Local female features

Females in cinema demonstrate courage and activism

MOLLY BYRNE

staff writer

During Women’s History Month, it is important to give recognition to films that showcase trailblazing women in many different fields and their stories. These films were featured in “12 movies to watch for Women’s History Month” written by Rasha Ali on March 24, 2021, in USA Today. Two big movies that discuss journeys made by Black women in both STEM and music, specifically blues, are Ma Rainey’s Black Bottoms and Hidden Figures.

An example from our generation of a film that showcases the courageousness of a female in the music industry is Miss Americana because this film shows the story of pop star Taylor Swift and her struggle with rights to her own music. Another film from our generation is I am Greta which discusses Greta Thunberg’s advancements in global activisim and showcases her honorable speech at the U.N. Climate Action Summit.

Various female authors provide unique perspectives

BAILEY MESSNER

staff writer

Female authors pose a unique perspective that can not be found through the eyes of anyone else. Local authors can have an even greater impact on their readers because of their experiences. Ashley Aya Ferguson has written two picture books. Ferguson says her first book, Girl, You Are Magic! was originally written for her daughter. She says that “She was dealing with bullying at school and I wanted to remind her that she needed to know who she was before she let anybody tell her who she was.” Marcy Campbell grew up with minimal access to books, but she was always drawn to them. She has created two picture books, a middle grade book, and has more in the process. Campbell commented that “Each book is different, but a recurring theme in my books is kindness and empathy.” Marlane Kennedy started writing in her twenties but was unable to obtain a publisher until her forties. She had to undergo numerous rejections, but she did not view those scripts as failures. She added that “With each manuscript I wrote, I learned more and more about how to become a better writer.” She considers them her practice novels that helped her make her way to being published.

Female-lead nonprofi t OneEighty supports community

MOLLY BYRNE

staff writer

Supporting women should be an all year round effort, but recognizing women should be especially noted during Women’s History month. Showing support to local organizations that support women in need is one way that people can start the conversation of how to support women’s organizations globally. Wooster is the central office of One-Eighty, which is one of these organizations. One-Eighty is a nonprofit that supports both men and women that are recovering from substance abuse and gives opportunities and safety to women that are victims of sexual assault. Christy VanSickle, Community Relations and Marketing Manager, and Bobbi Douglas, Executive Director, in a joint statement said, “In 2016, we rebranded to promote our continuum of care and highlight the various programs we offered. Before being known as One-Eighty, we were Every Woman’s House and STEPS. Our history as Every Woman’s House encompasses the essence of Women’s History Month and also our continued support for women.” This local organization is able to provide an outlet for women in our Wooster community that should not go unrecognized.

Wooster female-lead businesses inspire female youth

BAILEY MESSNER

staff writer

People honor Women’s History Month in a variety of ways, and one of these ways is through supporting local female owned businesses. Undergrounds Cafe was purchased by Barbara Biro, but she knew the previous cafe decor did not fit her personality. “So I had to shape and reshape it, which is ongoing as I am also an attorney working currently as an assistant prosecuting attorney. All the makeover happened with no closure of the Café’s doors,” Biro said. Rhiannon O’Hearn is the owner of Rhimix Salon. O’Hearn is a determined mother, as well as a determined artist; which was why she created her salon. “I soon realized that not only did I love creating beauty, but I had a passion for people and making them feel renewed, beautiful and better about themselves,” O’Hearn said. Jodi’s Closet and Ana’s Alterations is a thrift store and tailor. Jodi Harris was not originally looking for a business, but chose it because she wanted a challenge. Harris states that she has learned, “To trust my own instincts, and not be afraid to do things differently than others.” Harris hopes that by showcasing female-owned businesses, it will give girls the confidence to pursue their own business.

Paying homage to inspiring women

OLIVIA HINER AND LEXXE PARSONS

cover and a&e editor On March 1, Luke Pomfret (12), co-editor in chief of The Wooster Blade and Olivia Hiner (11), cover editor, gathered together for a roundtable discussion centered on the topic of Women’s History Month and the roles that women have played in their lives. The conversation included Tricia Nussbaum (visual arts teacher), Marlene Boyer (family and consumer science teacher), Victoria Birk (IB Diploma Program Coordinator) and Christina Kostohryz (English teacher). English Dept. members Chelsea Porter and Jennifer Wright contributed to the discussion through email. To begin the discussion, we started by asking the question:

“Are there former female teachers who have inspired you?”

Nussbaum: “I am an art teacher because of my art teacher, she was my art teacher from 7th-12th grade in Dalton. She’s one of my favorite human beings on this planet.” Porter: “I am a teacher because of two phenomenal female teachers I had in high school. They were the embodiment of empathy, but they also modeled how to stand tall and strong as a woman. They encouraged me to explore the world around me, to form opinions about issues that matter, and that women supporting women can be an unstoppable force.”

“Have you ever had any female students who have inspired you?”

Boyer: “students that engage with the content, who treat people with respect, and students who take the content and run with it.” Wright: “Absolutely. The female student who comes into my class without a voice and by the end of the year is confident enough to share hers... The female student who challenges the status quo and allows herself to just be, without conforming to the ideologies or expectations placed upon her... The female student who straightens the crowns of other females instead of pointing out to the world that the crown was crooked.”

“What does Women’s History Month mean to you?”

Boyer: “It brings to light the struggle women have had.” Birk: “It’s really cool to hold all of these people up so that.. Why does it have to be a month? Why can’t every day be Black history day or women’s history day?”

“Do you think as a community, we do enough to support women?”

Wright: “...we don’t recognize the everyday woman. The everyday woman who has to overcome significant challenges to put food on the table for her children... the everyday woman who puts her family first and doesn’t know who she is anymore... the everyday woman who has to continually be mansplained to as she works in a male-dominated profession; the everyday woman who sees herself in the mirror and hates what she sees because societal norms define beauty other than what she think she has. These are the women who should be recognized.” Kostohryz: “There are still stereotypes. I was a stay at home mom for 12 years. I had a master’s degree as a stay at home mom. People were like ‘Oh, do you think you’ve wasted your education?’ I didn’t waste it. You can’t take it away from me. I’ve already earned it.” After this discussion, Alexandra Parsons (12), A&E editor, joined the conversation and we spoke about what Women’s History Month has meant to us. In the past, women have fought and struggled to be viewed as equals to men. Talking with these teachers and hearing what they have to say was so inspiring and really made us think about how important this month is. The Wooster ESports team has officially started their season with matches all throughout this past week. According to TheConversation.com in an article from March of last year, ESports at the collegiate level nationally observe 91.8% of the players as male, and 8.2% as female. This is approximate to the demographics of the Wooster ESports team. There are currently two female participants and one female coach out of 57 total participants. Charlotte Garens, Overwatch coach, observes the team as male-dominated, with a few exceptions. “Our current competitive teams are entirely male dominated with the exception of our Overwatch team... We would love to see a more diverse team roster in the future,” Garens said. Garens also explains the team also runs as a club, meaning anyone is welcome to play after school for fun. However, Garens acknowledges that in the gaming community, females are not as welcome. “The toxicity toward women in gaming is rampant. It’s nearly impossible to play a game that isn’t directly marketed toward girls and not see blatant sexism and misogyny,” Garens said. Brian Ehrlinspiel, History Dept. member, is the coach of the ESports team. Ehrlinspiel explains that ESports is a coed team. “Esports is unique in that we have coed teams, and students from 8th to 12th grades are competing together,” Ehrlinspiel said. Lucy Garens (9) plays Super Smash Bros. and Overwatch for the team. “I’m happy to see that Wooster finally has an Esports team and I’m glad to be a part of its first year,” Garens said. The Wooster ESports team is in their first spring season as a part of Ohio Esports. Ehrlinspiel explains how competition works in the league. “With Esports Ohio... schools can field both JV and Varsity teams in each of the eight games that we compete in. Each team plays the same day a week versus another Ohio high school,” Ehrlinspiel said. Coach Garens encourages girls to join. “Whether you are already passionate about gaming or just interested in learning how to play... There’s always room for girls at WHS Esports Club. Help us pave the way for future female gamers,” said Garens. The club runs Monday through Thursday after school in room 164.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 11, 2022 | PAGE 9 ESports addresses equality

JHON FAJARDO

sports editor