V Magazine - Autumn 2016 by V Magazine UVA

AUTUMN 2016

The

Gender Issue

The Gender Issue TABLE OF CONTENTS 04 ERIN KANG – Female Gaze 06 08

designed by Katherine Snyder JENNY LEE – Is Art Feminine? designed by Jasmin Nguyen CHIARA BROWN – A Retreat from Rugby designed by Jodie Lee

11 FASHION part I – New Faces in Old Spaces page 11

24 CARLIN SMITH – Chokers are...Freeing?

26 ELIZABETH MCCAULEY – The Dark Ages of Comedic Film page 29

29 STUDENT ART

36 KIA WASSENAAR – Insight Disguised as Entertainment 38

40 FASHION part II – Gender on the Streets page 40 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Sandy Hoang Morgan Toliver CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERS: Marwan Elbattouty Lindsay Park CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Cindy Guo FEATURES EDITORS: Michelle Miles Peter Dailey

THE STAFF HEAD ART CURATOR: Maelisa Singer FASHION DIRECTORS: Shubham Patel Linda Meliani LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER: Michelle Miles PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER: Georgeanne Pace

DESIGNERS: Emeline Callaway Briana Hess Jodie Lee Jasmin Nguyen Georgeanne Pace Shubham Patel Katharine Snyder

WRITERS: Chiara Brown Erin Kang Jenny Lee Elizabeth McCauley Jessica Shalvey Carlin Smith Kia Wassenaar STUDENT ARTISTS: Zuhal Feraidon Corrinne James Anna Morgan

A Letter from the editors Throughout this decade, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been able to see the concept of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;genderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; morph from one that is binary to one that consists of 58 (and growing) possible gender choices. Our perception of gender has gone from black-and-white to full of color, a transformation that naturally brings forward issues of femininity, masculinity, activism, and fluidity. With the discourse surrounding election season, college culture, and nation-wide hate crimes, V Magazine opened up the opportunity for students to explore concepts of gender as they relate to art, culture, and fashion. Selected pieces are compiled here in our most focused issue yet in the 12-year history of the magazine. In these pages, you will find editorials that question gender norms and even boldly define the trajectory of feminism, outstanding work by three female student artists, and two photoshoots shot on UVA grounds--one that contrasts the classic architecture of the Rotunda with the image of the modern woman, and one that uses texture/shape (through fashion) to play with and challenge gender norms. You will also notice that rather than having three distinct sections (editorials, student artwork, and a fashion spread) as we normally do, this issue intertwines them. This is to create a cohesive reading experience. As you flip through these pages, ask yourself: What gender issues are being addressed? How do I personally experience gender? How can gender be expressed in words, art, and fashion? Of course, there is no simple answer to any gender-related question. However, we hope that our issue provokes you, inspires you, and urges you to continue the conversation beyond the pages of this magazine.

Happy reading!

Morgan Toliver Co Editor-In-Chief

Sandy Hoang Co Editor-In-Chief

And cue: goodbye wholesome and pure, oh-so-scared and unsure Sandra Dee. Grease was the film that would leave me dancing on table-tops and singing clamorously in the shower. It’s almost impossible to deny the catchy tunes of reminiscent summer days or the spontaneous dance numbers that contribute to the film’s overall electricity. However, it’s quite possible to forget Sandy’s humble beginnings as the misfit girl yearning to find balance between assimilation to her new crowd and determination to be who she is at heart. We all unconsciously fell into the notion that in order to get the boy, one would have to change her entire demeanor. To sum it all up: Sandy is a victim of what is culturally perceived as “male gaze.” The word was coined by the feminist Laura Mulvey who was disillusioned by the way women were being objectified in Hollywood. Male gaze is the way the arts portray women in a masculine perspective, presenting women as “objects of male pleasure.” So what does that mean for good ol’ Sandra Dee? She is a byproduct of man’s desire to depict women as bearers of sensuality rather than bearers of meaning. How are women who are just as involved in their pursuits of artmaking as their male counterparts responding to male gaze, an aspect of our society that has been ingrained for decades?

News flash: it’s also a woman’s world. Through the advantages of social media, women are rising up to combat male gaze in a world that is rightfully theirs as well. Whilst stumbling upon an article of the highly respected fashion blog, Man Repeller, I was able to encounter a list of female artists who have used their talents to promote activism. Photographer Marianna Rothen presents the female models of her photography in the setting of bygone eras when men dominantly influenced film and photography. She creates “an identity that bridges images from the past and brings them to today’s context” to delineate what it means to be a woman of all eras: passionate, hopeful, and driven. For artist Leah Schrager, she prioritizes owning all of her images; in other words, she strives to counter the idea that a woman’s body needs to go through the hands of a man to hold meaning. By creating art out of her personal nude photographs, she accentuates the goal of becoming the owner of who she is rather than having a male figure define that for her. Artist Mira Dancy focuses on the intimacy of sisterhood in her works, striving to portray a familiarity that would eradicate the concept of “a gaze” in its entirety. She desires her artwork to be “short enough to summon a sense of time, a possible past or a possible future self.” The commonality of these women does not lie in their abilities as artists. It originates from a fervor that longs to represent women in all their glory, in all that they are. Trials can entail either negligence or activism; women are choosing to pursue activism regardless of whether the battle is fought through voice, art, or daily action.

IS ART FEMININE? BY Jenny lee We so readily categorize life into binaries. Happy and sad, black and white. It’s no wonder that we categorize art into binaries as well.

Art is the truest representation of life that we can create – life in all forms. Life in tragedy, life in happiness, life in everything in between. Art oversees love and fear, gain and loss. It is truly a beautiful spectacle that evolution has allowed us to be such creators in our world. Yet, when we strictly define art, we are doing an injustice not only to the artistic community, but also to how we view life itself. A Huffington Post article by Christa Dowling claims that art expresses the beauty and the deep emotional sensations of a human life, and then begs us to question if art is therefore, feminine. But to ask if art is feminine is to set up a dichotomy in the art world, and ultimately in the real world. Gender is a social construct that cannot be placed onto something objectively.

Art should not be forced into strict dichotomies created by a society that values constructed gender norms. Femininity here is described with emotion, expression and passion. However, women are not “more sensitive by nature,” but by society. Women are oftentimes seen as emotional and excessively passionate in popular media. This mediated perception of women leads to a faulty, gendered justification of natural, human emotion. While on the other hand, men are told to be stronger, to suppress emotion and feelings, to only speak with their mind, because a man must be the only rational one. But this perpetuates the idea that men should deny their emotions in the name of masculinity, that emotions are bad and that women should be shamed for expressing them. We miss out on the fullest, most personal interpretation of art if we only think it is meant to be beautiful.

Art is ugly and chaotic. Art is cringe-worthy and messy. And frankly, women are, too. Women are not always to be looked at in beauty. Femininity could mean strength and determination, disorder and mayhem. Categorizing femininity is ultimately categorizing women in boxes. And because of these boxes, society internalizes the “beauty” and “carefulness” of women, and then teaches children how they should act.

The idea of identity is constructed over and over again throughout one’s life: you are never finished with being you. We start this construction when we are young. From the very beginning, schools dichotomize the difference between girls and boys. Schools offer different opportunities for different gender roles; boys are more pushed towards math and science, while girls are more pushed towards reading and art. In the school context, it is incredibly important for students to participate in extracurricular activities because these shape the peer culture they are surrou-

rounded by and the interests that they could further into their lives. However, students come to school already having internalized gendered stereotypes. This implants in the minds of young children the notion that science, rationality and objectivity are meant for boys, while art, creativity and subjectivity are meant for girls. We even see it here at UVa. The Engineering School has far more men than women. However, that does not necessarily mean that there is no place for women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

Society has instilled in us that femininity is art and masculinity is science. There is an inherent fault within this dichotomy. Life is everything. We cannot possibly put such binaries into such important identity-shaping ideas. We must get rid of the notion of femininity and masculinity because gender is a social construct. This limits the potential of every single person who thinks that they are not deserving of art or science because they are not a specific gender.

GENDER IS AS FLUI D AS LIFE IS. LIFE IS RAW AND

DIVER SE, AND SO IS ART. 7

A Retreat From Rugby BY CHIARA BROWN

alk around UVA grounds any given Sunday and you will find happy teens and twenty somethings, toting around backpacks as heavy as themselves as they make their way from their various noonday brunches to the library. Once inside, those same students are sure to be working on anything from neuroscience and molecular biology to an analysis of Hemingway or a discussion about the influences of Baudelaire. Walk around UVA grounds on any given Friday night, though, and you will find very happy teens and twenty somethings, toting around cases of beer as heavy as themselves as they make

their way from various pregames to bars and parties. Once inside these parties, the same students are sure to be doing anything from shotgunning beers to taking swigs from plastic handles of Aristocrat as they partake in general debauchery and merriment. For many students, this pattern continues week after week, month after month, and even year after year. And save for a few breaks for food, class, and rest along the way, if one is hoping to assimilate, there is an expectation to partake (to varying degrees) in the “work hard, play hard culture” which permeates the atmosphere of the university. The culture of UVA is one which is particularly high achieving, one

where the desire for success extends far beyond academics. The “bests” in our community not only get the A’s but the A-pluses, they take the most shots, rally the morning after for a test, and go out again that same night. Unsurprisingly, this leaves little room for participation in other activities, particularly activities which engage with the thriving cultural landscape of Charlottesville. For a long time, I was very much entrenched in this unhealthy cycle. My equal share investment in a high grade point average as well as desire to personify the partying stereotype of my social environment, led to what rapidly became an unhappy existence. Where as in high school

“I began searching for ways to involve myself in the local community in order to counteract WHAT WAS RAPIDLY BECOMING a damaging pattern of self-indulgence and depravity.” I was involved in my community through sports, a band, and participation in cultural activities like concerts and art openings, by the time I reached the end of my first year, I was left without a real sense of connection to the new city I was living in. I had become accustomed to a new

in. Thanks to my shamefully low tolerance for discomfort, by the beginning of my second year I had had enough. I began searching for ways to involve myself in the local community in order to counteract what was rapidly becoming a damaging pattern of self-in-

friends (whom I’d incentivized to join me only with the promise of pizza subsidy after the show) to the venue. Audience members had already begun to congregate across the street on the grassy ridge of neighboring Lee Park, perfectly situated to view the small stage in front of them. We-

pattern. Weekdays, I would go to class during the day and go to the library until late at night. On the weekends, I would go out at night, sleep for most of the day, go out again and then hole away in the library to catch up on work before Monday’s classes launched the cycle once again. My new environment was beginning to leave me stuck within an extreme binary, with a perpetual sense of exhaustion, and little exposure to, or understanding of, alternative opportunities available to me in Charlottesville, sometimes only 10 minutes away from the world I was living

dulgence and depravity. With no idea where to start other than a personal interest in music, I contacted a professor of mine who eagerly provided me with a long list of venues, shows and music blogs all being coordinated from our small metropolis, many of which were free. I began my quest at The Garage, a seasonal music venue just off the downtown mall, aptly named after its home in a small standalone garage on East Jefferson Street. It was late September and the night was still heavy with residual summer humidity as I parked my car and dragged my two

found a spot towards the middle and settled in as more and more people began to do the same, coming to sit from every direction. Adults, students, children, dogs, all began spreading out on blankets around me. Apparently a lot of people in Charlottesville knew this was the place to be on Thursday night. There was a palpable sense of community among the concert-goers, a clear appreciation for specialness of the scene unfolding around us. A few minutes past eight o’clock the crowd fell silent. After a small introduction from a gregarious volunteer and

a note about tips and “merch,” the band–which was making its way down the east coast from New York for a tour–began its set. Amusingly, every few minutes a car or group of unaware passersby would interrupt the scene, walking down the street, or driving slowly by. Somehow this interruption added even more charm to the scene, reminding us that we were not alone, simply a fixture in a town that was living and breathing around us. By nine-thirty the show was over, and everyone packed up their things and said

we could engage in a community larger than the one we often felt trapped in on Rugby Road. We agreed that that community was special in its own ways too, but it felt aptly complimented by this different experience. Up until that point it had been easy to ignore all of the opportunities available to me. The list of excuses I would use for myself included but were not limited to: “Too far,” “Too hungover,” “But there’s a party happening,” “Too much work,” “Netflix.” Sometimes these things were actually true, but often

students, it seems impossible that one wouldn’t be able to find their own niche within Charlottesville, and as a result, perhaps find an antidote to the monotonous and sometimes damaging patterns which it seems some students find themselves in. There are galleries, food markets, film festivals, heck, there’s even a museum on grounds. These are worthwhile endeavors. I promise. Help them provide you with some balance in your life if haven’t done so on your own already. Considering the flavor it added to my life, I don’t think

As far as college parties go, almost every one is missable. They’re fun but also regularly replicated, with the same people, in the same place. cheery goodbyes to their friends as they made their way back to their various homes and lives. As the three of us piled back into my black station wagon and began the short journey home, my friends and I found ourselves invigorated by our experience at The Garage. It was like we had gotten a breath of fresh air. We had participated in the Charlottesville community in a meaningful way and it felt inexplicably good. We had connected with people from the university, and people from the city and everything in between. We were reminded that if we wanted to,

they were more rooted in a fear of being left out, a fear missing something which in that moment seemed crucial to the success of my social life. An over saturation of nightlife coupled with a deep fear of missing out had overwhelmed me. Yet, this night had helped me learn a valuable lesson. As far as college parties go, almost every one is missable. They’re fun but also regularly replicated, with the same people, in the same place. I just had to be around a new environment to realize it. With so much more than just music easily accessible to

you’ll regret it. I am fully aware that I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of what Charlottesville has to offer. Yet, I feel confident that between now and the time of my graduation next year, I will have been exposed to some of the most critical expressions of art and entrepreneurship our state, and even country has to offer. But don’t take my word for it, see for yourself.

Images : The Garage

NEW FACES IN OLD SPACES Fashion Director: Linda Meliani Fashion Assistants: Maelisa Singer, Chelsea Woodfolk, Molly Wright, Shubham Patel Photographer: Michelle Miles Assistant Photographer: Jasmin Nguyen Make-up Artist: Cindy Bui Models: Amanda Cohen, Jojo Chao, Serena Profaci, Maya Silverman CLOTHING COURTESY OF URBAN OUTFITTERS

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blind date, arranged by a fanatical coworker, is approaching your doorstep as you towel-dry your unshaven legs. Maybe he won’t notice, you lie to yourself as the doorbell rings. Maybe he will, but who cares? Smearing lipstick over your grin, you face the mirror. Still naked. You rummage through your closet for something that will illustrate your self-assurance, something tight because you are body-confident (yes, even after eating that whole bag of Tostitos in bed last night). Charcoal skinny jeans – definitely. Now you feel bold and your legs look toned. Four-inch heels grip your feet. You coax your cat into returning the best push-up bra (now a scratching surface), throw on your favorite strappy top, and scan the room for a final touch. A choker, the fashion gods seem to whisper from your jewelry box. In six short minutes you’ve transformed into the busty, high-heeled dating ninja that you know yourself to be. You wink at yourself in the mirror and the doorbell rings again. Flying down the stairs, you catch your heel on a step but miraculously survive. Okay, that was chaotic, but I feel confident. You swing the door open and the stranger’s odd smile shows he is discernibly… impressed. His eyes haven’t met yours yet, but remain glued below your neck. He’s looking at you like dessert. Heat swarms your forehead. You don’t want to be mistaken for a male-designed banquet; for God’s sake your hair is still wet. Before you can stop your lips, your inner feminist moves them for you.

“I wore this for me, not you.” The stranger’s eyes shoot up. Fashion is ever-changing and often influenced by underlying social norms. There are many current female trends that seem to promote the patriarchy, but in practice do the opposite. Choker necklaces and skinny jeans for instance, visually emphasize physical constraint, yet more often are worn by women as symbols of empowerment and impenetrability. Confident women who choose these trends have no reservation in wearing the clothes and accessories that make them feel sexy. Heels, although seemingly obstructive to movement, literally hoist women up. They allow us internal and external buoyancy; who can feel low when they’re four inches off Source: Pinterest the ground? Push-up bras are famously cited as feminine sidekicks in attracting male attention, but many women want to appear bustier for their own satisfaction, or to fix that loose blouse that needs a lift! Acrylic nails appear to make everyday tasks more difficult to maneuver, but ultimately propel us farther from typically female-dominated atmospheres (because who wants chipping nail polish from washing dishes?). Although fashion serves as a self-expressive outlet, women are often accused of purposefully appealing to male taste. Claims assert that women wear certain clothing just to reap the benefits of a patriarchal world. This could apply to anything from career advancement to

progression in social standing. In any case, these statements insult the concept of female capability. Women are equipped with talents that surpass the curvature of their legs. They can advance in the world without a masculine “leg-up”. Even so, it is a woman’s choice if she decides to dress in line with the ideals of the patriarchy. This decision should not be taken as blatant justification for oppressive trends, but signify rather her ability to control such trends as symbols of her own power. Be your style Birkenstocks or boots, pantsuits or pencil skirts; fashion is a woman’s freedom, not her imprisonment.

Source: Pinterest

By Elizabeth McCauley

Image: Saul Leiter, Shopping 1953.

When was the last time you saw a However, art house theaters struggle truly funny movie in theaters? Now, to break even and Netflix distribution when was the last time you saw a deals few and far between. Thus, infunny film in theaters that was not dependent film is not representative animated, was not a sequel or re- of the comedic content accessible to boot, and did not have a superhero in most. it? Maybe you lightly chuckled while watching Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, or were one of the lucky few who actually went to see The Nice Guys? Judging by these films’ box office performances, you did not.

We live in dark times. Funny movies are in seriously short supply. If we do not ask ourselves why this scarcity came about, comedy is at risk of disappearing altogether.

In terms of return on investment, comedies, with their relatively low production costs, earn far more per dollar spent than massive blockbusters with swollen special effects budgets and elaborate sets.

This Comedic Dark Age is not caused by a lack of artistry or comedic talent, but by a systemic shift away from comedy within the film industry.

By any metric, the prevalence of For example, Napoleon Dynamite comedy within mainstream film is earned back 5,667.62% of its shoediminishing. Since 2006, the percent- string $400,000 budget, while Avage of total box office revenues asso- atar—one of the highest earning Or is it? Outside mainstream film, ciated with comedies has decreased movies of all time—has earned back comedy is thriving. In the world of by more than half in the last decade, a comparatively low 500% of its independent films, each year we falling from 33.5% to 14.2%, This enormous budget. Thus, by this meaconsistently see a handful of funny, change in market share for comedies sure, studios would make the most sharp and insightful comedies. This is partially attributable to falling tick- money by investing all their money in year, comedian Mike Birbiglia gifted et sales, but is also simply a result of producing low budget comedies with greater frequency. us with his bittersweet, semiautobi- studios making fewer of them. ographical reflections on the improv One possible explanation for the world in Don’t Think Twice, and shift towards high-budget “tentpole” Daniel Radcliffe’s flatulent corpse releases: Hollywood has perfected somehow crafted a touching story of friendship and perseverance in Swiss comedy remains one of the most the superhero formula and has no incentive to deviate from it. Because Army Man. In 2015, crime dramedy profitable investments for studios. studios can doggedly expand their reDope provided a fresh take on the spective super-universes and coming-of-age flick and an ode to ‘90s hip-hop.

Paradoxically,

Independent comedies continue to challenge the status quo and exceed expectations. 27

Girls, Lady Dynamite, Jane the Virgin—is extensive, and shows no sign of slowing in growth. Though Hollywood’s latest financial model leaves little room for comedies,

hope is not lost in the Comedic Dark Ages. capitalize on ancillary revenues from these franchises, they have become increasingly reluctant to invest in films that will have middle-range grosses—a range which encompasses most comedies.

they used to be.

The proliferation of online streaming Additionally, American viewers’ platforms has facilitated the creation tastes are far from studios’ top pri- of new shows and given entertainers ority. Major studios are more con- greater creative control. From the cerned with films that will gross at web series turned breakout hit Broad least $100 million and perform well City to the critically acclaimed Inside internationally. Because America’s Amy Schumer, comedy series and particular brand of humor is hard to sketch shows find substantial audisell to foreign audiences, American ences online. Funny people seem to studios, which depend heavily on rev- prefer the flexibility of working in TV, enue from Chinese and Russian mar- and so mainstream comedy kets, have little incentive to produce continues its decline. laughs for American audiences when they can sell intergalactic warfare on six continents.

It may be a while before you can crack up in a movie theater, but in the meantime you can see a diverse set of leading actors and actresses playing for laughs online and on television. Monolithic studios may only care about the bottom line, but comedians are finding ways to push boundaries, using the digital age to produce and share content that is novel, challenging, and—most importantly—funny. •

Inherent in that flexibility The good news is a greater diversity among is that big leading men and women. studios are not the tastemakers Major studios cling to prehistoric notions that putting women in leading roles is too risky, yet the list of successful and female-fronted comedy series—Veep, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Orange Is The New Black,

Images: Fred Allen, Mary Martin & Jack Benny, 1940.

Ben Turpin & Charlie Chaplin, 1915.

STuDENT ART

Zuhal Feraidon is an Afghan born artist and is a current Aunspaugh Fifth Year Fellow at the University of Virginia. She received her BA in Studio Arts with a concentration in painting from UVA. Her work focuses on female identity in one of the most difficult living environments and under the endurance of war, more of her work can be found at zuhalferaidon.com.

Zuhal Feraidon Year: Fifth Year Fellow / Major: BA Studio Art, painting concentration

Corrinne James Year: Second / Major: Studio Art, Minor: Art History

Corrinne’s work is a visual interpretation of thoughts, feelings and experiences that aren’t able to be explained by anything other than personal exploration. It’s curious, confused and trying to figure itself out as much as Corrinne is too.

Anna Morgan Year: Second / Major: Studio Art and Psychology double major

â&#x20AC;&#x153;My art is obsessive, incorporating intense repetition as well as heightened attention to detail, but I also rely largely on chance and random happenings. I love experimenting with various combinations of and interactions between materials. I want people to look at my work from a distance, and then move closer and notice all the delicate marks I so love. I focus on that which is so often overlooked, such as staircase shadows, power lines, pipes, and vines.â&#x20AC;?

INSIGHT DISGUISED AS ENTERTAINMENT by kia wassenaar

I sat in a dark theater, eyes wide, watching the now critically acclaimed Interstellar. The film tells the story of a dying Earth and mankind’s search for a new, habitable home. It was visually stunning (it won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects) and I was enthralled by the wild terrains of distant, fictional planets. I let the images of black holes and spaceships flow over me, later googling questions like, “how do wormholes work”, “affect of gravity on time??”, and “time as a dimension.” The film was both perplexing and spectacular, two hours of virtual exploration that left me thoroughly entertained.

It was only as I lied in bed trying to fall asleep that I realized the basic premise of Interstellar, a dying, uninhabitable earth, is something I actually fear. In fact, many critically acclaimed movies, television shows, and books depict worlds in which some of our greatest societal fears have been realized. These fears are genuine and difficult to confront, but when we manifest them in distant, colorful societies, they suddenly seem entertaining. Take the British television series, Black Mirror, for example. The anthology series falls somewhere between satire and horror, with each episode telling a different, unsettling narrative, often set in a larger dystopian world. The episodes explore the moral implications of an increasingly media dominated society and take a gruesome look at where society could go if technology runs amuck. The show is dark, deeply disturbing, and often difficult to watch, but has garnered a huge audience and significant critical acclaim because it is also oddly enlightening. Despite its horrifying, hyperbolic nature, Black Mirror effectively points out where technology might or has already gone wrong. In a 2014 interview with BBC, Steven Spielberg said, “Remember, science fiction’s always been the kind of first level alert to think about things to come. It’s easier for an audience to take warnings from sci-fi without feeling that we’re preaching to them. Every science fiction movie I have ever seen, any one that’s worth its weight in celluloid, warns us about things that ultimately come true.” One recent finalist in the Manhattan Shorts Film Festival, a film called The Tunnel, portrays an average family of four driving slowly towards the mouth of a large tunnel and a stunning, futuristic city after a day at the beach. Traffic stops when the tunnel randomly closes for a short period and continues forward when the entrance reopens. Anxiety builds as the family eventually enters the tunnel, at which point it is revealed that the tunnel is meant for “Population Control Without

Discrimination.” Although the purpose of the tunnel is shocking in the moment, population control is a reality millennials will likely have to face. Spielberg is right that some science fiction ultimately does come to fruition. The 2013 drama, Her, won five Oscar nominations for its striking depiction of a very real love between a human and an intelligent computer operating system. Just two years later, the online magazine, Inverse, published an article entitled, “Futurologist: By 2050, Most of Us Will Be Having Sex With Robots” which described the blooming technology in the field of robotic romance and companionship. Movies like Transcendance, Ex-Machina, and HBO’s television remake of Westworld also explore the moral and social questions surrounding what advanced artificial intelligence will mean for society, questions that desperately need to be addressed because they’re quickly becoming a reality. AI technology actually is succeeding and is already part of our daily lives (hello Siri and Cortana.)

Some might argue that science fiction actually does us a lot of good by making us more aware of the ever changing world around us. The popularity of shows like Westworld and Black Mirror show that we’re captivated by these worlds in which our fears have been manifested, but why is that? Is it how we cope with the unknown? Or does watching the worst case scenarios played out, help us convince ourselves that at least, it could never really get that bad? Despite the scary nature of some entertainment, there is something important about envisioning the future, in every form we can imagine, whether it be fantastical or terrifying. Digital media is more able than ever to take some aspect of the existing world and make us question it or see it in a new way, and maybe by realizing and confronting our fears through digital media, we’ll be more able to avoid them in real life.

Fall Colors: Female Politicians and Fashion by Jessica SHALVEY

The 2016 election will undoubtedly go down in history as an unparalleled spectacle of polarization, heightened tension, and media frenzy. With twenty-four-hour election coverage filling news feeds and television screens, candidates faced the watchful and critical eyes of America in ways unprecedented. Beginning with the first televised debate between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy in 1960, there has since arisen a new focus on presidential candidatesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one of charisma, charm, and ultimately, appearance. The 2016 election proved to be unique not only in intensity and remarkable divisiveness, but also in that, for the first time, a woman took the stage as a party nominee. And with the possibility of a female president came another heightened focus, specific to this particular election: presidential fashion.

The focus on Hillary Clinton’s fashion throughout her political career by news outlets has proven both plentiful and expected; a telltale mark of American cultural treatment towards women in traditionally male-dominated fields. Her pantsuit fashion became iconic beginning from her early days as First Lady, dominating her media coverage in bright colors. A self-titled “pantsuit aficionado” via her Twitter bio, Clinton seems to have taken on the tactic of dismissing her stylistic choices from the media by first addressing them herself. However, surprisingly, Clinton’s fashion did not play as large of a role as expected in campaign media coverage this election season. In a Boston Globe article from August, Annie Linskey writes that “Hillary Clinton’s fashion choices have been largely unnoticed—which seems to be what her wardrobe is designed to do.”1 In an election already dominated by shocking headlines and bold sound bites, Clinton seems to embrace the idea that, in regards to fashion, the best way to make a statement may simply be to not make a statement.

It is expected of a First Lady to be a fashion icon. Jackie Kennedy set the bar high for the following presidential wives, a tradition that current First Lady Michelle Obama has exemplified in her time in the White House, creating her own powerful image with grace, elegance, and individuality. But for a female Presidential candidate, the role seems to be the opposite—dress as simply and neutrally-toned as possible in order for the media and the public to focus only on the issues, not the fashion. But is it not possible for the American public to do both? We can again see this difference in expectations between First Ladies and other female politicians in the fashion choices of Elizabeth Warren. The Senator, following the aesthetic of male politicians, has taken the political stage with sleeves rolled, indicating a traditional shift from the nitty-gritty of political dialogue to a more informal and familiar discussion. Warren saw the necessity of equality with her male counterparts, following even their subtle changes in style to show her authority within her position.

Male politicians on the other hand, particularly white males, do not necessarily have to follow these same rules of conduct in regards to style. Bernie Sanders, for example, often looks disheveled; a look that comes with the privilege of already being granted a societal position of authority. Robin Givhan, in a Washington Post article, calls this privilege “the luxury of being honest.”2

In a male-dominated field, men do not as often need to prove their ability, especially in their expression of fashion or poise. In traditional American culture, style is a backdrop of their authority, rather than an indicator. Women cannot be disheveled if they are to be in the public eye of politics. According to society, they must consistently be put together, symbols of composure and grace, so as to avoid female stereotypes of high emotion and frantic demeanor when faced with tough decisions—stereotypes which have long burdened women in positions of authority. Should female politicians dress extravagantly to stand out in a field dominated by men, or should they tone it down as much as possible, working to mute the cultural focus on female fashion over ideals and politics? Does either choice really break the standards set for women in regards to clothing and appearance?

How a woman in power dresses, how she presents herself, is critical to the public’s perception of her as a leader. The more women taking on the political sphere, though, the more they are proving to the world their power, grace, and ability—no matter the clothing.

“Hillary Clinton has left her Fashion Critics Behind,” The Boston Globe, accessed October 16, 2016, https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/ nation/2016/08/11/hillary-clinton-has-left-her-fashion-critics-behindalong-with-pantsuits/aGxCruR3IoaHyQ785iEqdP/story.html. 1

“The Fashion of Politics,” The Washington Post, accessed October 16, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/lifestyle/politicalfashion/. 2

Gender on the streets FASHION DIRECTOR: Shubham Patel FASHION ASSISTANTS: Katherine Durham, Dahlia Hamandi PHOTOGRAPHER: Michelle Miles ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHER: William Jones MAKE-UP ARTIST: Serena Profaci MODELS: My-Anh Nguyen, Braelyn Schenk, Sasha Khrapunova, Jeffery Allgood