Tuesday, July 20, 2021 | Volume 92
S
INSIDE:
NEWS: A look at McMaster’s return to campus plan // PAGE 4 FEATURES: Interview with McMaster’s first transgender department chair // PAGES 8-9 HUMANS: Adam George Palios // PAGE 15 CFMU: The new school way for old school radio // PAGE 16 SPORTS: OUA sports are back for 2021-2022 season // PAGE 34
The Silhouette
Love E
Our annual pride issue // PAGES 17-31
Volume 92, Pride Issue
Tuesday, July 20, 2021 The Silhouette | McMaster University’s Student Newspaper
Looking back . . . 1930-2021
Talk about glow-up Since 1930, The Silhouette has been providing Mac with weekly updates on campus events, elections and student life. This year, we wanted to freshen things up a little. You thought you’ve changed since middle school? Check out how much we’ve grown since we started! Andrew Mrozowski editor-in-chief | eic@thesil.ca Derrick Chappell digital media specialist | dms@msu.mcmaster.ca Adrian Salopek managing editor | managing@thesil.ca Graham Wyndham-West online editor | online@thesil.ca Christina Osadchuk production editor | production@thesil.ca News
Elisa Do Amarah Hasham-Steele news@thesil.ca news editor
news reporter
Features features reporter
Novera Shenin
features@thesil.ca
Opinions opinion editor
Diya Ahmad
opinions@thesil.ca
Arts & Culture arts & culture editor Nisha Gill arts & culture reporter Subin Park artsandculture@thesil.ca Sports
Jovan Popovic sports@thesil.ca sports editor
Multimedia production coordinator production@thesil.ca social media coordinator online@thesil.ca special thanks to
Yoohyun Park Jane Lee
Esra Rakab
Cover & Design Esra Rakab, Christina Osadchuk & Andrew Mrozowski
Volume 1, Issue 1, 1930
Volume 70, Issue 1, 1930
Contact Editor-in-Chief (905) 525-9140, ext 22052 Main Office (905) 525-9140, ext 27117 Advertising ccpc@msu.mcmaster.ca MUSC B110 McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4S4
Volume 85, Issue 9, 2014
Volume 91, Issue 4, 2021
Legal Acknowledgement
The Silhouette welcomes letters to the editor in person at MUSC B110, or by email at eic@thesil.ca. Please include name, address and telephone number for verification only. Letters should be 300 words or less. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters and opinion articles. Opinions and editorials expressed in the Silhouette are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the publishers, the McMaster Students Union or the University. The Silhouette is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the McMaster Students Union. The Silhouette Board of Publications acts as an intermediary between the editorial board, the McMaster community and the McMaster Students Union. Grievances regarding the Silhouette may be forwarded in writing to: McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Student Centre, Room 201, L8S 4S4, Attn: The Silhouette Board of Publications. The Board will consider all submissions and make recommendations accordingly.
Land Acknowledgement
McMaster University is located on the traditional territories shared between the Haudenosaunee confederacy and the Anishinabe nations, which was protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum agreement. The “Dish” represents the shared land, while “One Spoon” reinforces the idea of sharing and peace. We are guests on this land and are privledged to be able to work, study and live here. The Silhouette recognizes that this acknowledgement is only a single step towards reconciliation and that a lot of progess still needs to be made. We commit to ensuring Indigenous voices are heard and that their stories be told.
Volunteer with us
Interested in contributing? Scan the QR code, fill out the Google Form and let us know what you want to cover!
@MCMASTERSILHOUETTE /THEMCMASTERSILHOUETTE @THESILHOUETTE /MCMASTERSILHOUETTE
News
S
What you need to know about McMaster’s fall 2021 reopening plan
A run-down on the important details we’ve all been (desperately) waiting for Kathryn O’Melia News Contributor fter much anticipation from its staff and A students, McMaster University has held a university-wide town hall and released a report
detailing its official reopening plan for fall 2021. During the town hall meeting, held on June 17, Susan Tighe, provost and vicepresident (academic), put strong emphasis on McMaster following Public Health Ontario rules and guidelines. Questions for this town hall were submitted online at Back to Mac, McMaster’s new website outlining COVID-19 updates by students and staff. Tighe made it clear that McMaster is planning for multiple scenarios, but is expecting to use a hybrid model for this upcoming semester. They noted that plans will change alongside the pandemic, but is optimistic about returning to prepandemic schooling by winter 2022. Here are the main points that will affect students and their fall 2021 experience. Vaccinations McMaster’s plan depends mostly on the staff and student vaccination rate. Fortunately, out of 16,000 people that answered McMaster’s survey on intent/status of vaccination, 94% said they planned to be vaccinated by the fall semester. McMaster does not currently require a vaccinated status to be on campus, following PHO guidelines as promised. Although the Ontario government has not yet decided to issue proof-of-vaccination cards, health experts are starting to discuss possibilities of vaccination “passports”. In Manitoba, immunization cards for those who are fully vaccinated are already in production. The projected numbers for vaccinated students at McMaster are optimistic, but
The city of Hamilton says that they are working toward the goal of vaccinating 75% of the total eligible adult population by the end of August. the current vaccination percentages of surrounding communities are not as high. The city of Hamilton says that they are working toward the goal of vaccinating 75% of the total eligible adult population by the end of August. Vaccination rates continue to increase as the province gets more COVID-19 are updated regularly and can be found
PHOTO C/O The Silhouette Archives
Campus safety Alongside encouraging students to get vaccinated, McMaster will continue to follow PHO guidelines and improve cleaning procedures. The university has instituted mandatory COVID-19 awareness training, located on MOSAIC, which must be completed prior to returning to campus. Self-screening must also be completed no more than one hour before coming to campus by every student, faculty and staff using Ontario’s COVID-19 self-assessment tool. Extra precautions for welcoming back students includes: disinfecting lecture halls and tutorial rooms every evening, accessible sanitizing wipes in every classroom, increased cleaning in high-touch areas such as bathrooms and updates on ventilation systems to remove fine air particles. Examinations in December 2021 will take place remotely, so students do not have to worry about mandatory testing in crowded spaces. Possible problems Though many questions were answered, the town hall still left uncertainties about the reality of fall 2021. To add onto the questions that remain, there has been criticism of the plan presented. According to the return to McMaster oversight committee report, students thought that accessibility features should remain in this upcoming semester, but university guidelines cite that professors are encouraged, not required, to record in-person lectures. What professors choose to upload for an in-person class will be up to them. The town hall has addressed this issue by suggesting students take in-person classes during Winter 2022 if they are uncomfortable doing so in the fall semester.
What professors choose to upload for an in-person class will be up to them. Another disjointed point in their response notes that, though MSU clubs will remain online for the duration of the fall semester, fall intramural such as soccer and rugby will resume in-person. What to look forward to Although fall 2021 may not be what some hoped for, there is good news from this past town hall. McMaster will be creating new outdoor study spaces that include picnic tables, muskoka chairs and tents to get out of the heat. Classes will be uploaded to Avenue2Learn in August instead of the usual September time, giving students more time to prepare for any new on-campus adjustments. 11 out of 18 food outlets, the David Braley Rehabilitation Center and the Pulse will be open to students. McMaster’s reopening plan is a strong sign that the university is taking steps towards giving students the most safe experience they can provide. Though integrating online and inperson classes is a work in progress, changing PHO guidelines may allow for a smooth return to a full pre-pandemic semester and that is something we are all looking forward to. Due to the province entering stage 3 of it’s reopening plan, McMaster is expecting an expedited return to campus. More information should be available in the coming weeks.
The Silhouette | 3
Return to McMaster proposal sheds light on fall term
Due to COVID-19, McMaster’s oversight committee makes recommendations on the fall and winter semesters Elisa Do News Editor
March 2020, McMaster University has Srisingince halted regular in-person classes due to the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now,
more than a year later, as the Ontario government rolls out vaccinations across the province, the school has also begun plans to resume on-campus activities. In February, McMaster announced the formation of the Return to McMaster group. The group is composed of multiple committees, each tackling a separate focus for a potential return to campus in the fall semester. This includes the oversight committee, which has been tasked with guiding the other committees through development of strategic plans and principles. Three months later, the oversight committee released a final report with recommendations on how a possible return to campus in the fall may look like. The report states that in communicating with Hamilton Public Health, the university has been advised to keep safety measures in place. This includes protocols such as mandatory masking indoors and social distancing of at least two meters between people. “Though we know that some Public Health measures will likely remain into the fall, we are planning with steadily increasing optimism that we will be able to come together for safe, high-impact and exciting experiences on our beautiful campus,” wrote Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Susan Tighe.
“Though we know that some Public Health measures will likely remain into the fall, we are planning with steadily increasing optimism that we will be able to come together for safe, high-impact and exciting experiences on our beautiful campus.” Susan Tighe
Provost and Vice-President (Academic) On June 17, the university held a student town hall meeting to answer questions submitted by students. University leaders addressed topics such as the COVID-19 safety measures that will be in place, what class would look like in the fall, student services availability and
PHOTO C/O Bobby Hristova, CBC News
potential plans for the winter semester. The university stated that they aim to have as many safe in-person classes as possible. However, virtual options are not being made readily available for students who do not want to attend in-person components. “If you are not able to attend any in-person components, it is recommended that you register in another course that is offered virtually or online. If the in-person course is a degree requirement where you have no other course options, please contact your Associate Dean’s/ Program Office where you may request consideration based upon extenuating circumstances,” the university wrote in their announcement. Majority of student services such as athletics and recreation, hospitality and residence will be open for the fall. However, residences are to be open with limited eligibility to first-year undergraduate students only. Most rooms will be double occupancy rooms and various public health guidelines will be required. This includes wearing masks in all public residence spaces, social distancing and limits on group gathering size. While residence protocols and public health guidance will be implemented, one of the most important factors is the level of vaccinations for students within the residence system and we strongly encourage that at a minimum student receive their first COVID-19 vaccination at least 14 days before moving in,” said Kevin Beatty, director of housing and conference services. Although vaccinations are being en-
4 | N E W S www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
couraged, the university has decided to not mandate vaccinations. Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Sean Van Koughnett, told Global News that the university believes mandatory vaccinations are not necessary. Instead, to require vaccinations would cause a heavy burden on administration throughout the process of trying to track who’s vaccinated. “If you’re not mandating it and have 75 to potentially 80 per cent, who knows, of the student population vaccinated, you’re not going to have large outbreaks. You may have the odd illness,” said Van Koughnet. This decision was made unlike those of other universities in Ontario, including University of Toronto and Western University. Both universities have settled on requiring students in residence to have at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Current plans for the winter semester at McMaster are to bring back in-person classes at the same capacity as before the pandemic, but plans will continue to shift while following public health guidelines. As of publication, all Ontarians aged 18 and over who have received their first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine will be eligible to book their second dose appointment. Incoming international students can also receive the vaccine for free under their University Health Insurance Plan coverage.
S
CONTRIBUTE AN ARTICLE TO THE SILHOUETTE To volunteer, scan QR code or email eic@thesil.ca The Silhouette | 5
Graduating class of 2021 disappointed with convocation After an online convocation, many graduates are disappointed with the lack of effort displayed by the university Melissa Speagle News Contributor e asked four graduates to share their W honest thoughts on this year’s virtual ceremony and reflect on their time at McMaster
University. This is what they said. Devon Lewis, a recent graduate of the honours cognitive science of language program, said “It was honestly really disappointing. Considering a virtual graduation was expected and Mac had a full year to figure something awesome out for this year’s grads, it really felt like a slap in the face after [four] years of hard work!” Lewis felt that more effort could have been put into the convocation. “The credit-style names, some of which were incorrectly spelt, the separated valedictorian speeches and the lack of faculty member participation was upsetting. It’s hard not to compare ourselves to other schools when we see our friends getting beautiful, complimentary grad packages and thoughtful, personalized ceremonies.” Jake McNairn, who graduated from honours biochemistry, shared similar frustrations. He added how discouraging it was to only see student’s names instead of photos and their completed degree name. Julianna Marfisi, an honours kinesiology graduate, used the words “anticlimactic” and “impersonal” to describe the event, which was a common feeling for all interviewees. “It lacked a sufficient sense of acknowledgement of the fact that we missed out on over 25% of university as we know it and the celebration proved to be another thing we missed out on.” Annie Brewster, who graduated from McMaster’s nursing program also expressed her thoughts. “I feel fortunate to have been able to participate in our individual pinning ceremony which was organized by the school of nursing’s level 4 representatives.” Although she acknowledged the increased intimacy of such an event, she related that the video had to be paused multiple times due to technical difficulties. When asked how McMaster might improve future virtual ceremonies, both Lewis and Marfisi felt that they could use a personalized touch. Lewis suggested announcing names and degrees, or providing a small graduation gift to recognize students. Meanwhile, Marfisi had a few different ideas: “Separating the celebration by program would allow sufficient time to show pictures of the graduates, maybe a personal quote and allow each graduate to feel a sense of comfort and pride in seeing the familiar faces of their often tight-knit programs.” Although mutually disappointed with the ceremony, the four graduates each had positive things to say about their years at McMaster. After being asked to describe her favourite memory or takeaway, Lewis narrowed it down to her four years spent with the Mac Dance team.
“Being able to build up the program, plan and create showcases and make lifelong friends along the way was definitely what kept me going! If I can offer any advice to Mac students, it’s to get involved in any team or club that interests you!” McNairn responded that he will remember his late night study sessions in the basement of the arts quad and looking for empty lecture halls after the libraries closed for the night. When asked whether she had encouraging words for the class of 2022 students, Brewster shared some advice. “I urge you to take a step back and appreciate all the opportunities that you have had. As this next year approaches I’m sure the opportunity to be on campus will come again and I hope everyone takes advantage of its beauty.” In looking toward next year’s convocation, McNairn encouraged students to advocate for more effort from McMaster in celebrating its students. “You deserve acknowledgement and appreciation and your families deserve to see you walk on stage and truly complete your degree. Anything could be possible in a year’s time — with diligence and planning, it could look quite similar to pre-pandemic ceremonies.”
6 | N E W S www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
S
McMaster Hillel and SPHR McMaster debate MSU stance on BDS At the June 13 SRA meeting, Hillel and SPHR debated whether to pass an upcoming motion reaffirming the MSU’s support for the BDS movement
PHOTO C/O The Silhouette Archives
Amarah Hasham-Steele News Reporter n June 13, McMaster Hillel and Solidarity O for Palestinian Human Rights at McMaster attended an Student Representative Assembly
meeting to discuss the McMaster Students Union’s official stance on the boycott divestment sanctions movement. SPHR McMaster spoke out in support of BDS, advocating in favour of the upcoming SRA motion to reaffirm the MSU’s support for BDS. According to the SPHR Facebook page, “SPHR is a non-profit, student-based organization that advocates on a strong social justice platform to uphold the rights of the Palestinian people in the face of human rights violations and all forms of racism, discrimination, misinformation and misrepresentation.” McMaster Hillel, which describes itself as “a pluralistic and dynamic organization that empowers Jewish students to curate Jewish life on campus,” spoke out against the motion. The MSU first passed a motion to support BDS in 2015 with 622 students voting in favour of the motion and 28 voting against it. Since the passing of this motion, BDS has been the official stance of the MSU. However, on May 19, the MSU released a statement declaring their intent to open a debate within the SRA regarding the continued support of BDS. A second statement was released on May 20, stating that the MSU board of directors intends to ask the SRA to reaffirm their commitment to BDS.
Founded in 2005, BDS advocates for boycotts, divestment and sanctions in order to put pressure on the Israeli government to “[end] its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands,” states the website. BDS identifies itself as “a Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality.” “It’s a movement to hold Israel accountable because, currently, there’s no external body actually enforcing consequences for Israel’s violation of international law. So it’s really Palestinians’ only option for freedom at this point,” said Nada Alamad, co-president of SPHR McMaster. As Sarah Elkayed, co-president of SPHR McMaster, explained members of the SPHR believe that the MSU could be doing more for BDS. “Passing BDS in 2015 was a great first step . . . BDS goes a lot further than just boycotting a few companies,” she said. In their open letter to the SRA, SPHR called on the students union to vote in favour of the upcoming motion to reaffirm their support for BDS, but they also called on the MSU to take further steps. These include: putting forth a public statement about what the MSU has done thus far, plans to implement the 2015 BDS motion and publicizing on the MSU website and social media that BDS is the official stance of the MSU. “We just don’t want to support companies that violate human rights or that support the violation of human rights,” said Elkayed. In their presentation to the SRA, McMaster Hillel put forth a different perspective. Members of McMaster Hillel highlighted in their
presentation that BDS motions at universities often lead to Jewish students feeling socially isolated, intimidated, or unwelcome. They expressed that McMaster’s continued support for BDS would lead to an increase in anti-Semitism. “Unfortunately, anti-Semitism is already prevalent at McMaster with Jewish students being targeted online and harassed by their peers, with social media posts making derogatory comments about Jews and with bathrooms being vandalized with swastikas,” McMaster Hillel said in their email statement to the Silhouette. In McMaster Hillel’s presentation to the SRA, members of the organization highlighted multiple instances of anti-Semitism at McMaster wherein the perpetrators claimed that they were only critical of Israel. According to McMaster Hillel’s email statement, the passing of BDS resolutions often leads to increased antisemitism on university campuses. “The boycott, divestment, and sanctions campaign is antithetical to peace, serves only to drive a further wedge between Israelis and Palestinians and has very little impact on Israel’s policy or economy,” said McMaster Hillel, in an email statement to the Silhouette. The motion to reaffirm the MSU’s position on BDS will be voted on by the SRA in July.
The Silhouette | 7
McMaster appoints f irst transgender department chair to PNB Sit down with Mel Rutherford to discuss his journey and plans for 2021-2022 Andrew Mrozowski Editor-in-Chief n June 24, the department of Psychology, O Neuroscience and Behaviour at McMaster University internally announced that professor Mel Rutherford would be stepping into the position of department chair. This is a monumental decision, as Rutherford is now the first transgender department in McMaster history. “I’m really hoping that some students will find it useful to see a role model and to know that a transgender person can chair a department,” said Rutherford.
“I’m really hoping that some students will find it useful to see a role model and to know that a transgender person can chair a department.” Mel Rutherford
Chair, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour Rutherford began his teaching career at McMaster in July of 2002. The following year, in June 2003, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld a lower court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage in the province. “The existing common law definition of marriage violates the couple’s equality rights on the basis of sexual orientation under [the charter],” wrote the judge who presided over the case. Rutherford got married in August 2003 with many of his colleagues from the PNB department in attendance. “We immediately began planning our wedding once that decision came. [W]e invited the faculty and the staff of the psychology department to our wedding. Of course, for most people who were there, that was the first same-sex wedding they’d ever been to. I wore a tuxedo and my father was my best man,” said Rutherford. While this seemed like a win for the professor, there were still many trials ahead. Quite literally, Rutherford took the province of Ontario to court. The Rutherfords decided to have a baby using donor sperm; however, prior to this case, only one parent in a same-sex relationship was able to put their last name on a birth certificate. The other would have to adopt the child after birth. In Rutherford v. Ontario, Rutherford made the case that this violated section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as it was discriminatory against an individual’s gender and sexual orientation. The judge ruled in favour of Rutherford stating that heterosexual 8 | F E AT U R E S
parents using reproductive assistance are able to have both last names on a birth certificate, therefore by comparison, the law should extend to homosexual couples. “It was a precedent setting case and because of that case, same-sex couples who have a baby using donor sperm can put their names on the birth certificate without one of them having to adopt the baby,” said Rutherford.
“It was a precedent setting case and because of that case, same-sex couples who have a baby using donor sperm can put their names on the birth certificate without one of them having to adopt the baby.” In 2008, Rutherford took a year-long research leave. It was this time away from campus, that enabled him to fully transition. Midway through his leave, he emailed the faculty of PNB and told them he would now be going by he/him pronouns. Rutherford also took time to visit campus and tell both his graduate students and the chair of the department about his transition. “Everyone was very supportive and when I got back to town in June, people were using my new pronouns . . . they were my friends before I transitioned and they were my friends after I transitioned. For me, my experience of transitioning at McMaster was really smooth,” said Rutherford.
“[T]hey were my friends before I transitioned and they were my friends after I transitioned. For me, my experience of transitioning at McMaster was really smooth.” As of July 1, Rutherford has assumed the role of department chair for the Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour. Much of his focus outside of his duties will be geared towards having conversations to improve queer visibility on campus. In the past, the professor has played an active role in queer activism on campus. On November 2018, Rutherford led a discussion during the Women and Gender Equity Network’s Trans(forming) Mac week. The event hosted workshops and talks with a focus on transgender visibility. It also provided many resources for trans folks to better navigate in academia and campus life. Rutherford’s spoke
www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
towards how he navigated academia as a trans person. In February 2019, Rutherford was selected to be the McMaster Women in Science and Engineering’s mentor of the month. The professor was able to give a talk called “Queer-in’ Academia” centred around how his career and personal life have intersected, giving tips along the way for folks who might find themselves in similar situations. Although Canada has recently improved their vaccination rates, many Pride festivities that would typically occur during the month of June took place virtually this year. Not only this, but many queer events in Hamilton that would normally occur have been cancelled due to social distancing guidelines. “It’s hard because Pride is a celebration and Pride is a community building event. Community building is really difficult on a Zoom call . . . I think the whole pandemic and remote interaction was kind of a reset [for the queer community]. So I think as we’re opening up, we’re going to find out what it’s like to be queer in Hamilton all over again,” said Rutherford. Much criticism of the 2SLGBTQIA states that while there has been a noticeable uptick in acceptance for the community, there is still a large discrepancy in acceptance for cisgender versus transgender individuals. Studies have found that racialized trans and non-binary folks are at a higher risk for harassment. Rutherford recalled queer history before the Stonewall Riots, a landmark protest led by Black, trans women and spoke to this divide. “One thing to notice is that trans and gender-queer people have long been a big part of the queer community. Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, for example, will be remembered with a monument, the Stonewall National Monument, for the role they played in the Stonewall Riots that are widely recognized as the beginning of the contemporary queer civil rights movement. It was the attempted arrest of two drag queens that triggered the Cooper Do-nuts Riot ten years before Stonewall. At the time it was illegal to appear in public wearing clothing that didn’t match the gender listed on your ID. I think some amount of exploration with gender presentation has been a part of queer culture for a very long time,” explained Rutherford. When asked if he had any advice to give to sudents struggling with their sexuality, Rutherford had this to say: “I really believe that it gets better. The more you reach into the community and feel comfortable with the community . . . I just think it gets better.”
“I really believe that it gets better. The more you reach into the community and feel comfortable with the community . . . I just think it gets better.”
S
‘
PHOTOS C/O Mel Rutherford & Office of the Registrar
The Silhouette | 9
The McMaster Students Union
PRESIDENT’S PAGE
DENVER DELLA-VEDOVA President president@msu.mcmaster.ca 905.525.9140 x23885
Welcome back Mac, and happy Pride! Given the reality of how disconnected our campus has become, and given our ongoing inability to share in the beautiful space that is McMaster University, this may be the first time I have been able to reach you. I want to begin by thanking students for everything they have done thus far, as we continue to forge a community, despite the persistence of a global pandemic. I will be the first person to say I struggled this past year as a student, working exclusively in an online
msu_mcmaster msumcmaster.ca text “MSU” to 71441
environment. I know I am not alone in saying so. Those feelings of isolation, detachment, and confusion were a large part of why I wanted to be the MSU President. I felt compelled to help and support students as we return to campus. I have spent my first few weeks working with stakeholders in the University on ways to safely return to campus this fall. Frankly, this is my number one priority at the moment. I know the big question for everyone right now is, what is going on in September? The truth is there are some things we know, but unknowns remain, and still even more that has yet to be communicated to students. What I and other student advocates have been doing is to try and resolve the disparities and highlight the major concerns of students to the Administration. I continue to hold talks with folks from the institution to express what it is that concerns students. Moreover, my advice to the University remains consistent; give students more informa-
The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the Board of Directors of the McMaster Students Union (MSU) to communicate with the student body. It functions to highlight the Board’s projects, goals, and agenda for the year, as well as the general happenings of the MSU.
tion and do it quickly. The return to campus is a major logistical issue of course, so advocates have broken it down into subsections, (such as academics vs. student life). This strategy should help my decision-making colleagues to better communicate specific key points. I expect we will hear major updates soon, likely by early to mid-July, particularly in relation to the academic side of things relative to the winter term (which begins in January 2022). As well, I expect we will see clearer expectations for students around the in-person components of the fall semester, such as final commitments on room assignments, libraries, and study spaces on campus. There are still big question marks amongst the many non-academic issues to navigate, though I am reminding administrators that students need clarity and guidance as to the use of common spaces, meeting spaces, as well as recreation & athletic facilities. In fairness to McMaster, I
DENVER DELLA-VEDOVA President
8 |10 F| EPAT E SE N T ’S www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, 20, 2021 | July Tuesday, July 20, 2021 R EUSRI D PAG E www.thesil.ca
CHRISTINA DEVARAPALLI Vice-President (Adminstration)
believe it is a solid approach to focus on hybrid model of learning, as tens of thousands of students transition back to campus. I commend the University for putting in the extra effort it takes to tackle so many of these case-by-case nuances. Simultaneously, I have been direct in expressing students’ confusion surrounding the fall semester, as other schools have made commitments based on blanket cutoff numbers for class enrollment. If you have specific questions about the return to campus, and you haven’t found the answer in the Back to Mac town halls (covid19.mcmaster. ca), I encourage you to email me or your respective SRA representative so we can add your voice amongst the many students on behalf of whom the MSU will continue to seek answers.
SIOBHAN TEEL Vice-President (Education)
JEGANIYAH (JJ) JAYACHANDRAN
Vice-President (Finance)
S
Editorial
Our stance on Canada Day 2021
It’s time to recognize what we’ve done and stop celebrating genocide
PHOTO C/O Creeson Agecoutay, CTV News
Andrew Mrozowski Editor-in-Chief cw: indigenous inequalities, genocide, residential schools The Silhouette encourages both the McMaster University and Hamilton communities not to partake in Canada Day celebrations. Take the time to reflect on not only the recent news about the countless graves found at residential schools across the country, but also the inequalities that Indigenous peoples face each and every day. “McMaster University stands on land protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum agreement. Wampum belts are beads bound onto strings which narrate Haudenosaunee history, tradition and laws. The “Dish With One Spoon” wampum was created to bind the nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy to the Great Law of Peace. The “Dish” represents the shared land, while “One Spoon” reinforces the idea of sharing and peace.” This is the land acknowledgement said at the start of every McMaster function. While this is a start, this is not enough on the path to reconciliation or the path to trust. There is no pride in genocide and we
will not stand by and continue to watch these inequalities surface.
“There is no pride in genocide and we will not stand by and continue to watch these inequalities surface.” While we made a commitment last year to continue our work to uplift BIPOC voices, we have noticed that our articles lack Indigenous voices. The Silhouette is a platform for students to share their voice to other students and the McMaster/Hamilton communities. If we do not represent all students, we are not meeting our mandate nor our goal. As part of Volume 92, we want to ensure we‘re providing space for Indigenous students and faculty members to share their input on issues, to share their stance on university affairs, but most importantly, to share their stories. This will not be exclusive to Volume 92 and will be a commitment renewed every year with each Editor-in-Chief, masthead staff member and volunteer contributor. With this commitment, we will also creating our first Indigenous stories
special issue this year. This will become an annual celebration of Indigenous stories, a critical lens of Indigenous issues, a place to showcase artwork and most importantly — to shed light on the voices that comprise a large part of our community. We recognize that not all students reside in the Hamilton area. To find out whose land you currently occupy, go to https://www. whose.land/en/. We also understand that many conversations currently being had within non-Indigenous communities have the potential to be traumatic. A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for residential school survivors and others affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-441. The Indigenous Studies Program at McMaster has many resources for Indigenous students including an Indigenous Student Success Advisor, Writing workshops and various Elder talks: https://indigservices.mcmaster.ca/
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 11
Opinion Zionism at McMaster
What does the MSU’s support of a pro-Israel club mean for Palestinian students? Catherine Reid Opinions Contributor cw: Zionism, anti-Palestine, genocide cMaster Students Union President, Denver M Della-Vedova, recently released a video on Instagram talking about his unequivocal
support for the people of Palestine and the MSU’s continued recognition of the boycott, divestments and sanctions movement. However, it is my opinion that while McMaster Hillel is allowed to exist on campus in its current form, the MSU’s statement is nothing more than a spineless attempt to placate Palestinian students and their allies. McMaster Hillel is not just “the Jewish club” at McMaster. Its explicitly pro-Israel agenda began to formally take shape in 1988, when Richard Joel became president of Hillel International. Since then, Hillel has taken a number of steps to affirm its pro-Israel stance, including formulating the Standards of Partnership within the Hillel Israel Guidelines in 2010. “Hillel will not partner with, house, or host organizations, groups, or speakers that . . . [d] eny the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish and democratic state with secure and recognized borders’’ or that “[d]elegitimize, demonize, or apply a double standard to Israel.’’ Hillel International’s previous President and CEO Eric Fingerhut said that it was not acceptable to host certain speakers under the Hillel banner. “Anti-Zionists will not be permitted to speak using the Hillel name or under the Hillel roof, under any circumstances,” said Fingerhut. Hillel firmly stands against BDS, and in the past has proudly made use of the phrase, “Wherever we stand, we stand with Israel.’’ They are also a major partner of the Birthright Israel program. McMaster Hillel gives no illusion of being any less pro-Israel than Hillel International. Their recent statement on Instagram in response to the aforementioned video from the MSU president condemned it as “inflammatory rhetoric”. Their initial statement on the recent Gaza bombings by Israel stated that they were “closely monitoring the very troubling developments in Israel and thinking about all those affected in the region,” with no mention of Palestinians. Their programming also adheres to a pro-Israel agenda; less than a month after Israel killed over 250 Palestinians in May 2021, they hosted Zionist speaker Noa Tishby in collaboration with one of their pro-Israel partners, United Jewish Appeal. Hillel has hosted numerous other events celebrating Israel in MUSC, and even has an official “Israel chair” executive position. The resources page on their website promotes MASA and Onward Israel, organizations supporting students who wish to study and work in Israel. In 2019, McMaster Hillel was one of four 12 | O P I N I O N
PHOTO C/O The Silhouette Archives
Hillel chapters in Ontario to receive a $1 million dollar fund from the Gerald Schwartz and Heather Reisman foundation to fight antisemitism, including hateful BDS initiatives. More recently, at the Student Representative Assembly meeting on June 13, 2021, Hillel demonized BDS and advocated for the MSU not to reaffirm its commitment to BDS principles. Hillel brands itself as the home for Jewish life on campus” but by operating in accordance with Zionist ideology, leaves little to no space for anti-Zionist Jewish students at McMaster.
Hillel brands itself as the home for Jewish life on campus” but by operating in accordance with Zionist ideology, leaves little to no space for anti-Zionist Jewish students at McMaster. Much like Canada and the United States, Israel was founded on the colonization of Indigenous peoples — and this colonization is ongoing to this day. Zionism, the modern movement for the establishment and support of a Jewish state on Palestinian land, is a recent ethnonationalist ideology. In my opinion, it is
www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
nothing more than discrimination strategically cloaked as religious doctrine to avoid criticism; analogous to right-wing Christians’ assertions that homophobia is mandated by the Bible. Prominent Jewish academics including Judith Butler, Norman Finkelstein, Noam Chomsky, Gabor Maté, and Ilan Pappé have fiercely criticized modern Zionism and Israel itself, pointing out the harmful ramifications of Zionism for both indigenous Palestinian lives and Judaism. While Zionist justifications often operate from a place of theory, anti-Zionism is founded upon opposing what Zionism has proven itself to be. Justifications for Zionism that attempt to separate the establishment of a Jewish state from its material effects on the Indigenous people of Palestine — namely violence, ethnic cleansing, and displacement — are at best willfully ignorant, and at worst, purposely dishonest. Israel currently has 65 laws discriminating against Palestinians and has committed the crime of apartheid, all while brazenly violating international law with the ongoing blockade of Gaza and settlement projects in the West Bank. This is what McMaster Hillel legitimizes when propagating Zionism on campus, retraumatizing Palestinian students by acting as a propaganda mouthpiece for the state responsible for their suffering.
S
The role of social media activism in the current struggle for Palestinian liberation In light of the ethnic cleansing and violent dispossession of Palestinians, the need for reshares and reposts has never been more apparent Shehla Choudhary Opinions Contributor This article has been reduced for print. Read the full version at www.thesil.ca cw: genocide, ethnic cleansing, violence media activism, commonly exercised Sonocial through retweets on Twitter and story posts Instagram, has gained traction throughout
the past year. Sparked by the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020, it has exponentially contributed to the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement, but has also been met with criticism. Social media activism brings with it concerns of “slacktivism,” otherwise known as performative activism, in which individuals share posts simply to appease followers, without taking any substantial actions to further the cause. While performative activism can be hurtful, as exemplified by worries of drowning informative posts under the BLM hashtag on #BlackoutTuesday, refraining from posting due to the fear of being perceived as “hopping on the bandwagon” is also deeply hindering. There is no denying the significance of material contributions. However, in the context of the current movement for Palestine, productive social media exposure is just as, if not more, important. What the Palestinian cause needs most at the moment is the sharing of infographics, videos and interviews that have led to conversations and protests, while directing the international gaze and scrutiny to Israel’s actions. Palestinians have long argued that Western media consistently fails to accurately represent the ongoing apartheid inflicted upon Palestinians. Mainstream media’s misrepresentation of events paints the aforementioned issue as a conflict, a clash and a war. These words carry the implication of two equal parties engaged in an armed fight, avoiding the reality of state-sponsored Israeli militia with police officers occupying and attacking civilian men, women and children. This veiled journalism is not surprising, considering the strong allyship of North American countries with Israel. Examples can be seen through examining Canadian-Israeli arms sales and the $3.8 billion dollars of yearly military aid that the United States provides Israel. Portrayal of events in Palestine in Western media usually carries a one-sided and biased perspective. The coverage from Palestinians amounts to cell phone coverage of protests, bombings and police inflicted violence. In addition to social media posts by not only journalists and activists, the West also sees regular civilians currently enduring settler colonialism and ethnic cleansing. By resharing these posts and raising further awareness, social media has drawn attention to Palestinian activists such as Mohammed El-Kurd. El-Kurd has since been invited for inter-
PHOTO C/O Latrach Med Jamil, Unsplash
views by many mainstream news organizations and successfully addressed their biases while providing an accurate picture of the situation in Sheikh Jarrah. Further illustrating the relevance of social media activism to this cause is Israel’s targeting of towers housing media offices in Gaza. Israel justifies its attacks on civilian residential buildings, hospitals and COVID-19 testing labs by citing alleged Hamas presence, often without providing evidence to back these claims. The demolition of the al-Jalaa tower and the al-Awqaf building, hosting multiple media offices, is yet another attempt to suppress Palestinian voices. These attacks, which many have urged the International Criminal Court to investigate as war crimes, are undoubtedly instigated by Israel’s failure to control the narrative due to overwhelming Palestinian support online. In light of these attacks, our responsibility to ensure that the voices of the oppressed are continued to be amplified through our social media platforms becomes increasingly evident. The issue of Palestinian apartheid, which has long been painted as historically intricate and irrelevant to a regular citizen in the West, has now become reframed as a human rights issue relevant to everyone. Infographics taking over Instagram and videos shared on Tiktok have allowed accessibility to content that clarifies Israel’s tactics to shut down these conversations, such as incorrectly equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism and using pinkwashing to dehumanize Palestinian victims. Consequently, these conversations have revealed the prevalence of Zionism in our social circles and opened the doors to debate that illustrates the problematic nature of taking a neutral stance. Remaining uneducated, ignorant and silent despite available and plentiful information, or using nonspecific language while refusing to condemn Israel is choosing
the side of the oppressor. This shift in public perspective regarding the urgency of this matter has empowered people to ask questions. I have personally had multiple conversations with McMaster students hoping to learn more as a result of content shared to my social profiles. This exemplifies that resharing posts is not a passive display, but a medium for reaffirming true allyship. The impact of social media pressure in this struggle for liberation has already been witnessed: due to public scrutiny, Israel’s Supreme Court proceedings for the Sheikh Jarrah evictions have been postponed. Under the pressure of worldwide protests organized through social media outlets, various government officials, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, called for a ceasefire. However, the movement has not yet accomplished its goals. Despite agreeing to a ceasefire on May 21, Israeli forces continued with violent attacks on worshippers at Al Aqsa mosque in east Jerusalem. The ceasefire does not end the blockade of Gaza or the siege of Sheikh Jarrah. The ceasefire does not end the illegal Israeli occupation and settlements on land internationally recognized as Palestinian territory. The ceasefire does not end the displacements of individuals who can trace their entire lineage to Palestinian land. The ceasefire does not end the demolition and stealing of ancestral homes. The ceasefire does not end the decades-long apartheid. The need for continued social media activism, reshares and reposts, within the McMaster community and beyond, has never been more apparent. As of Wednesday, June 16, the ceasefire has been broken and Israel has launched airstrikes in the Gaza strip.
T h e S i l h o u e t t e |13
Navigating respectfully around 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples The queer people in your life are not tokens, nor objects of curiosity Novera Shenin Features Reporter cw: mentions of homophobia, transphobia and insensitive comments against 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples. This article has been reduced for print. Read the full piece, visit www.thesil.ca a BIPOC individual who also identifies Btheeing as bisexual, I discovered quickly enough that rainbow laden solidarity I see plastered all
over social media from various people I know during the month of June is not necessarily representative of informed attitudes in real life. The ultimatum I often see presented for myself and my queer friends is that either we explain our identity with detail, or risk being invalidated as “snowflakes” for the duration of our interactions with somebody. I wish for readers to understand that while it may seem queer folx appear eager to answer your questions, just understand the power imbalance which is created when the very first thing you ponder is the validity of their identity. You are questioning their integrity as a person. Is it not odd that we immediately find ourselves curious about the most private, the most intimate aspects of a queer person’s identity which likely took years to figure out, grapple with and make peace with? Do we not recognize that the repeated questions we pose under the guise of
being friendly and curious regarding a queer person’s identity is usually the first step towards the violence queer people are statistically likely to encounter?
Is it not odd that we immediately find ourselves curious about the most private, the most intimate aspects of a queer person’s identity which likely took years to figure out, grapple with and make peace with? The risk that nagging questions pose to a queer person’s safety is not one to underestimate. If we make a person’s identity the central focus in our perception of them, we are more likely to bring up somebody’s identity in discussion when it is unsafe and unwarranted to do so. Nobody’s identity is a topic of rhetorical debate, nor a topic of conversation in a group setting. The only place a queer person’s identity is explained or discussed is if and only if that person initiates the conversation themselves. If the person is clearly comfortable, consenting and in a safe place, they are more likely to have that talk with you. If your queer friend trusts you enough to share their identity with
you, cherish this position of trust and abide by it always. It is also important to remember that some queer identities may be fluid. It is our responsibility to respect, validate and not question a queer person’s fluidity. If you are truly sincere in your efforts to self-educate on how to become an effective ally, learn about the hierarchies of privilege and how you can best support the queer people in your life, there are countless resources on campus to use. MSU Pride Community Center, MSU Women, Gender and Equity Network and the Student Wellness Center would be more than happy to help you with your questions. Perhaps most of all, we need to treat the queer people we encounter as full, normal people who are an amalgamation of the experiences they have had as an individual. Being conscious of your words and courteous of a queer person’s privacy is not the same as treating queer folx in a manner where we create a space for their queerness to become an obstacle against social normalcy. We can be mindful of our own actions, mindful of queer topics and still manage to have fulfilling and completely normal interactions with queer folx simultaneously. I understand that Pride may be confusing and overwhelming for anybody, straight or otherwise, but our kindness and willingness to be empathetic towards the world around us goes a long way in continuing to develop a more equitable campus and society for us all.
Hamilton must increase support to the queer folks While Hamilton has made a step, much more progress is needed Diya Ahmad Opinions Editor t time of publication, Hamilton Police SerA vices expanded the role of their two spirit and 2SLGBTQIA+ liaison officer to a full-time
position. “The community told us the two spirit and [2SLGBTQIA+] officer needed to be a fulltime position and we listened,” said Sergeant Rebecca Moran, the assigned liaison officer. However, this step in the right direction doesn’t exactly erase how HPS has historically mishandled the concerns of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. During the 2019 Hamilton Pride festival, violent protestors became violent against festival attendees. These protestors brandished homophobic signage, yelled insults and soon became physically violent. Despite these actions, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community expressed that the police officers present did not take action immediately. I’d recommend you take their word for it but if you’re still skeptical, a $600,000 independent review drew the same conclusions. For the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, the seeds of mistrust in the HPS have already been planted. When publicly funded “social defenders”
14 | O P I N I O N
refuse to act against violence, the community receives a message of unacceptance and ignorance. The need for the independent review has also been refuted by multiple community members. If the HPS is willing to assign a full-time liaison officer to listen to these voices, why were they not listened to in the first place? This perspective was echoed by Pride Hamilton’s human rights tribunal complaint against the HPS in 2020. This complaint asked for $600,000 to support 2SLGBTQIA+ initiatives — the exact amount of money spent on an unnecessary independent review. To be blunt, if the concerns of a people are only taken seriously once verified by a wealthy and established lawyer, then no real steps are actually being taken to ensure safety and acceptance. 2SLGBTQIA+ folks are being told that their voices on issues that directly affect them carry less credibility than someone who has never shared their experiences. It’s unnervingly ironic that the rationale for this new full-time liaison officer is to better listen to affected voices, when there’s no proof that HPS has ever done so before. The unfortunate reality is that the 2SLGBTQIA+ community has more than enough reason to feel as if they aren’t accepted. In Brantford, a Pride sidewalk was vandalized
www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
within three days of its unveiling. McMaster University’s own Pride sidewalk was similarly vandalized with white paint in 2018. The narrative that these are isolated incidents is entirely incorrect. If anything, these events are direct evidence of the pervasive discrimination and prejudice that exists against queer folks. When simple symbols of solidarity (such as Pride sidewalks) are desecrated, this violates the rights of the 2SLBTQIA+ community to simply exist and be respected. The violation of these rights is not a phenomenon isolated to Hamilton, but the plethora of discriminatory actions exacerbates the real-time need to step up and defend the Hamilton community. As we move closer towards more in-person events, it’s our collective responsibility to ensure that the 2SLGBTQIA+ community can celebrate their identities without fear of violence. We need to further the tenet of accountability, closely monitoring the promises made by organizations such as the HPS that often turn up empty. Above all, Hamilton’s allyship must remain alive past when discriminatory incidents make their way out of the headlines. Respect isn’t a trend, it’s a necessity.
S
Humans of McMaster: Adam George Palios Andrew Mrozowski Editor-in-Chief The Silhouette: Just to begin, if you could please give a brief introduction of yourself! Adam George Palios: My name is Adam. I am a Hamiltonian [and] I’m an unabashed cheerleader for this city. I went to McMaster [University] myself — I’m a McMaster alumnus. I graduated from the life sciences program with a minor in psychology, neuroscience and behaviour. I always loved people, always loved helping people and found myself in a career in real estate where I’ve been thriving. [It is] not at all where I thought I would find myself — I thought I wanted to be a doctor — but then after finishing my undergrad, didn’t want to go to school for another 12 years. My partner and I, Steven . . . are queer advocates[,] community organizers and leaders here in Hamilton. So I sort of say I’m a realtor by day and a gay party goblin by night.
“So I sort of say I’m a realtor by day and a gay party goblin by night.” What do you think Adam in university would say about where Adam today is? You know what’s so funny? As a Gemini, I love reading my own tweets. I don’t know if that’s the thing that our signs do but I’m a very loud and proud Gemini. I was just looking through some of my drafts and I have a saved tweet that says “If Adam five years ago could look at himself now, I don’t know what he would say”. I meant that in a really positive way. I think if you look at if you had asked Adam 10 years ago where his life would be, I don’t think that he would have guessed where it is right now which is exciting and I think sort of speaks to this idea that you can plan as much as you want, but the best thing that you can do is be prepared. Have a deep understanding of yourself and what you want. Be kind, be honest and be open to the possibility that your life might not look the way that you expect it to and certainly not the way that other people expect it to.
“Be kind, be honest and be open to the possibility that your life might not look the way that you expect it to and certainly not the way that other people expect it to.”
How do you think your time at McMaster shaped where you are or who you are today? Well, full disclosure and you can totally edit this out, I do think that post secondary education is a scam — not so much in Canada maybe. But the idea of forcing an entire generation to believe that they need to get into potentially tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt in order to be successful in a world that has not provided effective, accessible, high paying jobs. By high paying, I mean jobs where you can survive, live in and
“But the idea of forcing an entire generation to believe that they need to get into potentially tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt in order to be successful in a world that has not provided effective, accessible, high paying jobs.” purchase a home and enjoy yourself as prior generations did have accessible to them. So I will full disclosure say that; however, that being said, I do believe that my time at McMaster was beneficial to me. I love the opportunity that I was given to study what I did which changed a lot throughout my tenure at Mac . . . [it was] a place for me to mold and to combine my interests [and] my experience. My knowledge, as well as my goals and what that ended up in was a career in real estate,
but what drove it there was me learning that I have a deep need to do well for myself, to make an impact on the world, to leave the world and people they meet better than how I met them. Essentially, that breaks down to helping people. I always had a really big passion for people, always always really good at people, so to speak . . . what McMaster did allow me to do was sort of explore what those interests were in an environment that’s still offered me a degree that is recognizable while exploring what I wanted to do with my life, with my world and who I wanted to be once I left McMaster. How has COVID-19 affected the House of Adam and Steve? Well, of course, the queer community is not a stranger to a strange virus wreaking havoc and fear on our communities. When the AIDS epidemic hit in the 80s, we very much felt — not that I was there, of course but learning from our elders who did survive that epidemic that doesn’t have the research and openness that I think it deserves — that community becomes more important than ever when times are scary, particularly when it feels like governments don’t care, or that governments aren’t taking the action needed in order to keep people safe. We know it seeing on Twitter, a lot of detractors [have said] “Oh, not one single gay person better complain about Pride being cancelled”. I’ll tell you, we probably weren’t. I don’t know a single queer person that was lamenting the loss of our party and parade because we understand what it means to put aside our own comfort, to make sure that our community stays safe. So while it was very disheartening and we had a lot of momentum
“[W]e understand what it means to put aside our own comfort, to make sure that our community stays safe. going, we never got into the party planning business to make money. We got into it because I don’t think that anyone loves having as much fun as we do. I don’t think that anyone loves Hamilton as much as we do and putting our money where our mouth was, to carve out queer spaces that didn’t really exist in the city, that was really important to us. It sucks, frankly, to not be able to continue doing these events that were so important to us, that were so fun, because fun is very important in a time when simply existing publicly can feel like a radical act . . . I know that we are very, very excited to start getting things going as safely as possible, keeping in mind [COVID] regulations and people’s comfort levels . We feel very grateful that some of the spaces that we relied on like Absinthe, being a open and queer venue, [has] survived because so many other businesses, restaurants and bars have not.
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 15
The new school way for old school radio Jamie Tennant Program Director nce upon a time, people thought campus O radio looked like a bunch of heavy-lidded beret-clad weirdos drinking black coffee in the
basement of the student centre, listening to Norwegian free jazz. Or a bunch of wide-eyed hemp-clad weirdos drinking free trade coffee in the basement of the student centre, screaming into a microphone about equal rights for Siberian dairy farmers. Now, they just scratch their heads and think, radio? What year do you think this is? Well, it’s now. Right now. If you’ve got preconceptions about campus radio, it’s time to set them aside. CFMU is unlike any other radio station in the Hamilton/Wentworth region — and it’s your station, operated by the McMaster Students Union. After four and a half decades, CFMU remains a vital part of alternative media and culture in the Hamilton area. Part of that is radio. Old school radio still has a surprisingly robust fan base – especially when you’re as unique as we are. We’re a voice for the McMaster campus and community, a breeding ground for new talent, and an important independent medium for relating news and new ideas. We spread the word through Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Ancaster, Dundas, Mount Hope, Stoney Creek and beyond. At the same time, all of CFMU’s programming is available as a podcast from cfmu.ca. You can stream or download, on your computer, iPad or phone, up to eight weeks of archives from over 110 different shows. It’s the new school of the old school. Or the old school gone new school? Or . . . ah, you get the idea. The website also provides far more. Call it Radio+, maybe. We publish relevant blogs and videos that keep you entertained and informed. No one in Hamilton’s doing it quite like CFMU.
PHOTO C/O CFMU Archives
When it comes to content, let’s clarify: we’re all for Norwegian free jazz and we’re certainly in favour of equal rights for Siberian dairy farmers. We’re about diversity. You can check out rock, blues, classical, hip-hop, jazz, drum’n’bass, Motown, soul, punk, metal, avant garde/experimental, and any other genre you can imagine or invent. We are committed to Canadian and local talent, discovering the newest music before anyone else can. CFMU is programmed more a TV station in that different shows have different formats. If you’re insanely open-minded, you can listen all day. If you’re insanely picky and only enjoy, say, Japanese ska — well, we’ve got that, too.
PHOTO C/O CFMU Archives
16 | C F M U w w w. c f m u . c a | 9 3 . 3 FM | www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
CFMU also provides spoken word programming on everything from queer issues to urban environmentalism, from labour and social justice issues to gaming news. In the age of multi-national corporate news agencies, alternative news coverage has grown more essential. CFMU is the place where you can hear other points of view on subjects both local and international, and we are completely accessible, entirely independent media. There’s more, too – multicultural shows, Marauder sports coverage, interviews, special events . . . but we’re running out of room here. Just listen. Even better – get involved. CFMU is run primarily by volunteers from the campus and the region. In fact, we are an important bridge between the MSU and the greater Hamilton community. You don’t need radio experience — who the hell has radio experience? – and we’ll train you ourselves. During the pandemic, many of our hosts have opted to record at home, and we can teach you to do that, too. You don’t have to buy expensive microphones or mixing boards, either. The question is this: what do you like? What moves you? What music, ideas, thoughts, information, would you like to share with the world? Anyone can be a volunteer. All you have to do is be willing to fill out the form and go through training. If you have a question, comment or complaint, or want to find out more about volunteer opportunities in radio, get in touch with us. We’re in room B119 of the McMaster University Student Centre and at cfmu.ca. You can grab an application form from the link in the footer of our website. So get involved with CFMU. We’ll see you in the basement – and hear you on the air at 93.3, CFMU.
S
Love E
Celebrating 2SLGBTQIA+ love, activism and identity Andrew Mrozowski Editor-in-Chief ou might have noticed that the Silhouette Y looks a little different this time. On top of doing a major overhaul on how we want to
present our content to you, the reader, we’ve also decided to have each print issue become a “special issue”. A coveted term in the Sil office, we typically reserve these for issues that we think really matter. Last year, we didn’t get a chance to do a
Pride-themed print issue. When I was given the opportunity to get the Volume 92 team together, I knew this was the first task I wanted to undertake. When we released our online Pride issue last year, articles centered around activism in the Hamilton community, how to love yourself and a few articles about drag. This year, while we still have all of the aforementioned subjects, we wanted to add more. We have articles surrounding bi-erasure, the importance of respecting folx in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, artwork and more. If there is anything that COVID-19 has
showed the Hamilton, McMaster and queer communities, is that community matters. You matter. Together we’re unstoppable. But in order to achieve that, we need to understand one another. That’s where this special issue comes in. We hope that you enjoy this labour of love and are able to take something away from it. Whether that’s in the form of learning how to love yourself a little bit more, or perhaps unlearning to make you a better ally to your peers. Thank you to my staff, my wonderful volunteers and most importantly, to you for reading this our annual edition of “Love is Love” .
TABLE OF CONTENTS 8-9 McMaster appoints first transgender department chair to PNB 14 Navigating respectfully around 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples Hamilton must increase support to the queer folks 15 Humans of McMaster: Adam George Palios
17 “Love is Love”
18 PRONOUNS 1AA3 19 The need to put a “label” on sexualities 20 Porch pride bringing community together 21 Woven foundations of the queer community 22 Biphobia? More like, Bye-phobia!
27 Queerness at the frontier of medicine 28 The pendulum of sexual identity 29 All my gay friends are journalists? 30 Karma Kameleon shares lessons from the era of digital drag 31 Kamilla Flores Kameleon lights up Hamilton Pride
23 Biphobia and bi-erasure in media 24-25 “Like a Tiger’s Heart” “5 feet apart” 26 Love isn’t always healthy
Esra Rakab / Production Consultant
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 17
PRONOUNS 1AA3
How to learn and respect other people’s pronouns
PHOTO C/O Children’s Museum Pgh
Fran O’Donnell Pride Contributor lright, so your friend asked you to call them A “they/them” and you don’t know what in the heck they mean by that. Well, look no
further — here’s a handy how-to guide on respecting other people’s identities. This article is based on the assumption that you want to learn how to get better at using pronouns. It is not intended to convince you that you should respect who people are — that’s just common decency. So let’s jump in. How do you know what to call someone? One of the best ways is to offer your own pronouns first. You could include them in your email signature, or say them when you introduce yourself to someone. “Hello,” you might say. “My name is Jackie and my pronouns are she/her.” This lets people know that you’re more likely to be accepting of their own identity. People aren’t obligated to tell you their pronouns, but sharing yours can help others feel more comfortable around you. In English, the most common gender-neutral pronoun is “they”. Singular “they” has been used for hundreds of years to talk about people whose gender we do not know. When you check your Dominos order, it will tell you that the delivery person is on “their” way. However, “they” is not the only alternative to she and he. Some people prefer to use neopronouns — pronouns specifically designed to convey
a specific gender experience in a way that traditional pronouns cannot. Some examples include: xe/xem/xyr, ze/hir/hirs, ey/em/eir and fae/faer/faers. These pronouns are also frequently used in languages where there is not a neutral pronoun like “they”. If someone tells you that they use one of these sets of pronouns and you’re not sure how to pronounce it, just ask! No one’s experience and identification is universal. It’s vital to pay attention and respect how people want to be understood. Gender is a unique experience and it can vary on a person-to-person basis.
Gender is a unique experience and it can vary on a person-to-person basis. Let’s walk through an example. Someone that you know comes out as gender fluid and asks you to use she/they pronouns. They tell you that they are comfortable being called “she” and being called “they”. That’s great! You should alternate between the two: “I was talking to my friend the other day, she said she’s doing well. They’re on their way to school right now.” There will be points where you think to yourself: “I’m doing my best, but I keep making mistakes!” That’s okay. Like with anything, it takes practice to get it right. When you make a mistake, you can take a moment to repeat to yourself the person’s name and the pronouns that they use. You could hang out with a mutual friend and practice together.
18 | P R I D E www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
If you use the wrong pronouns, that’s okay too. You don’t need to feel defensive or make a big deal out of it. Just notice the error, correct yourself and move on with the conversation. If you trip over yourself apologizing, the other person could feel guilty and won’t feel comfortable correcting you in future. It’s also important to be flexible. Identities are not set in stone. Your friend might ask you to use only she/her pronouns, or they/them instead.
It is also important to be flexible. Identities are not set in stone. They might switch the label they use for their identity. The better you get at using the right pronouns, the easier it will be for you to switch. With that being said, different identities are not a phase and it is vital that you remember that. Like any new skill, there’s a learning curve to using the right pronouns. For most people, it’s not something they’re used to. But the more you practice, the easier it gets.
S
The need to put a “label” on sexualities
Not feeling comfortable with a label is as normal as it gets Couper Smith Pride Contributor gay is something I’ve never felt nervous Bknoweing or worried sharing about myself — and I I’m quite fortunate that it has been this
way for me. Although, not that long ago, I would have tried to hide it at all costs. While some would argue that many still feel the need to hide their sexuality, our country has come quite far in recognizing the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Looking back less than 20 years ago when same-sex marriage wasn’t legal in Canada, we have grown to accept both our own and each other’s uniquenesses as an integral part of who we all are. Ironically, I would say that while we have accepted uniquenesses, we have carried with it the same framework of what it means to fit in and be normal. What I mean by this is that the pressure to identify with a label, albeit a social or personal pressure, is always there. Fitting in is human nature and the journey of self-discovery is often made even more difficult because of it. Personally, I have found the hardest parts of my own life have been the times I haven’t had a label that felt right. While I feel confident in my own identity right now, one thing I’ve learned is who I am as a person today is only going to change as I continue to grow. Not feeling comfortable with a label is as normal as it gets.
Not feeling comfortable with a label is as normal as it gets. For those who grew up 50 years ago, being normal meant being straight. If you weren’t straight, this was seen as a crime and was dealt with as such. Due to this mentality imposed by society, it was often very difficult and dangerous to be yourself. Not only was it other people that you had to worry about, but often you would struggle with your own self-worth. Consequently, most of the time you played the role of the normal, straight member of society. As times changed, being gay became more accepted and talked about. “Gay” became a blanket term, enveloping individuals who had never felt comfortable being straight. However, according to the University of California San Francisco’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Centre, the term “gay” only refers to people of the same gender with an attraction to one another. As this new movement started to grow and more and more people took on this new label, it became apparent that this too didn’t feel right to many. New labels started to be used: lesbian, bisexual and transgender. Nowadays, the 2SLGBTIA+ community recognizes and celebrates dozens of identities and will undoubtedly continue to grow. In my own life, finding a label became a very all-consuming task. While I grew up knowing I wasn’t straight, no matter how hard I tried to find an identity that felt right, I never felt complete. I often would spend days at a time in a state of constant doubt, going back and forth as to whether or not I was gay. It was exhausting. On top of this, even though I wanted to
Yoohyun Park / Production Coordinator
share who I was with the world, I felt I couldn’t. How could I share something I wasn’t even sure of myself?
Even though I wanted to share who I was with the world, I felt I couldn’t. How could I share something I wasn’t even sure of myself? Looking back now, it’s interesting to see how much pain was self-inflicted. I saw everyone else around me appearing so confident and sure of themselves and figured I was alone in my struggles. For many years this uncertainty ruled my life. It wasn’t until much later that I finally felt sure enough about my identity to come out. Most of the time I feel quite confident in who I am, but there are still days where I’m not. But that’s okay. I know that at the end of the day, I’m still me. I think not feeling comfortable with a label is something that needs to be talked about more. Oftentimes we forget to talk about our struggles for fear of being judged and we put up a facade that only ends up making everyone else think they are alone in how they feel. The journey of self-discovery is a difficult one
and what makes it even harder is sometimes there isn’t even a right answer to find. Labels, as comforting as they can be, can also cause a great deal of pain when they don’t feel right. Even once you think you have found a label that does feel right, that might not be the case tomorrow. Everything in life changes and learning to be okay with change and uncertainty is the only way to find comfort. This year alone has taught us how fast something as concrete as tomorrow can change. Love yourself and all the uncertainty that you may have because it’s normal. You are normal and perfect and no label can ever change that.
You are normal and perfect and no label can ever change that.
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 19
Porch pride bringing community together
Creative Heart Space Hamilton’s Pride initiative encourages community creativity and connections
PHOTO C/O Abbie Herin, Unsplash
Nisha Gill A&C Editor pandemic has forced us to be creative Twithheabout how we come together and celebrate our communities. Many organizations,
including Hamilton Pride, have moved their events online, making the most of the virtual environment. For many of us, wthis has meant becoming very familiar with our balconies, porches and yards as we hold socially distanced conversations and gatherings with loved ones when we can. Knowing this and inspired by similar events across the world, Cadence Machry, founder of Creative Heart Space Hamilton, launched her Porch Pride initiative. Founded in 2018 and located on Main Street East until September 2020, Creative Heart Space Hamilton is an arts and community centre. Prior to the pandemic, the space hosted many arts nights, classes and workshops and now has shifted focus to community projects, pop up events and the centre’s website and online store. “Right now, Creative Heart Space is in a state of transition where I’m trying to figure out what is next. In September of 2020 we knew there’d be more lockdowns coming and couldn’t justify continuing the overhead costs for another six plus months so I decided to let go of the physical location and move everything online until we could safely reopen another location,” explained Machry. Whether in person or online, giving back to the community and fostering new connections through creativity is at the heart of
Machry’s business. From her Free Community Craft Kit Program during lockdowns to her “Wear With Pride” campaign, which also raises funds to support local 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations the care is apparent in every one of Creative Heart Space’s projects. Inspired by similar events taking place in the United States throughout the pandemic, Machry launched her Porch Pride initiative in early June 2021. She encouraged community members to decorate their porches and neighbourhoods on June 26, 2021 to celebrate and show support for the Hamilton 2SLGBTQIA+ community. “Porch Pride is very much for the people by the people. Anyone can participate and to the level that they are comfortable and able. There are no real rules — other than stay safe! There is no board of directors, there are no corporate sponsors and no fundraising. It is very “come as you are with what you’ve got” and open to people of all ages and abilities,” said Machry.
“It is very “come as you are with what you’ve got” and open to people of all ages and abilities.” Cadence Machry
Founder, Creative Heart Space Hamilton If they felt comfortable, participating porches were encouraged to send photos and
20 | P R I D E www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
their street name to Machry to be added to the “rainbow map” which would be released the day of the event so community members could take a socially distant walking tour of their neighbourhood. On the day of the event, there were porches across Hamilton participating in Porch Pride, with many listed on the rainbow map. A montage of photos and videos from the event will be shared over Creative Heart Space Hamilton’s social media. Machry hopes the event will help remind people about how caring and creative the city of Hamilton can be. “In light of what had happened at Hamilton Pride in 2019, I think a lot of people felt a sense of safety had been taken and then in 2020 we lost physical access to each other in our communities as everything went digital due to the pandemic. I hope Porch Pride helps restore some of that sense of safety and physical connection to community,” explained Machry. Machry also encourages others to act on any ideas they might to make their community a brighter and better place. “There is nothing special or exceptional about me that allows me to do these types of projects, just a bit of creativity and a commitment and that’s it. Everyone has the power within them to make something beautiful and I want them to know I believe they can,” said Machry.
S
Woven foundations of the queer community
Making the case for why kink, leather and BDSM belong at Pride MSU Pride Community Centre Pride Contributor f you have ever attended a Pride parade, you Ifeaturing may have experienced the vibrant festivities an endless stream of colourful floats,
merchandise and ecstatic music. This is, as cisgender, heterosexual and white-dominant society deems it, a palatable celebration of 2SLGBTQIA+ community. In conflict with this “ideal” representation of the community is the supposedly distasteful involvement and attendance of the kink/leather community at Pride. Consider the following controversial, now deleted, viral tweet: “Please don’t bring your k*nks/fet*shes to Pride, there are minors at Pride and this can sexualize the event.” Although it is understandable that parents have a desire to specifically curate an ideal environment for their children, this unfortunately manifests as a relentlessly regressive attempt to hide any semblance of sex and kinks from youth. This rhetoric is harmful on innumerable levels, emphasizing that sex and sexual desire is inherently gross — that sex is taboo. As such, attempting to eradicate any mention of sex and kink from Pride both serves to appease the cishet, white and able-bodied world. It connotes that queer sex specifically is dirty and shameful. In essence, stigmatizing sex and kink at Pride contradicts Pride’s intent: a protest spearheaded by sex workers and various intersectional subcultures within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community aiming for consensual queer sexual and cultural liberation. Queer sex, in itself, is inherently an act of rebellion.
Queer sex, in itself, is inherently an act of rebellion. This distaste towards kink and leather at Pride is also based on a fundamental misunderstanding on what the subcommunities themselves stand for. While it is easy to categorize them as being simply overtly sexual, it is important to emphasize that these were, above all, communities by and for queer and trans individuals to find family and the sex-positive empowerment that they were denied. For countless individuals who were rejected by friends and family, leather bars and clubs became safe spaces for them.
For countless individuals who were rejected by friends and family, leather bars and clubs became safe spaces for them. The Stonewall Uprising itself additionally has connections to kink, considering that numerous patrons of the bar were Black and Latinx trans women of colour, drag queens —which at the time, were considered cross
PHOTO C/O Deon Black, Unsplash
dressers by cishet police officers and were policed — and leather daddies. Essentially, the kink and leather community, a notable number of which are Black and Latinx Trans folks, laid major groundwork for queer rights. During the height of the AIDS epidemic, when cishet political figures, including Ronald Reagan, the then-President of the United States, were dismissive towards the so-called “gay plague,” patients with AIDS were estranged from society and effectively othered. It was the kink and leather community who stepped up, dedicating their time to embrace AIDS patients when disease transmission mechanisms were unknown. Such AIDS patients and Leather caregivers lived in “leather families,” communities of individuals who would unconditionally care for one another when biological relations refused to. In addition, the Kink and Leather community began hosting parties and BDSM events to fundraise for patients’ costly care funds. The Kink and Leather communities’ contributions during the AIDS epidemic and to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community were so great that the city of San Francisco recently openly commended them for their work, some appreciation long overdue. No one has any right to litigate how individuals should identify, behave and express themselves to be valid within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Yet, unfortunately, we see this narrative occurring frequently, both from cishet society and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We witness society expressing transphobic rhetoric, questioning as to whether or not asexual and aromatic folks really belong and debating the validity of the leather and kink community, even considering their immense contributions
to queer rights. However, it is essential to note that nobody should need to contribute to 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy in order to prove their validity. They are valid simply for being them.
However, it is essential to note that nobody should need to contribute to 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy in order to prove their validity. They are valid simply for being them. To uphold such an expectation is to aid in reinforcing the homophobic and transphobic narrative created by dominant white, cisgender, heterosexual and able-bodied society. We cannot abandon community members without reinforcing our oppression by cishet society’s homogenized and “pristine” ideal of what the 2SLGBTQIA+ should look like. Kink and leather belong at Pride because above all, they are woven into it’s foundations: queer joy and sexual liberation for all.
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 21
Biphobia? More like, Bye-phobia!
Unlearning and breaking the stigma associated with the bisexual identity
Yoohyun Park / Production Coordinator
Anna Samson Pride Contributor a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ comBtityeing munity is hard. A large part of your idenis under near-constant scrutiny. What is
usually considered a private aspect of your life becomes a matter of public discourse. Bisexuality can be understood as an umbrella term, encompassing several more specific identities related to sexuality. As someone who falls under this umbrella term, I have experienced discrimination for my sexuality from loved ones and strangers.
As someone who falls under this umbrella term, I have experienced discrimination for my sexuality from loved ones and strangers. I am a non-binary, bisexual person in a relationship with a cisgender heterosexual man. I only mention that I am non-binary because I was assigned female at birth and am often perceived as such. Being perceived as a woman is troubling at times, but it has taught me a lot about biphobia in cis-heteronormative and 2SLGBTQIA+ spaces. When I am out with my partner, no one gives us a second glance because we seem just like any other heterosexual couple. That is not the truth. Our relationship is inherently queer because I am queer. Regardless of which space I am in, I often
get the same reaction when I tell people I am bisexual and in a relationship with a man. It is along the lines of, “so, you are basically straight then”. Not only does this belittle and disregard a large part of my identity, but it also does so for every bisexual person out there in seemingly heterosexual relationships. A similar reaction is experienced by bisexual people in same-sex relationships, along the lines of, “so, you are basically gay then”. Either way, the bisexual identity is erased to cater to black or white ways of thinking, which appease both heteronormative and homonormative ideals.
Either way, the bisexual identity is erased to cater to black or white ways of thinking, which appease both heteronormative and homonormative ideals. As I have only been in serious relationships with men, I spoke to some bisexual friends and explored 2SLGBTQIA+ communities online to learn more about this sort of reaction. I was horrified to discover that the same black or white way of thinking is also applied to bisexual people within 2SLGBTQIA+ spaces. I could not stop thinking about how bisexual people are isolated by the same community that is meant to include them. The sheer shock I felt when I first learned how contested the bisexual identity is in all spaces has not dissipated. I had always expected pushback from cis-heteronormative society,
22 | P R I D E www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
but I am appalled that many bisexual people still are not accepted by 2SLGBTQIA+ spaces. As far as I can recall, the “B” in 2SLGBTQIA+ stands for bisexual.
I had always expected pushback from cisheteronormative society, but I am appalled that many bisexual people still are not accepted by 2SLGBTQIA+ spaces. As far as I can recall, the “B” in 2SLGBTQIA+ stands for bisexual. I often hesitate to tell people I am bisexual or to tell those who know, that I am in a relationship with a cis heterosexual man. I wish that I, and other bisexual people, did not have to feel uneasy about sharing a part of themselves. Discrimination on any basis, including someone’s sexuality, is an archaic action from a bygone era. It’s time to accept others for who they are and make an active effort to make sure people do not feel alienated from the spaces meant to include them. It’s time to say bye to biphobia.
S
Biphobia and bi-erasure in media
Examining stigma on bisexuality from both ends of the sexuality spectrum Christina Osadchuk Production Editor iphobia: let’s talk about it. Loosely defined as Bpeople an aversion towards bisexuality and bisexual as individuals, biphobia is a concept
that’s not too well understood, nor talked about enough. In recent years, the topic of sexuality has been a highly discussed topic, with the idea of free love becoming more and more accepted in the world today. The introduction of 2SLGBTQIA+ characters in books, television and film has led to an increase in representation of the community, making it a lot easier for the community to live than it has been in the past. Though some people think that the entirety of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community is fully integrated, it’s still not an equal place for all members and among one of the more misunderstood members of this community are the individuals within the “B”; Bisexuals. Though in recent years the population has gained a higher understanding for homosexuality, popular culture has fed into the idea that sexuality is a binary choice, essentially meaning that that a person can only be attracted to one gender at once. Historically, bisexuality was dismissed as a “secondary sexuality”, implying that bisexual people were either closeted gay/ lesbian individuals trying to appear “heterosexual”, or a heterosexual person “going through a phase”. Contrary to popular belief, biphobia can be experienced within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community just as much as within the heterosexual community. Oftentimes, bisexuals are labelled
Contrary to popular belief, biphobia can be experienced within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community just as much as within the heterosexual community. as trying to escape oppression by conforming to social expectations of sexuality and love, leaving them to be viewed as “not real” members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, because they are “straight-passing”. A substantial issue is that bisexual men are either assumed to be gay or homophobic, increasing the want to conform to being either hetero or homosexual. This is pretty substantial and is supported through research, as a 2013 report by the Pew Research Center confirmed that only 12% of bisexual Americans males are ‘out’. Along with this, bisexual women are fetishised, or said to be attention-seeking. This can be heavily seen through the experience of Megan Barton-Hansen, a bisexual competitor on Love Island. Instead of allowing her to freely explore and publicize her sexuality, internet users were quick to announce their beliefs that she was just “playing” her bisexuality and would ultimately end up with a man.
PHOTO C/O Betka82, Getty Images
This bi-erasure is also seen in other celebrities, namely pop icon Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga is an openly bisexual woman. She’s spoken out about her sexuality more than once and revealed that her song ‘Poker Face’ is about her own personal experience with her sexuality. But through this, her sexuality is often ignored and she’s been accused of lying more than once about it. The Grammy Awards have even named Sam Smith as “the first [2SLGBTQIA+] person to win Best Pop Vocal Album”, even though Lady Gaga has already previously won that title. “I may not, to some people, be considered a part of [the 2SLGBTQIA+] community, even though I like girls sometimes,” said Gaga to a group of people at 2019 World Pride in New York. Pop singer Halsey has had similar experiences, with critics of her music video for her song ‘Strangers’ stating that the video was not queer enough. “It literally is a bisexual story . . . [Luna’s] relationship with a man doesn’t nullify her bisexuality. Not in an imaginary music
“I may not, to some people, be considered a part of [the 2SLGBTQIA+] community, even though I like girls sometimes,”
representation with characters such as Oberyn Martell (Game of Thrones), Callie Torres (Grey’s Anatomy), Frank Underwood (House of Cards), Rosa Diaz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and Annalise Keating (How to Get Away with Murder). There is still a lot of work to be done in ensuring that bisexuality is represented in the media and it is done without propagating any further stigma. It’s been found that the constant marginalization that bisexual individuals face has had negative impacts on their physical health. A 2013 Pew Research Center report found that bisexuals have higher rates of anxiety and depressive disorders than straight and gay people; are at a higher liklihood for youth risk behaviour; are more likely to develop eating disorders; heart disease and take up drinking or smoking and are less likely to feel very accepted in the workplace. Biphobia and bi-erasure is real and it can lead to serious physical harm of people within this community. Bisexuality cannot be ignored when same-sex couples are not featured. Being with someone of the opposite gender does not make a person ‘straight’ and featuring a bisexual person in a relationship with the opposite sex does not make them any less queer. Given that a lot of people cannot come out to their families as bisexual without being told that it is simply a phase, we need to fight for ensuring that bisexuality, alongside all other sexualities and gender identities within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, is treated with the respect and acceptance that it deserves.
Lady Gaga Pop Star
video universe and not in real life either,” said Halsey on Twitter. Bisexual representation in film and television is something that we need to discuss too. In 2018, the British Film Institute argued that bisexuals aren’t often explored in film and this is something that must be amended. Though television has had a better run with
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 23
“Like a Tiger’s Heart” | Kate Moore
24 | P R I D E www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
S
“5 feet apart” | Yoohyun Park
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 25
Love isn’t always healthy
What society doesn’t tell you about leaving a toxic relationship
PHOTO C/O Kelly Sikkema, Unsplash
Ana Mamula Pride Contributor ou fall in love, get into a relationship. Sadly it Y doesn’t work out and then it’s just over like that, right? Not exactly. Society paints this picture of relationships that seem like rainbows and butterflies, where fighting is non-existent. Both partners are content all day every day and the love never fades. Don’t even get me started with how the media portrays toxic relationships, apparently being a degrading narcissist is cute nowadays? Being in a toxic relationship can make you so blind to what might be a very unhealthy situation due to the love you have for the other individual. We tend to think abusive acts are okay due to the love and how society portrays the topic of abuse in the media. Society makes you believe it’s normal for a relationship to be this way and you become so blinded by love, it becomes hard to leave or understand the gravity of what you are experiencing. If this article resonates with you, I am here to tell you all the things I wish I heard while I was in a toxic relationship, in the months after being out of it and dealing with the aftermath. Getting out of a toxic relationship takes so much strength and willpower, but I promise you it is the best decision you can make for yourself. It becomes so difficult for individuals to do this because you are so in love and manipulated by this person that you cannot even imagine a life without them. One of the biggest things I learned is that after my relationship ended, people around me automatically assumed that I was doing okay. That was not the case at all. You are experienc-
ing heartbreak/sadness but then begin feeling guilty. Why should you miss someone that caused you so much trauma and abuse? Wrong. You are still grieving. You are still hurting and the constant ups and downs from the relationship are what you were always used to — that relationship was just always hanging on by a thread. According to the non-profit organization Do Something, one in three young teens will be in an unhealthy relationship while only one in three of those experiencing abuse are willing to confide in someone about the violence and the abuse they are experiencing.
According to the nonprofit organization Do Something, one in three young teens will be in an unhealthy relationship while only one in three of those experiencing abuse are willing to confide in someone about the violence and the abuse they are experiencing. The aftermath to a toxic relationship is a rollercoaster. That is exactly what our society does not acknowledge sufficiently. Just because an individual got out of this relation-
26 | P R I D E www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
ship does not mean all of it is just magically over. You will still be coping with the trauma and heartbreak for months or even years after. That’s okay. It takes time to heal and the trauma may come up randomly when you least expect it. According to Psychology Today, the mental stress of being around somebody toxic can take a serious toll on your mental health. In this type of relationship, the victim can experience post-traumatic stress disorder, a constant need for reassurance, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression and more. If you resonated with this article and nodded your head whilst reading it because you either remembered the time you went through something like this or currently are, you are so strong. If you’re wondering how to get through it, take it day by day. Be gentle and take care of yourself, take a bath, journal, go on walks, meditate, watch your favourite show and just do what you love. Self-care is important and you deserve it. Do not blame yourself for what you went through. Most importantly, talk to someone, whether it be your friends, family, or mental health professionals. Remember to address what you went through in your toxic relationship, grow from it and take it one day at a time. Love is not something that should cause trauma — one day you will find what you truly deserve in a loving relationship.
S
Queerness at the frontier of medicine
My compounding experiences of being queer in the medical sector Katie Van Kampen Pride Contributor This article has been reduced for print. Read the full version at www.thesil.ca . remember the first time I went to the Student Itransmitted Wellness Centre to get tested for sexually infections. I took my best friend
with me because I was nervous; I had this weird fear that somehow my tests would get shared with my family doctor and that my family doctor would tell my parents. My parents would not have been cool with that. When the doctor asked me why I wanted to get tested, I shyly explained that I had sex with someone whom I didn’t know the status of and I just wanted to be safe. The doctor asked if I thought I might be pregnant. I paused and then said I had slept only with women. I waited, scanned the doctor’s face for a hint of disapproval, disgust or a scowl. It never came.
I waited, scanned the doctor’s face for a hint of disapproval, disgust or a scowl. It never came. They were extremely nice and non-judgemental, reassuring me that no news would be good news and encouraged me to check out some of the pamphlets at the front of the office. When I left, I briefly scanned them, seeing some titled “Sex for Lesbians”. I remember looking away quickly, in case someone caught me and would know my secret. The next time I was asked about my sexual activity, I told the doctor “yes, I was sexually active” and they asked me if I used protection.
I said “no” and I got a look of mild disapproval. They went on to recommend that two forms of birth control should be used at all times. I nodded knowingly and then finally said, “I’m gay.” For a moment they looked a bit taken aback before saying, “Oh, okay” and the conversation continued. These two encounters happened five years apart. During the first I was scared and nervous. I was waiting for judgement to come my way. In the second, I was a lot more confident in my sexuality and even though it was mildly annoying to have to correct the assumptions made about me, I wasn’t afraid to do it. For some people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, these types of encounters can be nerve wracking. It sucks to have people assume who you’re sleeping with and what genitals your partner (or partners) may have. While healthcare providers are getting better at being non-assuming, disclosing sexuality and sexual preferences in these encounters can be terrifying, especially because you never really know how someone can react. For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a doctor. I remember my grandma watching over me as I played doctor with my stuffed animals, preparing to listen to their heartbeats and sew them back together. Pretty cliché, I know. This past year, my childhood dreams came true as I started medical school at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine here at McMaster University. I’ll give McMaster some credit for making sure that we have some education around 2SLGBQIA+ health. We were taught to ask for pronouns in encounters, though no one really ever reinforces it. We had a session in our professional competencies class in which we talked about how to be more inclusive. There are efforts being made and I appreciate it. I hope that it means less people will have to feel as though heterosexuality is assumed when
they go to the doctor’s office. In medical school, we are encouraged to reflect on our privilege. Part of my reflection has been that to be the best doctor I want to be, it will include advocating for 2SLGBTQIA+ patients. I want to be a role model for students that want to become doctors as a queer person of colour. Just like the way my queerness guides the way I dress, it also guides where my passion for advocacy lies. I want to demonstrate that asking for pronouns in medical encounters shouldn’t be awkward or weird. I want there to be more education on how to best talk to and treat 2SLGBTQIA+ patients. This isn’t just about who I am anymore, it’s about the future patients I and my colleagues will have. In our session around 2SLGBTQIA+ health, I remember another student said that they’ve never thought about these topics before. I was baffled to hear that because thinking about these topics is a very common part of my life. Due to my own lived experiences, I could share with my classmates that feeling of apprehension about going to the doctor’s office. I shared that for me, the rainbow flags were important to see in an office, as it eased my mind a bit. For myself and others in the community, this is the reality of our world, but it’s not reality for others. I feel poised in my position to bridge those two worlds in an attempt to make medical visits less daunting for this community. I’ve become more open about my sexuality over this past year. I’ve been trying to incorporate non-judgemental and non-assuming phrases into clinical history taking to avoid the heterosexuality norms that are taught in medical school. I still have a lot more to learn and more work to do, but I know that to live up to my full potential as a doctor, it will include highlighting the health of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Yoohyun Park / Production Coordinator
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 27
The pendulum of sexual identity
One’s journey from neglecting their sexual identity to learning it is just a part of them A. A. Pride Contributor
year, since Pride did not have many Tmyhisin-person events for me and for others in community, I spent more time on my own
and with my close friends instead of celebrating this important month as I usually do. This provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my journey to claiming my identity as a Middle Eastern gay man. There is an analogy I would like to introduce to you to better understand my journey. Think of a pendulum rocking, the left side being the complete opposite to the right in terms of identity.
Think of a pendulum rocking, the left side being the complete opposite to the right in terms of identity. Growing up gay in a family who taught homophobia before they taught homosexuality was hard, to say the least. The environment instilled in me internalized homophobia as well as a fear of speaking about my sexuality with anyone at all. Thus, I stood far into the left side of the pendulum. Afraid to speak about it and neglecting my entire sexuality. I think every gay man experiences this standstill in some form at some point in their life. It is burdensome, emotional and scary. Some experience this standstill much later in their lives. For me, it was the point in my life where I learned to shape my relationship with my sexuality. As I learned to accept myself, I also integrated protection mechanisms that protected me from anyone who was not accepting of me. The first person I came out to around this time in my life, was my best friend who was very vocally accepting of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. I knew this was a safe place for me to go and so I trusted her and shared my sexuality with her. It was liberating, it was scary, but most of all it was a start in not only accepting my sexuality, but learning how to wear it on my sleeve.
It was liberating, it was scary, but most of all it was a start in not only accepting my sexuality, but learning how to wear it on my sleeve. For a while, this felt like my all time battle, making sure people accept me for who I am and making sure that I was also accepting myself. During that time, I faced everything from discrimination to bullying. However, I continued to embrace who I was without shame. I started to live my life with my sexuality
PHOTO C/O FreeVector.com
defining me. My sexuality had been the biggest challenge in my life, so naturally it occupied a large part of my life, personality and being. This was when I swung all the way to the right of the pendulum. This is where being gay became the most important aspect of my life and I felt like it absolutely defined me. When discrimination on the basis of who you are becomes overwhelming, it can be easy for the identity that is hated by others to become central to who you are. In my first year of university at McMaster, whenever I met someone, I made sure to make a gay joke, refer to my relationship partner at the time or otherwise let them know that I was gay. Anyone who wanted to stick around had to know I was gay. Why did I do this? For protection. I learned that it was easier to filter out those who do not want to be affiliated with a gay man when you are open about it from the start. Being apprehensive of others led me to being particular about who was allowed to be truly let into my life. This was
“I learned that it was easier to filter out those who do not want to be affiliated with a gay man when you are open about it from the start.” the case until I encountered one of my closest friends, who has become an integral part of my life and growth. When I first met him, it was made clear
28 | P R I D E www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
that he came from a conservative background and that he was not used to having gay people around him. You would expect a gay person to shut down, but instead I was louder and prouder about my sexuality as protection — if he did not want to be around me, he would walk away himself without any confrontation. Slowly, I realized he didn’t want to. We became really good friends and he knew I was gay. I made another guy friend that year, who lived right next door from me who also did not care about my sexuality; instead, he embraced who I was. Slowly, I started to meet all of these guys, who I had once thought I was protecting myself against, but instead embraced who I was. Some also did not make assumptions about my sexuality or aspects of it, seeing me as more than simply a gay man, but rather a complex and complete human. This was a milestone for me — and quite an emotional one. One night I was with my guy friends and I broke down. I cried because I finally felt like my sexuality was not at the forefront of my identity. I felt like so much more than that. This was the first time I felt like myself completely. This brings me to the middle of the pendulum where I am gay and I embrace that but I am so much more than just that and that is okay. Not everyone deserves to know all sides of me and that is okay. That is for me to share.
S
All my gay friends are journalists? Perspectives from a former News Reporter at The Silhouette S. M. Pride Contributor my totally unbiased perspective, student Itonopinion on the Silhouette varies from person person. To certain MSU employees and
representatives, the Silhouette is an annoyance that interferes with both their day-to-day responsibilities and their delusions of grandeur. To reporters and editors, the Silhouette is an institution that holds the MSU accountable and keeps the student body and greater Hamilton community informed. To the vast majority of students, the Silhouette is largely irrelevant and has some fun crossword puzzles.
To the vast majority of students, the Silhouette is largely irrelevant and has some fun crossword puzzles. Regardless of your opinion, the students that run the Silhouette often work overtime to meet deadlines for the articles you may or may not read. Somehow, amidst the weekly hustle-and-bustle, the Silhouette became the first space that I felt comfortable enough to be myself. I never really gave my sexuality any thought until I was in university. Growing up in a relatively involved religious family, the notion of being anything other than straight was an impossibility. Throughout elementary, being called anything other than straight was considered an insult. Going to a Catholic high school, being anything other than straight was to looked at as unnatural or a desperate plea for attention. During this time, I never really felt like I wasn’t being myself or that I was denying part of myself. I just wanted to fit in, to make friends, to have fun and be successful. My experiences taught me several lessons (all of which I am trying to unlearn). First and foremost, it taught me that hiding aspects of myself from others to make them like you was normal. Secondly, it taught me that people who are different are usually disliked. Lastly, it taught me that conversations about sexuality are unnecessary and a display of attention-seeking behaviour. When people mentioned sex, I felt the need to change to conversation or overcompensate by sharing my own sexual escapades. When my parents would make off-handed comments about gay actors on TV, I wouldn’t react and often smile, laugh, or nod. When I listened to others talk about their sexuality, the thought of doing the same never occurred to me. When I dated my first boyfriend, we told ourselves that our feelings weren’t real and that it was more of a kink than a relationship. It seems so ridiculous now when I look back at it, but at the time I thought everything I was doing was normal and made complete sense. It honestly wasn’t until I joined the Silhouette where I started rethinking some of my beliefs. I joined the Silhouette, because I liked news reporting and love to write. It was a fun way to
PHOTO C/O Roman Kraft, Unsplash
learn about what was happening at McMaster University and the greater Hamilton community. I would also be lying if I didn’t say I greatly enjoyed chasing stories and investigating scandals. Having worked for a student newspaper before, I thought I knew what I was walking into. From personal experience, the reporters I’ve met and worked with have always had strong personalities. I never expected that practically everyone else at the Silhouette would be openly queer.
I never expected that practically everyone else at the Silhouette would be openly queer. In the beginning, didn’t really make an effort to get to know anyone else at the Silhouette. I had a lot on my plate, managing two part-time jobs and working on applications to professional schools. But as I spent more and more time with the other Silhouette employees, there was just something about being around them that made me happier. The Silhouette office is truthfully not the nicest place on campus. Located in the basement of the McMaster University Student Centre, the ceilings in the hallway were almost always leaking and the rooms show the building’s age. But it was the first environment I had ever been in where I felt invited to share a part of myself I had never shared with anyone else. By the end of the year, I spent a lot of time in that office and enjoyed spending time with
the first 2SLGBTQIA+ friends I had. I felt comfortable enough to ask questions about their sexuality and they were kind enough to answer. More than anything, I realized how much more I enjoyed myself when I was not ashamed to be myself. The time I spent at the Silhouette made me realize that many of the “lessons” I had learnt may be wrong. Near the end of the school year, I was inspired to come out to several of my friends. I realized that hiding aspects of myself from others was not necessary and my friends liked me regardless of my sexuality. I realized that that my friends didn’t dislike me for being different. I realized that conversations about sexuality aren’t unnecessary and I should have reached out for support much earlier. I’m still working on a lot of things. But I’m immensely thankful for the time I spent at the Silhouette. In particular, it showed me that it is often hard to realize you need a supportive environment and that support is can be as simple as having someone to talk too. Perhaps most importantly, never to be ashamed for being yourself. Fitting in is overrated — it’s better to be hated for who you are, than liked for who you’re not.
Fitting in is overrated — it’s better to be hated for who you are, than liked for who you’re not.
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 29
Karma Kameleon shares lessons from the era of digital drag
Hamilton-based drag queen reveals the impact on drag shows during COVID-19 Subin Park A&C Reporter hen the series of lockdowns began in W Ontario last fall and all public gatherings were put on halt, live performers, including
drag queens, were faced with the challenge of keeping the art and community alive from home. However, despite months of stay-athome orders and cancelled shows, drag queens of Hamilton have proven their resilience and unfaltering devotion to their craft by employing creative digital ways of connecting with their audience. Like many of us, Karma Kameleon, a Hamilton-based drag queen, didn’t initially know what to do with all the extra time or how to stay connected with her community. Kameleon started performing three years ago and was about to launch her full-time career in drag when the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard in March of last year, cancelling her shows in 10 cities across Ontario. It was devastating to have her long-awaited goal interrupted so suddenly without warning. To cope with the loss of a physical stage, Kameleon and other drag queens turned to digital content creation. At first, most people remained hopeful that this would be a shortterm solution and that live, in-person shows would be back on soon. However, as time went on and reliance on digital platforms became heavier and more important, more queens got creative with their online performances and experimented with various platforms, starting with livestreams. One of the most memorable livestreams Kameleon did was for St. Patrick’s Day because everyone was still inexperienced in the digital drag era. It was filmed from her decorated basement and although she described it as a “disaster”, it was supported by a great audience. Besides the learning curve of online content creation, Kameleon said the biggest obstacle has been copyright infringements. As livestreams became more popular among drag queens, copyrights forced their videos to get taken down or blocked, pressuring them to get even more innovative with the types of content and move onto other digital outlets such as music videos, Instagram and TikTok. Kameleon also took on a challenge to improve her makeup and sewing skills during the months in lockdown. She was more known for her comedy and stage performances than her looks. Having extra time for personal skill growth made her more proud, more confident and happier with her artistry. Despite building a successful online presence during the pandemic and maintaining the art of drag digitally, Kameleon said ultimately, nothing could compensate for the lost experiences of in-house shows. “I’ve tried every avenue of digital drag and at some point, it just kind of stagnates. I’m glad to have any amount of a platform or any amount of an audience, but after a while I just missed the instant gratification of saying
something stupid and someone laughing,” Kameleon said. Kameleon desperately missed the experiences of being swept up by the atmosphere of a crowd, fighting with seven other drag queens for a mirror and being able to develop a higher level of human connection through real, in-person interactions. Every moment of normalcy she got back during the gaps between lockdowns made her realize how much she missed every aspect of performing live and a greater appreciation for the community of continuous supporters. When Ontario announced its reopening plans, she was beyond grateful to have in-person shows started up again. Her favourite part about live performances is when only one or two people are paying attention to her song in the beginning but by the end, watching more and more people begin to put down their phones and get captivated by her eccentric performance. That’s the kind of human connection that she longed for the most. Kemeleon’s first return to live shows was on June 18 at Absinthe Hamilton with the House of Adam and Steve. Her biggest worry during the pandemic was whether she would still have an audience when she could have live shows again. But to her surprise, the response was overwhelming. The patio reached full capacity and a long line up crowded the streets. “[During the pandemic], you could have an audience, but you couldn’t necessarily charge a price for there to be audience . . . But as we’ve kind of moved forward, I’m trying this brand-new thing of actually charging for my shows and I was terrified no one would show up. But the response has been phenomenal,” Kameleon said. Especially in a city like Hamilton without an established queer scene or a dedicated queer space, the resilience of the arts in the city was heartwarming to observe. Kameleon also missed working with other queens during the months spent doing at-home online shows. The sisterhood of being in a community of individuals with similar struggles, experiences and backstories is an important source of support for any drag queen.
As Ontario enters the next stage in the reopening plan, Kameleon is most excited to showcase her growth as an entertainer over the past year. She also hopes to help reshape the drag scene to ensure artists are treated with respect and compensated fairly for the work that they do. “[As we are] talking to the people who are part of the [drag] scene in every city, there is this understanding of, ‘Now that we know what it’s like not to have it and now that we know what we miss about it, we also kind of know what we deserve,’” Kameleon said. More importantly, she is looking forward to more diversity in the drag community and the reopening of the world through the lens of everything that has happened last year, especially regarding the Black Lives Matter movement, Stop Asian Hate movement and the treatment of Indigenous peoples in Canada. She hopes to see the world and the drag community in Hamilton move forward with a more open and inclusive mindset and more credit given to people of colour in the drag scene. If you love drag or appreciation for any of the arts, Kameleon encourages the local community to provide any form of support. Even if you can’t financially support an artist, every like, comment, or reshare is a form of support that can help boost their online platform and help their art feel more validated after a difficult past year.
The sisterhood of being in a community of individuals with similar struggles, experiences and backstories is an important source of support for any drag queen.
30 | P R I D E www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
PHOTO C/O Karma Kameleon
S
Kamilla Flores Kameleon lights up Hamilton Pride McMaster alumna returns to the drag scene during COVID-19 Adrian Salopek Managing Editor month 2021 has been atypical, with Pit in-ride some communities being able to experience person with COVID-19 restrictions lifted
and others, including the Hamilton community, experiencing most of it online or not at all. Despite the unfortunate reality of Pride month and Pride events being somewhat limited in physical magnitude this year, the 2SLGBTQIA+ community was still able to come together in memorable events to celebrate and honour the community. Among these events have been those put on by the House of Adam and Steve at Absinthe Hamilton. This past June 26, drag queens
performed as part of a Pride event hosted in the outside patio area. Among the performers at the event was Kamilla Flores Kameleon, a prolific drag queen and McMaster alumna based in Hamilton. We interviewed Kameleon last year to learn more about her drag and her performance during a digital Pride event. In the tiresome year that has come and gone since Pride 2020, which featured lockdown after lockdown and regulations on regulations. The drag queen has struggled and grown, but is thankful for the opportunity to perform for the Hamilton community. “It was honestly incredible! It was my first performance back since October and I was super excited as well as super nervous,” said Kameleon. The performance was one of two put on
by the Hamiltonian drag queen. In a world where COVID-19 regulations were nonexistent, who knows how many shows and unforgettable nights Kameleon could have helped put on. Nonetheless, this Pride has been very meaningful for the drag queen and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community at large. “With patios opening up just as Pride is coming to a close I think this pride really gave people hope for a future where we can hug and celebrate together . . . I think this pride really reminded us what pride is all about: hope,” explained Kameleon. This celebration and sense of togetherness was much appreciated by all, including the drag performer herself. Virtually everyone has been negatively impacted by the pandemic and this includes drag performers unable to perform how they usually do. The opportunity to return to the stage means the world to Kameleon and other drag queens. It is a welcome sign of the world — and the world of drag — returning to normal. “Honestly, the last year for me has been very difficult. Performing is my favourite part of drag and not being able to do that took a toll on me creatively . . . It wasn’t until I got through some hard times that I was able to push through and remember the feelings and adrenaline I got from performing,” said Kameleon.
“Honestly, the last year for me has been very difficult. Performing is my favourite part of drag and not being able to do that took a toll on me creatively . . . It wasn’t until I got through some hard times that I was able to push through and remember the feelings and adrenaline I got from performing,” Kamilla Flores Kameleon Drag Queen
The queen is going to be performing at Pride events in the near future, including a variety show featuring numerous drag performers hosted by Pride Hamilton. Although the upcoming event is an online show, events like Pride events hosted in person by the House of Adam and Steve are indicative of the 2STLGBQIA+ community being able to celebrate
PHOTO C/O Kamilla Flores Kameleon
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 31
32 | S P O R T S
www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
PHOTO C/O Marauders Football
S
Sports
New apprenticeship aims to bring more women coaches into football Marauders football is following the Super Bowl champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ lead by creating new pilot project Andrew Mrozowski Editor-in-Chief n June 2, the McMaster Marauders anO nounced a new initiative on their website to commence a new women’s coaching
apprenticeship program The McMaster football coaching apprenticeship is a new program designed to help two undergraduate or graduated students learn the skills necessary to be a coach within university athletics. “I think what we’re hoping for is that candidates get the best experience possible that will help them in their future careers . . . They have the opportunity right now to take as much as they want from [the program] and our goal is to get them the best experience possible so they can succeed. But, also for us as coaches to really create a foundation and an ability to give [candidates] that mentorship into the space,” said Corey Grant of the Marauders’ football program.
“They have the opportunity right now to take as much as they want from [the program] and our goal is to get them the best experience possible so they can succeed” Corey Grant
Football Offensive Coordinator The pilot project has been spearheaded by Grant, a former CFL receiver, current Marauders’ football offensive coordinator and the athletics and recreation department’s equity, inclusion and anti-racism lead. The project has an overall goal to bring more women coaches to the sport. “I was able to be part of some really good Zoom calls in the summer with a lot of different football coaches . . . One of the coaches, who is currently the D-line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was on there and was speaking about women in football and in coaching . . . After Tampa Bay Buccaneers went on this past year and won the Super Bowl [I noticed] their staff is very diverse with women, men of different colours and backgrounds. I said “Why can’t we do this at McMaster? Why can’t we have women on our coaching staff? What is holding
us back from doing that?” said Grant. In an article by SB Nation, many women football coaches at both the college and national level spoke to the lack of opportunities available. This is something that Grant and his team are hoping to change. “Everyone kept saying “well, it’s a male-dominated sport”, but the [Bucs’ coach] said “it’s a male-prominant sport and we need to change our outlook. We need to change how we speak and see things”,” explained Grant.
“[I]t’s a male-prominant sport and we need to change our outlook. We need to change how we speak and see things”, The idea of football being a male-dominated sport is not a new one. Upon looking for articles related to the subject, you’re likely to find a plethora stating how men are physiologically superior to women and that is cause for the sport to be male-dominated. However, according to USA Today, female sport games attract more public attention. The 2018 US Open tennis tournament women’s final had approximately 3.1 million viewers watching on television, while the men’s final had 2 million viewers. “For us opening up this program, it’s hopefully not so much knocking down barriers, but opening doors for others to get in. For football, we’ve been doing things the way we’ve been doing it for such a long period of time. Right now [there] is an opportunity with women and diversifying our sports, especially football, to bring new ideas, different ways of doing things [and] different ways of thinking,” said Grant. A large focus of this project is to not only open doors, but open doors specifically for diverse voices. The apprenticeship gives preference to women, gender non-binary and two-spirit individuals. To Grant, ensuring Marauders sports is supporting folks from all different backgrounds is the key to the entire program. The coordinator reached out to McMaster’s Equity and Inclusion office, the Marauders women’s flag football program and other key individuals within athletics to consult on the apprenticeship. This enabled Grant to ensure that the program truly captured its goals. “[W]e’re talking about inclusion. We’re talking about diversity. We’re talking about giving opportunities. It’s important because we’re talking about all those things. If we’re going to do what we wanted [to with] this program, we
[want to] do it correctly . . . We’ve tried our best with this pilot project to reach out to and bring in different voices. [W]e also want to make sure that the program reflects the best of society, becoming more diverse and that diversity across the board,” said Grant. The team behind this initiative are aware that there could be some problems that need ironed out as the year goes on. “Is it going to be perfect the first time? Well, it’s a pilot project[,] we’re going to learn and the individuals that are going to come into the program are going to help us along that way,” explained Grant. Eventually, Grant would like to see the program expand both internally in the athletics and recreation department, but also to the CFL, NCAA and NFL. He believes that changing the narrative of “male-dominated sports” is the first step towards creating an equitable playing-field for women to overcome barriers and enter coaching.
“I have a son who’s running around outside and I have a daughter who’s 12. They’re going to be going to university. I want their conversations to be different for when they get there.” “I have a son who’s running around outside and I have a daughter who’s 12. They’re going to be going to university. I want their conversations to be different for when they get there . . . Coaches are just teachers and some of the best teachers I’ve had have been women, some of the greatest influences in my life have been women. Why not bring them in and give them the opportunity to coach football? That’s all we’re doing, is trying to open that door,” said Grant. Two successful candidates have been chosen for the apprenticeship. Taylor MacIntyre and Amanda Ruller will serve as assistant coaches under Stefan Ptaszek, head coach of the Marauders football team. “Their understanding of the learning process, teaching to the different learning styles and attention to detail will bring tremendous value to the development of our students-athletes on and off the field . . . Adding these two coaches to our staff will help us win more football games,” said Grant in an interview for Marauders.ca.
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 33
University sports return to play for the 20212022 school year OUA announces approved structures for the upcoming season
PHOTO C/O JJAVA, Adobe Stock
Jovan Popovic Sports Editor he Ontario University Athletics has recently Tto return announced their plan for university sports to action in the 2021-2022 school
year. They released individual league-based structures for each sport, as well as championship structures to allow sports to safely resume across the province. Many sports will receive shortened seasons — such as the football team, who’s season was reduced from eight games to six.
Many sports will receive shortened seasons — such as the football team, who’s season was reduced from eight games to six. Although the reduction doesn’t allow athletes to get a full and regular season in, most are satisfied just to get back together with their team and compete as usual. Tori Rigas-Didomenico, a member of the McMaster women’s basketball team, commented on the anticipation leading up to the return to play this season. “I am super excited about the announcement. I think that after a year of not being able to compete, it’s very exciting to see some progress being made, and seeing that light at 34 | S P O R T S
the end of the tunnel,” said Rigas-Didomenico.
“I am super excited about the announcement. I think that after a year of not being able to compete, it’s very exciting to see some progress being made, and seeing that light at the end of the tunnel.” Tori Rigas-Didomenico
Student-Athlete, McMaster Women’s After bringing home the U-Sports title in the 2018-2019 school year, the team had another strong season in the 2019-2020 school year, finishing in a heartbreaking one point loss to the top seeded Western Mustangs in the quarter final. Like the women’s basketball team, many McMaster teams are eager to compete once again after finishing dissatisfied, and hungry for more prior to the pandemic. “I think we had a great season,” said Rigas-Didomenico, referring to the 2019-2020 season. “We still got to be in contact with each other over this pandemic year, and based on public health guidelines, we did have some practice. We were constantly building on things from the years prior, so it’s going to be a great season when we get there. We are all very ex-
www.thesil.ca | Tuesday, July 20, 2021
cited because we miss competing, and we miss being on the court.” Offering perspective on the general mindset of athletes, Rigas-Didomenico continued to discuss the excitement surrounding competition, even despite shortened seasons, new protocols, and league alignments. “For most athletes, we’re just really excited that there has been progress, and that we can get out there soon. Whatever they give us is great news, and whether it be just a few games, or lots of games, we just want to be playing. We’re all excited that the chance to play is coming again,” said Rigas-Didomenico. The upcoming season might be much different than what most athletes would have ever experienced, but it provides a sense of optimism and hope. It isn’t a full scale return, but it is a big improvement from before. After over a year without competition of any kind, university sports are making a return to Ontario.
The upcoming season might be much different than what most athletes would have ever experienced, but it provides a sense of optimism and hope.
S
Games
Horizontal: 1. McMaster houses the largest research _______ in the Commonwealth 5. McMaster Museum of Art houses one of this famous artist’s paintings 7. Place to grab coffee in MUSC 9. Acronym for newest building on campus 11. Name of the surrounding area 12. Who represents you? 13. Apply to this if you need a loan or grant 15. Street where homecoming party occurs 17. When was McMaster founded (spell) 19. ______ flower, that smells like rotting flesh, can be found at at the greenhouse on campus. 21. Editor-in-Chief of the Silhouette 22. Bubble tea on campus 23. Can be found on the fourth floor of Mills Library 24. Name of the student newspaper 25. Protected area located behind campus 27. Name of MSU service representative and school colour 28. Famous Mac alumni and former Photo Editor of the Silhouette (last name) 29. Namesake of the university
Vertical: 2. McMaster’s brain bank houses a piece of this theoretical physicist’s brain 3. Our number one crossword fans (also serves coffee and bagels in MUSC) 4. Location of the Silhouette office 6. McMaster athletes are called _________. 8. ________ University 10. McMaster University is located in the city of _______ 14. Name of bar owned and operated by the MSU 16. MSU President 18. Previous city that McMaster was located in 20. Graduate bar 25. Your campus radio station 26. Number (written) of faculties at McMaster
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 35
SIX INCHES AND DELICIOUS Mac students protest to bring back their beloved hot dog stand M8
TUESDAY
THE
HAMILTON SPEC PECULATOR ULATOR DOIN PRIDE AND EATIN TIDE SINCE 1934
NOTSPEC.COM
JULY 20, 2021
McMinster COVID starter kit Arts and craft your way to a safe and healthy return to campus KRISTOFF BROADWAY Waiting to make my return
Your face mask is incredibly important for keeping the virus out and also hiding from everyone the fact that you keep your mouth open under the mask.
Of course, a handy-dandy 6-foot pole is key in ensuring those who REALLY don’t understand personal space stay AWAY. (not to scale.)
INSIDE MICROSOFT TEAMS WORKS FOR THE FIRST TIME. FLUKE? A3 STUDENTS CONGREGATE ON CAMPUS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE KEGGER LAST NIGHT A6 DON’T CALL BY-LAW ON ME B2 VAN DOUGHNUT: A LOVE STORY B5 MAN VS. WILD: MUSC STARBUCKS LINE EDITION C1
Lucky for you, we’ve provided a complimentary COVID-19 vaccine for your health and safety! Microchip included!
(not lube.)
Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. I’m not even taking it seriously and I’m the one who wrote it.
GROW YOUR OWN BRAIN CELLS, EASY AS 1, 2, MAXIPAD C4
PER ISSUE: A Big Ol’ [REDACTED] INCL. HST, PST & and a sprinkle of pixie dust
