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CAMILA EMMA PRESI TORIAL TORIAL TORIAL Translation: Gender won’t define the size of our dreams.

n the midst of current political issues, we must reconsider how we rebel against injustices. Journalism in itself is a rebellious activity and profession. It is about telling the truth, standing up for what you believe in, voicing your opinion, and letting the world know what your reality is. That’s why freedom of press and platforms like the Pelican need to be protect and are important. Pelican Magazine, and platforms alike, will continue to exist as long as you continue reading, writing, and interacting with us. So, please consider writing something for Pelican. Consider rebelling with us. We can make some change through the power of words. We can think small in terms of this campus or we can think big by setting an example and precedent for generations to come.

n light of what we’ve seen occurring in the US Supreme court with the overturning of Roe vs Wade, I personally don’t believe this print could have arrived at a better time. For a country to have more rights for guns than for women is an atrocity. Now so more than ever, we must rebel and stand up for what is right. Throughout the historical ages, Rebellion has been a fundamental tool in helping us reshape the fabrics of our societies and achieve democracies within states. Journalism is often referred to as the nervous system of a democracy. It helps to hold politicians accountable, stand up for what goes against our societies moral code, and makes sure that information is available to spread awareness. Want to be a part of a rebellion? Come and join us the student newspaper to protest for/against issues within and off campus. Let Pelican Magazine be the first step of your own rebellion.

t would be remiss of me to write my Presi Torial on ‘Rebellion’ without addressing the atrocities happening across the pond. The US Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v Wade makes it clear that rebellion is important. Collective action can be an incredibly powerful vehicle for change, especially when promoting understanding over conflict. We all have a role to play in rebellion when we see things that go against our moral code – to simply be a bystander is to be complicit. That being said, activist burnout is real. We’re constantly told about things we need to care about and acts of evil being committed across the world. In the age of social media, we’ve been conditioned to feel obligated to care about everything all of the time. That isn’t possible. Focus on your rebellion: pick your causes, so that when you fight, you bring about real change. And in doing so, you’ll find that you’ll make more of an impact and will feel less weighed down by the world. As always, with love, Ami.

INSIDE REBELLION

VOLUME

ARTS

46 10

Disguised in Dance: The Rebellion of Brazilian Slaves By Kassandra Fernando Art is Rebellion By Abigail Macleod

ISSUE

DIVERSITY

ASTROLOGY

August Predictions By Holly Carter-Turner

CAMPUS AFFAIRS

11 54

Western Australia’s Student Rebellion in the ‘60s and ‘70s By Scott Harney Person or Policy? The Gender Diverse Experience on Campus By Alicia Kapeecia

COLOURING IN By Savannah Regan

COMEDY

Salmon, Survival, and Seriously Sizeable Bears: The Story of Fat Bear Week By Scott Law

ECONOMICS AND FINANCE

The Inflation Revolution By Nathan Cuthbertson

FASHION

Girls Wear Dresses and Boys Wear Blue. Excuse Me… We Are in Two Thousand and Twenty-Two? By Stephanie Acevedo Braiding the Way By Kassandra Fernando

43 4

FILM

16 26

Dead Poets Society By Harrison French Obi-Wan Kenobi Miniseries By Ben Marshall

LIFESTYLE

34 20

Nudity to the Naked Eye By Angela Aris It’s Time for a Cry, Sis By Juanita Hardwick

LITERATURE

42 33 30

We Begin Again By Christina Charteris - This fire of ours By Patrick Eastough Naturally By Heyang Guo

SCIENCE

40 28

Warm Hands in a Cold Room By Lillith Litchfield For Science! By Tarryn Basden

SPORTS

Band-Aid Solutions During the Biggest Competition in the World By Libby Caldwell

TECHNOLOGY AND GAMING

An Ode to Hacktivism By Kimberely Harrison

WORD SEARCH By Alyssa Lewis

MUSIC

Classical Music and When the Bare Minimum Becomes Rebellion By Saskia Willinge

POLITICS

What We Fought and Died For By India Creed

The views expressed within this magazine are not the opinions of the UWA Student Guild or Pelican Editorial Staff but of the individual artists and writers. The Pelican team acknowledges that the UWA Campuses are located on the lands of the Whadjuk and Mineng peoples of the Noongar nation, the original and continuing storytellers and custodians of their lands. These lands were stolen, and sovereignty was never ceded. Edited by Camila Egusquiza & Emma Forsyth Layout by Xander Sinclair 5

What We Fought and Died For India Creed

The end of Roe v. Wade and Due Process precedent in America.

efore the Senate Judiciary Committee, Justice Amy Coney Barrett told the Senators that she would “follow the law of stare decisis.” In 2018, at his confirmation, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said he “do[es] not get to pick and choose which Supreme Court precedents [he] follows.” Justice Neil Gorsuch said at his 2017 hearing that precedent means the court “move[s] forward” after it decides a case. These three Supreme Court Justices, nominated under the Trump presidency, chose their words perhaps a little too carefully when considering how the highest Court in the States approaches precedent. When asked specifically about Roe v. Wade (1973), a decades-old cornerstone of legal precedent establishing the right to abortion, we can describe the responses of the prospective Trump-era justices in one way - vague. The trio were intentionally non-committal, though on the surface, appeared to acknowledge the importance of such an entrenched precedent. Lo and behold, they satisfied the Senate and became justices of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). On June 24th, 2022, those same judges willingly overturned Roe v. Wade as a part of the Dobbs

v. Jackson (2022) case. They claimed that the decision in Roe was “egregiously wrong” and on a “collision course with the Constitution from the day it was decided.” They claimed it was never a valid precedent in the first place. Their decision struck down the constitutional right to abortion, putting reproductive rights back into the hands of conservative state legislatures and ending universal access to essential healthcare services. Roe was a case viciously fought for at the time of its conception and viciously defended since the Supreme Court established its validity nearly fifty years ago. Overturning Roe opened the floor for Republican-led states to heavily restrict or outright ban all forms of abortion, predominantly by criminalising its providers. Twenty-two states have laws that could restrict access to abortions, with thirteen of those states pushing through post-Roe laws to remove nearly all access to abortion. As of July 1st this year, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and South Dakota have abortion bans in effect, starting at conception. The only exception being an emergent threat to the life of the person carrying the child.

With their constitutional protections for abortion rights taken away, The US is now in the same boat as Australia. Our country already has its abortion rights in the hands of the states, and we have no federal protections for the right to choose. For us, abortion is decriminalised in all states under certain circumstances, despite its legality being out of the ambit of the federal government. But for The US, whose states seem increasingly polarised in a red-blue divide, the reversal of its constitutional abortion right has seen an immediate and drastic conservative response almost unheard of. This US Supreme Court is entirely the result of years of planning on behalf of the GOP’s most conservative players and the unwillingness of the rest of Congress to fight it. This is a tale of men in power trading in fundamental rights to progress their careers and agendas, using the Court to do so. It did not start in this century; President Bush’s nomination of Clarence Thomas to replace the progressive, preeminent, and highly qualified A.J. Thurgood Marshall in 1991 set the ball rolling. Then, the McConnell-Trump backroom scheming in order to rush three highly conservative, questionably qualified justices through Confirmation at the end of the Trump term was simply the final nail in the coffin. We have been left with a Supreme Court in a conservativeliberal divide, plagued by incompetence and inadequacy. So, what is happening here? It is the SCOTUS behaving precisely how one would expect when presented with the opportunity to overturn Roe v. Wade.

In the summary decision for Dobbs v. Jackson, which overturned Roe, the majority cited its main argument as a previous Court’s “error” in Roe and subsequently in Casey. The SCOTUS claimed it must consider the “relative weight of the respective interests involved” and found precisely the opposite ideological claim to the Courts before it. Legally, the overturning comes from the claim that as Roe and Casey had no “grounding” in the “constitutional text,” their reasoning was “simply wrong.” In turn, simultaneous with acknowledging the importance of the legal tenet ‘stare decisis,’ in which courts will adhere to precedent when making their decisions (which, according to the SCOTUS’ own writing, “restrains judicial hubris” ), it denies its commission to maintain legal integrity and throws a reaffirmed, decades-old precedent, to the wind. Roe found its legal footing in the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. It established the basis for implied constitutional rights for the pursuit of “liberty” and equal protection under and from the law. The Court denied the existence of an implied constitutional right to abortion stemming from the Due Process Clause, reasoning that the constitutional text is not explicit on this right, and subsequently denied that the Equal Protection Clause provided protection for abortion, claiming that the state’s regulation of reproductive rights was not “a sex-based classification.” In short, with this decision, the Supreme Court claimed that the case was not a question of “liberty” or “equality” for people with uteruses. 7

The decision of the Supreme Court was split six-three, with the dissenting justices being the three liberal-leaning members of the bench. The conservative bloc voted with their ideologies in mind rather than settled legal practice and discussed the “State’s interest in fetal life” in the same breath as obliterating the right to choose. This case is not an orphaned decision. It does not even mark the beginning of SCOTUS’ efforts to repeal the accomplishments of the progressive movement for protecting the rights of all people and ensuring the integrity of the law. In the days prior to the Roe v. Wade decision, the Supreme Court increased the ability for states to allow almost unlimited concealed carry, and the absolute requirement to hear the Miranda right upon arrest was taken away. Even besides the fact that these decisions came down in the lead-up to inevitable protests against Dobbs that now have the potential to be infinitely more dangerous, both legally and physically, they represent the beginning of a movement by the highest Court in the land towards far-righting policy points that have plagued Congress for more than a decade. We don’t know what will come next, but Roe v. Wade’s swift disappearance opens the door for much more malicious practice on behalf of the highest court of the land. Despite an ardent claim by the Court that this decision does not directly “disturb” other existing precedent, denying the existence of a Fourteenth Amendment implied right to privacy and autonomy stemming from the Due Process Clause, in this case, opens the door to reconsider other cases that found their footing in this principle. It opens the door for any case that found any implied constitutional right to be overturned in the same manner. Namely, according to A.J. Clarence Thomas, the Court should reconsider Griswold (establishing the right to contraception), Lawrence (the right to engage in private, consensual sexual acts - establishing the legality of homosexuality and concurrent rights stemming from it), and 8

Obergefell (the right to same-sex marriage). Thomas reaffirms his previous opinion that these decisions were “demonstrably erroneous” and that the Court has a duty to “correct the error” established in precedent. Gitlow (the case establishing the incorporation of the Bill of Rights into state legislature), Brown (the end to public school segregation), and Loving (ending the restriction of interracial marriages) are all other landmark cases that are founded on the Due Process Clause. SCOTUS’ upcoming docket does reflect Thomas’ implied targets and the furtherance of a politically conservative agenda that McConnell and the January rioters would be proud of. The ability of state legislatures to redistrict and control electoral processes, the legal rights of businesses in discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people, and the power of states to deliberately dilute the Black vote are all upcoming questions the Court has agreed to hear. With the six-three conservative bloc already on a warpath, political and civil rights that have existed for decades are not just under attack - they are set to be systematically obliterated, case by case. This principle, regardless of an individual’s thoughts on abortion, should be daunting. It should be disgusting that one case can dismantle civil rights as we know them. History, however, knows this pattern all too well. The world is no stranger to reactionary politics and wild, traditionalist reversals of liberal rights progressions. We can look to Weimar Germany as a pertinent example; a bold experiment in representative liberal politics in the early 1900s that spiralled into reactionary fascism. We know from this salient lesson and the cumulative lessons of our history that the progression of human rights is not necessarily linear, but it should be. People should not have to fight for rights enshrined in legal precedents decades ago.

In addition to all of the countless people that will die in the US as a result of this decision, the thousands that will face amoral legal prosecution and the thousands that will lose their livelihoods, this case represents a perceived progressive, democratic, and liberal state, actively taking rights away from a group of persecuted people, and it opens the door for it to happen again, and again, and again, in increasingly deplorable ways, without anything to stop it. To no one’s surprise, the rest of the globe is simply watching and whispering. The status of the US political-legal sphere has long been a canary in the coal mine for the potential upcoming affairs of other nations. This case is a signal to everyone that the rebellion isn’t over. It truly tells us that no matter how much a legal right seems “untouchable,” we cannot remain complacent. We cannot rely on the thought that the government always exists to protect us. Recent history has, once again, proven this is not the case. I will always remember where I was when I found out Roe had been overturned. I was on a ten-minute recess at work, sitting in the break room, and I could do nothing but stare in horror at a headline I hoped I would never have to read. My first thought was of the people that would die, the people that had lost their inalienable rights, and also my resounding and sickening fear of what this means for the future. To make donations to causes relevant to this issue, visit: https://abortionfunds.org/donate https://nwlc.org/donate/ways-to-give/ https://action.aclu.org/give/now https://naacp.org/donate

hrough humanity’s darkest times, people have always done what they do best – create. My own ancestors laboured over weaving tweed fabric. They sang songs to keep in time with each other, and I still sing these songs today.

Art is Rebellion Abigail Macleod is battling a crippling chai latte addiction

During the war, the end of times – DOOMSDAY – they sang, danced, and partied as the bombs fell around them. Humanity has an inherent need to rebel against all oppression and to create music, art, dance, or perform. Poetry and stories, many of which survive generations, were passed down to us. Even Impressionist art was a form of rebellion against classical techniques. However, we forget that art is also a form of activism, a brutally human form of protesting injustice, poetically and without fear. Think of street art. Individuals constrained by societal pressure turn to walls and spray cans to make a tiny mark on the world that so seemingly pushes them down. It is a protest of injustice and an exhibition of the unwavering human spirit – protest songs, murals of tanks depicting war-torn nations, and even the notion that people will simply create when times are hard is unique to us. People paint their faces with makeup, wear their own art, and stand up – drag queens, everyday citizens, men, women, people who have the bravery to push against society and say ‘this is who I am’. Protesters paint signs and paint themselves to stand up for what’s right. Modern artists receive millions of dollars for blank canvases. A huge ‘up yours’ to the pretentiousness of the art world. People in countries ravaged by war walk the shell-strewn streets hand in hand and sing songs of old times to their children. Then, as the scorched ground begins to cool and the wildflowers push their heads out into the sunshine, humanity makes light,colour and noise in the face of adversity.

Perhaps, art is the most beautiful form of rebellion – a painful optimism and desire to stand up against repression. Perhaps, that’s why humanity persists – we are wildflowers, painted petals under a sunburnt sky.

Western Australia’s Student Rebellion in the ‘60s and ‘70s Scott Harney

hen we think of the sixties, the common associations are sex, drugs, and rock and roll. However, more fundamentally, the era was characterised by a global mass rebellion: 1968 epitomised this revolt. The year is associated with the Vietnamese National Liberation Front’s (NLF) Tet Offensive, France’s studentworker general strike in May, urban riots in American ghettos after Martin Luther King’s assassination, and Prague Spring. A feeling of change and defiance was in the air. Western Australia seemed far removed from this turmoil. In fact, at the time, journalists, academics, and politicians believed the state was shielded from these events. The great desert between WA and the rest of the world allowed it to remain exceptional, conservative, and isolated. However, this prevalent myth buries the radical activism which flourished at the University of Western Australia (UWA) and the Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT, now known as Curtin University) in the 60s and 70s. In the words of one of my interviewees, Meera Finnigan, WA students were also driven by a “burning hot rage”.

As early as 1965, UWA students were being politicised by the daily televised images of brutality in Vietnam. Equally important was the fact that students twenty years old and above could be conscripted to fight in this war if their birthdate was selected in a random lottery. Students spent hours debating what to say about the war and conscription in the pages of Pelican Magazine and at the Annual General Meetings (AGM) of the Guild and held public forums on the issue. By the early seventies, most students were firmly against the war. A group of students, called draft resisters, went further with their opposition. These students had been conscripted to fight in the war but refused. In refusing, draft resisters did not politely beg the authorities to give them an exemption but vowed to ‘smash’ and ‘wreck’ the conscription system entirely. This was a courageous stance as it could result in imprisonment and state repression against the students.

This radical defiance encouraged more students to be involved in anti-Vietnam war demonstrations and meant that the campus was home to many rebellious actions. On O-Day in 1972, the Australian Army Reserve tried to set up a stall. When an army vehicle was brought onto campus, a group of students surrounded it and chanted anti-war slogans. In the heat of the moment, the tires were slashed! In effect, students decided that no army or police were welcome on campus. It was an act of solidarity with the Vietnamese fighting against the occupation of the American and Australian armies. Another action on June 19th, 1972, saw hundreds of students gather on the Great Court lawn. In the typical slick- if not somewhat theatrical- style, a draft resister, Bill Thomas, arrived on a motorbike to address the crowd. While delivering a rousing call to arms, he set his conscription papers on fire. The crowd was filled with immense excitement and was even equipped with a walkie-talkie system and bolt 12

cutters in case the police tried to arrest him. Actions like these meant UWA students always had large contingents for anti-Vietnam war demonstrations in the cities. These ongoing national mobilisations contributed to the end of the war. For many though, the rebellion in the sixties and seventies was about more than Vietnam. It meant questioning all power, hierarchies, and ultimately, capitalism. Big issues like women’s liberation, gay rights, and Indigenous Australians’ oppression were new topics to be discussed in this changing political climate. At WAIT, a coalition of radical activists ran the Student Guild from 1972 onwards and campaigned around these issues. These radical activists saw themselves as part of international revolutionary movements and were interested in the ideas of Trotskyism, Maoism, and the Communist Party of Australia to explain the world. The climate of activism encouraged them to look at their own campus and question its role

in society. In their eyes, the education system’s purpose was not to better society but to reinforce capitalism. Everything about the institution – from the stifling role of bureaucracy to the penetration of business – demonstrated this. The infamous ‘open parking’ campaign was one of many challenges to this set-up. At the Bentley campus, students were relegated to farflung parking bays made from crushed gravel. Elite academics and university administrators were assigned special bays next to their faculty. In broad daylight in August 1972, student activists rode a motorbike around campus tearing down all parking signage. En masse, students parked wherever they liked, including one architecture student who laid claim to the WAIT Director’s (the equivalent of a Vice-Chancellor) special bay. Through direct action, students were trying to abolish the rigid and hierarchical distinctions on campus. The hope was to create a democratic space where education tackled societal issues and where students and staff were equals.

Today, students face a worsening climate crisis, a global pandemic, and the looming prospect of war. There is a lot we can learn from this past student rebellion. Above all, we should aspire to be as passionate as they were in the fight for a better world.

Protests in Black and White Kassandra Fernando

sn’t it funny how the media covers White riots compared to Black protests? It seems like when the protesters are Black, the media uses some pretty harsh words: “The bad guys.” “Lawlessness.” “Looting.” “Wild Animals.” “Criminals and thugs.” These words were voiced-over images of Black people protesting peacefully, even going so far as to show images of Black children holding signs promoting racial equality. However, if you’re White and tearing up the city because your team lost a game, you’re just young. “Young people danced on a flipped-over car.” “These UK fans did stupid things.” “Some maybe got a little out of control.” “Seeing a scene like this just shows how passionate the UK fans are.” “It’s so tough to lose and, unfortunately, the ugly side that we sometimes see in sports.”

News bulletins around the world used phrases like these to describe rioters destroying public and private property, even showing cars set alight. Meanwhile, the police showed up to a Black protest in military-grade equipment, claiming to just be observing. Additionally, why is it that the leadership of the Black community is always called into question? Yet, no one ever questions the leadership of White parents who let their kids burn down and vandalize their university campus. You know, sometimes they don’t even call a White riot a riot. It is a… “Party gone awry.” “Some fans got a bit too rowdy after the win.” “A dispute.” “A bloody brawl.” “There was some type of altercation.” The difference between what are effectively White riots compared to Black protests goes beyond the media’s portrayal. One of the biggest examples of this difference between the treatment of White people and People of Colour during public demonstrations can be seen through the comparison of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and the 2021 US Capitol siege. When comparing images of the two scenes, they look and play out very differently. The pro-Trump supporters that descended on the Capitol were met with light resistance. It took hours before law enforcement regained control. However, a more aggressive and militarized approach was used against social justice demonstrators, composed largely of People of Colour, who showed no intention of storming any federal building. Prominent figures, including Joe Biden and Michelle Obama, took to social media to voice their opinions on handling the Capitol riot. They both pointed out the vastly different response had the rioters been Black rather than White.

“And yet, in city, after city, day after day, we saw peaceful protesters met with brute force. We saw cracked skulls and mass arrests, law enforcement pepper-spraying its way through a peaceful demonstration for a presidential photo op.” Obama was referring to the haunting scene in June, not at the Capitol, but at Lafayette Square, just outside the White House. Compare that to the video of a Capitol Police officer taking selfies with MAGA looters who were then allowed to steal government documents, fight police – leading to the death of an officer – and wave the Confederate flag down the halls of a federal building. Ironically, that same day, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis used the momentum of the riot to push his vision for a bill cracking down on Black Lives Matter protests. Although these two examples of demonstrations offer the perfect comparison, the contrasts in the treatment of People of Colour during peaceful protests compared to White people can be seen on a global scale. For example, just at the start of this year, we saw Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau call a national state of emergency after days of harassment, noise pollution, and hate speech by the supposed “freedom convoy,” whom experts connected to White supremacist ideologies. Yet, when Black and Indigenous protesters fought for racial equity in previous years, participants were beaten, gassed, and arrested by police. As a result, the protest was removed rapidly. In a time and with a generation so adamant about change, rebellion in the form of public demonstrations is not only popular but necessary. However, the impacts these demonstrations have on minorities, in particular People of Colour, and the differences in treatment seen between them, reinforce how their often more violent White counterparts cannot be overlooked. If anything, the analysis of these events speaks to a need for the change they so strongly demand. 15

Dead Poets Society Harrison French

here is a vivid scene in Dead Poets Society where Professor John Keating (played by Robin Williams) encourages Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) to do a “Barbaric Yawp”. Once the almost comical preposterousness of this act is forgiven, it’s almost impossible not to appreciate Keating’s desire to foment student dissent against the restraints imposed on their adolescent imagination. The film was released in 1989, directed by Australian Peter Weir (The Year of Living Dangerously), and it was fairly successful thanks to the academy-award screenplay by Tom Schulman. The film follows a bunch of high-school prep boys, notably Todd Anderson, Neil Perry, Charlie Dalton, Knox Overstreet, Steven Meeks, Richard Cameron, and Gerard Pitts, being told to “seize the Day” by their heretical new professor Keating.

They hear of this unofficial group called the Dead Poets Society, of which Keating was a part of when he attended the school, which meets in a cave away from the school grounds to recite poetry. Robin Williams delivers a masterclass in acting as the boys’ inspiration to explore poetry as a tool for self-introspection. Roger Ebert criticized the performance of Williams, saying the role of Keating should’ve gone to either Matt Dillon or John Cusack. It is precisely Williams’ measured, disquieting performance that makes the majority of this film memorable, along with riveting performances from Ethan Hawke and Normal Lloyd as the sinister headmaster, Gale Nolan. The recitation of poetry from luminaries like Whitman, Lord Byron, Tennyson, Cowley, and Lindsay is the basis for the secretive group that gives the film its title. These poets exemplify the free-thinking and self-actualization that Keating determines to cultivate in his pupils.

Poetry, or more precisely how to interpret poetry, is confronted in the film, with Keating making it clear it’s about the “feel” of the poem. That’s not entirely true, as Keating emphasizes the power of the individual’s thoughts in taking away whatever value they can from the poems and using it to make a difference in their lives. The tragedy of Neil Perry’s suicide (whether one views it as inevitable or not) is beside the point. Perry’s self-inflicted demise makes it seem futile to rebel against those crushing forces that work against the creative endeavours of the Dead Poets Society. However, his suicide is a symbol of an act of defiance in and of itself.

The importance of being a part of the Dead Poets Society for the boys, foremost Todd, Charlie, and Neil, was, as Hamlet said, “to take arms against a sea of troubles.” There is no doubt that Keating was the same. It is ultimately calamitous that Neil Perry couldn’t resolve the internal monologue in his head, so much so that he needed “to act” in the way he did. What one ultimately takes away from this exquisite film is the power of the mind in overcoming every day normal existence. Indeed, “words and ideas can change the world.”

The film’s final scene has the boys on their tables reciting “oh Captain! My Captain” is significant because, at that moment, with Keating on the way out, they believe themselves to be gods. 17

Classical Music and When the Bare Minimum Becomes Rebellion Saskia Willinge, perpetually too Busy and promising that next month will be better!

estern classical music, as a field and concept, is inseparable from colonialism, the patriarchy, and privilege. For hundreds of years, this art form was carefully curated as an experience for (essentially) wealthy white men and the people they hoped to impress. Although some privileged women had access to a music education privately, until the 19th century, it was incredibly rare for women to be seen and/or heard creating music outside their homes. Working musicians were often treated as tradespeople, providing a skill that did not automatically come with the wealth and social status of the people employing them. Now, however, a certain level of opportunity is required to have the possibility of pursuing a career in music at all. Huge efforts are being made in all areas of western art music to reframe and reconsider the voices this discipline allows us to hear. For decades, academics have been combing through records and discovering brilliant new (or ‘new’) composers. Often, these are women 18

or people of colour who were acclaimed performers in their lifetime and were known to be well acquainted with successful male composers. Turns out, the music they were writing is amazing. Also, it turns out that the people experiencing high-quality music by marginalised composers for the last 400+ years didn’t go out of their way to document it. Unfortunately, concert programming lags behind the scholarship. There is strong demand for classical music by a broad range of voices which has not translated into music performed live, especially in Western Australia. Many conversations about diversity happen in creative circles, but the move from discussion to action is slow. It’s hard to find music by composers you haven’t heard of. Most audiences interested in classical music enjoy concerts with music they already listen to, by composers they love, and fair enough. Sadly, this makes the effort of performing music that’s at least as good, written by relatively obscure composers, a gamble. By extension, this makes

Artwork by Saskia Willinge

attempting to diversify classical music an act of rebellion. In 2019, I co-founded Tenth Muse Initiative with Hannah Lee Tungate. Tenth Muse is an organisation aiming to create art music events that promote the work of diverse and underrepresented musicians. I’m really proud of what we’ve done so far but being praised for doing what should be the bare minimum, as though you are doing something rebellious, is hard.

actively bettering itself. But I’m looking forward to a time where what Tenth Muse hopes for isn’t a rebellion but the norm. And where it doesn’t feel like seasoned professionals are waiting to see if student organisers can succeed at something before they publicly advocate for change and ensure their personal values align with their professional actions.

Many local arts organisations have helped us out and provided advice. Without this, we would not still exist. Instead, we’re gaining momentum, but I’m still confused. Does accessibility and diversity in a scene need to be financially viable to be worthy of pursuit? And if not, why is addressing this as meaningfully by a group of students/recent graduates as it is by some well-established organisations? Every change and every step taken is valuable. I am excited to be part of a community that is 19

It’s Time for a Cry, Sis Juanita Hardwick

few nights ago, I was talking on the phone to a girl I’m dating (let’s call her Scar) when out of the blue she said, “D’you know, I have never carried this much weight before?” I was overcome with discomfort, almost violent in its intensity. I remained silent as she relayed an anecdote about the first time her little sister, Tris, had noticed the change in her body. “Wow, I have never seen you with a belly before!” Tris had remarked, wide-eyed and staring. “I know,” Scar chirped, “how weird!” Her tone was bright and unphased, expecting her little 20

sis to let it go. “No, but like, I have never seen you with a belly before. It is weird.” Scar laughed it off. “I know.” But Tris kept staring. Scar was telling this story to point out how funny it was that her sister seemed more affected by her weight gain than she was. I laughed and agreed. Scar deliberated longer on the topic; meanwhile, this strange discomfort I was feeling sat heavier and heavier in my stomach.

“I’ve been eating so badly these past few months, like so bad.” “You probably think it’s a lot worse than it is-” “No, I’m telling you! I’ve just been eating shit, and over-eating, and not-eating.” Awkward silence. I racked my brain for something to say. And what could I say? I had never given a second thought to Scar’s weight. This isn’t to say that I am blind to appearance. I am yet to break the glass ceiling, which teaches us to objectify women. To me, Scar is perfect and exactly my type. But then, is having a type, especially in regard to someone’s weight and figure, problematic in itself? If I had said, “I like you the way you are,” I’d have been implying that if she were built differently, there was potential to like her less. Of course, on a personal level, this would hurt her feelings– but objectively speaking, is it a moral issue? Is it truly so abhorrent to be attracted to someone less on the basis of their weight alone? With these thoughts swirling in my head, I forced out some cliché and staccato ramblings about how I think she is perfect and love her the way she is, but that I am also obviously okay with whatever weight she may be in the future. She shut me down immediately. “Okay, thank you, but never say that to me ever again.” Ouch. Scar, unlike me, is confident when it comes to navigating the patriarchal discourse surrounding body image. She has fought her battle for body confidence and through nurturing the following conviction, has won. The idea that humans should look a certain way was created by a patriarchy that has been extenuated and bred through that good ol’ thing we so love called capitalism. Essentially, Scar rebukes that her self-esteem is mined for profit. Her progressive stance on the matter fits right in with ‘the kids’ and the socio-cultural landscape of 2022. Meanwhile, as a girl, who at 54kgs, sometimes looks in the mirror and thinks, I am so fat, I am realising I might be

a little bit behind. Like, I could be stuck in an early 2000s chick-flick. I’m that far behind. In raising the topic of her weight, Scar wasn’t asking for my opinion, and she definitely wasn’t fishing for my approval or reassurance. As soon as the ‘you’re perfect to me’ rhetoric came out of my mouth, I was so fucking embarrassed. It seemed like a dumb thing to say, not only because being valued and appreciated for who you are is the bare minimum relationship standard, but because not one person should have to conform to my version of what is and isn’t attractive. Ideally, no one would be perceived through this lens. This generation’s obsession with body positivity is both an achievement of Fourth Wave Feminism and a way for mainstream media to capitalise. Thankfully, it’s no longer ‘cool’ to be overly self-conscious. The greatest act of rebellion is to love oneself and, to put it simply, not give a flying fuck. But what if I do give a fuck? What I thought was severe discomfort at a touchy subject has revealed itself to be shame. I’m ashamed to be insecure about my body in an age where we preach acceptance and beauty in all colours, shapes and sizes. To be insecure over my appearance is, it seems, to reinforce the patriarchal values that I stand against. And so, I leave you with one final thought. It’s something Scar said to me after she finished reading this article. “You must forgive yourself for your insecurities and forgive yourself for how you feel because it’s okay. Everyone struggles with this. That’s why it’s called social conditioning. No one can reprogram themselves overnight. Just keep asking questions and pushing yourself to explore uncomfortable topics.” And I guess that’s all any one of us can do.

GIRLS WEAR DRESSES AND BOYS WEAR BLUE. Excuse me...

wE ARE IN TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY-TWO? Stephanie Acevedo even went as far as to comment on his cover look by saying: “Bring back. Manly men.” Little do some people know that skirts have been worn since ancient times! Do a little bit of research, and it’s easy to find. Personally, I went out to buy a jumper just the other day. I read the tag, and it said “Men’s”; however, this didn’t stop me from buying it! It looked nice, and it was comfortable, so that was that. Latin American artist, Bad Bunny, is another worldwide star who has shaken up gender norms through fashion. He said in an interview: “I really can’t give clothes a gender. To me, a dress is a dress. If I wear a dress, would it stop being a woman’s dress? Or vice versa? It’s a dress, and that’s it. It’s not a man’s. It’s not a woman. It’s a dress.”

ince fashion began, clothing has been a form of personal expression.

In 2020, Harry Styles made history as the firstever solo male model to appear on the US Cover of Vogue while wearing…you guessed it, a dress. This created a heated controversy, stating that a man shouldn’t wear a dress. A political figure 22

It’s appealing to see these celebrities not conforming to traditional norms as the fashion industry is slowly changing and taking a more “unisex” approach as it did in the late sixties. It’s exciting to see what the future of fashion will bring. What do you think about nonstereotyping clothing?

Salmon, Survival, and Seriously Sizeable Bears

The Story of Fat Bear Week Written by Scott Law

hen did the world start making sense to you?

Perhaps it was a near-death experience that woke you up? Maybe it was when you found someone you loved more than any other? Perhaps, it hasn’t happened yet, and you are hoping that landing your dream job or career will show you the way. For me, it started making sense on a Saturday night in 2019 when I saw a photo of ‘Holly 935’, a Grizzly Bear from Katmai National Park in Alaska, USA. She had just been crowned ‘Fat Bear Week Champion’ of 2019. Fat Bear Week is an annual event run by Katmai National Park and Preserve and, in essence, is a spirited competition to crown the fattest bear for that calendar year. The Grizzly Bears of the national park are pitted against each other during ‘Fat Bear Week’ in a voting bracket elimination tournament during September and October, culminating in a final vote on ‘Fat Bear Tuesday’ to crown the fattest bear of that year. The bears, of course, have no knowledge of this. The main hunting ground for the grizzlies

is ‘Brooks Falls’, situated within the national park. Salmon is on the menu, and the river and falls are plentiful with the orange-fleshed fish during this time of year as the salmon swim upstream to spawn. The national park conservation team has many cameras around the river and falls to live stream the activity around the area 24/7, which is always met with the greatest of excitement when the live feeds begin at the end of June. Grizzly Bears hibernate for eight months, where they lose a lot of body weight. They emerge and must start the mother of all binges to put that weight back on, so they can survive hibernation once again; the sockeye salmon they eat average around 4500 calories per fish. For some, this transformation of near emaciation into corpulent marvels of mammalian evolution in under four months is quite frankly jaw-dropping. They must average approximately three pounds (1.3kg) of weight gain per day to safely make it through the hibernation period. The competition has been running yearly since 2014 and has grown its following year after year. Banners, advertising, support posts, and video compilations are made to support 23

people’s favourite bears, and a few stars have been born. Let me introduce you to some of them. Otis 480 is the original Fattest Bear. Winning the inaugural competition in 2014. This star has risen as a favourite of many throughout the years, winning his second and third titles in 2017 and 2018. He is a considerably older bear, estimated to be twenty-six years old. He has missing teeth and seldom,(if ever) fights for prime real estate on the falls to secure the best fishing spots, for he has risen above petty trifling aggression. Instead, he lives under a philosophy of patience. Sitting in an area of the falls affectionately known as ‘the office’. He rarely, if ever, chases salmon and instead waits for them to come to him. He gave fans and conservators at the national park a big scare during the 2021 season, not arriving at the falls until two weeks after all the other bears had arrived, which led many to fear the then three-time champion had passed away during his hibernation (which is what happened to 2018 champion ‘Beadnose’ during the 2018-2019 hibernation period). He quickly made up for lost time though, and in a remarkable turnaround, secured his fourth 24

Fat Bear Championship. Edging out finalist ‘Walker 151’ by just under 7000 votes. Holly 935 is an incredibly experienced and wise bear who has raised several litters of cubs to maturity during her time, being documented at Brooks Falls. She is a champion herself, winning in 2019. You see, fat bear week has some nuance in how people vote. It’s not just about the specifics of weight and how technically large a bear is. Otis 480 was technically not the largest or fattest bear in 2021, but his before and after photos used for the competition had the biggest differences in his post-hibernation and pre-hibernation photos. Holly 935 possibly has the greatest championship-winning photo of all time. The word rotund simply does not do the photo justice. It’s the sort of radiance, aura, and beauty I wish to project onto the world one day. Bear 747 does not have a name but his identification number, by happenstance, serves as a perfect descriptor for him. Massive does not do this magnificent beast justice at all. 747 is one of the largest adult males bears ever documented at Brooks Falls. He commands respect and often controls the most prime fishing locations along the falls and in the

Artwork by Sarah Sheikh

river itself. His size means that he often avoids getting into fights at all. It’s just not worth it for most bears present at the falls to challenge him, but when another bear musters the courage to do so, he is usually the victor. 747 was the 2020 Champion and is a three-time runner-up. So, why do I love Fat Bear Week so much? The internet can be a troublesome place despite the positives that I am sure many of us have found over the years. It has, unfortunately, become a tool for deception and chaos. Nothing is allowed to just be what it is anymore. Everything bears unscrupulous analysis and warping to become a tool for whatever agenda, stance, or platform that people wish it to be. Amidst all of this, it can be remarkably difficult to discover something that can just be.

everybody to have a good time’, which, sadly, is becoming increasingly difficult to find. I implore you all to follow this year’s Fat Bear Week. You can tune in to the live trail and falls cams to perhaps catch a glimpse of the bears fishing and navigating their way through the treachery of life. You’ll even get a chance to see some of the new bear cubs and yearlings learning the ropes from their mothers. Have fun, stay fat, and be like the Grizzly Bears of Brooks Falls. For more information: explore.org/fat-bear-week explore.org/meet-the-bears

This idea of something that can just be is what Fat Bear Week is to me. It’s a celebration of curiosity, fun, and hoping that these unsuspecting bears can make it another year existing on this planet earth. The communities surrounding the yearly competition are positive, and though people have their favourites everybody seems to employ the Marge Simpson philosophy of ‘I just want 25

Obi-Wan Kenobi Miniseries Ben Marshall

he Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries embodies the shining mediocrity of the Star Wars canon in the Disney era, and highlights the scissors crisis that has emerged between the commercial and artistic motives at play in this cinematic universe. It appears that the financial motives of expanding the Star Wars universe are growing, if not at least as strong as ever, because of the steady profit ever available to draw from the nostalgic appeal to long-term fans. Conversely, these lucrative stories are struggling, in an artistic sense, to justify their existence, with the creative motivations behind these profit-making ventures inversely declining before viewers’ eyes. In other words, in the contemporary landscape of high-budget blockbusters, it is increasingly more viable to regurgitate what audiences already like; however, the more this is done, the less room there is for fresh stories to be populated by novel and exciting characters. This was particularly visible in Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker, where it became obvious the ‘story’ was a mere veneer to enable, or excuse, nostalgic star wars imagery and themes that were ultimately hollow, bereft of the spirit of the originals where these elements were strikingly original rather than regurgitated. The film’s insistence that it was an epic climax

was transparently and ludicrously false. The Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries suffers from the similar issue of not being born from an artistic vision, but a means to profit from what is most palatable to the masses. This is most evident in the series’ structure. What could have been a compelling two-hour film has been stretched across six episodes by what can only be financial motives, encumbering the narrative by enforcing an episodic structure whilst a three-act screenplay has gone betting. The first two episodes clearly establish the characters and story; the third and fourth present the rise of tensions and impending collision of Obi-Wan and Darth Vader; and the penultimate and final episodes offer the climax and resolution of tension. However, by adhering to an episodic structure, what could be a crisp and enticing beginning, middle, and end is confused by the need for each episode to justify its existence as a single episode. Each episode must have its own action sequence and contain forty-five minutes of content. Consequently, the earlier episodes suffer from dull, cheap-looking action sequences. Notably, a ten-year-old Princess Leia is involved in a chase scene more likely to incite general laughter than capture earnest interest. The plot is overcomplicated and overstated by

the need to fill the screen time. Additionally, the final episodes must each have their own climax where Obi-Wan essentially undertakes the exact same heroic action. Individually, both are interesting, but their proximity dampens their individual significance. Overall, the creative and financial juices were squeezed too hard, causing the fruit borne to be marred by surrounding filler. It must be noted that the series also suffers from George Lucas’ obliviousness to characterisation throughout the prequel trilogy. The impact of Obi-Wan and Darth Vader’s connection is undoubtedly undercut by the lack of any visible emotional connection between the two ever having been shown on screen throughout the prequel trilogy. Lucas’ choice to tell the audience of their bond rather than show it somewhat snuffs the thematic flame of ObiWan’s guilt for Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark side and the responsibility Obi-Wan feels to protect his children.

universe spawned from a visionary imagination that should represent an unlimited sandbox, it seems Disney is doing its best to parade its creative barrenness by shamelessly repeating the same visual and thematic elements of the originals until they have been milked of all novelty and lustre. Perhaps, most frustratingly is that this show has a number of successful components that could have been combined more triumphantly in the hands of individuals with a greater appreciation and respect for the source material.

Ultimately, Disney has again shown that a safe product that will return a guaranteed yield by mimicking and regurgitating the popular, recognisable features of Star Wars cinema is antithetical to the innovative, risky composition that typified the original Star Wars films. In a 27

For Science! Words mushed together by Tarryn Basden, who isn’t any less ridiculous in real life. In case you weren’t wondering.

hroughout history, there have been many determined scientists willing to rebel to prove their hypotheses. This, of course, has had varying results….

Barry Marshall Until the early 80s, it was believed that stomach ulcers were caused by stress and poor diet. Having stomach ulcers, your doctor might prescribe some relaxing time off work and maybe a salad. The kind of prescription I can get behind (apart from the salad). But some rebellious science heroes didn’t think that stress and pizza could be enough to cause these debilitating and potentially fatal ulcers. Instead, Dr Barry Marshall and Dr Robin Warren believed that bacteria may be the cause. Of course, this was ludicrous! The stomach is far too acidic for anything to live there. Marshall and Warren were ridiculed by scientists at the time. Marshall even stated that “everyone was against me, but I knew I was right.” They were 28

determined to rebel and prove their point. After some vaguely botched experiments and failed attempts at infecting piglets, it was Marshall who decided to take matters into his own hands. In true rebellion, he drank a delicious broth of ulcer-causing bacteria himself. Soon after he developed the tell-tale symptoms of ulcers – bad breath, nausea, inflammation, and vomiting. Hooray! Thanks to Marshall’s rebellion, the way we treat stomach ulcers has dramatically improved, and they even went on to win a Nobel prize for their findings.

Stubbins Ffirth Going further back to the early nineteenth century, Yellow Fever was ravaging the world, and doctors didn’t know how it was spreading or how to stop it. They had a fairly good idea that it was infectious but nothing more. Enter our heroic rebel, Stubbins Ffirth.

A medical student who had been making observations on yellow fever and didn’t think it was infectious. This went against the other doctors, and he was generally regarded as a fool. So Ffirth decided to go far, far, much too far above and beyond to prove himself. Ffirth took it upon himself to prove once and for all that Yellow Fever is not infectious. He started by collecting various uh… fluids from infected patients before slicing a hole in his arm and pouring in some vomit. Successfully not contracting Yellow Fever, he then poured vomit into his eyeballs and drank it. As one might expect, his experiments were not received well by his peers, who thought his experiments were “as unnecessary as they are disgusting.” But, sticking to his gross and unnecessary guns, Ffirth responded;

. . . to a person anxious for the investigation of truth. . . everything having a relation to this, whether it be disgusting or not, is laudable. It was of course found that Yellow Fever is infectious through mosquito bites and blood in the early stages of infection. Unfortunately for Ffirth, he was taking fluids from patients in the late stages of infection, making his experiments useless. So, it’s important to remember that while rebelling as a scientist could win you a Nobel prize, it could also have you necking vomit for no reason. So, use discretion.

Naturally by Heyang Guo

CW – SEXUAL CONTENT

“Hi, Mrs Virgil. How can I help you?”

Got some numbers to crunch today, and I need to–

“I have a highly private and confidential matter that requires your assistance. Could you please step into Mark’s office?”

The phone rings. It’s Mark, my boss. “Yes, Mark, how can I help?” “Is this Wesley?” asks a high, anxious voice that does not belong to Mark.

Before I knock on Mark’s door, I straighten my tie. Adjust my tie clip. Pat my lapels. Do a bump. Sniff sniff. Knock knock.

“Yes, Wes speaking. May I ask who’s calling?”

“Come in, please.”

“It’s Sophie Virgil.” Mark’s wife? “I’m Mark’s wife.” 30

“Yes, of course.”

Mark’s lying naked from the waist up on his mahogany desk with his eyes open. And there she is, hovering over him, balancing on dangerously tall Louboutins and in a tight black dress that barely contains her curves. “Close the door and lock it, please,” she says as I walk in. Her perfume goes straight to my head. She turns around, and I don’t know what fucks with me more – her absolutely sublime face or Mark’s open chest cavity. I am simultaneously aroused and nauseous. “Wesley, please help me. Mark’s broken.” I want to turn away, but her face has this pleading look that I can’t ignore.

packed, neatly organised system of cables, wires, gears, and lights. All blue, all pulsating. I flinch backwards. She grabs my wrist. “Wesley, if you don’t help me, this entire company could go under. The legal ramifications would be huge. Please help me get him home before people start asking for him.” I don’t know how but I think of something. Maybe that bump did help. “Mrs Virgil, stay here. I’ll be right back.” She nods.

“Wh-what’s wrong with him?” God, that bump was not helping at all. “Is he dead?”

I duck outside Mark’s office, walk to the nearest fire alarm, check to see no one’s around, and then trigger it. I rush back to Sophie, trying to close Mark’s chest, which keeps springing open despite her efforts.

“I don’t think he’s ever been alive… Come, come closer.”

“Shit, shit, shit,” she mutters. “How are we supposed to get him out of here?”

I cautiously inch closer. I’d been too stunned to notice the steady, rhythmic whirring emanating from the body, and I hadn’t even considered the suspicious lack of blood. Mark’s flawless pecs are opened like little doors, and I bring myself to look inside him. Instead of a chunky red mass of lungs, heart, and stomach, there is a tightly

“In a couple minutes, everyone’s going to be outside. No one will be taking the lift, so we can ride it down to the basement.” Mark is too heavy to carry, so we put him in a swivel chair to push him around. We manage to make it downstairs to his car and shove him 31

in the boot. Mrs Virgil drives us to their house at a breakneck speed. I’m incredibly strung out. Eventually, we pull up into the garage of their mansion. I manage to ask some questions. “What were you doing at the office, Mrs Virgil?” “Trying to get pregnant,” she replies, calm and matter of fact. “Right.” What an image. “You have no idea how well and truly fucked my alimony plans are going to be if I don’t push out a baby.” “Mmhmm.” Are you thinking what I’m thinking, B1? “I think I am, B2.” I stare at her. Then she jumps my bones.

She leads me to the master bedroom. Her skin is soft, but the sheets are even softer. How are they this soft? Suddenly, Sophie’s flesh starts to feel extra squishy. Then it starts to expand, pushing down on my body with a suffocating weight. 32

“Hey, Soph – what the fuck is going on?” As I pull my face away, I find that I’m holding onto a great white caterpillar that is more than double the size of me. I try to get her off me, but this jacked-up insect has gone full kegel on my cock and is not letting me go. She winds up around me, circling my abdomen multiple times, all the while squeezing – squeezing very hard. I get the vague sense that this might be the end of Wes, but I’m too close to the edge to care. Sophie – or rather, the caterpillar – opens her mouth and starts to hiss. Probably talking shit about me. She can definitely read my mind because she spits some weird mucus in my face, but it smells like pussy, and all I can do is give in, give in – ahhhhhhhh. *** The mulberry silkworm squeezes her segments into a ridiculously tight black dress. She moulds the end of her body into primate legs, with tiny feet to fit into those obnoxious, redsoled stilettos. Her bedsheets have increased in surface area; quite a sizeable increase, this time – they’ve spilled right over the edge of the bed and are just kissing the bottom of the wall. She goes downstairs to reset ‘Mark’ for next time. She just needs a couple more before she reaches the pupal stage. But on her terms, naturally.

This fire of ours Patrick Easough

Kids built this fire of ours while we chatted away. Sipping on tins and small talk, watching dancing flames all day. This fire of ours is still burning. The ashes danced in our town hall lights, the kids starting to scream, with a ferocious delight. This fire of ours is still burning. They had found a eucalypt log. With all their might, pulled. One scraped their knee to get dad over, realising he was fooled. This fire of ours is still burning. With the help of Jock’s dad and many more kids, the log was chucked on, yet acted like a lid. This fire of ours was not burning. The fire went out, clouds started spitting, the kids were sad, all ended up quitting. This fire of ours has been extinguished. Jock’s dad wanted this fire now. He was not giving up. So he grabbed a bottle of kero and blew the thing up. This fire of ours is definitely burning.

Small burning piles with mouths agape kids stared into the flame under a starry, country escape.

Nudity to the Naked Eye Angela Aris

The unspoken rules that govern private spaces, such as bedrooms and bathrooms, are often strangely specific and ritualistic. Some people keep their toothbrush in the shower. Some people can’t sleep without socks. Some people turn on the fan for ambience, then put on tracksuit pants and a jumper. When you introduce somebody new into these spaces, you are both welcoming a witness to your weirdness and asking to get to know theirs. Naturally, new routines surface, which accommodate the personalities of all the users, sometimes erasing what was there before. An act particularly dependent on the presence of others is when and where we choose to be naked. This occurred to me recently when I was faced with the choice of putting clothes back on or leaving them off to sleep with a new partner. Isn’t it funny that after an hour of sex or a few minutes, or ten (it’s all relative), to lose consciousness next to another unclothed body risks being too intimate? 34

A memory popped into my head. As real as my own. I repeated a familiar phrase. “It’s like that Friends episode where...” The episode is called “Ross Sees Rachel Naked From the Window”. Friends highlights the idiosyncratic preferences we all have, reassuring us that it is normal to have different perspectives from those closest to us. Or perhaps Friends has just impacted me far too deeply. In this episode, Phoebe assumes that when Rachel is gifted a night home alone, she will walk around naked. Rachel categorically denies this, and Phoebe teases her as if she is being modest. “You live alone. You don’t walk around naked,” Rachel says. “Yuh-huh! Why do you think it takes me so long to answer the door?” Rachel responds defensively, but her attitude later shifts. After sheepishly shedding her bathrobe, she has fun frolicking around the house. “Ha, check me out. I’m in my kitchen naked! I’m picking up an orange naked!”

This head-butt between the characters points out that no one really knows what the social norms are regarding nudity in the home. Yet, this single conversation is powerful enough to destigmatize the act of being naked. Phoebe’s laissez-faire attitude gives Rachel permission to be naked. When she drops her clothing, she is also abandoning her internalised shame. I tried to remember conversations I’d had with friends about nakedness. I found that as a topic, it was sorely neglected. I thought of all the times I had sprinted away from windows starknaked after catching a flicker of movement in my periphery. God forbid the mailman sees this

as an invitation! I had no idea if these close calls were something other people experienced. I recalled a conversation in which nude beaches were described as “places for creepy old men to lie naked and stare at girls in bikinis.” I didn’t say anything at the time, but this point of view upset me. It is undeniably true that a voyeuristic aspect comes into play when nakedness is involved. However, I would argue this heightened fascination with the naked form is only encouraged by its forbiddance. If these spaces were commonplace, people wouldn’t feel the compulsion to stare. 35

Just prior to this, I had spent two weeks aunaturel on the beaches of Broome. Some remote and some quite public. On return to Perth, ‘skinny dipping’ was just swimming and the act of clothing oneself to bathe felt un- naturel. However, to say ta-ta to tan lines was also to be circled by rows of tourists on camels and gawked at. In the case of two female friends, it was to be snapped running out of the water by a professional photographer. The man denied there were any photos taken. Then, confessed he could not delete them as they were shot on film. Beyond inspiring was that the girls’ biggest concern was securing themselves a free copy. They exchanged email addresses with him! This response surprised me. The girls weren’t trying to hide. They didn’t mind that someone had a naked photo of them. Sure, they wanted to confront the person who had been so blatantly disrespectful. But these photos did not reflect on them. Whoever saw the photos would simply be assured the women had their full anatomy. Here were two very different ideologies on public nudity. One is that the concealment of the naked body is an effective way to keep people safe, as human beings are inherently 36

sexual and aesthetic creatures. Or two that a person’s visual consumption of your nakedness cannot hurt you. That within a society that equates merely ‘being seen’ with the uncontrollable desire to have sex, the refusal to sexualise yourself is, in itself, a powerful antidote for shame. In general, nakedness is only socially acceptable where it is functional and unavoidable; the doctor’s office, massages, changerooms. Meaning we primarily experience it at home, around the intimate people in our lives, or alone. So, I asked everyone at my house how they practised being naked. There were six of us, two she/theys, a she, and two hes. We were all excited to get our hidden habits “off our chests”, so to speak. There were only four chairs, but the six of us crammed ourselves onto the porch to discuss. Each person had a distinct preference for nakedness or clothing. We were split down the middle. Myself and my two roommates preferred clothing, whereas our guests felt more natural being naked. But there were exceptions when it came to practicality and comfort, insecurities over body image and considering the feelings of others.

For example, J says: “I wear clothes, I feel comfortable, I feel protected, I feel like I don’t have to be conscious of seeing my body, and I feel cleaner. And I feel cute in my PJs... I would never sit on a surface naked, like our couch, but I would probably have sex on a couch. When you’re with a partner the rules change.” She also prefers to sleep naked with a partner because it is more “intimate and vulnerable.” M, who pole dances, says: “people take off clothes for grip.” But, despite generally preferring to be naked (even around many of his friends) at the pole, he feels more comfortable in long pants. He says even though most wear less than him, as one of the only males in the class, he feels more confident clothed. If you feel freer unclothed than clothed, you face both a cultural and legal barrier. Clothes are handy. They have pockets, they keep us warm, etc. But there exist places in the world where you can literally walk down the street naked, and no one bats an eyelid. Cap d’Agde in France, for example. In recent history, campaigns such as ‘Freethe-Nipple’ have brought the sexualisation of the female body to the forefront of our

consciousness. But, as a fourteen-year-old girl, I am ashamed to say I was more affected by the funny name, which I now realise is not funny at all. The day my friends were photographed, I had put my bather top back on. Not because I wanted to, but because the beach was busy that day, and I didn’t want to be seen by someone I knew. I could not figure out why I cared or what I was so afraid of. This was the same feeling I felt, lying next to someone I trusted, in my own bedroom, when I realised shame had followed me. Shame I wasn’t even aware I had. You do not need to dramatically remove all of your clothes in order to remove shame. This is not always an option, nor should anybody feel pressured to undress if they are not comfortable with it. Instead, I would pay attention to the act of dressing itself. The next time you restrict your circulation with a bra or examine whether your nipples are visible through a shirt, make sure you know why. Just check if you are hiding at all. Are you dressing for yourself or someone else? And if you feel shame, remember that we all do, that it doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to our culture, and remind yourself you have done nothing wrong.

The Inflation Revolution By Nathan Cuthbertson

he revolution it’s coming. Right now, we live in a time where expenses on almost everything have risen. Fuel. Housing. Food. Inflation is at a boiling point. Household savings levels are at some of their lowest, and budgets are being stretched thin. Now, you may blame corporate profiteering. But you would be wrong (mostly). The producer price index has increased more than the consumer price index, implying that most companies are, in fact, reducing their profit margins and absorbing the inflationary price increases. Then what is causing the inflation right now? Reckless fiscal expansion. Globally, governments have introduced incredibly irresponsible levels of money into the economy with reckless abandon, issuing more public debt than ever. Coupled with interest rates, artificially held down well below a market level, incentivising borrowing without any regard to the consequences, forcing the cost of housing through the roof. This boils down to a simple economic equation. Price = money/ goods. When two years of supply constraints caused by lockdowns have forced many goods

and services to fall short of demand, coupled with an increase in money supply, it is easy to see how the price of everyday goods has increased so much. This has led many to undertake drastic actions like a revolution. Now, what kind of revolution are we talking about? A financial revolution, empowering you over your own money. The tools exist. Crypto. Central banks have for too long exercised a heavy hand over the savings of everyday people. Using inflation as a tool to cheapen all the debt the government has racked up. However, inflation is a particular kind of evil. It destroys savings, ruins price signals, and causes all sorts of difficulties in long-term planning. Furthermore, inflation hurts lowincome earners far more than those better off. Wages are sticky and often do not match inflation perfectly. The wealthy can afford to eat into their earnings or put aside fewer savings, whereas a low-income earner cannot. Purchasing power is destroyed by the actions of central banks. You may be inclined to stop reading here, citing

me as a madman or a crypto bro. I promise I am neither. Nor are the five million active crypto users in Turkey. Rocked by inflation as high as 69% last year, the citizens have taken their financial security into their own hands. Some exchanges have reported a daily volume of trades at over $2.6 billion dollars. That is a daily value! People are rejecting the government-issued currency for decentralised crypto outside of the ruinous control of their central banks. Now, surely, you are saying: “But Nathan, there is no way that our country could experience 69% inflation,” well, if you lived in Turkey in 2011, inflation was at 6.47% (Australia is predicted to be above 7% now.) So, do you think we need a revolution now? Our money is worth less and less each day. The actions of an irresponsible government, spending more than they should, and a central bank either blind to the consequences of their actions or complicit in depriving their citizens of their purchasing power have given reason for a change. Let go of Fiat currency and empower your future, as the government certainly doesn’t care about yours. 39

Warm Hands in a Cold Room Lillith Litchfield is the lord of the game, she rules this empire

t’s a quiet rebellion.

A susurrus of gold-warm hands sparking beauteous colours behind well-worn eyes. Swiftly alighting touch blooms impossible intricacies of honeyed mirth that swirls and pools in sterile-cold light. Slowly, Gently, These ministrations birth blazing, undulating, terrific waves of technicolour in this harsh, focussed place. Intertwining liquid of multifaceted wonders beat and spurt from the core of all being, And infect this mind-palace with too much love, Too much awe, Too much hatred, Too much everything. All of this blooming,

Wondrous, Burning, Electric everything, We scrub. And clean. And disinfect. And wipe away. So we can get to work. The room is clean again. Cool. Distant. Sterile. White under the flickering hum of harsh fluorescent light. The room must be cold - so we can touch the untouchable. Bright - so we can see the invisible. Disinfected - so we can name the unnameable. We must create this room that allows no mirth. No joy. No love. No fear. To wrest from reality her secrets. And bend them to our will. In this place, harsh smooth plastic takes over as it drips and forms around our softness. We must become beings of plastic. Inchoate flesh yields to hard, perfect metal. Pointed fervour is driven by sinuous grey steel. Devouring and assembling marvellous opuses - who shriek our triumph and elevate with their supplication. Stiff toadying creations made for iron purposes drive a knife-wedge into the future. And render unto us the glorious delectable riches of time.

We are the all-seeing eye that fucks up the world and creates techno-monsters. But… Honeyed soft sweet brush of golden hands bring forth minuscule murmurings from that spring of chromatic warmth. Beautiful passion lays bare the void within our brittle children. Their frigid spiritless hearts hold no place or possibility for beauteous waves of gold. Burnished touch wrests shimmering iridescence into our cold steel, tracing rainbow embroidery across hardened plastic. Little by little, Wonder embellishes, and ardour embosses fantastic life and magnificent kinship into our souls. Persistent gentle hands strain to caress and connect, To share thick golden grounded beats of existence. We can give in to the exultation; we can allow gorgeous mirth to suffuse our being,

Statement of Intent: To do science, we are expected to reject our imagination (Daston, 2005), deny our emotions (Cook et al., 2004), and take on the stoic, implacable role of objective Father Science, “the all-seeing eye that fucks the world” (Haraway, 1988). There has been a controversy within the studies of science. A lesser-known fracas that peaked in the late 90s is known as ‘The Science Wars.’ The primary battlefield of The Science Wars was the social nature of science and the clashes between objectivist (positivist) and subjectivist (postmodern) philosophy - spurred by Latour and Woolgar’s 1986s ethnographic investigation into scientists’ social behaviours in constructing scientific fact. Slowly, subjective philosophy is integrating into scientific discourse and allowing warmer, more considerate modes of communication to bloom between scientists and communities (Irwin, 2006). Whether the answer lies in object-oriented-ontology, Haraway’s situated knowledge, Barad’s cuttingtogether-apart, or some other philosophical understanding of the nature of knowledge and fact remains to be seen. What we do know is that the current prevalent mode of objectivism is not only harmful, it is also incorrect.

To tie solid threads of connection and intertwine our sharp zeal and lithe steel with recognition, And the reflection of ourselves that lives in the eyes of others.

References:

We can come to it softly,

Cook, G., Pieri, E., & Robbins, P. T. (2004). ‘The scientists think and the public feels’: expert perceptions of the discourse of GM food. Discourse & society, 15(4), 433-449. https://doi. org/10.1177/0957926504043708

With serene moments,

Daston, L. (2005). Fear & Loathing of the Imagination in Science. Daedalus (Cambridge, Mass.), 134(4), 16-30. https:// doi.org/10.1162/001152605774431473

Shared in appreciation.

Haraway, D. (1988). Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective. Feminist studies, 14(3), 575-599. https://doi.org/10.2307/3178066

It’s a slow, gentle awakening.

Irwin, A. (2006). The Politics of Talk: Coming to Terms with the ‘New’ Scientific Governance. Social studies of science, 36(2), 299-320. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306312706053350

It’s a quiet rebellion.

Latour, B. (1986). Laboratory life: the construction of scientific facts. Princeton University Press.

We Begin Again W

Christina Charteris

hen a seed is bestowed it seeks shelter underground, When it begins to grow

unforgiving weather beats it down, Challenges it was born to face; To thrive and rise to its rightful place, To become a flower and bring beauty to a desolate plane. As the years go by and the terrain reframes, at the dawn of the day we begin again; In full bloom, it radiates regality, Once again, confronted by nature’s symphony. Resistance is persistent even in the face of the greater good; Flowers fight to grow and survive, Their ease of grace leaves them misunderstood. Petals fall and seasons fade, at the end of the day, we begin again.

Illistration by Anya Constantine

Braiding the Way Kassandra Fernando

eople do not often associate hair as a sign of rebellion, but hair, and, in particular, the way it is styled, can be a powerful tool that conveys a lot of meaning. Hair can hold immense power and can tell stories about origins, culture, status, and lifestyles. One of the most remarkable stories about hair and its use as an expression of rebellion is found in African hairstyles. African hair, in particular cornrows, dates back to ancient African civilisations. African hairstyles revealed a person’s age, birthplace, clan membership, socioeconomic status, marital status, spiritual devotion, and occupation. The most elaborate hairstyles were sported by community leaders and rulers, who were the only ones permitted to wear a headdress. Beautiful crowns were fashioned out of leather, gold beads, and fancy braids. Priests were also set apart from other community members by how they styled their hair. Before marriage, girls in present-day Nigeria used clay, ground coil and palm oil to shape their hair into a horn shape,

while married women had plainer covered styles. Girls in Senegal wore braids in more intricate styles. In Kenya, young Turkana men used their hair to show they had completed their initiation rights for adulthood by spending hours getting their hair styled elaborately. Men wore their hair in a distinctive style when they were about to go to war compared to when they were not preparing for battle. The use of creative styling with African hair has a very long tradition, and being the adaptable, resilient people they were, Africans enslaved in South America drew from that ancient knowledge, creating roadmaps or signals to freedom through elaborate cornrow patterns. Cornrows are a style of hair braiding where the hair is braided very close to the scalp to make a continuous, raised row. Sometimes, especially in the Caribbean Islands, they are referred to as cane rows because enslaved people planted sugar cane, not corn. They can be braided in linear rows but can also be braided into intricate, geometric patterns and designs. 43

During enslavement, hair was often shaved off to look ‘neat’, but really it was a way to separate people from any former identity. Some started braiding their hair into cornrows as this was deemed a ‘neat’ hairstyle, but ironically, some enslaved Africans, managed to devise a brilliant form of resistance that involved their cornrows. Their hair was made into messages to guide them on their journey to freedom. Despite the numerous ways Africans styled their hair, cornrows seemed to have been a universal African trait. So, Africans in South America used cornrows in creative ways to not only resist slavery but escape it. Cornrows were used to relay messages and landmarks for freedom. According to Ziomara Asprilla Garcia (an oral historian and hair braider in Colombia), to signal that they wanted to escape, women would braid a hairstyle called departes, which had thick, tight braids braided closely to the scalp and tied into buns on the top. Another style had curved braids, tightly braided on their heads. The curved braids would represent the roads they would use to escape. They also kept gold and hid grain seeds in the braids, which, in the long run, helped them survive after they escaped. By that time, some slave owners understood the language enslaved people spoke, so messages in women’s braids were the best way to not garner any suspicion from them. They would never figure out that a hairstyle meant they would escape.

Cornrows became the easiest method for escaping, while keeping it a secret from their captors. The hairstyle became a tool of rebellion for many. It was an effective way to use their culture and their crown to liberate themselves from tyranny. Cornrows continue to be a sign of rebellion amongst Black men and women. For example, the Black Power movement in the 1960s used braids to help women rebel against eurocentric beauty standards and celebrate braided hair when some laws prohibited women from wearing braids in public. However, people continue to use this hairstyle as an act of rebellion. In the 2000s, people of African descent were encouraged to style their natural hair as an expression of their identity after the term ‘nappy’ rose in popularity as a negative way to describe the tightly coiled and curly black hair. Most notably, Allen Iverson, an NBA player in the late 90s and early 2000s, faced a lot of backlash for styling his hair in cornrows despite it being an expression of his culture and identity. Now, braiding has become a way of communicating pride, freedom from oppression, and a way to honour ancestors. It is a way of saying that black hair is strong enough to hold this message. African descendants wearing cornrows today not only honour their ancestors but continue their legacy as cornrows continue to be a quiet rebellion in the modern world, much like they were in the past.

Disguised in Dance

The Rebellion of Brazilian Slaves Kassandra Fernando, despite her subject interest, is not a Capoerista but ironically very uncoordinated.

hen we picture rebellion, we tend to see it as an obvious and explicit form of insurgence. The word rebellion itself comes with a certain connotation: images of war, protests, revolutions, and movements. However, sometimes rebellions happen in moments of quietness; the innocuous practices some might shrug off. In the case of enslaved Africans brought to Brazil, this type of rebellion was their weapon. 46

Although it’s now regarded as a way to celebrate and explore Brazilian culture, or maybe just seen as the latest ‘hot’ workout trend, Capoeira has an enriched cultural and social history rooted in rebellion. Capoeira is hard to define; sometimes referred to as a martial art, sometimes a dance, and sometimes even a game. However, it is generally regarded as a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, music, and drumming. The exact origins of Capoeira are unknown because of a scarcity of historical documentation, likely due to the secretive nature of its beginnings. Capoeira was developed in Brazil by enslaved Africans, mainly from West Central African countries like Congo, Angola, and Benguela, in the sixteenth century. It is suggested that it was inspired by Kongolese, Yoruban, and Portuguese culture. Rooted in their warfare traditions, as well as the Angolan dance called ‘n’golo’ (or the ‘Zebra dance’), which emulates the way zebras and other animals fight, including heavy use of kicks, sweeps, and the exclusion of hand striking. There is also a theory that the primary reason why hand striking is not allowed is because handcuffs and shackles prevented enslaved people from using their hands. The origins of the name Capoeira are also shrouded in mystery. It could come from the Kongolese word kipura, meaning

“cockfighting”, the Tupi-Guarani word caápuêra, meaning “open space”, or even the Ki-Kongo word kupura, meaning “to play”. The intertwining of African and European cultures in creating Capoeira makes sense as enslaved people were prohibited from celebrating their African cultural customs. So, Capoeira offered a loophole to these rules. Hidden in the musical and rhythmic elements of the form, violent kicks were disguised as passionate dance movements, and the combination of West African cultural influences prevented it from being identified as an attempt to preserve any specific traditions. So, Capoeira came to life as a survival tool, not only for self-defence but also for cultural identity. Using Capoeira, many enslaved people escaped their oppressors to form rebel groups known as Quilombos. They lived high on mountains and deep in the jungles to hide from Portuguese colonists. These groups formed villages and communities with each other, and it is believed Capoeira was a vital part of their defence and cultural practice. In cities that remained under Portuguese control, Capoeira slowly transformed into a social movement of resistance against slave-owners and government authorities. More people were taught it as a method of self-defence against their masters. Despite the Portuguese 47

attempting to ban its practice (with those refusing to comply subjected to severe physical punishment and even death), Capoeira lived on. To avoid punishment, people often leaned further into the dance aspects of the art. Following the end of slavery in 1888, there was a boom in crime as newly freed people found themselves in poverty. Many used Capoeira as a weapon during crimes, so it was outlawed in 1890. However, this did not stop the art form, with many people continuing to practise it. Interestingly, the Brazilian government destroyed all documents related to Brazilian slavery in 1890, so it is not fully clear the extent to which Capoeira was an outright weapon used to support the abolition of slavery in Brazil. However, it was clearly used by enslaved people as a way to practise martial arts without generating suspicion amongst slave-owners. Eventually, the ban on Capoeira was lifted in the 1940s, allowing the development of the art form as a rich Brazilian practice. 48

Although the exact origins and specifics of Capoeira remain unclear, there is a strong link that shows its transformative process. From being something to unite enslaved Africans and connect them with their culture when they were removed from it, to a way to defend and liberate themselves from oppression. Today Capoeira is more than a martial art, dance, or game. It represents freedom and speaks to the values rooted in the black Brazilian social resistance and solidarity. Capoeira, although not an obvious act of rebellion, reminds us that even the most subtle acts have the possibility to achieve change.

Student Revolts in the 21st Century

From Hong Kong to Chile Sean Cheung

019 marked a year of insurrection across the globe. Millions marched in the streets and battled the police against authoritarianism and economic mismanagement. Students played a central role in these struggles as they had in the sixties and seventies for civil rights and in opposition to the Vietnam War. Today, universities continue to provide a space for political engagement, with students having the ability to influence ideas in wider society. In Hong Kong, the proposal of an extradition bill that would blur the region’s autonomy with China sparked mass protests that were quickly met with violent repression from the state. Bearing witness to the brutal crackdown of student protesters, Hongkongers came out in droves on June 16th against police brutality and in remembrance of Leung Ling-kit, who took his own life as a plea to the government. Two million people in a city of 7.5 million packed the streets of Hong Kong’s financial district. From the elderly with walking sticks to families with baby prams, people of all walks of life marched in the streets, holding signs, and shouting slogans for the controversial bill to be withdrawn, for universal suffrage to be enacted,

for the police to be held to account, and for arrested protesters to be released. High school and university students played an important role throughout the movement. They organised school strikes and demonstrations, but most importantly, they formed the core of the frontliners, those who would clash with the police after the large-scale marches were over. Armed with umbrellas, hard hats, and petrol bombs, these frontliners faced off with police equipped with armoured cars, guns, and tear gas. The protesters’ “be water” tactic reacted fluidly to the actions of the police, which made them unpredictable and prevented them from being trapped and arrested in a confrontation with law enforcement. Supporters of the movement rallied behind the frontliners, forming a sophisticated communications and logistics network with Telegram channels of scouts reporting police movements, “parent cars’’ that would take protesters home to safety, and the donation of supplies like umbrellas and saline solution to combat tear gas and pepper spray.

Rebellious students played a leading role in the protests, and their ingenuity was on full display. However, a major hurdle came when students had difficulty mobilising a wider struggle involving workers. By November, the movement was beginning to fatigue. With a lacklustre trade union movement, calls for a general strike to revitalise the movement fell on deaf ears. Instead, students sought to disrupt morning traffic and major roads to force an economic shutdown of the city. The government was not responsive to the protesters’ demands, and events eventually escalated in the occupation of two Universities situated in major transportation chokepoints, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). The universities became bases of operations to blockade traffic, with police responding by besieging the universities. Without supportive action from Hong Kong’s working class, disruptions to the economy could not last. The sieges ended with more than 1000 protesters arrested at PolyU, where the campus had been encircled by police and forced to surrender. With the Covid-19 pandemic, protests died down as the state imposed draconian laws limiting the freedom of speech, disbanding news agencies and trade unions, and imprisoning politicians, activists and protesters. In Chile, the working class had suffered under decades of neo-liberal rule since Pinochet seized power in 1973 under a military dictatorship, overthrowing the democratically elected socialist president, Salvador Allende. In October 2019, in the capital city of Santiago, an increase in transport fares became the last 50

straw for working-class Chileans. Students were the first to act on their pent-up discontent with economic conditions, as high school students jumped metro turnstiles to dodge fares. Their act of defiance resonated with the Chilean public, galvanising popular revolt against decades of neoliberalism and economic inequality as more people joined the students in the streets. Protests quickly spread across the country, as tens of thousands gathered to demand the end of austerity measures, better wages, benefits, and a new constitution in place of the one established by Pinochet. Scenes in Chile echoed those in Hong Kong, with police brutally repressing demonstrations with tear gas and water cannons. A state of emergency was declared, but the protests only escalated. Failing to quell the unrest with the stick, the then President, Sebastián Piñera, turned to the carrot, reshuffling cabinet ministers and promising pension and wage increases, but by then, there were calls for systemic change and Piñera’s resignation. Unions went on strike and called for more radical economic reforms, such as the re-nationalisation of the copper industry. On October 25th, a million people marched in the streets of Santiago, calling for better economic conditions. Protests continued into 2020, and in the November 2021 general election, left-wing candidate Gabriel Boric, an ex-student-activist, was elected as Chile’s youngest President. Boric’s term began in March 2022, but his victory is not indicative of a victory for the working-class. Chileans must be prepared to return to the streets if Chile is to be reshaped radically and systemically, and students may once again be the catalyst for revolution.

Students form a significant social layer in fermenting political change, with the potential to take the lead in building radical and revolutionary movements. Here in Australia, we should take these lessons from those in Hong Kong, Chile, and around the world, making good use of our campus to develop political ideas and fight for a better society. 51

An Ode to Hacktivism Kimberely Harrison

rom programming scripts to taking over remote machines to intercepting encrypted communications, subverting the conventions and protocols of modern technology has become a favoured rebellious activity for many. This exploded in popularity in the 1990s and 2000s. Collectively, these activities came to be known as hacking, generating a subculture of treating technical problems as puzzles to be solved and institutions as authorities to be subverted.

The motivations for hackers are diverse, ranging from personal gain and amusement to just wanting to solve difficult problems. However, for some, it is driven by social and/or political goals. For these hacktivists (a portmanteau of ‘hacker’ and ‘activist’), technology is often used by institutions for wrong and unjust reasons. Therefore, subverting that technology is not only morally acceptable but necessary. Frequent targets include government agencies, banks, and corporations accused of corruption

and social or environmental damage. Typically, their techniques do not differ significantly from other types of hackers, but their activities are mainly distinguished by their intent and targets. One of the most well-known hacktivist groups to wreak havoc online is Anonymous. The decentralised online movement emerged in 2003. Originally, they undertook hacking activities for entertainment. However, beginning with “Project Chanology”, a series of hacks against the Church of Scientology in 2008, the group started focusing on hacktivism. Since then, it has expanded its target to governments (including The United States, Israel, and Syria), the Westboro Baptist Church, and multinational corporations such as Paypal and Sony. While a number of arrests have been made in relation to Anonymous activities, it has been difficult for authorities to disrupt the group as a whole because of its highly decentralised and hierarchy-less nature. Nevertheless, the group, as a whole, was included on Times Magazine’s “100 most influential people” list in 2012. Hacktivists are not always rebels attacking institutions from the sidelines. Sometimes they are insiders who become disillusioned with their work. Two of the most high-profile insider hacktivists, Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning, used their positions and security clearances to access sensitive US government information and share it with the public. In the case of Snowden, it was to unveil that the agency where he worked as a contractor, the

National Security Service, was surveilling millions of US citizens and foreigners without cause or warrants. He collected thousands of classified NSA documents and passed them on to prominent journalists from The Guardian, The Washington Post, and other publications. He soon left the United States to escape criminal charges and now resides in Russia. For Chelsea Manning, a former US army intelligence analyst, the reason was to expose US war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through accessing classified databases, she was able to download over 750,000 classified files, including videos, diplomatic cables, and onthe-ground army reports. Those files were then passed onto Wikileaks, the website founded by Australian activist Julian Assange. Manning was sentenced to thirty-five years in prison for the leaks but had her sentence commuted by President Obama in 2017. However, Assange is currently in a UK prison awaiting extradition to the US to face charges relating to the leaks. Clearly, hacktivism includes activities that are fraught with legal risks. However, for many hacktivists, these causes are worth the risks. They see themselves as revolutionaries changing the world through civil disobedience. However, for some institutions, hacktivists are mere criminals that need to be tracked down and prosecuted. Nevertheless, as those institutions become more and more dependent on the internet, it seems that the phenomenon of the online iconoclastic rebel will still be around for a while.

Person or Policy?

The Gender Diverse Experience on Campus Alicia Kapeecia

have never really felt like I could strictly adhere to the binary of what it meant to be female (and no, it wasn’t because my mother let me play with Bratz AND hot wheels as a child). It has taken most of my life to accept that gender isn’t a limit for me - a reality that many young people are now met with. My gender identity was something I felt I always had to hide while at school (considering I attended small religious schools my whole life). When starting university, I thought my identity as a non-binary person would be respected and accepted, but this isn’t so much the case for myself and many other students across campus. This article will explore the experience of gender-diverse students across the UWA campus and LGBTQIA+ policy. As queer presence grows on campus, the wider student community has become more aware of our identities. But despite the large population of trans students on campus, we still aren’t being accurately represented at UWA.

Building up to the recent guild elections, I was confronted by multiple members of a guild party asking to be consulted on my opinions on their policies surrounding gender-diverse students. I was berated for months on what was thought to be a “progressive” policy: including a non-binary representative on the women’s interest committee. At first, this sounds great. More visibility for gender-diverse students on campus, right? What may have come off as an attempt to be inclusive was not only hurtful to me but also to other members of the gender-diverse community. When grouping people, who identify outside of the female and male binary into the women’s interest committee, it not only invalidates the identity of non-binary people, but also consequently misgenders individuals who do not identify as female. This mindset of “male vs other” can be extremely restrictive to individuals who identify outside of the gender binary, centring the identity of trans people around men rather than themselves.

When consulting with the wider community of non-binary identifying students, many were deeply offended and horrified at the blatant ignorance expressed through the proposal. Students described the offer as “offensive and ignorant,” as there is little knowledge of whether or not the Guild sought further consultation from the Pride Department or non-binary identifying individuals outside of myself. Sam, who has only recently started studying at UWA this semester, said this would contribute to the erasure of non-binary and related identities. They described it as “counterproductive” to the party’s progressive ideologies, stating that “not all non-binary people have vaginas”. Some individuals like Sam, who identify as non-binary and have never experienced misogyny or sexism, find that the position (of grouping non-binary students with the women’s interest committee) is quite exclusionary of gender-diverse individuals who were assigned male at birth. Alternatives to the non-binary representative on the women’s interest committee have also been

proposed, such as non-binary representative positions being offered in the Pride Department or having a separate committee that represents the presence of genderqueer and transgender people on campus. However, this is only one of many issues that trans and non-binary students face on campus. Lack of recognition for correct names and pronouns, not only by tutors and peers, but by the student administration is also a problem. Students struggle to change their name, pronouns, gender, and title via student administration systems such as StudentConnect, even going as far as to not acknowledge a student’s correct identity on their graduation certificate. We are sick of not having a place at the table in these discussions, where our cisgender counterparts lack the knowledge of providing adequate and safe facilities, resources, and accommodations for us.

Band-Aid Solutions During the Biggest Competition in the World Libby Caldwell

he announcement of this year’s World Cup host nation has been flooded with all kinds of scandals. With multitudes of issues ranging from insufficient infrastructure to despicable human rights violations, how should football fans react to what should be a highly anticipated and enjoyed event that is now buried in corruption and controversy?

It’s been twelve eventful years since Qatar was awarded the right to host the 2022 World Cup. Almost immediately, it sent shockwaves through the footballing world. Fans weren’t necessarily negative, so much as curious as to how a World Cup would transpire in a climate, and culture, like Qatar’s – not to mention the fact that Qatar did not have a highly-regarded history of football success nor popularity. It was a shocking choice, to say the least.

If we dive into why Qatar was awarded the World Cup, a glaring answer leaps back at you: corruption. Corruption was so rife during the selection process that many globally highstanding football officials were removed from their positions afterwards. Allegedly, FIFA officials were bribed by Qatar to secure votes, with some instances of ongoing investigations still happening today. Some fans would already be rebelling against the World Cup still being held in Qatar, despite substantially dishonest votes being revealed – but the issues don’t end there. Twelve years appears to be a long time, yet Qatar, and FIFA, had a lot of work to do. They had to figure out how to work around the scorching heat of Qatar’s summer. How to build enough accommodation, stadiums, and transport to harbour the millions of fans who will travel to watch the World Cup. However, the controversy became much larger than FIFA predicted. Research has shown that since being awarded the World Cup, Qatar has brought hundreds of thousands of workers to construct essential infrastructure. Although this work is necessary to the possibility (let alone the success) of the competition, Qatar has a system in which the workers have very little control or access to basic human rights. Thousands of foreign workers have devastatingly passed away during this time. The workers are housed in unsuitable

and unsanitary housing and are often underpaid or not paid at all. It is reported that acts of racial discrimination are common, with many researchers and human rights activists comparing the overall treatment of workers to modern-day slavery or forced labour. Following the outrage that many people displayed at these acts, Qatar did take measures to increase foreign workers’ rights and introduce reforms. However, these are not always useful or properly enforced. Many experts have brought forward human rights issues regarding fans travelling to football’s biggest event. Ronan Evain from Football Supporters Europe, stated that the right for LGBTQIA+ fans to enter the country freely, as well as the right to fair judicial and police treatment for all fans, should also be taken into consideration. With controversy and corruption incredibly common, the Qatar World Cup already has a level of infamy before a ball has even been kicked. Moving the competition to Winter to slightly easeaid in the climate issues, is just another reason this competition will be one for the history books. Hopefully, the long list of problems can be similarly somewhat resolved;, however you can only have so many band-aid solutions before the bloodshed becomes too much to shy away from. 57

august Horoscopes Predictions: By Holly Carter- Turner Illustrations by Sally Thomas

Aries (Ram)

(May 21 – June 21)

Well, ooh la la Aries, brace yourself as this month brings about a period of passion and seduction. So, get your sexy on and get ready for romance. Or maybe, if that isn’t your thing, channel this charisma into other areas. Make a new friend? Charm your boss? Whatever you decide to do, enjoy doing it with gusto.

Things might not be what they seem this month, as you enter a zone of illusion and fantasy. While the world of make-believe can be fun, it is important you don’t mistake it for reality. Geminis love to daydream, but this month make sure you aren’t getting lost in the clouds.

Taurus (Bull)

Cancer (Crab)

(April 20 – May 20)

The winds of change have blown into your world so prepare for things to be different. It will hit suddenly, and unfortunately, it isn’t looking positive. Fear not. While change can be uncomfortable, it is an important part of growth, so stick it out, and hopefully, there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

Gemini (Twins)

(March 21 – April 19)

(June 22 – July 22)

You enter into a period of decision making as your ideas flow and rational thinking is heightened. It is a good time to unearth the life decisions you may have put off making while finishing off the semester. Utilise this level-headedness to resolve unanswered questions.

Leo (Lion)

Libra (Balance)

(July 23 – August 22)

(September 23 – October 23)

The theme of this month for Leos is generosity and gratitude. Be it by being charitable yourself or taking the time to appreciate your loved ones. It doesn’t need to be grand, just a token of appreciation. This can also be turned inwardly and creates an opportunity to thank your mind and body for getting you through whatever the heck life has been throwing at you.

While materialism has numerous negative connotations, when tying it to Libra, it is in the sense that they like their stuff. It doesn’t need to be the best, and they don’t need to have lots of it, but if it is theirs, don’t mess with it. Libras are warned to be careful of being greedy, you can have boundaries to protect your treasure, but you also need to know when to share or let it go.

Virgo (Virgin)

Scorpio (Scorpion)

(August 23 – September 22)

(October 24 – November 21)

Of the signs, Virgos tend to be more anxious than others. This isn’t to say they are weak, but they often struggle with being able to switch their brains off. You may find that during this month, these “Spidey-senses” are heightened as you feel more tense than usual. It feels like something isn’t sitting right, and it may be helpful to journal to release some of this energy.

Scorpios, like their animal namesake, are able to strike fast and dangerously. With an ability to be ruthlessly quick-witted, Scorpios need to make sure they aren’t being too impatient with their peers. This need to jump in fast may come across as arrogant and cause arguments as others feel unable to get a word in. Practice patients. We do want to hear you, eventually.

Sagitarius (Archer) (November 21 – December 21)

(January 20 – February 18)

Feeling helpless? Trapped? Like you’re trying to achieve goals, but they keep getting pushed further and further away? Well, sometimes, that’s just life. Unfortunately, Sagittarians may feel like they’re running for their life on a high-speed treadmill. Keep on running. What doesn’t kill you makes you thicc, and if life is going to be a pain in the ass, you may as well booty up to cushion the blow.

Like Aries, you are loaded with charm, but yours is directed more towards leading others than venturing solo. Energy is boosted, and so too may be your self-confidence. Aquariuses aren’t typically known for being leaders, so a heightening in these characteristics provides you with an opportunity to inspire where you might not have felt it before.

Capricorn (Goat)

Aquarius (Water Bearer)

Pisces (Fish)

(December 22 – January 19)

(February 19 – March 20)

Karma and lady luck are teaming up this month to bring about new temptations. You will get what you have been giving, so take time this month to assess your actions. As karma whispers in the ear of lady luck to decide your fate, you best hope they rule in your favour. Remember, they can be crafty, so take time before making grand decisions.

Happiness is headed your way, and it isn’t just the joy of holidays. Pisces are known to be emotional sponges which can make socialising difficult. This month encourages you to let your hair down and celebrate, cutting yourself free of the “emotional support friend” role. This isn’t to say you should blow off helping your mates. It is just a reminder to allow yourself to recharge through fun and play.

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uwa student Guild Elections

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR 1 WEEK ONLY: 9:00AM MONDAY 1 AUGUST Nominations for positions on Guild Council in 2023, as well as for Guild Representatives to the NUS open at 9:00am Monday 1st August. Nomination forms are available from our website and from Guild Finance (1st Floor, South Wing, Guild Village).

NOMINATIONS CLOSE: 5:00pm Friday 5th August To find out more about this year’s REGISTERED GROUPS, their vision and values or to find a Group Agent’s contact details & information about how YOU can get involved, visit the Elections website: www.uwastudentguild.com/studentrepresentation/elections POLLING for Guild Elections will be held on the week starting Monday 19th September. Please see website for more details. For students not able to attend polling booths, POSTAL VOTE APPLICATIONS are available NOW on our website. Applications must be received by the Returning Officer by 4pm Friday 16th September. Ballot papers will be mailed out to approved applicants and completed ballot papers must be received by the Returning Officer, Mary Petrou, by 5pm Thursday 22nd September. 63