of a v-shaped face, big doe eyes, double eyelids, pouty lips, small pointy noses, and probably, most importantly, a slim figure. They have also recently taken over social media forms such as TikTok and Instagram. Many influencers started diets and workouts done by the idols to try to lose weight. Thus, the "Diet Culture" trend resurfaced and returned even stronger than before. Diet culture has always been present from the Victorian Era’s corsets to Victoria’s Secret Angels. But K-pop idols have surely taken it to another level.

WHAT IS "DIET CULTURE" IN K-POP? Many idols had been transparent in terms of sharing their eating habits and diets that they had undertaken, such as IU, a famous 29-year-old singersongwriter. She shared her weight loss diet, which consists of an apple for breakfast, two sweet potatoes for lunch, and a protein shake for dinner. This is approximately 300 calories, but a grown woman needs 2,000 calories per day on average. Jin, a member of the famous boy group BTS, also shared that he ate only chicken breast for a whole year to lose weight for a comeback. That’s not a balanced and nutritious diet. There are also more extreme cases, such as Momo from the girl group Twice, who revealed that she only ate one ice cube and nothing else in a week to lose 15 pounds, or else she wouldn’t be able to debut. Multiple members of Twice have shared about the strict diets that their managers had them on during training; they were also not allowed to enter the cafeteria for trainees and often had to sneak food into their dorms. Keeping in mind that all these K-pop idols have packed schedules that include hours of dancing and singing daily and that they often get only a few hours of sleep due to performances, this requires a lot of energy, which can only be obtained through food. Therefore, it’s not surprising that there are multiple YouTube compilations of idols fainting on stage. Not ingesting enough food will also lead to many other issues, such as chronic illnesses, bone fragility, vitamin deficiency, anxiety, depression, and just overall unwellness. Extreme diets can also result in eating disorders, and many K-pop idols have shed light on their journey with bulimia and anorexia. Diet culture is a dark part of Kpop, undoubtedly caused partly by the strong criticism given by the public towards idols at all times. In the world of K-pop, it’s not allowed to gain weight, no matter the health conditions of the idols, because beauty standards are placed above everything else.

IMPACTS AND INFLUENCES It might be even more alarming that more and more people are following the diets of Kpop idols to achieve their "ideal body weight," most teenagers. The influence of K-pop is growing, and the diet culture that K-pop promotes can be negative and long-lasting. Therefore, it’s important to raise awareness about the importance of being healthy instead of fitting into the ever-changing and unrealistic beauty standards. Many K-pop idols have spoken out against diet culture and any form of starvation for weight loss since they have experienced their impacts. As fans and media consumers, we can’t preach about body positivity and then judge K-pop idols according to their weight; we need to genuinely understand the harm of diet culture and the importance of fighting against it.

SENIOR SESSION: CHRISTINA CHEN Photos by: Aum Kuansongtham Interviewed by: Olivia Chen Written by: Olivia chen

CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF YOURSELF? Hi! My name is Christina, and I am currently a senior

HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN AT ICS? Since 5th grade, so 8 years.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST AND DISLIKE MOST ABOUT BEING A SENIOR?

Obviously having more freedom, like having lunch outs on Friday. However, underclassmens look up to you, so you have to set good examples, and not do dumb stuff. Hmmm… dislikes. Senior year is amazing but Capstone and college applications can be extremely stressful. Having to be a good role model for underclassmen to look up to also brings some pressure.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR?

Umm… Christmas break. To be honest, just counting down to all the long breaks. But for real, making good memories with my friends in the last few months of senior year because I know I’ll definitely miss them next year.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORY FROM HIGHSCHOOL?

My favourite memories of highschool is having small conversations with my friends during lunch, and after school on the bench. Also all the sports teams I’ve joined like basketball and volleyball, and being able to play with both upperclassmen and underclassmen. Oh also, ACSC and Tri-sport was fun getting to travel and make new friends. 36

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THE UNDERCLASSMEN AND ANY ADVICE ON CAPSTONE?

Don’t be scared to try something new, commit to the things you enjoy doing. Don’t stress too much about school because you may miss out on other extra curricular opportunities. Obviously, turn in your things by the deadline that Mr. Mike sets. Have good time management, because it’s going to be tough having college apps and school work on top of it. So start early and don’t cram. :)

HUMANS OF

COULD YOU DESCRIBE ICS STUDENTS IN 3 WORDS? “Sweet Motivated Authentic” -Mark, Secondary Assistant Principal

“I've been at this school since kindergarten and the community is as warm as it always was.“ -Marty, Grade 8 ICS student

“ICS is my second home” -Grace, Grade 12 ICS student

“If people are flowers, this school would be a bouquet of success” -David, Grade 9 ICS student

“ICS is a warm and friendly community” -Built, Grade 11 ICS student

““I love Mr.Stephen, and all of my friends are great!” -Seyong, Grade 8 ICS student