Togatus Edition #3 2018 by Togatus

Published by the TUU State Council on behalf of the Tasmania University Union (henceforth “the publishers”) The copyright in each piece of work remains with the contributor. However, the publishers reserve the right to reproduce material on the Togatus website at togatus.com.au Togatus Team: Editor-in-Chief: April Cuison Deputy Editor: Joe Brady Creative Director: Maddie Burrows Marketing & Advertising Manager: Monte Bovill Website Manager: Ella van Emmerik Graphic Designer: Liam Johnson Content Editors: Chris Ham, Logan Linkston, Steph Morrison, Steph Palmer Editorial Assistants: Bethany Green, Cameron Allen, Morgan Fürst, Richard Siu Togatus welcomes all your contributions. Please email your work and ideas to contributions@togatus.com.au Togatus Contributors: Alastair Bett, Andre Abrego, Andrew Grey, Caylee Tierney, Chelsea Wilde, Clark Cooley, Dalipinder Singh Sandhu, Dan Prichard, Eilidh Direen, Eleanor Lyall, Elise Sweeney, Emily Pott, Erin Cooper, Finnian Danger, Genevieve Holding, Harlan Graves, Javaria Farooqui, John Vo, Jonty Dalton, Joseph Schmidt, Mackenzie Stolp, Millicent Banner, Nathan Hennessy, Nathaniel Lau, Oliver Hovenden, Paulie Wilkinson, Rachel Hay, Salman Shah, Sharifah Syed Rohan, Sim Howe, Sophie Silskovic, Spencer McGregor, Xingming Wu (Peter Wu), Zoe Douglas-Kinghorn, Zoe Stott It is understood that any contributions sent to Togatus may be used for publication in either the magazine or the website, and that the final decision on whether to publish submissions resides with the editors. The editors reserve the right to make changes to submitted material as required. Togatus staff reserve the right to use submitted content for Togatus-related promotional material. It is understood that all submissions to Togatus is still the intellectual property of the contributor. The opinions expressed herein are not those of the editors, the publishers, the University of Tasmania, or Tasmania University Union. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that Togatus articles and other information are up-to-date and as accurate as possible at the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by Togatus for any errors or omissions contained herein. Contact Togatus: Twitter & Instagram: @togatus_ Facebook: facebook.com/TogatusOnline Website: www.togatus.com.au Post: PO Box 5055, UTAS LPO, Sandy Bay 7005 Email: contact@togatus.com.au Advertising: marketing@togatus.com.au Togatus is printed by Monotone Art Printers.

Motherhood and a Law Degree

4 4 You Look Fine In Defence of Femininity The Tale of Lukita Modern Way of the Samurai

8 10 12 14 16 Professor Black's Leadership

Editorials

6 18 20 22 24

Yo u Ar e

He 201 re 8

To ga tu s: Ed iti on

Tassie’s Finest Drops All Under One Roof The Engagement Party

26 28 Puddleton My Bubble Photography

30 32 34 Madeleine Habib and the Women’s Boat to Gaza United States Midterm Election 101 Through the Lense of BoJack Horseman Paedophilia

36 38 40 42 44 46 48

“What was your favourite show when you were a kid?”

Caylee Tierney “The Saddle Club.”

Dalipinder Singh Sandhu “The Office for its satire.”

Dan Prichard

Finnian Danger

“The Big Knights.”

“I was pretty partial to Invader Zim back in 2001 when it first came out.”

Eilidh Direen

Millicent Banner

“Thomas the Tank Engine.”

“The Wild Thornberries.”

Erin Cooper

Nathaniel Lau

“Angelina Ballerina.”

“Angel.”

Other Contributors Adam Bogus Adrian Bradbury Alastair Bett Angie Dara Soechiarto Clark Cooley Eleanor Lyall Genevieve Holding

Contributors

Joseph Schmidt Mackenzie Stolp Oliver Hovenden Salman Shah Spencer McGregor Stephen Hargreaves

Rachel Hay “Bear in the Big Blue House.”

Content Editor: Chris Ham “Blinky Bill, the ‘Down on the Farm’ episode.”

Togatus Team

Content Editor: Logan Linkston “Kim Possible.”

Editor-in-Chief: April Cuison

Content Editor: Steph Morrison

“Avatar: The Last Airbender, not the movie of course.”

“The Saddle Club.”

Deputy Editor: Joe Brady

Content Editor: Steph Palmer

“Thunderbirds for me please.”

“Blue Water High.”

Creative Director: Maddie Burrows “Arthur.”

Marketing Manager: Monte Bovill

Editorial Assistant: Bethany Green

“Postman Pat.”

“VeggieTales.”

Website Manager: Ella van Emmerik

Editorial Assistant: Cameron Allen

“Angelina Ballerina.”

“Shaun the Sheep.”

Graphic Designer: Liam Johnson

Editorial Assistant: Morgan Fürst

“Doctor Who, although perhaps omit the question's latter half.”

“Dragon Booster.”

Editorial Assistant: Richard Siu “Didn’t watch any…”

Editorials Editor-in-Chief April Cuison Long time no see, Tog readers! Welcome to the third edition of Togatus for 2018! I hope your studies are going well, your social life still intact, and hopefully you’re not drowning in too much alcohol. This edition is focused on perception. UTas has an incredibly diverse student body. Many of us hail from countries all over the world, with many travelling across the globe to study in our humble university. We each bring our own experiences, our own worldview, our own stories. Our past experiences shape how we see the world: sometimes we see its beauty and wonder, and other times we witness the shadows.

too much on connecting with other people that we forget to connect with ourselves. It is important for us to look within and reflect. It is also very important for us to celebrate our accomplishments. While I am not in any position to be dictating how you should feel, I hope that Togatus can help bring a smile to your face. :) Remember to be kind to each other, and most of all, be kind to yourself. Good luck with the remaining weeks of the semester! Much love, April.

Perception of self is also incredibly important. We are often our harshest critic. There are times when we focus

Avocado Scavenger Hunt! The avocados have escaped and are running loose within the publication! They must be recovered at all costs! There are many places to search and only so much time. Now listen, it’s a known fact that the avocados cannot inhabit or hide in the small text of articles so don’t waste your efforts there. The devious little fruits are unlikely to make themselves obvious and they will not always look the same, but they are commonly known to appear pear shaped with a pip in the centre. Do not be fooled though! Any instance of an avocado in any form is sufficient grounds for apprehension!

Deputy Editior Joe Brady At Tog, we understand that UTas becomes your whole life after a while. We study for class, eat on campus, sleep in student accomodation and turn up to uni events with our uni friends. Our editorial team is inspired by the University’s bold efforts in absorbing all parts of student life, and have decided to pursue a similar domination of our readership. You are the ideal Tog reader — indebted, in existential crisis, and desperate to read the latest issue. This is the Togatus flag, and you’ll soon see it waving proudly from all Tog-brand reading facilities opening across Hobart’s CBD and the Eastern Shore. For our readers in Sydney, Launceston and Cradle Coast, look forward to Tog libraries filled with old Tog issues, and maybe settle down for a Tog-brand semi-fair-trade frappuccino and an avocado sandwich. Soon, dear reader, you’ll realise that we’re not really just a magazine. We’re a way of life. Your kids will ask why you’re still renting at forty-five, delivering food for an Amazon-owned UberEats competitor, and you’ll say, “I’m part of the Tog generation, and proud!” We look forward to our inevitable expansion into all areas of student life. Whether we next see you riding the planned Tog-run light rail (opening 2035) or reading our latest issue in the lounge of our avo-shaped apartment complex, be sure to remember where it all began.

odacovA

eniF kooL uoY snoitcefleR ruO ni yoJ gnidniF drahcirP naD

Mirrors, mirrors, mirrors. They’re wonderful, wonderful things. Every single day, without realising it, these genius instruments of reflection ensure we’re looking our best, smiling right, and are ready to embrace the eyes and expectations of the outside world. Wonderful mirrors. Not asking for gratitude, for love or affection. Where would we be without them? Mirrors provide us with our own reflections. They’re sheets of glass we keep on our bedside table and plaster all over our bathroom walls. We see them in the fitting rooms of all our favourite clothing stores and scattered across the sinks and soaps in public bathrooms globally. In this day and age, it’s hard to enter a building without encountering one. We carry them in our pockets. Basically, we all know what they are, and we all look at ourselves through them. We gaze into mirrors in order to inspect ourselves – often harshly – to find areas that need improvement. Eventually, we grow oblivious to the fact that it is easy to give mirrors the power to create doubt, dissatisfaction, and a yearning to be someone else. Simply because they present a reflection of ourselves before our eyes. Much like social media.

The world of the web is much different to the one I’d personally like to be living in, but looking a little closer for the sake of this piece, I realise that we seem to be living in a time that the internet’s power dictates so many of our actions and decisions. We spend an insane amount of solitary time on screens, often in an attempt to connect with others through ironically coined social networks. We update our friends on our lives. We marvel at the lives our friends are living. The holidays they’re enjoying, the clothes they’re buying, the progress they’re making, the new jobs they’re finding. Their lives seem so wonderful. But so are ours, and they must know that too. Without realising, it’s easy to get sucked into this venomous subculture, fuelled by the competition of living the best life and achieving the highest levels of satisfaction and self-esteem than the people around us, many of whom are actually those we hold the closest. Don’t get me wrong, social media can be great – Facebook birthday reminders make me twice the friend I’d be some days – but just like mirrors, these networks manage to have us gazing glumly at our own reflections in comparison to those of others. Mirrors. Social media. Expectations. Each hold purposes and important functions, whilst somehow encouraging self-doubt and vanity. The Oxford Dictionary defines vanity as “the excessive pride… of one’s own appearance”.

10 11

Opinion

You Look Fine Finding Joy in Our Reflections Dan Prichard

Appearance is what seems to matter most these days. If we’re content with our own appearance, we’re fortunate and are hopefully able to avoid an aimless existence of Snapchat filters in the pursuit of achieving a higher level of contentment. If we’re not as lucky, we fall victims to comparison. We begin comparing ourselves to those around us based on shallow variables. Our possessions. Our wealth. Our physical appearance. In most cases, we become embarrassed by things we’re incapable of choosing. And without realising, we’re trapped, and have no one to blame but ourselves. Quick recap: vanity is the result of frustration with our own appearance compared to those around us. Dissatisfaction with the two-dimensional aspects of our life easily leads to sadness and low self-esteem, simply because of the mediocre ideals of our society: physical beauty, immediate satisfaction and wealth. I realise that by this point, this article could easily be confused with a Facebook rant you’d swipe past, just opinion vomit pointing the finger at society and the fact that ‘the system is broken’. But trust me, I do have a point, and I’ll bring you to it now.

each morning. We’re told this is how the world works, this is how it should look, this is what we should value. And that we might as well just get on with this mediocre existence because, after all, it’s bearable. But life can be more than bearable. It’s not a revolutionary idea. It’s just a different way of trying to communicate something important. Mirrors have been constructed for us and cloud our headspace like former prime ministers on the backbench. Once we realise we can reject these mirrors and construct our own, our surroundings begin to change. Honing in on what matters to us, taking pride in our own values, and seeing things and people for what and who they are completely. All of these simple notions enable our subconscious rejection of expectations and vanity and the negative baggage that inevitably follows. We develop new reflections of ourselves and the world around us that no longer butcher our self-esteem but enhance it and our own attitudes as only we can. All natural reflections are genuine, and in my opinion, wonderful. Mirrors can be too. It just depends which mirrors you’re looking into.

Mirrors are everywhere and are often the cause of our unhappiness. We’re told what matters by commercials and our liked pages and the celebrities we follow and the reflections plastered to the forefront of our minds in comparison to the ones we see before us in our pyjamas

10 11

In Defence of Femininity Erin Cooper and Chris Ham

The Feminine Woman It’s 4:30am. I dress for work in a groggy stupor, in an outfit I picked the night before to save my early morning self from having to make any decisions. I think nothing of it. The work day goes as usual - a journalist’s morning is always busy. I have three stories to chase up when I’m suddenly required to attend Pauline Hanson’s press conference, called minutes before. “Brilliant!” I think, eager to tackle a big story and prove my abilities. But then I look down, and my confidence evaporates.

questions’ when they’re blunt and unrelenting: when they’re masculine. I typically err on the side of ‘feminine’ qualities of kindness, patience and understanding dressed up in a butterfly dress, who’ll take this seriously? The answer: everyone should. Because dress or pant suit, pixie cut or Veronica Lake waves, femininity has nothing to do with ability.

I’m wearing a bright green dress covered in multicoloured butterflies, cinched at my waist and fanning out around me. With my tousled hair and heeled boots, I embody the ideal feminine caricature of a 1950’s housewife. I even have a ribbon in my hair. I scold myself on the car ride there; my discomfort peaks as the pack of other journalists charge in. They’re all in pencil skirts, grey jumpers, woollen pants. Surely no one will take me seriously when I resemble the manic pixie dream girl of an indie film-buff’s fantasies. I’m guaranteed to be the least experienced person in the room - I’m not doing myself any favours. But I have to stop myself - I’m doing it again. I’ve let myself fall into this trap again. Where I equate femininity with weakness. With incompetency. With inferiority. I’ve always been stereotypically feminine and have always struggled with the need to prove myself to spite it. I was a ballet-dancing, baby doll-loving, dress-donning toddler and have followed that trajectory ever since. As a result, I’m constantly referred to as ‘girly’, ‘adorable’ or ‘cute’. Sometimes said with good intentions, but for the most part, with condescension because somehow my girly-ness justifies belittlement. There’s an inherent tension between my femininity and my job. Journalists are celebrated for asking the ‘tough

12 Page 12

All logic prevailing, I know my sartorial choices have nothing to do with my ability to fire serious questions at a controversial politician. I know my colleagues respect me, and that any reasonable person should be able to separate my appearance from my journalistic capabilities. But yet I endure this internal battle every time I’m explicitly feminine in a high-stakes situation. Here I’m reminded of New Girl’s Jessica Day. Though fictional, she often battles to prove her worth against her love of ballet flats, cupcakes and snuggly pyjamas. In defence, she says something that I come back to, in order to stop my self-destructive inner monologue. She says; “I brake for birds. I rock a lot of polka dots. I have touched glitter in the past 24 hours, and that doesn’t mean I’m not smart, and tough, and strong.” At the press conference, with a deep breath in and out, I raised my voice and started firing my questions. I have a job to do, and my femininity won’t stop me from doing it.

Feature

Included Articles - See More Inside Professor Black’s Leadership . . Page 22 Midterm Election 101 . . . . . . . . Page 40

Edition 3, 2018 Tasmanian News

Website: togatus.com.au | Facebook: @TogatusOnline | Twitter & Instagram: @togatus_

The Feminine Man I’ve always found trouble with the word ‘feminine’. Along with all words associated with it: ‘girly’ ‘pussy’, ‘faggot’. I’ve grown up to be a confident gay man, relatively comfortable in my identity. But the journey to where I am is a challenging one, and the process of figuring out who I am outside of the masculine label ascribed at birth is hindered by societal disregard of subversion. As a boy, you are taught femininity is pink. It’s tea parties and dollhouses, it’s domesticity and delicateness. And, most importantly, it’s not for you - you’re meant to be outside, caked in dirt and roving the backyard with other boys, a mini-gang armed with sticks and battling imaginary foes. Don’t cry when you scrape your knee, that’s just ‘girly’. And as you grow up, it becomes ‘gay’. I was a gangly, soft-spoken, academic teen, with no interest in girls, and therefore labelled ‘gay’ - a fair conclusion. What wasn’t fair was the way this word was spat at you, an attack simply because you don’t fit the mold of a masculine teenage boy.

A small part of me rallies as I admit this deficit - I can change a tyre, wrangle cattle, drink beer (as I write this I’m struggling to think of masculine traits, perhaps undermining any indignation). But all this feeds the beast that claims femininity is in some way inferior to masculinity. Even if I present myself with a feminine flair, being called out on it forces my retreat back into conformity, making me regret my choice to wear what, in the comfort of my bedroom, I was comfortable and confident in. This particular time I was wearing a floral shirt - you could technically call it a blouse - which I had been wearing all day at work. Earlier, I’d been alleviated of all my stories to race to a political presser called for PM Malcolm Turnbull. I stepped out of the car, dressed well but the only reporter in sight wearing flowers, and I noticed the other reporters notice. My self-assurance instantly buckled, I imagined what the other journalists might be thinking. Perhaps they are not thinking anything… in all likelihood, they haven’t even registered the baby reporter on his first presser. It would be wonderful if they didn’t - that my appearance wasn’t considered in sizing up my ability to do my job. That there's been a shift from hatred levelled against men who don’t conform to masculine traits, that became the slightly more tolerable comedic fodder splashed across our screens, to hopefully an unflinching acceptance.

I was recently described by one acquaintance to another as ‘flamboyant’ - to which I took offence, mostly due to the underlying scorn at my distinct lack of masculinity.

I don’t pretend that this is the biggest problem queer and non-conforming men have faced, or even face today. And it’s not even necessarily an attack from others, but an inherent attack levelled at myself to protect from the potential outside attacks. I must put to bed my embarrassment of femininity, accept it as a valid and equal part of myself, and forge my way through life as a proudly contradictory man.

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The Tale of Lukita From Finding Space to Avoid an Airstrike to Creating Space for a Passing Option Dalipinder Singh Sandhu The petite Croatian footballer wearing the number 10 along with his name 'Modrić’ on the back of his jersey and the captain's band tied to his left arm carries the hope of 4.2 million people on his shoulders. He strikes the ball from outside the box and makes it 2-0 for Croatia in the 80th minute of the match against Leo Messi's Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2018 group stage match. The commentator goes: "Now he unleashes one! A sensational goal from Luka Modrić! And surely now Croatia's golden generation are on their way to the last 16." Luka Modrić, affectionately known as Lukita by fans, steered his team to their first ever final but fell short against France who lifted the cup for the second time. Modrić, the key player for his club Real Madrid and the national side Croatia, finally got the appreciation he deserves even though the playmaker peaked three to four years ago. His work rate was shadowed by the astronomical numbers produced by his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. The 5 ft 7 inch, 66 kilo Modrić has a very unique story of how he developed his talent and became the best midfielder on the planet. Even if he didn't become a footballer, the tale of his survival alone would qualify to be termed as a miracle. Modrić grew up in a war zone area. There was a lone house on the Velebit mountain

range from where the north and south of Croatia were separated. Modrić spent his early childhood there and even today the area is surrounded by active landmines. As Croatia declared its independence the Serbian army captured the area and tried to cut off the communications between the two parts of the country. Modrić's grandfather who was also his namesake was murdered along with six of his companions by the Serbian rebels after he was spotted leading his cattle up the mountain. His village Modrici was subject to bloodshed, with people dying every day due to bombing and landmines. The rest of Modrić’s family fled to seek refuge in the nearby areas. The then 6-year-old Modrić and his family found shelter in one of the hotels in Zadar. Modrić used to play football as it was the sole distraction from his troubled childhood. Zadar's proximity to the waterbody made it vulnerable to attacks from two different fronts. Modrić had to run for shelter in an instant because the airstrikes would turn the football field into a battlefield within seconds. As he dodged the shells he learned the art of dodging the players. After the war was over, his family moved to another hotel and its parking lot with several craters was the training ground for Modrić. One of the hotel employees saw him and contacted the local club where he was taken into the academy. Modrić was rejected by his adored club Hajduk Split for being too fragile. Modrić then considered never playing again but Tomislav Bašić, then coach of NK Zadar and mentor of Modrić, helped him join Dinamo Zagreb. He was later loaned to a more physical league in Bosnia and from then on, his career went uphill as he continued to play for bigger clubs from Tottenham Hotspurs to Real Madrid.

Opinion

"We were always afraid, that's what I remember the most is thousands of grenades, fired from the surrounding hills, fell on the training pitch in those years, and we were always racing to reach the shelter. Football was our escape from reality." - Tomislav Bašić He was voted as the worst signing of Spanish LaLiga in 2012 when he joined Real Madrid but Modrić soon proved everyone wrong as he is now ranked in the same category as Spanish legends Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernández. Modrić now is considered the greatest ever Croatian player overtaking Davor Sûker. "My whole career, when I was in Croatia, people questioned me, saying I wouldn’t make it, that I wasn’t good enough because I wasn’t big and strong. But you have to understand something about Croatian people. After everything that has happened, after the war, we are stronger, tougher. What we’ve been through was not easy. The war made us stronger. We are not easy people to break. It’s hard to break us. And there is a determination to show that. To show that we can succeed."

It took years for a humble and quiet playmaker for his brilliance to be recognised all over the world, which the Croatians have been familiar with for years. Croatia still doesn't have a national stadium and proper resources but have won the hearts of people all around the globe with their sheer talent, passion, will and hard work by making it to the final. This is the reason why football is called a beautiful sport. The admiration it has drawn for Hrvatska and its people. The story it has told to billions of people via the platform of the FIFA World Cup even to those who don't follow the game but understand the magnitude of the achievement. Modrić now features in Real Madrid and Croatia's all-time starting XI and if he wins the Balón d'Or this year it would complete the fairy-tale ending to his career full of struggle and perseverance. From being a refuge of the war zone to becoming the player of the tournament and maybe in near future the player of the year as well, Luka Modrić has touched many lives and will be remembered as one of the greatest footballers ever not only for his intelligence on the field but his struggle off the field as well.

- Luka Modrić At the age of 32, Modrić covered the most distance in the FIFA World Cup 2018 (more than 65 km) and also won the Golden Ball for the best player in the tournament. He's also won the third consecutive UEFA Champions League title with Real Madrid this year where he has been the backbone of the team. Modrić now has strongly put forward his case to win the Balón d'Or ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to end their domination which has been going on since 2008.

Modern Way of the Samurai Nathaniel Lau

Images: UTas Kendo Club

Kendo: The Way of the Sword Have you seen The Last Samurai featuring Tom Cruise? Or are you an anime fan who has watched the classics like Samurai X or Samurai Champloo? The use of Samurais is often seen in cinemas, especially in the recent movie Ready, Player One where one of the supporting characters, Daito, chose to wear a Samurai armour as part of his avatar. Here’s a fun fact: Kendo played a huge part in influencing Star Wars fight scenes. Mark Hamill, in a 2015 documentary titled Evolution of the Lightsaber Duel, said, “It’s honour, it’s balance, it’s justice; Kendo is everything that the Jedi are.”

Kendo is a traditional Japanese martial art that has a rich history and can be traced back to the feudal era. Two kendokas (Kendo practitioners) would don protective armour called bogu which consists of four components:

You must be wondering, “Are the samurais just ancient Jedi?”. After the Edo period, the time of peace came in the 17th century and people no longer carried katanas in public and the need for Samurais slowly decreased. Kenjutsu (the art of killing) paved the way to Kendo which uses bamboo swords instead of swords to train the body, mind and soul.

In Kendo, the bamboo sword that used is called the shinai. The goal in each Kendo match is to score by hitting specific parts on the armour primarily the men (helmet), dō (torso protector), kote (the arm and hand protector) and tsuki (throat, in this case it is a thrust of the shinai).

This became a popular sport all over the world including Australia (in Hobart, we have the Hobart Kendo Club and UTas Kendo Club).

Men – The helmet combined with a face mask and shoulder protectors. Kote – The hand and forearm guards. Dō

– The torso protector.

Tare – The groin and leg protectors.

These Kendo matches are fast-paced and often filled with anticipation as both kendokas look to score points by either attacking, counterattacking or even delivering a surprise attack through a gap in the opponent’s guard. However, a strike to any of these parts will not guarantee a point awarded by the judge. A strike in Kendo must fulfil the fundamentals of “Ki-Ken-Tai-Ichi” (Spirit-Sword-Body-As-One) in order to score.

Student

University of Tasmania Kendo Club

Bushido: The Way of the Warriors The term bushido means ‘the way of warriors’ and it has encompassed many codes of honour and ideals that eventually became the samurai way. Its concept is like the concept of chivalry in Europe. Over the course of time, the codes were handed down from generation to generation and there are currently seven chief virtues: rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, loyalty and honour. These seven virtues are incorporated into Kendo, as practitioners are taught that learning Kendo is not confined to the four walls of a Dojo but is a way of life.

In 2013, the Club was founded by international students Kenneth Tng (Singapore) and Nak Kyun Kim (South Korea) who are passionate about the art of Kendo. Through their effort and with the help from the Hobart Kendo Club, the University of Tasmania sent out its first Kendo squad to the Unigames which was held in the Gold Coast at Surfers Paradise in 2015. The team consisted of Huang Po Han (Team Captain), Nathaniel Lau (Vice-Captain), Terence Kwok, Eleanor Lee and Wong Huan Weng. Throughout the Kyu team competition, the team fought their way into the finals where they concluded their journey with a silver medal for coming in 2nd place in the competition. Currently in 2018, the Club is led by Sheryl Ch’ng (Singapore) who is the current President and a third-year law student. The Club also has Stan and Katie Sensei who are both 4th Dan Kendo Practitioners who will often train members at the UTas Kendo by fuelling the Club’s motivation with raw passion and energy. If you are interested in joining the UTas Kendo Club, you can find us on Facebook at “UTas Kendo Club” and let us know that you’re interested. We train every Monday from 7:00pm to 8:30pm at Hobart College, Mt Nelson.

Adam Bogus Third Year | Visual Communications Major

Flowering Eucalyptus, 2018 This work comes from combining my illustration style into woodblock print, engaging with various materials, thus broadening my skills and knowledge within my arts practice as a graphic designer.

Joseph Schmidt First Year | Major Undecided Classical Elements - From Sound to Light, 2018 Recording the classical elements from a microphone to produce audio frequencies that vary in size have been recreated using light drawings. Earth, water and fire are displayed in their respective colours and are translated from only sound and not sight.

Stephen Hargreaves Third Year | Painting Major Thoughts about China and the New Silk Road, 2018 This Surrealist ‘Inscape’ was painted while my younger son was studying at a Beijing university. The work is a confluence of my thoughts the about the rise of China’s ambitions, and of him, somewhere far away. It also reflects memories of a plan I had to travel to London by traversing the expanse of central Asia. A dream that came to nothing, I never had enough money, then the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan closed the route.

Student

Motherhood and a Law Degree The Juggling Act Rachel Hay

When Ebony Curtis, 22, fell pregnant at 15, her dream to go to university and complete a law degree wasn’t impacted. If anything, she says, it was strengthened.

Furthermore, “there’s no pathway specifically tailored to someone who has children or who has to care for another person.”

“Having kids, you have extra determination. You’re not just doing it for yourself anymore.”

“There does need to be some strategy, plan or policy in the university for women who do fall pregnant or have children because we don’t have the same freedom to study in a way expected by course frameworks,” Ebony said.

Ebony, the first person in her family to attend university, said she was motivated to study law “to have a good career, be a role model and provide financially so that [her] children [can have] the best future possible.” But completing a full-time law degree and looking after two children, Ruby, 6, and Archer, 3, certainly comes with its challenges. Ebony said the most difficult part of being a mother and studying at university was “the juggling act [of] trying to find the right balance.” Ebony says that when her children are at school, daycare or asleep, she is “trying to get as much work done as possible, [so] I can spend quality time with them later. Because it’s not a huge amount of time that I get with them when I’m in semester.” “I am struggling with that because these are the years my children are growing up and they’re never going to be this little tomorrow or in a year… I struggle with guilt a lot.” “If I’m not studying, I’m [feeling] guilty because I‘m not studying and if I’m not being present [with my children], I’m [feeling] guilty because I’m not doing that.”

To support mothers achieving an education outside of the university and school framework, Ebony has been working with the Brave Foundation, the only national non-for-profit organisation that supports teenagers who are pregnant or who have children, since 2011. As an ambassador to this organisation, Ebony encourages young women with children to continue their education. “I’ve been a representation [to pregnant women and young mothers] of what can happen if you do have the right support.” As a testament to her success, Ebony has recently been asked to be a director of the board. Despite her goal of being a lawyer and passion to inspire other young mums, Ebony says that her biggest hope is to be “a good Mum… [and] able to juggle” so her children can feel like their Mum is present in the early years of their lives.

There are a few facilities on campus which assist mothers like Ebony. Whilst there is a childcare facility on campus, it is in high demand and has long waiting lists.

Professor Black’s Leadership An Update from the University’s New Vice-Chancellor Monte Bovill and Bethany Green Housing Crisis

“The student voice matters”

The Hobart housing crisis and the University's response has been a recurring factor of Professor Black's first six months as Vice-Chancellor.

Change, new initiatives and a natural disaster have marked Professor Rufus Black’s first six months as ViceChancellor at the University of Tasmania.

In March, UTas announced plans to build a new accommodation complex in Hobart’s CBD, which would house over 400 students. Just two months later, the University additionally announced it had purchased Midcity Hotel in the CBD, and would be refurbishing it to provide accommodation for 140 students by Semester 2.

Professor Black began his term as the VC of UTas in March, replacing Professor Peter Rathjen. Since then, Professor Black has led the University through Hobart’s housing crisis, the severe flooding in May and the continued transformation of UTas campuses. It’s fair to say that the former Master of the University of Melbourne’s Ormond College and Deputy Chancellor of Victoria University has had a lot on his plate. Professor Black said he and his family frequently visited Tasmania before making the move down this year, and that his passion for enhancing Tasmania’s potential was a strong personal motivation for assuming the role of VC. “I love what universities can do in places: their capacity to be at the heart of communities, supporting and helping them and creating opportunities,” he said.

The VC proposed that, when completed, the increased student accommodation should create equilibrium between student housing need and availability. However, the new complex announced in March remains years away from completion. The Midcity development offers single, twin-sharing and suite rooms, all with catered meals, which can be rented from $267 to $442 per week. Professor Black said because of Midcity’s layout and it's lack of kitchens the University had to offer a model that was comparable to Jane Franklin Hall.

“The University of Tasmania is a university I am passionate about, both in its place and mission that it has.”

He recognised that the new UTas student accommodation options may not be an affordable or an appropriate option for many UTas students currently struggling with homelessness.

Professor Black described the UTas mission as one that aims to serve Tasmania and Tasmanians while contributing to the wider world - particularly in the area of research.

However, he believes that the new accommodation is likely to relieve some of the pressure on Hobart’s housing market, in turn benefiting students looking for more affordable options.

The new VC said he values students and is serious about addressing their concerns. “The student voice matters. We are seeking to put more of the University leadership closer to students,” he said.

He acknowledged that the University needed to offer a range of choice for students and to keep up with demand.

Images: Alastair Bett and Monte Bovill

“We have to find a model that enables regional students to have access to affordable accommodation,” he said. Professor Black said no new housing announcements were on the horizon but noted the University was ready to adapt if the market continues to change.

Campus Relocation

Student

Professor Rathjen’s vision of transforming Tasmania’s three main population centres into ‘university cities’ has continued under the leadership of Professor Black. In Launceston, the existing campus in the suburb of Newnham will be replaced with a new development that will add to current facilities four kilometres down the road at Inveresk. It is anticipated that students will commence study at the new campus in 2022. The Cradle Coast campus in Burnie will be relocated to West Park, with an expected completion date of 2021. Professor Black described the relocations as “one of the biggest architectural projects in the state” that incorporates student, staff and community input. “We want engagement when creating the future and have frequent conversations with stakeholders,” he said. Professor Black stated thst the relocation would support Tasmania’s future and bring UTas closer to industry and community services.

The year of 2018 has been a year of change and surprises. The remainder of the year is already showing signs of further transformation and only time will tell if students will benefit.

“The new campus will build friendships and connections across disciplines and you can only do that if you bring people to a place where connectivity can occur. We want to bring campus life to life and develop a vibrant university community,” he said. “Our current campuses don’t enable us to do that. The new ones will.” In Launceston, student accommodation will remain at the Newnham campus for the short term, but will eventually move. The Australian Maritime College (AMC) will remain at its current location. The future use and re-purposing of the Newnham campus site and facilities remain subject to ongoing discussion and negotiation. In the South, the Media School moved into Hobart’s CBD and away from the Sandy Bay campus. Professor Black foreshadowed that developments regarding the future of the Sandy Bay campus will be released later this year. He said that the University currently has two options: maintain the current footprint in the CBD and rebuild the Sandy Bay campus, or consolidate in the city and away from Sandy Bay. “Whatever happens, we are going to need to invest significantly in our facilities in the South,” he said. “The buildings at the Sandy Bay campus have reached a point where they are far from providing contemporary support, many of them are at the end of their serviceable life.” Professor Black said students can expect a “fully digital campus” and a “transformative experience” at the new campuses, and welcomes all feedback from stakeholders, particularly students, about the future of the University.

Mackenzie Stolp Second Year | Bachelor of Media Instagram: @macmobi

(All) Journal Studies 1, 2018 I've always found that when I experiment and have fun with my journal, I produce collages that satisfy me more than when I sit down and concentrate on creating a piece of art. Because of that, this year I've committed to working solely within my journal. These are the results of my experiment so far and I am incredibly happy with this body of work.

Tassie’s Finest Drops All Under One Roof Cameron Allen There is something inherently gorgeous about this place. In the words of Kevin McCloud, there is grandeur in the liquor cabinet: unapologetic, perched up on high. “What’s that one like? No, the one to your left. Yeah, that’s the one.”

Sure enough, nestled away about fourteen-and-ahalf drunken steps south-westerly of Salamanca is Society. “When we started we didn’t really know which direction we wanted to go in,” says Ange.

“So many!… I can’t decide. What would you recommend?”

One thing, however, has been crystal clear from the get-go.

“What’s that one in the shrunken head?”

“We always wanted to have a Tasmanian focus.”

The culmination of a friendship spanning more than twenty years, Angela Nichols and Emma Davis opened Society in September 2015. “Our common interest was that we both really liked to go out and have a good time,” says Ange.

Harnessing the bountiful riches of Tasmania’s local craft beer, wine and spirit offerings underpinned the formation of the drinks menu. “Hobart’s punching above its weight in what it is offering on a national scale.”

“Quality beverages and quality food.”

“We stock any bottle of Tasmanian whisky we can get, they’re very rare and quite hard to get your hands on,” says Ange.

Ange, the drink specialist-in-chief, is no stranger to being behind the bar. A student of journalism, Ange tossed in the Olympus VN-7800 Digital Voice Recorder with the realisation this was something she’d rather be doing.

Pausing to allow herself a moment of pride, she adds, “And we’ve got so much good stuff!”

“I was far more interested in my day job at the Henry Jones Art Hotel.” In the following years she flew abroad, bartending on private yachts and indulging her lust for good food and beverage. For Emma Davis, Society was a conquest of love. As a qualified lawyer, Emma completed a stint at the Department of Immigration in Canberra before circumstance willed her home to the Apple Isle. “Someone told me to write a list of things that I do and the things that I love doing, and then to go about making the things you do the things you love doing.”

The Tasmanian flavour doesn’t stop there. Despite offering a commendable assortment of cheese platters, tapas and nibbles to keep the patrons drinking longer, Ange and Emma are aware that they simply do not have the space for a fully-fledged commercial kitchen. “We’ve had a lot of success cooperating with local independent caterers.” Society plays host to a run of themed food events. Paella night, tacos and trivia, crêpe night and the hugely successful bao bun bonanza to name but a few.

Eating good food, drinking and not getting up the morning topped the list.

“It takes a lot of stress out of it for us,” says Ange. “It allows us to stick to the drinks, which is what we’re good at.”

And so, the seed was planted.

“We leave the food up to the experts.”

A proven winner in the midweek timeslot, Ange and Emma plan to increase the number of themed food events.

The bar – in itself an elegant mesh of Tasmanian blackwood and pressed tin – is indicative of Society’s neat and unobtrusive decor. Charmed with the advice of family and friends, Society grew, and as the number of patrons increased, so did the collection of spirits on the wall. Today, there are over 350 bottles. “We didn’t anticipate having the spirits niche which we now do; that happened organically.” As Emma recalls, it was only as the eleventh hour struck that Ange piped up enthusiastically. “I remember you saying to me I would like to do a little cocktail list.” “And this was, I think, the day before we opened.”

Society gets its fair share of whisky connoisseurs, as they are affectionately known by Ange and Emma. That said, Society is by no means exclusive. The demographic on any given day is a mish-mash of folks with one mutually shared interest. “There is a really different mix of people in the room at any given time, all here with a common goal of drinking good booze and having a good time.” “I think in Hobart you’d be silly to narrow yourself.”

Ange and Emma claim to be slightly ahead of the trend for Hobart. It’s hard to argue. Society offers a different garnish for each one of their sixty-six strong gin collection. After an encouraging first two years of trade, Ange and Emma are by no means resting on their laurels. “We go on a lot of business trips, we do a lot of research, we spend a lot of time frequenting other bars.” “The more of that we do the more we learn.”

Discover what Society has to offer at 22 Montpelier Retreat, Battery Point

Lifestyle

The fit-out gives the space some much needed warmth, a far cry from its predecessor – an industrial cider house.

“She’d set the last glass in place and calm had descended on the table in its perfect symmetry.” She’d set the last glass in place two hours before the start of the party. Her engagement party. She’d set the last glass in place and calm had descended on the table in its perfect symmetry. Now, the chink of glasses and bubble of voices fill the room to the brim, and the occasional burst of laughter sends the atmosphere overflowing into the outside world. Neighbours and passers-by pause their nightly routines to wonder at the happiness celebrated in this lively house. The noisy, boisterous happiness. Anything but calm. Friends on their third drink sit their glasses carelessly on the table. On the piano. On the floor. The table is busy: a deserted napkin here, a slop of bloodred wine there. Anything but symmetrical. Yet, perfect in its own way.

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The Engagement Party Caylee Tierney

She opened her eyes. The voices faded and the glasses returned to their place. A still room and a still table. Its emptiness matched the void inside her. An empty room poised in all readiness. Empty glasses and empty plates. It was unnatural, a room like this. She stood and dropped the tissue crumpled in her hand. Right unnatural. She waded into the perfect symmetry of the table and swam across its surface. Her arms flailed and glasses tumbled. Plates smashed to the floor. Napkins were ripped to shreds. When she’d purged herself of movement, she rolled off the table and grasped it under one end. She clenched her teeth and flipped the table on its side. The cacophony of sounds didn’t quite mirror what she’d imagined for her perfect table. It didn’t fill the emptiness. Her arms fell to her sides. She stared, unseeing, at the disaster. Her breath came in heavy gasps and tears rolled with heightening urgency down her cheeks. She stumbled back and sat on the first thing her legs hit. A howl of anguish tore from her throat.

It was five-thirty when the doorbell chimed. Half an hour early. Who could it be other than a guest? She’d checked her face in the hallway mirror as she passed. Oops, a smudge of lipstick just above her left lip. A lick of saliva had polished it off in an instant. She’d practiced a smile to herself. Perfect. She’d held the smile and pulled the door open. Two people had stood in the doorway. A man and a woman. Good. A couple. But she hadn’t known them. And they wore uniforms. Blue uniforms with patches across the chest. And their faces. So sombre. Too sombre. This was a party – didn’t they know? Her engagement party. “There must be a mistake. I'm expecting guests.”

Angie Dara Soechiarto Third Year | Visual Communications Major (All) Experimenting Composition, 2016 (Top Left) A compositional study on balconies and perspective. (Top Right) Inspired by Hong Kong photographer, Fan Ho. (Bottom Left) An architectural study on light and shadow. (Bottom Right) Inspired by my lecturer, Hans Bacher, a former Disney illustrator.

Adrian Bradbury Honours Year | Bachelor of Fine Arts Track-Marker with Rock Cairn, 2018 The walking tracks of kunanyi are junctures where humans and nature overlap and intertwine. The boundaries of the two here are blurred and ill-defined.

Puddleton Eilidh Direen

Jacob crouched low behind the rock, feeling his erratic heartbeat quicken. His hands on the crossbow were slick with sweat. He could hear the tree demon howling in the distance, and if he’d been a sensible sort of lad he would have run for it then and there. But he was too young to tell the difference between fear and excitement. He inched out from his hiding place, careful not to lose his footing on the icy plateau. It would be difficult to get a good shot without making himself known to the creature. It was nothing like the wild dogs he’d hunted and killed that morning; its senses were sharper, its sensibility more savage. It was an ancient evil, beyond his comprehension. A freezing gust of wind nearly knocked him to his feet. He shivered and pulled his hood up. Then, steeling himself, he stepped out from behind the rock. The demon saw him and screeched with glee. It was monstrously large, a mass of twisted wooden limbs, jagged spider-infested bark and old corrupted magic. Its snaking black tendrils came at him with frightening speed, but Jacob was quicker. He pointed his crossbow towards it, aimed carefully, and shot a bolt of cold iron directly into its gaping black maw. The creature screamed again, this time in agony. Its leaves withered and died, its limbs shrivelled, and it collapsed in upon itself until all that was left was a pile of black dust that sailed away on the next gust of wind. Jacob surveyed the scene with the dispassionate tranquillity that only a child can muster in such situations. “Sick,” he said.

“Jacob Thomas Brown, the Puddleton Animal Rights Guild finds you guilty of the wanton slaughter of two large wild dogs and one tree demon. Do you understand the charges laid against you?” Jacob looked up at the guild chairwoman, who also happened to be his mother, and fidgeted in his seat. “Yes.” “Well, young man,” Mrs Brown said, “how do you justify the killing of these innocent creatures?”

32 Subsection C - Paragraph 32

“I was worried that they might attack us if they came any closer to the village.” The honourable members of the Animal Rights Guild were shocked at this statement and murmured amongst themselves in disapproval. Finally the chairwoman asked, “How old are you, child?” “I’m twelve, Mum.” Mrs Brown sighed. “Ah, the thoughtlessness of youth…” “It was my birthday yesterday.” “Was it? Jolly good. Now listen here, you’ll have to do better than ‘they might attack us’. Here in Puddleton we deal chiefly in facts, not fancies.” Jacob thought hard, trying to visualise the Puddleton Code for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which he’d studied in school last term. “Well… my actions were of utility. I needed to improve my crossbow skills, and a moving target was necessary. And—I was careful to shoot right between the eyes, or in the mouth, so that death was instantaneous. And I only killed animals that were dangerous. And I took the dogs’ pelts and claws, to minimise wastage.” “Hmm, and I suppose you consider that sufficient justification for your violent actions?” “Well, there are provisions for those criteria in the PCETA under subsection C—” “Alright, alright, that will do,” the chairwoman said testily. “I will need to discuss this matter privately.” She and her colleagues withdrew to the inner chamber, leaving Jacob to stare miserably at the floor for five, ten, fifteen minutes, listening to the muffled shouting and breaking of pottery that inevitably accompanied these sorts of discussions. Finally the guild members returned to their seats. The chairwoman looked down her spectacles at Jacob and drew a deep breath. “Master Brown, we have decided to let you off with a warning—this time. Do not do it again, lest we be compelled to take a stricter line of action.”

Creative

“But the Code—” “Will be placed under review in the coming months,” his mother said coldly. “Now be off with you, before I change my mind.” Jacob nodded and scurried out the door.

“What did you get up to today, Jacob?” Mr Brown asked that night at dinner. Jacob shrugged. “Not much.” “He made me a beautiful present for Mother’s Day,” said Mrs Brown, beaming as she exhibited her new fur purse and scarf. “Oh, now that is quality craftsmanship,” said Mr Brown, admiring the articles. “Good job, son.” “Dad, you’re embarrassing me.” “Sorry son.” “But they are nice, aren’t they?” Mrs Brown said. “Look how delicate the stitching is at the seams! It’s just a shame they were the big grey dogs you shot, Jacob darling. Their fur is a little coarse around the edges. You must try and find one of the little black ones next time.”

Sentence 33 - PCETA 33

My Bubble Photography Millicent Banner

There’s something magical about diving into the sea and exploring. From the surface, you have no idea what the water will be like, whether the fish will come out to play or how the corals and reef are faring. It is a world of its own with unique creatures, gardens and landscaping. Every photograph is an experience, and sometimes with the tricky circumstances of underwater photography, the photo is a fluke. Other times I’ve spent up to ten minutes observing and capturing a photo of an animal. In Tasmania we are so lucky with the diversity of temperate marine and freshwater ecosystems, which is very different to many of the tropical environments we commonly see. Whilst diving the chilly waters may not

Images: Millicent Banner

be for everyone, I enjoy sharing my encounters with family, friends and those who may not otherwise be able to see and experience what I do. The lesser known but equally charismatic creatures of the sea deserve our admiration and stewardship. Every time I go scuba diving it’s different; sometimes the water is murky, the current a little too strong or the water is really cold. But sometimes I can sit on the seafloor at 40 metres and look at the water rippling as fur seals dive at the surface above and bull kelp sway with waves crashing against vertical dolerite walls. When the water conditions aren’t great, it can affect my photos but I always end the dive thinking of new ways to improve for

Creative

next time. Quite often when the conditions are amazing I’ll take a few snaps and put the camera down to take in the scenery. A camera can only capture so much when what you’re experiencing is incomprehensibly beautiful. Tasmanian divers are spoilt for choice in dive sites. The east coast is best for scuba diving where you can explore shipwrecks, underwater caves, rocky coral reefs, kelp forests and sponge gardens. The best deep diving spots are off the coast, accessible by boat, but you can also enter the water at Bicheno and see a weedy sea dragon within fifteen minutes. The temperate marine environment boasts an array of colours. To perfectly capture this you need a good torch as past twenty meters, most of the

light’s spectrum is absorbed, fading out colour, which can make it seem quite dull to the naked eye. As you would on land, approaching wildlife requires you to be slow, calm and have controlled breathing as bubbles from exhaling can scare the animals. Some creatures are more confident and curious than others and therefore easier to photograph, while others can’t seem to whirl away fast enough. One of my favourite animals to photograph is the Australian fur seal. They actively seek out divers and grace us with their underwater acrobats and playful nature. Another favourite is the excessively colourful nudibranch sea slugs with their bright pink, blues and yellows standing out against the reef. If you’ve ever considered scuba diving, Tasmania is an underappreciated biodiversity hotspot with world class diving. The local people and creatures are hardy and welcoming and there’s always a steaming coffee waiting on the surface to warm up after diving on those brisk days. I hope to continue to explore and document Tassie with my photographs as well as splash out to other areas of the world when I have finished my degree in science. If you want to follow my adventures you can find me on Facebook and Instagram as My Bubble Photography.

Images: Millicent Banner

“I was very insistent that we all be present, we all be visible, and not have anybody hidden down below. The Israelis were afraid, which made me a little afraid, but once the situation was defused, we were just a bunch of humans really who care about each other.” – Madeleine Habib, Captain of the Women’s Boat to Gaza

15:58 (CEST), October 5th 2016, the Zaytona-Oliva – a protest vessel sailing with the intention of breaking the Israeli maritime blockade surrounding Gaza – was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters. Aboard the Zaytona-Oliva were 13 women from 12 countries. Among them were a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, two women over the age of 70, an ex-US military general, a Tunisian member of Parliament, an Olympic beach volleyball player, and a Spanish photographer - all united in their concern for the people of Gaza. The journey had been both physically and mentally challenging, fraught with seasickness, exhaustion, and uncertainty. The crew had made it within 65 kilometres of the Gaza coast - close enough to catch a tantalizing glimpse of the shores - before three imposing Israeli warships drew alongside their vessel and detained them.

This was the most crucial stage of the voyage: negotiations. Madeleine Habib, captain of the ZaytonaOliva, assumed the role of negotiator, informing the Israeli navy of their intention to proceed to Gaza. The Israeli navy remained unyielding; under no circumstances would the Zaytona-Oliva be allowed passage through the blockade. After exhausting all diplomatic avenues and failing to negotiate a satisfactory compromise, the Israeli navy advised Ms Habib that in order to prevent a breach of the maritime blockade, they would be forced to board the Zaytona-Oliva and redirect the vessel to Israel. Several inflatable vessels left the warships, led by a smaller white vessel crewed by several women dressed in white - a stark contrast to the balaclavas and black clothes traditionally donned by the heavily armed troops when boarding a vessel. The tension aboard the Zaytona-Oliva was palpable. The crew was especially conscious of the possibility of escalation; several years ago, ten protestors were killed by Israeli forces undertaking the same voyage to break the Gaza blockade. Aware of the potential for conflict, the thirteen women had taken deliberate steps to diffuse tensions. As the Israelis boarded, the women politely greeted them, remaining above deck as the Israeli forces conducted a thorough search of the vessel. Transparency was paramount; if the Israeli forces were to find any hidden weapons, bombs, cameras, or extra people below deck, or were met with aggression from the crew, the outcome would significantly worsen.

Women’s Boat to Gaza Bethany Green The crew of the Zaytona-Oliva had set a table with plastic flowers, peace signs and cookies, and invited the Israeli forces to eat with them – an invitation many accepted. As the sun set, one woman brought out a guitar and played music, leading to an impromptu sing-along while the vessel set out on its new course to Israel.

“It was a very humanising experience. Perhaps we could have made it ten miles closer, and perhaps we could have provoked something that was more mediagenic - but I am really glad that what we did was safe and dignified.

Upon arriving in Israel, the crew of the Zaytona-Oliva was processed at a reception facility - undertaking medical and security screening, ID checks, debriefing, and questioning - before being returned to their own respective countries.

“We were able to finish the voyage without any violence, without anybody being tasered or pushed overboard, and we welcomed the Israelis on board saying, ‘This is us; we could be your mothers, your grandmothers, we are perfectly reasonable people, and we recognise that you are too. This is what we want, and if we can’t achieve that, we would like to invite you to a cup of tea,’ ” said Ms Habib.

Over a year after her voyage as captain of the ZaytonaOliva, Ms Habib continues to take part in non-violent direct action for SOS Mediterranee and Medecins Sans Frontieres. Reflecting on the Gaza voyage, she explains how simply bearing witness to an event, although it may feel disempowering, can be a powerful form of protest.

“In many ways, I believe that is more powerful than being some aggressive, chest-beating dude, yelling ‘free Gaza’ with his fist clenched,” explained Ms Habib. “You need to respect everybody as an individual and be able to look them in the eye and say, ‘My name’s Madeleine and I’m here because I believe in this.’ If you are not willing to own your own name, then you need to seriously think about your motivation for doing it.”

The crew of the Zaytona-Oliva set out to avoid any perception or risk of aggression, clearly expressing that although they were protesting the blockade to Gaza, they were not anti-Israeli. This allowed them to set the dialogue of the protest on a different course. “There are lots of different ways to portray non-violent direct action. For me, even the raised fist is an aggressive symbol,” she said. “You really need to be aware of the image you are portraying and how things can be perceived as violent. I mean, thirteen ladies, half of us with grey hair, we just don’t look that scary - but I definitely erred on the side of caution.”

Despite not penetrating the naval blockade surrounding Gaza, Ms Habib remains adamant that the trip was a success. “Every time the plight of the people of Gaza is brought to public attention, that is a success. It gives hope to the people of Gaza,” she said. “Nobody got hurt. We all made it, and we took the story back to our own countries which diffuses it even more - as Margaret Mead once said, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’ ”

And it worked. To the credit of the Israeli navy, they responded sympathetically to the women's “traditionally feminine” form of protest. Although initially cautious and hesitant, once the Israelis sat, ate and conversed with the crew of the Zaytona-Oliva, the women were able to peacefully explain their motivations for participating in the voyage.

Feature

Madeleine Habib and the

United States

Midterm Election 101 Logan Linkston

It’s not exactly breaking news that American politics has hit a point where it is no longer only relevant to just the United States. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US is now a world superpower, whose politics bleeds into the lives of people all across the world. Dr Alice Lyman Miller, politics professor and intelligence analyst for the CIA, defined a superpower as, “a country that has the capacity to project dominating power and influence anywhere in the world”. And this kind of superpower is not always a good thing, either… (I get to say that as an American.) The United States has another election coming up in November this year. The 2016 presidential election received an unbelievable amount of international news coverage. The way the US Government was originally set up means that this upcoming election is supposed to be a bigger deal than a presidential election. The checks and balances put in place are supposed to mean that no branch of the government is more powerful than another. There are three branches: the Executive (the President), the Judicial (the Supreme Court) and the Legislative (Congress and the Senate). The role of the president has changed significantly from what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they were writing the US Constitution. Their biggest fear was a populist president. Safe to say, the Founding Fathers are probably rolling over in their graves right now.

Anyway, looking towards the midterm election: what can the world expect to see this coming November? This election is no joke. It should be just as big of a deal as the previous one. All 435 Congressional seats are up for election. 35 out of 100 Senate seats are up for election. This is important because Congress has the most power to pass policy in the United States. Unlike the president, there are no term limits for congressmen and women. So if there is a not-sonice guy holding a congressional seat and the fact that he is inherently terrible is not apparent to US citizens, said individual could potentially hold that power for 50 years. Male pronouns were used there not because all men are inherently terrible but because statistically speaking, Congress is 80 per cent male. (Funny, considering Congress is called the House of Representatives and yet doesn’t represent the other half of the population). When it comes to race, the number is exactly the same. Congress is also 80 per cent caucasian. I digress. What is interesting about American politics is that the political party that was previously elected is often usurped in the following election. George H. W. Bush: Republican Bill Clinton: Democrat George W. Bush: Republican Barack Obama: Democrat Donald Trump: Republican In theory, this is a good thing because it means there is a check on the power of whichever political party representative has been elected for presidency. However, more often than not, it leads to gridlock within the government and just not a whole lot gettin’ done. For example, during the Obama administration, both midterm elections led to a Republican majority in the House and the Senate.

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Feature This is an important question for this impending midterm election: will the Democratic party win a House or Senate majority now that the country has elected a Republican president? Oh yeah. Let’s talk about voting. Because the US doesn’t have mandatory voting, it goes against that classic American DNA of, “You cannot tell us what to do.” Especially when in 2016 the country was told they had to pick the lesser of two evils. The country turned around and said, “Actually, we don’t.” We can see that in 2016 presidential election, 58 per cent of eligible Americans voted. Not that this represents a dramatic increase in participation: 57.5 per cent of the population voted in the 2012 election, down from the 62.3 per cent that voted in the 2008 election. Midterm election voter turnout is even more dismal, which is kind of crazy considering these elections are arguably the ones where more is at stake. These important political positions are up for vote, and these positions were designed to be representative. So why then do only 30 to 40 per cent of citizens show up to ballot boxes? This is why midterm elections are so important. They don’t seem to have the same glamour of a presidential election — perhaps because it is easier to focus on one candidate instead of the many. However, using the ballot as well-informed citizens also means that we can hold powerful people accountable for their actions, or in many cases, their inaction. In this sense, Congress is more powerful than any president, and we should react accordingly. When we see the saturation of US politics all across the world, people should be just as invested in this impending election as the last one. 435 people have the potential to do a lot more damage than just one man. Especially when those 435 people are a “government of the people, by the people, for the people”.

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Through the Lense of BoJack Horseman Finnian Danger Let’s get one thing straight: Netflix’s animated masterpiece BoJack Horseman has no happy Hollywoo (the show's version of Hollywood) endings. From start to finish, this melancholic spiral into depression, drug addiction, and angst will lure you in and leave you hurting. The characters are complex; they are awful in personality, but just redeemable enough that you sympathise with them, while watching them endure painfully common real-world problems makes them all the more human. Well, except for the fact that most of them aren’t human. At a glance, BoJack Horseman is just another wacky adult cartoon, but what takes it from silly to utterly gut-wrenching is its ability to portray painful situations with a realism that will leave even the most hardened millennial feeling personally attacked. It has a huge fan base, and it isn't hard to see why. Let's now touch on four of the important issues that have been portrayed. Please keep in mind that this article will contain spoilers, and some triggering themes.

1. Struggling with Your Sexuality

2. Abortion and Miscarriage

Todd is one of the main characters of the show. Come the third season, things for the character normally reserved for comedic relief start to become more serious. He is shown uncomfortably and awkwardly thwarting several attempts at sexual contact and rebuffing any romantic suggestions. Todd is unable to express the way he feels as he has never heard any label or word to describe it.

In season four, the bomb is dropped that one of the female characters has had several miscarriages. The heart-breaking episode is narrated by her great-great granddaughter, who reveals herself to be nothing more than a fantasy when PC decides to stop trying for children. She denies herself the ability to mourn yet another life lost and another dream down the drain, and pushes forward. For many women, this is a sad reality; miscarriage is a silent phenomenon that is rarely touched on, even though it is estimated that an astonishing 1525% of pregnancies end this way. Depression, secrecy, and denial are the most common reactions to experiencing a miscarriage, and PC exhibits all the key symptoms in a raw and honest fashion. Watching her give up hope of ever having a biological child and being the end of her proud family line leaves a profound ache in the chest.

Eventually, after being rejected once again, he is asked if he is gay. What other possible reason could he have for not being sexually interested in women? Todd thinks about this for a moment and then responds, “I think I might be nothing.” This sentiment resonated with asexual people the world over who had been looking for representation. Todd explores his asexuality further and discovers many more people like him. As he tiptoes around new labels and feelings, his imperfections become more apparent. He is a deeply flawed individual. He becomes obsessed with fitting in with other asexuals in his support group, even though he's free to just be himself. It's jarring to the senses; God, I just want to be a part of this. Being an outsider in a group of outsiders may be the most lonely feeling in existence. His venture into the LGBTI community comes to a satisfying climax when a friend reveals herself as asexual. Todd is pleased, and the camera pans out to a room full of people dressed exactly like him. He isn't alone as he thought after all.

In a stark contrast, another character fakes an pregnancy earlier in the series. After her ghost Tweeter accidentally posted about her own abortion on the star's account, the young Hollywoo glitz releases a song about not wanting to be pregnant and getting an abortion (charmingly titled ‘Get That Fetus, Kill That Fetus’). This particular episode was heralded as a bold and nuanced take on such a serious topic. Giving viewers the opportunity to laugh openly at abortion strengthens the notion that it isn't something to fear or be ashamed of; it is the right of any woman to terminate a pregnancy.

Opinion

3. Misogyny and Abuse in the Entertainment Industry Another hard topic that BoJack Horseman has tackled head on is systemic abuse in the entertainment industry. An infamous and insanely popular TV star is accused of sexually harassing women. Having been on the Hollywoo scene for three decades or more, Uncle Hanky is beloved by animals and people the world over. So, when accusations of his lewd behaviour become public, everyone flips out at the whistle-blowing Diane. How dare she say that? Why is it any of her business? And, of course, she is posed with the question of “What did Uncle Hanky ever do to you?” After all, she is just an innocent bystander. What benefit does she get from standing up? News outlets denounce her as a loud-mouthed feminist lying for fifteen minutes of fame, and this is depressingly accurate to the modern climate of sexual abuse scandals. After initially being given a voice by a popular magazine to talk about the accusations, the plug is pulled when the major sponsor of the magazine claims it is too controversial. They threaten her and her husband's livelihood if she continues to push the topic. Eventually, Diane is accosted by Uncle Hanky and told to cease and desist. In a grim throwback to reality and the #MeToo campaign, he tells her that he is too famous to be touched, regardless of how many people he has touched. This topical theme truly got beneath the skin of viewers and felt uncomfortable and creepy. In the end, Uncle Hanky continues to get away with his behaviour. Nothing changes and the voices of all the women who came forward are silenced.

4. The Fetish of Sadness The one theme that connects with viewers the most is the persistent cloud of depression that lingers throughout the show. The vast majority of the characters have mental health issues and none more so than BoJack himself. His levels of self-loathing are truly astonishing and the depths in which he will sink continue to baffle even seasoned viewers of the show. Whether he is drugging and boozing his emotions into a blur, trying to fornicate with his close friend’s teenage daughter, crushing Todd’s hopes and dreams to keep him downtrodden and unable to argue back, or alienating all his friends, BoJack is plagued by a morbid, inescapable addiction to his own pain. His stagnant personality makes it impossible for him to improve, because he is incapable of doing wrong in his eyes. His narcissistic love-hate relationship with himself leaves him forever treading water and unable to sink or swim. BoJack’s imposter syndrome makes it impossible for him to enjoy his wins; even when he wins prestigious awards, his mind demands more. His state of perpetual suffering is all he knows and it’s what he’s good at, so he cannot and will not change. This fetish for sadness is unfortunately applicable to a huge portion of the show’s viewership, which has turned it into an instant cult classic. Let's face it; we've all been there. BoJack's over-the-top misery is a begrudging reminder that change takes effort, and we don't always want to put that effort in. We are all victims of not feeling good enough, or demanding more from ourselves or others. BoJack, in a sense, represents all of us: the absolute worst parts of every person. Writers for the show have stated that they feel they hold a certain level of responsibility to end the show on an upbeat note because of the emotional nature of the content and the association that a major portion of the fan base feel to the characters. The fact that the public feels this way speaks loudly to the effect that BoJack Horseman has on people. If you've never taken the time to watch it before, now is the perfect time to do a classic Netflix binge; season five will be premiering on September 14th. Just make sure to leave plenty of time to question the point of existence afterwards.

Paedophilia Logan Linkston

It’s pretty terrifying. No one can justifiably argue that it isn’t. But much like every other crime article I’ve written for Togatus, it just really isn’t as simple as people might think. Paedophiles have been labelled as “monsters” and “predators”. They are perceived as the boogeyman of society, as dangerous as any serial killer. When someone hurts a child, or is even attracted to children, as a society we often refuse to even learn about that person. It’s too repulsive. It’s too dark. They’re a monster. Move on. In our terrified state, we fall victim to stereotypes. Which is completely understandable. We struggle to wrap our brains around the kind of person who would violate a child’s innocence, so our brains try to make the problem simple and easy to understand. It’s the creepy, older man in a trench coat standing by the playground, haunting the imagination of so many people. But psychologically and criminologically speaking, it really isn’t that simple. Paedophilia is categorised as something called a paraphilia, or what has been more commonly known as sexual deviancy - which just means an atypical sexual interest. Paraphilias include exhibitionism, fetishism, frotteurism, paedophilia, sexual masochism, sexual sadism and voyeurism. So a foot fetish and voyeurism are in the same classification system as necrophilia.

Image: Monte Bovill

Feature

In a world that has recently romanticised BDSM relationships (50 Shades of Grey, anyone?) we should probably be well-informed about unconventional sexual practices. More importantly, when we are so scared of someone who is a threat, we should really have a better idea of this kind of offender. If said person ever becomes an offender, that is. The reality is: the majority of sex offenders are male, but are not mentally ill, and are not paedophiles. But they do have a history of physical or sexual abuse. They have varied criminal records which do not always include sexual crimes, and it has been difficult to establish offender characteristics. So then. A paedophile is an individual who is sexually attracted to children. It is important to know that “paedophile” is a psychological term only. One cannot be convicted of paedophilia. So when Sky News ran that article about a man “convicted of paedophilia” on UTas campuses, that was incorrect. There are many paedophiles who may never act upon their attraction. Which is why it’s a psychological term. One can be convicted of child molestation. It seems like semantics, but it’s actually not. A paedophile may not be a child molester and a child molester may not be a paedophile. Bear with me. Here’s an example for you: The regressed paedophile is an adult who is usually attracted to adults but through a series of unfortunate

events, such as the loss of a job and the failure of a relationship, seemingly loses control of his life and ends up molesting a child to feel like he’s in control again. He may never spiral out of control again, and he was never actually attracted to kids to begin with. The most important thing to note here is that this guy does not fit the stereotype of paedophiles that is so infiltrated into society. Can you imagine turning on the news to hear about this seemingly normal guy who molested a child because he lost control of his life and not because he was attracted to children? No. You turn on the news and hear the word “monster”. Instead we hear about how children need to be protected from the stranger who likes little girls or boys but as we’ve found out, the biggest threat is usually close to home. There are specific stereotypes that have emerged, regardless of the fact that it has been difficult for professionals to nail down specific characteristics in child sex offenders and paedophiles. In both the media and in novels, paedophiles are constructed as violent offenders. They are out of control and their crimes reflect that, each one defined by violence. In the '80s, the largest study of child abuse was conducted. In that study, it was revealed that 80 percent of the perpetrators “exhibited something other than threatening or violent behaviour”.

“…it just really isn't as simple as people might think.”

...

But these people are completely out of control, right? Regardless of whether or not they are violent, they won’t stop until they get enough, and they will never get enough — yet another stereotype society has bought into. The US Department of Justice found that during the first three years of their release from prison, 3 per cent of the child molesters were arrested again for committing another sex crime against a child. 3 per cent. 141 people out of over 4 000. Every offender is unique, and his or her offending behaviours are unique to circumstance. That is true of almost any crime. Someone who is attracted to children is not more likely to be any more out of control than another group of people who commit crimes. Professionals are still learning about paedophiles and child molesters. Research that was once heavily relied upon is now uncertain. This is because historically, most of the research around paedophiles has been focused entirely on child sexual abusers, which as we have now established, are often two different things with a small intersectionality. According to the American Psychological Association, only 3 to 5 per cent of the population meets the criteria for paedophilia. That’s a pretty small number for what a lot of people consider to be the biggest threat facing their children. Then there’s that idea of the stranger in a trenchcoat always being male. While research has proved that the majority of child molesters and paedophiles are male,

there are studies that show a percentage (4 to 9 per cent) of paedophiliac women. A lack of research means that ultimately it is assumed to be a small percentage, but once again it is hard to know the statistics when the research for so many years has been skewed. Now, I understand that none of this makes paedophilia any less terrifying. I think that’s the point; that the information that is so readily accepted by society isn’t correct. Which also means that the way we’re thinking and attempting to avoid said people is also incorrect. Being well-informed is important. Whether you’re writing an article about a sex offender in your city, if you have children yourself, or if you’re watching a television show where the antagonist is a child molester or paedophile, at least you know a little more. You know the difference between the two. You know that paedophiles may not necessarily be violent or re-offend the way they are often portrayed and understand that the person who commits crimes against children is not always the shifty old man in the trenchcoat.

Do you have a restless pen? Are you an aspiring writer, journalist, or artist?

Then contribute to Togatus! See the details below for more information. We look forward to hearing from you!

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