February 14, 2019

FEBRUARY 14, 2019

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YOUR UNI VE R S I T Y O F SAS K ATC H E WA N ST UDE NT NE WS PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 1 2 The University of Saskatchewan’s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.

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Shop local this Valentine’s An out-of-this world Day guide to romance

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A beginner’s guide to sex toys

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What happened to MacGregor?

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THE LOVE AND SEX ISSUE

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Turning a chicken coop into a chicken co-op in Mozambique Led by a U of S medicine professor, the project aims to be self-sustaining.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Nykole King

editor@thesheaf.com NEWS EDITOR

CULTURE EDITOR

Tanner Bayne

Cole Chretien

news@thesheaf.com

culture@thesheaf.com

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

OPINIONS EDITOR

Jack Thompson sportshealth@thesheaf.com

Erin Matthews opinions@thesheaf.com

STAFF WRITER

Ana Cristina Camacho staffwriter@thesheaf.com COPY EDITOR | Amanda Slinger copy@thesheaf.com LAYOUT MANAGER | Kaitlin Wong layout@thesheaf.com PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR | Riley Deacon photo@thesheaf.com GRAPHICS EDITOR | Jaymie Stachyruk graphics@thesheaf.com WEB EDITOR | Mitchell Gaertner web@thesheaf.com OUTREACH DIRECTOR | J.C. Balicanta Narag outreach@thesheaf.com AD & BUSINESS MANAGER | Shantelle Hrytsak ads@thesheaf.com COVER IMAGE

Riley Deacon BOARD OF DIRECTORS Matthew Taylor Mikaila Ortynsky Kayle Neis Emily Klatt Jacob Lang Tyler Smith

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Mission // The mission of the Sheaf is to inform and entertain students by addressing those issues that are relevant to life on campus, in the city or in the province. The newspaper serves as a forum for discussion on a wide range of issues that concern students. Written for students, by students, it provides unique insight into university issues through a student perspective. The staff of editors, photographers and artists collaborate with volunteers as student journalists to create a product relevant to students on the University of Saskatchewan campus.

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The opinions expressed in the Sheaf do not necessarily reflect those of the Sheaf Publishing Society Inc. The Sheaf reserves the right to refuse to accept or print any material deemed unfit for publication, as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. The Editor-in-Chief has the right to veto any submission deemed unfit for the Society newspaper. In determining this, the Editor-in-Chief will decide if the article or artwork would be of interest to a significant portion of the Society and benefit the welfare of Sheaf readers. The Sheaf will not publish any racist, sexist, homophobic or libellous material.

Land Acknowledgement // The Sheaf acknowledges that our office is built on Treaty Six Territory and the traditional homeland of the Métis. We pay our respects to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and affirm both the importance of our relationship with Indigenous peoples and students at the U of S and our commitment to recognize and remain accountable for our collective history.

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Connie Siemens / Supplied

GABE FOURSTAR

Although strides have been made in the last quartercentury, Mozambique remains one of the most impoverished countries in the world. One University of Saskatchewan-adjacent initiative aims to continue this trend of improvement, starting with 16 families and nearly 50,000 chickens.

Project FranGO, frango fittingly meaning “chicken” in Portuguese, is a self-sustaining program that aims to educate 16 Mozambican families to raise poultry and run their own business while also improving their knowledge on family health and nutrition.

Founded in 2018, Project FranGO is the product of a partnership between the community of Natikiri, Mozambique’s Lúrio University and Novos Horizontes, a Mozambican company that assists the economic goals of small farmers.

Ron Siemens, a U of S faculty member in medicine and pediatrician, is intimately tied to the project as it was in part created from his experiences and observations acquired from working in Mozambique since 2010. Siemens says that Project FranGO is much larger than just a chicken farm.

“This is not a small backyard chicken coop for practice. This is a full-on institution and a business of raising chickens,” Siemens said. “They will learn the business — how to run it honestly, efficiently and effectively.”

Over the course of a year, Project FranGO will train 16 young Mozambican families to run a poultry farm. Based on a seven-week cycle, the families will help raise and care for 45,000 chickens and then sell them to Mozambican markets.

The revenue from this is then distributed to an account for each family, the farm itself and the Natikiri community.

After the year-long train-

ing is complete, the families will then be given the revenue from the chicken sales so that they can start their own businesses.

Project FranGO has currently raised $100,000 of the $400,000 goal from donors primarily based in Saskatoon and in Prince Edward Island. Siemens says that they hope to receive the remaining $300,000 through a corporate sponsorship. Beyond administrative costs, which Siemen says are only six per cent of the total, the remainder will go to purchasing bird crates, fences, water and electrical connections, chicken housing units and a storage unit.

Siemens says that, after the goal of $400,000 is reached, no further aid dollars will be needed as Project FranGO will sustain itself from the revenue produced through the chicken sales.

For information on Project FranGO and how to donate, head to projectfrango.com.

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U of R Students’ Union calls for a provincial tuition freeze, USSU response pending The URSU asks for a provincial cease to tuition increases while government works on long-term solutions.

ANA CRISTINA CAMACHO STAFF WRITER

In 2018, MacLean’s listed the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan among the most expensive Canadian universities for students who leave their homes. In response, the U of R Students’ Union has called for a one-year provincial tuition freeze.

The URSU Tuition Freeze Now campaign has collected over 1,000 signatures on the online petition so far. Jermain McKenzie, URSU vicepresident student affairs, is leading the project. McKenzie has been in talks with the Minister of Advanced Education as well as the U of S Students’ Union to garner wider support for the campaign.

The USSU did not make president Rollin Baldhead or any of the other executives available for an interview on the matter.

McKenzie says that, even though the decision will come down to each university’s board of directors, a united front is necessary to get the attention of the administration, as well as the provincial government’s financial support.

“The last time we were suc-

cessful in having a tuition freeze in Saskatchewan, it was a joint effort between the two main universities,” McKenzie said. “That’s why I think it’s important to call for a provincial-wide freeze and not just a U of R freeze.”

McKenzie says that high tuition costs are a provincial issue that should be managed sooner rather than later.

“As a province, we are moving towards the unenviable title of being the number one in terms of expensive studies.

I don’t think this is what we want,” McKenzie said. “We want to make sure that education remains accessible and affordable, especially for those in marginalized communities. The more expensive tuition gets, the least likely these people will be able to participate.”

However, tuition freezes are not without their criticisms.

Perhaps the most apparent one is that tuition freezes delay the increasing cost of tuition for future years. Since the last tuition freeze in 2008, tuition rates in Saskatchewan have steadily risen. McKenzie acknowledges the downfalls of past freezes and calls for the government to work on a more sustainable solution while the tuition freeze is in place.

“We realize that, usually, when a freeze lifts, the price skyrockets, and we want to avoid a repeat of history,” McKenzie said.

“The call for a tuition freeze is not the only call we are making.

We are also calling for the government to commit themselves to put the resources into this to come up with a committee to ensure that this is looked at in a more serious fashion.”

Recently, the University of Alberta’s current tuition freeze has been criticized as it resulted in increases to residence and meal plan costs last year, as well as international students’ tuition not being covered by the freeze.

McKenzie says he is committed to including international students in the freeze as he believes it’s necessary to maintain the province’s international reputation.

“The tuition freeze that we are asking for is inclusive of every student who studies here in the province,” McKenzie said.

“We want to make the case to the government that, if we want to attract some of the best and brightest minds not only across Canada but internationally as well, we have to make sure that we are being competitive with other universities.”

Despite the issues associated

Quinn Nanya / Supplied

with tuition freezes and the difficulties of putting one in place, McKenzie hopes that students at the U of R and U of S continue to support the URSU campaign in asking the provincial government to take the issue of tuition seriously.

“The system needs to be reformed. You can’t ask for students to go deeper and deeper

into debt. It’s a generational burden,” McKenzie said. “We need to have a frank, open and honest conversation about postsecondary education and its role in our province. If the government and the universities cannot get this right, they are putting the entire province in danger of not remaining competitive.”

What happened to MacGregor: U of S breaks silence on missing psychology professor Psychology Professor Michael MacGregor disappeared from class mid-semester.

TANNER BAYNE NEWS EDITOR

Earlier this month, a number of concerned Psychology 121 students at the University of Saskatchewan took to the You Sask Confessions forum to find the answer to one question: Where is professor Michael MacGregor? Now, the U of S administration has spoken on the matter.

There were more than 30 anonymous posts made to You Sask Confessions about MacGregor’s whereabouts from Feb. 6 until the publication of this article. The posts range from wondering if MacGregor quit to wondering if he was fired to concerns that he may have died. According to one post, MacGregor went missing from class before posting the midterm marks for the class.

The U of S administration issued a statement to the Sheaf saying little more than that MacGregor will no longer be teaching the course.

“We can confirm Professor MacGregor is currently on leave. As this is a personal matter, no further details will be provided due to our policies on privacy and confidentiality,” the statement said.

Since MacGregor’s absence on Feb. 6, Martin Rempel, a sessional lecturer, has taken over the course for the remainder of the term. However, more posts were made to You Sask Confessions criticizing Rempel’s choice to change the number of midterms and his decision to no longer use LaunchPad after students in the class had already paid for it.

“It’s not fair for Dr. Rempel to just change the entire class

because he had to come in late.

It’s a month into the term, and people won’t even get any tu-

ition back if they withdraw,” one post said. “Am I going to have to abandon all that work

and do a month’s worth of catch up just because he won’t adapt to MacGregor’s plan?”

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In focus: Indigenous Achievement Award Ceremony The ISC, IBSS and ITEP Student Council will host a gala for the event on Feb. 28.

TANNER BAYNE NEWS EDITOR

On Feb. 7, students, staff and guests gathered in the Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre to celebrate 13 exceptional Indigenous students at the University of Saskatchewan. This year’s achievement week theme was “powerful voices,” showcasing successes in academic, community, leadership and research areas.

Awards for academic excellence: Bailee Brewster, second-year psychology Ryan Fontaine, first-year arts and science Christopher Krug-Iron, fourth-year education and drama

Dave Stobbe / Supplied Recipients of Indigenous achievement awards pose for a photograph in the Gordon Oaks Red Bear Student Centre on the U of S campus.

Marcia Little, first-year psychology Brett Munro, third-year double major in economics and philosophy Ashley Vols, fourth-year international studies Shaylyn White, second-year master of arts in women’s and gender studies Michelle Zinck, fourth-year double major

in English and Indigenous studies

Award for community involvement: Kori Taylor, second-year arts and science

Awards for leadership: Patricia Hall, fourth-year double major in Indigenous studies and political studies Darian Lonechild, fourth-year Indigenous studies

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Mylan Tootoosis, doctoral candidate in Indigenous studies

Award for research:

Taytyn Dwernychuk-Welcher, third-year history and education

The Indigenous Students’ Council, along with the Indigenous Business Students’ Society and the Indian Teacher Education Program Student Council, will also be hosting the Indigenous Achievement Week Gala on Feb. 28.

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Peter MacKinnon faces protest at Dalhousie University over blackface comments The welcome breakfast for the former U of S President had over 20 protesters in attendance.

Matt Stickland, The Dalhousie Gazette / Supplied Interim President and Vice-Chancellor of Dalhousie University Peter MacKinnon, left, speaks at a podium while onlookers hold signs that say he should step down from his role.

KIENAN ASHTON

Following comments made in his recent book, former University of Saskatchewan President Peter MacKinnon is facing allegations of racism and demands that he step down as students protest his appointment as the interim president of Dalhousie University.

MacKinnon was the president of the U of S from 1999 to 2012, and he is widely regarded for leaving a positive legacy on campus. The U of S even renamed the historic College Building the Peter MacKinnon Building in his honour.

In his recent book, University Commons Divided: Exploring Debate and Dissent on Campus, MacKinnon comments on the use of blackface at Halloween parties. MacKinnon wrote of a particular instance where students incorporated blackface as a part of a Halloween costume.

“Its use has a long history and one frequently, though not always, viewed as racist.

Here the students were not portraying Black persons in stereotypical, oppressed or disadvantaged situations…

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It was their use of blackface that ignited the controversy,” MacKinnon wrote in his book.

At his welcome breakfast in Halifax several weeks ago, around 20 students of Dalhousie University arrived to protest his selection as interim president for a six-month term.

Students who are upset with his appointment have said that his book contains “racist perspectives.” One such student, Haley Zacks, expressed that she was concerned that he “defended blackface.”

MacKinnon has defended himself saying that he does not condone blackface and that he regrets that his comments have caused “some distress.”

Dalhousie University declined to comment to the Sheaf on the matter.

Following the protests, a group of 28 law professors at Dalhousie University pressured the institution to condemn blackface. The group of faculty members stated their concern with MacKinnon’s position on the practice in a letter to the university’s provost.

“In this book, Mr. MacKinnon characterizes the practice

of blackface as ‘frequently, though not always, viewed as racist,’” the letter said.

These professors are concerned that MacKinnon’s views on blackface could lead to Dalhousie University policies being interpreted as not condemning blackface.

“We ask the administration to confirm that an individual who wears blackface at an event to which the Code of Student Conduct or Personal Harassment Policy applies will be considered to have known or ought to have known that their behaviour would cause another person to feel demeaned, [intimidated] or harassed,” the letter said.

Dalhousie University spokesperson Brian Leadbetter said in an email to CBC that the university already does not condone blackface.

“Blackface is absolutely unacceptable and wrong,” Leadbetter said in the email. “All forms of racism, including blackface, are an affront to our values as a university and will not be tolerated at Dalhousie University.”

MacKinnon intends to stay on as interim president and will remain for six months until a permanent replacement is found.

Edwards Business Students’ Society introduces 2019-2020 executive Over 25 per cent of ESB students voted in the presidential election.

TANNER BAYNE NEWS EDITOR

In late January, Edwards School of Business students took to the polls to determine the new Edwards Business Students’ Society president, electing Mitch Bellefleur, a third-year accounting major, to the top position. Now, the EBSS has announced their executive team for 20192020.

Voting for the presidential election took place from Jan. 22 to 24, wherein 541 students voted, which amounts to nearly 25 per cent of the entire college’s population. For comparison, just over 15 per cent of undergraduate students voted in the 2018 University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union presidential byelection. However, unlike the USSU, the EBSS only holds an election for the president position.

The remaining seven members of the EBSS executive were selected by Bellefleur, who was aided in the decision by the outgoing executive.

The position of vicepresident of marketing is held by Nudba Ismaeel, second-year operations management; VP of corporate relations is Michael Bethel, second-year finance; VP of finance is Jason Snarr,

third-year accounting; VP of academic is Kali Stocks, third-year human resources; VP of social is Kirah ​Rutzki, third-year accounting; VP of charity is Rylee Miller, thirdyear human resources; and VP of clubs is Reagan Martin, second-year accounting.

Bellefleur says that he is excited to work with the incoming executive, and they will soon begin to plan for the next academic year.

“I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to be entering into this role, and I’m honoured to get to work with these talented individuals who are just as passionate about the EBSS as I am,” Bellefleur said in an email to the Sheaf. “We are just getting into the planning phase of our upcoming year, so we are excited to get started.”

Although the EBSS executive has much to plan, Bellefleur’s campaign for the election indicates what’s to come. Bellefleur’s three platform points aim to re-evaluate the college’s internal case competition, to improve EBSS relationships with other Edwards clubs and to host two new event types, namely a young alumni mixer and student appreciation nights.

To find more information on news, services and events pertaining to the EBSS, follow them on Facebook or head to edwardsbss.com.

Mitch Bellefleur / Supplied

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Huskies wrestling exerts a strong presence at Canada West championships

Recipe:

Vegan Valentine’s chocolate

The Huskies gave a strong performance at the division wrestling championships, with the women’s team bringing home gold.

AMANDA SLINGER COPY EDITOR

Recipe adapted from chocolatecoveredkatie.com Time: 5-10 minutes Ingredients 1 package strawberries (optional) ½ cup coconut oil 6 tbsp. maple syrup ½ cup cacao powder If making chocolate-covered strawberries, wash the strawberries and set them aside to dry. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper, and set aside.

Combine coconut oil with maple syrup in a small saucepan. Melt and stir together over low heat. Slowly add cacao powder to the mixture, stirring constantly. Stir until smooth. Remove chocolate mixture from heat.

For chocolates or chocolate bars, pour the mixture into flat containers or candy moulds. Freeze until solid, then pop the chocolates out of the mould. Store in fridge or freezer until ready to serve.

For chocolate-covered strawberries, let cool until chocolate mixture thickens slightly. Dip each strawberry in the chocolate mixture, placing them side by side on the lined baking sheet. Freeze baking sheet for about 2 minutes, until the chocolate solidifies, without letting the strawberries freeze. Remove from freezer.

If the chocolate coating is too thin, spoon the leftover chocolate mixture over the strawberries and then refreeze for another minute. Separate chocolate-covered strawberries with a butter knife, and store in fridge until ready to serve.

Mỹ Anh Phan

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Dan Kinvig, UFV Athletics / Supplied

COLE CHRETIEN CULTURE EDITOR

From Feb. 8 to 9, both the Huskies men’s and women’s wrestling teams competed in the U Sports Canada West Wrestling Championships in Abbotsford, B.C. This year, the championships were hosted by the University of Fraser Valley, a first for the school.

The Huskies had previously taken home aggregate banners for both men’s and women’s wrestling at the UFV Cascade Classic in January, with four Huskies ranking first in their individual weight classes.

The first day of the championships saw the Huskies women win 24-12 against the Alberta Pandas and the men triumph over the Golden Bears with a narrower victory of 26-24. The second win was guaranteed after Saskatchewan wrestler Kalin Langford pinned Tyler Duguid, earning the team five points in the final match.

That same day, the UFV Cascades faced down the Calgary Dinos, losing in the women’s division 10-18 but winning in the men’s 29-21 with two matches that ended in pins.

The second day saw both Huskies teams compete

against the Dinos and the Cascades. While both teams capitalized on the successes of the first day, the men’s team lost their narrow lead against the Golden Bears.

Continuing on her success from the Cascade Classic, Alexandra Schell ended up taking gold in the 48 kg weight class in the championships.

Other gold-medal winners on the women’s team were Maddison Haney for the 67 kg class, Berit Johnson for the 72 kg class and Kiera Prior for the 82 kg class. The Huskies ended up taking gold for the women’s division as well.

The men’s team also had a strong showing, with Logan Sloan, Hunter Lee and Liam Graham taking home gold medals in the 54 kg, 90 kg and 120 kg weight classes, respectively. The men’s team placed second overall, losing the gold to the Alberta Golden Bears by one point.

In an email to the Sheaf, Daniel Olver, head coach of the Huskies wrestling team, expresses satisfaction in the teams’ performances, saying that it was “an exciting weekend of wrestling. Both of our teams really came together and wrestled the best they have all season.”

“Liam Graham was a key leader both on and off the mat for the men’s team. First-

year Logan Sloan showed senior-level composure in positions where he came out on top,” Olver said.

Olver also says that the women’s team in particular showed tenacity on the mat, highlighting the performances of the team. “‘Relentless pursuit’ was the motto for the team, and we carried that mindset into every match. The women were impressive. Kiera Prior had very important matchups for herself and the team, where she dominated her opponents. Berit Johnson also stepped up and bullied her opponents around the mat,” Olver said.

In addition to the women’s gold medal, the Huskies players and coaches also took home some awards. Sloan won Male Rookie of the Year, and Olver won Women’s Coach of the Year. After a strong showing in the Canada West division, the Huskies will be travelling to Calgary next to compete in the U Sports National Championships on Feb. 22 and 23.

The U Sports Championships will see the Huskies match up against teams from within the conference and across the country. Last year, the men’s team finished ninth overall and the women’s team finished third.

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SPORTS&HEALTH

A non-diet and weight-inclusive approach to wellness Redefine your relationship with food.

Shawna Langer

SHAWNA LANGER

Social media and popular culture promote the concepts that thin is good, fat is bad and diets are healthy.

Earn your food by burning calories, buy this detox/diet tea, do this cleanse, and so on. All of this messaging can be harmful — but thankfully, there are people fighting back.

Behaviours such as restricting, purging, fasting, obsessive dieting and labelling foods as good or bad are so normalized in our culture that people often don’t see them as destructive for a person’s physical, emotional and mental well-being.

Every year, Eating Disorder Awareness Week runs from Feb. 1 to 7. As part of this week, there was a workshop about a non-diet and weight-inclusive approach to wellness on Feb. 6 led by registered dietician Amy Pickering from the Student

Wellness Centre. The workshop focused on intuitive eating, redefining your relationship with food and learning about body neutrality.

“Eating and body-image concerns and issues occur on a continuum — it’s not like there are the people with eating disorders over there, and everyone else are like normal people over here,” Pickering said during her workshop.

“People can fluctuate along this continuum whether it’s days, months, years or within a day.”

The more somebody engages in dieting or restrictive behaviour, the more skewed their hunger-fullness cues become. Diets have been shown to result in increased irritability, low mood and gaining more weight than initially lost.

Diet paradigms are very rigid and reject many foods whereas the non-diet paradigm welcomes all foods.

Diets often involve selecting foods from specific food

groups and not allowing yourself to eat them in an attempt to lose weight. Removing foods from your diet, placing them on a pedestal and not allowing yourself to eat them can often lead to bingeing on these foods later.

Mindful eating is not anti-health, giving up, eating whatever whenever or not caring about nutrition — despite what some people may think.

“Mindful eating isn’t so much about the end goal or the behaviour. It’s more about the process and the fact that you’re aware,” Pickering said.

“You have to remove judgement for mindfulness — [which] allows us to think clearly and really see the facts — from that place, [so] we can make choices based on the facts rather than a guilt-ridden state.”

Giving yourself the permission to eat anything is an attempt to interrupt the guilt-shame pattern. The purpose isn’t to complete-

ly rid yourself of feelings of guilt — it is to acknowledge those feelings of guilt, recognize that you are not defined by that guilt and then choose to do something based on that recognition. It’s not about what the right choice is — it’s about seeing what your choices are and deciding which choice to make from a clear mindset.

Research suggests that everyone has a natural weight range where they function best, which their body fights to maintain. This weight is maintained with regular eating and movement while following hunger and fullness cues. This natural weight range is estimated to be 70 per cent genetic, so suggesting that eating less and moving your body more will decrease your weight healthily is not necessarily true.

Studies have shown that you can be in any weight range and still be healthy. Health At Every Size is a movement that raises awareness for

larger­-bodied individuals who are treated unfairly for their size. It is rooted in respecting everyone’s bodies, being aware of the assumptions around weight and health, and valuing science as well as lived experiences.

Diet culture is very systemic as it doesn’t just affect people on an individual level.

It is the dominant culture in our society and has become so ingrained in our minds that it can be incredibly difficult to love your own body. A lot of people find it difficult to even accept their body as it is without feeling self-hatred.

“Body neutrality is a really nice concept — looking at body neutrality as ‘I’m just neutral towards my body’ or ‘I don’t need to love it to take care of it’ or ‘I’m gonna have some bad body days and that’s okay,’” Pickering said. “What are things that I’m valuable for besides my body? That concept of body neutrality can be really helpful for people.”

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SPORTS&HEALTH

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Keeping it clean when you get down and dirty Sex toys are fun, but there are some things you need to know before you dive in.

Morderska / Supplied

JACK THOMPSON

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

Sex toys can be a fun and healthy part of sexual expression. Whether you’re using them solo or with a partner, it’s important to keep your health in mind so the experience stays positive and you know you’re doing the most you can to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections.

Saskatoon Sexual Health is a centre for all things related to reproductive and sexual health. Along with providing information, the centre also sells a variety of sex toys at good price points. They offer a vibrator for as low as $5, and many of the toys they carry sit within the $5 to $40 price range. Products available at Saskatoon Sexual Health include dildos, harnesses, male masturbators, cockrings and rabbits. They will also order in sex toys from sexyliving.ca.

Natalya Mason, who handles education and outreach for SSH, explains what toys can bring to your sex life.

“They’re great for exploring, figuring out what you like and what you don’t like,” Mason said. “They can also be fun to use with partners to figure out what your partner likes and

8 / SPORTS & HEALTH

doesn’t like. There’s so, so, so many different options, and I think they’re a really good opportunity to explore and figure out what’s pleasurable.”

Mason also has advice for those looking to purchase a sex toy. For beginners, she recommends starting with something affordable and says that it’s good to have cleaning in mind when selecting any product.

“What we would be looking for in a good-quality toy is something that can be sanitized adequately,” Mason said.

“A high-grade silicone toy can be easily boiled — same would go for glass or metal toys.

Those can all be boiled, [or] you can also use a toy cleaner on them.”

Mason also explains that, while toy cleaner is good for in between uses, a deep clean like a boil or a wash in the dishwasher is recommended when switching partners. With materials outside of the ones described above, there are other factors to keep in mind.

“Stuff like wood, for example, or sometimes cheaper toys are made of a jelly material — those things are both porous.

If a material is porous, that means that bacteria can make its way into the toy and set up shop. That’s not something you

want, in terms of just exposing yourself to bacteria over and over again, but also if you have partners, you wouldn’t want to be sharing toys like that,” Mason said.

A tip Mason shared for those wanting to use toys made out of porous materials is to first put a condom over them — which allows for them to be used without accumulating bacteria. This method can also be used when one plans on using the same toy in both the rectum and the vagina as the condom allows for this kind of play without the deep clean that would normally be required when switching.

As for lubrication, Mason explains the three families of lubes: water-based, silicone and oil-based. Water-based lube is useful due to its compatibility with latex condoms and the majority of toys, and while water-based lube does dry faster than others, this can be remedied by introducing a small amount of water.

Mason describes silicone lube as being good to use in the shower, due to its water resistance, and for anal play. However, it is important to keep in mind that silicone lube will destroy a silicone toy and that the same can happen if silicone toys are stored together. Oil-

based lube is not recommended by Mason because it can’t be used with latex condoms.

Mason’s final piece of advice is that, in order for a sex toy to

be good to use in the rectum, it needs a wide enough base to prevent it from being sucked in — a tip that could save you a trip to the emergency room.

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SPORTS&HEALTH

WE ARE

HIRING! EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, NEWS EDITOR, SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR, CULTURE EDITOR, OPINIONS EDITOR, STAFF WRITER, COPY EDITOR, PHOTO EDITOR, GRAPHICS EDITOR, LAYOUT MANAGER, WEB EDITOR, OUTREACH DIRECTOR Open to all undergraduate students For more information on each position go to thesheaf.com For Editor-in-Chief send your cover letter, resume and portfolio to hiring@thesheaf.com by noon Wednesday, March 6, 2019 For all other positions send your cover letter, resume and portfolio to hiring@thesheaf.com by noon Thursday, March 14, 2019

SPORTS & HEALTH / 9

FEATURE

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Sexual being: Examining pleasure and desire throughout the ages Pulling back the bed sheets on the history and biology of sex.

ERIN MATTHEWS OPINIONS EDITOR

S

ex evokes a lot of complicated emotions in people, but despite the feelings that bubble up inside us with mention of the word, sex is both ancient and ubiquitous.

We humans have been copulating for millenia, and while the history of sex can be as complicated as the feelings that surround the act, there are some key features that have lasted while we’ve roamed the earth searching for pleasure and desire.

Sex, for many other organisms wandering the planet, is an activity with the singular goal of seeding the future with their genetic loads. This is not the case for many of us humans, at least not in this century. We — mostly — engage in sex for the pleasure, the big O, the ever sought-after orgasm.

In her article for The Daily Beast, Candida Moss gives a great rundown of orgasms throughout history. Good ol’ Aristotle recognized that pleasure and procreation — albeit often intertwined — are separate acts, at least in men.

He deduced that, since older men and prepubescent boys can achieve orgasms but are not able to readily produce offspring, then the two experiences must be different.

Moss goes on to explain that, while there is no mystery to the male orgasm, the female orgasm has a strange, elusive history. It was believed to be crucial to conception in the Middle Ages. Midwives of the era thought that the shudder of a woman’s orgasm snapped the doors of her uterus shut — ready to be open again in nine months’ time.

Yet, the church frowned upon women attaining pleasure during intercourse. Women were encouraged to lay still, be stoic and pray for their husbands to quickly achieve orgasm.

Thankfully, attitudes towards sexual activities have shifted in the 21st century, and sex acts that are pleasurable for both — or all — parties involved are a normal goal in healthy, consenting relationships.

Sex and orgasms are part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Sex makes us feel great, and that feeling can be attributed to the chemical cascade that happens during the act.

There is a release of several neurotransmitters like oxytocin and dopamine during orgasm. Oxytocin is a chemical that facilitates bonding with your partner. Dopamine is a nondiscriminatory feel-good molecule — it is part of the reward system in the brain. It is a substance that floods your cortex when you have sex or get that long-awaited positive interaction with your crush.

Thanks to the hard work of participants who donated their precious time and warm bodies to science, we have mapped the areas of the brain that are active during arousal and orgasm.

A surprising number of people have gotten off inside of an fMRI machine. From these individuals, science has found that areas in the brain like the hypothalamus, thalamus, substantia nigra, as well as reward centres like your nucleus accumbens and caudate nucleus, are all active during climax.

These areas involve hormone release, information relay and dopamine release, respectively. In other words, orgasms involve many of your key brain regions. Discover Magazine once described the orgasm as a “blitzkrieg of ecstasy,” and frankly, there is no better way to describe it.

However, it should to be noted that this dopamine surge can leave some individuals bathing in a blue, melancholy afterglow. Post-coital tristesse, or post-coital dysphoria as it is often referred to, has been documented for centuries.

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The Wellcome Collection / Creative Commons A stipple engraving by T. Burke from 1805 depicts Cupid inspiring plants with love in a tropical landscape.

This phenomenon was first noted by the Greek anatomist Galen, who wrote that “every animal is sad after coitus except the human female and the rooster.”

So what gets us in the mood? Or should I say who gets us in the mood? Sexual attraction is individualized, varied and hard to put your finger on. It carries its own mystique.

The biological basis of sexual attraction, however, isn’t very sexy.

Sex pheromones have been a prevalent theory for years. Pheromones are chemical signals that animals use to communicate with and alter the behaviour of other animals. This includes territory marking and sexual arousal — think cats in heat.

The idea is that humans also give off these chemical signals to attract a sexual partner, and these unconscious scents are wrapped up in that strange tingling feeling you get when you meet someone you are sexually attracted to.

Consider the phrase “lust at first sight.”

You can even buy human sex pheromones online to lure yourself a lover if you so desire. But there is one ma-

jor hitch in this hypothesis — we humans do not have the organ that detects pheromones. Other animals and insects have a vomeronasal organ, which has a direct line to the hypothalamus, while ours has atrophied and is essentially useless.

But scent still appears to play a major role in sexual attraction. Body scent is influenced by many things, but most heavily, by the immune system. The major histocompatibility complex, or MHC, is a complex of genes that encode for receptors on immune cells and play a huge role in immune responses.

It turns out that we may be attracted to the scent of a potential partner who has different MHC genes than our own. Studies have shown that heterosexual women prefer the body odour of heterosexual men who possess very different MHC genes, and sexual partners who have dissimilar MHC genes report higher sexual satisfaction than couples who had similar complexes.

Other studies show that gay men preferred the body odour of other gay men, illustrating that scent may have a huge influence on our sexual desire and choice of sexual

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The Wellcome Collection / Creative Commons A naked man and woman in sexual congress on a bed, depicting an original erotic fresco art piece found in the ruins of the brothel known as the Lupanar of Pompeii.

partner or partners.

While scent may be one of the key elements in a satisfying sexual partnership, what else keeps us happy in sexual relationships? Monogamy is the practice of being with one committed partner at a time, and monogamous behaviour is observed in both animals and humans. Yet, humans are not truly monogamous creatures as rates of infidelity remain constant.

Open relationships, where romantic partners engage in consenting sexual relationships with others, are becoming more common. A 2018 Canadian study showed that people in open relationships are satisfied and committed to their main partner, a fact that the lead author says helps to debunk misinformation around these types of relationships.

According to the lead author, individuals in non­ monogamous relationships are often viewed as immoral people in bad relationships. But that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Others argue that people in open relationships are more satisfied and safer than their monogamous counterparts, stating that jealousy and suspicion can be toxic in monogamous partnerships. Cheating partners may not take the same level of precautions and often engage in unprotected sex.

While open relationships may not be everyone’s cup of tea, they do appear to offer a good model for positive communication between partners. A dialogue needs to be sustained in order for these types of relationships to function, to be safe and to be satisfying.

It wouldn’t hurt for all sexual partners to adopt this level of communication and be cognizant of their partners’ needs and desires. After all, great sex is about communication.

Whether you are a “one sexual partner at a time” kind of person or you adopt “the more, the merrier” kind of attitude, safe sex is crucial. Sexually transmitted infections have been slipping into the beds of lovers for centuries.

Syphilis isn’t a household name anymore, but at one time, it was the nightmare that burned through Europe with unrelenting fury. Syphilis is a disfiguring disease that devastated millions before the age of antibiotics and still infects many worldwide today. The disease not only causes lesions on the genitals, faces and heads of those infected but can also be passed onto the next generation.

The Wellcome Collection / Creative Commons A large personified condom proudly gathers his arms around a group of condoms in a variety of guises; a safe-sex and AIDS-prevention advertisement by the National AIDS Secretariat, Guyana, from 1996.

Congenital syphilis afflicted many babies born to women who had contracted the disease.

While mercury was used to treat syphilis, it was a poor remedy, often ineffective and highly toxic. Many died from end-stage syphilis when the infection would ravage the brain, nerves and other vital organs. Fortunately the disease is treatable nowadays. Even better, it’s also preventable with barrier devices Yet, syphilis hasn’t disappeared. A 2017 outbreak in Alberta saw six cases of infants born with congenital syphilis, which is a stark reminder of the importance of protection.

Condoms, the oldest of these devices, have been around for ages in one form or another although some of the earlier versions were not very effective. In the 1400s, the Chinese covered the head of the penis with oiled paper or animal intestine while the Japanese opted for tortoise shells and animal horns.

The Wellcome Collection / Creative Commons A naked man lies on a bed with his arms resting on the pillow in advertisement for safe sex by the Australian AIDS Council with a list of regional council telephone numbers from 1990.

Luckily, our condom game has improved greatly over the years.

Yet, sexually transmitted infections persist as insidious threats. The first case of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea was reported in the United Kingdom in 2018 with another unrelated case popping up January 2019. It is clear there are more cases that are going unreported.

Antibiotics are the only way we can beat back many STIs, and if they become useless against these common infections, we will have a huge public-health crisis on our hands. So protect yourself and your lovers — it’s a simple practice.

It seems we’ve been playing this game of love and lust for a very long time. Don’t be afraid to explore what gives you pleasure and what — or who — you desire.

Learn about yourself and your lover(s), communicate, and play it safe, because let’s face it, sex is fucking great.

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CULTURE

EVENTS T H U R S

14

CREATING THE WORLD’S FIRST SUPER SMART SOCIETY: JAPAN’S SOCIETY @ THE DIEFENBAKER CANADA CENTRE, 11:30 A.M.

USASK IMPROV VALENTINE’S DAY SHOW @ LOUIS’ PUB, 7:30 P.M.

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Netflix original, Sex Education is a challenging, subversive comedy Sex Education is a pastime for the romantically challenged this Valentine’s Day.

NATURAL BORN KILLERS VALENTINE’S SCREENING @ THE BROADWAY THEATRE, 8:00 P.M.

AMIGOS KARAOKE @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 9:00 P.M.

F R I

15

BRAINSTORMING OPINIONS @ THE SHEAF MAIN OFFICE, 4:30 P.M.

TOD EMEL: A FOREST OPENING RECEPTION @ KENDERDINE ART GALLERY, 7:00 P.M.

AN EVENING WITH MATT DUSK @ THE BROADWAY THEATRE, 8:00 P.M.

THE FEBREWARY FRIDAY SOCIAL: CRAFT BREWS CRAFTING COMMUNITY @ PAVED ARTS, 8:00 P.M.

LB5Q PRESENTS: LUMINOSITY @ COORS EVENT CENTRE, 9:00 P.M.

S A T

16

MOTHER MOTHER: DANCE AND CRY TOUR WITH SAID THE WHALE @ COORS EVENT CENTRE, 8:00 P.M.

ALIEN TO THE IGNORANT WITH KILLJOY, FRIENDS AND UGLY AGAIN

Mỹ Anh Phan

@ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 9:00 P.M.

SHAD WITH T-RHYME @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 10:00 P.M.

S U N

17

BEER RELEASE AND PANCAKE BRUNCH @ HIGH KEY BREWING CO., 12:00 P.M.

SCOTIABANK SOMETHING ON SUNDAYS @ REMAI MODERN, 1:00 P.M.

ROCK 102 PRESENTS: MONSTER TRUCK WITH THE PICTUREBOOKS @ LOUIS’ PUB, 7:00 P.M.

KARAOKE NIGHT @ FLINT SALOON, 9:00 P.M.

M O N

18

RAWLCO RADIO FREE ADMISSION DAY @ REMAI MODERN, 10:00 A.M.

GAMES NIGHT @ LOUIS’ PUB, 7:00 P.M.

MATTHEW GOOD — SOLO ACOUSTIC @ THE BROADWAY THEATRE, 7:00 P.M.

T U E S

19

100% TUESDAYS @ LOUIS’ PUB, 8:00 P.M.

MIKE EDEL WITH MARENTIN FEHR IN SASKATOON @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 8:00 P.M.

OPEN STAGE @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 8:00 P.M.

SNOOP DOGG WITH BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY, WARREN G, KURUPT AND AFROMAN @ SASKTEL CENTRE, 8:00 P.M.

W E D

20 JAN. 12FEB. 21 FEB. 6-16

RAIS 2019 STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL @ THE ROXY THEATRE, 6:30 P.M.

LITTLE BIG TOWN @ SASKTEL CENTRE, 7:30 P.M.

SHADES OF GREY @ ART PLACEMENT GALLERY

THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN @ GREYSTONE THEATRE

12 / CULTURE

TOMILOLA OJO

’Tis the season of love and romance. It’s Valentine’s Day — meaning that all the singles will try to find the least depressing activity to pass the day with. This usually ends up including a whole whack of junk food or takeout and everyone’s favourite pastime: Netflix.

If you’re looking for a good show to watch, look no further than the Netflix original Sex Education. It follows socially awkward and sexually repressed teenager Otis Milburn, played by Asa Butterfield, who is the son of sex therapist Jean Milburn, played

by Gillian Anderson.

Raised surrounded by volumes of sexually liberating literature, detailed art of human anatomy and an overtly open and sexually liberal mother, Otis learns a lot about human sexuality. When the kids at school find out about his knowledge of sexual health, he decides to start a sextherapy business of his own with the help of resident school badass and outcast, Maeve Wiley, played by Emma Mackey.

In doing this, he also begins to come to terms with his own repressed sexuality. As you can probably imagine, hilarity, awkwardness and actual sex-education ensues.

Not only does Sex Education answer some of the awk-

ward questions that we were too scared or embarrassed to ask as young adults but it does so in eight binge-worthy episodes of dramedy. The show tackles many challenging current issues such as abortion, sexual harassment, bullying, female solidarity and selfacceptance in a tasteful and informative way.

I mean, about as tasteful as a show with a sex scene in almost every episode can get.

One of the most compelling characters is Eric Effoing, Otis’ best — and at the start, only — friend. In a brilliant performance by Ncuti Gatwa, Eric takes the gay-bestfriend trope and transforms it from just a flat, sassy, oneliner-throwing character into a well-rounded, emotionally variant one. This is only made more interesting by the fact that he is a first-generation immigrant.

There is also a beautiful story arc of Eric rejecting church and religion at the start of the show — presumably because he doesn’t feel like he’d be accepted — and returning to church again towards the end of the season and being welcomed back with open arms.

The issue of homosexuality and the church obviously goes much deeper than this, but it was nice to see that little glimmer of light, especially in the context of a predominantly African church.

Visually, the show was beautiful in its subtly. Filmed most-

ly in the luscious green Wye Valley in England and Wales with the scenes at the high school filmed at what used to be the campus of the University of South Wales in Caerleon, Newport, the show has an inviting, warm neutral-green palette. This is even more alluring considering the type of weather we’ve been having in good old Saskatchewan recently.

The show also creates its own unique timeline in the costume department. Think 90s high school-movie clothes, with the occasional Saved

By The Bell- and High School Musical­-era outfit thrown in, except everyone somehow has early­-generation touch-screen phones.

Sex Education takes everything you love about the typical 90s and aughts high school-drama tropes and turns all your expectations upside down. It has everything from the crazy principal — think Ed Rooney from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off — to the popular mean girls to the quintessential red­-Solo­-cup­-dominated high school party and the happily­- ever­- after­- themed dance.

All this aside, it is also representative of many different types of people, families and living situations, paying special care to avoid pigeonholing certain groups. It may not beat having someone to spend Valentine’s Day with, but it sure is a good distraction.

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Queer City Cinema brings representation to the big screen Qaleidoscope offers up diverse and emotional short films from the queer community.

AMBER ADRIAN JACKSON

On Feb. 8 and 9, Queer City Cinema brought Qaleidoscope: Queer Film on Tour to Saskatoon. This was the fourth tour from the organization to come to the city in the past 19 years.

Qaleidoscope screened 22 short films across two nights.

These films were curated to showcase marginalized voices, especially those of queer people of colour and transgender people. At the event, there was an active effort to represent groups who exist in a way that is not often shown in mainstream media — such as people with disabilities and queer Indigenous people.

Broad representation is a strict standard when choosing films for the tour, as well as films that are both intimate and personal. When asked about the importance of representation, Gary Varro, the

executive and artistic director for QCC, emphasized the impact of seeing diverse characters on screen.

“It’s important because it should be there. I mean, it’s about humanity. Humanity is widely varied and vast and textured, and it’s the responsibility of people like myself to ensure that variety and representation is there,” Varro said.

Varro says that it’s time for representation in media and that representation of the most marginalized groups within society and within the LGBTQ+ community have always been the goal for Queer City Cinema.

When I was interviewing Varro, I asked him how likely I was, as a recently out queer person, to get emotional during the showing. I was told that it would be hard to tell as every film triggers something different in everyone. There were films in Qaleidoscope

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

that are specifically about coming to terms with your sexuality.

The tour makes a point to showcase non-traditional, experimental films. Many of the films shown lack a linear plot or storyline, but they are still able to evoke emotion. The films are open to the interpretation of individual viewers, and the viewer can then take

away their own meaning.

Even in the absence of a coherent storyline, something that many — perhaps even most — people look for in film, there is still meaning and emotion to be found within the work. Outsider films — films that are not “polished and mainstream” — are specifically selected for these festivals to showcase another type of filmmaking.

Another important goal of Queer City Cinema is to bring queer films to cities and areas that do not have an estab-

lished queer film festival.

Varro describes the tour as somewhat like an outreach program to provide queer content to areas that do not necessarily have the same access to it as a way to bring exposure and awareness to queer issues.

These films are beautiful narratives dealing with coming-of-age stories, coming out and falling in love.

However, many of the films are experimental and abstract.

The topics of the films were diverse, ranging from young queer love to personal stories of sex as a person with a disability to the AIDS crisis of the 80s and 90s.

I am a very empathetic and emotional person, but I found myself tearing up more than I had expected. These topics are heavy, but they are real, valid experiences that are so often left out of film or not granted the degree of raw emotion and depth they deserve. It is important and moving to see the perspectives that are so often left out of stories altogether finally take centre stage.

pigs

ROCK 102 and Ghostfinger Productions Present

canada’s

pink floyd

tribute act

outside/in

tour

A Must-See for Floyd Fans!

7:30 pm Sunday, March 3 Broadway Theatre TIX at Broadway Theatre, by phone 306-652-6556 or broadwaytheatre.ca CULTURE / 13

CULTURE

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Fall in love with local gifts for Valentine’s Day These local Valentine’s gift ideas offer an alternative to crowded shopping malls and online shopping.

SYDNEY BOULTON

Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to show your sweetheart that being with them is a dream come true, but shopping for the right gift can be a nightmare.

This year, instead of searching through piles of disposable, heart­­- shaped gifts, try these local alternatives that will let you treat your honey and support the local economy at the same time.

Something classic — with a twist

Flowers are a Valentine’s Day classic. While there is nothing more iconic than a gorgeous red rose, in reality, flowers are expensive and short-lived. Within a few days, your gorgeous bouquet is a pile of wilted petals. A cheaper and longer-lasting alternative is a live plant that will continue to make your loved one think of you every time they see it.

One place to get an adorable potted plant year-round is Bill’s House of Flowers.

Founded by Bill Ellis in 1962, the business is family owned and operated. They offer a charming selection of plants and gifts. The friendly staff at Bill’s are committed to providing an exceptional experience, and they will be happy to help you pick out something special.

Something that sparkles

Another timeless gift is jewellery. While many of us love unwrapping a necklace or bracelet, commercial jewellery pieces aren’t always unique or special. A local

High Key Brewery / Supplied

piece with some Saskatoon flare can be more meaningful and memorable.

While there are a number of wonderful shops that sell locally made jewelry, one of Saskatoon’s best is is Joyne Marketplace. This store is a creative marketplace that features Canadian creators.

Joyne is special because it offers affordable and customizable retail space for entrepreneurs without taking a cut from the sales. You can find them in their new space on Second Avenue South.

Something bold and boozy

Nothing pairs better with romance than alcohol. Wine and champagne are a bit bor-

ing, but nothing says Saskatoon better than craft beer.

This year, High Key Brewing Co. has created a limited­ edition Valentine’s Day brew.

Their chocolate cherry stout is sure to impress your partner with its romantic flavours. This seasonal beer is available at the High Key Brewing taproom on Quebec Avenue.

High Key Brewing Co. is truly a Saskatoon-made business. The founder, Madeline Conn, was raised in Saskatoon and fell in love with the craft-beer industry. When Conn met Daniel Rommens, another Saskatonian with ambitions to open a brewery, the two founded High Key together. Their business embodies the values of community, creativity, collaboration, and most importantly, good beer.

Something to broaden your mind

A carefully selected book can show that you know your partner, you care about their interests, and above all, you took the time to select something unique just for them. Instead of spending money at a large corporate store, why not support Saskatoon’s favourite independent bookseller?

Turning the Tide has been open for over 10 years. They offer a selection of fiction and poetry as well as a broad range of non-fiction books.

Being an independent bookstore allows them to focus on meeting the needs of the community, and they carry books authored and published by local creatives.

Something Swayze

If you’ve ever fantasized about Patrick Swayze and

that one scene in Ghost, you’ll know that pottery can be a romantic and sensual gift for your partner. It is less romantic, however, when it was made by hundreds of people in a factory somewhere across the world. One great place to shop for locally made pottery is Clay Studio Three.

Clay Studio Three opened in 1975. It is a collective of Saskatchewan ceramic artists made up of 15 potters who contribute their works to the studio collection and help run the storefront. For affordable prices and great quality, there really is nowhere that beats Clay Studio Three!

This is just a small selection from the abundance of local gift shops in Saskatoon. With a bit of searching, you should be able to find a one-of-a-kind Valentine’s Day gift for that special someone on your list.

Greystone performs play by renowned screenwriter Martin McDonagh COLE CHRETIEN CULTURE EDITOR

David Hartman Chris Krug-Iron, left, in character as Babby Bobby, reads from a note while Garrett Gizen, right, in character as “Cripple” Billy, looks at him in Greystone Theatre during the Media Call on Feb. 5, 2019.

Greystone Theatre is returning to the stage with their third play of the season: The Cripple of Inishmaan, a dark comedy by Martin McDonagh. The play follows the story of Billy “Cripple”

Claven, an isolated and alienated resident of the Aran Islands in Northern Ireland who longs to escape his hometown of Inishmaan.

When a film crew visits the community for a documentary production, he sees an unlikely opportunity to so.

McDonagh is the writer of films like Three Billboards

Outside Ebbing, Missouri, In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths.

In addition, he is a prolific playwright, with The Cripple of Inishmaan being the first play in a trilogy focused on the Aran Islands.

The play is running until Feb. 16 with tickets on sale for a discounted rate of $17 for students.

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Tony Walker The U of S Observatory at night on Feb. 8, 2019.

The lazy man’s guide to romance Relight the flame this Valentine’s Day. GEORGE-PAUL O’BYRNE

You’ve been together for about six months — you’ve gotten used to all her weird little noises, and she’s gotten used to yours — and things are getting boring. You need to find a way to revive that initial thrill.

Thankfully, the capitalist ritual of Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. It’s the perfect time to start planning the ultimate date.

If you haven’t started yet, there’s no need to worry because I’ve got you covered. Be warned, though, what you are about to read is the absolute pinnacle of romantic thought.

If you follow my advice, you run the risk of generating insane amounts of sexual tension — enough to achieve and sustain critical mass, which could create an explosion powerful

enough to vaporize you, your lover and everything within a two-mile radius.

For the sake of laziness, I’m going to be using a female in this scenario, but you can substitute someone with any gender you wish. This advice is equally devastating to all forms of sentient life. Read on at your own risk.

Start by taking her out for food. Somewhere hipstery and cheap — but not too hipstery and cheap. You don’t want her thinking that you’re a hipster or you’re cheap. Drift Vista Lounge should do.

After this, you need to bring her to the observatory on campus. Pray that it isn’t a cloudy night, or else this whole thing will fall apart — dooming your relationship. Put your arm around her waist, and marvel at the wonders of the Milky Way. Listen while the physics

graduate student who works there tries his very best to suck every last bit of romance out of the room by pointing out — through a seemingly inexhaustible list of sobering factoids — the insignificance of your pathetic human existence compared to the endless depth of the universe.

Don’t worry about it too much. You’re just trying to get her thinking about space.

Head back to your house, apartment or shipping container with a space heater. Load up Netflix. If you’ve done the last step correctly and incepted the idea of space into her mind then she should suggest the Christopher Nolan space epic Interstellar. This is absolutely crucial. You need the breathtaking cinematography as well as the haunting, dreamlike soundtrack of Hans Zimmer in order to create the vibe.

Now, put your arm around her as you marvel at how fucking dreamy Matthew McConaughey is, even though he used to be a lot more jacked.

Make her laugh by doing an ironic impression of his iconic drawl with “Alright, alright, alright.” Comedy gold.

You’re looking for a real laugh now, so don’t be fooled by a sharp blast of air from the nostrils — you need something more honest than that. You don’t want a lol — you want a LOL. Focus your attention entirely on her, and get visual confirmation: look for little starbursts in the black of her pupils.

Let your glance follow hers.

Notice the way it dances for half a second to your lips before returning to your eyes.

She notices that you notice.

You notice that she notices that you notice. You smile, and she

smiles, and then, pulled together by inertia, you both start awkwardly mashing your faces into each other.

Listen, if you’ve read this far, then I might as well be frank with you: there’s no point in pretending there’s some kind of formula to all of this — it just happens. We endlessly overanalyze it — reading and writing great, thick books about the meaning of love, the anatomy of sex, the psychology of romance and the art of picking up women — but we’re really just translating it into bullshit.

You’ll get just as accurate of a description by listening to the weird noises crickets make or the distant howls you hear at night on the Prairies or the whispered conversations of the leaves in the trees. There’s no secret to success. Everyone has just been winging it since the first two monkeys held hands.

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16 / OPINIONS

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Overcoming religious and cultural sexual guilt How did sexual desire become synonymous with shame?

AQSA HUSSAIN

When I was a kid, I thought that “sex” was a bad word — a word to be hushed and only spoken of in secret conversations. Mediocre sex education followed by recess rumours and strange religious talks gave me a shameful perspective of sex.

Religion is a significant contributor to sexual guilt.

In an eye-opening study by Sobia Ali-Faisal, I discovered that, out of the sample of young Muslim adults who had had intercourse, two-thirds had engaged in premarital sex — a religious prohibition in Islam.

Similarly, 50 per cent of the young Muslims who had not had sex before marriage had considered doing the deed.

The study found that Muslims ranked higher in negative sexual self-judgement, which contributed to a lack of sexual knowledge. Both of these factors may lead to unhealthy relationships and marriages. Also, it showed that one of the greatest sources of sex education for young Muslim adults was the media — which I can I attest to.

Overall, the study found that “religiosity both directly and indirectly predicted sexual guilt and anxiety.” This is unfortunate because I believe that sexual guilt ruins what could be fun, exciting experiences. This guilt can even cloud sexual thoughts with shame.

Apart from religion, sexual guilt exists in Western culture and seems to specifically target women. We are guilty of describing women returning home from a hookup in the early morning as someone taking the so-called walk of shame. Why is it shameful that women have sex?

Another study found that, while heterosexual men are more likely to regret not taking sexual opportunities,

heterosexual women tend to regret their sexual activity.

That could include anything from “losing their virginity to the wrong partner” to “moving too fast.” The same patterns exist for gay men and lesbians.

It’s reported all too often that women struggle to orgasm far more frequently than men. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that feeling shame is not helping women experience pleasure.

Overcoming sexual guilt takes time, but it can be done with access to proper knowledge. This is difficult when we have people like Premier Doug Ford in Ontario scrapping the sex-education curriculum for future generations...

When a young man has sex, no one bats an eye, but when young women do the same, they’re often called sluts and shamed for having sex. How unfair.

Religion and culture have sanctified sexual abstinence for women. In the United States, there are purity balls held where young girls make pledges to their fathers to remain abstinent until marriage. I don’t know about you, but this creeps me out. Your thoughts and beliefs change drastically as you move from being a teenager into adulthood. Also, sorry not sorry, but I don’t think dads should dictate whether their daughters can have sex or not.

Here’s the thing, regardless of religion or culture, people are having sex. Researchers like Ali-Faisal are promoting sex education that teaches healthy relationships, consent and safe sex. And sex-

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

positive movements are helping to combat slut shaming.

I think abstinence-only sex education is absolute bullshit because it fosters shame and guilt around the innate sexual desires that many of us are stuck with — unless you’re asexual, of course.

It also prevents you from learning about safe sex. You can choose to be abstinent until marriage, but what about when you get married?

Where is the sex education then?

Religion and culture, and the sexual guilt that comes along with them, are not going to keep people from having sex, but they prevent people from enjoying safe, consensual sex. Sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy are real outcomes.

Overcoming sexual guilt takes time, but it can be done with access to proper knowledge. This is difficult when we have people like Premier Doug Ford in Ontario scrapping the sex-education curriculum for future generations or when you have grown up with conservative

values. But it is possible to find knowledge in other areas.

There are countless resources to teach you the sex education that you’ve been missing out on. One of my favourite resources is the YouTube channel of Shan Boodram, a certified sex educator and author, because it is a free educational space to learn about topics from healthy relationships to period sex. Both the Women’s and Pride centres on campus also carry a variety of inclusive, informative pamphlets and books as well as free condoms.

Religion and culture have definitely made me feel weird, awkward and uncomfortable when it comes to talking about all things sexual — including this article — but it’s possible to overcome your sexual guilt and become sex positive. Sex is not a secret — it’s natural, and regardless of your identity or abstinence, you should still educate yourself about it because everyone deserves to enjoy sex.

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FEBRUARY BREAK FOR KIDS Board Game day Tuesday, FeB. 19, 9am–5pm Children’s disCovery museum sTory-Time pop-up Wednesday, FeB. 20, 1:30 pm saskaToon Blades sToryTime For “i love To read” monTh Thursday, FeB. 21, 1 pm puppeT shoW By krisTina huGhes WiTh Wide open TheaTre Friday, FeB. 22 1:30 pm

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OPINIONS

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Dating as a desi girl in a white world Here’s why dating sucks and doesn’t at the same time.

YASHICA BITHER

Growing up brown in a Western European-dominated society has always held problems for me. I’ve been too brown for my white friends and too white for my brown friends — like my desire to dance Bollywood-style or my awkward flossing, which may or may not have worked at the club.

And of course, there were many other problems growing up — like dealing with the racism, bigotry and stereotypes that I still face and challenge to this day. But as I’ve grown up, one thing that I’ve found really difficult to deal with is dating.

See, like most immigrant parents, mine have always reinforced the idea of focusing on your studies first, and then, after you’ve become something, you can start dating. But if you see all your friends experiencing that sort of intimacy with their partners, you want it as well. So we resort to dating behind closed

doors and behind our parents’ backs.

I’m fully aware that I don’t have to date if I don’t want to, but wanting that intimacy is something that I’m sure others can relate to. This has left me feeling stuck, like I’m in limbo and unsure of where to even start dating.

Do I dive into the world of hookups on Tinder? Do I orchestrate a cute meeting at some random bar on a Friday night?

Do I force myself to talk to some random guy whom I happen to find attractive?

All of these questions lead to even more questions that eventually leave me in frustration, with the conclusion that I’m just not ready for dating yet.

But if I am ready, how do I deal?

Too many of my fellow Indian friends have told me stories about their experiences with dating, and most of them were very off-putting. For example, many people hit them up on Tinder by starting off with the usual lines

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

like “You look so exotic *heart eyes*” or “You and I could make some cute mocha babies!”

They get fetishized by these people, and truthfully, it’s not cute or romantic. It comes off as creepy. Sure, you need a conversation starter, but beginning by commenting on someone’s skin colour does not convey the best first impression.

Of course, some of my friends

have good experiences where they actually meet someone who doesn’t fetishize them — but then, what happens from there?

How do you explain to your partner, after dating for three years in secret, that your parents still don’t know and you can’t introduce them because it’s not the way you were brought up?

In some instances, depending on your age, your parents may

already be talking about marriage. If you and your partner have talked about it then, maybe, they can meet your parents. But for those youngsters like myself, we can’t just say, “Hey, Mom and Dad, I’m dating this really cute boy, but don’t worry, I’ll still get into med school.” Our parents just won’t buy it.

The thing is, we are growing up, and our parents have to accept the fact that we’re going to be dating, regardless of what they believe our priorities should be at the time. Sis, let’s face it, you can get straight As and have a partner. Why not have both?

However, you should make sure you’re really ready first.

Don’t rush into anything if you aren’t. After all, this is all about what you really want. Hell, the first time you kiss someone could be at 29 years old, and that’s okay because it’s your life.

Don’t give in to the pressures of dating — whether from your parents forbidding it or the world pushing you into it. You should always do you.

Asian men are just as sexy Hollywood finally discovers Asian men’s spicy side. It’s time for you to realize that too, you know.

J.C. BALICANTA NARAG OUTREACH DIRECTOR

Remember Ned from Spider-Man: Homecoming? He is the character worried for Peter Parker’s safety throughout the movie. No? Alright, what if I describe him as the Asian best friend who is nerdy, hilarious and computer savvy. Does that ring a bell?

In North American movies, it is common to see Asian actors used as the comic relief — the sidekick, the geek or the one who knows martial arts. Ned from Spider-Man: Homecoming is an example of the subtle but inaccurate portrayals of Asian men in the Western world.

Ned was hilarious, and he owned it. Even if he was just a sidekick, he worked it to his advantage, and without him, Parker wouldn’t have been able to save the day. So if you’re a geeky Asian man like Ned, own it because North American Asians are just as hot as other men in more ways than just their appearance.

In the movie Crazy Rich Asians, which premiered last year, leading Asian men got to show off their saucy abs, siz-

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zling bods, and most importantly, their sexy brains. This movie turned the conversation around, going against Hollywood’s stained reputation for portraying Asian men as undesirable.

Sadly, because of Hollywood stereotypes, even other Asians think Asian men are unattractive.

This portrayal of Asian men has been ongoing for decades.

The 1961 classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s with leading actress Audrey Hepburn included a supposedly Asian character named Mr. Yunioshi played by Mickey Rooney, a white New Yorker. This film set a precedent for actors that it’s okay to play a coloured character when they are of another race. Newsflash, it’s not okay.

Stereotyping and whitewashing also occurred in movies such as Green Hornet, the live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Kill Bill, The Hangover, the live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell and yes — even though I love the movie — Spider-Man: Homecoming.

These movies perpetuate the idea that Asian men are unattractive and that we are only

good at math or martial arts.

Television is guilty of the same stereotyping. The show 2 Broke Girls — thank god, it’s cancelled — featured Han Lee, the Asian-American restaurant boss who was routinely emasculated, stereotyped and caricatured. To illustrate the point, here is one of the show’s famous lines: “You can’t tell an Asian he made a mistake. He’ll go in back and throw himself on a sword.”

These inaccurate representations in Hollywood are harmful to North American Asians in their personal and romantic relationships. A study about young adult relationships showed that Asian men are indeed at the bottom of the dating hierarchy. Researchers found that 35 per cent of the Asian men in the study reported that they were not involved in a romantic relationship — two times as many as the number of Asian women who were not romantically involved.

Despite the unfair representation that Asian men have received in the past, we now seem to be moving away from the negative depictions in media.

Positive Asian representation is appearing in media, and it seems like accurate portrayals

Wikimedia Commons / Supplied Van Williams as the Green Hornet and Bruce Lee as Kato from the television program The Green Hornet, 1966.

of Asian men in the Western world are finally on the rise.

Asian men, it is time to stop being discouraged by these false representations and own yourself for who you are.

Own your humour like Ken Jeong, an Asian-American actor, comedian and physician famous for acting in movies like The Hangover. Own your nerdy side like Jacob Batalon, the Filipino-Hawaiian actor who played Ned in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Own your self-confidence like Henry

Golding, a British-Malaysian actor and model who played Nick Young in the movie Crazy Rich Asians.

Let’s face it, in the end, looks matter, but personality matters more. People aren’t just attracted to your appearance — it’s the whole package that individuals gravitate towards. Don’t be discouraged by mainstream media.

Hollywood may kick Asian men to the ground with each stereotypical role, but remember that we are just as sexy as other men.

You just need to own it.

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VALENTINE’S DAY-THEMED CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. Jumbled, trace 5. Blitzkrieg of ecstasy 9. Cuba Libre 10. Spill the gossip 11. Erotic and desirable 12. Pompous idiot 13. Calm 14. Stern, severe 17. Candy, without the tac 19. Fruity pair 21. Needled 22. Two newborn canines 24. Affleck, 2012 26. Sun 28. Smash, fall for 30. Writing style 31. Young Greek 32. A deadly sin 35. Language spoken in Sao Paulo 36. Computer, goat 37. Type of tension 38. Someone _____ problem

Crossword by J.C. Balicanta Narag

#albumoftheweek:

Buoys By Panda Bear

DISTRACTIONS DOWN 1. Coital peak 2. Sexual excitement 3. Steal 4. Day of love 5. Bizarre 6. Eight, sounds like 7. More than one sex 8. Have permission 15. Mont Blanc 16. In this place 18. Leads to populating 20. Mineral with corn starch 21. Assistant cook 23. Sexual enjoyment 25. Wrap it 27. What nerds call the dirty deed 29. Way (5) 32. Spanish, city, angels 33. After five 34. Encompassing everything

Noah Lennox, drummer and vocalist for Animal Collective, recently released Buoys — a wonderfully minimalist slice of floaty pop experimentation. As his sixth release under the name Panda Bear, it’s less avant-garde than the critically beloved Person Pitch while retaining more complexity than the poppy Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper.

Buoys is an excellent collection of vaguely nautically tinged psych-pop. It’s more focused than most Animal Collective records, foregoing the overstuffed and chaotic song structures of the band’s recent output for pure Beach Boys-inspired minimalism.

The songwriting prowess and vocal talent of Panda Bear is hard to deny once the theatrics and effects are stripped away. Buoys is an album of shambolic lazy­ Sunday psychedelia that would make Brian Wilson proud.

Cole Chretien

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor

Yashica Bither

Wei Soong Lau

First-year U of S student Fiaz Patel performs at Pariachy 2019, an event hosted by the Indian Student Association at the Hall of Cathedral of the Holy Family on Feb. 8, 2019.

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