The Strand | Volume 59, Issue 7

the

Finding mysticism in modern masters

strand

A behind-the-scenes look at the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Mystical Landscapes: Masterpieces from Monet, Van Gogh & More

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

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VOLUMEUNIVERSITY’S 59, ISSUE 7STUDENT | JANUARY 16, 2017 VICTORIA NEWSPAPER VOLUME 59, ISSUE 7 | JANUARY 16, 2017

News Sexual violence policy review at UofT

opinions Did I make a major mistake?

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7 .

Maia Kachan

Carol Park

News Welcoming in 2017 & looking back at 2016

3 .

Samantha Santoro

Science Gender disparity in Computer Science

features On the world stage—talking to Professor Joseph Wong 8 -9 .

film & Music Reviewing La La Land & Rogue One

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Harrison Wade, Wilfred Moeschter

film & Music The best of pop culture in 2016 13 .

Erik Preston

The Strand Editors

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arts & Culture VCDS presents The Last Five Years 11 .

stranded Neopets news: The white feminists of Faerieland 14-16 .

Justine Chen

Amanda Gosio

Celeste Yim

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EDITOR | ERIN CALHOUN

NEWS

Looking for something to do on campus this month?

VicXposure Ara Gala: Call For Submissions: January 5th - January 18th Victoria College’s annual Art Gala hosted by VicXposure in collaboration with VUSAC’s Arts & Culture committee, is being hosted at the Gardiner Gala and they are looking for submissions. Submissions will be judged during the annual Gardiner Gala where winners will be selected from each category.

Photos are to be submitted to vicxposure@gmail.com.

Categories include: Portraits, Urban Space, Travel, Nature, ReImagined (digital manipulation), and Photo Essay.

VUSAC Equity: Art Battle For Sprott House January 19th, 8pm-11pm The Cat’s Eye Student Pub & Lounge VUSAC host’s the annual art battle fundraiser. Students are able to sign up as individuals or in groups of two or three. All necessary art supplies will be provided and winners will receive exciting prizes.

All proceeds go to the YMCA Sprott House, which offers a safe and welcoming environment to LGBTQ2SA youths looking for a healthy transition into adulthood.

Caffiends’ 10th Anniversary Celebration January 20th 7pm-11pm Caffiends The local Victoria College student café will be celebrating their 10th birthday to commemorate the success had over the years.

Whether you are a current, past, or never were a Caffiends volunteer, all students, faculty, and staff are welcome to join. This is a semi-formal event with food, photobooth, scrapbook, and dancing. Questions and concerns can be directed to caffiends@gmail.com

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University of Toronto implements new sexual violence policy Administration finally settles on an approved, updated policy for Sexual Violence and Assault on campus maia kachan news associate editor

This month, the University of Toronto implemented a new sexual violence policy. The policy comes as a result of a broader attempt to improve support for victims of sexual violence across all three University of Toronto campuses.

The Ontario Provincial Government recently implemented Bill 132, which requires a specific sexual violence policy in place at all universities by January 1st, 2017. In response to this, the University of Toronto began an extensive, 18-month process to develop their final “Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment.” The policy was developed through focus groups including students and faculty, intermittent release of policy drafts and feedback from the broader University of Toronto community, and external research and support from experts in the field.

The previous policy is from 1997. The clear changes in the understanding of and responses to sexual violence within the past 20 years make a new policy particularly relevant, especially in light of technological developments utilized against victims (i.e. internet stalking, leaking private photos, and hidden cameras).

A highlight in the new policy includes the use of a centralized system, for both consistency in immediate response to sexual violence, and in the way the university will give support to victims. Another measure in the centralization of sexual violence response, is the opening of a Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Centre on campus. This center will focus on both education on, and the prevention of sexual violence at the University of Toronto, as well as a tangible location for response to incidences of Sexual Violence.

Along with the new center, the University of Toronto has also created more roles within leadership that focus on sexual violence support and prevention. On October 11th, Terry McQuaid was appointed as the executive director of personal safety, high risk, and sexual violence prevention and support. The intention is for this role to head community safety initiatives, among other things. Another new role is director for the Sexual

Photo | Rosa Kumar Violence Prevention and Support Centre.

University President, Meric Gertler remarked: “It is important that our campuses are a place where individuals feel safe.”

The new policies have been met with vast support from university faculty, staff, and students.

Within the Vic community, the Office of the Dean of Students’ “Ask, Listen, Talk” campaign addresses the need to have more communication on sexual violence. Their website includes a plethora of resources for students on sexual education, consent, and prevention. A Victoria College student that requested to remain anonymous remarked that “I feel comfortable discussing sexual violence, but as a person not affected directly, don’t want to speak for others.”

Contrastingly, another Victoria College student said that “with recent events, particularly Vikileaks, I don’t feel comfortable identifying Victoria College as a safe space to talk about these issues.” All parties are hopeful that with the developed policies and funding for sexual assault prevention and education, these conversations will become more prevalent.

Beating the winter blues: VUSAC organizes Winterfest at Vic The U of T winter tradition takes place at Vic in different locations all over campus grace king

UTSU’s Frost Week Jazz Cartier in Concert January 21st 8pm-11pm The Danforth Music Hall The UTSU brings back Jazz Cartier for another night of music as a part of the annual Frost Week.

Best known for his mixtapes, “Marauding in Paradise” and “Hotel Paranoia.” Tickets are on sale at the UTSU Office for $10 + HST. T-Card is required for Admission.

The event is 19+ VCDS Presents Afterlife: A Ghost Story January 26th-28th 8pm-10pm The Cat’s Eye Student Pub & Lounge VCDS Presents the first show of 2017, tickets are priced at $5 for students and $10 for adults. The play is most literally a ghost story, where a young couple is haunted by the afterlife after moving into their new beachfront home.

editorial assistant

Beating the post-break lull can often be a difficult feat. The week-long Winterfest celebrations held by VUSAC and the contemporaneous UofT Winterfest, however, offered the perfect opportunity for students to leap back into the campus community as soon as they returned for the second semester.

The week of combined events during Winterfest at Vic, was organized by VUSAC Winterfest Chairs Zoe Ritchie and Katie Cohen and ran from January 9th to 13th. During the day on Monday, students visited the Cat’s Eye for movies, cotton candy, and hot chocolate. At night, the lounge shifted to hosting an Open Mic Night with pizza.

On Tuesday morning, VOCA served free pancakes as part of the week-long Pancake Brunch Crawl happening at different colleges across campus. Later that day, U of T Winterfest’s first-ever graffiti-themed Pub Night was hosted at Tequila Jack’s.

The Mitten Competition on Wednesday saw students racing to accomplish various tasks while wearing giant mittens. That night, four final UofT-based bands—Dorval, Pictures of Richard, FOMA and The Accolades—after making it past the first round of auditions, held at Lee’s Palace on January 11th, performed there again during the Battle of the Bands.

Over the last days of the week, events ranged from a Gingerbread House Competition and Paints-and-Crafts Night on Thursday, to Skating with VCAA on Friday. The week ended on Friday night with UofT Winterfest’s annual Amateur Charity

Photo | Grace King Drag Show, of which all proceeds went to 519, a Toronto-based LGBTQ+ organization that provides support and resources for queer and trans+ youth around the GTA. However, the festivities are not completely over yet. From January 17th to 21st, students can attend various events through UTSU’s Frost Week, ending with a concert from Jazz Cartier, a Toronto-based hip-hop artist who gave a popular performance on Vic Campus last year.

NEWS@THESTRAND.CA

NEWS

THE STRAND | 16 JANUARY 2017

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UofT welcomes the new year A recap of events in 2016 and initiatives moving forward into 2017 samantha santoro staff writer

As 2016 came to a much-anticipated conclusion, the University of Toronto and its students began to deliberate the advent of 2017. There has been a consistent emphasis placed on the political and social activities of the past year, as well as a slow transition from the pitfalls of 2016 to the reluctant hope for a new year.

For the University of Toronto, however, there is a long and ambitious list of goals for the upcoming year, and a sense of pride in what 2016 accomplished.

A much debated issue over the course of the last year was climate change and initiatives employed to make the issue more transparent. The potential approval of the Dakota Access Pipeline was broadcasted all over international media. In November of 2016, several students at UofT started an on-campus protest, in support of the indigenous peoples of Standing Rock. Students began to recognize the power they had to effect change across many different social and political matters, both locally and internationally.

Recent work done at the University of Toronto’s Mississauga campus by researchers Ken Thompson and March Johnson lead to the discovery of plants that adapt to urbanization and related environmental conditions. The plant that they found to have this potential for evolution is the common white clover, which has begun to alter the times during which it excretes protective chemicals, allowing it to withstand the gradually increasing temperatures. Further research is expected throughout 2017 regarding this plant and others that are exhibiting signs of adapting in similar ways.

Domestic students in Ontario, attending UofT, may be facing tuition increases through the course of this upcoming year, potentially rising to $10,000,

according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Whether or not this increase will impact the University of Toronto is unknown, as UofT spokespeople have thus far declined to comment. However, as the economy adjusts to factors such as inflation, it is uncertain as to whether or not students will be facing even higher tuition fees.

An interesting addition students may find when selecting courses for the 2017-2018 session is the ancient Ethiopian language class. “Professor Robert Holmstedt, of the department of Near and Middle Eastern civilizations, welcomed 25 students and members of Toronto’s Ethiopian community to the first day of an introductory course on Ge’ez. Which, like Latin, is only used in religious services­­­­—“in this case for the Ethiopian Orthodox and Catholic churches,” says the University of Toronto’s official website. This will make the University of Toronto one of the only schools in the world where this language is taught. The course has come to the school thanks to various international donations, including one from famous solo artist, The Weeknd. The course is hoped to shed more light on the contents of the many ancient Ethiopian manuscripts that have been discovered within the last century. Department chair Professor Tim Harrison said that he hopes,

“with continued support, UofT will eventually add more courses and be positioned to launch the first Ethiopian studies program in North America.”

Overall, with the aforementioned plans for the new year and the successes of the past, there is little doubt that the University of Toronto is aiming for another notable and memorable year. As always, it is the combined effort of the administration and the students that allows for the important developments planned for 2017 to come to life.

Photo | Rosa Kumar

Tuition framework reform postponed for another two years sarah krichel the eyeopener

On Dec. 15, the provincial government of Ontario announced a rollover of the current tuition framework, setting an overall tuition increase cap of three per cent for another two years.

According to Deb Matthews, minister of advanced education and skills development, students can expect increases in their tuition for another two years.

“There’s a lot going on in the post-secondary space—obviously the biggest priority is OSAP reform,” Matthews said. “We are working hard to get that free tuition out there.”

Matthews added that the government of Ontario is also working on the funding formula and the strategic mandate agreement, so “the best thing to do” was to stick with the status quo and come back to this discussion later.

“We had also heard from student groups that they didn’t feel we had done enough consultation and we want to respect that,” she said.

There is currently no set deadline for a framework reform after the two-year rollover.

According to Rajean Hoilett, Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario chairperson, this rollover simply means a continued burden on vulnerable communities that cannot afford the existing framework.

Photo | Devin Jones

“As students, we were really hoping to see the government take a bold stance in favour of ensuring access and affordability to post-secondary education, and we were hoping to see [a] tuition fee framework that did not include any tuition fee increases,” Hoilett said. “It’s important that we don’t settle for the status quo.”

Hoilett added that the CFS’ semi-annual general meeting on Jan. 19-22 will allow students across the province to contribute ideas on how to go forward.

“Coming off of a really successful National Day of Action, we have a lot of capacity to really organize in January about this tuition fee rollover,” Hoilett said. “The participants at the meeting will have an opportunity to talk about what our next steps be …

I’m really excited to see what will happen.”

OSAP grants and loans for students were also adjusted to ensure that they are in line with tuition inflation to take place, according to Matthews.

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EDITOR | SHAILEE KORANNE

OPINIONS

@STRANDPAPER

Abstinence-only sex education is harmful to students amanda gosio editorial assistant

I

was on YouTube one Sunday evening when I came across a video on my recommended feed. It was titled “Sex Education: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO).” As a huge fan of John Oliver’s program Last Week Tonight, I decided to give the video a watch. It provoked thoughts and emotions that I thought this platform and its community could benefit from. To gain better insight regarding where these emotions originated, I believe an understanding of my upbringing is necessary.

I grew up attending Catholic schools all the way to when I started my undergrad, here, at the University of Toronto. Some may envision Catholic education as sterile, and catholic schools as rigid places where students are taught by nuns. However, this image is inaccurate. There are some aspects of the Catholic education system which I find limiting to growing students, but overall, in many ways, I really loved the education I received. My public, Catholic education maintains a resemblance to that of the public education system in terms of the actual “education” part. Although my opinions regarding education on sex and abstinence may be attributed to the Catholic education system, I believe the issue is not limited to Catholic schools. It serves to highlight the problematic ways in which students are taught to understand sex and relationships across all school systems.

Once, in my grade nine religion class, a group

of grade 12 students gave us a presentation about abstinence. Back then, sex was something of which I had no opinion, and if I did, it probably resembled something similar to abstinence. I grew up in a bit of a bubble—as I think many of us did, but within different contexts. By this, I mean that I didn’t hear a lot of different opinions or opposing viewpoints, and often wasn’t exposed to the diversity inherent in other people’s ideas. When it came to sexual education, I was taught that sex before marriage was bad and practising abstinence was good. Don’t misunderstand me, these opinions were not shoved down my throat, I simply wasn’t presented another manner through which to understand sex. At this point in my life, I was also quite private when it came to my thoughts and opinions, so I didn’t have a lot of conversations about these types of topics with my parents or friends.

The presentation by the grade 12 students compared a woman’s sexuality to a cookie. A girl in the class was told to take the cookie and offer pieces of it to different boys in the classroom. What was left of the cookie for the final boy were a few crumbling broken pieces. This demonstration was supposed to represent what happens when women do not value their sexuality and have sex before marriage—encouraging abstinence. At the time, this presentation was of little impact to me. In fact, I only recalled the experience and how problematic it was after viewing

the John Oliver program on sexual education.

There are certainly many problems I now recognize regarding teaching teenagers to consider their sexuality in this manner. A few major ones include representing all sexual experiences as though sex is inherently heterosexual, and placing no importance on a man’s role or responsibility in heterosexual sex.

Some backwards ideas that affect me as a woman the most are the ones that equate a woman’s value in a relationship with her virginity. To put it simply, I’m tired of the implication that a woman has less worth, the more sexually active she is.

At the time of the presentation, I couldn’t recognize, or I didn’t have the education to recognize, how incredibly close-minded and degrading this version of sexual education was.

I think sharing sexual and abstinence education in this way is an unacceptable approach to educating teens. By devaluing and degrading female sexuality, —this through implying that women become crumbling broken pieces, the more they have sexual experiences—women are taught to feel guilty for their inherent sexual desires.

I don’t think it’s wrong to educate youth about abstinence and the benefits it can bring. However, when it is presented as the only reasonable option, and done in such a way that shames women, I think it’s not only extremely harmful, but needs to be a topic of a conversation for future change.

What you should know before you hop on the Trudeau bandwagon ted fraser opinions associate editor

I am a fan of Justin Trudeau. Compared to the option of another four years of now-retired “Supreme Leader” Harper, Trudeau is heaven-sent. Since his monumental victory in October of last year, he has implemented numerous policies that have improved the country substantially. Whether it is accepting 30,000 refugees from war-torn Syria, slashing tax rates for the middle class, or introducing a 50 percent female cabinet, he has upheld the Liberal values for which he was elected.

However, far too many have gleefully and blindly jumped on to the Trudeau bandwagon. Everyone under 25 seems to be infatuated with the Prime Minister. After years of the sociopathic cold fish that was Stephen Harper, Canada is cool again. Buzzfeed thinks our PM is hot. The world acknowledges us now. And we love it.

But before you say Trudeau is the best thing that ever happened to this country, consider a few of his contradicting, illegitimate political moves.

Trudeau claims to be an environmentally conscious liberal, desiring to implement policies to reduce Canada’s carbon emissions. He recently introduced a federal $10-per-tonne carbon tax. The revenues from this tax will be returned back to the provinces to finance tax cuts.

Seems like a logical plan, right? Not exactly. Canada still gives out $3.3 billion in subsidies to fossil fuel companies. As Alex Doukas said in an article for The Guardian, “It’s like taxing smokers for buying cigarettes while also giving tax breaks to cigarette companies.”

In addition to this, Trudeau recently approved a bid for the Pacific NorthWest LNG pipeline, which would run across B.C. to the coastal town of Prince Rupert, where the oil would be then shipped to Asia. The pipeline would increase B.C.’s carbon emissions by an estimated 9 percent annually. Trudeau also agreed to an extension

of the Alberta-Wisconsin Enbridge Line 3 pipeline, and permitted Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline, running from Alberta to B.C. All of these approvals undermine the Liberals’ investments in green infrastructure, as well as the aforementioned carbon tax.

Besides illegitimate climate change policies, Trudeau has backpedalled on a number of promises. During the election campaign, Trudeau pledged that the 2015 election would be the last election using the first-past-thepost voting system. A committee was set-up to gauge the feasibility and desire to change the electoral system.

There were hundreds of interviews, consultations of over 200 experts, and a 300-page report. This report recommended proportional representation. Subsequently, Maryam Monsef, Minister of Democratic Institutions, mocked the report in the House of Commons, calling it “incomprehensible.” Trudeau himself has shut down rumours of a referendum repeatedly, saying that the need for election reform is “[not that] urgent.”

It is important to note that the current voting system allows big parties­—like the Liberals—to gain power more easily. The Liberals only received 39 percent of the popular vote, yet have a considerable majority in the House of Commons. Proportional representation would give smaller parties—like the Green Party and NDP—a bigger voice, snatching seats away from Trudeau and his cronies.

In addition, Trudeau did not follow through with his campaign promise to end the executive stock option tax break. Of Canada’s top 100 paid CEOs, 75 utilize this loophole, which allows them to escape normal taxes. On average, each CEO saves $6.6 million, costing taxpayers close to $500 million a year in foregone tax revenue.

Further, the Liberals have utilized controversial

Photo | Canada 2020 “cash-for-access” fundraisers over the last year or so.

These exclusive meetings require tickets that can be bought for $1,500. Business leaders and lobbyists can try to persuade Trudeau and his cabinet to approve developments, introduce policies, etc. In May, wealthy Chinese businessmen convened at a ritzy Toronto soirée that featured Trudeau as the star guest. One of the attendees— Zhang Bin—made a $1 million donation to the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation shortly after. Prime Minister Trudeau stressed that he had no connection to the charity, but it is concerning nonetheless, as Trudeau dissuaded his cabinet ministers early on to avoid any situations that might appear to be a conflict of interest.

Justin Trudeau is a welcomed breath of fresh air after the previous administration’s callousness and hypocrisy.

Regardless, make sure to look past his luscious locks and ever-present charm. Prime Minister Trudeau is admittedly progressive, forward thinking, and politically astute, but he is far from perfect.

OPINIONS@THESTRAND.CA

OPINIONS

THE STRAND | 16 JANUARY 2017

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New Year’s resolution: Don’t be fooled by Trudeau’s “Real Change” promise this year, too julia dasilva staff writer

I realize that there are a lot of good reasons to want to leave last year’s politics behind us. But, history will judge 2017 on how well we untangle the mess that we, willingly or not, got ourselves into this past year. So it’s important we revisit it.

In November 2016, only weeks after the UN Convention on Climate Change entered into force, Prime Minister Trudeau approved two pipelines. Together, Enbridge’s Line 3 replacement and Kinder Morgan’s expansion of the Trans Mountain system could increase the productive capabilities of Canada’s oil industry by approximately one million barrels per day. 890,000 barrels per day would travel from Alberta’s oil sands to the B.C. coast, through Indigenous lands, via Kinder Morgan. While Trudeau claims that this approval is consistent with a responsible transition from fossil fuels, as well as with the UN climate convention, the evidence to support this claim is largely nonexistent. Trudeau has now made two promises that make an overt contradiction that no political manipulation can hope to overcome. Somehow, we are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent (from 2005 levels) by 2030, while doubling production in our largest greenhouse gas source, the oil sands, by 2040. This, in a world in which, even if coal were phased out immediately (the phase-out of Canada’s relatively insignificant coal sector being one of Trudeau’s primary climate policy sellingpoints), the use of our oil and gas reserves would still take the world beyond 1.5°C of global warming. There is no room for any more fossil fuel infrastructure. This is true even before acknowledgement that Trudeau has declined usage of the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples’ requirement for “free, prior, and informed consent” from Indigenous communities for development projects.

How is it that when policy flies so blatantly in the face of logic, when it is so clearly inconsistent with campaign promises for “real change,” that there can be so much public passivity? Perhaps, as much as we need to

fear the normalization of dangerous mindsets espoused by euphemistically labeled groups like the “alt-right,” we need to worry about what we have already normalized to the extent that we can no longer comprehend the danger it presents. In a moment in which our system is entering crisis, the only hope we have of coming out the other side with human civilization intact, is if we examine what we have come to accept as normal, and withdraw our acceptance wherever necessary. The fight for climate justice will require as much de-normalization as the fight to maintain civil rights south of the border.

how is it that when policy flies so blatantly in the face of logic , when it is so clearly inconsistent with campaign promises for

“real

change ,” that there can be so much public passivity ?

Take, for example, a statement made by Trudeau on his recent visit to British Columbia, where he attempted to defend his decision to accept the Kinder Morgan pipeline: “[British Columbians] understand that a grandson of B.C. like me…is not going to endanger these coasts,” was the appeal he made. As touching as Trudeau’s personal connections to B.C. might be, the suggestion that they constitute a reason to trust his climate policy is indicative of the skewed mindset we are being asked to use. A person can love the coastline, and they can legitimately believe that a company building a pipeline has undergone enough environmental assessments to make it safe to risk an oil spill for the sake of the economy. But that does nothing to address the fact that this project is inconsistent with a common-sense analysis of climate change. The mindset that allows us to compartmentalize issues into neat lists

of pros and cons that can be isolated and manipulated at will, obscures any realistic understanding of the weight of the problems we face. It also contributes to the assumption that any issue is best solved by tallying up the pros and the cons presented by both sides and trying to calculate a middle road.

There are some issues that cannot be compartmentalized, that are simply unacceptable if you accept a basic premise like the reality of global warming. To try to follow some middle road between the interests of every person who wants to continue to have a livable planet on one side and a few fossil fuel corporations on the other is absurd.

The fact is that the fight against Kinder Morgan is about a lot more than the B.C. coast. To pretend that it can be separated from threat of catastrophic global warming with a sentimental reassurance from the Prime Minister is to set up a straw man that can and will be beaten back by cries to “strengthen the economy.” When we accept the battering of this straw man as legitimate argument, when we allow the Prime Minister to present himself as the reasonable alternative to an imaginary group of people who want to “shut down the oil sands tomorrow,” we deny our responsibility to understand the problems facing us on their own terms.

The approval of these pipelines has left Trudeau with shaky foundations on which to base the credibility of his promise for climate leadership. The year ahead will see him forced to confront massive opposition both to Kinder Morgan itself and to the duplicity this approval reveals.

It is unclear how Trudeau can hope to repair this broken promise to those who voted him in with hopes of real climate policy and government reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. But I might propose a hint; it will not be by working with Trump to revive the 830,000-barrel-perday Keystone XL pipeline. And it will not be without removing himself from the middle-of-the-road mindset that is leading us to destruction.

Did I make a major mistake? carol park editorial assistant

A

round this time three years ago, I was applying to universities across Ontario and Canada. My friends were almost always discussing their top three choices and which residence buildings they wanted to live in. Some students in my graduating class worried about their low grades and the possibility of receiving a rejection letter. Others debated on which university to attend solely based on the party scene: the wilder the parties, the greater the interest. But the main theme of shared discussions amongst my peers was about the fear of choosing the wrong program. While some students were fortunate enough to know exactly what they wanted to study, many were unsure.

Fortunately, I had known I wanted to study English literature since middle school. As a child, I was a huge bookworm. I used to get in trouble for reading too much and staying up past my bedtime because I was so immersed in a novel. Unlike many of my friends, my parents took away my books and library card if I was grounded. Throughout grade school, my favourite period was “Silent Reading”—an hour dedicated to reading and nothing else. I preferred indoor recess because I could sneak into the library and read.

High school was no different. I loved my English classes, and focused all my energy towards them. Most of my electives were either creative writing classes or advanced literature classes. I assumed that because I enjoyed reading and writing, English literature would be the perfect discipline.

I never thought I would lose my passion for English literature, but I did. After completing my second year as an English and Renaissance Studies double major, I began to question if I had chosen the right subject PoST. I realized that while I still loved reading and studying literature, I was

Photo | Rosa Kumar not as passionate about it as I used to be.

During the long summer days of 2016, I spent most of my time redrafting my five-year plan. I no longer wanted to go to grad school for English literature and I no longer wanted to pursue an academic career in the field, either. Instead, I was interested in investigative journalism. I wanted to write about people and share their stories with the world.

I don’t regret studying English literature; I wouldn’t have acquired the writing skills that I now possess. By studying literary texts, I am now able to read a novel critically. I write observant notes in the margins of a book, using my skills to better understand it and the author’s message. I have learned too much to regret my major; the novels I have read helped to shape the individual I am today.

However, I’ve learned that it’s impossible to stick to one

fixed plan; a five-year plan should serve as a guide, not a definitive procedure. It took one summer of frustration, resentment, and doubt to realize that it is perfectly alright to have a change of heart. It is difficult to choose a discipline that you will always be enamoured with. As twenty-somethings, we are growing and changing; we are discovering who we are and where our passions lie. Your subject PoST does not define you. It is merely an extension of one of the many interests you have.

No one wants to delay graduation—extending a typical four-year undergraduate degree to a five or six-year degree was never part of the plan. Many students want to graduate as soon as possible, ridding themselves of the emotional baggage that comes with university. But to remain in a program that no longer excites you and, instead, dissatisfies your intellectual and creative needs would be a disservice to yourself.

There will always be a support system, cheering you on: whether that is family, friends, or religion. Despite the current state of employment rates, jobs can be found anywhere, career-related or not. Opportunities to secure selfhappiness—that is to say, contributing to society in a selffulfilling way—will not always be readily available to you.

On the day of graduation, we all share the same title: Graduate of the University of Toronto. If the job force views UofT grads as one singular entity, why toughen it out in a program you’re not passionate about?

It’s not a competition; there’s no record to beat. No one cares about your well-being and happiness as much yourself.

You are the agent of your own life—act like it.

EDITORIAL

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Kicking 2016 out the door Ugh, worst year ever... Now what? alexandra scandolo

news

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So, you feel like you have had the worst year on record. Many iconic artists and actors were lost, and the year was highlighted by politically charged events both shocking and disappointing for many, like the election of Donald Trump. The weight of it all feels crushing for many, and to think, it all happened in just one calendar year.

Every January feels like a triumphant way to hit reset, but this time, the need to leave the year behind felt particularly palpable.

In tending to the wounds caused by events of the past year, the desperation to cross the 2016 finish line was felt everywhere, from holiday dinner tables to Twitter timelines. 2017 has a lot to bear in 2016’s wake—but time goes on, and here we are, having made it into the next year successfully.

Looking back on a year and surrendering to the idea that it was the overall worst, is both understandable and unfair.

It is easy to blame a year for the sadness that was caused and to hope for the best for the year to come. It is also just as easy to say that there have been worse years in the past, and to discredit those who are hurting. It’s a fine line to balance. Overall, 2016 is being regarded as a concrete entity and blamed for everything that has happened, which is ultimately misguided. Seeking optimism in times that feel bleak diminishes the grieving process, but the negativity that comes with categorizing 2016 as wholly horrible can be unhelpful in the grand scheme of things.

The disdain felt for 2016 seems to be strongest among Millennials. There are highs and lows every year, but I believe the lows this year were felt particularly worse among the young people who engaged more actively with social and cultural politics. A liberal-leaning campus like the University of Toronto allows political discussions to saturate our spaces, so that the collective grieving process becomes a part of our daily experience. Outside of educational institutions, social media has provided platforms for Millennials to openly discuss issues arising in society. And, young voices, particularly on Twitter, have been able to enact change; we have used these social media platforms to talk about the news and issues of the moment. As a result of political discussions and periodic grieving, social media is also where the “2016 is the absolute worst” discourse began.

Our perspective on the world as a young generation is short;

this is the beginning, in the grand scheme of things, of our interest in the political sphere. The events of this year may have cut deeper for us in particular, because these traumatic political events are affecting our adult lives for the first time. The important takeaway from the collective bemoaning of 2016 is that Millennials care about what is happening, enough to feel jaded. This active engagement shows our generation’s intent to discuss issues that have arisen this year, from ongoing gun violence to the normalization of white nationalists.

The berating of 2016 became a joke, in itself, as the year wore on. The New York Times, The Telegraph and Slate have put in extensive research into whether 2016 was, in fact, the worst year on record. Each publication looked at other years in the past that could’ve been comparatively worse, like in 1348 when the Black Death was rampaging through the world, or 1943, when World War II was at its height. Pain has existed in the past, and while those other years were all awful for humanity, the stinging effects of 2016 are here and now. It’s understandable to feel upset by the losses, great and small, from the past year, but that is not enough to warrant give up trying to create change.

The coping mechanism of tossing aside the pain of recent events into the catch-all of “2016 sucked, let’s move on,” forgets that we have to do something about what has happened. It was people, not the temporal construct of a year, that caused the more controversial and upsetting moments of 2016. Ultimately, allowing the measure of time to become a parody in and of itself derails the conversation from where to go from here. 2017 isn’t the sudden stop of what has happened in the world politically, socially, and culturally—we have to continue to push onwards and upwards against what is concerning.

This is a time to be tender with one another and to help each other out. Question the news and information that you are given, listen to people of colour and those in the LGBTQ+ community about their concerns going forward, and stand up for what you believe to be right and true. If 2016 was about realizing things, 2017 is about doing things. Take the fire that has been lit under our collective asses and make a difference where you can. There is much to do in the coming year, and every year following, but that’s the thing; time keeps moving, and so do we.

CONGRATS! The Strand is incredibly proud of our Volume 58 writers Alexandra Jones, Linh Nguyen, and Alexandra Scandolo for their 2017 JHM Award Nominations at NASH 79, the Canadian University Press’ (CUP) annual journalism awards.

Alexandra Jones won best Diversity writing for Pulling Pigtails and Alexandra Scandolo won best Opinion writing for Toronto the Cool. Both articles can be found on thestrand.ca.

EDITOR: TANUJ ASHWIN KUMAR

SCIENCE

SCIENCE@THESTRAND.CA

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Only girl in the row Experiences as a woman in Computer Science content warning : misogyny

& reference to

a sexual act

justine chen web editor

It was my first Linear Algebra course of my second year at the University of Toronto. I was sitting with three friends that I had met the year before in class, and I was the only female sitting in the row. About ten minutes into class, I heard my friends laughing as they passed around a phone to one another. As it reached me, I saw what the joke was about and my heart dropped.

Someone had taken a photo of me among the row of males I was sitting with and had captioned it: “How many blow jobs for you to do my assignment?�

I was mortified. My friends could immediately tell that I did not find the photo funny. I wanted to leave the lecture right away, but I was sitting in the middle of a small classroom. Trying to keep it together, I continued taking notes but I could not get my mind off the picture. I felt that the hours I had spent studying and stressing were demeaned by a single Facebook post. The more I thought about it, the more upset I grew. The notebook in-front of me disappeared into a blur as the tears swelled in my eyes. I became so

ing how women feel in computer science. The people I have spoken to have been split, responding either that gender does not matter because, ultimately, it is the quality of the code produced that is the most important, or that there is an imbalance, but they cannot explain how.

Some women I spoke to told me about subtle instances of their ideas not being heard in group projects, or initially being stereotyped as people who may not know much about programming. When I told them about my experience with the Facebook photo, most people were very surprised that someone would do that, and my friends from class still maintain that the photo was not about me.

My first year had been filled with anxiety and uncertainty about whether I deserved my place in the program. Surrounded by a predominantly male population that had been learning programming since high school, I felt miles behind. Every conversation I overheard about tech increased the anxiety I felt from the lack of knowledge that I thought I had.

There are several gender disparities in computer

grammer, there is a generic image of a man wearing glasses and a t-shirt in a dark room coding away. I think this is the stereotype we need to steer away from most. The issue of the knowledge gap is a social expectation that is based on the stereotype of who a computer scientist is supposed to be.

The second is the lack of mentorship. I remember walking into the computer science frosh day to find almost only male frosh leaders. They were great leaders and extremely welcoming, but it would have been reassuring to see more female frosh leaders, and in general, female role models in the industry.

The third is the online culture of outspoken people, predominantly males, on social media and forum pages. People hide behind their screens and keyboards, where their online personas are vicious and bold compared to who they are in person.

The photo posted about me at the beginning of last semester falls into this issue. Whether the comment and photo taken were about me or not, the photo was inappropriate and vulgar. The photo and caption were posted into a group on Facebook created for students

My first year had been filled with anxiety and uncertainty about whether I deserved my place in the program. distraught that a stranger on my left asked if I was alright, while my friends on the right reassured me that it was only a joke and I had no reason to be upset.

It bothered me even more that my friends did not understand why the situation was upsetting to me. After I spoke to them about the picture later on they said that the photo was probably meant to be about two other males in the photo as it seemed like they were talking to each other. Immediately, I began to doubt myself. Did I overreact in this situation? Was I being too sensitive?

Over the course of these past couple of months I have been in avid pursuit of more information regard-

science when we first start off in university: The first being the knowledge gap. This issue stems from toys and games that we are exposed to from a young age, and from society’s expectations of which occupations each gender is supposed to adopt. Most of my peers came into university knowing a bit of Java (a programming language taught in second year). In first year, we start off learning Python, a very welcoming language that is more straight-forward to manipulate for beginner programmers. In class, I would often hear people around me exclaiming how easy all the class exercises were, whereas I would struggle with them on my own time. When people picture a pro-

in my linear algebra course. No one should ever feel so uncomfortable in a classroom during their lecture.

Most people are ignorant to the fact that sexism continues to exist and that situations like mine arise constantly and frequently, whether it be subtle or in a direct Facebook post. Because of male dominance in computer science, many outcries of sexism and misogyny are argued against or silenced, partly because they, themselves, do not experience systemic sexism.

Thus, the gender disparity in this field perpetuates, making it easier for sexism to be dismissed.

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EDITOR | TAMILORE OSHODI

FEATURES

@STRANDPAPER

erik preston editor-in-chief

T

he University of Toronto is a massive institution. This was clear to me from the moment I first arrived here in September of 2012. I remember walking into Con Hall on my first day of classes, an 18-year-old kid from a small Ontario town, and being completely and utterly overwhelmed by what surrounded me; twelve hundred of my peers, from every corner of the world, here for the exact same reason as me. All of us had somewhat of an idea as to what we were getting ourselves into at UofT, but I am certain that few were not in shock at the sheer size of the class alone.

I truly believe that, at some point, every student has had a humbling experience here at UofT. For me, that experience came during my very first class on my first day, in POL101, when Professor Joseph Wong opened with the question: “How many of you plan on going to law

school after you finish your degree?”

I looked around as three-quarters of my peers, myself included, raised their hands. I’m paraphrasing when I say that his follow-up statement was something like, “Well, that’s not exactly going to happen.”

Law school had always been my dream. I thought that I was unique in this regard, given that it wasn’t such a popular dream in the town where I grew up. In that moment in POL101, what humbled me most was the number of people with the exact same aspirations as me, despite the extremely diverse range of experiences that brought us all into this room together. This is one of the greatest things about attending a school as large and diverse as UofT, and today, it’s something that the University is working to develop even further.

As of January 1st, 2017, Professor Joseph

Wong began a new position here at UofT. He now serves as Associate Vice-President and ViceProvost, International Student Experience. The first of its kind, the position is tasked with improving the experience of international students at UofT, encouraging students at UofT to explore international experiences, and attracting new students from outside of Canada’s borders.

As stated in a press release regarding Wong’s appointment, Vice-President & Provost, Cheryl Regehr and Vice-President, International, Edward Sargent said that the new position “reflects the important priority accorded by the University to the goal of internationalization.” The position reflects UofT’s direction, as voiced by the University’s President, Meric Gertler, to take UofT to the next level, internationally.

Wong explained that UofT’s efforts to expand their influence in this area directly reflect

Illustration | Justine Chen

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FEATURES

THE STRAND | 16 JANUARY 2017

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On the world stage The Strand sits down with Professor Joseph Wong to discuss his appointment as Vice Provost, International Student Experience, and the expanding interest in UofT among American students the demands behind maintaining a world-class institution like UofT in the 21st century. “We live in a globalized world, Canada is a globalized economy. It’s important for our young people, the next generation, to have these kinds of global fluencies,” said Wong.

Marketing UofT on the world stage is a large aspect of Wong’s new position, something to which he has been accustomed from his tenure here, as a professor of Political Science. “My work has always been internationally facing,” he states. “I have taken research teams abroad on many occasions. For me, that is the most energizing part of the job—to see students have these opportunities and make the most of these opportunities. It’s really just broadening that message—for American students to consider, for Brazilian students to consider, or next week, when I’m in Singapore, for Singaporean students to consider.” He explained that UofT has a unique opportunity here. The University currently has a sizeable international student population, but still seeks to explore how we can better dedicate our resources to attracting the world’s best and brightest students.

The University’s reputation currently helps it a great deal to attract these top-tier students from across the globe. For years now, UofT has been consistently ranked among the top universities in the world. In 2016, the Times Higher Education survey ranked the school at #22, directly preceded by Cornell and Northwestern. For many, it comes as a surprise that UofT ranks among the world’s best, given that UofT is not recognized by its name and reputation in the same way as schools such as Cornell, the London School of Economics and Political Science (#25 in the same rankings), and many others that populate the prestigious Top 25 list. Whether our surprise at our ranking is a result of stereotypical Canadian modesty, or due to the recent nature of UofT’s ascent in the world rankings, it is something that Professor Wong seeks to change in his new role.

“What drew me to this position is that the University of Toronto is one of the worlds top universities. It’s one of the world’s Top 25, and it’s important that we get that message out there.

Our peers in the Top 25 are globally recognized names, and the University of Toronto is too, but it could probably do a better job of ensuring the rest of the world knows what we’re doing.”

Outside of attracting new students from all corners of the globe, a significant part of Professor Wong’s mandate is to improve the experienc-

es of international students already studying here at UofT. “It is imperative that we ensure that the experiences of international students at UofT are meaningful, that they get the most out of their time here,” he says. “After all, they are our ambassadors after they graduate here and they represent the University on the global stage.”

To do this, he says that the University’s intention is to develop better support systems that attend to the specific needs of international students. At the same time, these systems should help to integrate them into the greater student body, to ensure that every student at UofT can enjoy the full experience.

This has become more important, as interest has increased among Americans in immigrating to Canada—and more recently, a growing interest among American students in attending Canadian universities, following the recent election south of the border. As Collin Binkley of the Associated Press reported last week, applications to the University of Toronto from the United States have increased by 70 percent, compared to this time last year. Assistant Director, Enrolment, Anne Rose confirmed that UofT “[has] seen a significant increase in interest among American students in attending UofT.” Professor Wong is less convinced that this would turn into a mass exodus of American students to UofT. “The University of Toronto has

had a long-standing strategy of engaging the United States. We have heard, and we suspect, that the election of Donald Trump might encourage more students to at least consider the University of Toronto. I wouldn’t say they are flocking here yet. Certainly, the number of applications has gone up. But we have a long way to go to see if they are going to be accepted and, if they are accepted, if they are going to take up the offer to come here,” states Professor Wong.

Kody McCann, a University of Toronto student from Boston, Massachusetts shares Professor Wong’s scepticism on the issue. “If people are upset with how things are going in the United States, they shouldn’t sideline themselves by leaving the country to find a place where they think their ideas are more accepted. Canada has its fair share of problems and its Universities are by no means perfect bastions of acceptance,” he says.

In discussing his motivations for studying at UofT, McCann said that the political situation in the United States did not influence his decision to study here. “When deciding between a few schools, I realized the opportunities I had going to UofT.” He explains, “I wanted to step outside my comfort zone, and UofT, and Canada as an extension, offered the perfect mix.”

While UofT has already earned a name for itself as a globally-renowned research institution, the new role that Professor Wong occupies signifies an increased focus towards showing the world how great the experience here is for students, and the unlimited potential that comes with earning a degree here.

“I think if we take the lid off what we think in terms of expectations about students, and if we raise those expectations, you guys will rise to the occasion. When we think about the international file, if we lift that lid and we say, ‘This isn’t going to be terribly costly for you, and there’s tremendous value that you can get out of this.’

It’s not just a fun time, you’re going to see the world with your own eyes. The stuff that you read about in class will come to life.”

As we continued to discuss the innumerable opportunities that students have here at UofT and beyond, Professor Wong reminded me of the very thing he said in that POL101 class, on my first day at UofT. “I used to teach POL101 to over 1200 students, and I used to say to students at the end of the class: You could graduate from this university and just be a number, or you could have an experience here that will be unmatched by any university.”

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ARTS & CULTURE

EDITORS | MOLLY KAY & ELENA SENECHAL-BECKER @STRANDPAPER

Finding mysticism in modern masters A behind-the-scenes look at the AGO’s latest exhibition featuring Monet, Van Gogh, and other Impressionist painters elena senechal-becker arts

&

culture editor

Photos | AGO

T

he Art Gallery of Ontario is currently the lucky host of an incredibly unique exhibit on nature and mysticism. Mystical Landscapes is a gathering of works by iconic artists such as Monet, Van Gogh, and O’Keefe, as well as works from Canadian masters such as Emily Carr and Group of Seven member, Lawren Harris.

I had the chance to have a tour of the exhibit led by Katharine Lochnan, the AGO’s senior international exhibition curator. Walking into the exhibit, which is extensive and spans the second-floor special exhibition space of the AGO, I was first struck by the vibrancy of colours on the walls. I recognized the style of painters such as Paul Gauguin or Egon Schiele, and of course, the incredibly famous Water Lilies by Monet and Starry Night over the Rhone at Arles by Van Gogh. Many of the works toward the beginning dealt with religious iconography, some more subtly than others. Lochnan explained to me that the trees in a Gauguin painting “symbolized the columns in nature’s temple.” This is what the exhibit conveys in essence; the link between spirituality, nature, and the way artists represent them.

paintings are the mediums between artists and visitors Paintings are the mediums between artists and visitors. Lochnan explains that her curatorial intent with the show was to invite people to think about the role of spirituality in their own lives. This can include religion, but also any form of mysticism. According Lochnan, many of her co-curators were agnostic. She mentions that this isn’t a purely theological perspective, but rather a space to admire and explore the causes and effects of mysticism in our perception of nature and art.

The works are placed together in the AGO’s space according to different themes, such as elements, planets, and storms. Lochnan wanted visitors to see beyond the surface of works, like Van Gogh’s Starry Night, for example, and examine the mystical experiences that may have impacted the artist’s work. Van Gogh had a religious past and Lochnan ar-

gues that his paintings reflect his mental states: consolation versus desolation. In the case of Starry Night, Van Gogh was in a state of consolation. Many of these painters were Symbolists, and the paintings are what you make of them. Some of the lesser known names in the exhibition include Charles-Marie Dulac, Eugene Jansson, and Henri Le Sidaner.

The University of Toronto also played a role in the making of this exhibition, as the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery at Hart House lent the Lawren Harris piece, and theological colleges have been involved in researching and counselling the subject. Lochnan mentions that she has received an immense amount of positive feedback from visitors about the exhibit; the project seems to have deeply affected many visitors, and resonates with people from all walks of life.

This is one of the AGO’s biggest productions to date, with an impressive array of paint-

ings and artists from different backgrounds. It comprises 113 different works from 36 artists, and they are mostly loans from different museums and foundations across Europe, North America, and Scandinavia. The show is five years in the making, and as Lochnan explains, there will always be more room for growth. Although the exhibit has already taken over one of the biggest fine art museums in Canada, and is soon moving to the Musée D’Orsay in Paris, it is still a work in progress. The exhibit is still on at the AGO until February, 2017, so there is still time to make a trip if you want to witness one of the museum’s biggest shows in recent memory.

Mystical Landscapes: Masterpieces from Money, Van Gogh and More runs until February 12th at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Student general admission and entry to the exhibit is $16.50 on ago.net.

ARTSANDCULTURE@THESTRAND.CA

ARTS & CULTURE

THE STRAND | 16 JANUARY 2017

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The Strand reviews VCDS presents The Last 5 Years amanda gosio editorial assistant

The Last Five Years is a two-person musical written by Jason Robert Brown that tells the story of the five-year relationship between Cathy, played by Nicole Dionne, and Jamie, played by James O’Connor.

The musical opens with Cathy’s side of the story being told in reverse as she is at the end of the relationship and Jamie’s side of the story being told from the start. This structure allows for heartbreakingly beautiful scenes and dramatic irony. The audience feels conflicted in loving Cathy and Jamie as a couple with the understanding that their relationship is fleeting. This plot arch also lends to striking plot twists and emphasizes the importance of perspective in interpretation.

With the structure of the story adding such a diverse element to this particular musical, I was interested to see how the director, Shannon Dunbar, would bring her own vision to the play. The simple, yet versatile, set allowed the audience to get lost in the story. The blocking choices were extremely effective and attention-grabbing—such as having Cathy enter from the audience at the beginning of the show and Jamie leave that same way at the end. Lastly, an endless number of outstanding lighting choices—one of which being the twinkling of string lights above the audience after the line, “the clock began to glow” in “The Schmuel Song”—proved that Dunbar’s adaptation of The Last Five Years was chockfull of vision and direction, making it very impactful.

The band accompanying the vocals of the show— led by Michael Henley—was absolutely astounding.

The instrumentalists seemed to move and breathe as a singular being, leaving the audience in awe, not only of the incredible vocals, but also of the band’s flawless execution.

One issue that I had with the show’s mise-en-scène, however, was that the Cat’s Eye was too small of a venue.

Although the setting added a level of intimacy between the cast and audience, it seemed a bit restricting for the actors. At times, the band overpowered the voices simply because of how close they were to the stage. Further-

more, it seemed to hinder Nicole and James’s confidence in their vocals in the beginning of the show because of the volume required to belt out the insanely high notes in the show’s impressive musical score—trust me when I say these voices could easily fill a theatre. The small setting also instilled an initial stiffness in the body language between characters—particularly James who is quite tall and big for the set, which took me out of the story at times.

These issues aside, I cannot express how impressed I was by this show. My problems with the setting seemed to fade away as the show progressed and the actors seemed to own their roles more. The selling feature of this show came from Nicole and James in their portrayals of Cathy and Jamie. These actors not only stood out as individuals with exemplary talents in their singing and acting abilities, but I found it hard to believe they weren’t a couple in real life with the onstage chemistry they demonstrated. This dynamic only lent further to my dismay in knowing from the beginning that the couple would not last.

At the beginning, I had pegged James as the funny one and Nicole as the one with emotional depth, but both actors proved to exceed my initial expectations. Nicole was hilarious in so many numbers, notably through the perfect balance of charisma and attitude demonstrated in “Climbing Uphill.” She also left the audience heartbroken with her blind faith and absolutely breathtaking vocals in songs like “Still Hurting” and “Goodbye Until Tomorrow.” Her emotional distress and conflicting situation felt familiar to the audience through Nicole’s exemplary portrayal; she brilliantly captured the fluidity of relationships and human experience.

James reached new levels of emotional depth when performing “If I Didn’t Believe in You,” absolutely killing the audience with the line, “I will not lose because you can’t win.” Although James’ character is one whose situation might be harder than Cathy’s for the audience to empathize with, I found it difficult to hate him, as

Photo | Hana Nikcevic his portrayal of Jamie was so incredibly charming and funny. With songs like “The Schmuel Song” and “Shiksa Goddess” pulling on my heartstrings, it felt like a personal betrayal when he cheats on Cathy.

The play’s devastating ending seemed to have a lasting impact on the audience, as a feeling of sadness was palpable as we cleared out of the venue. In many ways, VCDS truly outdid itself with this production of The Last Five Years.

The Strand reviews The Bob: Tell All The funniest thing that I have ever seen anthony burton staff writer

Photo | Maya Wong Have you ever laughed so hard, you made a little weewee in your pants? If you were in attendance for the 141st annual Bob Comedy Revue, I know the answer. You have.

That’s because the Bob, Vic’s annual sketch comedy show and the longest-running of its kind in the entire country, was very funny. It was, perhaps, the funniest thing to have ever happened. In my 31 years as a comedy reviewer, I’ve never seen anything that was remotely as funny as the Bob. After my bitter divorce in 2014, I hadn’t laughed once. Not anymore; the Bob made me laugh. The chemistry: electric. The cast: electric.

The jokes: you guessed it, electric.

This is the part of the review that comes after the nut graf, where I will give you a bit of history. According to research

done by nobody in particular, the Bob is named after a 19thCentury janitor whose spirit haunts the basement of Old Vic. The show has been everything from a frosh roast to an open mic. Margaret Atwood was in the Bob. She even tweeted about it this year. There you go. That’s all you need to know. My ex-wife once told me that I obsess on little details in order to avoid confronting larger issues at hand—so how’s this, Sharon? On to the real highlight of the night: the show.

Literally every single sketch was funny. Here are some arbitrarily-chosen descriptions of sketches that occur at this point of a review like: the beautiful human Michelangelo statue, Matt Brooks, and his portrayal of that spirit we all know and detest, the spirit of Arbor Day? Amazing. The sultry and

seductive chemistry of Leora Nash and Leo Morgenstern’s “mole play?” Hilarious. Alex Leeming’s inquisitive, perceptive, and edgy take on what our future holds, using horoscope signs as a metonymy for these imagined possibilities? The definition of conviction. There is bravery, and then there is the Bob. These people used humour for its noblest aims, speaking truth to the powers that oppress. I only wish that they had dealt with the issue of unfair custody judges that penalize a grown man for discreetly renting an adult film, or twenty, but some topics are too difficult for university students to handle and, for that, I understand.

This year, the Bob was not directed by Greg Martin. It was directed by Blaire Golledge and Serena Chapin. Blaire also directed it last year, but The Strand forgot to put her name in the review and said that it was directed solely by Greg Martin.

But this year, we will remember. Blaire and Serena directed the Bob. Their Bob was about friendship and mystery. It was about the ties that bind us, the connections that cannot be spoken, and the things that tear us apart—avarice, hostility, and the pestilence of pride. Deftly handled by the caring humanity of the cast, the Bob picked us up and brought us to a plane beyond the immaterial world of laughter and good humour, where what matters cannot be destroyed but is always created.

And in a year where everything went to shit—the death of lifechanging figures, the election of a corny Hannah Barbera Nazi rip-off as leader of the free world, my devastating and newfound inability to trust Crossfit instructors—the Bob provided one glimmer of hope: the fact that laughter always sounds the same when we do it together.

Anthony Burton was one of the cast members of the Bob.

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EDITOR | JOSHUA KIM

FILM & MUSIC

@STRANDPAPER

The Strand’s 2016 pop culture faves Since the best part of 2016 was definitely the art white transgender woman, feels the many tensions between queerness and the lasting righteousness of whiteness; she is constantly floating between alienation and privilege. What appears a carefully woven story about family and sexuality is also a harsh critique of the minoritized white archetype.

Transparent challenges its viewers to stay vigilant of power and its many forms of abuse and it does so very beautifully.

Joshua Kim Film & Music Editor Best album of the year?

Blonde - Frank Ocean Blonde sounds different every time you listen to it, which goes to show how much detail, finesse, and emotion went into creating this album. Frank uses his voice more as an instrument than a vehicle for his words, that was profound to me.

Shamelessly, I crooned to every note for months on-end (to the annoyance of many). It’s so groovy, has so much rhythm and reminds me so much of the 80’s/90’s era albums in my playlists. Definitely, it was the soundtrack to many points of my year.

Best movie of the year?

Moonlight (La La Land and Manchester By The Sea can SUCK IT IDGAF) Why are we still talking about this? Why do the makers of La La Land keep talking about the challenges they have had to overcome in order to make a film about LOS ANGELES starring EMMA STONE and RYAN GOSLING? The music? Is it because they made music for it? Because Moonlight had to, like, literally do something that has never been done? So? Suck it, La La Land? And can someone PLEASE shut Casey Affleck up? XOXO Illustrations |Lynn Hong

Best TV show of the year?

Jane The Virgin

Erin Calhoun News Editor

Best TV show of the year?

Atlanta

I mean, I’m sure it isn’t objectively the best TV show of the year, but to me it was certainly the most enjoyable one.

The editing is incredible in the show, the actors are standout, and its overt/subversive parodying of Latin American telenovelas and dramatic shows in general is a spectacle to watch.

Best album of the year?

Teens of Denial - Car Seat Headrest

I can’t fully explain how much I’m passionate about this show. I honestly didn’t expect to like it so much seeing as I wasn’t a fan of Donald Glover’s character on Community or his stand-up shows, so I blindly figured that was his approach to comedy. But Atlanta encapsulates all that I want in a ‘pause your life’ series. It’s ability to deliver sarcastic dialogue, the most intricate characters, dark and dead-pan humour, yet still managing to approach heavy issues of our time including race, politics, mental health, incarceration and oh so much more, is stunning. Believe me when I say this show is MAGIC!!!

Best movie of the year?

Moonlight It’s rare to see a movie that is so hellbent on showcasing the “moments” that spring up in life - no matter how small or big. Sure, Richard Linklater’s Boyhood achieved that in it’s story but Moonlight certainly has a story more worthwhile and pertinent in today’s time.

Ally Scandolo Editor-in-Chief Best album of the year?

Malibu - Anderson .Paak In a year full of amazing albums, Malibu definitely pulled ahead as frontrunner .Paak is an immensely talented writer, rapper, singer, and drummer—he uses all of these facets of himself to create a purely enjoyable record. By combining the specificity of his own personal experiences with the groove of his ‘70s-inspired sound, Paak conveys both emotion and hype so eloquently.

Best movie of the year?

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story As the first deviation from the main space opera in the Star Wars franchise, the addition of Rogue One was an important one. As a longtime fan, I was impressed by the care with which writer’s took to fill the plot hole formed by the Death Star plans from Episode IV with this film. Rogue One is an indulgence of the audience’s nostalgic sensibilities while adding dimension to the Star Wars universe.

When an album can make you feel angsty but happy, it is something special. Car Seat Headrest manage to do just that. Being a feel good album for people who don’t always feel good, the album delivers songs like Fill in the Blank and destroyed by Hippie Powers that recreate the teenage suffering that never really went away. Will Toledo cites verses on feeling confused, angry, and inability to sustain emotions. In a time of my life, feeling confused and crossed, this album stood out as a special album to me in 2016 Best TV show of the year?

The Get Down Either is was Luhrman’s style or the untouched plot, The Get Down stood out as an electric story of the transition from disco to the birth of hip-hop in the South Bronx.

Unlike nothing on tv or netflix currently, The Get Down features the beginning of a style and culture while highlighting the urban influences, such as poverty and racism. The TV show uses each episode to it’s fullest by telling the story through the kids, viewing New York City in the 1970s as they did: in it’s bankruptcy and transitioning music scene.

Best movie of the year?

La La Land La La Land provides a charming and hopeful tale of the aspiring Hollywood dream. The singing and dancing isn’t anything of phenomenal, which makes Gosling and Stone far from Astaire and Hepburn, makes the movie seem real to us. A dazzling tale that leaves a warm fuzzy sensation under your skin, even if Hollywood musicals aren’t your niche, La La Land tells a safe story of true love that wobbles and tilts but also dances and sings. The bittersweet undertones of loving something that will fade, La La Land reminds us that belief in what we love is the key to existence.

Transparent couches comedy in drama so comfortably that it’s often hard to tell the two apart. Maura Pfefferman, a

Elena Senechal-Becker Arts & Culture Editor Best album of the year?

Freetown Sound - Blood Orange Blood Orange’s third album blew me away this year: Dev Hynes collaborated with some of my favourite artists from various industries (Nelly Furtado, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Carly Rae Jepsen) creating an incredibly unique album that follows in the tracks of Beyonce’s Lemonade, in terms of its beauty and social resonance.

Best album of the year? iii - Miike Snow

Best album of the year?

Puberty 2 - Mitski

Best TV show of the year?

Transparent

The Wedding Party is a late 2016 favorite for me but it is fully deserving to be. A true Nigerian treasure, raking in the numbers as we speak, is one of the best we’ve seen come out of our industry. I must say that it truly captures the core of Nigerian culture. From our abusive humour, LOVE for celebratory occasions (any chance to strut our stuff) and stunning ability to complicate the simplest aspects of life, it delivers on eye-opening entertainment. Yet, this romantic comedy even addresses realities including tribalism and classism of a growing country. It’s hilarious, colourful and stylish, truly what a Nigerian wedding party is all about.

Rosa Kumar Photo Editor

Celeste Yim Stranded Editor

There were so many acclaimed albums this year but—whoa, fun surprise time—only one by an Asian female artist (sorry to break it to you Grimes, but you are a white person?) In Puberty 2, Mitski helped me understand the relationship between anger, forgiveness, comedy, guitar distortion, and other Asian things you guys probably wouldn’t get.

Best movie of the year?

The Wedding Party

Tamilore Oshodi Features Editor Best album of the year?

Majid Jordan I stumbled on the album just by purely sifting through the R&B/Soul section of Apple Music and I’ve been in love ever since. I rarely like every song on an album but I have to say I practically know all the lyrics to all on this album.

My measure of good music is universality: can I enjoy it while studying? How about during my commute? Can I dance to it while brushing my teeth? Can I do chores with it playing? All a resounding yes for this album.

Best movie of the year?

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them I definitely don’t think it was the best film of the year by any means, but it was my favourite just because it was an excellent walk down memory lane/new Harry Potter realm experience. 1920s glam HP with a cuter protagonist? Yes.

FILMANDMUSIC@THESTRAND.CA

FILM & MUSIC

THE STRAND | 16 JANUARY 2017

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Review: La La Land The best and worst of your first love harrison wade contributor

O

ne of the final movies of 2016 comes as a push against everything that happened before its release. Damien Chazelle’s La La Land believes in dreamers, in romanticism, and love. It’s a reaction against the cynicism of contemporary blockbusters; a callback to a bygone era of Hollywood. It aligns itself with movies that defined moments of film history, and hopes to be remembered as such. In part, I’d argue it succeeds at capturing an image of our generation, while also showing off the negative consequences of having such grand ambitions.

The story is classic Hollywood; two young artists in L.A. struggle to attain their dreams without selling out, and find love along the way. La La Land relies on the star power of its two leads; Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. The two are at their best, playing Jazz piano as Sebastian and acting as Mia, respectively. Gosling abandoned his usual charm for a more selfish, and realistic character, much like Miles Teller did in Chazelle’s previous film Whiplash. Stone succeeds at making Mia feel alive beyond the confines of the script. Their passion is what drives the movie forward to its brilliant, extraordinary climax.

But Gosling and Stone trip up along the way, most notably during the musical numbers. The music itself is superb; it has been stuck in my head since I saw it. But, although both actors are fine singers and dancers, they lack the brave energy to make any number memorable. The songs grow more quiet and intimate as the movie goes on, and dwindle until there are barely any in the last third of the film. Then, it becomes a much more generic romance—although still brilliantly painted like the rest of the film in bright reds, greens, and blues.

The camera makes these colours pop, and moves with such natural grace that it feels alive. At other times, the camera has

unnecessary flourishes of movement that seems like it’s the one dancing, rather than the actors.

La La Land’s preoccupation with its influences is both a delight and a nuisance. Director Damien Chazelle has made what seems to be a love-letter to some of his favourite films; the narrative is modelled after Singin’ in the Rain, and Rebel Without a Cause is used as a motif. But whether or not La La Land wants to return to the past, or only to reference films from it, is a mystery. There’s a small subplot that questions the modernization of jazz, but it ends up being less of a thematic interest and more of a plot point. As much as Gosling’s Sebastian wants to keep jazz pure, Chazelle seems to want to keep movies the same. But there are enough modern flourishes to warrant questioning that sentiment. I don’t think La La Land is too interested in deciding how it feels.

Built between the past and the present, it succeeds because it knows how to focus on its strengths; the romance. The climax of the film is not only relatable, but is the most harrowing and exhausting moments of emotional catharsis I’ve seen all year.

But will it last? The contemporary interest in the past; the dreaming, the hard work, and artistry of both the fictional characters and of the film’s makers; all reasons La La Land might be the film of our generation. It captures something about the movie culture of the present. Yet at the same time, calling one director or film the “voice of a generation” seems to be a step away from what movies might become. La La Land succumbs to trying to be a single voice; it tells a classic story we’ve heard before. In staying firmly rooted in Hollywood tradition, it takes no chances and suggests no alternatives. Rather than a single voice, shouldn’t we have a chorus?

Otherwise we’d miss out on The Handmaiden, Edge of Seventeen and Moonlight: all movies from 2016 that deserve to be heard, and seen. For all the romance of old Hollywood, maybe it’s time to move on.

Let’s love La La Land for it’s brilliance, in the present.

Photo | Flickr

Review: Rogue One wilfred moeschter staff writer

Before you watch this movie, watch Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, or at least fill yourself in on the events from that movie. If you don’t, you won’t enjoy Rogue One nearly as much as you should, and then you’d be paying money and spending two hours on an experience that you could have improved.

Rogue One tells the story of Jyn Erso, the daughter of an Imperial engineer, who eventually becomes embroiled in a mission to destroy the Death Star, a weapon which the Empire can use to destroy entire planets. Yes, basically every element has been reused or taken from Star Wars, but it’s a marvel to see how far the franchise has come.

The battle scenes are endless and harrowing, you can attach yourself to the main characters, and the ending was genuinely heartbreaking. In comparison to Mark Hamill’s wooden acting, the entire cast deserves Oscar nominations.

Rogue One was apparently 18 times more expensive to make than Star Wars, and it’s safe to say that with better acting, cinematography, and effects, the emotional impact is multiplied accordingly. The second half isn’t a Star Wars movie as much as it is a war movie, and director Gareth Edwards really didn’t skimp on anything. The third act literally features a beach invasion scene with the outnumbered Rebels battling evil Imperial forces, and gives Saving Private Ryan a real run for its money! Like The Force Awakens, the experience is improved with classy throwbacks to the original.

The scenes inside Rebel spaceship cockpits are deliberately made to look like vintage footage, some shots bringing you right back to the original trilogy. Reminiscent of Douglas Adams’ robots in Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, the sarcastic droid K-2SO provides some great comic relief.

I won’t spoil the ending, but seriously... it’s like walking into any James Bond movie and getting angry when someone tells you that Bond lives and the bad guy’s plan fails. If you know anything about Star Wars, you know the ending to Rogue One before you walk into the theater, but that doesn’t stop it from being entertaining and worthwhile.

But on second thought, I will spoil Rogue One after all!

“It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate weapon,

the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet.”

If you didn’t recognize this passage, don’t put a bounty on my head; those words were lifted directly from the opening scene of A New Hope — basically a TL;DR of Rogue One. There is really only one reason why this movie should exist, and that’s also considering every other franchise out there that rehashes its characters. But the beauty of Rogue One is seeing the events unfold. Suddenly, we have a story that depicts what the opening scene of A New Hope simply glossed over in 54 words. Rogue One is incredibly indulgent, but gratifying in the way that it puts the first 10 minutes of Star Wars into stunning context, adding a whole new level of understanding. Darth Vader’s menacing entrance becomes much more threatening, and Star Wars on the whole becomes pretty underwhelming, because it’s hard to appreciate the intensity of an $11 million film from 1977 when you compare it with a $200 million film from 2016. But that’s a good thing.

Rogue One was like $18.50 3D relish on a burger. It enhanced the original Star Wars trilogy by adding additional flavour and substance that it was previously lacking. It was an addition that was useless in the grand scheme of things, but helped to bring together the various ingredients and components that constituted the Star Wars universe, and in an amazing way.

I was conflicted after the credits started rolling; it was overall very enjoyable, and as emotionally fulfilling as a Star Wars movie can get, but I almost felt like it was a waste of time because of how self-contained it was. This wasn’t The Force Awakens, with a new cast of characters and an open continuation of the saga; this was 2 hours of backstory. The brief call-backs from 1977 will elicit a “HOLY CRAP, THAT’S THEM!” and every detail is meticulously carried out so that as you watch, you can see the pieces being put together and realize: “THAT’S WHY THIS HAPPENS IN THE FIRST MOVIE! IT ALL MAKES SENSE!” Watching Rogue One

is like enjoying your fancy Star Wars burger and then learning about all the love, blood, sweat, and tears that went into it. It’s really, really nice.

Special shout out to Jonathan Aris, who plays the same character in Rogue One as he does in Sherlock. Instead of an obnoxious, know-it-all detective with messy hair, a scrubby beard, and an annoying voice, he’s an obnoxious, know-it-all Imperial commander with messy hair, a scrubby beard, and an annoying voice. That’s his life now.

Poor guy.

My final review? It’s a hopeful, sad, and triumphant movie that made me leave with a smile. 7.5/10, less if you don’t like relish.

Photo | Andy Langager

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EDITOR | CELESTE YIM

STRANDED

@STRANDPAPER

Italian people are white, study concludes People from Calabria confirmed in study, as well luca bellisario staff writer

A recent study conducted by the You’re Definitely White Institute of Racial Awareness seems to suggest that Italian people with tans are still just white people, even Sicilians.

Directed at the large majority of white Italians who seem to resist the notion that they fit into the monolithic privilege of whiteness, this study confirmed that “Being Italian in twenty-first Century North America has no effect on the way you are treated by society in general, despite what most white people of Italian descent seem to think. Being Italian does not excuse you from the privileges of being white when a judge is more likely to give you a reduced sentence than a black person for the same crime.”

Incredibly controversial, this study has sparked a massive backlash and boycott from Toronto’s selfidentified “Olive-skinned” Italian-Canadian population.

In response to the new study, local Italian brunette and whiteness denier, Alessandra Fabiani says, “You don’t get it though, sometimes people think I’m Latina, like from Columbia or something, and

that is a real struggle for me. I never fit in with the blonde girls at school… Honestly, when I read Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, it speaks to me like it would speak to any person of colour,” says Fabiani, who, to clarify, is definitely very white.

Roberto Manzini, a Pusateri’s employee in Woodbridge, described the plight of his grandmother, or “Nonna,” as an Italian immigrant after World War II. “How can my Nonna be privileged?

She came to this country with $5 and a tin-can. She had to work two jobs just to support her family.

Not to mention my grandfather made her cook and clean every minute she wasn’t at work. And to this day, we still make her cook and clean for everybody and our family has quadrupled in just seven years.

I love her a lot, and I make her work hard for my love. I also make her do my laundry. So no, I don’t identify as white.”

“What do you mean ‘reverse racism’ isn’t real,” said York student, Donato Quatrociocchi in response to the study. “Who overcame more racism than Rocky Balboa? Well, probably Apollo Creed, now that I think about it. Never mind.”

Marco Fugazzi, professor of Olive Studies at the University of Windsor, also an outspoken whiteness-denier, argued against this study as well: “Italians having white privilege? Since when? In 1906 an innocent and beautiful Italian boy in Toronto, Vincenzo Zanetti, was wrongfully convicted for theft on the basis that he had bushy eyebrows and hairy arms. And does anyone talk about that? No! We’re all too busy wasting our time talking about the blacks to even care about… Actually don’t put that in the article. I didn’t mean that. Please don’t put that in the article. Hey, man, actually, don’t. Don’t put that in the article. Don’t put that in the article.

Don’t. Please. Don’t put that in the article. Are you going to put that in the article? Hey, paizan. Listen to me. Don’t put that in the article, you hear me?”

Despite the backlash, however, the You’re Definitely White Institute of Racial Awareness has already begun conducting new studies, now focused on suggesting that Portuguese and Greek people with tans are also white and benefit from the privileges of whiteness.

A growing list of things that are happening to me now that I’m vegan kate stoehr staff writer

January 1st, 2017: I developed an affinity for the colour green.

January 2nd, 2017: My IBS symptoms have improved.

January 4th, 2017: I have to offer up a human sacrifice once every fortnight.

January 7th, 2017: I can only walk by the light of the moon.

January 8th, 2017: I hate almost everyone is who isn’t a vegan—and also most people who are.

January 9th, 2017: Better skin.

January 11th, 2017: Lost all my fingernails but grew new and better ones (a perk).

January 12th, 2017: I am not able to eat unless I tweet about it.

January 13th, 2017: I ignore all current events that aren’t directly related to animal rights, soy, beans, or bees.

January 15th, 2017 Because of this, I do not know who won the election(s), what year it is, or even what country I am in.

STRANDED@THESTRAND.CA

STRANDED

THE STRAND | 16 JANUARY 2017

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America to CR/NCR recent election Registrar’s office approval pending john richardson staff writer

Photo | Gage Skidmore

In light of its recent election results, the American electorate looks forward to crediting/no crediting the 2016 election. After using fake sources, binge watching celebrity TV, and underestimating the importance of an election altogether, America has concluded that it would be best if this one were omitted from the ol’ transcript.

America, disgruntled but mostly just disappointed in herself, attributes part of the failure to her female professor, whose shrill voice and lack of inexperience was uninspiring and, frankly, unrelatable. “If only we had that old, male, fun, socialist prof from Vermont,” the nation bemoaned, “At least he wasn’t so woman-like.” America instead sought

advice from an orange frat boy, whose understanding of the subject was as limited as his understanding of consent.

The country’s registrar has since suggested that she enroll in Political Science, Women and Gender Studies, and Wilderness Survival to prepare her for the next four years.

7 ways to tell if you’re a Thumb-Thumb from the Disney Classic Spy Kids luca bellisario staff writer

1. You are a minion created by and subservient to local mad man, Floop.

2. You love wearing a tight combo of burgundy spandex shorts and a v-neck.

3. You hate those damn Cortez kids, always trying to poke around and start trouble.

4. You always have to correct people when they mistake you for a Fooglie. You often say, “I’m a Thumb-Thumb, actually, not a Fooglie. It’s an easy mistake, but you should educate yourself so you don’t make the same mistake twice.”

5. You are inordinately clumsy, seeing as how you are only made up of five thick thumb extensions.

6. Auto-correct is a bitch! Texting a crush is hard enough, but you really struggle to type with your big, heavy, thick thumb limbs.

7. You have a nail for a face.

8. Every breath is agony.

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Neopets news: The white feminists of Faerieland celeste yim stranded editor

Found out Aunt Karen from Michigan voted for Trump because he’s a “Christian man.”

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Mom cried.

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“Yeah Trump is bad, but he’s not as bad as Trudeau, at least he’s giving jobs to Americans and not newcomers.”

Nobody understands neoliberalism and its implications, and the attempt to explain it was poorly received.

4 3

Grandpa still doesn’t understand that art school is real.

You were called a “feminazi” by virtually all of your male cousins.

2 The turkey was dry.

time during family gathering

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staff writer

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kate stoehr

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67% of University student report same findings from their gatherings

To whom do your spent Neopoints go when you bet them all, thousands of them, on Poogle 4 when Poogle 2, who is chalk full of Mashed Potatoes and healed to full HP by the innocent Water Faerie, sprints away with the title, and all of your points? Your Neofamily’s points? I’ll tell you whom they aren’t going to: the JubJubs, the Moehogs, and the Bruces of the Neo-world.

The important thing to know here is that when you support Faerieland, you are complicit in the systematic oppression of the ordinary neopets. You are funding the status quo, jumping through hoops to fulfill quests for the Evil Faerie. Don’t let your Neopoints, hard earned playing Hasee Bounce, go back to the forceful fist of Faerie capitalist greed. The responsibility is on all of us to stand in solidarity, to build a stronger working class and equal opportunity for women and children, and to pay reparations for a long history of NOC invisibility.

“I was watching Fox news and apparently blacks—oh sorry I was told by [insert your name] we can’t say that anymore, I meant AFRICAN AMERICAN peoples…”

m

White family Christmas dinner stats revealed

5p

Famed Neopia Cheat player Brucey B

spends all his days gambling Neocash away at Cheat in the Lost Desert? Ever heard of a little thing called Diaspora?

Maybe you should look it up in a book from Brightvale, or is it too much to ask that you leave your sheltered, privileged bubble? The one where you are the only Neopian species privy to cars that fly, where you are the one percent of Neopians who have magical powers and who have never had to work for a doubloon?

The Faeries create a social hierarchy where white skin and thin bodies are deemed the standard for “beauty,” leaving many Neopets, like Chias, Krawks, and Chombys feeling excluded and marginalized. To make things worse, the Faeries have commodified, branded, and sold this ideal of whiteness, preying on the insecurity of NOCs, in the form of paintbrushes. Why be a gross, plain, and ugly Skeith, equipped with a pile of dung, when you can look white, magical, and bright with a Faerie paintbrush? The cost?

1,700,000 Neopoints. Most Neopets will never be able to afford this constructed ideal of beauty, and will probably die of starvation in the process of trying. Sure the Giant Omelette is fruitful when you are a single Neopet of less than 1,000 hours old, but when a family of level 19 Tuskaninnys, each with their own petpets and skills, relies on you, a free jelly here and there isn’t going to cut it. Notwithstanding, Faeries have lobbied in congress for years to dismantle the Free Jelly program. It’s sickening: white neoliberalism is, for the marginalized lower class, murder.

Moreover, the Faeries are disturbingly silent regarding the gross representation and racialization of the weird Egyptian-themed part of our world. That is definitely super racist, right? Don’t think we have forgotten either about the intense cultural appropriation encapsulated by the 2005 PlayStation 2 Neopets game The Darkest Faerie.

The Faeries have a history of silence, dodging their responsibility to speak out against racialization and marginalization across Neopia. Let me ask you this, fellow Neopians: who is it that profits from games like Faerie Cloud Racers?

intensity of horribleness

“Lying in a crater on the surface of Neopia sits a colossal mass of rock, stretching tens of miles in every direction.

Resting atop that rock is a vast, recovering city that has been home to Neopia’s faeries for as long as anyone can remember… Faerieland!”

This is the description that, among other claims, makes the Faeries’ casual brand of ignorance so insensitive.

Neopian Faeries are a great example of why self-involved, privileged, white Neopets have drawn a line between themselves and NOCs (Neopets of colour) within the feminist movement. Faeries are so distant from Neopian reality that, to them, it is good enough to have been inhabitants in Neopia “for as long as anyone can remember,” when in reality they are an essential cog in a system which oppresses the majority of female Neopets and NOCs. Why do Faeries feel so often that they must insert themselves into the narratives of all Neopians in the first place? Just because the Wheel of Excitement is arguably the most profitable wheel in all of Neopia does not mean that I want to explain how the Healing Springs’ “healing powers” are culturally appropriative and that their ancestors probably stole them from Tyrannia many Kreludors ago whenever I visit it. To any Faeries reading this, did you ever consider why Brucey B —whose family clearly ascends from Terror Mountain—