Volume Two: On Thin Ice

ON THIN ICE

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WELCOME TO COUNTRY

UTS acknowledges and recognises the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation and the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation as the traditional owners and holders of knowledge where our UTS campuses now stand. UTS also pays respect to Elders past, present and future for sharing their knowledge and the significant contribution that Australia’s first peoples make to the academic and cultural life of our university.

Maree Graham, Deputy Director, Students and Community Engagement, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, University of Technology, Sydney

Art Credit

EDITORIAL 4 5

Editorial Letter Acknowledgements ARTS & LIFESTYLE

Today I cooked a healthy meal, had coffee for dinner, scuttled around, descended stairs, stepped outside.

I’m sliding down a slick, wet street on ice skates.

First rain for months.

The asphalt doesn’t grate against me, instead I glide, arms wide breeze between my fingers.

It’s drizzling, and my cheeks smile at the cool droplets collecting on the bags under my eyes.

Everyone’s in bed except me and the stars free from reach in weightless limbo skating along invisible highways.

Sparkling, damp moonlight beneath my feet.

I slow to a halt at the end of the road.

From a lamplit window flows a well-worn hymn.

Wrinkled voices, steaming cups before dawn.

The cars, the dogs, the squeaky gates, have all swallowed their tongues to listen with me.

I sit on the wet ground, lie down, feel the water through my shirt.

The lamp goes out, and the gutters resume trickling.

I blink, as first rays slice the horizon.

8 60 62 82 84

Feelin’ Old with Verge Collection Sofia Casanova Margot McGovern: Crisis and Recovery Sofia Casanova Book Review: The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin Eugenia Alabasinis Overture: Most Controversial Music Releases David Burley Overture: Top Seven Eurovision Songs of 2018 Manoli Luxford BUSINESS, SCIENCE & INNOVATION

19 32 64 68 80

Endangered Species Sathsara Radaliyagoda The Infamous Pink Tax Nicole De Palo Meet Sophia Dylan Crismale Stools: A Humble Symbol of Hong Kong’s Adaptability Joyce Cheng Our Digital Footprint Larissa Shearman

CREATIVE WRITING 6 22 28 58 78

Winter’s Fruit Ally Moulis The Nest James Gardiner November 15 Damon Chester Bad Things Come in Threes Victoria Chong Roulette Romance Clare Manera

SHOWCASE 11 18 34 42 50 72

Round The Bend Kim Phan Huge Lizard & Her Ant GF Evie Hilliar Scott Marsh Nicole De Palo Despair Caroline Dranoff Liquid Claudia Akole Vacant Spaces Shanni Sun

POLITICS & LAW 15 30 41

66

Earth Jurisprudence: Towards Achieving Climate Justice Georgia Chinchilla Skriðþunga (Momentum) James Gardiner Détente on Ice: The Future of North-South Korean Relations PostPyeongchang Tom Brennan How Trump Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Jong-Un Rhiannon Soliman-Marron

B-SIDE 91 92 95

97 SOCIO-CULTURAL 26 36 39 46 48 86

Turns Out The L Word Didn’t Cure Me of My Internalised Homophobia Annie Parker Let Me Google That For You Chrissy Saunders A Smile is Not Fucking Universal Gigi Liu Seeing in 2D Nadine Silva An Informational Guide to Panic Attacks Alyssa Rodrigo Nicola Barr Nicole De Palo

98 100 102 103 104 105 106

108 111 112

Women Continue to Worry About Lindsay Lohan Lucy Tassell Dating on the Edge: Perils of the First Date Stephanie Todd Five Unbelievably Simple Things To Not Do So You Don’t Look Like A Racist Piece Of Shit At Coachella Aryan Golanjan Horse Girl Identified By Braid Lucy Tassell Zero Percent Bella Meagher A Journey to Antarctica Nicole De Palo time’s tickin’ Erin Sutherland Instagram Stories Scrolled Through During 25th Minute of 21st Speeches Lucy Tassell tired Will Thompson Dear Shaz, Aunt Shaz Horoscopes Wom*n’s Revue Students’ Association Reports Support Submit to Vertigo

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EDITORIAL LETTER

EDITORIAL TEAM EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Dylan Crismale Aryan Golanjan MANAGING EDITOR Gigi Liu CREATIVE DIRECTORS Joyce Cheng Nicole Ho EDITORS Sofia Casanova Nicole De Palo James Gardiner Alyssa Rodrigo

Welcome to Volume Two of 2018, one that we hope you’ll dive deep into and immerse yourself in. The first month or so of semester has hopefully allowed you to dip your toes into the uni schedule and see if the shoe fits. As new editors, we’ve broken the ice with our first volume, held firm on the slippery surface of our adventure. We’ve grabbed it with both hands, and are walking into the rest of the year consenting to constant anxiety, nit-picking and inevitable rushes of relief and pride when our paper-children go to print.

This is testing the waters. You get to chip away at an experience, hold the tip of the iceberg in your hands, and inspect the way the light bounces off its corners, the tiny fractures of silver that could do more harm than good. How does it feel in the warmth of your hand? Does it tingle on your fingertips? Is it too sharp? Too cold? No worries, toss it back and let it melt in the dark depths.

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a moment, between leaving for good or sticking around just that second longer? Your mind is murky water, a cesspool of thoughts and echoes that won’t leave you alone. What will happen if you stay, clinging to the fragile fishing line you’ve cast into the pool? Will it hurt you if you go, empty-handed and thin-lipped?

Interwoven within these pages are tales and pieces that press the line between fantasy and reality. Keep your eye out for repeat offender Ally Moulis’ Winter’s Fruit, a poem that bends the real and plunges us into Garcia Márquez-style magic realism. Georgia Chinchilla questions what would happen if nature was given legal rights, while Eugenia Alabasinis’ review on The Immortalists explores the meaning of living when faced with knowing the day you die. New on the scene, Stephanie Todd and Sarah Choo brave the perils of the first date. It’s dangerous territory for us all.

This volume shines a light on mental illness, the invisible battle most of us take part in every day of our lives. Throughout this volume, we are navigating unknown waters between cultures and the stigma of mental illness, advocating for self-care. It’s a part of being human.

When you’re shaking and unable to breathe, know you’re not alone as Alyssa Rodrigo gives helpful tips on how to help someone having a panic attack.

So set up camp and drop a fishing line through a hole in the ice, and wait. Maybe you’ll feel a tug on the line, and pull out a mighty fish.

Or you’ll spend your time waiting in the cold for no reward.

You never know what’s waiting in murky waters until you reach through the surface in the hope of finding out.

With love, The Editorial Team

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Vertigo is published by the UTS Students’ Association (UTSSA) and proudly printed

by SOS Printing, Alexandria.

The contents of Vertigo do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, printers, or the UTSSA. Vertigo and its entire contents are protected by copyright.

Vertigo will retain the right to republish in any format.

Contributors retain all other rights for resale and republication. No material may be reproduced without the prior written consent of the copyright holders.

ADVERTISING Stephanie King For all advertising enquiries please contact stephanie.king-1@uts.edu.au

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WRITERS

VISUALS

Eugenia Alabasinis Lachlan Barker Tom Brennan David Burley Damon Chester Georgia Chinchilla Victoria Chong Bernice Datu Georgina Goddard Kirra Jackson Ruturaj Khenat Manoli Luxford Clare Manera Lana Miletich Ally Moulis Mehmet Musa Annie Parker Sathsara Radaliyagoda Chrissy Saunders Nadine Silva Rhiannon Soliman-Marron Larissa Shearman Lucy Tassell Stephanie Todd Wom*n’s Revue Lachlan Wykes

Claudia Akole Isabella Brown Sarah Choo Chloe Dimopoulos Caroline Dranoff Eva Harbridge Evie Hilliar Chloe Farrington Wilson Leung Bella Meagher Kim Phan Georgette Stefoulis Shanni Sun Erin Sutherland Will Thompson Julia White Connor Xia Nicole Yeom Crystal Yiamkiati

OPENING POEM James Gardiner

COVER ART Janey Li SUB-EDITORS Liam Fairgrieve Freya Howard Sathsara Radaliyagoda Erin Sutherland Lucy Tassell

OPENING ART Joyce Cheng

CONTACT

CONNECT

Enquiries editorial@utsvertigo.com.au Submissions submissions@utsvertigo.com.au

utsvertigo.com.au Facebook facebook.com/utsvertigo Twitter @vertigomagazine Instagram @utsvertigo

THANK YOUS

FUCK YOUS

SHRUGS

Daiso Difflam Screen protectors

Cover letters Panic attacks Bad haircuts

OneDrive UberEats Commas

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CREATIVE WRITING

WINTER’S FRUIT

By Ally Moulis

The sky was navy when it snowed A rush of swirling white, The girl was sleeping quietly In a bed with blankets tight.

Her window left a crack ajar Let in an icy breeze, It slithered over sill and ledge; Trespasser through the trees.

A snowflake small and steady Floated through the open slit, And danced into her dreaming mouth Her cheeks and bones moonlit.

Down her throat it flew until It reached her inner caves of red And there it lodged its body; Drop of cold in fleshy bed.

In the morning when she woke An icicle had grown, Within her lung was stalactite; If only she had known!

Feeling nothing but a gentle pain She plucked from bowl and stalk A cherry sweet and plump and ripe; Sucked between her jaw.

The season changed and spring began Its splendid warm descent Upon the timber house wherein The girl lay quite content.

And as the melting sword of ice Dripped like a metronome It watered the last cherry seed Swallowed, stuck and sewn.

As months passed by the girl soon found That from her head had grown A cherry tree with branches And leaves of its very own.

Unalarmed and unperturbed She stood among her sister trees And plucked from her own arms Sweet fruit and spat the seeds.

Art by Chloe Farrington

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ARTS & LIFESTYLE

FEELIN’ OLD WITH VERGE COLLECTION In conversation with Vertigo Words by Sofia Casanova

Verge Collection are a homebrewed musical influence from Perth. Their work explores the balance between pop sensibilities and working class poetry while channelling a sound that is so relatable to Australian millennials. Vertigo had the opportunity to speak to songwriter and frontman Ben Arnold about their debut LP Flaneur and what it means to be human.

Photographs courtesy of Verge Collective

ARTS & LIFESTYLE

To kick things off, how did Verge Collection first come about?

I don’t think we particularly have an origin story as a band because it’s never really been a band per se. It’s pretty suburban and bland. I write the songs, we jam them and then we rehearse. I got those guys involved because I was friends with them or I liked what they were about.

Your upcoming album Flaneur resonates with millennials from your sound to your lyrics. The tracks are so relatable.

What was the writing process like?

Well, to give you context, since I left uni I’ve pretty much been bouncing between jobs. I haven’t been good at holding them down either. Then came round that three month period before all your savings run out and you’re very inhibited with how you spend. Then you get to sit at home all day and you think about yourself. For me, I felt like a failure and in a sense, writing a song was an achievement.

So while I lost my job, I wrote three songs; to me, that’s worth it in my head. It’s half a necessity to feel valid in my life, but I found this out recently that most people don’t care [about my music or my success].

Most of the time they’ll ask, “Jesus Christ, are you okay?” and I’ll say, “Yeah!”

So you’d say success comes in various definitions.

Yeah, because you compare success it makes you think, “Oh shit what have I actually done with my life? Not much.” I think you can hear it in some of the lyrics in regards to this, but I think success as defined by most of the population would be commercial success. I’ve been hanging out with people who don’t feel that way and they call me an idiot for thinking that’s success.

The single ‘Feelin’ Old’ is a bit of a hard-hitting track.

What was your mindset when you were writing this?

I’d just moved out of home, for a bunch of reasons, but I was also sick of being so inept as a human. At some point you don’t have your mum there with you to do everything. You have to do your own washing, cleaning, everything, and until you start doing it, you don’t think about it. When you think about mundane life like brushing your teeth for the rest of your life, washing your clothes and all that, you realise all these boring life things start to become less of an inconvenience and more of an impending dread. I have to buy four washing machines in my life and then I’ll probably die. What’s the point? This is so sad.

Bottom line, growing up is realising life is sad and figuring out how to make it good. The music is catchy because why not take joy in the rhythm of life? If people want to listen in to it to get something deeper out of it, it’ll mean something different to me and them.

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ARTS & LIFESTYLE

Would you be able to describe the concept behind Flaneur?

It was mainly combining a bunch of things together, but it does have a weird narrative in the progression of songs. My dad died at the end of 2016 and I wrote one extra song about that. I guess a lot of the songs were applicable to my own dad’s life, so I put them in an order, a life cycle from birth to death. It’s semi-linear with those ideas behind them, exploring and realising that life is finite. I want people to read into it and be like, “It’s so arrogant.” But the whole point is it’s meant to be tongue-in-cheek and no one should have to think about things this deep.

Your track ‘Black Dog’ is a unique sound on mental health with very raw lyrics. The line, “I’m going to have so much fun letting myself come undone” is almost comical in its sadness. Was the message of mental health intentional?

Well, the track is more about what happened to a housemate than myself. ‘Black Dog’ is about having a breakdown and finding yourself outside the front of your house unsure about how you got there.

I think mental health is part of life; there’s no point in getting beaten up about depression or other things because that’s what it wants you to do. Depression is one of those things that make you dwell on things and makes you want to think about it over and over again and then sitting in your own sadness. If you laugh at it, you can tell it to fuck off.

What has been the biggest risk you’ve taken when it came to your music?

I haven’t really taken any risks. I did put my life on hold though.

Basically, I finished uni, had a year off, went to Tafe while writing music, finished Tafe and by then, the band was getting somewhere.

We got big with ‘Our Place’ and I didn’t try to finish my Masters or anything. I didn’t hold down any well-paying jobs, lived in share houses the whole time, but for the last four years I’ve been doing this band. I love it and I’m glad I stuck with something nobody wanted or needed me to do.

What’s next for Verge Collection?

Concept tropes. I shit you not, it will be driving the album. It’s all done, just gotta get the guys to come in, jam it and record it. I’m so excited about it. Sometimes I listen back to [Flaneur] and I’m like, “Oh hey, that’s really good.” I’d forgotten how it sounded and I’m happy with it. What’s really important with this band was we wanted to get it done quickly, and now that I can take a step back and look at it. I’m happy—I wouldn’t do it the same way we did it before, but it’s good.

I’m glad I did it.

Verge Collection’s debut LP Flaneur is out now! You can also catch them live at Factory Theatre on April 20.

KIM PHAN | @AVERAGECABBAGE.JPG

The Bend

Round SHOWCASE

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14

SECTION

Art Credit

SHOWCASE

Kim Phan @averagecabbage.jpg

15

POLITICS & LAW

17

EARTH JURISPRUDENCE: TOWARDS ACHIEVING CLIMATE JUSTICE

By Georgia Chinchilla

It is hard to avoid feeling despair, frustration, and helplessness when confronted with the imminent threat of climate change. Many of us have grown up amid concerns of rising sea levels, mass species extinctions, and steadily increasing CO2 levels. Now, with the publication of many scientific reports detailing Earth’s rapid deterioration, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the frightening realities of climate change. However, there is a glimmer of hope found in Earth jurisprudence; a modern theory of law which asserts that nature itself has the legal right to exist, thrive, and evolve.1 There is clearly a global consensus that we need to fundamentally change our attitudes towards climate change, as evidenced by the astounding 195 countries which have agreed to take steps to address rising temperatures under the Paris Climate Agreement.2 However, despite such international efforts and several decades worth of domestic laws aimed at environmental protection, existing measures have largely lacked the enforceability needed to effectively mitigate climate change. Just last year, it was reported that climate change had caused the rapid melting of Arctic glaciers, severe droughts in Brazil, and uncontrollable fires across Australia and the United States.3 Ultimately, our existing laws have done little to address our legal system’s human-centred view that the environment is merely an item of property for us humans to own and exploit for our own benefit. Consequently, existing laws perpetuate the exploitation and destruction of the Earth, as environmental considerations are subordinated to the dominant economic or personal interests of humans and corporations.

Earth jurisprudence attempts to challenge this presumption of human supremacy over nature by recognising that nature has a set of enforceable legal rights.4 The theory recognises that humans are dependent on a flourishing natural environment for our own survival.

We depend upon free-flowing rivers for water, plants and trees for oxygen, and plants and animals for food. However, our current legal

1

Thomas Berry, ‘Rights of the Earth’ (2002) 214 Resurgence Magazine 45.

2

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Paris Agreement – Status of Ratification, <http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/ items/9444.php>.

3

World Meteorological Organisation, Statement on the State of the Global Climate in 2016, Report No. 1189 (2017).

4

Ibid n 1.

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POLITICS SECTION & LAW

Art by Eva Harbridge Art Credit @_eva.pdf

POLITICS & LAW

system fails to reflect this co-dependency. Instead, we prioritise short-term economic endeavours such as mining and construction, often at the expense of the environment.

The concept of recognising and enforcing the legal rights of nature first saw practical application in 2009, when a city in Washington passed world-first legislation acknowledging the rights of rivers to flow and of ecosystems to exist and flourish.5 Unfortunately, this attempt to confer enforceable legal rights upon nature was later rejected by the Washington Supreme Court, as it exceeded the legal scope of local authority.6 However, a few years later, the Whanganui River in New Zealand became the first natural landmark to obtain legal personhood, confirming that the concept of nature rights can apply in practice.7 The Whanganui River now has the same legal rights and responsibilities as a person, meaning that anyone who infringes upon the “health and wellbeing” of the river can be held legally accountable.8 The notion that soils, rivers, oceans, and ecosystems should have legal status clearly represents a step towards holding people and businesses accountable for causing environmental detriment.

Where nature is acknowledged as having legal rights or even legal personhood, it becomes far easier to prevent and punish harmful behaviour that degrades our natural environment. In the context of climate change, Earth jurisprudence could provide an additional incentive for businesses and countries to lower greenhouse gas emissions so as to preclude their liability for the legal consequences of infringing upon the legal rights of nature.

Ultimately, legal recognition of the rights of nature might be the ‘legal revolution’ needed to challenge our prioritisation of short-term economic gain over environmental sustainability, which has been a major hindrance to our efforts to combat climate change thus far.9

19

5

Peter Burdon, ‘Wild Law: The Philosophy of Earth Jurisprudence’ (2010) 35(2) Alternative Law Journal 62, 64.

6

‘State Supreme Court rebuffs local initiative on ‘Rights of Nature’ for Spokane River,’ Tupper Mack Wells (online), 1 March 2016 <http:// tmw-law.com/state-supreme-courtrebuffs-local-initiative-on-rights-ofnature-for-spokane-river/>.

7

‘New Zealand’s Whanganui River granted legal status as a person after 170-year battle,’ ABC News (online), 16 March 2017 <http://www.abc.net. au/news/2017-03-16/nz-whanganuiriver-gets-legal-status-as-personafter-170-years/8358434>.

8

Ibid.

Peter Burdon, ‘Wild Law: The Philosophy of Earth Jurisprudence’ (2010) 35(2) Alternative Law Journal 62, 64.

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B-SIDE

Evie Hilliar @yeevz_

BUSINESS, SCIENCE & INNOVATION

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ENDANGERED SPECIES

By Sathsara Radaliyagoda As human beings, we are inherently selfish. We’re only concerned about the spaces we create for ourselves, but what about the homes of the beings we share the planet with, who might not be here in the future?

In March, Lacoste (known for their famous alligator logo) created a line of polo shirts that bring light to the plight of endangered species, as a way to help promote the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s, Save Our Species campaign. To highlight the severity of each species’ struggle, Lacoste only produced a limited number of each shirt corresponding to the approximate number of that species left.

The near extinction of these species is far from an example of Darwin’s survival of the fittest theory, it’s the encroachment of humans on these species’ habitats, and it’s for that reason we should take note.

SUMATRAN TIGER (350) Attracted to all things rare and unique, it is no wonder one of the world’s rarest species, the Sumatran tiger is prey to humans. With its beautiful dark black stripes enveloping their deep orange coats, these classic tigers are dying fast, with around 400 left today.

Poaching is one of the leading issues affecting the Sumatran tiger as well as deforestation and a decline in prey. Sadly, according to the World Wildlife organisation, 78% of Sumatran tiger deaths are due to the illegal wildlife trade, where these spectacular creatures are being murdered for commercial gain.

Art by Joyce Cheng @_joycecheng_

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BUSINESS, SCIENCE & INNOVATION

KAKAPO (157) These unique flightless nocturnal parrots had made New Zealand forests their home long before British colonisers introduced mammals which have caused their near extinction. Domestic cats and short-tailed weasels are the primary predators to adult kakapos with rats killing small chicks and destroying their eggs. Being a lek-breeding species, female kakapos have the duty to protect and raise chicks, spending long periods of time away to gather food for their offspring making it easier for predators to attack.

Though there have been effects to protect the species, the Kakapo is still one of the most endangered species in the world.

JAVAN RHINOS (67) With less than 100 left in the world, the list of threats to the Javan Rhinos is long from limited knowledge of the rhinos genetic make-up, the Arenga palm reducing the quality of their habitat, and climate change. Like the Sumatran tiger, these extraordinary creatures are also, unfortunately, victim to poaching, where they are now extinct in the mainland of South-East Asia and Northeast India. With rhino protection patrols in the Ujung Kulon National Park (where the last population of Javan Rhinos inhabit), these creatures have a small chance of surviving within a world that does not value minorities.

BUSINESS, SCIENCE & INNOVATION

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THE VAQUITA DOLPHIN (30)

THE NORTHERN SPORTIVE LEMUR (50) Don’t be fooled by watching Madagascar’s portrayal of thousands of lemurs; these doe-eyed, furry creatures which are practically the koalas of Africa are virtually extinct. With the logging of forests, the Northern Sportive Lemurs are losing their homes; illegal hunting is also making it nearly impossible for the species to thrive. These tiny mammals have less than no chance of survival unless we realise how vital natural habitats are.

Illegal fishing and the use of gill nets are the most significant threat to the Vaquita dolphins, who get trapped in place of snare sharks, mackerel and rays. The World Wildlife organisation predict the species could be extinct by the end of 2018, with only 30 left in the Gulf of California. With distinct dark rings around its eyes and patches around the mouth and its beautiful pectoral fins, these creatures should have the chance to survive against an evil that can be prevented.

These five species are only half the species whose plight has been focused on by Lacoste. The Anegada Ground Iguana (450), Saola (250), California Condor (231), Cao-Vit Gibbon (150), and Burmese Roofed Turtle (40) are also all at risk of extinction.

These species have been here for thousands of years, and in that time have been subject to the destruction of their homes, the reduction of their food and seen humans (who could be their biggest supporters) become their biggest threat. If we continue to ignore their lives consumed with news cycles dominated by an orange-coloured man-child and the lives of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, then we are no better than the poachers and illegal fishers who destroy the lives of these species every day. We have so many important fights to fight within our societies, but we need to fight for those who can’t fend for themselves, and save species while we can, before it’s too late.

Art by Joyce Cheng @_joycecheng_

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CREATIVE WRITING

THE NEST

By James Gardiner

Geoffrey sailed upward toward the canopy and away from the clan before flipping onto his back and fluttering downward toward the soil. He stretched his wings as wide as he could and basked in the air rushing through his feathers. Swiftly, he swivelled again, just in time for his belly to graze the petals of a dandelion rooted in the ground.

And up he soared again. He sang, and twirled, undulating through the treescape the way he often did.

Charlotte dipped the soles of her feet in the river. Cool ripples lapped between her toes as she ran her fingers through the thin grass of the riverbed. A long twig landed on the water’s surface a few metres away. In the distance, her parents sat on a blue and red picnic blanket and sipped white wine.

Geoffrey’s brothers and sisters zig-zagged around each other in a fast-tracked game of tag before settling into a snug pattern in the nest. He returned and perched himself on the nest’s edge. The bunch sprang to attention and jostled for a closer position as their mother landed. Geoffrey jumped and skittered to the crest behind his mother. He leant in, pushing his beak through the outer scales and into the cotton wool blanket that warmed her skin. His mother turned, knocking him off balance, and brought up food from deep within her throat. She bent over, and expecting Geoffrey’s mouth to be open, dropped a portion of food onto his head. He shook the squashed remains of a worm off his brow and buried his beak back in her chest.

She paused, blinked plainly at the creature pressed against her and shrugged him off to make room for the babbling choir of hungry chicks below.

CREATIVE WRITING

25

Charlotte reached into the water and picked up a smooth pebble.

It was a peculiar shape, like an arrow, or a kite, or a plane. She held it in her right hand and guided its flight, swinging it up into the air and then back down fleetly, to just above the water. Crouching, she scampered along the bank and the stone in her hand skimmed the ripples. She stood and started to run. The rock was free and daring, rushing between trees, soaring high (or as high as she could reach), twirling upside down, descending to flirt with the forest floor.

Charlotte delighted in the sound of leaves crackling beneath her feet and looked up into the treetops. She imagined herself cruising through the air, dipping in and out of the highest leaves â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the expanse in full view when gliding up above.

She slowed to a walk and whistled a tune in time with her footsteps.

She brushed her fingers along the bark of a gumtree. Smooth, with dimples. She smiled and brought her fingers to her cheeks. Warmer, but still smooth, and still with dimples.

A squawk and the fluttering of wings drew her gaze. She reclined on a nearby rock and watched the goings on of a nest built securely between the fork of two grey branches. She watched the mother feed her young. One at a time, the children had their fill and were shoved out of the way to make room for another hungry beak. Where was all this food coming from? The mother was herself only small, maybe the size of two clenched Charlotte-fists brought together.

A steady branch, washed in sunlight, laid vacant not far from Geoffrey and seemed the perfect spot to perch, so he claimed it while he still could. Lying down below him was a young human. Her hands were rested on her chest and her eyes looking up as she clacked her feet together repetitively. Geoffrey tilted his head and scratched beneath his wing. A stray feather whisked into the wind.

The girl skipped off, heading further down the riverbed. Geoffrey hesitated before leaping off his prime real estate and fluttering to a colder, shaded branch a handful of trees away. She was wearing bright, pink socks.

Geoffrey leapt again and glided above her. She seemed to stumble, rather than run, from this angle. Like he used to before he learned to use his wings. Geoffrey landed on a felled tree in front of the girl to get a better view of her aimless fumbling. A twig snagged her shoelace and tugged her backwards. Her foot snatched by those pesky shrubs that always nip at the heels of the young.

She ripped forward though; the twig no match for her vigour. She spotted him perched, facing her, and she smiled! Geoffrey ruffled his wings, slightly perturbed, but kept face. What could she be smiling about? She neared him, set the ground rumbling evermore, and then passed by without a moment of pause. Geoffrey sprung into the air and followed her. He caught up at knee height and then soared only a metre away from her face; just out of reach. She squealed, and jumped off the soft soil, arms outstretched, and snatched the air.

Geoffrey, once again sailing high, glanced toward the creature stuck to the Earth. Her neck craned, she stared at him with a scrunched nose and furrowed brow. He leant back, and sailed up slightly higher before diving back down, steeply, close enough to ruffle her hair and then hover just above those shoelaces of hers.

The pink socks have thin purple stripes. An enormous, gurgling laugh erupted from her belly as she kicked at him with her feet, swiped with Art by Isabella Brown @bissy

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CREATIVE WRITING

her clammy hands. Geoffrey pushed back up into the open space above, but only for a second. He approached from the side this time, catching a glimpse of her wide eyes and open mouth. Two rows of pointy teeth, yellow at the base, covered in clear slime. She had long fingernails. He could hear her panting, grunting with each grab at the air. He was too fast, too nimble, of course. And she smelt of lavender.

Charlotte gasped and held both arms up in the air, fingers outstretched. AHH. A flurry of grey and blue, with a pink underbelly.

She panted as heavily as she ever had, jumped in the air, stumbled on a loose rock on landing. The bird sailed above her. Maybe two Charlottes could reach it, one on the shoulders of the other. Having watched the bird float above her for some time, Charlotte shot her hands above her head, skipped, and thrust herself into a cartwheel.

This brought the bird back down. It tweeted and sang, cruising beside her. Another cartwheel, but this time with no hands. When she straightened up on her feet, the forest around her had stepped back and left a clearing. A patch of grass the size of a netball court laid out in front of them both.

Charlotte slowed to walking pace and then flopped onto her back.

Sweat slipped off her eyebrow and down the bridge of her nose to her cheek. She peeled her shirt off her tummy and flapped it in the air.

A cool rush across her skin. Arms outstretched, she tugged fistfuls of grass and closed her eyes. Silence for a moment. She opened her eyes and watched donkeys shift into dragons and then sunflowers in the white puffs of steam above until the sky was clear. Just an excited blue, stretched out and proud.

As her breath began to settle, Geoffrey cut across her view of the open sky and landed nearby. The girl rolled onto her side, smiled and stared. He stared back. Awkwardly, he pecked for worms in the soil. Skittering one way and then another, checking for snacks, he glanced at the girl every few moments to find her unfaltering gaze.

He paused and wondered what his mother would do if she were to return and find him missing. He went back to picking grass as the girl reached into her pocket. Out came half a choc chip cookie with a crumbling edge. She snapped off a lump and turned it to powder before tossing it toward him. Hesitantly, he pecked at a crumb. And then another, until heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d followed the trail to within pecking distance of the cookie itself. She snapped off another bit and sprinkled it on

CREATIVE WRITING

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the green carpet laid beneath them both. She rolled onto her back to face the sky. Geoffrey laid down and let the sun soak his feathers.

Smudges of colour swirled on the inside of her eyelids and soon Charlotte sat up and crushed the rest of the cookie. This time she held the crumbs in her hand and laid her palm open on the ground.

The bird waddled to the cookie and nibbled from between her tender fingers. Then she snatched him. Squeezed him round the neck and brought him up to her eyes. She let loose that deep-belly squeal and stood up in a fluster.

Geoffrey swivelled and squawked, revolting. The world around him dizzied and blurred as she ran. She scraped him along the grass and then lifted him high above her head. It was at this point that he went limp, his soft neck resting in the webbing between her thumb and forefinger.

Charlotte squeezed the bird against her chest and twirled in a circle. She jogged, then ran, then sprinted and with a leap threw the bird into the sky, launching him into his beautiful flight, giving him the run-up he needed to soar higher than ever before. And like a pebble lobbed into a creek on a winter’s afternoon, he dipped sluggishly through dense air and landed with a slap. She rushed to the base of a gumtree and stood, breathless. She knelt, her knees indenting the cool soil, and scooped him up. Totally still. She placed him back on the ground, grabbed a handful of leaves from beside her and sprinkled them over him before turning and walking briskly back to the picnic.

She’d taken ten steps before there was a rustle behind her, but she kept walking. Straight ahead. One foot after the other.

Charlotte sat on the picnic rug and sunk a cheese knife into triple cream brie. She spread a thick slab on a bread roll and shoved it whole into her mouth before tearing the plastic off the straw of her blackcurrant juice box. She stabbed the carton and sat, chewing the thick lumps in her mouth the best she could. She swallowed, slurped the juice box dry in one long squeeze and then sat, cross-legged, elbows digging into the inside of her knees and her chin wedged in the palms of her hands.

On a sunny branch at the forest’s brim, Geoffrey sat and watched the girl with pink socks. In his ears he could hear the shriek of that mouth full of shiny yellow teeth; those hands—clammy, trembling, tight.

Art by Isabella Brown @bissy

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SOCIO-CULTURAL

TURNS OUT THE L WORD DIDN’T CURE ME OF MY INTERNALISED HOMOPHOBIA

By Annie Parker Content warning: homophobia

It’s eleven-thirty at night and I’m on a train speeding away from Circular Quay, sobbing quietly and pathetically into a packet of chocolates. I’ve just come to the realisation that, despite many years of immersion in progressive culture, queer literature, and six seasons of ‘The L Word’, my inner self-critic is a raging homophobe.

This realisation arrived sometime in the middle of watching Hannah Gadsby’s show, Nanette at the Opera House. Now, if you’ve had the chance to experience the pure brilliance of this show, you’ll know what I mean when I say that it left me feeling a little like I’d been hit by a freight train. It’s a powerful demonstration of emotional truth wrapped in the guise of a comedy show. Hannah Gadsby speaks, among other things, of her experience with homophobia and shame.

Now, mid train meltdown, I’m finding it hard to tell whether I am crying from the always-emotional experience of watching another queer woman step into her power, or because my own tangled web of internalised homophobia has just bluntly announced itself to me.

In any case, I didn’t see this coming. Unlike Hannah, I did not grow up in rural Tasmania. I also did not grow up in the 80s, but about two decades later, when overt homophobia was not quite the fashion. In so many ways, our experiences are wildly different. Yet as she spoke about the feeling of growing up in a state of shame, I recognised myself. I knew that experience.

I came out as gay to my friends and family at the age of sixteen.

I had spent about two years secretly immersed in a world of queer advice blogs, and it seemed like the next logical step. My coming out went well. My parents said that they loved me no matter what, and for years we hardly spoke another word about it. My friends, too, were loving and unbothered. Seeing as there was no one to date in my Sutherland Shire high school, it was almost a non-issue. Years went by. I continued to immerse myself in queer and feminist media.

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I studied some queer theory. I had relationships. My friend groups remained largely cis and straight, but these were just the people I knew, the spaces I had always existed in.

Now, in light of my newly-discovered, long-denied homophobia, I am beginning to rethink my own experience. At the age of 16 when I announced my queerness, I also rapidly engaged in the process of not appearing ‘too gay’. I would be the gay good girl. The gay who you forget is gay. The gay who doesn’t make you feel bad about your own unacknowledged prejudice. This took a lot of energy. It felt like walking a very fine line. Maybe one day I would slip and accidentally turn straight. I pointedly avoided sexuality-related conversation topics, and dressed in overtly feminine clothing. As a child, I had collated the concepts of gender identity and sexuality, believing for years that a lesbian was really someone who wanted to be a man, seeing as every relationship needed, in some way, to contain a man and a woman. At the realisation of my own queerness, I embarked on something of a crusade to prove myself wrong on that point. I might be gay, but look how feminine I can be! Just you wait and see how many floral prints I can wear at once!

The social researcher Brené Brown describes shame as the belief “that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging”. I was lucky enough not to grow up surrounded by explicit homophobia. But neither was I surrounded by explicit acceptance or celebration of queer folk. In the absence of any real message on this point, I soaked in the subliminal messages of society. These were not affirming. Everyone I knew was straight. Everyone on TV was straight. The first queer people I knew were my primary school best friend’s mothers, who (understandably) hid their relationship from our conservative community for fear that their kids would be bullied at school. Queerness was something to be hidden. At best, the consensus was that we accepted queer people because they couldn’t help it. So, when I heard that I was loved “no matter what”, I took this to mean that I was loved in spite of this one, glaring character flaw. I sculpted my existence as an apology for my own queerness. Subconsciously, I began engaging in trade-offs. If I was going to be gay, I’d better not put another toe out of line. I would be the perfect daughter. The perfect student. The perfect woman: likeable and nice to a fault. I’d go to any lengths to secure my right to love and belonging.

Intellectually, I am so far away from this thinking. Nothing fills my soul as much as witnessing the beauty and strength of queer folk. Still, I am unable to have this conversation with most of my extended family. Still, I perpetually find myself ‘too busy’ to make it down to the UTS queer space. I regularly wish I were more connected to the queer community. I believe some secretly self-aware part of myself has been worried about carrying my own shame into those spaces. I am scared of inadvertently projecting that shame onto other people. Yet I do believe that community is the key. Perhaps, in this society, we are all host to our own inner homophobe, transphobe, queerphobe. Perhaps we need each other to move out of our separate states of shame. To remind each other, over the voices of the normative culture, that there is so much beauty in being queer.

“At best, the consensus was that we accepted queer people because they couldn’t help it. So, when I heard that I was loved “no matter what”, I took this to mean that I was loved in spite of this one, glaring character flaw.”

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CREATIVE WRITING

NOVEMBER 15

By Damon Chester Content warning: homophobia

This morning my country voted for equality and tonight I leave Western Sydney to pick up concert tickets in the city a trip that is by no means special a trip that I make all the time for university for shopping for bubble tea I spent all day in my house gradually shifting my attention from the 4 in 10 who voted conservatively to the 6 in 10 who voted for change.

I put on a rainbow pin before leaving as if it were a medal Sydney was the second highest electorate to vote yes in the country but Western Sydney is home to all bottom seven as well as my childhood CHIFLEY (59% NO) where I spent 13 years in school where I went to the park with my friends and where my highschool advocated against equality to a crowd of mostly no voters PARRAMATTA (62% NO) where I buy flowers for special occasions where I celebrate birthdays and poetry where I celebrated anniversaries with both my boyfriend and ex-girlfriend

McMAHON (65% NO) where I took my friend thrift shopping and she tried on wedding dresses WATSON (70% NO) where we get frozen yoghurt FOWLER (64% NO) where I would drive over an hour every time I wanted to see my boyfriend I’m standing behind the yellow line waiting for my train to the city and I do not feel safe.

What if the person next to me is one of six in ten who hates me?

Or sees my outfit and thinks awful things of me?

Or sees my pin and decides today is the day to bash me?

These places are tainted and I am torn.

In classrooms full of inner-city kids I defend the west saying it’s not as bad as it seems stating it’s just stigma and yet here I am anxiously waiting for a train to their part of town and hoping it’ll arrive sooner (maybe I should take off the pin)

Clanger Baden Pailthorpe 1 May â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 22 June, 2018 OPENING NIGHT 1 MAY, 6-8PM

Are you a student writer interested in art & ideas? Want to be published on ArtsHub and win $250? Go to art.uts.edu.au for more details on the UTS Student Writing Program.

Applications close 24 May

UTS Gallery, University of Technology Sydney Level 4, 702 Harris St Ultimo NSW 2007 art.uts.edu.au | @utsart Mon-Fri 12-6 Sat 12-4 Image: Baden Pailthorpe, Clanger, 3D render, production still, 2017. Courtesy the artist and Sullivan+Strumpf.

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POLITICS AND LAW

SKRIÐÞUNGA (MOMENTUM)

By James Gardiner

When we compare Australia to the rest of the world, it can feel like we’re a nation stuck in the mud. Political instability has led to paralysis, and no government of the last decade has been brave or popular enough to create meaningful change.

Governments now enter elections as if they’re back begging for another term despite their middle of the road ambitions, while opposition parties spend their time kicking political goals in the media, trying their best to not fuck up. Our politics has lost its sense of urgency and given up on fighting for deeply held values.

In the search for an example of political dynamism, we need only look to the other side of the globe, between Scotland and the Arctic, to the small island of Iceland. On April 3rd 2016, the Panama Papers revealed that Iceland’s President Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson had sheltered millions in offshore accounts. Outside the Alþingi (parliament) on April 4, a small circle of Icelanders wrapped in thick coats and scarfs bopped in time with each other and sang. Behind them, between ten and twenty thousand protesters talked amongst themselves and held up placards opposing the President’s refusal to resign. By April 5th, the President had resigned, and a new election had been called.

On 24 October 1975, ninety percent of Icelandic women did not show up to work or partake in any housework or child-rearing at home.

One year later, the government passed the Gender Equality Act, outlawing gender discrimination in workplaces and schools. Four years later, in 1980, Iceland boasted the first democratically elected female president in the world. For the past nine years, the country has topped the World Economic Forum’s gender equality index and has this year passed a law to make companies legally obligated to prove they pay men and women equally for equal work.

This kind of sustained commitment to equality makes any progressive Australian melt with envy.

Our previous Minister for Women, Tony Abbott, stated in 2012 that virginity “is the greatest gift you can give someone,” and in 2010, began a sentence about power prices with “what the housewives of Australia need to understand as they do the ironing...”. In March this year, the member representing the Minister for Women, Michaelia Cash, threatened to “name every young woman in Mr Shorten’s office of which rumours in this place abound.” Sexism has a warm and comfortable home in Australian politics, despite a decadeslong, rigorous attempt to make parliament a safe

POLITICS AND LAW

and empowering space for women.

On issues like same-sex marriage, environmental protection and Indigenous rights, the Australian government has failed to enact substantive change over the span of decades.

In some areas, our government is not only stalling on widely supported reform but actively regressing.

Under both the Abbott and Turnbull governments, Australia’s leading science organisation and leader in climate science research, the CSIRO, has undergone immense funding cuts. In 2016, CSIRO Staff Association Secretary Sam Popovski stated that “since 2013 the organisation has lost 1 in 5 positions or more than 20% of the workforce.” The attack continued in 2016 with a $115 million cut in the federal budget, resulting in another 450 planned redundancies across the board.

In 2018, the leader of the Labor party continues to rule out opposing the Adani mining projects, while the Coalition spruiks “clean coal” and the need to increase coal seam gas fracking. As it turns out, Turnbull’s 2010 promise to “never lead a government that isn’t as committed to climate action as I am,” has been left in the dust, along with any sense of integrity the Prime Minister was once able to project.

All significant opposition to further investment in coal mining in Australia has come from grassroots organisations, particularly those in association with Stop Adani, who have pressured the major Australian banks to rule out funding the proposed mine through consistent direct action.

In stark contrast, 100% of Iceland’s electricity is generated from renewable sources. Roughly 20% of the country’s primary energy (for manufacturing and transportation) is supplied by fossil fuels, with the rest generated by either hydro or geothermal power. This dedication toward renewable energy has required little public outcry. To the Icelandic government, investing in renewable energy is common sense.

We have seen some progress on LGBTQI+ rights in Australia with the legalisation of same-

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sex marriage. While this development was widely celebrated, the national postal survey was a gruelling measure that put the relationships and identities of many vulnerable Australians on public trial for a number of months. The vitriol that our community was exposed to during this time cannot be understated. Furthermore, the percentage of Australians in favour of legalising same-sex marriage has consistently polled above 50% since 2007, according to NewsPoll, Galaxy, Essential, YouGov, Ipsos and Roy Morgan polls. Safe to say, they took their fucking time.

To add to the overwhelming cloud of inertia that sits over Parliament House, the Prime Minister recently turned down a set of recommendations made within the Uluru Statement From The Heart. The proposal outlined a constitutionally entrenched Indigenous voice to Parliament; a recommendation which was established after a year of consultation, followed by a three-day summit that heard from more than 300 Indigenous community leaders and legal experts. In addition to this, there are currently twice as many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children being removed from their families as there were at the time of Rudd’s 2008 apology. After a decade of disappointing Close The Gap Reports, government promises to “do better” come across as empty deflections of our national obligation to do this land’s Indigenous populations justice. Sovereignty was never ceded, legal systems continue to perpetuate colonial oppression, and our determination to rectify a violent history remains despairingly low.

We need to look to other parts of the world and recalibrate our expectations, not only of our politicians but of ourselves. Australia desperately needs politicians with values and a population willing to listen if we are to have any hope of breaking the surface of our own stupor.

For the past nine years, Iceland has topped the World Economic Forum’s gender equality index and has this year passed a law to make companies legally obligated to prove they pay men and women equally for equal work.

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BUSINESS, SCIENCE & INNOVATION

THE INFAMOUS PINK TAX

By Nicole De Palo

On the eve of International Women’s Day, Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek brought the issue of removing the tax on women’s sanitary products to the front page again. She stated that to continue to have a tax on women’s sanitary products is a “dumb decision”.

In response, Tony Abbott said that not only would removing GST from tampons be a “Politically correct” decision but, “once you start having these exemptions, where does it end?”

Tony Abbott, I understand that you may feel like you know a lot about policy and economics considering you are a former Prime Minister and Minister for Women; but let me explain to you, as a woman, that the pink tax isn’t a ‘politically correct’ subject that women are bringing up — again.

The pink tax, also known as the women’s tax, is the term used to call attention to the fact that tampons and other feminine hygiene products are subject to both tax and an added value. Essentially, it’s the extra money that women have to pay for fundamentally the same product.

Condoms, lubricants, sunscreen, and nicotine patches are a few things on a long list of items that aren’t taxed because they are classed as important health goods. Items that aren’t considered to be important health goods, or are affected by the pink tax include tampons, sanitary pads, liners, pink razors, and Bic ‘For Her’ pens (they cost an extra 50 cents).

Both the Abbott and Turnbull governments have previously refused to consider removing the pink tax, claiming that the budget couldn’t afford the fiscal hit. Modelling by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) based on Treasury forecasts and data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that removing the 10% GST on tampons would cost states and territories $115 million over the next three years.

The Greens former deputy leader Larissa Waters has stated the PBO modelling is evidence that the government can afford to axe the sexist pink tax. The coalition’s new GST would easily cover the offset.

Art Credit

BUSINESS, SCIENCE & INNOVATION

The Treasury Laws Amendment (GST low-value goods), which will take effect on July 1 2018, adds a goods and services tax to any item bought online for less than $1000. It’s expected that this will accumulate $300 million in taxes over the next three financial years.

With states and territories earning $300 million over the next three financial years and the removal of the pink tax being $115 million, states and territories are left with a $185 million surplus. This more than makes up for the difference that will be lost by getting rid of the pink tax.

But you know what Tony Abbott? Maybe you’re right. Maybe we should focus on something other than the pink tax. Perhaps we should be concentrating on the Liberal government promising an increase in paid parental leave and then backflipping, or calling working mums “double-dippers”. We could even draw attention to the Labor government cutting payments to single parents in 2012.

Tony, did you know that on average, women are paid 23% less than their full-time male colleagues and will retire with just over half the amount of superannuation of these men, and almost 50% of women will report discrimination at work if they have a baby?

Tony, maybe our focal point should be that one in three females over the age of 15 have been the victim of physical violence. Or that among all women, 23% had experienced unwanted sexual contact, 20% had been followed, and 9% were forced to do something sexual.

Periods continue to be stigmatised as something gross and awful that all women, especially teenage girls should be embarrassed about, and cordial women shouldn’t talk about, so maybe it’s that Tony.

So, when tampons are taxed as if they are less critical for everyday health and wellbeing, it’s $5 too much. Concerns about this have repeatedly been raised for two decades with no progress at all.

Tony, sometimes it is all the little things.

Art Credit

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SHOWCASE

SCOTT MARSH In conversation with Vertigo Words by Nicole De Palo

Scott Marsh has left artistic pieces and political messages from the streets of Newtown all the way to Brisbane. He is the man behind the famous murals such as his representation of Mike Baird as ‘Casino Mike’, Saint George Michael, and most recently his ironic representation of Bill Shorten.

Marsh has met critics along the way, but has gained far more support on his journey. Between Marsh’s busy schedule, Vertigo was lucky to chat to him about how his career begun and the stories behind the art.

SHOWCASE

How did you get involved in the graffiti scene to begin with?

I’ve been writing graffiti and tagging [artists signature] since I was 12 years old. I saw it around my neighbourhood, was immediately attracted to it, and started doing it myself. That carried on into my twenties. After I finished school, I studied fine arts, which was really to keep my parents off my back while I was running around the city. Even when I was studying, I didn’t think it would turn into an art practice, or something I could do as a career. I was always told that artists make no money, you need to be doing something else if you want to pursue it.

I had a lot of skills from painting graffiti all of these years. I just kind of got commercial jobs here and there for a few years, and it evolved into what it is now.

Have you seen the graffiti scene change over time?

Yes for sure, it has changed over time. Now graffiti writers are sharing space with street artists, which causes tension. In Sydney, in the 90s and early 2000s, it was criminal, and there were a lot of big egos, and people fighting. Now it has chilled out, which is nice. Around the early days you would see a lot of talented guys give up on it because it was too hard to deal with the scene, and if you weren’t a fighter, you would just get picked on.

Some of your work is politically charged, such as your recent Bill Shorten piece, and your depiction of Tony Abbott during the marriage equality debate. Do you purposely make your work political?

It all kind of started with the lockout laws a few

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years ago. I had mates that lost a lot of their jobs because of the laws. I was in one of the Keep Sydney Open marches, and had the idea then to paint Mike Baird as ‘Casino Mike’. Through that, it got a lot of attention, and people were emailing me about it, and I thought, “Oh, shit, I better figure out exactly what is going on.” It got me interested in politics, and since then I’ll see issues in the media, and then I’ll get an idea of something to paint, and I’ll paint it.

Can you explain why you depicted Bill Shorten’s coal conundrum in this manner?

For over a year I’ve been creating murals about the Adani mine projects, and it was all in support of the Stop Adani movement. I have done one with Malcolm Turnbull in it, one that was just done more on Adani. That was one where I would keep an eye on what is happening with it. I saw Bill Shorten boogying both ways, being a typical politician, just trying to sell out, whatever. He was campaigning in North Queensland about perks of the coal mine, and then in Melbourne, he was trying to go the other way. That was the inspiration for that piece.

The George Michael graffiti work, why did you portray him in the way you did?

You got a lot of flack for depicting him as a saint.

I didn’t originally get any flack at all. It was seen as nothing but positive. It had become a shrine for people who were leaving cards, candles, flowers, and stuff like this. It was a place where people could come and remember who George was, so it was a shame that it had been destroyed. George Michael was a gay rights activist, and someone that is held in high regard. The guys whose house I painted on were personal friends of George. After a brainstorm, we thought that ‘Patron Saint of the Gays’ was appropriate, and it’s all where it came from. In terms of ‘Patron Saint,’ there is [sic] literally 150 of them, there is a ‘Patron Saint of Beer’, there is everything you can imagine. So I think it was people destroying it under the guise of religion, but really underneath it was a lot of homophobia. They weren’t offended by it for a year when it was up and broadcast around Mardi Gras. It’s on the main train line of Sydney where hundreds of thousands of people go past it every single day. No one ever had a problem with it until the plebiscite was announced.

Images courtesy of artist

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SOCIO-CULTURAL

LET ME GOOGLE THAT FOR YOU

By Chrissy Saunders

EXAMPLES INCLUDE 1. White people calling other white people “The worst.”

2. Making the conversation about you and how bad you feel.

White guilt comes in many shapes and sizes. From the seemingly small and innocent: “I’m sorry for the way white people have treated you,” to the big and ugly: “I never personally owned slaves so don’t blame me.” These remarks centre the conversation around white people and whiteness, even when our everyday lives are already centred around these things.

It’s incredibly easy in a predominantly white, left-leaning space to get away with saying things like “white people are the worst,” and, “I hate white people,” in a way to position yourself as progressive.

In reality, this train of thought is dangerous and lazy. It is dangerous because it reaffirms your white guilt, and it is lazy because instead of actually having a conversation and taking action about the torture of refugees or Black deaths in custody, you can remove yourself from complicity.

SOCIO-CULTURAL

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EXAMPLES INCLUDE 1. Boasting about the number of rallies you’ve attended.

2. Long paragraphs on Facebook talking about how amazing you and your friend’s politics are.

3. Taking up valuable space in places that aren’t meant for you.

Unfortunately, people in organising spaces can participate in performative allyship and white guilt. In fact, organising spaces often come hand in hand with performative allyship, particularly because activist spaces tend to lack accessibility for people of colour.

EXAMPLES INCLUDE 1. Reposting artwork of other activists and writing ‘insightful’ captions.

2. Solidarity statuses when you only have activists on all social media.

3. Photo campaigns.

Slacktivism and performative allyship both include doing the bare minimum for a movement, but slacktivism is usually confined to the internet. Slacktivism is your high school friend posting on their Instagram story about how #blacklivesmatter but failing to criticise her racist aunty at a family dinner.

You may think it’s cool, you may think it’s cute, but it’s not activism. Attending the Invasion Day rally at the start of the year and posting photos in your ‘White Australia has a Black History’ shirt is not enough. It can’t solely be the job of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to uphold the movement. It’s also important to remember that activism isn’t just attending rallies because rallies aren’t always accessible. So, don’t boast about how you’ve been to so many rallies for [insert cause] because no one is here for your selfcongratulatory bullshit.

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SOCIO-CULTURAL

There are so many ways to get involved in activism that are productive and prioritise the work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and people of colour. A very simple thing that we can all do is challenge our friends and family in a meaningful way when they say or do racist things. When you attend rallies, act as a barrier between the police and protesters of colour as they are more likely to be targeted at rallies. You don’t need to be up the front all the time. Allow the people that the rally is intended for to be at the forefront of their activism.

ACTIVIST GROUPS TO FOLLOW FIRE Fighting In Resistance Equally https://www.facebook.com/FIREFightingInResistanceEqually/ Grandmothers Against Removals https://www.facebook.com/gmarnsw/ Email—gmarsydney@gmail.com IndigenousX Twitter—@IndigenousX Website—http://indigenousx.com.au Indigenous Social Justice Association (Sydney) https://www.facebook.com/IndigenousSocialJusticeAssociationSydneyfkj/ Email—isjasydneyray@gmail.com Fighting In Solidarity Towards Treaties https://www.facebook.com/FISTTmovement/

SOCIO-CULTURAL

A SMILE IS NOT FUCKING UNIVERSAL

By Gigi Liu Content warning: racism, anxiety

Callout culture is a way of dismantling kyriarchal oppression in its linguistic or behavioural forms. It is publicly criticising someone and holding them accountable for their shitty actions. It also means providing emotional labour, which can be taxing and apprehensive.

This method isn’t easy, especially when that someone is a close friend, a relative or a colleague. How do you call out a senior colleague when they say “Asians all look the same,” or when they casually throw around the n-word? Or that time your close white friend tells you, “he said this really racist thing about Asians to me, but I don’t care because I’m not Asian”. Navigating that question of, “should I or should I not confront them?” is a test of courage, one which I feel I’ve failed on multiple occasions. But as a person of colour who lives with anxiety, I’ve learnt that race, mental illness, and privilege are complexly intertwined.

Admittedly, I’ve had shortcomings; moments where I didn’t confront my colleagues or friends out of convenience. I was in a position to educate them knowing that it wouldn’t fully drain my mental energy, but I opted out purely because I could. However, there have been instances where my anxiety, paired with my identity as a person of colour, has hindered any possibility of a confrontation.

What if I have a panic attack? What if I’m the one in the wrong, and I have no place to tell them what to do? What if they publicly drag me and I lose all my friends? All these “what if?” scenarios will run through my mind, but it is always this last question that I come back to: what if I actually did take the time and energy to educate them, and they completely refuse to acknowledge any wrongdoing or display a willingness to empathise?

It’s this question that I’m sure many people of colour, irrespective of mental illness, can resonate with. My white friend doesn’t have to be Asian to be affected by her dickhead friend’s comments. She should care because it’s basic human decency to be affected by mean comments even if they weren’t directed at her. If she can’t even feel this simple level of empathy, then she could never understand

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SOCIO-CULTURAL

what it might feel like to sit down on a train and be scared that the white woman eyeing you suspiciously might start racially abusing you too.

As an Australian-born Chinese, it’s far too easy to see where I lack privilege, but it’s much harder to confront my privilege. I have been socialised by Western, upper-middle class ideals of etiquette and language. This became very obvious when I started working at a luxury skincare counter, where our clientele was comprised mainly of Chinese onsellers and tourists. These were people who stared at me strangely, or just didn’t acknowledge me at all. People who spoke too loudly or demanded my attention by shoving my shoulder. I started to resent them while also questioning why I didn’t like them. These were people who looked like me, but weren’t me (and definitely didn’t treat me as their equal).

I would bitch about them to my colleagues and friends who also worked in retail. You’re meant to say, “good, thanks,” when retail staff greet you.

You’re meant to say please and thank you. A smile is universal, isn’t it? But I knew deep down, my resentment didn’t seem right or valid and the fact that I often ranted to white people made it all the more problematic. This was confirmed when I was called out by my friend, who is also an Australianborn Chinese. I argued with them. I was hesitant to accept that I was wrong. My reluctance to hold myself accountable stemmed from the realisation that I had to start questioning how deeply I perpetuated white culture in my actions and patterns of thought. Things like people’s behaviour in front of strangers seems menial, but it signifies how conditioned we are by our circumstances and the people around us. I had failed to consider that social protocols don’t transcend culture. A smile is not fucking universal. No one is obligated to greet you or thank you just because you—born and raised in a Western country—expect them to.

For me, callout culture doesn’t just encompass confrontation or awkward moments or ruined friendships. It is about rising above what inconveniences you. It is being brave enough to challenge damaging actions and language simply because it is the right thing to do, all while acknowledging that your mental health comes first. But it is also about recognising the nuances of your own privilege and the fragility of your own entrenched beliefs. It is unlearning the racist and classist mentality you clung onto so dearly in your teenage years, and knowing this process doesn’t take a day.

“My reluctance to hold myself accountable stemmed from the realisation that I had to start questioning how deeply I perpetuated white culture in my actions and patterns of thought.”

POLITICS & LAW

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DÉTENTE ON ICE: THE FUTURE OF NORTH-SOUTH KOREAN RELATIONS POST-PYEONGCHANG

By Tom Brennan George Orwell once remarked that competitive sport was “war, minus the shooting.” Nowhere was this more evident than at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and within the reopened talks of unification between the Northern, communist Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Southern, capitalist Republic of Korea (ROK).

From synchronised DPRK cheerleaders to a united Korean women’s hockey team, Pyeongchang offered no shortage of side spectacles in addition to the sports. For viewers and diplomats, these spectacles seemed to signal that the threat of the DPRK’s nuclear arsenal and its helmsman, despot Kim Jong-un, were slowly being defused by their participation in the Olympic community.

By extension, these spectators may also have concluded that greater interactions between the North and the South at the games would be the beginning of a political unification process. For everyday Koreans and their leaders, the question is more complex.

While older generations in the ROK dream of the united Korea promised to them since the armistice at the end of the 1953 civil war, the younger generations hold a different view. These generations hold fears that unification would mean being considerably cut off from Western resources, including infrastructure and military supplies from a staunchly anti-DPRK America.

Additionally, it would also mean having to supply remaining state resources to an underdeveloped, culturally different North which are presently being used up for ROK government initiatives and social services.

Without a leader to culturally and economically

‘open up’ the DPRK to the West, the Kim dynasty will continue to utilise military force and their preferred ideology of ‘Juche’ (self-reliance based on a divinely appointed leader) to dismiss unification as unnecessary. Indeed, unification could potentially bring civil war and refugee displacement if tension arises as a result of ROKstationed US Forces crossing the border into the DPRK and deconstructing their political structures.

Even if they were to willingly surrender to the West, China might decide to occupy them first in the hope of establishing a puppet state in the DPRK considering their historical ties Another possibility exists: could there be unison beyond geographic borders? A de-nuclearised, open DPRK and less Western-reliant ROK could create a new dual-state powerhouse in the Asia Pacific region. This may sound appealing to those seeking to create a new Korean national identity more oriented towards the culture and resources of the East from places such as Japan, Russia, and China.

Sadly, this idea may be too ambitious to suit the contemporary situation. Neither of the opposing sides’ leaders are completely willing to relinquish their reliance on their respective great powers; thus leading to a continuation of the status quo. If Trump’s consideration of meeting Kim Jong-un is any indication, however, the goodwill surrounding Pyeongchang has provided Korea and the wider global community another chance at unification via the middle ground of international sport, not seen since the Seoul Olympics back in 1988.

Through the spectacle of the Olympic Games, Orwell’s “war, minus the shooting” could turn out to be a good thing.

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SHOWCASE

DESPAIR

By Caroline Dranoff

SHOWCASE

Caroline Dranoff @_rawgazing

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SHOWCASE

SHOWCASE

Caroline Dranoff @_rawgazing

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SOCIO-CULTURAL

SEEING IN 2D

By Nadine Silva Content warning: dissociation, depersonalisation

I pulled up out the front of his apartment block and I saw him pacing up and down the pathway. He hopped into my car, clearly flustered.

“Josh, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know, I can’t really explain it… I can see better.”

“Okay, you’re going to have to do better than that.”

“Everything makes so much more sense.”

“Are you on anything?”

“No. Fuck.”

After a couple of vague attempts to explain himself, he Googled his symptoms, which led him to an article about a disorder called ‘depersonalisation’.

When we arrived at my house, we continued his Google diagnosis by rummaging through medical documents and personal accounts of the disorder.

We found a BBC News video that described the experience of seeing in 2D. Josh nearly jumped out of his chair in agreement.

He couldn’t stop rambling on about how everything looked different, from the bottle of Coke sitting on the table to my face. I sat there, listening and observing, realising that I had never seen him this enthusiastic about anything in my life.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders describes the experience of depersonalisation as having an altered perception of yourself; a feeling of detachment as if you are an outside observer of your own body or mind. Dr Elaine Hunter, the clinical lead of the Depersonalisation Disorder Service at Maudsley Hospital, has dedicated many years of research in the field. Upon my telling her of Josh’s experiences, she said that seeing in 2D was actually a common symptom of derealisation; a phenomenon explicitly linked to depersonalisation.

Josh and his non-identical twin brother were born in Indiana, United States. They first moved to Australia when they were five years old. After their parents divorced they moved back to the States with their father and lived with him until he tragically passed away in a car accident. At fourteen, they returned to live with their mother in Australia and have been living in Sydney since.

I remember the first time I heard them talk about their father. On one hand, Josh was able to speak so openly about him. On the other hand, Jake would become silent, and you could almost feel his pain whenever their father was mentioned.

Dr Hunter said that divorce was quite a common trigger, and that Josh’s moving back and

SOCIO-CULTURAL

forth probably contributed to his susceptibility to the disorder. An article in Advances in Psychiatric Treatment states that a frequent theme of depersonalisation is a reduction or loss of emotional responses.

“I had a blanket when I was a kid that I always slept with, ‘cause you know, kids have that shit.

And I lost it on an airplane. I think it was the same time my parents were fighting a lot. After that, I slept with a blanket over my head, then my parents got divorced, and there were two weeks where I didn’t see my dad, and that was hard. And after that, nothing ever bothered me.”

At the computer, Josh pointed at the space between his eyebrows; at what Hindu traditions would refer to as ‘the third eye chakra’. In recent years, his mother, brother, and I have often tried different things to get him out of the dark hole he fell into. We never really got too far, which is why it comes as a shock to hear him say that he meditated his way out of his disorder.

“I got high, and then I knew I had to meditate, which is stupid because it reminds me of that fucking ayahuasca. Have you ever heard of ayahuasca? People ask those people how they figured out to combine two random plants in a rainforest and make that tea and they’re like, the

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plants told us. It’s kind of stupid like that but weed has always kind of guided me in a weird way. I never listened to it.”

Despite this, Josh said smoking weed would often trigger anxiety and intensify the depersonalisation. “I used to get high and have panic attacks all the fucking time.” Dr Hunter also stated that cannabis does not help with depersonalisation disorders.

The complexities of depersonalisation disorders are still not entirely understood. While the results from studies of treatments have varied, Dr Hunter recently ran an eight-week mindfulness course that produced good results amongst those experiencing depersonalisation.

Josh still has moments when he feels like the disorder resurfaces and the anxiety kicks back in.

He still gets stuck in his own head sometimes, but it’s getting easier for him to pull himself out of it.

“I’m more positive, I trust myself more. I can speak better. I can read faster. I can do things better, physically. My reflexes are better. People make more sense. Emotions make way more sense. I’m feeling emotions properly for the first time and it’s freaking me out.”

Art by Connor Xia @yuu_e.art

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SOCIO-CULTURAL

AN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE TO PANIC ATTACKS

By Alyssa Rodrigo Content warning: anxiety, panic attacks

For a long time, my panic attacks were something that I experienced behind closed doors. Sometimes it happened at school, sometimes on the laundry floor at home. But for the most part, it happened in my bedroom, with the door shut and the lights off. My family remained completely unaware in the room just next to mine.

The first time someone saw me experiencing a panic attack was on a Sunday morning when I was 16. My mother came into my room to remind me that we were running late for church, only to find me completely still and unresponsive. Despite being a trained nurse with experience in treating trauma, there was very little she knew about how to coax me out of the attack, other than to tell me to “stop thinking about the stressful thing”. My older brother, though patient and empathetic, was similarly unsuccessful in rousing me out of the attack. To be fair, when experiencing a panic attack, it’s almost impossible to know how to pull yourself out of one.

For many, panic attacks are a common and haunting experience.

For those going through one, it often feels unstoppable. People watching a loved one experience a panic attack can often feel helpless.

Luckily, there are steps and strategies that exist to help calm someone experiencing a panic attack. Though it varies significantly from person to person, using grounding, mindfulness, and breathing techniques can help when someone’s sense of safety is compromised.

I spoke to Amy Harper, a counsellor at the LGBTQI+ organisation Twenty10 for some advice.

SO, WHAT IS A PANIC ATTACK? A panic attack is sometimes called an anxiety attack. It happens when a person experiences the physical symptoms of intense or overwhelming fear. Sometimes there might be a situation, thought, or memory which may trigger the panic attack. Sometimes they may seem to appear out of nowhere. An important characteristic of a panic attack is that the panic or fear response is often to a much greater degree than what would be considered rational for the situation.

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WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR BODY WHEN YOU’RE EXPERIENCING A PANIC ATTACK? Different people will experience panic in different ways, but some common physical symptoms are: • Racing heart • Chest pain or tension • Feeling out of breath • Feeling faint, lightheaded or dizzy • Sweating • Shaking • Feeling numb DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS ON HELPING SOMEONE WHO IS HAVING A PANIC ATTACK? Sometimes you won’t be able to tell that someone is experiencing a panic attack. They might appear quieter or zone out. For other people, it may be the opposite, where they may be visibly distressed.

If you are able to notice or suspect it, ask: • Is this a potential panic attack?

• Is it possible to remove them from the source of stress to somewhere quieter? It is not uncommon that a person will worry that people are looking at them and removing them can help alleviate that worry • Reassure them that they will be okay and that they are safe • Remind them that the panic attack will not last • Remind them that it is important to breathe, to slow and steady the pace of breathing. Sometimes you can count breaths with them When someone is experiencing panic, they may be experiencing catastrophic thoughts, or be emotionally disconnected from the present. Grounding is the act where someone is able to reconnect with the present. It may help the person to hold onto something such as their keys or phone. You could count backwards. Or, notice five things you see (like colours or objects), notice five things you hear (like traffic or chatter), and notice five things you can feel in contact with your skin (like your clothes). Ask them to reconnect with their body by wiggling their fingers and toes or by standing up. With consent, it may help some people to have physical contact such as a hug or having their back rubbed.

WHAT ARE SOME WAYS I CAN OFFER SUPPORT TO SOMEONE AFTER THEY’VE HAD A PANIC ATTACK? There are some apps that are recommended which can help people identify their symptoms, thoughts, and strategies as an option when panic strikes, such as Headspace: Guided Meditation and Fast Calm. It can be really helpful to connect with counselling support to understand your particular experience of panic. Counselling can also help build up skills for managing rather than avoiding stressors (where appropriate) or having an action plan should a panic attack occur in the future.

Qlife is a free, anonymous phone line and webchat run by LGBTIQA+ peers and allies from 3 to midnight every day of the year. You can contact Qlife on 1800 184 527 or at qlife.org.au

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SHOWCASE

LIQUID

By Claudia Akole

I’ve had the same desire to define my feelings about anxiety through art for a solid 3-4 years, but I’ve always been unable to because: 1. Whatever I put on paper will never be truly accurate or meet the expectation for what I have in my head.

2. How am I supposed to make a comic/film about anxiety when thinking about anxiety gives me anxiety.

Sometimes, when I’m having a particularly bad anxiety attack or depressive episode I’ll write down what I’m thinking without stopping in an attempt to calm down. A week ago, I read this meltdown that I had last year, and I rewrote it as a transcript, bought a fresh sketchbook, thumbed out the pages, and finally thought, fuck it, and put pen to paper. Trying not to think too hard about making it perfect, and just drawing and writing. To me, anxiety physically feels like a black liquid is filling me up from the soles of my feet upward.

I’ve been wanting to describe ‘LIQUID’ forever, but on top of the creative stagnancy, I’m honestly quite terrified to share such personal information with anyone.

Claudia Akole @claudinsky

Claudia Akole @claudinsky

Claudia Akole @claudinsky

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CREATIVE WRITING

CREATIVE WRITING

A screen split into three; equal parts, swathed in black, the stage seems to be set, audience hushed, waiting for the actors to ENTER STAGE RIGHT and for the spectacle to begin.

And in she steps, into each screen. Different clothes, different nights, different hums of human activity behind her, but the same pained expression and embers burning behind slitted eyes, the same mouth spitting the same daggery words. “So, what are you going to do? Is it me or is it them?”

And all three screens pan right, slowly, painfully slowly, and for a while it isn’t obvious who the audience is supposed to focus on.

Is it the sprawling mass of people gathered across each screen?

Different bars, different music, but the same heaving confusion of faces and voices. A compilation of one more beers and can we sit outsides and sideward glances, the laughter and cheers of clinking glasses of frothing ambers and golds. The heavy, wood-panelled walls, cigarette ash being tap-tap-tapped into slick black ashtrays, smatterings of unearthed coins from pockets and a great gout of cheers washing up and over them like a wave. The screens stop, each now centred and close-up on the three girls she found most important in this act of her life. The three girls with whom she’d shifted alongside, each starkly different and painfully beautiful in face and voice and temperament, but all three with mouths rounding over the same their puckered, sorry apology.

“Victoria… I can’t. I’m sorry.”

The three girls who have literally, quite literally, turned their backs on her. Watch them fade from focus now, look at them go.

All those nights of perfect tanned skin on lazy legs sprawled over her balcony. Unending glasses of sparkling wine and sparking laughter to match, drunken mornings, walking with the wink of dawn licking at their heels. Holding hands and murmuring words too honest, too raw for them to speak about again. The teary thank yous and I love yous and tight embraces that lasted just a bit too long, the eyes that said everything when words couldn’t, and head-thrown-back, eyesclosed laughter. It was the complete, beautiful promise of friendship she thought they shared, the sum of its slightly broken, almost wholly neurotic parts. The slow moving montage in her head. Each of the three screens from left to right, shards and fractals reflecting her, and that stupid, infuriating look of betrayal on her face being splayed and splashed with light.

Three almost comically apathetic looks. Hands out, eyebrows up, “What do you want me to do, Victoria? What do you want me to say?”

“Nothing,” she spits, three times over, “Fuck you.” She turns with unbridled sadness that stings between her temples. In each screen she makes to leave, then pauses, waiting for the call of the friend that doesn’t come.

And we fade to black.

Art by Crystal Yiamkiati @yiamkiati

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ARTS & LIFESTYLE

MARGOT MCGOVERN: CRISIS AND RECOVERY Words by Sofia Casanova Content warning: mental illness

With the magic of Peter Pan and elements of Greek mythology, the debut Young Adult (YA) novel Neverland

by Margot McGovern is out and gracing the shelves of many readers. Vertigo had the chance to chat to Margot about Neverland, the Australian YA landscape, the themes of mental health surrounding her novel, and what it means to be an author.

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Neverland is your debut novel. Can you please describe your journey to publication? What obstacles did you have to overcome?

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of experiences and voices represented in fiction because diverse narratives foster inclusivity and compassion.

There are a lot of technical terms in regards to psychology and therapy throughout the novel. What was the research process like for Neverland?

It’s been a long and winding road. I’d always wanted to be a writer and had already completed a creative writing PhD by the time I started working on Neverland back in mid-2013. An early version of the manuscript was shortlisted for the 2015 Text Prize and that gave me the confidence to start showing it to people and getting feedback.

A year later, I was still sitting on the manuscript when I learned that one of my favourite fellow book bloggers, Danielle Binks, had become a literary agent. I pitched her the story and crossed my fingers. She said no. But she offered me the chance to re-submit a revised draft, which I did, and she signed me.

Things moved quickly after that. However, by the time Danielle had an offer from Penguin Random House Australia, I was pregnant and ended up doing most of the editing right around the time my daughter was born. It was hectic but still a dream come true!

At the time I started working on Neverland, I shared some of Kit’s anxiety about finding a way forwards. So I began with personal experience.

However, Kit’s situation extends well beyond my own and I used practice-led research to bridge the gaps. Mostly, that involved a lot of reading, which covered everything from clinical information to personal accounts. And sometimes what I learned forced me to tweak the story. However, it’s also worth noting that Kit is an unreliable narrator who is often unwilling to, or incapable of addressing the state of her mental health head on.

The protagonist Kit is a character in crisis throughout the book, wading through the rough waters of illness and recovery.

At times, it felt like treading water with her narration. What was it like writing her journey?

I like to think that the future of YA will largely be determined by the kind of stories teens want and need. For now, it feels as though YA, particularly Australian YA, is moving in an exciting direction.

We’re starting to see greater diversity in our stories, and I hope that continues to grow.

It was challenging because I felt very connected to Kit. I lived her story over and over and part of me was always on the island [of Neverland] with her, even when I wasn’t physically writing. That definitely took an emotional toll. But I fell in love with Kit’s rough edges and fragile core, and once I found her voice, I was determined to tell her story.

Do you think Neverland will change the stories young adults and teens will be reading in future?

Final question – what’s next for you?

I’m taking some time out to be with my baby girl and get my head around being a mum, but I loved working on the more whimsical aspects of Neverland, and I’ve got a half-drafted YA urban fantasy that I’m itching to get back to.

Mental health is the core theme of your novel and it’s addressed at full force. Is this something you are passionate about and want to see more of in YA? Anything teens deal with in real life has a place in YA, including mental illness. That said, context is important, and I tried to approach this theme in a way that would encourage empathy for the characters living with mental illness without romanticising the harmful effects of their conditions.

Speaking more generally, I think we should always be striving to broaden the range Art by Isabella Meagher @kovvu

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ARTS & LIFESTYLE

BOOK REVIEW: THE IMMORTALISTS BY CHLOE BENJAMIN

By Eugenia Alabasinis Content warning: death

If you found out when you would take your last breath, how would you spend the moments you have left? The Immortalists confronts the reality of our mortality in the form of a sweeping family saga.

Featuring four siblings over forty years, Chloe Benjamin’s poignant work follows the Golds as they navigate the rest of their lives after a visit to a fortune teller reveals the day each of them would die.

The result of this singular event is a story which branches into the relationship between faith and fate, transformation of familial ties and whether profound knowledge acts as a blessing or a curse.

The novel’s structure brings particular attention to the Gold children at different periods in their lives, examining the subtle yet irrevocable shift in consciousness that comes with supposedly knowing when their time would be up. Would the predictions morph into a selffulfilling prophecy, or is it possible to rebel against a fate written in the stars?

Where this book makes its biggest impact is through Benjamin’s prose that captures her characters’ deepest insecurities with remarkable clarity. Simon in particular struggles to find his place in the world. A young idealist, he begins his new life in San Francisco to break free from the constraints of his widowed mother Gertie.

“Is this not what he wanted? His mother has relinquished him, given him to the world of which he’s longed to be a part. And yet he feels a spike of fear: the filter has been taken off the lens, the safety net ripped from beneath his feet, and he is dizzy with dreadful independence.”

Alongside Simon, Klara also wishes to subvert her fate. As a magician with her signature ‘Jaws of Life’ act, she embraces a lifestyle which is equally exhilarating and precarious. It is interesting to note how the author has juxtaposed these two with Daniel and Varya, whose paths are arguably more conservative. However, while Daniel works as a military doctor deciding which men are fit for the perils of war, Varya’s

ARTS & LIFESTYLE

occupation as a scientist brings her to the brink of discovering the secret of longevity. Even as their lives diverge so drastically, Benjamin tenderly brings to light the invisible thread of kinship holding families together through their darkest hours.

“She could not bear that kind of life: dangerous, fleshy, full of love so painful it took her breath away.”

The complex characterisation probes the reader to wonder: “If I knew when I would die, how would I choose to live?” In The Immortalists, it seems that people either adopt an affinity for facile hedonism, or measure each waking minute according to the minutiae of every decision to be made and where it will lead. The former is pure recklessness, and the latter a recipe for a tedious existence devoid of joyous spontaneity. Perhaps it is only as we live with cautious awareness of our return to dust that we can appreciate all aspects of the human experience; from the crushing weight of loss to the soaring weightlessness of pure happiness.

If there’s anything to be learnt from The Immortalists, it’s that the future will always be uncertain, with cracks formed long ago from the mistakes of years gone by. Nonetheless, there is comfort to be found in the surety that as long as our hearts keep beating, nothing compares to the sensation of feeling well and truly alive.

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BUSINESS, SCIENCE & INNOVATION

MEET SOPHIA

By Dylan Crismale

Sophia is an android developed by Hong Kongbased Hanson Robotics. It made its first debut in early 2016 at SXSW festival. Sophia is Hanson’s most advanced project and has functioned as a ‘pseudo spokesperson’ for the company since.

Sophia is modelled on golden age actress Audrey Hepburn, but you’re forgiven if you don’t see the resemblance.

HOW SOPHIA WORKS Sophia is designed to process visual data through sensors in its eyes as well as listen to conversations. By combining this audio-visual data, Sophia can memorise people’s facial expressions, contextualise their speech, then mimic them on its face.

Some of what Sophia says is partially scripted, with the rest controlled by artificial intelligence (AI), Sophia has active listening and updates its knowledge based on the data it receives when conversing with people – in addition to any updates it receives manually. Sophia is also programmed to have ‘feelings’ and ‘preferences’.

TOO LIFELIKE OR NOT ALIVE ENOUGH? While Sophia’s abilities showcase some incredible advancements in the field, it still needs to come a long way before it’s functional for day-to-day interactions with people.

Currently, Sophia’s level of intelligence is questionable. In more controlled scenarios, Sophia often discusses complex ideas and appears to be quite intelligent and well, ‘alive’. However, in live

scenarios, the conversation is usually stilted and pre-programmed at least to a degree, with Sophia not understanding idioms or syntax.

This has led to some incredibly awkward moments such as when it debuted on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ and made the joke: “This is the beginning of my plan to dominate the human race…haha…just kidding.” Creepy, right?1 In the same appearance, creator and CEO of Hanson Robotics Dr David Hanson told Fallon that Sophia is “basically alive”. This was somewhat an oversimplification. The concept is complex; Sophia isn’t about to start waking up every morning and heading off to work, but this is the kind of speculative language that’s being used.

IMMEDIATE IMPLICATIONS While it’s primary function is to talk to people and better understand them, Sophia is a programmed idealist and has talked of changing the world for the better, citing things like, “taking care of the planet,” and, “learning how to be compassionate to all beings”.2 It’s pity that it only has us, humans, to learn from.

The benefits and negative implications that arise with a complicated android like Sophia are many, and they are multi-faceted.

With an endless potential for learning and updating, as well as the addition of limbs, nearly anything is possible for Sophia.3 At a functional level, there is great potential for Sophia to work as an assistive technology in many roles, but how about total replacement: Sophia the cashier, fast food cook, paralegal?4

BUSINESS, SCIENCE & INNOVATION

The threat to human jobs that automation presents is ever present; how long will it be until every job can be replaced by robots like Sophia?

How many years might it be until Sophia can run, climb, wield a weapon, or even be used as a weapon?

LONG-TERM SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS Last year Sophia made headlines when Saudi Arabia awarded it citizenship, making Sophia the first robot citizen in the world.5 Professor Hussein Abbass was one of several academics who called attention to the problematic nature of redefining citizenship. They raised several questions surrounding Sophia’s legal and social rights as a citizen: • Does Sophia have the right to a vote and who is deciding at the ballot box? Sophia, or the company who made it?

• As a citizen, what would Sophia’s rights be regarding reproduction? Would Sophia be able to replicate itself?

• Does a system shutdown constitute murder?6 These are hypothetical questions, but they fall in the same vein of discussion that has surrounded Sophia since its early appearances, including stating it would like to have a child and if it did, it would name it Sophia.7 While the discussion is interesting, people at the time rightly called out the stunt of granting a non-human Saudi citizenship when Saudi Arabia has a long history of human rights abuses and strict laws that govern women’s rights.

FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS Fortunately for future job security, Sophia’s appearance currently falls within the range of the effect called the uncanny valley – it’s a way of describing the unease we feel when we look at something that looks human but isn’t quite human.

While Sophia still falls into the range of this effect, a complete takeover in jobs that require human interaction won’t be fully possible.

However, this raises further implications. While robots like Sophia are being developed that can learn to fill specialist roles, other companies are making robots designed to fulfil the sexual desires of people. This affects the perception of how we treat and speak of women in our society. This also raises important questions about the perceptions of women and how we prescribe these feminine

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characteristics to robots. We already live in a culture where most of our digital assistants are assigned feminine or female characteristics by default. Note: Alexa, Bixby, Cortana, and most famously Siri have all been marketed with feminine voices.

These issues are already being portrayed in popular culture; TV shows and films that focus on robotics, like Ex Machina, Humans, and Westworld will hopefully help shape our attitudes and inform the culture of robotics in the future.

It’s important that experts and the public continue to participate in discourse; robotics is an industry that is advancing rapidly and if the idea of a robot like Sophia raised any questions for you, wait until you meet its eight robot ‘siblings’.

1

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2017, Tonight Showbotics: Jimmy Meets Sophia the Human-Like Robot, videorecording, YouTube, viewed 18 March 2018, <https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_tJvCA8zw>.

2

Tech Insider 2017, We Talked To Sophia — The AI Robot That Once Said It Would ‘Destroy Humans’, videorecording, YouTube, viewed 17 March 2018, < https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=78-1MlkxyqI>.

3

Korosec, K. 2018, ‘Sophia the Citizen Robot Is Learning to Walk’, Fortune, 8 January, viewed 17 March 2018, < http:// fortune.com/2018/01/08/sophia-robot-walk-ces-2018/>.

4

Mahdawi, A. 2017, ‘What jobs will still be around in 20 years? Read this to prepare your future’, The Guardian, 26 June, viewed 17 March 2018, <https://www.theguardian.com/ us-news/2017/jun/26/jobs-future-automation-robots-skillscreative-health>.

5

Koslowski, M. 2017, ‘A Human-Like Robot Just Received Citizenship In Saudi Arabia’, HuffPost, 29 October, viewed 18 March 2018, <https://www.huffingtonpost.com. au/2017/10/28/a-human-like-robot-just-received-citizenshipin-saudi-arabia_a_23259537/>.

6

Abbass, H. 2017, ‘An AI professor explains: three concerns about granting citizenship to robot Sophia’, The Conversation, 30 October, viewed 18 March 2018, <https:// theconversation.com/an-ai-professor-explains-three-concernsabout-granting-citizenship-to-robot-sophia-86479>.

7

Nasir, S. 2017, ‘Video: Sophia the robot wants to start a family’, Khaleej Times, 23 November, viewed 18 March 2018, <https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/dubai//video-sophiathe-robot-wants-to-start-a-family->.

8

Lay, S. 2015, ‘Uncanny valley: why we find human-like robots and dolls so creepy’, The Conversation, 10 November, viewed 18 March 2018, <https://theconversation.com/ uncanny-valley-why-we-find-human-like-robots-and-dolls-socreepy-50268>.

9

Beswick, E. 2017, ‘Lifelike sex robots could present ethical issues, experts warn’, Euronews, 5 July, viewed 18 March 2018, <http://www.euronews.com/2017/07/05/lifelike-sexrobots-could-create-ethical-issues-experts-warn>.

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POLITICS & LAW

HOW TRUMP STOPPED WORRYING AND LEARNED TO LOVE JONG-UN

By Rhiannon Soliman-Marron

Have you ever wished you could go back to the 1970s? Although it seems like a simpler time, with flared jeans and good music, you might be forgetting the ever-present threat of nuclear war.

Forty years on and it doesn’t seem like much has changed…

We’re all aware of North Korea’s intentions to nuke America, but why is North Korea so obsessed with America’s demise? As a result of Cold War tensions following World War II, Korea was divided into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), more commonly known as North Korea and the Republic of Korea (ROK), commonly known as South Korea. During the Korean Civil War, also known as the ‘proxy war’ fought between the Soviet Union and the United States, the United States intervened on behalf of the South, leaving postwar devastation in the DPRK. Consequently, the citizens and government of the DPRK developed enmity towards the US, which continues to this day. Tensions have escalated over the last several years and months, primarily due to the barbs traded between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US president Donald Trump.

Following its withdrawal from the UN NonProliferation Treaty in 2003, North Korea has run tests of nuclear missiles about once every three

years. Nine UN resolutions attempting to impose sanctions on North Korea in a bid for them to halt their nuclear program have so far been ineffective.

With the most recent test, being a new hydrogen bomb late last year paired with missiles that can travel up to 13,000km, almost every country could be a potential target.

On top of this, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has recently boasted about his new arsenal of nukes during a public address earlier this year.

According to Putin, US nuclear weapons are “useless” in comparison to his impressive new missiles. With this address, a video has also been released showing these new weapons hitting various targets. One of the targets appears alarmingly similar to the US state of Florida.

While all this has all been happening, however, South Korea has been hard at work. Officials from South Korea recently held a four-hour dinner with Jong-un, in which denuclearisation was discussed, and another meeting was arranged to take place in late April. After United Nations Resolution 2375, which banned exports on textiles and caps oil imports, ultimately did nothing to stop further missile tests, South Korea’s tentative success is significant. Without external involvement, peace talks have been arranged between two countries

POLITICS & LAW

who, before this instance, have only spoken twice since the end of the Korean War in 1953.

Following the meeting with South Korean officials, Kim Jong-un agreed to meet with Trump to, once again, discuss denuclearisation. So far, Jong-un has been eerily quiet, with both the country’s major television networks broadcasting anything but this breaking news. Trump, however, has been anything but, with a rapid-fire stream of tweets following the announcement. Although the DPRK’s silence might look like cause for concern, North Korea’s track record with responding to similar invitations is much the same. Further, this particular meeting and the upcoming South Korean talks are completely unprecedented.

Of course, much of this seems to only affect the US. However, Australia is a close ally of the US, and has followed suit when America has voiced opposition to any proposed ban on nuclear weapons. In fact, whilst mimicking the US, Australia went as far as boycotting a 2017 global summit that aimed to implement the abolition of nukes.

In July 2017, the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was signed by 57 nations.

The US isn’t one of them, and, dutiful as ever, neither is Australia. The Asia-Pacific director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear

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Weapons has accused us of “taking orders from the Trump administration,” and when paired with other instances, including our strong support of Trump’s controversially swift airstrikes on Syria, he may be correct.

So, where does Australia stand right now? As usual, right behind the US. Minister for Defense Industry Christopher Pyne has stressed that, “pressure remains on North Korea to denuclearise”.

Many other politicians have agreed that that we should be cautiously optimistic as these events unfold. If all else fails, Japan, South Korea and the US all have mechanisms in place that could potentially intercept and destroy any incoming missiles.

However, the situation seems less dire than it has been previously, with once-volatile leaders Trump and Jong-un putting down their deadly weapons and Twitter accounts for the time being to calmly talk things over. If all goes well, the history books may look on these leaders more graciously than anticipated.

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BUSINESS, SCIENCE & INNOVATION

STOOLS: A HUMBLE SYMBOL OF HONG KONG’S ADAPTABILITY

By Joyce Cheng

Hidden in plain sight throughout the dense urban jungle of Hong Kong is an icon of the city’s resourceful culture: the stool. Although humble in form and unspectacular in nature, the stool encapsulates the ethos that shapes the material culture of Hong Kong. A quintessential character of the cityscape, it is difficult to walk a short distance without encountering at least a few stools, nestled in stall displays and scattered along shopfronts. Cheap, light, and easy to clean, stools epitomise the utilitarian approach to life adopted by the residents of an overcrowded and hyper-efficient megalopolis.

In a city that contains an average of seven thousand people per square kilometre (in comparison the 35 thousand in the US and three thousand in Australia) (World Bank Group 2017), space is too valuable to be left untapped. In order to maximise their space, locals repurpose public areas to suit their individual needs. Hong Kong’s vast network of narrow alleys, originally created to facilitate the removal of household detritus (Footer 2016), are particularly apt for this usage. German photographer, Michael Wolf, notes that Hong Kong is unique in that it is the only place in the world where people can leave personal items in public space “In very elaborate construction — almost fragile in character,” (Poon 2016) and return to find them untouched. Therefore, rather than being stored indoors, stools can be found precariously leaning against public infrastructure, curiously stacked next to market stalls, and surreptitiously stashed away in back alleys, unattended and unprotected from the elements.

As a result, many are subject to three fates: to be damaged, repaired or repurposed.

DAMAGED Contrary to Western society, where items are usually replaced when they break or become unsightly, objects in Hong Kong are utilised to their maximum potential. Cracked, discoloured, torn and rusty stools continue to serve the locals throughout the streets of Hong Kong.

BUSINESS, SCIENCE & INNOVATION

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own illustrations @_joycecheng_

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Unapologetically damaged with no attempts at repair in sight, they represent a distinctive social attitude that values the functionality and economy of an object over its appearance. As noted by local architect Joseph Sy, “Hong Kong is a practical place. People simply do what works best” (Peacock 2016). It’s rare to come by a stool that does not show any sign of wear. Plastic stools are the most popular throughout Hong Kong but also perhaps the most susceptible to damage. Found in markets, dai pai dong and as part of street-side kiosks, these stools become marked with the rough and tumble nature of their surroundings. Due to prolonged exposure to the sun and elements, they also often chip and crack. Layers of dirt, grime and scratches give “new” colour to the sun-bleached hues of what were once blue, red and teal. Splintering wood, peeling veneers and flaking rust speak to the fast-paced nature of Hong Kong, a city that’s constantly in motion.

MODIFIED The instinctive response to a damaged object is to repair it. However, it is in the idiosyncratic ways in which stools are modified to extend their lifespan beyond the usual that transforms these ordinary household objects into icons of Hong Kong’s material culture. Stools can be modified to renew them for use again, or alternatively, to customise the object to better suit one’s individual needs.

The materials used to modify the stools reflect the resourcefulness of the act itself, usually quite improvisational and often sourced from the stool’s immediate surroundings. For example, the stool below (right) was found in the vegetable section of Java Road market in North Point. Two stools are bound together using mismatched pieces of string as well as a woven vegetable net, which one can only assume came from the packaging of the produce the vendor was selling. As the stools do not appear damaged in this instance, this modification appears to have been made to enhance its functionality rather than restore it.

Often stools are reupholstered with a range of found materials such as plastic bags, cling wrap, textiles and packing tape. Wood-top stools are the most frequently reupholstered, and with plastic, likely to combat the risk of splinters for the user.

Sighted in Wan Chai, two broken chairs of vastly different makes complement each other in an elaborate composition that encapsulates the art form of thriftiness. Although it lies outside the scope of stools, this assemblage epitomises the perception that, “Anything can be repaired and reused,” (Poon 2016) in Hong Kong. Michael Wolf, whose practice emerged from a fascination with these makeshift ensembles, calls this phenomenon, “Aesthetics without the design” to describe the unintentional occurrence of art in an utterly utilitarian pursuit.

REPURPOSED Beyond their conventional function as seats, stools serve a vast number of extracurricular purposes throughout Hong Kong, particularly within the context of street markets and stall displays. As

BUSINESS, SCIENCE & INNOVATION

the world’s second most expensive city, with an alarmingly large wealth gap (Yau 2017), the residents of Hong Kong are forced to innovate in order to survive. From dried fish on Cheng Chau Island to sewing machines and Shamwows in Sham Shui Po, products are seen being sold across stool-tops in makeshift street stalls. Due to their portability, cheapness, and capacity to carry things, stools make the ideal candidates for the construction of these stalls.

Their formal similarities to tables, shelves, and stands lend themselves to a multitude of uses. When items are placed on top of a stool, it is transformed into a table, a weighing scale, an informal shrine. As a table, they can function as dining tables, workspaces and extensions of market stall displays. When short stools are inserted into a stall display, they become shelving units, creating different levels for the eye to survey. When objects are leant against a stool, it becomes a pillar of support, usually for banners and advertisements.

When a stool is upturned, it becomes a cradle, for objects too large or unstable to be carried the right way up. For example, a round-bottomed basket of fish or a makeshift concrete bucket stand about to break out of its vessel. The ability to conduct business across a few stools is a true testament to the adaptability of Hong Kong’s citizens.

Collectively, these stools paint a vivid picture of Hong Kong’s resourcefulness. The transformation of a mundane household object into a versatile tool embodies the utilitarian spirit of a megalopolis that runs faster than clockwork.

REFERENCES Footer, M. 2016, Hong Kong’s back alleys: beauty amid the banal, Post Magazine, viewed 20 February 2018, <http://www.scmp. com/magazines/post-magazine/books/article/1901107/hong-kongphotographer-michael-wolf-explores-back> Peacock, L. 2007, Tiling in Style, South Morning China Post, viewed 20 February 2018, <http://www.scmp.com/article/590617/tiling-style> Poon, L. 2016, The Hidden Ingenuity of Hong Kong’s Cramped Back Alleys, City Lab, viewed 20 February 2018, <http://www.citylab. com/housing/2016/02/the-hidden-ingenuity-in-hong-kongs-crampedback-alleys/459390/> Yau, C., Zhou, V. 2017, What hope for the poorest? Hong Kong wealth gap hits record high, South China Morning Post, viewed 20 February 2018, <http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/ article/2097715/what-hope-poorest-hong-kong-wealth-gap-hitsrecord-high>

Author’s own photographs @_joycecheng_

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SHOWCASE

VACANT SPACES

By Shanni Sun "Theres no such thing as an empty space or an empty time. There is always something to see, something to hear. In fact, try as we may to make a silence, we cannot." â&#x20AC;&#x201D;John Cage

Shanni Sun @shannisun

Shanni Sun @shannisun

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CREATIVE WRITING

ROULETTE ROMANCE

By Clare Manera

Darling, The door frame fears it will suffer fissures at your arrival. The bed creaks uneasily. The linen trembles.

Who are you tonight?

Stone cold, glassy-eyed, monster, stomach slowly sinks.

I wonder if tears would rot the bed slats. They might finally break.

In the morning, I glimpse a sleeping giant. Its features are oddly soft and I wonder if this is a rare display of fragility or whether your brutal power is simply idling. I have my answer when I turn my back on you. In the mirror my cheeks glow and for a sleepy moment, I admire your work. I looked flushed, colourful. But no, my head is clouded and my cheeks are not glowing but blazing. Scarlett and shiny, like the cars you so admire.

Darling, are you there?

Hoping, holding onto our, ancient affiance.

Art Credit

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Tonight, you greet the door gracefully. I watch the lounge embrace your tired muscles and judge it safe to take your hand. My hesitancy falls away, the cold draft on our feet a relief. Your eyes bore into mine and I do not feel afraid because at this moment they see my potential instead of my forthcomings.

But, as you wrap one arm around my décolletage it becomes a noose. My mind forgets the things you have done and finds comfort in your illusion but my body is not so easily fooled. My eyes widen, I wriggle and my legs kick out slightly. You spin me around, expression hardening.

Why did you do that? You ask.

You strike and I should have known.

Are you back again?

Jekyll or Hyde, dark or light, who is presiding?

I whisper to the walls, and pace every room of the house – every floorboard groaning.

Before your wheels spin into the driveway, I know what to do.

You stumble in, a loaded roulette ball, weighted with guilt. Little do you know that I have rigged the wheel. You’re spinning and I know where you’ll land. These walls keep your secrets for now but under the surface the spalling bricks beg to be uncovered. The wallpaper flakes under my fingernails.

Have you woken yet?

And, can you hear the sirens?

And, do you feel pain?

Art by Wilson Art Leung Credit @waishunwilson

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BUSINESS, SCIENCE & INNOVATION

OUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT

By Larissa Shearman

If you’re like me, you probably just run on the assumption that anything online is way less harmful to the environment than the old pen and paper system. I mean, the trees are happier, so that means we’re doing okay, right? We think that because data is an infinite thing, sustainability isn’t really something we have to worry about.

Today, billions of people in the world connected to the internet and as such, this massive change from less than a generation ago has increased the carbon footprint of the internet to the point where it will soon be greater than air travel.1 Such a big leap in a relatively short amount of time is not just something to think about, but also act on. For those of us who have to use both paper and devices, it is a very dire situation. In Australia, we still use an average of 230 kg of paper per person annually.2 We clearly need to do something.

There are two significant ways our consumption of the internet creates a considerable carbon footprint: production power and cooling servers. Of course, our individual use is something we never really think about in this process. It turns out there’s a server which has to then search and process a massive amount of data, creating a small output of greenhouse gases every single time.

And what about email, for instance? It’s greener than hard copy, but it still creates an estimated four grams of carbon dioxide.3 And if that email dings into your inbox with an attachment, you’re looking at a massive 50 grams. That’s approximately equivalent to boiling eight pots of tea.

Our favourite streaming sites aren’t immune. According to Greenpeace’s 2017 #ClickClean report, Netflix has a D rating for green energy consumption as a result of only 17% clean energy

1

Kualo.com — The Environmental Impact of the Internet Graphic ­https://www.kualo.com/blog/theenvironmental-impact-of-the-internet/ 2

Australianscience.com — Paper Consumption Impact in Australia — http://www.australianscience.com. au/environmental-science/paperconsumption-impact-in-australia/

3

Greenforwardnews.com — The Environmental Impact of the Internet — http://www.greenforwardnews. com/the-surprising-environmentalimpact-of-the-internet/

BUSINESS, SCIENCE & INNOVATION

being used (coal is a large proportion of their power source).4 They also score very poorly on their ‘energy transparency’ and ‘advocacy’ for renewable energy. That’s not very chill, Netflix. Another popular streaming site, Spotify, shares a D rating with Netflix. They have a more substantial proportion of clean energy used (56%); however, their ratings in every other area are incredibly dismal (including ‘energy efficiency’ and ‘renewable energy commitment’).

Cryptocurrency, which is relatively new, can use (at minimum) 3,994 times more energy than a traditional transaction using a credit card.5 It’s the same logic as a server powering a Google search.

There has to be energy to power the hard drive, which carries out calculations to “mine” new Bitcoins. These hard drives also need fans to keep them from overheating, meaning even more power is used in the whole process.

According to Digiconomist, this means the total process of just Bitcoin mining (one of many cryptocurrencies) consumes five times more electricity than the largest wind farm in Europe can produce.6 However, the actual amount of energy Bitcoin uses is impossible to calculate due to the anonymity of its users which means the reality may be much, much worse.7 However, there is hope. The big players in the game are already making an effort to ‘green their cloud’. Google, Apple, Facebook and others have committed to using 100% renewable energy to power their data centres.8 The global shift to the cloud, in general, can mean a reduction in energy consumption when utilising one of these ‘greener’ cloud providers. For big corporations like Netflix and Spotify, who obviously need to pick up their game, it’s easy to add your name to a petition on the Greenpeace website to lobby them to make changes in their policy concerning renewables.

The consensus in the research is that there are few simple things we can do to minimise the impact of our internet use. Number one is something most of us are guilty of: leaving your chargers plugged in 24/7. This is known as ‘vampire-power’; your device still sucks the energy out of your wall (and money out of your pocket) when fully charged, even if it’s in sleep mode. According to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, standby mode accounts for 5-10% of the world’s total residential electricity and 1% of carbon dioxide emissions.9 The things you love can truly hurt you the most.

A simple fix? Make sure you unplug from the wall at the same time as disconnecting your phone. This way it becomes a natural habit to pick up, and it will save you cash in the process. Also, make an effort to shut down devices when you’re not using them.

You may think that there are plenty of other, more pressing environmental issues which we should be dealing with first. And while this may be true, it doesn’t hurt to learn more about our individual responsibilities through our choices on how we consume and use the internet.

Obviously, we’re not saying to throw your phone into the harbour and start researching communes where you will begin your new ecofriendly life. But these issues are something that we need to think about now. Scratch that, the time for thinking has passed. It’s time for action. Our generation is the first to use this technology for the vast majority of our lives, and as a result, it’s our responsibility to educate ourselves on our actual impact on the globe, in more ways than one.

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#ClickClean Report — http://www. clickclean.org/international/en/

5

motherboard.vice.com — Bitcoin Is Still Unsuitable https://motherboard. vice.com/en_us/article/ypkp3y/ bitcoin-is-still-unsustainable

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Digiconomist — Bitcoin Energy Consumption Index — https:// digiconomist.net/bitcoin-energyconsumption 7

CBS News — How Bitcoin is Affecting the Environment - https:// www.cbsnews.com/news/how-isbitcoin-affecting-the-environment/ 8

Kualo.com — The Environmental Impact of the Internet — https://www. kualo.com/blog/the-environmentalimpact-of-the-internet

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Lawrence Berkeley National Library — Standby Power — http://standby. lbl.gov/

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ARTS & LIFESTYLE

MOST CONTROVERSIAL MUSIC RELEASES

By David Burley

Musicians often toe the line between art and offense, and many works we call classics today sparked heated debate when they were first released. These songs pushed their audiences to the limit, but with the benefit of hindsight, they were worth the risk. The following four songs highlight chronologically works that established genres and songs changed social norms for censorship what was acceptable in popular culture.

Stravinsky – ‘The Rite Of Spring’ – 1913 Everyone’s had a song that on first listen doesn’t sound that special and gets better with more listens, but Stravinsky’s ‘The Rite of Spring’ takes that to the next level. The song opened the ballet Le Sacre du Printemps in Paris, 1913 and had potentially the worst reception possible. The ballet recreated an ancient pagan ritual and the music combined with the dancing made such an unnerving atmosphere that people began to boo it. As the play progressed, this escalated into a full-blown riot and the police were called to breakup the row before the second half of the 33 minute play. Nowadays the piece is considered a masterpiece, but on the night of its premiere, Stravinsky was forced to flee the venue, fearing for his life.

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The Sex Pistols – ‘God Save the Queen’ – 1977 In England today, your average Brit doesn’t love it when you talk smack about the royal family, so you can imagine the outrage when a bunch of sarcastic spiky-haired kids started yelling about how the Queen was a fascist in 1977. Not only was the song banned by the BBC and all independent radio stations in England, it also sparked a protest in a factory where the records were being pressed. The live debut of the song was performed in mockery of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrations, with the band playing a set on a cruise ship as it sailed down the Thames. Police were called and members of the notorious punk band were arrested. Despite the drama, the song still came in at number 2 on the official UK record chart.

Elvis Presley – ‘Hound Dog’ – 1956 It’s hard to believe that the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was met with criticism, but that’s what he encountered when he first performed ‘Hound Dog’ on The Milton Berle Show in 1956. Television critics condemned the song for its “appalling lack of musicality”, “vulgarity” and “animalism”. The Catholic Church joined in on the Elvis-hating, warning the public of the delinquency inducing effects it could have on the youth. The critics took particular offense to Elvis’ unique dancing style, which resulted in later performances only being filmed from the waist up.

N.W.A – ‘Fuck tha Police’ – 1988 In 1988, the gangsta rap supergroup N.W.A exposed the tension between African-Americans and the police in their controversial track ‘Fuck tha Police’. The lyrics highlight frustrations felt by their community towards racial profiling and police brutality that did little to deter gang related violence in areas like Compton. The FBI responded to the song, blaming it for inciting violence against law enforcement and calling for the song to be censored. This sparked a debate around the world on censorship of music, even spreading to Australia where triple J played N.W.A’s song ‘Express Yourself’ for 24 hours straight to protest the ABC banning ‘Fuck tha Police’.

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ARTS & LIFESTYLE

TOP SEVEN EUROVISION SONGS OF 2018

By Manoli Luxford

VII.

VI.

One of my favourite times of the year is upon us! 2018’s Eurovision Song Contest is fast approaching and will be center stage at Lisbon, Portugal. There will be 43 songs, either very cheesy or essentially bops, and a contest full of big props and over-the-top staging. Oh, and there’ll be plenty of Eurodrama on Twitter nearly every day.

This year’s Eurovision season has been going on since the end of December, with many countries selecting their songs through a national final or being internally selected by the countries’ public broadcaster.

As a massive Eurovision enthusiast, here’s my list of top 7 songs of this season to look out for:

Moldova: DoReDos - ‘My Lucky Day’ Moldova’s entry this year brings us back to the good old days of Eurovision in the late 2000’s, when countries weren’t afraid to send cheesy songs that are a cultural representation of their music. ‘My Lucky Day’ is my guilty pleasure this year.

Horrible lyrics, but an infectious ethnic beat and chorus. Be on the lookout for their live performance featuring a Moldovan dance break. Many could call it cheap, but I call it iconic.

Italy: Ermal Meta & Fabrizio Moro - ‘Non Mi Avete Fatto Niente’ This year, there are many songs with serious messages behind them. This is possibly due to the powerful themes of the songs from the two previous winners of Eurovision. Italy has followed suit. Titled, ‘You Did Not Do Anything To Me’ in English. Meta and Moro sing in Italian about the terrorist attacks that have happened around the world, in particular those in Cairo, and London.

While the song is dark, it does still have a lively beat and is uplifting in the message of defiance to being hurt by the actions of the terrorist attacks.

V. France: Madame Monsieur - ‘Mercy’ France’s entry this year is an electro-pop song based on the true story of a little girl, who was a refugee being born aboard a ship while her mother was fleeing the violence of her country. The key part of the song is the bridge, which is guaranteed to have everyone in the audience clapping along, where the duo sing: ‘Mercy, Mercy, I’m alright, thank you.’ The French duo have garnered a lot of attention from Eurovision fans with many seeing this as one of the favourites to win the contest.

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I. Cyprus: Eleni Foureira - ‘Fuego’ Eleni Foureira is known as the Greek pop queen and has delivered the banger of the contest that we all deserve. Despite the song title being in Spanish, Foureira sings the entire song in English.

The track has a sound that is very current, topped off with ethnic flair. It has a big build from the verse to the infectious chorus, which leads to a unique ethnic, and Greek sounding beat drop that will have everyone dancing. The song works to Foureira’s strong vocals, but also allows a lot of choreography and a huge staging show for the semi-final. Cyprus has never won the Eurovision Song Contest before, but Foureira could deliver Cyprus’ best result ever.

III.

IV.

II. Belarus: Alekseev - ‘Forever’ The Ukrainian star will be singing a slick song with cliché lyrics, but the song caught my attention during my first listen. It’s very much a slow and dark ballad at the beginning with piano chords accompanying Alekseev’s smooth vocals. Percussion is added before the more powerful chorus, with Alekseev professing his love for a person. The song progresses the same after the first chorus until the bridge, where the song drops in dynamics and texture becomes more soft and emotional. It’s a dark and powerful addition to Eurovision’s song list.

Greece: Yianna Terzi - ‘Oneiro Mou’ Greece used to be a powerhouse country in Eurovision in the 2000s, finishing in the top 10 every year, but they’ve struggled lately to produce the same great results. However, this year could be different. Yianna’s song titled ‘My Dream’ in English is a very emotive, ethnic and orchestral song that means a lot to Greeks around the world, including me. The song is an imaginary dialogue between the country Greece in the verses, and the Greek people in the chorus. The instrumental helps lift the power of the song with continual building throughout the song.

Australia: Jessica Mauboy ‘We Got Love’ The Aussie pop queen is back to take Eurovision by storm!

Previously performing as an interval act at Eurovision 2014 in Copenhagen, Mauboy has been selected to officially represent Australia in the competition with an uplifting, and powerful song. ‘We Got Love’ is an anthemic mid-tempo track with a clear and simple message of promoting love for all, no matter the circumstances.

The song’s dips of thin and thick textured instruments allows Mauboy to showcase her vocals, while also having a big instrumental bridge that has the potential for some great staging in the contest.

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SOCIO-CULTURAL

NICOLA BARR In conversation with Vertigo

By Nicole De Palo

For years, women have fought for gender equality in male-dominated sports. While there is still a lot of progress to be made, these days women are continually breaking boundaries in every sport from Rugby League to Cricket. Nicola Barr, the number one draft pick for the Greater Western Sydney Giants AFLW team, joined Vertigo on the phone. She has successfully solidified herself from an Aussie rules newbie to one of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most talented AFL prospects.

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You had talent from a young age. Were there ever times you were discouraged from going down a professional path with sport?

No, not at all. I don’t think I ever really thought about it, to be honest. I grew up overseas, so there wasn’t a pathway in mind from a young age. I did look up to all of the females who were in a professional space in sport, but I didn’t think I would become one myself, so that was exciting. I didn’t think about it until AFL came along. I loved my soccer, but I was never good enough to get into the W-League here, so I just sort of loved it [AFL] as I went along, and have been fortunate.

Was it hard to find women to aspire to in sports, more so AFL? Yeah, I mean there wasn’t a league [AFLW] until last year that was professional, and I didn’t even know that women played AFL to be honest. I did know a few names, but I didn’t hear about them until quite late, and they had been playing for a very long time. There wasn’t a professional league, so I guess I hadn’t heard much about them, in comparison to the W-League or [women’s] cricket that had been in a professional stage for a little bit longer.

How do you think we can change that?

Well, I guess it already has changed, to be honest. In the last few years, female sports in Australia has taken off, and I think there is a lot more attention that we get. This attention is obviously great because it means you get young girls who are on a sports team of any kind [to] have role models to look up to.

You are currently studying at the same time while playing, as do many other female athletes who may also be working. Do you find it frustrating that there isn’t a need for male athletes to do this?

It can be frustrating sometimes because you can get quite busy, but to be honest, I actually think it is quite a shame that the men do only focus on playing sport rather than studying or having something else in their life. I’m actually looking forward to going back to uni next week because it means I’m going to be able to see a lot of those friends that I do have at uni, and not just be consumed by football all the time. It is really important to have something else that is important in your life. For me, I actually love the fact that I can do both. At the same time, it obviously can be very frustrating when you do have a lot of things on your plate. I have a couple of weeks over the next month or so where I’m going to have to miss a bit of uni because of football. It definitely can be frustrating, but as I said I love it, and I have something else that is important to me in my life as well.

What was your first season of AFL like?

My first season was very short because it is only seven weeks, and eight weeks if you make it to the grand final. It was a bit of a whirlwind, it all went very quickly and just flew by. I loved every minute of it, but there were a lot of things that were new to most of us in the AFLW, being that we hadn’t been in a professional sports environment before. Of course, there were girls who had come across from other professional sports, but for a lot of us like myself, we were all new to the environment where there were cameras on you all the time, and there were articles written about you. So I think there was a lot of pressure coming into season one, but luckily it was a really big success for the AFLW in general. It did come along with a lot of outside pressure that I hadn’t been exposed to before, but I love season two, and I think I have settled in a lot more in season two than I did in season one.

Images courtesy of GWS Giants Football Club

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Are there any strong comparative differences between the first and second season?

I can only speak for my team when saying this, but if you look at the standard it has gone up, and the athletic capabilities of the girls have all increased. I know this is just physical, and superficial but it seems that everyone looks a lot stronger than they did in season one. A lot of the girls have worked really hard to either lose weight, or put on more muscle. They all look a lot more like athletes than they perhaps did in season one.

I think that is really great because it means there is going to be an increase in athletic capabilities. I think this is going to be a lot more professional season as well. Season one was the first time we had been in this space, and everyone involved had been in this space. There were a lot of things that weren’t going to go all to plan, so I think we learnt a lot from season one.

What are the major changes you want to see for this season coming?

Obviously, in the long term, I would like to see it extended; seven weeks is very, very short. We just had round four, we only have three games left, and I feel like I’m only just settling in now. I’m not sure when that would be or how long they would extend it for, but I definitely hope to see that. I would love to see us commit more time to it as well.

Obviously, there are restrictions on the amount of time that we’re meant to spend at the club given our salaries and everything like that. So I would love to be able to have more time to spend on it. You are expected to play at a really high level when you don’t necessarily have all the time to be able to make that happen.

What are your words of wisdom and advice for any girls out there with dreams of playing in AFLW or any other women’s league?

I would say that you can see by things such as the AFLW, and the new rugby league coming along that anything is possible, and these are indications of what you can do in the future. You should feel confident that if you want to do anything that might be a little bit different, that no one is going to stop you. The possibilities are endless, and that has certainly been shown through the AFLW from my perspective.

Images courtesy of GWS Giants Football Club

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(reverse) Art by Joyce Cheng @_joycecheng_

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Dating on the Edge: Perils of the First Date

By Stephanie Todd

It is the most treacherous of situations. It affects both young and old. A terrifying rite of passage our society inflicts upon us. It’s the first date.

Whether it’s a blind date, a Tinder date or a “Surprise! It’s a date” terrifying cultural rituals lie before you. From the timing to the location, to how to end the evening (nudge nudge wink wink), we present to you a ‘how to’ for your first one-on-one interaction with your potential life partner.

The first challenge presents itself before the date begins. You agree to meet at 7pm, but what time do you actually arrive?

• Too early seems overly eager. As you sit there, half an hour early, we invite you to reflect on your mistakes. You now have at least 30 minutes to scroll through the same Facebook feed, look up at the door whenever it opens, and overthink every word they ever spoke.

• Arriving too late sets a bad tone for the potential relationship. No excuse, be it a late-running train, a Google Maps failure, or even a dying grandmother, can save the

relationship from this poor start.

• Arriving at 7 pm on the dot seems the answer – but if you’re anything like me, your anxiety will still be in overdrive.

THE FIRST CONVERSATION You’ve never met one-on-one before. Or never met, period.

• Specimen A regales you with their life story, and you can’t get a word in edgewise. Make a convenient bathroom run, and phone a friend before the night’s a total bust.

• Specimen B has nothing to say. You sit opposite one another rearranging the table decorations and avoiding eye contact.

You’re back home at 8:30 pm, just in time to watch Married At First Sight. You definitely dodged a bullet there.

• With Specimen C, conversation flows and the night flies. Unfortunately, you hit it off so well you become platonic best friends.

Art by Sarah Choo

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THE LOCATION The date can succeed or fail, depending on its location.

‘DINNER AND A MOVIE’ Dinner offers a number of pitfalls, primarily at its end.

• The waiter places the bill on the table. A Mexican stand-off commences between you, your date, and the unsuspecting slip of paper. A guitar chord strums. No one breathes for a long second. No one blinks.

The bill remains.

• For ladies, do you take the modern ‘feminist’ approach, and pay your way? Or do you insist chivalry isn’t dead? Put up a token struggle, but give in when you glance at your bank account balance. Of course, there’s the awkward moment when your partner unblinkingly hands the full bill your way. They fix you with an accusing stare.

It’s movie time, and your choice of the movie could make or break the evening. Choose wisely.

• You both sit there on tenterhooks, waiting for the other to make the first move. Their arm is strategically placed on the armrest. It would be so easy just to take their hand… their every twitch sends you into spasms of hyperactivity. You don’t even remember the movie afterwards.

• If you are a film buff, your date had better not speak, eat or breathe loudly. If the latest indie arthouse drama is not for them, they can get lost. And if they leave before the end credits scene, let them go. The relationship would never have gone anywhere with such a movie amateur.

THE SPORTY DATE The ice rink’s danger is deceptive, for a broken ankle from a clumsy fall is the least of your worries.

• The worst case scenario is slamming into their professional ice skater ex with all the grace of a baby elephant. There is a definite possibility their ex could go Tonya Harding on your kneecaps if you make a move.

• Ice skating is also a classic friendzone activity. One party is under the impression they are receiving two hours of illicit cuddles and touches. In reality, the handrails get more attention, or they show off their ice skating chops and leave you in the icy dust.

THE BAR, AKA THAT MOMENT YOU WILL REGRET For the end of the date, visiting a bar for a quiet drink is always a popular destination. Here you will be able to observe your date’s drinking activities.

• The Heavyweight only ever has ice in the glass. They sculled it before you sat down.

• The Slow Drinker’s glass is fuller two hours in than when it was ordered.

• The Speed Drunk seems more interested in getting the bartender’s attention than your own.

• The Calculator knows precisely how many drinks they vwcan and will have. They will also undoubtedly remember that one drink you owed them from last month.

PARTING WAYS You’ve done it. You’ve made it through the evening.

You’re exhausted, your facial muscles are twitching from keeping a perpetual delighted smile on your face, and you feel vaguely ill after the ancient whisky they made you try.

• For some, the hug will suffice. You are saying “welcome to the friend zone!” in the clearest way possible.

• For others, a hopeful hover of the face right near their cheek might inspire romantic attention.

Now comes the final moment. The most important of all. Do you invite your date in to continue the evening, or firmly close the door, while inventing a story about a: • Rabid dog.

• A slimy roommate.

• A sudden but deadly illness accompanied by a few hacking coughs.

• Ladies, a quick suggestion – telling them Aunty Flo has arrived should send them running with no further issues.

Remember there is always another option to avoid the stress — remain celibate, and single. Cats will never fail you.

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Five Unbelievably Simple Things To Not Do So You Don’t Look Like A Racist Piece Of Shit At Coachella

By Aryan Golanjan

So, Coachella is upon us once more. For anyone who isn’t familiar, I’m talking about an arts and music festival run over two weekends and held in the Colorado Desert, drawing a crowd of about 250,000 people every year. It’s frequented by actual A-list celebrities, D-list Instagram ‘influencers’, and regular people alike, so it’s probably no surprise that amongst such a huge crowd, some people make some questionable fashion choices. Here’s the lowdown on some of the problematic shit people wear to Coachella, and why you absolutely should not steal their outfit ideas for your next festival appearance (no matter how many likes on the ‘gram you reckon it’ll get you).

BINDIS It deeply pains me that I have to write this in the year of our good lord 2018, but if you’re not South Asian, or you haven’t been invited to wear one by someone who is, don’t wear a goddamn bindi. All you have to do is Google the words “bindi cultural appropriation” to find 1,660,000 results telling you that fetishising and using another culture to make yourself look trendy is pretty racist. When you put that dot in the middle of your head, you’re not celebrating Hindu culture – probably because your mayonnaise self doesn’t know the first thing about Hindu culture. Stop. Take it off. Go and think about your life and your choices.

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CORNROWS “Aren’t they just braids?” “Kylie Jenner looks so good with them, though!” Look, I’ll be the first to say it: cornrows can look cute as hell. The fact is, though, cornrows are a black hairstyle, and studies have found that people are biased against the natural, textured hair of black women. When Zendaya wore dreadlocks to the Oscars, a white woman said they must have smelled like “patchouli and weed”.

Schools in the US and even the US Army have attempted to institute policies banning traditional black hairstyles, including cornrows.

These are just several examples of the (sometimes unconscious) discrimination faced by black people with natural hair. When white women wear cornrows, they are praised for their ‘edgy’, ‘on-trend’ looks. When black women do, they’re discriminated against. So if you’re not black and are considering wearing cornrows, take them out, brush your hair, and do literally anything else. (Just not dreadlocks. They’re straight up dirty.)

MEHNDI You probably know this as ‘henna’; a dye that’s often used to paint intricate designs on the hands and feet of women in South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. It’s one of those things that became popular and hit the mainstream when people like Culturally Appropriating Queen Kylie started being photographed with henna-stained hands, leaving women of colour who had been bullied for looking foreign and having ‘weird stuff’ on their hands feeling a little bitter. Mehndi isn’t a fashion trend; it holds cultural significance and symbolism in many cultures and communities, and wearing a henna tattoo for a few days at a festival without even being aware of this significance makes you look tacky.

NATIVE AMERICAN HEADDRESSES In Native American culture, a headdress is a sacred cultural symbol, awarded to men who have earned the right to wear it, and represents achievement and respect. When a white person wears one like a party hat to dance around at a festival, it’s essentially the same as them donning a war medal that they didn’t achieve. Not only is it offensive to the cultural practices of Native American people, it’s also similar to blackface – when you wear a headdress, you’re dressing up and pretending to be part of a race that you are not. This is made all the more insulting by the fact that Native Americans were subject to a genocide and dispossession that continues to this day; much like Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. It’s not a cute fashion choice – it’s just racist. And if we’re being honest, you look like an idiot in it.

WHITE PEOPLE WITH DREADLOCKS Wash your fucking hair.

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A Journey To Antarctica

By Nicole De Palo

I’m living in an alternate universe. Climate change is being fought with renewable energy, Malcolm Turnbull has grown a spine, and I’m not paying an extra 50c for my almond cappuccino.

Cool.

I’m travelling to Antarctica in a dinghy, the only and obvious way that I will be able to discover if the earth is flat. I will set sail for 7,246 kilometres.

When I arrive, I will either be greeted by a 46-metre ice wall, or melting glaciers.

No longer will I sit in my bed until four in the morning reading about the flat earth theory. I won’t need to watch an endless stream of YouTube videos, or click between 20 Reddit tabs. But I still feel uncertain. Could all this research into the flatness of our planet be justified by potentially seeing the ice wall? I can’t come to terms with it.

I’ve read the facts from both sides. Lunar eclipses would not be possible if the planet were flat. Lunar eclipses occur at all times of the day if the earth is round. However, if the surface is flat, it is unexplainable how they would show at all times of the day.

The flat earth theory can’t explain how different parts of our planet have different seasons at the same time. The sun’s rays strike the earth at different angles

depending on the time of year, allowing summer in Australia and winter in the US. But if the earth truly was flat, wouldn’t all countries experience the same seasons at the same time?

This theory also can’t explain why sunsets and sunrises happen at different times, across both countries, and the planet. Both Perth and Sydney experience the sunrise and sunset at different times by approximately three hours. Flat-earthers are unable to account for why this happens.

Flat-earthers, however, can dispute this information with four simple facts. Firstly the earth looks flat. Secondly, when you walk, it feels flat.

Thirdly, all the spherical photos of the planet that we have were orchestrated by NASA. Finally, the ice wall. There isn’t any proof of this ice wall existing apart from the word of famous flat-earther Nathan Thompson. I trust him automatically.

I’ve been sailing for 666 days. I look around, and I’m surrounded by a battered esky, the smell of piss and my tattered clothes. I really should have chosen a motorised boat, but I think that would have made me feel less like a real explorer. I mean, if Captain Cook can stumble across Australia, surrounded by barrels of whisky and pirates stealing his gold, why can’t I stumble across an ice wall?

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I pull out a small battered notebook from my bag that contains the plan for my trip. It’s full of scribbled notes and sketches. Before beginning this adventure, I estimated that it should take between 642 and 679 days to make it to the ice wall. My confidence that I’ll find the ice wall is undercut by nerves – what will happen if it’s actually there? Finding this wall would change everything. Without the wall, flat-earthers believe that water and landmass would simply fall off the face of the earth (because gravity isn’t real).

I’m excited about potentially having my first human contact in 666 days. Flat-earthers believe that NASA employees guard the ice wall to prevent people from climbing over and falling off. Nathan Thompson, a man I would trust with my life, has said that there is proof that an astronaut once fell off the wall. I haven’t seen this proof, but I believe it exists.

The closer I get to where I think the ice wall is, the more I believe the earth must be flat. How else can you explain that water is stable? That when a plane reaches its cruising altitude, it’s stationary?

Why else was the moon landing faked?

I’m reading deeper and deeper into my notes when a shadow crosses the page. I look up, and

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I see it: The Ice Wall. The very wall that guards us against falling into the infinite universe.

I sit back, relax, and crack open the last VB in my esky to quench my hard-earned thirst. I forget all my questions as I sip my beer in the shadow of the ice wall. I should have known all along that B.o.B., Jaden Smith, and Shaq were right!

Surely my findings will be celebrated by flat earthers around the world – Nathan Thompson will be our King Arthur and I, Sir Lancelot, the Knights of the Flat Earth’s Round Table.

Art by Julia White

Art Credit

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(left) Comic by Erin Sutherland @ezose.png

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Will Thompson @shwilora

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Dear Shaz,

Some feedback on my poem.

Honey, I’m sure it’s great.

Is it normal to turn down friends who invite me to things? Don’t get me wrong, I love my friends, and I like to do things, but whenever I get a last minute invite – 90% of the time I turn them down. Is this bad? - alone but not lonely.

Listen, you’re probably a Gemini, so you can’t help it. As long as you don’t mind being called the flake of your group (which is unavoidable), keep doing you.

I work with a person that no one likes. My boss knows that no one likes this person but won’t listen. What should I do?

First thing’s first: your boss sucks. Secondly, continue to annoy the living daylights out of the

person you hate until they start to give. Wait ‘til that vein on the right side of their head begins to pulse.

This is where the knockout blow comes. Take a firm step forward, let the intro of ‘Eye of the Tiger’ slowly fade in, and break into your best karaoke rendition. This will show them who’s boss.

Uni hasn’t even started, and I’m already so stressed! Do you have any tips on how manage assignment deadlines, going to work and trying to have a social life without scheduling in weekly breakdowns?

Buy a planner and write down when all of your assignments are due, and when your classes and social commitments are. Each week write down when you are working, what days you are at uni, and anything else you find important. The critical part is to forget that you are meant to be doing this. Suddenly you will find yourself drunk in the Underground at 12pm on a Tuesday. This is where you schedule in your weekly breakdowns.

Art by Georgette Stefoulis @georgettestef

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PRIL HOROSCOPES (March 21 to April 19)

Hey Aries, The urge to hibernate is taking over today.

Weird, right? Your explosive nature doesn’t usually lead to going underground. But I say lean into the feeling - stock up on carbs, bury yourself in blankets, and grow out your fur. You’ve always been more of a twink, but now it’s time to embrace the bear in you. Wink.

(April 20 to May 20)

Hey Taurus, it seems a little obvious, but don’t forget to breathe! Avoid all technology and don't sign up for anything binding – you remember what happened last time you took a “personality test”. But don’t fret: this month, Saturn is shooting straight up into Mars’ orbit, which will give you a free pass to be your best bitch. Remember, it's hot out there, so stay hydrated and love yourself!

(June 21 to July 22)

Watch out, Cancer! Keep the tissues on standby, and a Netflix tab with Titanic on pause at the ready, because your tender heart is about to go through it. The ascent of Venus will wreak havoc on every relationship you hold dear, from your hairdresser to your husband. Stay out of the salon, book a hotel for the weekend, and sit in the bath until all of this blows over! Don’t overfill it either — your tears will do the rest.

(July 23 to August 22)

Lovely Leo, I know it’s hard, with your winsome nature, to turn down people recommending podcasts. This month, the stars are aligning to help you be more firm – use your lion strength to turn down that dude-bro who wants you to listen to Casefile!

You don’t need that kind of stress. Stick to music – you deserve a gentle cry to some Sufjan Stevens.

(May 21 to June 20)

Darling Gemini, sometimes you need to sit in a dark room and listen to the Call Me By Your Name soundtrack. You’re under a lot of stress, and I’m here to tell you not to worry.

More specifically, don’t worry about that dream you had where your parents murdered Meghan Markle. It doesn’t mean anything.

That dream where you were a swan, however...

(August 23 to September 22)

Virtuous Virgo, this month, it’s time to try meal prep one more time. Jupiter’s descent will put you in a persevering mood that you’ll need to get through the fifth, and sixth rounds of that chickpea curry. But Jupiter’s influence will only go so far.

Don’t overextend yourself and sign up to a Pilates class or buy any flat-tummy tea. Baby steps.

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APRIL HOROSCOPE (September 23 to October 22)

Beautiful Libra, the constellations are telling you that this month is for risks and big decisions. Consider every day the first day of the rest of your life – which it always is, technically.

Throw out that overpriced lip balm you bought because you couldn’t say no to the cashier!

Quit your job! Cut up your cards!

Steal your housemate’s identity and just drive.

(December 22 to January 19)

(October 23 to November 21)

Dear Scorpio, this week, Neptune’s entering the fifth house, and everything’s growing, and changing. You’re becoming something new... Becoming Jane, specifically. It’s time to rewatch that movie. We don’t appreciate Anne Hathaway enough. And on the emotional side of things, stop taking Harry Potter character quizzes. You know you get Draco Malfoy every time. Read another book!

Hey there Creative Capricorn, the moon is in the seventh house this week, and you know what that means: steer clear of meat, dairy, and lentils. Lunar movements could cause you to blow your top – or your bottom! Because while you’re not worrying about your gastric system, you need to make sure you’re keeping your fiery Cap nature under wraps. Stick to complex carbs and simple human interactions, and you’ll make it through just fine, my little goat!

(January 20 to February 18)

Active Aquarius, it’s time to calm the hell down.You’re being pulled in sixteen directions at once, and you only have two hands! This semester, divorce some of those commitments and treat yourself to a cheeky wine before your 4pm tute. Trust me: a glassful of Chardonnay will make any academic medicine go down – even contract law.

(November 22 to December 21)

Salutations Sagittarius! Venus is orbiting a little too close to you this month, and you can feel it. Get out.

Release the documents on that USB and burn it all down, baby! Now is the time to execute your exit plan and make that sea change to Croatia you’ve been dreaming about. It has to be this month, though: next month Venus orbits away again and all of this advice is null.

(February 19 to March 20)

How’s it going, Pisces? The stars say you will encounter a stranger on the street today. Make sure you stop and say hello. You will know which one it is. You will feel a green light in your soul as they approach.

Don’t go into the light! Stay on the street! Wall Street, specifically – the stars are telling me that you have important financial decisions to make next month.

Art by Nicole Yeom @yeomah

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STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION REPORTS

Lachlan Barker PRESIDENT

O’Day was incredible, with all of our bags and a heap of Keep Cups being distributed to students.

This year, we collected people’s email addresses in exchange for the bags, allowing us to build a database of students to reach out to. Our first newsletter will go to over 2000 students.

That wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of the councillors, executive and staff. Thank you to our Education Vice President, Kirra Jackson, for producing the handbook and to everyone who contributed. Thank you to all our staff there on the day for managing stalls and speaking to students. A special thank you to Steph King for arranging our location and products and keeping me co-ordinated in the lead up to O’day.

Earlier this week I attended the second Teaching & Learning Committee for the year. Several subcommittees are being established to deal with the “larger classes project” (with classes of 200 students managed by a team of staff) and the new assessment policy implementation.

It’s essential that we participate in these spaces. I encourage any and all students involved with the UTS Students’ Association (UTSSA), and not just voting members, to become engaged. Email me if you wish to do so.

I attended the Sydney Alliance Council Meeting on Wednesday 7th March – it was a fantastic opportunity to see how the council functions. Member organisations discussed the campaigns being run across the start of the year. These include a campaign spearheaded by United

Voice (UV) that fights for better working conditions for cleaners, a campaign between UV and the Catholic Archdiocese to eliminate slavery in Australia, an action to defend penalty rates which is being coordinated by several unions, as well as coordinated lobbying to ensure the ALP sticks to its policy stance to deliver permanent protection visas and fairer refugee determinations.

They also discussed the possibility of expanding beyond the Sydney region, with several extra-metro organisations being interested in the network Sydney Alliance facilitates.

There was a clear progressive agenda and open discussion of political affiliations without animosity; Sydney Alliance is political but non-partisan. The annual cost of affiliation comes to approximately $2500 for the UTSSA. Earlier that day I also spoke at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences’ International Students’ Welcome, which was a great opportunity to plug the UTSSA and International Collective.

Faculties and departments seem keen to have us explain our services to students, and we should continue to take up these opportunities readily.

Welcome back to semester!

Kirra Jackson

EDUCATION VICE PRESIDENT This has been a really exciting month – we’ve done a bunch of amazing work and have even more exciting things coming up!

The biggest thing we’ve got is the National Day of Action (NDA) on the 21st of March. For all you firsties who haven’t heard of the

NDA, it’s a big protest where we get to yell at either management or the government, or even just yell to get the anger out. It’s super cathartic. This year, the NDA is focusing on the “fund books not bombs” campaign due to the Turnbull government cutting $2.2 billion from the education budget, whilst adding $3.1 billion into global arms exporting. Essentially, they’re saying that blowing people up is more important than you, your education and the education of Australians. If you’re upset about this (which you should be) keep an eye out on our Facebook page or for the posters around campus!

The other exciting thing that has happened was the launch of the “Know your union” campaign which started in conjunction with O’day! There’s a lot of exciting things coming up soon with that so keep an eye out and follow us on at facebook.com/ knowyourunion.

As always, if you have any problems with classes, the education system, or any questions, please contact me at education@ utsstudentsassociation.org or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/UTSEAG/.

See you next month!

Lachlan Wykes SECRETARY

The UTSSA is on track for a great year with a successful Clubs Day. We provided around 2000 tote bags to students, each filled with UTSSA branded items. It is hoped with their popularity the UTSSA’s recognisability among the general student populace will increase; this is something that has been set

STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION REPORTS as a goal for the organisation this year. The Association will also explore alternative branding and marketing options as we continue into the year. I welcome input from general councillors and students on this matter.

As of yet, the Association has not come to agreement on set times for general meetings of the SRC this year. I hope members can consider options to find a day to suit. Set times would provide more stability and higher attendance for councillors.

Students may also be more likely to attend, as meeting times could be advertised in advance.

The Association is on track with its meeting requirements, hosting one general meeting per month as per the constitution.

We have also held four executive meetings. The minutes of these meetings are available upon request. I will also explore how we can make these minutes more accessible, including via our social media channels.

The UTSSA Facebook page has had some successful recent posts. I hope to work with the President in order to expand the reach of this page as per the aforementioned branding strategy.

Last meeting, we were also provided an update on the new constitution planned for the UTSSA. Of note is the new executive role of general secretary, which combines the roles of the secretary and treasurer. This change would bring us in line with most student unions around the country and allow for greater management and organisation of the executive, as well as a clearer role and expectation of the secretary.

Mehmet Musa TREASURER

Between the first and second volumes of Vertigo, the UTSSA has financed many initiatives.

The 2018 budget for Vertigo was unanimously approved by the SRC in February, setting the tone for a successful year.

The UTSSA has also funded the Association handbook and it is now in full publication on campus. Make sure to pick up a copy of the handbook for essential tips and tricks on how to manage the rollercoaster that is called university. The UTSSA also financed the provision of 2000 ‘goody’ bags on O’day and it is a pleasure to say that there were no bags left over. These bags justified their financial outlay, as they allowed us to introduce ourselves to students and let them know of our services available to them throughout the year. This was an essential initiative and was in line with the UTSSA’s broader strategy of increased exposure to students in 2018.

The UTSSA also committed $5000 to the Queer Collective to spend, and approved an affiliation fee of $440 to the Council of International Students Australia for 2018. Meanwhile, the Association has also affiliated with the Council for Postgraduate Students at a split rate of pay of $17,363.27.

Finally, the President and I, along with our Executive Officer Mariah Brown, have finalised the UTSSA’s draft budget for 2018, which will be presented to UTS. Doing so will allow the UTSSA to more accurately allocate funding for the year, whilst also guaranteeing financial solvency.

111 You can contact me at treasurer @utsstudentsassociation.org.

Georgina Goddard ASSISTANT SECRETARY

It was such a pleasure meeting so many of you at the UTSSA stall on O’day, and I hope you’re all settling into semester one.

I would like to take some time to encourage any interested individuals to engage in the student movement by attending some upcoming protests, to which our office bearers often organise contingents.

Recently, myself and other members of the association attended a variety of actions, including the Palm Sunday Rally for refugee rights, the Day of the Unborn Child Counter Protest, and the Time to Choose Rally. It is absolutely vital that we organise around these issues, as they are continually diminished by our government and media.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge how difficult university can be, especially if this is your first year. I cannot emphasise enough how beneficial counselling can be if you are struggling with the adjustment to tertiary education. Here at UTS, you can access a free counselling service by calling 9514 1177.

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STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION REPORTS

Chrissy Saunders

Lana Miletich

Welcome to UTS and welcome to the Indigenous Collective. For various reasons, the Indigenous Collective has not been very active these last couple of years.

I hope to change that this year by holding regular meetings, social events, attending rallies with the Collective, and facilitating skill sharing and workshops.

The Collective has various social media outlets: • Facebook—facebook.com/ utsindigenouscollective • Facebook group—UTSSA Indigenous Collective 2018 • Instagram—@utsindigenous

The start of semester has been busy for the Women’s Collective.

Our O’Day stall was a success!

We had over 300 people express interest in joining the Collective and our bags, filled with our Women’s Vertigo magazine publication from last year, pads, tampons, sexual health items and information, were extremely popular.

We have also begun having our regular weekly meetings now that class has returned. They are on a Wednesday afternoon, from 2:303:30pm in the Women’s Room: CB5D.01.26. In our meetings, we discuss our plans for the coming year, we have an educational activity and then we chill and get to know each other. This year, we are looking at free self-defence classes for Collective members, campaigning against the tampon tax, working with the university in response to the sexual assault on campus survey released last year, and more. If you have any initiatives you’d like to implement through the Women’s Collective, we highly urge you to come to a meeting and we will work on how it can be done.

If you met us at O’Day and gave us your student number, we will email you once your card has access to the room. If you didn’t meet us at O’Day and would like to come to a meeting, just knock on the door and someone will let you in. Meetings are open to all women and gender diverse students of UTS. Additionally, the beginning of semester has had Bernice, our Women’s Collective Convenor, and myself involved in media campaigns including a podcast

INDIGENOUS OFFICER

MEETINGS This year the Collective will aim to hold meetings once a fortnight.

For this semester, meetings will be held on weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12.

SKILL SHARING AND WORKSHOPS I’m hoping to run mini workshops during meetings, but also as separate events during the year.

If you would be interested in running a workshop, please feel free to shoot me a message.

RALLIES Attending rallies can be very daunting, but they are very important as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices are so often ignored. The Indigenous Collective will be attending many rallies this year including Stop Black Deaths in Custody: Protest, and Time to Choose.

I’m looking forward to getting to know you all this year and growing the Collective with you.

WOMENS’ OFFICER

interview for 2serfm, a radio station owned by Macquarie University and UTS, and a video interview for the Australian Government’s eSafety Commissioner on online sexual harassment. Keep an eye, and ear, out for us over the coming months!

HELPLINES

Support

If you have been affected by any of the sensitive topics explored in this volume, you may wish to contact the following organisations for counselling and support: For sexual assault and domestic violence counselling 1800-737-732 (1800 RESPECT) For suicide, self-harm, anxiety and depression 1300 22 4636 (BeyondBlue) 13 11 14 (Lifeline) For UTS-specific counselling services 9514 1177 (UTS Counselling) 1800 531 626 (UTS Sexual Assault Support Line) For LGBTIQ+ support 1800 184 527 or qlife.org.au (Q Life)

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SUBMISSIONS

Submit to Vertigo

Vertigo is looking for pitches and submissions of think pieces, essays, photographs, reviews, poetry and everything in between in the following sections: Arts & Lifestyle Business, Science & Innovation Creative Writing

Politics & Law Socio-Cultural Showcase B-Side

PITCHES

VISUAL ART

Do you have a great idea but need guidance?

Send us your pitch with the following:

We’re seeking visual contributors to produce accompanying artworks for written content, as well as standalone work for Showcase.

• Title of your work • What you want to write about (content/ • • •

section) How you’d like to write it (tone, style, theme) How long your piece will be If you’d like to include any examples of your previous work, please attach them to your email

When pitching for visual work, please include: • Whether you wish to produce work to accompany written pieces or spotlight your work on its own • Proposed medium and styles of work • Previous work—feel free to link to your website, Instagram or attach your portfolio

HOW TO CONTACT US

COLD SUBMISSIONS

Send your pitches and submissions to submissions@utsvertigo.com.au and one of our editors will get back to you as soon as possible.

Get in touch at facebook.com/utsvertigo if you have any questions, or just to say hi!

If you have a completed piece you’d like to submit, please send your work through to submissions@ utsvertigo.com.au with a brief summary and the section you’d like it to be featured in.

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OPen TuEsDAY & WEDnEsDAY 10am - 4pm ThuRsDAY

You can visit us for any legal problem that you have, or for any legal advice that you need. We can give you advice about tenancy issues, employment matters, consumer claims, family matters, contractual issues, motor traffic matters, traffic fines, criminal offences, and many other legal issues. The only areas where we wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t try to act for you are matters against UTS, and migration or visa issues. It can also be a good idea to come and see us before you sign an agreement, such as a lease, or an employment contract. Doing so might alert you to problems before they arise, and so save you a lot of time, money, and hassle. And if you are not sure whether or not you need legal advice, just drop in and ask.

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Our service is totally free, as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funded by the Student Services and Amenities Fee. And anything you tell us will be kept strictly confidential. We act as your lawyer, not for the University.

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