Breaking Binary

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Intro

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“They is happy.” Alfred Christian Coco Pallarca, managing editor Issue 75.7 Molly Shannon, Editor-in-Chief editorinchief@lbunion.com Alfred Pallarca, Managing Editor alfredp.union@gmail.com Connor O’Brien, Art Director connor.union@gmail.com Trevor Desrosiers, Advertisting Executive advertising@lbunion.com Eduardo Vargas, Distribution Manager distribution@lbunion.com ART & DESIGN Rose Feduk, Illustration Editor rosef.union@gmail.com Abdallah Seoud, Assistant Art Director abdallah.seoud@gmail.com Michael Tewasart, Assistant Art Director tewasartm@live.com Truc Nguyen, Web Manager web@lbunion.com EDITORIAL Heather Sandburg, Opinions Editor opinions@lbunion.com Veronica Craft, Community Editor community@lbunion.com Jacky Linares, Athletics Editor Elizabeth Nguyen, Athletics Editor athletics@lbunion.com Renee Schmiedeberg, Arts Editor arts@lbunion.com

By Molly Shannon Not too long ago, I visited the LGBT Student to meet with Mary Beth, the president of the center, and conduct a casual interview with her in order to learn more about the organization. I’ve wanted to write something about the center for a while now, and I originally expected to simply learn the gist— who is a part of the center? What do you stand for? What do you do?—and so on. But what I ultimately learned from our brief conversation amounted to much more. I couldn’t have spoken with her for more than 20 minutes, but I could already tell she was a very laid-back and genuinely welcoming person, as is the rest of the center. Students lounged in the main room, constantly laughing with one another and watching silly YouTube

Illustration by Rose Feduk Q&A with the basics, as I assumed would occur, but we ultimately delved into deeper issues within the LGBT+ community and campus reception. One particular issue we discussed concerned hypocrisy that often occurs with people who consider themselves straight allies of queer individuals. The kind of hypocrisy I’m referring to is the way some of these “allies” feel the dire need to announce the world that they are indeed straight. I’ve personally seen shirts and Facebook pages and whatnot that will read “I’m straight but I support gay marriage!” or something along those lines, and to be perfectly honest, it’s fucking annoying. If you are truly an ally, if you truly support those who identify as something other than straight and/or cisgender, and truly believe all should be treated equally, why do you feel the need to clarify your own sexual orientation?! Does

stressing your heterosexuality make what you’re advocating somehow more relevant?! I don’t think so. I think you worry that if you show support for the LGBT+ community people will assume you are gay/lesbian/ bisexual/trans/whatever, and you’re afraid of that. Thus, you are essentially perpetuating homophobic stereotypes and stigma. So for the love of God, please stop. Sorry, but this has just been weighing on my mind for such a long time and I needed to get that out. Phew! That being said, I really hope you read and enjoy this week’s feature. We had conversations with trans individuals, and what they have to say is absolutely on point. Love y’all, Molls

Katie Cortez, Entertainment Editor entertainment@lbunion.com Sam Winchester, Music Editor music@lbunion.com Camille Hove, Lifestyle Editor lifestyle@lbunion.com Chrissy Bastian, Literature Editor literature@lbunion.com Beatriz Villa, Food Editor food@lbunion.com Alex Berman, Travel Editor travel@lbunion.com Gumby, Grunion Editor grunion@lbunion.com Michael Wood, Senior Editor mwood.union@gmail.com COPY EDITORS Jonathan Gutierrez, Heather Sandburg ADVERTISING SALES INTERN Jacqueline Simon STAFFERS & CONTRIBUTORS Joel Martinez, Liam Brown, Jonathan Beltran, Christian Bourdeau, Zachary Phelps, Indigo Vu, Hanna Suarez, Sasha Schoen, Chris Yun, Christine Vu, Donna Biegel, Jay Jenkins, Christopher Orozco, Jordan Nishkian CONTACT US Long Beach, CA 90815 E-mail: info@lbunion.com

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Disclaimer and Publication Information: The Union Weekly is published using ad money and partial funding provided by the Associated Students, Inc. All Editorials are the opinions of their individual authors, not the Union Weekly, ASI or CSULB. All students are welcome and encouraged to be a part of the Union Weekly staff. All letters to the editor will be considered for publication. However, CSULB students will have precedence. Please include name and major for all submissions. They are subject to editing and will not be returned. Letters may or may not be edited for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and length. The Union Weekly will publish anonymous letters, articles, editorials, and illustration, but must have your name and information attached for our records. Letters to the editor should be no longer than 500 words. The Union Weekly assumes no responsibility, nor is it liable, for claims of its advertisers. Grievance procedures are available


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Opinions

Information and myths about asexuality This month hosts Asexual Awareness (Ace) week from October 26 to November 1. Some might ask, why? What is Asexuality about anyway? Why don’t they want to have sex? Or the ever popular, do they reproduce by time scheduled for awareness, the purpose is more than just having the general public nod their head and say “OK, well that exists, that’s happening.” It’s about being informed, and using your newfound education to be invalidate an identity such as asexuality. So all of your questions can and will be answered, and your misconceptions corrected. A simple Google search on asexuality will lead you straight to AVEN: the Asexual Visibility and Education Network. Activist David Jay founded AVEN in 2001 as together as a community. So the information we have available to us on asexuality is That is nothing new of course. Such is usually the goal of minority groups—to educate the rest of the population. I think the next step group understand the group’s identity and the dynamics of it and help spread awareness. It is possible to understand asexuality regardless of your behavior and identity. I identify as pansexual—which could be seen as the polar opposite of asexuality. In simple terms, pansexuality and asexuality are the

not believe it is so simple. Being pansexual does not necessarily mean that one has a sexual relationship with people of every gender identity. Even as I type this out I say to myself well, that is exactly what it means people will often pursue a sexual relationship with people regardless of their gender identity; gender is not the most important factor in the decision making factor. I would argue that it is hardly a factor at all. So in the

points on the bigger ace spectrum. Notice that in the previous section I emphasized pansexuality. This is because sexuality and often mashed together by popular society. So while some asexuals may also identify as aromantic (feeling little or no romantic attraction to others), many do identify with some form of romantic identities and pursue those feelings in relationships and not only with other asexual with sexual people as well. We can’t really ask these couples if they have sex or not—maybe they do, maybe they don’t. The only thing we can safely assume is that couples with one or more asexual people have their own set of rules and negotiations. So yes, some asexual people do have sex. Are you confused yet? There’s really no need to be. All we need to understand is that asexuality is just sexual identity. The ace spectrum also includes some more detailed identities such

By Hanna Suarez

homoromantic, panromantic, biromantic, etc. And these of course are dealing with romance and gender. These overlapping qualities lead to my next point, and that is the misrepresentation of ace identities in the LGBTQIA community. There’s this nasty opinion among some people in the “queer” community that ace folks are not victimized enough to be part of the group--that because of their lack of sexuality, they do not belong in the community. Along with this is the thought that gays, lesbians, and bisexuals have been in the ongoing battle to sleep with whomever they please, so why should people who DON’T want to have sex be part of the struggle? “I feel the LGBTQ spectrum has become so large that anything dealing with sexuality, even lack-there-of, can be accepted,” said Alex Johnson, a fourth year WGSS major. “I personally

“There’s this nasty opinion among some people in the “queer” community that ace folks are not victimized enough to be part of the group.”

this sort of “gray” area between sexual and asexual, hence the name, and the latter someone only after an emotional connection has been made. And once again most ace

so is asexuality. romantic category, i.e. heteroromantic,

problematic term within the spectrum than asexuality, as it references someone that only supports the rest of the communities, not [someone] directly within them.” So at the same time we have heterosexual

claiming the “A” in LGBTQIA for themselves as allies. If they’re not victimized for their orientation, why do /should they have a spot at all? The fact of the matter is that the LGBTQIA alphabet soup is going rancid. There’s a new acronym, MOGAI or MOGII, meaning marginalized orientations, gender

Graphic by Aballah Seoud

identities and intersex. This makes room for the plethora of sexual orientations. What about the allies, you might ask. There’s is separate from the community. Being in alliance with these marginalized identities involves understanding that we need our own safe space, as well as working from the outside to gain more supporters and educate people about the harmful misconceptions spreading. “I’m actually more of a fan of the MOGII acronym rather than LGBTQIAP+, said Janine McDonnel, a second year Japanese original acronym stands for asexual, and it’s rightfully reserved to asexuals and no one else. The thing with MOGII is that asexuals part because that’s what they are.” Now, I certainly cannot reclaim an identity for an entire group. Even if some aces identify as homo, pan, or biromantic, I cannot call the ace identity a queer identity. But it certainly transgresses structural norms: it separates love and romance from sex and physical attention—which can be threatening to some. It is sometimes structure—which is scary for some people and relieving to others. Compared to queer peoples (especially transwomen), the ace community has perhaps seen less instances of crime against themselves. But that doesn’t make the few instances of violence and harassment against them any less grave (not to mention there is no doubt a larger number of unreported crimes). In a sexually charged society like ours the possibility of corrective rape and verbal or cyberharassment is still a very real and harmful threat to the ace community. So before you go on to crack some asinine joke about asexuality, remember this: asexual people are not celibate. They are not prudes or unhealthy anti-sex; they are not a threat to your own or your peers’ sexuality. They are just people accepting their erotic self, which so happens to have an absence of sexual attraction and activity.


Opinions

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By Indigo Vu

A student insight on pronouns and gendered language My name is Indigo, but if we’ve ever had a class together, you probably know me as Kimberly, that girl in your literature class. She always loves to discuss every story, and she talks all the time. This might come as a surprise to you, but I’m not a girl. I don’t even use she/her pronouns, so let’s try that introduction again. My name is Indigo, and my pronouns are they/them. Example: Indigo went to the store to buy themselves a scantron for the test they have in a week. Did I lose you? Chances are a good number of you are having a hard time grasping what I’m even talking about. I look like a girl. I dress like a girl. I even talk like a girl. But I’m not a girl. I’m a nonbinary person. Gender and sex are not nearly as black and white as people will have you believe. Even though I am a transgender person who was designated female at birth, it does not mean that I am necessarily male. There are

and all wonderful. That said, coming to terms with myself much backlash--both from strangers and from people I care about. I feared other transpeople would say that I’m “not really trans” because I haven’t known since I was a little

kid. I feared that my comfort with femininity meant that I have to be a cisgender woman. I feared people just wouldn’t understand. Most of all, I feared that I was trying too hard. I was unhappy with my body, but that had more to do with my body image than it did dysphoria. I had no conviction that I had the “wrong body.” My body was mine, and I was fairly comfortable in it. I didn’t yearn to achieve the typical picture of androgyny. Rather than strive for masculinity, my print and dresses. It meant make up and cute accessories. The more aware of my gender I became, the more femininely I presented. You might be thinking, “How is this person trans? If they’re so comfortable being feminine, aren’t they just a cis woman?” I thought that to myself hundreds of times. I still do sometimes. But it always came back to language for me. I started questioning my gender when I realized how much language shapes thoughts and ideas. There is absolutely no proof that men and women have direct and exact translations in any other language. If something as simple and concrete as a bowl

Graphic by Aballah Seoud

direct translations. Especially as a person of color whose native country was brutalized by decades of Western colonialism, I will never know what my ancestors’ genders were if they had the freedom to explore as I do. That part of my ancestry is erased and lost to me. There is no way that whatever concept of gender my ancestors had before Western contact aligned exactly with the male-female binary. In identifying as nonbinary, I forged a connection to my homeland and my people that I could not have had otherwise. My connection with my heritage is what assured me that, if I so choose to adopt the label, I am trans and no one can tell me otherwise. I slowly came out to my friends, many of whom had been identifying as nonbinary or trans for years. I realized that it really didn’t matter what random people thought. My friends, the ones who stayed, the ones who really care about me have embraced my trans-ness fully. They never asked me to justify myself to them. My friends know that other people don’t have a say in my identity. I determine who I am. The clothes I wear do not dictate my gender. Neither does my anatomy or how people perceive me. My gender is mine and only mine.

languages other than English, something as personal and nebulous as gender cannot have

Intent Does Not Equal Impact

By Jonathan Gutierrez

Reaction to FCK H8’s issues FCK H8, an ally group in support of LGBT+ Colorlines, a website that prides itself on featuring race-related news and reporting. FCK H8 accused Colorlines of “race-baiting” for website donations. The accusation against Colorlines received backlash because Colorlines’ main content focuses on race issues and FCK H8 recently turned its focus on race due to the Ferguson incident to gain support. In addition to this insult, FCK H8 abused negative stereotypes about African Americans (for example, the

“sassy African American woman” image) in their memes that support LGBT rights, and more recently, in their campaign regarding racism. FCK H8 already received negative feedback in the past, although not many people have talked about it. Last year, many members and allies of the asexual and transgender groups asked FCK H8 to respond to their lack of content for the asexual and transgender communities, and asked for a spotlight on all members’ rights of the LGBT and extended spectrum. To this prompt, FCK H8 responded with a sort of “stop

because we did for ours.” Even worse, this all went down on their Facebook page. Honestly, I think the issues people have with FCK H8 concerns intent versus impact. I’m sure that FCK H8 has a good idea in mind to spread equality amongst sexual orientation and race; however, I think they are failing in the execution. After the incident with Colorlines, FCK H8 responded to the asexual erasure Facebook incident, and stated that the foundation is now more accepting. Although, personally, I’d like to see campaigns that feature inclusion rather than just a simple

now with their race-related, and transgender issues as well. FCK H8 needs to make sure they address the impact they have on any communities, even if it wasn’t intended. In order to do this, the foundation must address their mistakes and take responsibility for the issues they caused. FCK H8 needs to take initiative and learn from these mistakes. Changes that are more accepting need be made accordingly, and FCK H8 needs to advocate a program that does not perpetuate hate or negative stereotyping.


6 Athletics

Just Play It! Gamers speak out against the conventions of sports Interview by Elizabeth Nguyen

Illustrations by Rose Feduk

When one thinks about sports, they think about the physical aspects; they think of movement. Basketball, baseball, swimming, gymnastics, soccer, rugby, football, etcera. are all accepted as sports. However, there are way more sports out there. They are apart from the conventional but that does not mean they cannot be considered to be a part of the sports world. At CSULB, the eSports Association was established to allow video game-players to participate in competitions, try out for a League of Legends team, or simply play for fun. The Union Weekly has decided to gain some insight about how video gaming can be considered athletic. The Vice President of eSports, Cassandra “Cat” Tompkins, was more than willing to be interviewed, and to explain what eSports really is.

Union Weekly: Why don’t we start talking about your club’s name. Why is it called that?

UW: Part of your motto is to be competitive. How do competitions work?

UW: Can you describe what a typical day is like with the meetings?

Cat Tompkins: The club is called the CSULB eSports Association. And it started last year by alumni Sarah Nguyen and Eric Tran. Sarah was the president. There was a collaboration of people who wanted this, which is our motto: “casual, competitive, conditioning.” So we have casual gaming, and we have competitive gaming which is why our title is called the eSports Association.

CT: Lately, we have been very casual so far with our gaming because we are trying to get people in. The next phase of our club is to start training, so we are having mentorship

CT: On a typical day, we go to Room 205 around 4:30p and start setting up the entire room to accommodate everyone because we have such a large amount of members. We need to have space for everyone before they get there. We move the tables and have the

UW: Some people might not agree that video gaming is a form of athleticism. What would you say to argue against that? CT: I can give a few examples. One of which is the popular game League of Legends. It has become a worldwide phenomenon with, you know, millions of people playing that game. And they have competitions called LCS. The teams are sponsored. They have just as much privilege as any other sport teams do. They practice just as many other sport teams do. And to be honest, I would consider that a sport, due to the amount of time that people put into these games.

game section, and even a Hearthstone section. The competitive aspect has been starting as of today because our Hearthstone section is having a tournament. And they are planning on going to competitions in the future. UW: these incorporated into the association? CT: individual, 1-v-1 competition against each other with the exception of tag teams. For League of Legends, yes, we have a team called competitive League of Legends team, and right now, they are in the process of having tryouts. When they are done with tryouts, they are going to compete with other colleges.

the back for League of Legends and soon outside balcony for Hearthstone. And after that, we have announcements for what’s everyone in. After that, people have a choice to participate in our activity because we have a theme every week. And we collaborate for that theme every week. So people are given a and prizes. People have the opportunity for free play or practice.


Athletics

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The eSports Association stands for a group photo (left); members playing “Who’s That Character?” (right)

We Play to Win Taking a look into the competitive aspect of gaming By Chris Yun Photos by Christine Vu

Competition. What does it mean to compete? Some do it for the great rewards: recognition, respect, and even just for fun. However, Another example, although not as large as also contains the motivations that drives a person’s desire to compete. Competitive gaming, or “eSports,” exists

Fresh Meat

shown in athletics. A popular game to note

short. Falling under the “MOBA” (Massive

themselves as decent.

game mode called “Summoner’s Rift,” two teams are pitted against each other on a “scene” alive.

FRESHMAN: Joel Martinez TEAM: Rowing MAJOR: Spanish one location to compete for a chance to win.

Clicking One for the LoL Team

When we compare video games to a “real” could agree that video games falls short in

each other in a competitive scene ranging

A comparison between League of Legends and Basketball

that this aspect of rowing has helped him

to a higher level such as tournaments. He mentioned that he appreciates this other sports. His latest accomplishment was that to score the most points, and win the game.

By Victor Kan By Jacky Linares


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Community

Get Your Con On

By Katie Cortez On Saturday September 27, I attended Convention Center. Long Beach Comic Con may be smaller than San Diego Comic Con, but it was still ridiculously fun. People in cosplay costumes were everywhere and the intricate details that went into them were amazing. One of the coolest costumes that I saw was a large group of people who were dressed as all of the main characters from The Walking Dead, including a couple of zombies that were chained together. The upstairs area was made up of throughout the day. I sat in a couple of them, but my favorite was the panel

A More Inclusive Campus Spotlighting the LGBT Resource Center

By Molly Shannon

If you haven’t already heard, there’s an opportunity on campus for you to meet cool people, learn something new, and ultimately, contribute to a more inclusive society, and

but we must continue to push for equality and promote acceptance. To achieve this

LGBT Student Resource Center. Founded by Dr. June Cooper in 1989, through student and faculty collaboration, the somewhat secluded LGBT Student Resource Center (or LGBTSRC) provides a safe place for students to “connect, hold social events, raise political consciousness, and study between classes.” I

oppression regarding gender and identity. Mary Beth also stressed that the LGBTSRC is very open. Anyone is welcome into the space, whether it be inquiring for information or requesting assistance for more personal issues. Though the center cannot provide counseling, they will gladly give you as much assistance as possible, such as help researching nearby services in your area. As for tangible resources, there are printed materials for both educational or entertainment purposes

Mary Beth Perdue, current president of the LGBTSRC, and she gave me a great overview of the center’s goals, and the resources the center

with events surrounding the center, they have

and community. She describes the LGBT Student Resource Center as being a completely student-run organization. Its members aim to promote a more inclusive community for “gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, questioning,

student organizations such as Queers and Allies (formerly Gay Straight Alliance), and Delta Lambda Phi (CSULB fraternity for gay, bisexual, and progressive men). Concerning general advice to CSULB, Mary Beth encourages everyone to promote safety. Just because we are a part of a LGBT+ friendly campus doesn’t mean the whole city is going to necessarily be inclusive. Generally,

their allies.” Through education and advocacy,

their children. The downstairs convention area contained many booths where people could buy comics, memorabilia, clothing, jewelry, and even weapons—real and Quailman, a girl from a show I didn’t one round of Star Wars themed laserformed an alliance with a young Ninja X to shoot targets from either side while maintaining coverage. Ultimately, we Until that day, I had never hated Batman. Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Long Beach Comic Con. It amazes me that people have the time to put

something that I want to go to year after year from now on, partly because of how much fun I had, but also because I need to get my revenge on that Batman.

Diversity in order to ensure students’ needs are met as well as respected, regardless of gender and sexual identity. These endeavors contribute to the school’s high campus pride score (4 stars), which measures how LGBT+ friendly universities are. We can improve this support and institutional commitment, as

and graphic novels get because in the

the authors agreed that they would never

“strengthen alliances with other minority, social, political, and activist student groups on campus to ensure the academic and social success of ALL students at CSULB.” They

Rebooting the USU

campus. So, I’ll end on this note: stop by the center! Volunteer your time and show support for your fellow students (and human beings, for that matter). See how you can help get our campus that 5-star pride rating. • •

LGBTSRC is in Room 165 in FO-4 and is open Monday through Friday. Queers and Allies meet in the USU 204 on Tuesdays at 4pm

By USU Board of Trustees

USU Board of Trustees begin new campaign The University Student Union Board of Trustees (USUBOT) is excited to launch the “It Starts With You” campaign. The USUBOT is responsible for the University Student Union (USU), and the Student Recreation and Wellness Center (SRWC). Some of our responsibilities are overseeing the maintenance of the facilities, the programs that go on throughout the facilities, the services of the USU and SRWC, and overall creating an environment that will accommodate the growing needs of the students. The purpose of the “It Starts With You” campaign is to inform students about the need to renovate the USU. Students have outgrown our current facility, and after extensive research, we discovered what the students need. Through four years of focus groups, interviews, and online surveys, we gathered the following results: students

improvements in the Beach Auditorium, and

Just remember “it starts with YOU,” so vote “YES” on the USU referendum!

idea of having centralized student resource centers, including a sustainability resource center in the USU. Since the USU is the focal

Spoiler Alert: information on our launch date on Monday, October 6, 2014 from 11am till 1pm at the USU.

sure it upholds the needs of the students! The USUBOT plans on letting students decide on the future of their USU with a referendum in February. The referendum proposes a 165 dollar fee increase per semester that will go towards renovating the USU. The fee will not sections of the USU open (this will be covered USU, students will leave their legacy behind by deciding the future of the USU. For more information regarding the USU ASI main page. Through the website you can


FEATURE

Words by Alfred Pallarca Images by Connor O’Brien

Legally changing one’s name in the state of California is a strenuous process that costs time, hundreds of dollars, and possibly tons of legal fees. According to the California courts website, for citizens to change their names, they would need to navigate through court papers, pay legal fees up to 450 dollars, and wait for everything to process, which could take months. This

individual. Gender, which is a socially and culturally structured concept, is used to create expectations on how an individual is perceived and how they are supposed to behave or live out their lives. This binarism of gender essentially creates a disservice to a profuse amount of people who do not identify with the limited options of male or female those who identify as trans or transgender, who have to change both their name and this system of gender binary creates a feeling gender. Past requirements included things such as posting the name and gender ahead well as a vast array of problems they must of time on a public forum have gone through face. A question such as, ‘Which bathroom revisions and reforms to create more ease. do I use?’ is one that never crosses the mind However, the process still has a long way of a cisgender individual, whereas it can be to go to be more inclusive of people from a daily dilemma for people who are trans. This alone shows the need for having gender This seemingly minute detail of ‘gender’ neutral bathrooms on university campuses and in public places is so important. documentation plays a complex role in our society, yet it merely serves the purpose

9


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FEATURE

With countries like Australia adding a third ‘option’ for genders other than male and female,

she has faced some challenges and has gotten

in a grandiose scale, and as time progressed,

to use are not sufficient to represent each person

Essentially, each transgender person relates or

they/their/

On the other hand, Indigo didn’t start thinking

them/themselves

they the pronouns fae/faer/faers/faerself Anthropology and minoring in American Indian

identity, another common part of a transgender

LexieCannes report,


FEATURE

stop after being on the hormones for a year and a

11

Orange is the New Black Glee

Grey’s Anatomy at the end of The Dark Knight Rises

is not the same as mine.�

Terms you should know Afab: assigned female at birth Amab: assigned male at birth Cis (cisgender): identifying as the sex/gender Dyadic: Gender identity:

Genderqueer:

some of the time. Intersex:

times there is a big emphasis on attaining the male

Trans (transgender): identifying as something assigned at birth. Programs You Should Know LGBT Resource Center: Queers and Allies: Safe Zone Ally program


12

Arts

Mean ‘Zine’ Machine A young woman seeks content for her Long Beach magazine By Sasha Schoen If you are unaware of the amazing world of zines, it is definitely time to change that. A zine is a very inexpensive, DIY form of a magazine. Most are made to serve some sort of purpose. That purpose can vary from expressing your love of pizza to highlighting the socio-political catastrophes of 2014. Zines are meant to be held, read, shared and enjoyed by the masses regardless of the subject matter. There are festivals set up around the country and world that bring zinsters together to share their homemade masterpieces. LA Zine Fest was held last February and the first OC Zine Fest was held in July. Zines are a great platform to publish your art or written word in a public and accessible sphere. So why am I telling you all about zines right now? I am looking for submissions for Sap, a new zine I am creating with the intention of capturing the essence of Long Beach. There are many zine outlets available to LA and OC artists, but I think Long

(Top left, bottom left, bottom right) Examples of the great art found in zines

Beach marches to its own drum and needs a platform that can embody the creativity and eccentricity of this unique city. I am looking for submissions from both my fellow CSULB students and non-student artists. Please submit art that you truly feel captures the soul of LB and its diverse, gritty, and unique beauty. I am accepting: poetry (no longer than 30 lines), flash fiction (no more than 300 words), illustrations, comics, music reviews, song tracks, photography etc. Anything you submit needs to be something that you would feel proud to publish as is. Send all submissions to sapzine@gmail.com by October 18. For more information check out https://www.facebook.com/sapzine. Now is the chance to publish your art and invite others to admire it! Links: lazinefest.com https://www.facebook.com/oczinefest


Entertainment

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Hana of Tokyo Godfathers (left); Hideyoshi of Baka and Test (center); Nitori of Wandering Son (right)

More Than Meets the Eye A look at transgender characters in popular Anime By Jonathan Beltran One of the many creations by the late and great Satoshi Kon, Hana, a trans character from Tokyo Godfathers, has got to be one of

for the comedy, romance, and its cast of Hideyoshi Kinoshita in Baka and Test is Wandering Son

Wandering Son

Baka and Test

Get It Together, Hollywood

Man 3 and 4 Guardians of the Galaxy

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Entertainment Weekly, Spider-Man The Amazing SpiderMan 2

Who knew a raccoon and a tree could do so much?

grossing Spider-Man

The Amazing SpiderThe

Amazing Spider-Man 2

By Liam Brown

Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy


14

Music

Music to My Ears

Words and Photos by Christian Bourdeau

Long Beach Folk Revival Festival shakes up downtown Hundreds of folk fans gathered at the Long Beach Folk Festival to enjoy the live music, contests, food, and dancing. The festival took place on September 27 from 11am to 10pm in Downtown Long Beach. This folk and roots music festival featured over 25 local, regional, and national music acts performing on three

happening in Long Beach. As an event photographer, this made my life so much

instrument petting zoo, square dancing, beard and mustache contest, bluegrass jam sessions, craft beers, food trucks, pie eating contest, vintage bazaar, banjo contest, craft village, and so much more!

to see the folk bands. The Get Down Boys, G Burns Jug Band, and the Eagle Rock Gospel

amazing events will occur. After talking to most of the vendors and picking up my festival t-shirt from Red Eye Media Screenprinting and

with my multiple cameras around my neck, people began joining in and jigging with me!

all the local Long Beach vendors during were advertising a free app called Long

Festival 2015 come quicker?


Music

The Harmony of the Voiceless

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Interview by Joel Martinez

Julie Potter talks about LGBT artists in her show Tha Future Julie Potter’s music show Tha Future features hip-hop songs exclusively from artists who are members of the LGBT community. It runs on Tuesdays at 10pm on KBeach 88.1 HD3. Her archived shows can be downloaded on www.mixcloud.com/jfprapz. She welcomes anyone who has any questions to come into the station and talk to her. For more information contact her at julie@kbeach.org. Union Weekly: So what motivated you to run a hip-hop show on the LGBT community? Julie Potter: Well, I am a part of the community. I like to say we’re the voice for the voiceless, so that’s why I feel called to have a platform of the queer block here at KBeach, so they get represented as well. UW: Do you play songs purely from the underground or also from the mainstream? JP: I play only music from artists who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Unfortunately, none of those people are mainstream, not to the level of Drake or Lil’ Wayne. There are no

lesbian women or transgender rappers who are making money on a mainstream level. UW: Do these people face struggles in the music industry? JP: Absolutely. I can speak from personal experience. I’m a lesbian rapper, and I’m most comfortable in my pants and a hoodie when I perform. I’ve been told by A&R executives they would be willing to contract me if I wouldn’t rap about being gay, if I would change the way that I look… The barriers are

rights, transgender folks often get left out. I

I’ve been doing it for ten years, and there are people who have been doing it for thirty years. UW: the transgender community regarding the struggles that they face? JP: Sure! I’m not transgender, but I do have many friends who are. They’ll often say “Don’t forget the ‘T’ in LGBT” because within the gay community, there are people who are

especially in this day and age, and being a

set of obstacles to go through even within their own community. Even if they get the support of the community and then they go as a man, I went through surgery, I’m on testosterone, my voice has changed…” they experiance some discrimination. For a lot of people, it just scrambles their brain ,and they can’t wrap their heads around it. I would say

being gay or lesbian, even through music. UW: Going back to these rappers, what messages do they have in these songs in regards to being gay? JP: that are being political. But not everyone uses that as a political platform; it’s a secondary aspect to their music. I would say there are a lot of gay rappers that actually sound very

mainstream, songs about the booty shaking and about who they are hooking up with. But I would say, more often than not, you would as opposed to mainstream straight rappers. That’s why I play it. Even if it’s a turn-up song, it’ll be, for example, a woman hitting on another woman at the club, and that right there is a political statement. It’s about awareness and education. A majority of these rappers you can download from for free; all of them are conscious, amazing, talented doesn’t get rapped about… saying something about support, about equality, about their own oppression and struggle. Hip-hop in its essence is a medium of the voices of people manifestation of that art form, coming from gay rappers telling their stories.

A Beginner’s Guide to Punk Shows

By Zachary Phelps

Tips to make your punk experience more enjoyable

Illustration by Jay Jenkins

As much as it pains me to admit this, over the years I’ve come to realize that, while punk rock might be considered musical anarchy, it

Once the fun starts, just remember a couple items. First, as the moshing commences, and especially as the pit

who are interested in exploring the spectacle of the punk rock show, I’m going to share with you what little I’ve learned from my several years of stumbling from band to band and gutter show to backyard blowout. rock shows in general without acknowledging the art of pre-gaming. Pre-gaming (also known as the-practice-of-getting-as-intoxicatedas-humanly-possible-before-going-into-a-venueand-seeing-if-you-can-still-walk-on-your-ownaccord) is a sacred tradition within the punk rock community. It’s a completely logical and keen on paying the standard nine dollars at a venue’s bar for a tall can of PBR. However, if you do decide to pre-game, please, don’t do it right outside of the venue. Or even in their parking lot. For

God’s sake man, go across the street, down the alley way, anywhere, but in the direct vicinity. This is an especially key point to remember if you’re under 21. For starters, cops aren’t stupid. Somewhere down the line, the men in blue figured out that music and drugs just seem to be naturally drawn to each other, and they know they can easily pick up a couple wayward kids for open containers and public intoxication, just by prowling around for a bit. (Getting arrested is not fun! Trust me on this!) In the bigger picture though, nothing gets a venue shut down faster than a couple stories in the local newspaper about police run-ins with juvenile delinquents idling outside its doors. So, if you want your local bar/club/ hall/dive to continue to bring you obscure bands in romantically haggard conditions, do your drinking somewhere else. If you follow the preceding advice, and manage to make it into the venue relatively unscratched, you’re almost home-free.

up anyone who skanks a little too hard and trips and falls-down. If you’ve been to your fair share of shows, then you know this really goes without saying, but it remains an important point. And, please, don’t be that guy who goes the wrong way in a circle pit. You will be punched! (For that matter, if you see anyone going the wrong way in the pit, you have an obligation to punch him. Or her. Really, punks don’t discriminate!) Make sure you have fun. Dance, yell, sing along, and scam on someone from the opposite gender, or the same gender, or both for that matter. In the end, everything else in this piece is completely inconsequential. As long as you’re at the show and having a good time, you’re doing it right.


16

Literature

Gender Expectations Expressed Through Poetry A Good Woman’s Hands

Illustrations by Carly Lake

By Jordan Nishkian You should clean and cook, and proudly wear your left hand’s ring. your nails pretty colors like pink and red and purple. You should hold a glass of chardonnay and twirl a strand of perfectly conditioned hair. You should apply your make-up with grace and class, and pluck away the unwanted hairs that blur the clean lines of your arched brows. You should slip on your red high heels as easily as black lace nightgown. his hair and across his cheek to check for any sign of stubble. adjust his collars, and after the sun goes down you should please him. You should hold his babies to your breast and wipe their runny eyes and noses. You should clean the cuts on your son’s knee and hold

You should teach your daughter to do the same.

A Game of Chess By Christopher Orozco Be a man, check. Act feminine. My check. Be more feminine. My check. Apply red lipstick and lip liner. My check. Go out in public. Society’s check. Cross my legs. My check. Realize that mostly men stare at you and glance in bewilderment. Society check.

Realized that women and men can behave and act each other’s parts. My check. There are no universal law that says humans can’t do this, only culture’s laws. Society’s check. Both can be emotional. Both can behave the “social” gender behavior. My check.

This gender game of chess. Your pieces enter my side and my pieces into your side. Check, mate.


Lifestyle

Get Up and Go Yellowstone National Park is not your average adventure By Donna Biegel

Yellowstone National park consists of over two million acres of undeveloped land. It is a backpacker’s dream, full of trails that explore majestic mountains, valleys, forests, rivers, and canyons that seem to stretch on for eternity. This is where I lived and worked this summer. The wilderness took the place of buildings, and I was now inhaling fresh mountain air instead of city smog. On the road, I was more likely to get stopped by a herd of Bison rather than traffic. The park consists of five lodges, and I worked at the Canyon Lodge. I was a bartender in the employee pub, where I got to watch all my friends and co-workers get drunk. I worked with John, a fifty year old from San Francisco who used to follow the Grateful Dead around the U.S. My other co-worker, was Sam; a young, buff ladies’ man who was fresh out of the military. A typical night at work ended with a large group of canyon employees dancing to blue grass on top of the table. I went backpacking every weekend and most days before work I would run around the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The Canyon is a gigantic, golden rock, and looks beautifully stained by the colors of red wine and cherry blossoms. About 600,000 years ago a volcanic eruption took place there, splitting the rock in half. Now, the Yellowstone River runs through the center of it, stretching through Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, and eventually joining with the Missouri River. I still remember the first weekend I got there, me and group of people I had just met decided to hitchhike seventeen miles to the base of the Yellowstone River. The five of us got picked up in no time and as I sat in the back of a strangers pickup truck, feeling the wind in my hair as we winded through

the mountain roads, I knew there was no place I would rather be. We walked for hours along the glistening river, beside meadows full of wildflowers, which seemed to laugh with the breeze. On that hike, Maria, John, Jake, Evan, and I talked about what brought us all to Yellowstone. I think John summed up our reasons best when he said, “We’re all here because we’re not all there.” Time flew by that day, as we were caught up in the bliss of nature and each other’s company. We all laid down by the river and watched the sun sink away with the day. The Wyoming sky looked like the sun had exploded in it and created a masterpiece. We started hitchhiking back at dusk, and very few cars were traveling on the dark road. After about two hours we decided to stop at a pull off and wait. Eventually a car pulled up, but as it approached us, we realized it was a ranger’s car. I thought I had lost my job the first weekend I got there. The Ranger made sure we were all over twenty-one and then he informed us that it is legal to hitch hike in the park, but not to do it at night. He insisted on giving us a ride home, and he called up another ranger to pick us up. While we were waiting for the other ranger to arrive, we had a competition to see who could blow the highest number on the Breathalyzer; John won. We arrived back at the Canyon dorms around midnight, and I sat under an abundance of stars, marveling at the diamond lit sky before I went to bed. My summer was full of memories like this. I was roaming wild and free in Wyoming and I had the time of my life. I highly recommend anyone who has a love for the outdoors to work in a National Park. If you’re interested in applying, check out www.coolworks.com.

“...feeling the wind in my hair as we winded through the mountain roads, I knew there was no place I’d rather be .”

Biegel and friends explore the views and wildlife of Yellowstone National Park (left and right)

17


18

Travel

Trials of Traveling Learning to master the art of risk taking

step out into a country thousands of miles away from home, it’s like no other feeling in the world. You look around and a sense of wonder hits you, followed by the ultimate realization that all you have at home has been left behind. For this period of time, you are free to be anyone, do anything, and push your own limits as well as the limits of the world around you. This is how I felt once I became somewhat comfortable traveling by myself to

When I landed, I was already late. The

By Alex Berman

was supposed to leave at 12:30p and it was already 12:20p by the time I had passed through customs. I ran through the airport (having never navigated an airport on my own) searching franticly for the rendezvous point. By the time I got there, the bus had left me, someone who had never used public transportation before, to navigate the trains

was out of the question. My adventure had just started and already I was hitting a rocky

“Had I let fear deter me from taking greater risks later on, I would have missed some of the most memorable moments of my life.” road. But I wouldn’t let a hiccup like this bring me down. Through multiple situations

stranded in a strange part of a foreign country for the night, I learned the most important rule of travel: keep calm and persevere. It’s easy to get lost or feel hopeless when you’re in a strange place with nobody but yourself to depend on, but the better you are at keeping it together and staying focused, the better you will fare. If I have gotten anything from the Traveling can be a great thrill, but it can also test you. It tests your ability to adapt and to stay focused in situations you wouldn’t tests though, you gain skills and knowledge that can give you a strong advantage in almost every aspect of life. Had I let fear deter me from taking even greater risks later on, I would have missed some of the most memorable moments of my life. abroad, I felt twice as capable and three times more familiar with the ways of the world.

between a quick ride home and being

California Don’t Know How to Party Nothing compares to European nightlife By Beatriz Villa

I am not a worldly traveler, nor do I believe I have gained much knowledge on traveling, but having gone abroad has changed my mind about California’s night life. I have visited both Greece and Spain, and I have concluded that California does NOT know how to party. In other places there is no such thing as last call at 1:30 in the morning. Whenever I go out now, I think of how boring bars in Long Beach are because they close so early and because of the lack of a proper public transportation system. In Barcelona, I would party until the clubs closed, which was six in the morning. My nights would consist of going out to dinner at 10p, visiting a bar until three, going to a club, and getting breakfast at seven in the morning. I would get around the city on the metro. The metro covers nearly every corner train drunk. Here, you would get a “drunk-in-

public” ticket. Not only are you allowed to be drunk in public in Barcelona, but you are also allowed to drink in public. Yeah, yeah, I know what you must be thinking. You can drink in public now in your plastic 7-Eleven bag and get away with it, so

freedom. You can have a drink from a pitcher of sangria on the beach and it’s completely legal and allowed. You don’t have to worry about the patrolling cops rolling around asking you what you are drinking, or worry about getting caught either. After traveling abroad, I now believe that the California government needs to be more relaxed with its rules and let its citizen party longer. Don’t get me wrong, I still love California, but it is not as great as everyone hypes it up to be, as far as partying goes!


Food

19

An Acquired Taste Learning to love the food we used to hate

Illustrations by Rose Feduk

Skip the Mustard, Please by Beatriz Villa

Veggie Tales by Chrissy Bastian

Drinking Ginger by Marco Beltran

Rice is Nice by Sam Winchester

I have a fascination with ketchup; I love it. I eat fries for the ketchup. When I was a young girl, I would sneak into the fridge, grab the ketchup bottle, and squirt the ketchup into

Vegetables: the word that brings pure horror and dread into the world of children. What is this foreign, green, alien thing? Why are they so essential? I don’t care if you tell me that I’ll grow big and strong like Popeye if I eat my veggies. “No, I don’t like that! I don’t want to eat them!” I was the quintessential child growing up. “Picky eater” was just one of my nicknames. I tortured my parents and each meal was a battle: a battle of wits. My mom would tell me, “Just try it Christine.” She’d scoop some up, and try to spoon feed me. The genius that I am, would quickly close my mouth. A stern tone would state, “Open your mouth.” As the spoon got closer and closer, I’d shake my head vigorously to avoid the poisonous food mumbling, “uh uh.” The only time I ever considered eating veggies was when I discovered Coco’s creme of broccoli soup. Once I tasted this magical food, it was the ONLY thing I would eat at Coco’s. Even though I still love crème of broccoli soup, my pallet has matured with age and now I enjoy multiple vegetables. Give me some black olive pizza. Why not some steamed soy beans that I can pop in my mouth like candy. Or my absolute favorite, steamed asparagus paired with some compound butter: a sauce consisting of butter, lemon juice, and a hint of garlic salt. While there are still some vegetables I won’t touch, like spinach, I

I think I’m not alone in thinking that something called “Ginger Ale” sounds like something you’d drink on a dare and wander the earth for the rest of your life trying to trick people into drinking it. All this to release your soul from that wicked spell. To a kid and sort-of adult, ginger in a drink seems like an insane idea. For one, it’s got some kick to it. (Using the word kick made me cringe, but I don’t have a word in my brain to describe it. Spicy? Ugh. I sound like Guy Fieri trying to describe frosted tips to someone who’s never seen frosted tips). Also, it’s a root. Who drinks roots? I know there’s root beer, but think about how many people had to die just making drinks out of roots, until they found the correct proportion of root to make something not be poison. As a kid, I see Canada Dry in the cold aisle at the supermarket and try to imagine the type of person that would drink ginger ale. Normally, it’s grandparents and people who believe it helps stomach aches drink it. I think I settled on a turtle in a wig or a baby that doesn’t know any better. But then I tried it, partly because I was thirsty and there was nothing else, and it’s amazing. Now I’m obsessed

I remember being a young, tiny gal and eating rice for dinner all the time. In my family we tend to eat rice and beans quite often, so I loved eating Mexican style rice every single day. When I turned eight, I started to get

day, tops. Then one day, for some unknown reason, we were out of ketchup! I wanted to cry. I didn’t know what to do, so I decided to try mustard instead. I took the mustard bottle and hid in my parents’ room, between the bed and night stand. I poured it’s the yellow sauce into my mouth. YUCK. It was disgusting. mustard, and I couldn’t spit it out because I was in my mom’s room. So, to my distaste, I had to swallow a big glob. After that, I hated mustard for years. Even the smell of mustard made me want to gag because of that experience. I really like it now, but you won’t catch me pouring a bottle of gray poupon into my mouth.

unbelievably picky about most food. It got to a point where I couldn’t even stand looking at a plate of rice. It was torture! My mom would try to convince me that it was bad for me to listen. I can’t believe I refused to eat so many delicious plates during my childhood and early teenage years. As of now, my love for rice has returned; I can eat it in every possible way. Whether it is boiled, seasoned, Indian, Mexican, or Asian, I really enjoy the texture mind eating it every day all over again. Not only did I change my mind about rice, but I try new rice plates as well. It’s the best thing I could have done.

drink. An obsession that will eventually lead me to wander the world trying to convince someone else to carry on the mantle that is thinking ginger is good in drink form.

dishes that make my mouth water.

Bea on a Budget Seven tips on saving cash while dining out By Beatriz Villa

There are times when eating out is cheaper than staying in and cooking a meal—it is cheaper to buy a nine dollar chicken curry than to pay 33 dollars for the ingredients. So eating out might be the better option sometimes. If you are like me and love to go out to eat, here a few useful tips I have discovered over time to help save money: 1. Two for Twofers: Some

3.

2.

6.

meals that cost less than ten dollars. Eating out during lunch is also a

sides, and two deserts for twenty bucks. If you are interested in going few friends, order these and share entrees and sides. You will feast. Agua: Ordering water instead of a coke or beer is always the better option. For one, it’s the healthiest option of beverages available, good for you, and it’s been like 100 degrees this past weekend. And, it’s FREE.

Brunch: If you are looking to eat out, I recommend eating out during breakfast or lunch. Breakfast could be easily the cheapest time to eat. There are many cafes in Long Beach

4. 5.

lunch specials that come with drinks and sides, also under ten dollars. Do like the Spaniards do; have a big lunch and try some discount appetizers during dinnertime. Coupons: Don’t be ashamed of showing up with a coupon. Take it out: Sometimes getting food to-go is cheaper because you don’t have to order drinks, and are not obligated to tip as much. Also, you can always buy a small

7.

side of something and pair it with leftovers. Personally, I always steam jasmine rice at home when I take-out Thai food. Avoid Dinner: Dinnertime is the most expensive meal of the day, so I recommend to avoid eating out at this time. However, there are this time. I suggest looking online and scoping them out. Share a meal:

other. This way you could both order drinks and a dessert to split. I hope these suggestions help. If you come across a restaurant that offers a delicious meal at a exceptional price, write about your experience and send it to food@lbunion.com.


Volume 75 Issue 7

Monday, October 6, 2014

LBUNION.COM

DISCLAIMER: Jeremy Thompson here! To recap, it is vital that you stay in your homes. Make no attempt to reach loved ones, and avoid all physical contact with the assailants. Do you believe everything you hear on TV? No? Thats why you read the newspaper. Internships are open. Quarantined Bunker is at USU 116, Long Beach, CA 90815. This page is satire/parody and does not represent ASI nor the CSULB campus. Submit shit via email to grunion@ lbunion.com.

EPIDEMIC ALERT Grunion headquarters, in

Grunion

Pumpkin Spice Epidemic Reaching Critical Mass (Washington DC) – In Washington today, CDC Director, Tom Frieden, sounded the alarm to the nation as a whole, stating that the Pumpkin Spice epidemic gripping the country must be put to an end through “decisive and by Dr. Dawn Keys coordinated action.” “Over the past several weeks, we have noticed a substantial surge in pumpkin spice

know has these symptoms, isolate them until Pop-Tarts and Oreos said a distraught Frieden,

throughout the region. Jimmy Ramirez, director expressed concern at the reports, stating,

someone you know exhibits these symptoms,

spice when it was isolated in trendy expensive lattes drunk only by basic bitch art students, but today, we are reaching critical mass with with them until peak pumpkin spice season has pumpkin spice.” spending your money on stupid seasonal bullshit, and talking incessantly about how out to purchase the latest pumpkin spice

come into contact with any vulnerable groups such as college students, the wealthy investors, and writers.”

How To Fight the National Health Scare sepia tone. Be sure to tag the caption with, “I news this week, you know there is one disease that is scaring people across

you should run the other way—the disease is highly contagious. This disease gained major

soy skinny latte or a caramel macchiato, venti, skim, extra shot, extra hot, extra whip, sugar-

Soon, you will be able to even in no time.

women across the nation are now exhibiting prepare you to recognize by Dr. Phillip Dabooty it. Major symptoms include all other social media outlets that you possess. coughing and inability to move can also occur.

INSIDE

TWEEN ON LATEST FASHION CHOICE: “YOU SHOULD SEE WHERE I PUT THE 2-LITER”

STUDY FINDS DUCT TAPE LIFTS SPIRITS WHEN PITBULL CANNOT

LOCAL WEAVILS WEAVE WEB OF WEDDING WEAR IN WARSAW AND WATERLOO, WOOHOO

NEW SPOKESWOMAN FOR EBOLA VIRUS ANNOUNCED, LADY (SH)EBOLA


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