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INSIDE >> NEWS // WHAT’S WITH ALL THE LADYBUGS? // PAGE 3 SPORTS //
CIS CHAMPIONS: WOMEN’S RUGBY
ANDY // X-MEN’S COMING OUT STORY // PAGE 29
The Silhouette Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
hitchBOT
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN After the murder of McMaster’s beloved robot child, a recent conference discussed how we can keep hitchBOT’s memory alive through innovation // PAGE 4
// PAGE 23
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Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper
EDITORIAL BOARD
LOOKING BACK
editor-in-chief | thesil@thesil.ca Amanda Watkins @whatthekins managing editor | managing@thesil.ca
Ana Qarri @anaqarri production editor | production@thesil.ca
Michael Gallagher @michaelradar online editor | online@thesil.ca Shane Madill @shanemadill sections
Rachel Katz @RachAlbertaKatz news reporter Patrick Kim @patrickmkim news reporter Alex Florescu @alexxflorescu features reporter Daniel Arauz @DanielArauzz opinions editor Talia Kollek @TaliaKollek sports editor Sofia Mohamed @itssofiaAM sports reporter Jaycee Cruz @_jayceecruz lifestyle editor Jason Woo lifestyle reporter Michelle Yeung @yeung_m andy editor Tomi Milos @tomimilos andy reporter Vannessa Barnier @vjbarnier news editor
SEPT. 23, 1960
The Book Store
media
Jonathan White @j_white.jpg (Instagram) Jason Lau @jasonlaucker video editor Philip Kim social media coordinator Esther Adjekum @esturr
photo editor
photo reporter
staff writers
Steven Chen, Sunanna Bhasin, Christine Chow, Trisha Gregorio, Charlie Coë sales ad manager | sgiordan@msu.mcmaster.ca
Sandro Giordano
CONTACT
LEGAL
MUSC, Room B110 McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4S4
The Silhouette welcomes letters to the editor in person at MUSC B110, or by email at thesil@thesil.ca. Please include name, address and telephone number for verification only. 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.
Executive (905) 525-9140, ext 22052 Production Office (905) 525-9140, ext 27117 Advertising (905) 525-9140, ext 27557 10,000 circulation published by the
At the start of the 1960 school year, the university expanded its first on-campus store, the Book Store. The original store featured a variety of text books and a post office – a feature that was removed in 2013. The store went on to be renamed Titles in the 1990’s, and is today’s Campus Store.
IS THERE A STORY FROM MCMASTER’S PAST THAT INTERESTS YOU? Email us at thesil@thesil.ca and we will try and feature it in our “Looking Back” section.
CORRECTIONS Due to a printing error, the last word on page 23 was cut-off. That word was “world.”
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
In this
issue:
The Silhouette
News
Talk by McMaster prof explores the life and death of beloved hitchBOT Page 4
| 3
Naturopathic medicine now covered by MSU healthcare plan Page 8
The world is not ending The ladybird beetle resurgence is causing panic on campus, but for no reason Rachel Katz News Editor
As temperatures drop and students brace for the return of triple-layered sweaters and snow boots, one aspect of summer lingers on campus. Despite the change in season, ladybird beetles are still abundant at McMaster. A quick Twitter search of “ladybug” reveals the annoyance and frustration of many as the beetles have suddenly reappeared in windowsills and corners across southern Ontario. Marvin Gunderman is annoyed for another reason. McMaster’s in-house entomologist has been captivated by beetles, bugs and other invertebrates since he was a child and corrects the layman’s name “ladybug,” preferring the more correct “ladybird beetle.” “They are true beetles. They have wing-covers that meet in a straight line down the back,” he explained. Ladybirds are summer insects, seeing out their entire lives from nymph to adult. “They're a bit unusual, because in the insect world, the nymphs and the larvae are the eating stage. The adults basically just mate and disperse,” Gunderman said. Ladybirds rely on their fat stores to help them survive the cold Canadian winter, and to ensure those fat stores are full, both the larvae and adult ladybirds are powerful hunters, an oddity in the insect world. They both feed on aphids and soft-bodied insects. Interestingly, the species of ladybird invading lecture halls right now is not domestic. The Asian ladybird beetle has been established in Canada for around 20 years according
Gunderman in his office with some of his ladybird samples. JON WHITE/PHOTO EDITOR
to Gunderman. The species was originally brought to the western hemisphere to protect tobacco and soybean plants from aphids that feed on crops. However their population grew too difficult to control. “They're prolific breeders. They're very aggressive and they've pushed our native species to the sidelines. They're still around, but in lower numbers,” Gunderman said. Asian ladybirds are typically bigger, with larger mandibles that can actually bite a person, unlike their more local relatives. Gunderman also had an explanation for their appearance. “The swarms that you're seeing late right now is just a pre-hibernation thing,” he said. That said, due to the cooler temperatures prior to last week,
the ladybirds were likely already in hibernation. Gunderman explained that when conditions are favourable, the beetles will come out of hibernation to enjoy the warm weather. However, this premature revival is detrimental to the ladybirds. Gunderman said, “They need to stay chilled over winter because they only have so many fat reserves. If they're active too often, that means they use the body fat and they have less to ride out the winter. If they don't have it, they'll just die.” This explains the inevitable doom of ladybirds who manage to stay inside a house in the winter. Unless the house's plants have aphids, the ladybird will use its fat stores and die of starvation. Gunderman advised the kindest way to treat ladybirds
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The swarms that you’re seeing late right now is just a prehibernation thing. Marvin Gunderman In-house entomologist
found in the house is to bring them outside. While it is unusual for ladybirds to be so prevalent so late in the year, their presence is not a sign of the apocalypse.
“It's a very common occurrence, this swarming behaviour. Even prior to the Asian ladybird, we'd still have our native species do the same thing. But with more of the Asian ladybirds, we're just seeing it in more noticeable numbers.” Gunderman predicts that if Ontario experiences a warmer winter, fewer ladybirds will hibernate properly, leading to a reduction in next year's numbers. “Right now we just have a beautiful warm spell in the weather, so insects are going to be active.”
@RachAlbertaKatz
4 |
NEWS
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
Remembering hitchBOT McMaster professor and co-creator of social robot hitchBOT discusses its demise and what went wrong
Patrick Kim News Reporter
If a robotic hitchhiker's guide to the United States were ever written, hitchBOT would probably have a thing or two to say about Philadelphia. And yet it's remarkable to think that the child-like construction of hitchBOT and its simple quest to travel the world came to embody a far more complex notion of "the separation between matter and the special status of humankind." That's how Prof. David Harris Smith, one of hitchBOT's co-creators, put it at a recent talk titled "The Death and Lives of hitchBOT, the Hitchhiking Robot.” The talk comes a few months following the social robot's untimely demise in Philadelphia in early August,
where it was vandalized only two weeks into its American journey. Previously, hitchBOT had successfully traveled across Canada, Germany and the Netherlands since the start of its travels in the summer of 2014. Smith is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies and Multimedia at McMaster University, and is well noted for his efforts in a field likened as "cultural robotics," which he himself described as "the creative use of robots and AI to manifest a reflexive action, highlighting the construction of values, identities and beliefs." The hitchBOT project was perhaps a culmination of these efforts, a cultural and social experiment developed in tandem by teams led by Prof. Smith and Prof. Frauke Zeller at McMaster and Ryerson University, respectively. With bright neon
limbs made up of material that could have come from the dollar store, underneath the hood hitchBOT was a sophisticated piece of hardware that included a GPS-locator for the team to track and an LED screen to convey emotion. Most importantly though, hitchBOT ran on a number of programs that included a conversational AI called Cleverscript, giving it the capacity to interact with human beings and create conversation in real time while literally hitchhiking across the country. Prof. Smith's discussion went far beyond an account of hitchBOT's journey across the world though, as he tried to capture the spirit of what made hitchBOT so popular. "People wanted to do things with it that were somehow culturally identifying," Smith commented. Between the extensive social following hitchBOT had amassed and the outpouring of support it received following its demise — over half a million unique visitors were drawn to hitchBOT's website in August alone — hitchBOT represented an idea beyond its destination. What hitchBOT could represent was important for Smith and his team in developing the robot,
JON WHITE/PHOTO EDITOR
and played a role in why they chose to specifically pursue a child-like whimsical appearance. "That was central; we definitely wanted to make it out of junk, stuff you would have around your house. It's part of that desire to make it accessible, to make it approachable, an object that is actually able to manifest a humourous disposition." This was essential, as hitchBOT was entirely dependent on human sympathy and assistance to get to its destinations. With the increase in fame, hitchBOT also ended up receiving numerous offers of advertisements for products such as tires and soft drinks, but to Smith and his team, this was against the greater vision they had for hitchBOT. "Somebody was going to give us 40,000 euros just to put a sticker on it. We turned that down because we didn't want to commercialize the thing; as soon as you brand it in that way, I think you lose your audience," he said. The social robot’s whimsical impression made it all the more tragic for people invested in the robot's journey across the world. The idea that something so innocent and unimposing
would find its end so violently and abruptly was something that captured the attention of media across the world, and support came in numerous forms from tweets, to hitchBOT cosplay and rallies. However, despite the attention it received following its demise, Dr. Smith would still have preferred that hitchBOT simply could have continued its journey. "Do I have any positive views of the fact that it was destroyed? No, not really. I would be more pleased if it was still out there, doing its thing," he explained. "For us we'd rather people had a chance to experience it and know the adventure would continue in some way." Dr. Smith is currently working on a number of projects that will continue to build on hitchBOT's legacy, including an opportunity to potentially put a social robot on the International Space Station. There have been many offers for hitchBOT's travels to continue, including in the United States, but it remains to be seen if hitchBOT will live again.
@patrickmkim
NEWS
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
Bach to basics The link between music and emotional speech patterns are described by McMaster researcher Michael Schutz and former student Matthew Poon Alexandra Florescu News Reporter
Music database Spotify’s newest commercial endorses the replacement of words with music to communicate when you can’t find the right words. Perhaps without meaning to, Spotify may have tapped into the same consensus that Schutz and his team did. A team of researchers headed by McMaster researcher Michael Schutz have looked into the patterns behind established compositions in musical history. The paper published in Frontiers of Psychology: Cognition focused on prominent European composers Frédéric Chopin and Johann Sebastian Bach. Michael Schutz, director of McMaster’s Music, Acoustics, Perception & Learning Lab and associate professor of music cognition and percussion, has long been immersed in the musical world. He worked closely with Matthew Poon, McMaster Music alumnus, and other students, to analyze three 24-piece sets by Chopin and Bach. “Music is very powerful at communicating emotion. In fact, that seems to be one of the core things that is important about music,” said Schutz. “The common speech patterns we use to convey emotion show up in music,” Schutz found. These tools were employed by Bach and Chopin to infuse their compositions with emotion, using high pitch and fast timing to convey joy and low pitch and slow timing to convey sadness. “It is one of the oldest issues in the whole field of music cognition. Darwin talked about how the way in which music communicates emotion seems to be paralleled to language, and Plato was speculating about these things as well. It’s a really old issue and certainly a very important one,” Schutz explained. While the group focused on the structural cues crafted by composers, there is a secondary layer in which performers interpret those cues and cast their own impression over
them. For the most part, this dialogue between composer and performer is separated by many years and even eras. A third layer is present in the audience’s interpretation, which varies among people who have heard the same piece performed. In one sense, it is an intentional effect. These patterns aren’t laid out haphazardly and left to chance. Yet whether these composers could explain every choice is not quite so certain. “Composers and musicians in general have very good instincts about what works for the perceptual system, but we don’t usually talk about it in those terms,” Schutz accounts. Culture is another important factor to consider, as there are certain aspects of music, such as major and minor keys, which do not translate well across cultural boundaries. “I remember a friend in grad school heard this one piece of music that he thought sounded so happy because it sounded roughly like our major mode, but it was actually a funeral song” remembers Schutz. Other cues tend to be slightly more transferable. High and low pitches, and fast and slow timings tend to fall into this category. “One of the things that I did not expect is that Bach and Chopin used these two cues in very different ways. Bach had a big timing difference for both of his sets of pieces, but for Chopin there was no difference between major and minor keys.” There is an opposite pattern with pitch, where Bach preludes have the smallest difference while the Chopin preludes have the largest difference. This might have something to do with the versatility of piano sound that existed at their time. “The cool thing is that it ties in with a bunch of studies that look at the basic way in which composers use cues changed in different eras … What minor meant seemed to change in a significant way in the Romantic era.” When picking the composers, Schutz looked for a balance between major and minor pieces. Around 80 percent of composers write in the major key.
As such, Chopin and Bach were chosen for their equal representation of both modes. The study is based on previous findings on metronome markings or pitch themes. “I think it’s the first time we have the complete section, where you are looking at all the voices. The harmony matters, it is not just about the melody. It builds on what’s been done before but in a bit of a different way.” Explorations such as these have direct implications in musical education, for performers and significantly for composers. @alexxflorescu
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Composers and musicians in general have very good instincts about what works for the perceptual system, but we don’t usually talk about it in those terms. Michael Schutz Associate Professor, McMaster University
| 5
Canadian campus news Emile Shen Contributor
Canadian universities are strong business incubators UBI Global, an organization that benchmarks business incubators worldwide, has included five Canadian universities in their top ten list for North American business incubation and accelerators. Université Laval’s Entrepreneuriat Laval was ranked the top accelerator in North America, and York University’s Entrepreneurship Development Institute placed third. The other incubator centres featured were Innovate Calgary at the University of Calgary (#3), TEC Edmonton at the University of Alberta (#4), Western Research Parks at Western University (#5) and Lead to Win at Carleton University (#7).
Carleton to launch Holocaust centre and scholarship On Nov. 8, Carleton University’s Zelikovitz Centre for Jewish Studies launched the new Centre for Holocaust Education and Scholarship as a part of Holocaust Education Month. CHES will bring together survivors, academics, students and community members to continue the process of reconciliation and a deeper understanding of the Holocaust. The year-round programming aims to promote social justice and human rights, while diminishing racism and prejudice.
UBC Engineering aims for 50 percent female enrolment by 2020
Michael Schutz lead the team of researchers that took a look at the link between emotion in music and normal speech patterns. C/O MICHAEL SCHUTZ
The Faculty of Applied Science at the University of British Columbia has set a goal of 50 percent female enrolment in Engineering by 2020. Student organizations and the faculty aim to do so because of the large disparity between men and women in Engineering, a common situation in most Canadian universities. The faculty said the solution involves education, awareness and encouraging females to be engineers from a young age through job shadowing and hands-on engagement.
6 |
HUMANS
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
Warren Britton and Roman Koshevatsky Social Sciences I and MoMac Nursing I
Megan Abbey Communication Studies III
What’s your Myers Briggs personality type? “I’m an ISFJ. Introverted, sensing, feeling, judging. But part of that profile and why I found it so hilarious was because I’m an introvert in my personal life but an extrovert in my professional life. So if you put me in a networking situation, I’m like, talking to everyone. I love meeting new people, potential employers, and things like that. But when it comes to my personal life, I’m a total introvert, which is hilarious.” What’s your career goal? “I am really interested in the wellness industry. It’s kind of like a trend word right now, but it’s been something I’ve liked for a long time. I’ve come up with companies I’d like to work for, something like Lululemon, or a health food company. What we’ve learned in public relations class is that you really have to believe in what you’re selling, because you’re trying to convince people and persuade people to do something. So I personally couldn’t do that for a company like Coca Cola. I find it really interesting how they would have these campaigns and sponsor the Olympics.” What exactly is the wellness industry?
JASON LAU / PHOTO REPORTER
“I think it could have a couple of different definitions. In the past couple of years I found it interesting to learn more about — this is as sciency as I’ll get — nutrition, and different ingredients and nutrients in food. And then, also promoting a healthy lifestyle, and what that means to you. So, I’ll chat with friends about things like protein powder, things to build strong muscles. That’s not always necessarily the best way to go about
it — which is totally someone’s personal opinion, but I’d find it interesting to learn more about that kind of stuff.” What do you want readers to know about wellness? “Treat yourself well. I think that’s really important. I mean, from my perspective that means things like eating real food. My biggest challenge when it comes to food and fitness is that they’re
things that I think about on a daily if not hourly basis. It’s different for everyone. I struggle a lot with having a certain amount of time in a day, and I put all this pressure on myself to eat really healthy meals every three to four hours, working out five times a week, and things like that. And that means I’m sacrificing things like sleep and social time — other things that are also really important. So it’s treating yourself well,
putting yourself first, and knowing what that means. Someone else could be telling you you’re supposed to be working out six times a week and doing cardio for an hour, but if you don’t have time for that, don’t put that extra stress on yourself. And that comes in other scenarios — if everyone wants you to go to a party every weekend, and that’s not what you want to do, treat yourself well and rest.”
HUMANS
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
When did you start playing the guitar?
and I said, ‘yeah yeah, definitely!’ And then I said—”
“I used to study guitar at school for a couple of years, and I also met Warren a couple of years ago. We both seem to be in to the same music, and we both play guitar — so we started getting together every now and then and just jam.
Both: “‘—grab your guitar!’”
“It kind of started in the summer, when we lifeguarded together. So we started getting together at a park and just jamming, and drinking a little bit. It sort of became a weekly ritual, and now that the weather has gotten colder and we’ve all gotten busier, there’s just less and less time to do that. He texted me this morning, asking me if I could give him a ride to school,
So do you want to play anything? “Aw man, we don’t know any stuff together. We’re rusty. We know songs, just not the same songs. We both like Chili Peppers, Nirvana, Zeppelin.” When you play outside, have people ever stopped by to listen? “Oh yeah. Cops! Haha! ‘Cause during the summer we were working so much, so we didn’t get together until late at night, and that’s when cops are patrolling parks and stuff. But it
wasn’t even bad, though. They actually thought it was pretty cool.”
care of my grandmother, and during that time, I lived with her but I was pretty much in a basement that was sort of my quarters. And it got really stagnant, really quickly. You can only go on YouTube for so long, so I picked up a guitar, and started YouTubing songs, and that’s how that got started. My brother had a guitar that he never used when he was younger, and I just dropped by my parents’ house one day, and asked for it. I picked up another couple of guitars — they’re great.”
So why do you play? “I think it’s like a therapy, right? Because we’re not good at it. We’re definitely not pursuing a career with it. You know people jog or work out or write to take their mind off stuff? For me it’s music. It’s therapeutic. It’s just been a way to outsource the stress in my life. It’s also a really good social activity; I’ve gotten to meet people, and get together with friends. If I hadn’t been playing music then I would have just been working with this guy and that would have been it.”
Is there anything else you want to tell our readers? “If you’re not playing any music, or singing, do it. You won’t regret it. I think music is great, and if you used to play some-
“I won’t go too life-story on it, but I spent a few years taking
| 7
thing and you quit because you suck, pick it up, keep playing and practice using your brain. I mean, if you’re 60 years old and you can still play music, then that’s brain function, right? Your brain’s always working when you’re playing.” “My favourite poem, by Robert Frost, goes: ‘the woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.’ So I just keep that in my head a lot. It just keeps me going. Stay focused. Don’t spend your time navel-gazing. That’s good, that’s healthy once in a while, but you have to open your eyes sometimes.”
You can view more photos online on the Humans of McMaster Facebook page:
facebook.com/HumansOfMcMaster
Special thanks to photo volunteer Maha Moin for her recent contributions to this project.
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8 |
NEWS
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
There’s a new doctor in town Thanks to the MSU’s new extended healthcare coverage, students now have access to a naturopathic doctor Rachel Katz News Editor
McMaster offers a wide range of healthcare services to promote both physical and mental health. However, most students are unaware of some alternatives to traditional medicine. Dr. Rita Patel has been McMaster’s Naturopathic Doctor for nearly a decade. She provides consultation and care for students who wish to treat their conditions without taking, or exclusively taking, medication. While naturopathy is not covered by OHIP, the MSU’s medical coverage now extends to natural medicine. “We thought [it] would be a good way for everyone to know that you have these services because I don’t think a lot of students
recognize that they have that coverage,” Patel said. According to her, most students entitled to coverage are unaware of their eligibility. Students make appointments with Dr. Patel for a variety of reasons. “There’s the type that is actually interested in naturopathic medicine, they’ve researched it and looked into it and are interested in getting treated naturally for their concern,” she explained. Other students want to enhance their traditional doctor’s approach to healthcare, while some are unsatisfied by their existing care. Naturopathy is based on seven main pillars, all of which are meant to improve a person’s overall health and balance. “A lot of students have anxiety, depression, trouble concentrating, insomnia, hypersomnia,
headaches, inability to deal with tension or stress, [gastro-intestinal] concerns like diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome, constipation or an intestinal bowel disease,” Patel explained. The key difference between naturopathy and traditional medicine is in the approach to treating a condition. Naturopathy focuses on ongoing care and variation in treatment. While a natural pill can “solve” a problem for a short time, Patel explained that the treatments she prescribes “go deeper” and help students living with conditions such as depression and anxiety for a longer period of time. “Naturopathic medicine will help to do that really well,” she said. Naturopathy is highly personalized, and patients may receive different types of
treatment depending on their symptoms. Patel gave the example of students with ADHD. She explained, “Not everyone with ADHD is exactly the same so a lot of it is trying to figure out how this person’s body is coping with this, and then treating accordingly.” Patel added, “For some people, it’s just about making dietary changes, which will help in improving their attention span . . . For other people, it might be a little bit more intense and they might need actual supplements or herbs or further treatment that can help balance the activity in their brains.” “It’s a different way of looking at your health.” *This article was written with files from Shalom Joseph.
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Naturopathy is highly personalized, and patients may receive different types of treatment depending on their symptoms.
@RachAlbertaKatz
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NEWS
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
| 9
Branching out Two branches of the Hamilton Public Library have closed to make way for a new branch that hopes to foster a greater community
Steven Chen News Reporter
On Thursday Nov. 5, the Hamilton Public Library closed the Waterdown and Milgrove branches in anticipation of the opening of the new facility located on Dundas St. E. The decision to close doors permanently at the Waterdown and Milgrove locations was made by the Hamilton Public Library Board in accordance with the facilities’ master plan. “Setting the direction for how the facilities are occupied and renewed is a lengthy task,” said Karen Anderson, Director of Public Services at HPL. “The three main factors for the closing of the branches are building size and condition, changes in the demographics and evolving libraries.” With the Milgrove branch having been deemed unsustainable for quite some time and the substantial population growth in the Waterdown area, the move to the new library facility seemed evident. The opening of the $6.8 million building has been fraught with a number of unfortunate setbacks. With initial plans to open in Oct. 2014, many construction delays surfaced as a result of bitter weather, pushing the ribbon-cutting day to later this month. Despite the trouble, Anderson remains hopeful. “Although it was extremely frustrating, the important thing is that we are pretty confident that the end product will be a huge asset to the community,” said Anderson. The 23,500-square-foot facility will be used for the new Waterdown branch, but also serves the joint purpose of housing the Flamborough Town Archives, the Flamborough Information and Community Services, a senior recreation centre, and the city of Hamilton’s Service Centre. “One of the most exciting things for us is that we are bringing a number of partners
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We like to think of it as community building— the library is not only a destination by way of our services and programs — we aspire to be actually building community as well. Karen Anderson Director of Public Services, Hamilton Public Library
under one roof. ‘Community Destination’ is a model that the HPL board strongly supports where possible. We try to locate in a multi-use facility because we know that there are advantages to that for the community,” she expresses. In particular, the Flamborough Town Archives will form a partnership with the library, since the actual archive space is embedded within the library. These resources on local history are expected to appeal to a number of researchers, who may plan to access the collection. “The parallel is that we wish to offer a wide range of services to customers of all ages, so not only library services, but community services as well,” said Anderson. The long-awaited opening due in a few weeks’ time will be followed by several innovative changes for the HPL. “We are opening a new makers’ space and digital media lab in the central library,” she mentions, “We have an ambitious program of building and renovation coming up in the next two to three years.” The architectural design of the new Waterdown branch is
An architect’s rendering of the new libray branch. C/O RDH ROUNTHWAITE DICK AND HADLEY ARCHITECTS
distinctly contemporary — it offers generous amounts of fresh space and an innovative atmosphere fostering community engagement. “While at one time it may have been appropriate to have a very small location
and collection,” noted Anderson, “we now know that we can better serve the community with large spaces by offering a wider range of services and programs.” “We like to think of it as
community building — the library is not only a destination by way of our services and programs — we aspire to be actually building community as well.”
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The McMaster Students Union
PRESIDENT’S PAGE Say hello to Maccess, the newest MSU service. Maccess will focus on meeting the needs of students with disabilities, whether visible or invisible. The Part-Time Manager has just been hired and the service is well on its way to a September 2016 launch. Last year, MSU Diversity Services and the MSU University Affairs committee held the first annual Accessibility Forum. This forum enabled students to engage in dialogue around the challenges they face while navigating campus with a disability. The conclusions of the discussion were used to create an Accessibility policy that contained many recommendations to make campus more accessible, in the hope of addressing the myriad concerns that students brought forward. Many students expressed loneliness and isolation while navigating
McMaster with a disability. Students may access Student Accessibility Services (SAS) for assistance, but the SAS office focuses primarily on accommodations. SAS currently runs an ally program to help incoming students adjust to university life, but an inappropriate mandate and limited resources have been cited as barriers to the program’s efficacy. While other student-driven initiatives exist, such as a confidential Maccess mailing list, the Hamilton Mad Students Collective, and various MSU clubs, many students with disabilities still perceive a gap in the services they receive. Many students expressed the need for a peerbased and peer-run safe space where they could connect to other students with disabilities in a way that was not focused on accommodations. The MSU conceived Maccess in order to address
The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the McMaster Students Union (MSU) Board of Directors (BoD) 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.
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...a place in which to feel safe and empowered...
these concerns. The service will give students with visible and invisible disabilities as well as their allies the opportunity to support each other. Through Maccess, students will be able to access resources in order to help them advocate for themselves and grow together as a sustainable community. The service will hope to address the feelings of isolation and helplessness that students with disabilities have identified. In addition to formal and informal peer support, the service will provide structured programming, opportunities to raise disability awareness, and opportunities for for-
mal and informal peer support. Perhaps most importantly, Maccess will not require a student to go through the long and medicalized process of registering with SAS. This service will provide students who experience acute disabilities with a resource, while allowing all self-identified students and their allies a place in which to feel safe and empowered while navigating university life. By providing such a space, the MSU hopes to make the McMaster community significantly more inclusive and positive for all students. I highly recommend taking a look at the MSU services offered year-round via msumcmaster.ca/services-directory. The MSU works constantly to improve its existing services and add new ones quickly when a need is identified.
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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
The Silhouette | 11
Editorial Mental health’s one percent Amanda Watkins Editor-in-Chief
For the past 25 years, Maclean’s magazine has released a comprehensive ranking of Canadian Universities. The ranking takes into account numerous categories including, but not limited to: program details, finances, scholarship opportunities, reputational rankings, and historically, survey results conducted by the universities themselves. This year, for the first time in the magazine’s history, instead of relying on the independent surveys distributed by each academic institution, they conducted their own Student Satisfaction Survey to receive unique data on the lived student experience. The survey asked questions related to familiarity and closeness with professors, feeling prepared to enter the workforce, critical thinking education, mental health services on campus and more. If you’ve been keeping up with these rankings, you will know that this year McMaster received an overall fifth place
ranking among Canadian institutions, and according to the Student Satisfaction Survey, it is the top ranked university for the provision of mental health services. McMaster Daily News was quick to tote the university’s place at the top of the Mental Health pyramid, but many students can attest to the fact that the school, like many others, still has a long way to go before being considered a frontrunner in the Canadian mental health awareness journey. In one breath, there are elements of McMaster’s mental health provisions that are fantastic and an undeniable privilege compared to the facilities available to our academic neighbours. We have on-campus services that provide counselling and therapy, the McMaster Student Absence Form that allows students to take time off in moments of ailment, and a few studentrun services that work to give students one-on-one time. But just how many students are actually able to access these programs? As someone who has used these services, I know that there is often a waitlist for services, and barriers with professors and
Letter to the Editor:
programs can arise when filing documentation or completing an MSAF [FEB. 12, 2015 – “Let’s talk about the MSAF”]. The Satisfaction Survey received responses from over 10,000 students across the country, with 310 of those being from McMaster. A mere 1.02 percent of McMaster’s 30,000+ student population was surveyed to reach this ranking, and the magazine acknowledges that it was not the most indepth analysis for this particular category. This is an extremely small population of people to begin with, but on top of this, of this one percent, how many of these students have actually experienced mental health concerns to the point that they’ve required McMaster’s services? The only question on the survey related to mental health was “How would you rate the following at your school,” with “Mental Health Services” being one of the rated categories. The survey was not detailed in this category, and as excited as the university is, and many of its students are, to receive this ranking and celebrate McMaster’s efforts to improve
Don’t get too excited about McMaster’s recent top rankings
to spicy plantain chips.
to getting robbed.
to not having mono.
to the 12 days of throat infections.
to pseudocousins.
to baby burrito.
to ladybirds.
to ladybugs.
to coffee table candy.
to a rough week.
mental health treatment on campus, we cannot convince ourselves that it is an appropriate representation of the services we provide for students. Thousands of incoming university students see these rankings and make their choices based on the information provided. While this rank is a boost for the University, we still have an obligation to continue working to make sure
our mental health services are the best they can be, and keep incoming students informed about the realistic limitations of our services, as well as our efforts to improve them. Just because our university has received this one unsubstantiated ranking, it does not mean we have peaked at our ability to adequately serve the needs of all our students. @whatthekins
A response to “Wear your red poppy with pride” by Michael Klimuntowski
Michael Klimuntowski finds it ‘reprehensible’ that anyone dare question the meaning of the red poppy and even goes so far as to claim that its meaning is in fact beyond debate by invoking it as ‘sacred’. This is uncritical and intellectually intolerant thinking that goes against the whole purpose of the university environment and of a free society. Regardless of what one thinks of the white poppy advocates, the claims made by Mr. Klimuntowski actually support some of their objections to the red poppy campaign. Take, for instance, invoking the battle of Vimy Ridge: it is true that a few nationalist historians (Pierre Burton foremost amongst them) have made claims about this battle having some sort of mystical role in making the Canadian nation. But very few professional historians do so anymore, and for good reason: beyond rhetoric, the Canadian military success in 1917 led to no tangible changes in Canada itself nor did it change Canada’s relationship to Britain in any measurable way. Canadian actions at Vimy were at the time, and have continued to be since, a source of pride (and sorrow); yet this is pride in a military accomplishment. So how does invoking Vimy as something that should be remembered tell against the critique that our current culture of remembrance in effect glorifies what happens in war? And McRae’s famous poem? After the First World War ended, this poem was appropriated as a way to commemorate the war dead, but it can certainly still be read as it was originally intended, as glorifying wartime sacrifice. Just read the stanza quoted: it enjoins the reader to take up
‘arms against the foe’ lest those that lie amongst the poppies in Flanders died in vain. Written in 1915, McCrae’s clear purpose was to not to commemorate the victims of a tragic conflict, but to encourage more people to enlist in a war that was still very much undecided. Not once in the poem is the justness of the cause ever mentioned. So again, how does this tell against arguments about the red poppy glorifying serving in the military and in war? My point here is not to depreciate veterans, the Red Poppy appeal or the practice of Remembrance Day, nor to endorse the wearing of White Poppies. Rather it is to point out that the meanings of rituals like commemoration are most definitely not self-evidently beyond debate (‘sacred’), but in fact dependent on context, and yes, on politics too. The Legion’s founding in both Britain (especially) and Canada were intensely political acts founded on the fact that the nation-states that sent men out to fight did not necessarily provide all that was required to sustain them when they returned as causalities (or support the families of those that did not return). What does it say about our society that the financial aspect of the Red Poppy Appeal is still necessary at all? We venerate veterans one day a year and care not a whit for them the other 364? And by the way, the White Poppy campaign was actually started in the 1930s by Great War veterans in Britain who believed the commemorative practices that had evolved in the 1920s and 30s, ones we still follow today, were riddled with hypocrisy. Should anyone be interested I’d be happy to provide the
references to the large body of scholarship of the evolution and contestation of commemorative practices over the course of the 20th century. I happen to agree that in some situations the resort to military action, while deplorable, is the least of all evils, and that those who serve in the military at our society’s bequest deserve respect; but I also respect the right of those who wish to question a martial response to problems and to make us think about exactly what values our society promote. The history of conscientious objectors is also a heroic one: ostracized (or worse) by their own society in time of war they quite often end up seeming to be ‘on the right side of history’ after the fact. So, there is absolutely nothing wrong with questioning the meaning of rituals, particularly those, like the wearing of a Red Poppy, that are elevated to national significance. Such questioning leads to debate and to a greater understanding of what we are actually venerating. After all, is it not the ability to question and debate issues that makes us a free society? And is it not also protecting that freedom that is so often invoked by those who send men and women out to fight? Dr. Stephen Heathorn Department of History McMaster University
#McMOSTER2015 Mo-vie Night
Fall Campus Clean-Ups
Crag Cardiff Live at Mac
When: November 14, 2015 from 10:00AM
When: November 17, 2015 at 08:00PM
When: November 12, 2015 from 07:00PM
until 11:00AM
until November 01, 2015 at 10:00PM
Where: On Campus
Where: TwelvEighty Bar and Grill
On Saturday Novemebr 14th join MAC-
Crag Cardiff is coming back to McMaster to
Take the perfect break from all those
green as we cleanup around the campus.
serinate YOU with his beautiful voice!
stressful midterms, assignments and labs
We will meet outside of BSB, by the front
Recently returning from a tour in Europe,
to come relax in T-28 with us! In spirit of
entrance stairs at 10:00am and go to
Crag Cardiff’s music blends many song-
Movember,we will be showing Mission
about 11:00am. Look forward to seeing
writer genres, including folk, country, rock
Imposisble: Rouge Nation at 7:30PM , fol-
you amazing Marauders!
and traditional, always with an emphasis on
until 11:30PM Where: T-28
lowed by Terminator: Genisys at 10:00PM. Of course snacks will be provided as well-
strong lyrics that relate a story. He is known
Trans Visibility Week
for engaging fans during performances, his
because what’s a movie without some snacks? 100% of donations made at the
When: November 16, 2015 at 09:30AM
as well as for creating cohesive, emotional
door will be donated to the McMoster’s
until November 20, 2015 at 08:30PM
performances through his on-stage humour
Where: MUSC 203
and storytelling.
Movember campaign!!
Tickets will be avaliable at Compass
For any further questions or concerns, please contact: Sharita Ganeshan Assistant Director, MSU Campus Events eventsasst@msu.mcmaster,ca (905) 525 -9140 x 23868
Shave For A Cure until 02:00PM
#McMOSTER2015 Board Games Night
An event where McMaster students shave
When: November 12, 2015 from 08:00PM
raise for Camp Trillium, an organization
until 11:00PM
that provides recreational programs for
their heads to raise awareness and fund-
children with pediatric cancer and their families. This event also features various
Play board games & video games, enjoy
dancing and singing performances, as
popcorn and cotton candy, and have fun!
well as wonderful raffle prizes. All pro-
All proceeds will go towards charity. A
ceeds will go towards charity.
collaboration between Smiling Over Sickness, GeekSquad, and McMaster Board Games Club.
$5+GST for McMaster Students with Valid ID $10+GST for guests of McMaster
When: November 16, 2015 from 10:00AM
Where: MUSC Atrium
Where: BSB
wide vocal range and his ability to improvise,
VISIT: msumcmaster.ca/calendar to view the full calendar of events!
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
The Silhouette | 13
Opinion
The hidden costs of graduating Despite spending a large sum on tuition, graduation at McMaster can involve a few surprising fees Diane Doran Contributor
Imagine this. You decide to go to grad school. You save up so you can afford tuition, or maybe take out another loan. You juggle courses, TA work, and your own research. You work hard to meet everyone’s expectations. Sometimes you sacrifice your sleep, or your health, or your relationships. You live on a sub-standard wage. You lock yourself away for weeks to write your thesis; if you don’t submit it by the deadline, you’ll be charged for another semester of tuition. You break down at least twice, but you keep going, and one day, against all odds, that sucker looks just about finished. You prepare for your defense and spend the whole night before thinking about the questions you might be asked rather than sleeping. You pass! Only minor revisions. Almost there. You sign all the paperwork. You go back, you make the edits. You make sure you’ve formatted it just the way the university requires. So close. Now all you
need to do is submit it to the School of Graduate Studies, but McMaster University has one last nasty surprise left for you: it’s going to cost you. In order to graduate, you must submit an electronic copy of your thesis to SGS, and in order to do so you must pay exactly $40. Apparently, the thousands of dollars that I paid in tuition and student fees only cover my education — graduation not included. No, unfortunately, this is not a Monty Python sketch, this is the perennial farce that is McMaster University administration. The mysterious “library and archiving fee,” of which no description can be found, is the final frontier between you and your degree, and it comes as a shock to most graduate students. It’s like buying an airline ticket, getting on the plane, and then being asked to pay a “descent and landing fee” while you’re cruising at 39,000 feet. Now just to be clear, I am not kicking up such a gigantic fuss just because I now have 40 fewer dollars in my bank
account. On vacation, I once spent $20 on a paper puppet in the shape of Spongebob Squarepants that the vendor convinced me would dance on its own when placed next to a stereo. It did not. And yet I’m not nearly as angry about that. It’s the principle. If publishing your thesis on MacSphere were optional, you’d hear no complaints from this girl. I chose to pay tuition, because I decided I wanted an education. But I had no choice but to pay this fee, if I wanted anything to show for it. The ransom on your diploma is set at $40, which most of us could probably begrudgingly afford; but not unlike the profits of criminal extortion, the use to which these funds will be put is not at all transparent. McMaster’s policy is for all theses to be uploaded to MacSphere on their library website, where they are searchable and can be accessed by a wider audience. Which is great, but I am profoundly confused as to what part of that is costing us each $40. Am I paying for an admin-
“
I chose to pay tuition, because I decided I wanted an education. But I had no choice but to pay this fee, if I wanted anything to show for it.
istrative assistant to open my PDF file and drag and drop it onto the website? Am I paying for a tiny amount of space on a server until the end of time, which has been calculated to amount to exactly $40? Until SGS decides to respond to my recent tweet, we’ll never know. More likely, I’m helping to repay
the overhead costs of McMaster deciding to invest in new software or platforms, and so are you, because they know, of course, that you’re not leaving without that diploma. Now, I’m not a totally unreasonable person. If a gym invests in new equipment and a sauna, they have the right to start charging a bit more for membership. That’s how business works, and McMaster University is a business like any other. I understand that. But even if SGS manages to convince me that the “library and archiving fee” is legitimate, why on earth is the fee not included with tuition and student fees at the beginning of the year? Nobody starts a degree thinking “who knows, I might even graduate!” Why is that not part of the deal? SGS, I believe I speak for disgruntled grads across this campus when I ask you please, don’t wait to trip us right before the finish line.
14 |
OPINION
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
Reassessing sex and violence in the media Treating sex as unnatural makes little sense when violence has far more negative consequences
Kaiwen Song Contributor
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You literally owe your life to sex. Your parents at some point in time decided to do the nasty and voilà: you were conceived. You know what you don’t owe your life to? Violence, which is conversely responsible for the ending of many lives. If this is true, why does our society condone messages of violence over those of sexuality, especially from female celebrities? This May, Taylor Swift released her highly anticipated music video for “Bad Blood.” The video featured Selena Gomez pushing Swift out of a window, and Taylor subsequently enlisting a squad of assassins (complete with machine guns and other weapons) to exact revenge. Despite these graphic depictions of violence, the video was celebrated as a feminist statement and Swift maintained her status as America’s sweetheart. In comparison, this year Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus released popular music videos for “Anaconda” and “Wrecking Ball,” respectively. Instead of being violent, these videos showed Minaj and Cyrus in various stages of undress being sexually provocative. Responses to these videos were less than enthusiastic, with critics deeming Minaj’s video as “vile” and “desperate” and claiming that Cyrus had “finally gone too far this time.” Swift assembling assassins with dangerous weapons is female empowerment, while Minaj taking off her clothes is vile? This unbalanced attitude towards violence and sexuality is prevalent across all popular media. This year, the American Family Association called for a boycott of Fifty Shades of Grey for being “an incredibly unhealthy view of relationships and sexuality.” Whether this accusation is true or not is de-
“
Why are we more tolerant of the media displaying acts of violence than sexuality?
batable. Still, I can’t help but notice that no one protested other gratuitously violent summer blockbusters such as Furious 7 and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. Where was the American Family Association then? In fact, when was the last time that a violent movie without an overt sexual component was admonished, much less boycotted? Why are we more tolerant of the media displaying acts of violence than sexuality? It’s certainly not because the former is more morally acceptable as killing is universally inappropriate. However, parents are much more likely to allow their children to witness such behaviour than even the briefest hint of sexual activity. What will viewing sex do to your child? Will they start asking questions? Although that may be a difficult topic to discuss, how is that any worse than the impact of viewing violent behaviour on children? The media’s stance on displays of sexuality is in need of a major overhaul. Unlike violence, acts of sexuality are perfectly normal behaviour and should be treated as such. In a world where violent imagery is widespread and unchallenged, it is mystifying that depictions of sexual behaviour are treated with disgust and indignation. Tell me, would you rather have sex or kill someone?
OPINION | 15
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
A cabinet for real change Sunanna Bhasin Opinions Columnist
When Trudeau’s cabinet was announced, I was ecstatic to see the 50/50 split between male and female members, as well as an increase in diverse members. But since this announcement, there have been compliments and criticisms in equal measure. One of the biggest criticisms is whether this attempt to have gender equality and minority representation in the cabinet is simply a form of tokenism. Tokenism is the practice of including members of minority groups in a superficial way that does not guarantee substantive representation. Tokenism has a negative connotation because it creates the impression that the employer does not want to be seen as discriminatory in the public eye, but isn’t actually taking the steps to create true equality in the workplace. One may ask then, how do we differentiate between hiring token employees and genuinely wanting to create an inclusive environment? While it is a valid
concern that Trudeau’s gender quota could be a form of tokenism, it is also valid to have a system of affirmative action in place on the world stage. Affirmative action ensures that minorities are given opportunities they are systematically denied in a world where white privilege and sexism still exist. The critics calling tokenism are coming from the right place, but looking at the details of the new Cabinet, tokenization does not seem to be at play. To say that Trudeau’s cabinet is full of token employees is to say that the gender quota was fulfilled without any attention to the valuable experience and skills each member has. In fact, a look at the experiences of the members shows that each cabinet minister has something unique to bring to the Liberal government. Trudeau did not simply pluck fifteen women from parliament while blindfolded, nor did he seek to add a pre-determined amount of non-White members to his cabinet. He went into the process acknowledging that he wanted equality
“
Trudeau’s female cabinet members have been given positions in sectors where women around the world seem to be underrepresented.
and diversity to be displayed to the world, but did not perpetuate tokenism by carelessly crossing off identities on a checklist. It has been argued that there are better options out there, but that’s always a possibility. How can critics really know what a “better” option looks like when the skills each cabinet minister has are so
Justin Trudeau’s diverse cabinet isn’t just for show
diverse? If Canada holds the notions of equality and diversity at the heart of its national identity and wants to advocate for them on a global scale, then Trudeau’s cabinet selection is a great step forward in doing so. In fact, Trudeau’s female cabinet members have been given positions in sectors where women around the world seem to be underrepresented. For example, MP Kirsty Duncan is now the Minister of Science, and it is a well-known fact that women tend to be marginalized in the STEM fields. Giving the position of Minister of Science to a well-educated woman like Duncan, who has a background in medical geography, meteorology, and climatology, is a positive step that has the potential of encouraging Canadian STEM employers to prioritize what Canada values: gender equality. In addition, Trudeau has incorporated Members of Parliaments with diverse cultural backgrounds into his cabinet to better represent Canada’s multicultural environment and acknowledge the fact that different
perspectives are valuable to the government. National Defence Minister, Harjit Sajjan, has been popular with many media outlets due to his Sikh background and military experience. Not only has he served as a soldier during three separate deployments to Afghanistan, he has also worked as a police officer. Given the first-hand knowledge of military missions, he will be able to make educated decisions in regards to ending the combat mission against ISIS, his main responsibility. These examples are just two of many that serve as testimony to the fact that Trudeau’s cabinet was not merely a quota game. Rather, he carefully selected MPs with experience that would allow them to fulfill their duties exceptionally well, all the while ensuring that gender parity existed. Believe it or not, it is possible to have the best of both worlds if one is determined enough to bring about real change. @SunannaB
Do we value creativity? Respecting veterans on Remembrance Day should be our priority Morgan Potter Contributor
Many of us acknowledge the role of creative thinking in advancing a society. Without innovation we wouldn’t have technology, art, science, and many other things that have made the world the way that we know it. We know the value of creativity in theory, but how well do we put this into practice? Is the word ‘creativity’ simply tossed around in business, politics and other major industries as a buzzword? We have become intoxicated by money and fancy political patter, when what we need is creativity and innovation to bring about change. Creativity has been sterilized by our neoliberal society. In many cases nowadays, instead of creativity and innovative thought being valued for their progressive ideas, they are valued for how well they can sell products. This financially
centered world that we are living in is toxic for everyone, especially for students coming into the workforce for the first time. Our priorities have been established for us: money first, enjoyment second. Student debt is the killer of creativity because it forces us into jobs that we are not passionate about in order to make enough money to pay off our education. It’s no wonder that change and innovation are
so difficult to achieve in our society when the fresh perspectives of university graduate are being shut out. The importance placed on the university and on achievement in general has caused a glut of overqualified job-seekers. As a result of this, what it means to have a career has also changed. A career is just a way to make money and not for self-fulfillment or to make
changes in the world. When this is our mindset, we know that change and hiring people with new perspectives into the workforce is more important than ever. We need to value creativity more than we currently do, and not be content with stagnancy. History has shown us the value of creativity and innovative thoughts to foster critical, forward thinking societies. We understand the need for change in order to create more equality amongst people, end global warming and a host of other critical issues in our world that need to be resolved. So, what can we do? We need to prove how important creativity and innovation are to us and change the way that we look at them collectively. Creativity should be as important as literacy, and it can be, but we need to work towards giving it this status. This is an issue that pertains to all of us and not just to people who consider themselves creative.
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Creativity has been sterilized by our neoliberal society. In many cases nowadays, instead of creativity and innovative thought being valued for their progressive ideas, they are valued for how well they can sell products.
16 |
OPINION
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
Human rights are out of my price range Mia Kibel Contributor
In ninth grade my favorite shirt was a grey deep v-neck from American Apparel. If you are currently studying at McMaster, there is a decent chance that at some point, some variation of this shirt featured prominently in your wardrobe. In 2008 and 2009, it was not uncommon to see four or five girls wearing the same shirt in a range of different colours on any given day. In retrospect, two things become striking: one is a disturbing adolescent penchant for uniformity, but the other is the fact that on Oct. 5, American Apparel filed for bankruptcy. The company is well known for its commitment to “sweatshop-free” clothing. It is one of the only mainstream clothing companies manufacturing its product in North America, specifically in Los Angeles. American Apparel pays its employees minimum wage, and according to their website offers comprehensive healthcare and benefits. This is not to say American Apparel does not have labour rights issues — they have been accused of aggressive anti-union behavior, immigration entanglements, and sexualized hiring practices by the former CEO Dov Charney. But despite this, because they produce in America, the company still has a better human rights record than its counterparts. In 2013, the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh made headlines when it collapsed, killing 1,100 workers (mostly women). There were no
fire exits, no adequate air supply, and the women were forced to stay and work even when they noticed cracks in the foundation. The Rana Plaza factory and others like it are associated with Zara, H&M, Uniqulo, Forever 21, and many more of the world’s largest brands. Despite the news coverage, we continue to shop exhibiting a profound collective amnesia surrounding garment worker rights. In comparison, American Apparel is looking pretty good. Unfortunately, it is not a coincidence that American Apparel is the one going bankrupt. Minimum wage for workers in California is $1,440 a month, compared to $68 in Bangladesh. These high production costs mean that American Apparel is not able to compete with “fast-fashion” like H&M, Zara and Forever 21, because producing ethically costs too much money. However little we like to admit it, we as consumers agree. I have walked into American Apparel, looked at a $24 shirt, thought, “this is too expensive” and walked out. The past five years of American Apparel sales show that a whole lot of people are doing the exact same thing. Fast fashion — dependent as it is on the mistreatment of workers — is really cheap. The cheapest plain jeans at American Apparel are $78.00, compared to $9.99 at H&M, $10.90 at Forever 21, and $29.90 at Zara. Human rights are out of my price range. Theoretically, we have the ability to make consumption choices that protect human rights, but for a lot of peo-
What does American Apparel’s bankruptcy mean for human rights and socially conscious consumerism?
ple, especially students, those choices aren’t affordable. Not to mention any shopper who wears a size larger than XL lacks even the semblance of a choice, because American Apparel sizes don’t run that high. This exclusivity in socially conscious fashion isn’t unique. If you google “socially conscious clothing” the first hit is a list of 30 brands. There were only four brands that earned a single “$” rating on the website, and they only had “cheap” designations because they sold less expensive items such as underwear and accessories. People with less disposable income are excluded from whatever “socially conscious corporate economy” exists. Financial critics of American Apparel are taking its bank-
A Bangladesh sweatshop.
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ruptcy as evidence that young people “don’t care where their clothes are made,” but I do not think this is true. Anyone who has ever had to meet a budget knows that sometimes you do not get to spend your money on what you want — the choice is made for you. By connecting cheap clothes to human rights abuses, the fast fashion industry is implicating all of us in the gross mistreatment of thousands of people around the globe. Not enough people would or could pay the price they set on human rights, and American Apparel’s case proves that even an approximation of human rights is not possible or profitable. Within the corporate garment industry, there is no such thing as a socially conscious consumer.
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Because they produce in America, the company still has a better human rights record than its counterparts.
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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
The Silhouette | 17
Lifestyle THE SKINNY
Changing lanes
Netflix vandals have no chill
Zara and H&M’s sister company, COS, is slowing down their emphasis on fast trends
A “Netflix” billboard near the company’s headquarters in California underwent some modifications recently when unidentified vandals spray-painted “and chill” to finally officialise the overused meme. With the dominating popularity of the phrase, this was a long time coming. Disney sued over WreckIt-Ralph
Disney is being sued by a man named Dyke Robinson, for $10 million, who claims that the entertainment giant copied concepts from his book series, “Digiland”, when creating Wreck-it-Ralph. He insists that the sweet ground seen in the land of Sugar Rush, for example, was his idea first. Forbes names the world’s highest-earning models
Forbes recently released its latest ranking of the highest paid models in the world. It’s not a surprise that Giselle Bunchen topped the list – once again – with a whopping $44 million. Her crowning salary was followed by a slightly more modest $9 million, earned by both Cara Delevigne and Adriana Lima.
Jeffrey Ye Contributor
If you’ve been keeping up with brands such as Zara and H&M recently, you’ll know that their moves have been surprisingly uncharacteristic for their “fast fashion” label. What is fast fashion? Fast fashion is characterized by the strategy of the aforementioned fashion giants to rapidly incorporate (knock off may be more accurate) the latest trends from either the runway or popular culture into their stores. Their streamlined processes take as little as two weeks to go from design to delivery. So far, this approach has been extremely lucrative, with H&M and Zara operating a combined total of over 5,000 stores worldwide. To say nothing of their association with poor working conditions, why fix what isn’t broken? On one hand, Zara may be
testing the waters to see if the average consumer is receptive to higher end designer styles and superior quality at an increased price point. Zara has unveiled their first male studio collection that does just that. The outerwear and knits are clearly the highlight of this line, displaying prominent check prints and using wool blends in addition to alpaca and mohair fibers. Textured turtle necks, rolled trousers and several suiting options round out the collection. The difference with this collection and the fast fashion model is permanence, both with regards to its lower turnover of pieces and reduced likelihood of clothes falling apart after ten washes. H&M on the other hand, looks to appeal to more mature consumers who have a defined style and can afford to spend more to attain it. The company
has opened new stores in Toronto and Montreal under the name of COS. Having visited the Bloor street location, I was impressed by the spacious, clean layout of the store compared to H&M’s usual cluttered racks. The pieces themselves take a minimal approach to patterns, branding, zippers, and buckles. COS instead opts for clean, monochrome styling, reminiscent of the work of Jil Sander and Lemaire. While we have come to associate fast fashion with descriptors such as cheap, poor quality and trendy, COS is far from it. The company has stated, “COS prices start where H&M’s finish,” and included in that cost is superior construction and fabrics with a recognizable aesthetic. Both companies seem to be challenging consumers to choose quality and investment into a thoughtful wardrobe in
place of cheap trends. In the words of everybody’s favorite Belgian fashion designer, Raf Simons, “Fashion became pop … And I don’t know if one should be ashamed or not to admit that maybe it was nicer when it was more elitist.” While I don’t necessarily agree with putting up barriers to people exploring fashion, I agree that things are moving too quickly. There is such a focus on hopping onto the latest trend without any attempt to get to know what’s out there and discover one’s personal style. Fast fashion feeds into this. But the fact that companies such as Zara and H&M are moving towards less volatile and more refined offerings is undoubtedly positive for promoting more thought about what we wear.
18 |
LIFESTYLE
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
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After a long and draining day of classes, cleaning your face properly is the last thing you want to do before getting carried away by the sweet, blissful oblivion of sleep. Makeup wipes are the midnight pizzas of the skincare world. They’re quick, they get the job done and they’re terrible for you in a gazillion ways you never wanted to know. Wipes are convenient for that ten-second tidy, but they’re often loaded with chemicals to extend their shelf life and to get makeup to come off easier. The problem lies in the residual chemicals that stay on your face when you don’t wash them off, and when you take that into account how abrasive wiping motions can be, it’s safe to say you’re doing an A+ job of making your skin hate you. There is, however, no need for despair. Meet micellar water, the breakout star of the skincare industry and the answer to all your woes. For anyone who’s taken a course in biology, the theory behind micelles should be familiar. The oil molecules in micellar water, which form the hydrophobic (water-hating) interior, break down the dirt and oil on your face. The soft water, which forms the hydrophilic (water-loving) exterior by encasing oil molecules, then sweeps away the impurities. All in all, the two make a pretty kick-ass team. Like make-up wipes, using
micellar water is a one-step process. You apply a small amount of the water to a cotton ball, and you swipe it across your face, no rinsing required. But that’s where the similarities end. A softer alternative to the ‘90s harsh water crisis in Paris, micellar water contains only mild surfactants and is therefore free of any harsh chemicals that dry out or irritate sensitive skin. Their targeted design makes them gentle and effective, removing other oils that contribute to future breakouts. Prices for micellar water range anywhere from five to 50 dollars, depending on the brand. If you’re willing to splurge 30 dollars, try Bioderma Sensibio H2O: it started the micellar water trend, and is vouched for by many celebrities and their makeup artists, such as Gwyneth Paltrow. For the sceptics who simply want to test the waters, Simple offers a more affordable deal at seven dollars. Just keep in mind that not all types of micellar water are meant to be used on waterproof or long-lasting makeup, or you’ll be setting yourself up for disappointment. The main problem with makeup wipes stems from the assumption that they’re supposed to replace your daily skin cleansing routine, when they’re really just a quick fix. Although micellar water is a step-up from wipes, it’s still exactly just that: a quick fix. Use it while travelling, and when in a hurry, but make the effort to do the full routine every once in a while. Your skin will thank you down the road.
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
The Silhouette | 19
We need to talk about Essena Is Essena representative of a cultural ailment to seek societal approval or is it a marketing gimmick? Sonia Leung Contributor
Last week Essena O’Neill made waves by condemning social media. The young model deleted most of the photos on her Instagram account and changed the caption of those that remained to reveal the arduous process required to create the seemingly effortless posts. While many have heralded Essena’s move as a bold statement about social media, she has drawn fire from other social media celebrities, who cast doubt on her intentions (Essena created a website/online store that is supposed to be inclusive) and defended social media. Most notably, critics argued that social media was not to blame for Essena’s predicament, rather it was her own weakness of character. When Essena O’Neill first felt the pressures of social media she was 12 years old. Six years later, she had amassed over half a million followers on Instagram while still considered a minor. To hold a minor to the same standards as adults similarly navigating social media for commercial purposes creates a discrepancy through unjustified isolation. Critical responses to Essena giving up social media equated social media to a sandbox where everyone plays together. In such rebuttals, the common theme likened communications technology and social media to tools — poor results would only come about if the user of such a tool fails to use it well. There is more to this story than the relationship between technology and its user; O’Neill was a young girl who walked into a network of existing businesses benefiting from a system they put in place. The basis of the business model used by virtual ventures like Facebook and Instagram involves the engagement between the user and their platform — we become the
eyes for their advertising. Regardless of how well versed she may have become in marketing techniques, O’Neill entered the industry under the universal pressures youth face to find validation among their peers, never having undertaken paid work, to be offered compensation in return for her search for approval. In this advent of the digital era, who can honestly say they have never felt a “like” or “favourite” as something that transcends the screen? This instantaneous feeling of validation became all consuming for O’Neill, but this is not an isolated case of a user abusing their access to social media. This is symptomatic of a greater cultural ailment to seek societal approval, an idea itself that is packaged and sold particularly to susceptible youth. Like O’Neill says, “Everyone wants to feel valued and love.” This penchant for acceptance becomes maladaptive when we quantify it with “likes” on Facebook or Instagram, or when we enter into a contest against an unrealistic standard we hope to upkeep to maintain that quantification. But who sells us these unrealistic stan-
dards? Who is behind the idea of a perfect life that O’Neill and so many other Instagram models and YouTubers strive to embody? These are questions that reinforce the importance of understanding that a system is in place entrapping people like O’Neill into thinking they are selling something when they are just another customer buying into a pre-packaged, Valencia-filtered idea of happiness. It’s a terrifyingly effective means of mass distribution, this commercialized pursuit of happiness. At some point in the case of O’Neill, her universal desire for validation and acceptance became exploited and instead of using social media as a tool, she became a tool in the toolbox of corporations — something she would not understand until it had taken an emotional toll. Flip the coin. Clearly, O’Neill has realized the artificial nature of virtual validation — what remains unclear is how long she has known this, and whether she is being sincere in her intentions. There are few things that media loves more than a pretty face, and they include controversy and a redemption story. O’Neill has come to represent the subversion of an idea that, as a collective, we love to envy and equally love to hate. In her refusal of the “perfect
life” she once lived, those half million Instagram followers and so many others can validate their suspicions around an idea they subscribed to that seemed too good to be true and reassure themselves about their own lives that might not be considered up to par. This too, is an excellent business model, and while O’Neill entered into the industry as a child, she is now a businesswoman in her own right. "I know you didn't come into this world just wanting to fit in and get by,” she writes. "You are reading this now because you are a game changer.” I can’t help but be cognizant of how much this sounds like a pitch when coupled with the new website she’s launched, letsbegamechangers.com. Is social awareness the next product to be sold under the pretense of authenticity with pre-determined parameters? What O’Neill seems to be doing, consciously or unconsciously, is reinforcing a general trend of social activism reduced to a bandwagon that has too much to do with personal morality and loses sight of the issues at heart. She is repackaging self-worth with social awareness and redefining her image without unpacking her implication in the system. At the core of it, not much has changed. She was the “cool girl” selling the “cool life”. By becoming the new face of authenticity, she is still the “cool girl” selling the “cool life.” Which narrative do you and I believe: a genuine and exploited girl exposing a corrupt industry, or a young business woman who knows that even artificial sincerity tastes sweeter after a lie? And what does that say about us?
ESSENA: A TIMELINE Nov 3 2015 Essena quits
Essena posts tearful videos about her fight against social media. Additionally, The Australian teen has also started her own site, letsbegamechangers.com, to promote “veganism, plant-based nutrition, environmental awareness, social issues, gender equality, [and] controversial art”. She reveals that she is struggling to make ends meet and attempts to crowdfund the site. Nov 3 2015 Nina & Randa fire back
YouTube stars and sisters Nina and Randa, former friends of O’Neill, realease a video and condemns Essena’s video as nothing more than a stunt. In response to Essena’s claim that that the social media stars Essena met in LA seemed miserable, the sisters commented, “How are any of us fake to you? We opened up our houses... thinking this is a friendship... What was fake about the relationship you had with us? Who are you talking about?” Nov 4 2015 Essena responds
Essena responds to the sisters, saying that she was not referring to the sisters. She also believes the sisters should not have shared personal details about her online without her consent.
20 |
LIFESTYLE
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
Don’t settle for provisional living When school becomes less about interest and more about future financial security, it’s time to reevaluate
Sunanna Bhasin Opinions Columnist
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It came up during my literature class, this idea of living provisionally. As it was described, I felt somewhat enlightened. There were suddenly words I could use to explain the feeling that I, and many of you, have experienced and may still experience too often. It is the feeling of dread that what you’re doing doesn’t interest you. You look forward to the weekend because as soon as it arrives, you can relax and do what you really want. In some cases, this can’t be helped. We all have those hectic weeks full of midterms and assignments that make us pray for a break. Just a few more days, and it’ll be Reading Week. Just one more month, and the term will be over. But this can be unhealthy if it becomes our entire month, or even worse, our entire year. Ever hear students say: “Once I finish my undergrad, complete med school, and do my residency, then I can relax and live the life that I want?” It’s almost too common. Multiple people in my life used to encourage me to pursue med school, and when I showed any sort of uncertainty, they’d simply say, “think about how amazing your life will be when the schooling is over.” I never questioned the idea of living provisionally until I was introduced to the language that allowed me to talk about it, and then challenge it. Unless I enjoy the journey, why should I suffer for years doing something I get zero pleasure from only to reap financial benefits in the end? University may not be the cliché “best time of your life,” but it should be a good time nonetheless — a time for personal growth, learning, and dare I say it, even some fun. For the first year and a half at McMaster, all I could think about was graduation and how much of a relief it would be to get out. Looking back, I know it was because I didn’t care for a few of my courses and because I may have been experiencing an identity crisis. Now is the time for us to explore various subjects and join extracurricular activities that we want to be part of, not just because we need to fulfill
“
Unless I enjoy the journey, why should I suffer for years doing something I get zero pleasure from only to reap financial benefits in the end?
a certain requirement for the next stage in our life. Spoiler alert: sometimes they go hand in hand. Of course there’ll be times when you’ll find you’re overwhelmed and only want to live for the weekend, but I hope you’ll find a good balance that’ll allow you to take on university with a smile on your face, with a love for what you’re doing, and a purpose and sense of belonging. It could take a while to get there, and sometimes you may find that it’s easier to keep your eyes on your feet and continue on a path that you don’t necessarily find worthwhile, without looking up and re-evaluating your situation. But I can guarantee that you’ll find your time at school to be much more fulfilling when you’re happy and in a space that you want to be in. So if you’re considering switching programs, but the hassle is stopping you, it won’t compare to being in a program that doesn’t fit your interests. If you’re dying to try a new extracurricular but are scared of taking the first step – do it. I wouldn’t be at The Silhouette if I hadn’t just made up my mind and stuck to it. It could change your entire university experience for the better. So please, dear students don’t settle. Don’t settle for monotony if you find that’s where you’re stuck. Don’t settle for provisional living. @SunannaB
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
The Silhouette | 21
The planet of the vapes What’s vaping and is it a gateway to smoking? That’s not to say that there aren’t good things about vaping. Vaping is a much less intrusive and safer method of I went back to my hometown a using nicotine compared to its few weeks ago and found myself traditional counterpart. The vatickled pink by the presence of a vape memorabilia shop right pour is mostly water, and while next to my mother’s favourite it remains somewhat intrusive visually speaking, I would still health store, something that take wading through some struck me to be a bit antithetwater vapour over inhaling God ical. In the past few months, it seems that vaping has become knows how many carcinogens ubiquitous: it’s hard to go to through second-hand smoke. any sort of social event withBut it’s hard to deny the out running into a bunch of connection between vaping and fuccbois vaping, or go through smoking. Although some rea convenience store without searchers have argued that it is eyeing the display case full of not a gateway to smoking, citing flavoured e-cigarettes aimed the number of smokers who at the younger crowds. And turn to vaping to quit smoking, this sudden obsession with a becoming addicted to nicotine treatment for cigarette smokers does pose the risk of eventually by non-smokers is fascinating becoming hooked on cigarettes. to anyone who’s on the outside It doesn’t help that companies looking in, while coughing. now market towards younger So what is vaping exactly? demographics with flavoured, It turns out that the general scicolourful vape sticks next to ence behind it the candy is pretty simple. section in local A super heated gas stations. coil called an Moreover, it’s atomizer heats not as if nicoAnything that up a fluid with tine is free of could cause nicotine and harmful effects, turns it into a and to market someone to vapour that usanything to say ers inhale, mak- start smoking the contrary ing it somewhat is hurting the cigarettes is analogous community. harmful. to smoking. But if people However, it’s are going to use not as harmful nicotine anyas actual cigaway, why stop rettes since it doesn’t produce this inoffensive method? as heavy of smoke laced with Given how strongly linked harmful chemicals and users vaping is to smoking, there are don’t tend to inhale as deeply. interesting implications for It does still contain nicotine, vaping in public. Currently you which can damage someone’s can vape anywhere, but due cardiovascular health and to its physical ressamblance to impair fetal development, but smoking, many restaurants, alone it is not a carcinogen. offices and the like ban its use. So what does it mean for With no legal basis are these the users? Is it a good alterpolicies acceptable? native for those who want to Ultimately, it’s too early to smoke? Is it a “gateway” to make a statement on whether or smoking? These questions have not vaping is fine and we, as a plagued researchers for a while society, just have to wait and see now. if people en masse drop dead As someone who grew up because of this one fad. Vaping in a household full of smokers, is a becoming a part of our trust me when I say that anymainstream culture, whether we thing, and I mean anything, that like it or not. While it’s undenicould cause someone to start ably complicated, I would still smoking cigarettes is harmful. urge those who are interested It’s difficult for young people to in it to forgo it. With that said, fully comprehend the long-term if you’re going to use nicotine, effects of smoking, but as somewhy not use this unobtrusive one who has been in a slew of method? There’s so much hospital rooms caused by those back-and-forth on vaping, that little cancer sticks, it’s not worth it almost feels futile to even try any rush. At this point though, to establish an opinion. Just do we all know this and I’m most you what you want and try not likely preaching to the choir. to die. Sasha Dhesi Contributor
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22 |
GAMES
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
CROSSWORD
12. Word with split or tail 13. One of the shifts 18. Much-read article? 22. Sun-blocking hat 26. Center of rotation 27. Ready to eat 29. In need of dehumidification 31. Strike results, sometimes 34. Simple text 35. Hummus accompaniment 36. Piggy-bank feature 38. Good protein source 39. Sulfur attribute 40. Place for “Dragnet” info? 46. Elaborate piano piece 47. Section of a literary work 49. African hot spot 52. Gun attachment? 53. Friend of 1-Across 54. Roles in Spielberg’s “A.I.” 56. Meddlers’ probes 58. Wild cats 59. Where Johnny might get cash 62. Cold War-to-detente transition 64. Ethel Waters’ “___ Blue?” 65. Headed the pack 67. Public Enemy genre
ACROSS 1. Jerry’s TV neighbor 6. U.S. foe of old 9. Rubbernecked 14. One with a stage coach 15. Feminine force 16. Staging ground 17. Arduous Beatle tour? 19. Toss back and forth 20. Poi source 21. Noble 23. Uniform 24. Actor Wallach 25. Of equal standing 28. Totally changed 30. Negative beginning 32. Go down the runway 33. Cartoonist’s defenses? 37. Back talk 38. Breakdown aftermath 41. CAT scan alternative 42. Either T of AT&T 43. Madrid-Cartagena dir. 44. Beethoven’s “___ to Joy” 45. Work break for a former “Sexiest Man”? 48. Watch attachments 50. Red Guard supporter 51. Grow narrower 55. Suave 57. No. cruncher 60. Cause for stage fright 61. Time saver 63. Cotton product 64. Identity disguiser 66. Soccer star’s broadcast medium? 68. Three feet plus, to a Brit 69. Words between one time
70. Word with ticket or secret 71. Light bulb generators? 72. Is past 73. Co-winner of 1994 Nobel Peace Prize 59. Five centimes, formerly 60. Seat of Pima County, Arizona 61. Of a similar nature 62. Sound of tires on the highway 63. Creates a glaze, in a way 64. 40-day period
Win a Pizza Pizza gift card! Tweet us a photo or bring your answers to MUSC B110. The first ten people* to answer all correctly will win a $15 gift card!
What position does Marvin Gunderman hold at McMaster? _____________________________________________ Which Uncanny X-men writer wrote the series’ recent coming out scene? _____________________________________________ Which two library branches are closing? _____________________________________________ * You cannot be a Silhouette staff member, member of the Board of Publications, a full-time MSU employee, or a previous winner to enter.
DOWN
1. Small wheel 2. From C to C 3. Rubbernecked 4. Asinine 5. Bobby of the Bruins 6. Mary’s “Peter Pan” nemesis 7. Surrounding and blockading a city 8. Egyptian symbol of life 9. Cameroon neighbor 10. Turkish peak 11. Actor’s buddies?
SUDOKU
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
The Silhouette | 23
Sports New champions in town
LEAGUE AT LARGE
McMaster Women’s Rugby has made history with their first Monilex trophy
Men’s Basketball CIS Top Ten 6. CALGARY 7. WESTERN 8. McMASTER 9. SASKATCHEWAN 10. DALHOUSIE
1. OTTAWA 2. CARLETON 3. McGILL 4. BROCK 5. RYERSON
Women’s Basketball CIS Top Ten 1. McMASTER 2. SASKATCHEWAN 3. McGILL 4. RYERSON 5. SAINT MARY’S
6. REGINA 7. BROCK 8. WINDSOR 9. LAVAL 10. ALBERTA
Men’s Volleyball CIS Top Ten 1. McMASTER 2. ALBERTA 3. MANITOBA 4. UBC 5. CALGARY
6. LAVAL 7. MOUNT ROYAL 8. RYERSON 9. SASKATCHEWAN 10. TRINITY WESTERN
Women’s Volleyball C/O IAN MACALPINE
Sofia Mohamed Sports Editor
After three days of competitive play for the Women’s Rugby CIS Championships in Kingston, the McMaster Women’s Rugby team hopped back on the bus with a heavy piece of hardware and had to make room for some championship gear. For the first time in program history, the Monilex trophy was awarded to the McMaster Marauders and has now found a place on the McMaster sports trophy wall. Early on, CIS gold was the goal for this talented squad. Their vision was clear and the team knew that everything had to come together to attain the national title. “Our goal was to win nationals and that was our focus. We had a positive energy. We were prepared. We knew it was possible,” said Colleen Irowa, prop. Head Coach Shaun Allen set the championship tone early on with the team as every practice was one that helped the team get closer to the opportunity of claiming CIS gold. Last year, the team came second nationally and was awarded
silver. The team knew that they could get back to that spot and even end the season better. “From our very first meeting this year, we talked about what the path would look like. We knew we had to win the OUA championships to get to the CIS championships. We knew when we got there, we have a good team and as long as we stayed healthy, we would have the chance to compete for a national championship,” said Allen. To advance to the CIS Final game, the team had to win both the quarterfinal and semifinal game. In the quarterfinal game, the Marauders played Lethbridge Pronghorns and won with a dominating score of 62-14 and qualified to the next step where they played against the Ottawa Gee-Gees defeating them 14-8. Sunday afternoon’s gold medal game was against the Queen’s Gaels, host of the championships weekend and a team all too familiar to the Marauders. McMaster was 4-1 in the regular season with the only loss at the hands of the Queen’s Gaels. Though the Gaels prevailed in the first game of the season a month ago, the outcome was
very different this time around. With a game deciding the home of a trophy and banner, the pressure was on for both teams. The Gaels put the first points on the board and it was 7-3 at the half. The second half of the game played out a lot differently than the first as the Marauders were more in sync and noticeably more confident. Wind was in favour of the Marauders for the second half, but a factor like that does not stand for a talented team. The win was no fluke and that is apparent in the final score. Irowa was able to score a try in the first two minutes of the game. Points came from Irowa Cindy Nelles, Katie Svoboda and Steph Black. Though a handful of the roster got points on the board, it was very much a team game and one that relied on everybody on the field for success. “It’s a team sport that is truly built around team work and trust,” said Allen. The lead for the Marauders quickly turned from a four point lead to a 24 point lead as the final score was 27-3 when the whistle was blown. It was an emotional moment for a team that has risen to greatness together.
“It’s bittersweet. Sweet because it was nice to win it for all of the people that have been working for years. Bitter because we worked so hard to get here and now it’s over.,” said Irowa. For a program with OUA banners, individual player awards and a national title in Rugby Sevens tournament under their belt, this national championship title was a true testament to the team’s hard work and talent. “We’ll have this at home forever,” said Irowa. This past Tuesday, the team was recognized in the David Braley Athletic Centre. Adorned in CIS championship shirts, snapbacks, gold medals resting around the necks of the players and huge smiles, the celebration was one that showed humility more than anything else. With the celebrations slowly coming to an end for the team, they will have some time to digest their history-making win and will look forward to preparing for this year’s Rugby Sevens tournament. “There are no off-days,” said Irowa. @itssofiaAM
CIS Top Ten 1. ALBERTA 2. TRINITY WESTERN 3. UBC OKANAGAN 4. McGILL 5. TORONTO
6. UBC 7. MONTREAL 8. SHERBROOKE 9. DALHOUSIE 10. McMASTER
Men’s Cross Country CIS Top Ten 1. GUEPLH 2. WINDSOR 3. LAVAL 4. McMASTER 5. TRINITY WESTERN
6. QUEEN’S 7. VICTORIA 8. LAKEHEAD 9. StFX 10. DALHOUSIE
Women’s Cross Country CIS Top Ten 1. GUEPLH 2. TRINITY WESTERN 3. QUEEN’S 4. McMASTER T5. TORONTO
T5. VICTORIA 7. LAVAL 8. DALHOUSIE. 9. LAURENTIAN 10. CALGARY
ALL-ROOKIE AND ALL-STARS ALL-ROOKIE > Jordon Lyons > Adam Poole > Robbie Yochim OUA 2ND TEAM OUA 1ST TEAM > Danny Vandervoort > Zach Intzandt > Mike Kashak > Jake Heathcote
> Asher Hastings > Dan Petermann > Sean Smith > Kevin Aleinik > Mark Mackie > Robbie Yochim > Mitch O’Connor
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SPORTS
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
The groups of seven Get to know the top seven runners on the McMaster Cross Country Team Taylor Forbes spent a busy summer training and competing in triathlon, including racing in the European professional circuit. He finished third at the Canadian National Triathlon Championships and 17th at the ITU World Triathlon Championships in Chicago. AUSTEN FORBES The other half of the Forbes’ twins, Austen Forbes also spent the summer competing in triathlon. Some of his summer highlights include a top ten finish in the ETU Triathlon European Cup in Holten, Netherlands, and a silver medal at the Triathlon Ontario Provincial Championships.
MEN’S C/O MAXINE GRAVINA
BLAIR MORGAN Coming off a strong summer season setting four personal bests on the track, Morgan is in the best position he has been in his McMaster career. The engineer is also in his third season
as the Men’s team captain and hopes to lead the team to a CIS medal. CONNOR DARLINGTON Though he is a 1500m specialist on the track, Darlington’s strength over the longer dis-
tances is clear. This year’s OUA Championships saw him as an All-Star for the third time, and will be an integral part of the Men’s team in their hopes for a CIS podium finish. TAYLOR FORBES
GABRIEL GHIGLIONE Ghiglione took a different approach to summer training, which included running around Toronto pulling a rickshaw and an 83-kilometer trail run through Killarney National Park. He is in his fourth year After spending last year’s Cross Country season in a boot cast, Nowak has reclaimed her place in the top seven. She is enjoying her transition into the new Biomedical Discovery and Commercialization program while volunteering with McMaster Athletes Care and the Right to Play Club. MADDIE BENJAMIN
WOMEN’S C/O MAXINE GRAVINA
MADDY MCDONALD Acting as this year’s Women’s captain, McDonald has shown her strength as this year’s low-stick. An avid volunteer at McMaster and in the community, she is in her final year of Kinesiology. CHELSEA MACKINNON
This is Mackinnon’s fifth time racing at the Cross Country CIS Championships and plans to make it her best. She is currently working on a thesis project in Anatomy while managing the DBAC Pool and working as a Lifeguard. GABRIELLE FORAN Foran is a PhD candidate in
Chemistry, and had an impressive summer achieving four World Records in Joggling (juggling and running) ranging from the 400m to the 5-kilometer events. She also won four Gold Medals at the National Joggling Championships. EMILY NOWAK
Benjamin had a successful outdoor track season seeing her set a personal best in the 1500m and is carrying this momentum onto the trails. She is in her final year of completing a double-major degree in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour and Economics, while finding the time to act as a mentor for fellow Varsity Athletes. SOREN MEEUWISSE Meeuwisse is coming to Cross Country from a background in Mountain Biking, competing this past summer in Europe at the 2015 UCI Mountain Biking World Championships. She is completing her first year in Kinesiology and making her
of a degree in Anthropology, a team representative with McMaster Athletes Care and the President of the McMaster ALS Society. DEREK VAN SCHEPEN Van Schepen’s hard work and high mileage has been key in helping him crack the top seven this year. This is especially impressive given the fourth-year Geography & Environmental Studies student spent most of the summer training with an injured foot. LUKE CHARBONNEAU Charbonneau had a fantastic run at last year’s CIS Championships in challenging conditions in Newfoundland to finish as the top Marauder. He is managing to balance his Cross Country training around working at an internship as a Financial Analyst in Oakville.
impressive CIS debut early in her Marauder career. LAUREN LOCCO This second-year local triathlete had a breakthrough season this year to earn her spot in the top seven. Her multisport strength played a part with her successes, despite a hectic schedule as a Nursing student.
2015 CIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
The McMaster Cross Country team competes next at the CIS Championship meet. It will take place on Nov. 14, and is hosted by the Guelph Gryphons.
NO COACHES, NO CUTS, JUST FRIENDS.
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SPORTS
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | www.thesil.ca JON WHITE/ PHOTO EDITOR
Marauders remain perfect Solid backcourt defense and balanced offensive scoring lead Marauders to a straight set victory at Waterloo
Jaycee Cruz Sports Reporter
Just over two weeks ago, posters were plastered on walls around campus advertising the McMaster Men’s Volleyball home and season opener on Oct. 8 against Waterloo — last year’s OUA silver medalists. For Marauder volleyball fans the opener held a lot of anticipation since this men’s team finished third at CIS nationals last year and entered this season ranked the No. 1 team in the country. On Oct. 8 McMaster took the first two sets easily and Waterloo battled back in the third and fourth sets to force a deciding fifth set. McMaster turned to outside hitter Stephen Maar who scored a game-high 29 points to help put the pesky Warriors away in the fifth set, with a score of 15-8 that gave McMaster the 3-2 match victory. Fast-forward to last Friday and Waterloo received another
crack at McMaster — this time in their own gym. In what Head Coach Dave Preston expected to be a dogfight, the McMaster Men went out on the road and dominated Waterloo taking the match in straight sets (25-16, 25-22, 2515) pushing McMaster’s record to 5-0 on the season. “I think the biggest things contributing to a better win this time were our serving and our defense,” Preston said. “The biggest factor from when we played them two weeks ago was our serving. We served really, really tough this time around,” said Preston. “Not just speed tough, but strategically tough. We took some good options away from their offense. I thought our serving was outstanding.” Serving well is key because it disrupts the opponent’s ability to transition smoothly into their attack. “We want our serving pressure to be a staple. I think the better we serve, the better we can play defense,” said Preston.
Their great serving caused problems for Waterloo’s offense to run their sets because it drew Warrior players out of their positions and left them in lessthan-ideal positions open to attack from the Marauders. The disruption of Waterloo’s offense caused by McMaster’s great serving gave McMaster more time to set up on defense. On defense the Marauders caused trouble for the Warriors with their block timing. “The better we serve, the better our block timing can be because they have fewer options and they’re coming at us at a slower pace. We slow down their tempo, which gives them fewer options making it easier for our defense,” Preston said. When we get our block timing down, then we can get our backcourt set up a little smoother.” The digs came from all over the place for McMaster on Friday. The Marauders defense was engaged. Third-year libero Pawel Jedrzejewski had ten digs,
fourth-year setter Andrew Kocur had eight, fourth-year outside hitter Stephen Maar had seven, fourth-year outside hitter Jayson McCarthy had six, and second-year outside hitter Andrew Richards added five. “When you have guys back there that are just scooping stuff up because our block timing is so good, it makes our transition offense that much better. When you’re holding the ball on defense it makes it that much tougher for the opponents to score points,” said Preston. On the offensive side of the ball, the Marauders saw a more balanced effort compared to their Oct. 8 match against the Warriors where Maar carried the load. At Waterloo, Maar and McCarthy hit double-digits, scoring 14 and 11 points respectively. Fifth-year middle Alex Elliott scored nine points, fourth-year middle Danny Demyanenko scored eight and a half points, and Richards chipped in seven. “I don’t think we’re as good as we want to be, but it was
better. A lot of it was based on our defense. We’re getting our middle and right-side offense more productive so that our left side isn’t the only place that can carry us,” said Preston. “The more we spread it out, the tougher it is to stop us because we’ve got guys coming from everywhere.” This weekend No. 1 McMaster travels to Toronto. They play the Toronto Varsity Blues on Oct. 14 at 3 p.m. and the No. 10 Ryerson Rams on Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. While their record is perfect, Coach Preston thinks there is much more to be done. “I’m satisfied with the progress we’re making, but we’re not even close to where we want to be. I don’t think we’re predictable but we’re not as efficient as we want to be,” Preston said. “As we get more and more productive with our defense, I think our efficiencies will go up too.” @_jayceecruz
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SPORTS | 27
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
Free throws and rebounding key McMaster Men’s Basketball tries to find identity as rotation adjusts
JON WHITE/ PHOTO EDITOR
Jaycee Cruz Sports Reporter
McMaster Men’s Basketball opened their season at home last Wed. Nov. 3 against No. 4 Brock. The Badgers boasted backto-back OUA Rookie of the Year winners in forward Dani Elgadi (2014 winner) and guard Johneil Simpson (2015 winner) along with an experienced group that rounded out their starting lineup. Brock went 7-0 against CIS opponents in the preseason, while McMaster’s only preseason loss came to No. 3 McGill. McMaster returned most of their players from last year except for guard Joe Rocca (transferred to Carleton), forward Nathan McCarthy (transferred to Ottawa) and forward Taylor Black who graduated. The Marauders coaching staff also added eight new recruits,
and forward Jason Quiring returned to the team after a one-year absence. The crowd at Burridge for the home opener made it feel like an OUA playoff game. McMaster took a 38-29 lead over Brock to the halftime break but a 31-18 Badgers third quarter swung the lead and momentum in the Badgers favour and they never looked back. The Badgers won 83-75. The combination of McMaster missing crucial free throws down the stretch and not being able to consistently secure the ball hurt them in the end. The Marauders turned the ball over 23 times and shot 57.7 percent from the line. Brock scored key second-chance points in the second half as a result of their aggressiveness on the offensive glass and made just enough shots, which made it tough for the Marauders to mount any comeback. Mac had quality opportunities to
come back but couldn’t find the bottom of the net. While the total rebounding battle appears close with McMaster grabbing 37 and Brock grabbing 43, the real disparity is shown on the offensive glass where the Badgers secured 20 offensive rebounds compared to McMaster’s 12. Another staggering stat is that the Badgers scored 25 second-chance points, over a quarter of their point total. Assistant Coach Seth Wearing knows this has to change going forward. “Turnovers and offensive boards hurt us against Brock. Offensive boards hurt us a lot,” said Wearing. “We didn’t shoot free throws well either. That didn’t help. Brock’s a good team. They’re No. 4 in the country for a reason.” On Nov. 7 McMaster made their first ever road trip to Sault Ste. Marie, ON, to play the Algoma Thunderbirds. The
banged up Marauders found a way to work with what they had and pulled out a solid 86-56 road victory to even their regular season record at 1-1. Despite the lopsided victory, McMaster shot 56.3 percent from the line and turned over the ball 17 times. “Algoma was different. Matt Quiring got his first CIS start. We defended and rebounded well. We got out on fast breaks and got easy scores,” said Wearing. McMaster outrebounded Algoma 35 to 26 and secured nine offensive rebounds. First-year guard Chris Thompson saw significant playing time and left the coaching staff with a positive impression scoring 13 points in 19 minutes in addition to two assists, three rebounds and three steals. With his tenacious defense and lack of fear of attacking the paint, Thompson could see his role expand a bit more.
“We learned from the Brock game that we needed to play him. The Brock loss taught us that. Other than the fact that we have to limit turnovers and defend our backboard better, we need to play Chris,” Wearing said. McMaster is trying to figure out their identity and slowly coming to see what works and what doesn’t. It’s about finding a way to play the cards you’re dealt, says Coach Wearing. The Marauders have great pieces if used effectively and efficiently. “We need to take advantage of our athleticism, our ability to play in transition, and make threes. We need to use our length and athleticism to force turnovers and get out in transition. It has to start with our defense and our ability to force turnovers,” Wearing said. @_jayceecruz
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28 |
SPORTS
Sofia Mohamed Sports Editor
With the regular season underway for the McMaster Women’s Basketball team, fans are reminded of the fast-paced style of play that has become synonymous with the team. They play fast, pass the ball well and an excitement is felt from the deep bench whenever a shot is made from a teammate. These are the kind of things witnessed when watching a McMaster women’s basketball game. The hard work comes alive in practice and translates to success on the court. The Women’s Basketball team has constantly been making progressive steps in the right direction. Interim head coach Anne Marie Thuss has been able to witness it all from the sidelines. “The leadership of the women has been the driving force. They know what’s expected and what’s needed at the next level to be successful and to continue the high level of play. Their commitment in practice to work hard and execution has been phenomenal,” said Thuss. For people who are familiar with the team, there are a few names and faces that stick out. Probably the most telling story of growth on the team comes from fourth-year guard Siobhan Manning. From a spot on the bench to a position in the starting line-up, Manning has been playing big minutes and has put many people on notice of the talent that we will continue to see from her. “Siobhan is one of the most underrated guards. She carries this team and is very confident with the basketball. She can distribute it, but she has also become a threat in terms of her scoring, and passing out of
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
situations has been phenomenal this year. That’s probably the best part of our game and it’s nice to see her grow like that,” said Thuss. With a ranking of No. 1 spot in the country, the team will continue to do what has been working for them which is continue the style of play we see whenever they are on the hardwood. “We are a transition team so we have to be able to be quick and everybody has to have that opportunity to score in transition. That’s one of our focuses,” said Thuss. Though a loss in the quarterfinals crushed the team’s chance at playoffs last year, this new season will be a fresh start to the contest for an OUA banner. “The expectation is that we challenge for the OUA banner. They have a lot of grit so they work harder than anyone. The expectation is to do that in every practice.” Not only does this team win on the court, but they also bring that mentality to their day-to-day life as they are heavily involved with various community initiatives. The players take part in sport clinics and have become mentors to many youth in the Hamilton basketball community. Their ability to help others shows immensely on the court where no one person thinks they can do it all alone. For this close-knit group, the opportunities of success are boundless. It will be interesting to see how far this team goes this season, but one thing is for certain: they are hungry and are definitely making a case for themselves.
Marauders making noise With the current No. 1 spot in the country, the Women’s Basketball team is looking ahead at a strong season of play
@itssofiaAM
C/O TINA CHATTERJEE
By Levin C. Handy (per http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cwpbh.04326) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
You don’t have to sit in school to stand among greatness. › Thomas Edison: Relentless Inventiveness Failure is no biggie. Just ask Edison. If he stopped at failure, he would never have moved on to invent a little thing called the light bulb. So if you’ve failed a class somewhere else, or have a scheduling conflict, come on over. You can catch up with our world-recognized online courses, then move on to bigger successes. Talk about a light bulb moment.
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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
The Silhouette | 29
andy Uncanny X-Men ends with a bang The Brian Michael Bendis-written series concludes with an important revelation on the part of one of its main characters, Iceman. The significance of it will be felt across the LGBTQ+ comics-reading community and beyond
The cover of Uncanny X-Men Volume 600.
Iceman comes to terms with himself conclusively.
C/O MARVEL
C/O MARVEL
Trisha Gregorio Andy Writer
Last Wednesday, Nov. 5, right in the middle of our very own Mac Pride week, Uncanny X-Men No. 600 came out with an important reveal nestled in its pages: character Bobby Drake, better known as Iceman, is gay. As one of the X-Men franchise’s oldest and most beloved mutants, the Iceman’s sexuality has been a contested topic since the release of All-New X-Men No. 40 on April 22 of this year. Time travel and its many capabilities in the X-Men universe has allowed two versions of the Iceman to exist — a younger one and an older one — and last April, the younger Iceman officially came out as gay. While this alone is a big step for Marvel and the superhero genre, long-time X-Men fans are quick to point out one issue with this sudden revelation: why is it, then, that the older Iceman is dating Shadowcat, a female
teammate? The explanation that Wednesday’s issue provides is simple: Bobby “Iceman” Drake has been in the closet for 52 years. Vol. 600 features the older Iceman’s tell-all confession as the younger version of himself calls him out on his sexuality. The coming out scene, though monumental in many ways for characters and readers alike, is casual, even quirky. It’s a tad underwhelming, considering the six-month wait for the issue, but the lovely characteristic portrayal gets the point across. The older Iceman admits that, having spent most of his life ridiculed simply for being a mutant, his sexuality was not something he wanted to be reason for even further judgement. “And the years go by and it gets easier to put that part of yourself away,” he says, frustrated, “And then so much time goes by that you say to yourself late at night: one day, maybe.” Uncanny X-Men writer Brian Michael Bendis adds his own
touch to the confession, and what readers get is a touching scene framed by humour and dialogue that’s not too out of place in the universe as a whole. It’s simple, shockingly realistic and human from a character in a genre that’s usually as detached from reality as the plot would allow. A superhero he might be, but the Iceman’s sexual orientation goes far beyond whatever fantastical plot Marvel could have cooked up for his situation. It’s straightforward: he’s gay, and though he’s long past the insecurities of his younger, teenage self, he is still as terrified of the ridicule he might face. In this case, the significance truly lies in the X-Men franchise’s decision to take one of its fan favourites, instead of just as easily creating a new one, and explore issues of sexual orientation using a character that’s been a familiar face to the comic book community for decades. Hints have been around in the X-Men universe long before April’s All-New X-Men issue: Iceman
apparently having to deal with bigotry in the family, his love interests implying a fluidity in his romantic and sexual orientations. And it’s nice to know that Marvel did not shy away from the controversy that’s sure to follow this reveal, and instead hammered the revelation home without room for half-hearted implications and unfortunate queer-baiting. It’s adding a new layer to a character that’s been dear to fans from the beginning that really makes a difference. In doing so, Marvel also peels back some of its history to make room for significant representation of the LGBTQ+ community. With this revelation, Marvel brings down the walls that the stereotypes of the action genre have built, and reminds all its LGBTQ+ readers that the comic book community is no less accessible to them than other forms of entertainment and pop culture are. For a series that has relentlessly tackled themes of being ostracized, this reveal adds on
to a long history of it being an allegory of sorts for recent and relevant civil rights issues. The X-Men universe is full of rich, diverse characters that each represent problems that are very much real in the world we live in, whether it be personal insecurities or politics. X-Men is defined by the differences of each character — differences that make them relatable to readers, and allow them to be multi-faceted beings with their own human fears and desires. None of the characters are perfect, and Iceman’s coming out scene is simply yet another realistic addition to what is only the beginning of increasing representation in the media. In changing the X-men history, Marvel has also contributed to the history of the LGBTQ+ members of the comic book community. In changing the Iceman’s history, Marvel is also changing ours. @tngregorio
30 |
ANDY
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
The Andy approval matrix The best and worst in arts and culture. This is a concept borrowed from New York Magazine. We hope they don’t mind.
COMING UP IN HAMILTON
HIGHBROW
MUSIC
BALTIMORE HOUSE NOV 12 > Beef Boys NOV 13 > Battle of the Bands
We’re in the height of Scorpio season. Y’all have until Nov. 22 to embrace the intense emotions and desires of change inspired by this water sign.
NOV 22 > Discography THE CASBAH
NOV 13 > Almost Zero
NOV 14 > Riddim Riders ART
New 12.9” iPad Pro is now available. Only .6” short of a small MacBook. Now you can now have an even more obnoxious slice of the Apple.
Mozilla Firefox launches new OS 2.5 in an attempt to compete with Google’s browser, Chrome. It’s sad to see the little guys struggle.
O’s CLOTHES
NOV 13 > “Outside of Society, Inside My Head” by Thomas Jessome THEATRE
Currently Playing > Amy > Heart of a Dog > Stanford Prison Experiment > Meet The Patels
This week’s quick pick
DESPICABLE
WESTDALE THEATRE
Shia LaBeouf does yet another masturbatory performance piece where he invites fans to watch all of his films with him.
Fallout 4 is made available for purchase this past Tuesday. Make sure you spend more time studying for exams than exploring postapocalyptic Boston in the year 2077.
There has been some beautiful, heated debate over what Starbucks thinks it’s doing by making their cups only red instead of Christmas themed. The audacity. How could this happen to us? Is there no justice?
Fall Major Production: Lady In The Red Dress This year’s Fall Major Production sees the McMaster School of Fine Arts take on David Yee’s Lady In The Red Dress. The Canadian playwright’s work promises to be an entrancing affair when it is put on at Robinson Memorial Theatre in CNH. The show’s opening weekend runs Nov 12-14 and further from Nov 18-21. Regular admission tickets are $20, while students only have to pay a paltry $9. Be sure to check it out.
This week is Art Crawl all over James Street North. Support your local artists by enjoying their art (and eating from the food trucks while you’re at it)!
Donald Trump’s fearmongering hits new heights, as he reveals his plan to deport millions of Syrian refugees due to not knowing who is in ISIS. This is 9/11 all over again.
BRILLIANT
The mayor of Montreal, Denis Coderre, begins dumping eight billion litres of garbage into the St. Lawrence River this week.
Peep Show enters it’s ninth season this week. Lowbrow and brilliant.
LOWBROW
ANDY | 31
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
Young Adult fiction needs a revamp
While the literary genre is burgeoning in popularity, its depiction of women certainly begs further development
Female characters in YA series, like The Hunger Games, are in desperate need of reinvention.
Mitali Chaudhary Contributor
Recently, the market for the Young Adult literary genre has ballooned. Geared mostly towards the mid-teen to early adult demographic, their popularity is attested by the large number of movie adaptations, which become widely successful due to the huge fan base that the books amass. Unfortunately, publishers know that any book labelled “YA” will sell well, regardless of the quality of the story. This has yielded a slew of cookie-cutter novels with the same paranormal/romantic/dystopian plots and one-dimensional characters facing the most overdone conflicts, all within the span of 350 pages. The most disappointing aspect of these novels is the incredibly flat, teenage female lead. It’s as if authors flip a coin to pick which mould the character will be shaped from — either a dopey damsel who’s constantly in distress, or a hardened unsentimental woman who lives only to bring down the patriarchy. I remember reading dialogue from Graceling by Kristen Cashore (which made it to Publisher Weekly’s “Best Books of the Year”) in which the main character, Katsa, states proudly that she hates dresses, and can’t imagine why others wear them. To provide further context, this came from an individual that spent the entire novel looking down on other women. These other ladies were always
portrayed as dress wearing and meeker than Katsa; they worked menial jobs to make ends meet because they were meek and wore dresses and therefore were less than men. Making that first statement in itself isn’t a crime (I can understand if dresses are just not for some people) but it does not immediately make one a feminist, as this novel would suggest. Another issue is how ‘tough’ some of these women are created — after a while, it becomes borderline creepy when the character doesn’t react to a given situation as you would expect a human to react. Moreover, authors don’t seem to realize that it doesn’t make a woman automatically stronger if she is ultra independent, sullen, sulky and refuses to show emotion or rely on anyone else for help even in the most extreme of situations. In fact, crafting these overly “tough” female characters does nothing to help the feminist cause, as it just sends the message that you need to act less feminine and show less emotion to deserve the same respect as men. That makes absolutely no sense, and sends a very negative message about what the spirit of feminism is. Why can’t you wear a floral skirt and still care about pay equality? Even worse is the portrayal of the weak, helpless girl. Another very popular novel, The Elite by Kiera Cass, starred one such teen, America Singer, who cried at the end of every other chapter. This is not an
exaggeration. Most of her tears, of course, involved the state of her cringe-worthy love triangle (another annoying trend in YA literature). Both of the boys she’s “in love with” break her heart (and she theirs), but she never grows enough of a spine to break it off with either of them, choose which one treats her best, or refuse both of them (how about working to develop your own personality, America?). Such characters also consistently mope, run away from mental or physical work and require the constant support of a man, without whom they are useless — I’m looking at you, Bella Swan. It’s unfortunate that these books are only a tiny sample of what fills up shelves across the country. The worst part about this trend is that these novels get insanely publicized, and are read by thousands of young girls that are forming their identities in a society that already popularises unhealthy depictions of women. Why make it more confusing for them by creating these unrealistic characters, which reduce complex individuals to black and white cardboard cut-outs? They are difficult to identify with because they’re not real. Women can be strong and shed tears and wear pretty dresses and be scared and need validation and be feminists and get angry and be shy. One woman can be all of these things. It’s time authors start creating characters in YA that are realistic and multifaceted.
32 |
ANDY
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
Review Alien: Isolation A belated Halloween celebration turns from scarily sweet to sour after a video game proves to be too lengthy
The Verdict
Vannessa Barnier Andy Reporter
Every year around Halloween, I like to binge-watch scary movies to get me in the mood for the holiday. This year, my partner suggested something new: binge-playing a scary game. He had read reviews and decided on the action horror game, Alien: Isolation, which has been out now for just over a year. Over the past two weeks, we took turns playing through this adventure on his computer. I had fun playing as Amanda Ripley, a strong female protagonist, using stealth and logic tactics to avoid the single alien and other, lesser enemies. The game takes place 15 years after the first Alien film, with Amanda setting out on a quest to find some details about her missing mother, Ellen Ripley. This is the initial objective of the game, but it eventually turns into finding a way off the Sevastopol, a space station littered with the alien, androids, and human survivors. This change in objective is fine, but the game does not make that clear (suggestion: don’t give me false hope for an ending before extending the conclusion of the game by several hours.)
There are numerous positives to the game. Given that it’s a first-person game, you really get to experience the scares up close and personally. There are many tense moments, including your initial cut scene encounter with the titular Xenomorph as it slithers out of a vent over your head. Even before this, you experience the main tactics of the game: crouching, slow walking, and peeping, which are all necessary for your survival. Bullets are limited and various diversion-generating devices are plenty. This adds to the fear and suspenseful experience of Alien: Isolation. I enjoyed playing as Amanda, but I found that the motion tracker quickly becomes the protagonist of the game. This isn’t necessarily a complaint, but I didn’t enjoy relying so heavily on the device. The sounds are a close second to ensuring your safety, but the problem with this is that it’s rather unreliable. Unfortunately, the game wasn’t without its glitches. From patchy spawning and traveling of the alien across the map, to unreliable sounds, you have to play a guessing game as to where your main enemy is throughout the 15 hours of gameplay. In lieu of these glitches, you find yourself dying often with-
“
Save points are few and far between, which is frustrating, given the pace you travel through the game. With all of the sneaking and slinking, you assuredly won’t be making your way through this game too quickly.
out chance of survival. Given that I died innumerable times, I got to experience the various kill sequences by the Xenomorph. These are detailed and upsetting, but also relieving, as you have breathing time before your next spawning in a loaded save. Save points are few and far between, which is frustrating, given the pace you travel through the game. With all of the sneaking and slinking, you assuredly won’t be making your way through this game too quickly. Additionally, it is made clear that you will need to backtrack through the station by the doors requiring an ion torch — something you will continually wonder about for quite some hours. A main challenge of the game is hiding from your enemies. If you find yourself in one of the many lockers across the map, you can waste your health by holding your breath and lean into the back of the locker. One time, I had found my way into a small metal storage cabinet, and an android aggressively ripped me out, pulling me toward his blank, red-light-lit eyes. Sudden scares like this force you to mirror the fear Amanda is going through in the game. They also make the patterns confusing, as an enemy can discover you
randomly, despite all of the precautions you take. Rewiring stations — placed all around the map — are confusing. It took some time to figure out what the point of them was and what they added to the gameplay. Most of the time, it was nothing except a little atmospheric embellishment. The atmosphere is built in the down time between alien appearances. Following the aesthetic of the first movie, Alien: Isolation is designed to look like the 1970s take on a futuristic space station with mechanical futuristic flourishes. The entire game is well designed, and the art is easily appreciated, despite the constant stress you are put under. I would say that the number of hours was the game’s biggest downfall. Upon reading up on this game, my partner warned me that many people were complaining about the 15-or-so hours it took for them to complete the game, but we waved this off as a bridge we would eventually get to, but I wish we had listened. I would recommend playing this game for the first half, but I wouldn’t suggest getting too invested, given that the payoff is hardly worth it. @vjbarnier
ANDY | 33
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
Archie isn’t what it once was
Mac students get
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www.indiavillage.ca Are you interested in writing for Andy? The cover of the new Archie comes into stark contrast with the old version you’d see in grocery stores.
Hess Sahlollbey Contributor
Four issues in and this new Archie series hasn’t simply gotten rid of the old familiar status-quo, it has ripped it apart and there’s no going back. While this fresh new direction for an iconic character may seem strange at first, reading it is one decision you won’t regret. The last time I read an Archie comic, I was in the sixth grade. My secret Santa gave me an Archie digest, the same kind that you’d see at the checkout at grocery stores. I appreciated the sentiment but was never really an Archie fan. Fast-forward to 2015 and suddenly the latest Archie comic is what I look forward to the most week in and week out. What started with Afterlife with Archie — a gory and violent horror comic-book where Archie and the gang have to deal with flesh eating zombies — has now resulted in Archie becoming one of the most avant-garde publishers out there. The first spin-off
of this new movement was the equally chilling Sabrina the Teenage Witch with its terrifying story and unsettling artwork. This was then followed by Archie vs. Predator where Archie and friends are trapped on an island and hunted down and murdered one-by-one by an intergalactic assassin. All of these new series have become best sellers with fans piling into comic stores to get their latest fix. With Archie, writer Mark Waid, artist Fiona Staples, colorists Andre Szymanowicz and Jen Vaughn and letterer Jack Morelli have created a truly revolutionary spin on a 70 year-old series. This new volume of Archie begins right after an off-panel break-up between Archie and Betty, who’ve been “a couple since kindergarten,” in his words. An undisclosed “Lipstick Incident” occurred at some time before this issue leading to their split. And while we don’t know what exactly this “Lipstick Incident” entails, it has clearly left Betty so angry and devastated that she wants no part of Archie
in her life anymore. This heartbreak between the two characters does not come off as corny — if anything, it makes them feel all the more real. The comic further distances itself from the old, tired status-quo by not making Veronica a main character until the third issue. When Veronica finally does join the narrative, her vulnerable side takes center stage showing readers a side of her that hasn’t been seen before. And while this new series still retains a light-hearted and funny tone, it’s now more in tune with coming-of-age classics like John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club. This bold new characterization makes the whole Riverdale crew feel like realistic young adults in a comic-book that tilts more towards naturalistic drama like in the works of Émile Zola, Honoré de Balzac, and Gustave Flaubert instead of zany antics that fill the Archie digests. This is a new Archie for a new generation, and I can’t praise it enough.
Send an email to andy@thesil.ca to get involved or pitch a story
THURSDAY
THE
HAMILTON SPECULATOR Boycotting your emails since 1934
NOV. 12, 2015
NOTSPEC.COM
November and February face-off for “Worst Month of the Year” title What’s worse: Movember fundraising harassment, or crying over the red roses no one sent you?
Well when you photograph it like that it’s hard to say it’s shit. INSET: Y’all know you aren’t actually looking forward to this.
MARY KROLL-SNOW Sun Worshipper
It’s that time of the year again, the worst month ever. Or is it? For years it has seemed that November has been the shithole of the almanac, but anti-Februarians are getting defensive about which of the two months is truly the worst. Typically, November rolls in with the depression-inducing triple threat of daylight savings, midterms, and an increase in dirty facial hair. It checks off all the boxes for one of the most unpleasant times of the year. But, seeing as the weather this November has been “meh” at worst,
and people are starting to realize that raising money for a charitable cause shouldn’t also double as a pick-up ploy, it’s hard to be certain if November is actually the worst. “With our boy El Nino looking out for us in that first week, it’s hard to take it out on the ‘Vember,” said Zander Jahr, a typically anonymous poster on Spotted at Mac. February on the other hand is generally full of bad weather, not to mention loneliness. “It’s that dreaded combination of snow and rain — snrain as we folks call it — combined with the looming reality of pre-Valentine’s Day Tinder marathoning that sets February at the bottom of the list for me,” said Stacy Donaldson, a Zumba frequenter at The Pulse.
The Speculator is a work of satire. It does not claim to be real, nor should you think it is. Please don’t harass us on social media.
While Donaldson has a point, many argue that at least February has a full-designated holiday. “All I want is a reason to get dressed up and head to Club 77 in November. But getting drunk on Remembrance Day just isn’t as fun as it could be,” said Jahr. “Not to mention the fact that there’s no such thing as pre- Remembrance Day Tinder marathoning. How am I ever supposed to meet anyone during this cursed month?” For now, critics have decided to call it a draw and say the two are tied for Worst Month of the Year. For now. Just don’t get us started on March.
“Why do we still call them midterms when they aren’t in the middle of the term. Fuck you, November.” Zander Jahr Unimpressed
PER ISSUE: Throat Lozenges NOT INCL. Black Halls. Those are nasty.
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COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS A free service provided from Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers for non-profit agencies and groups
9th Annual Fundraising Dinner The Hamilton Brain Injury Association presents the
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at our new venue Seasonal Volunteers Needed!
Save the Date and make sure to pick up your tickets fast!
This event has been sold out the last 3 years! Don’t miss out!
Tickets available October 1st, 2015
Gain Volunteer hours. Get in the Christmas spirit. Give back to Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Seasonal Volunteers Needed!
- Dec. 23.
Gain Volunteer hours. Get in the Christmas spirit. Give back to Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Learn more at
callbigbrothers.com
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