The Heights 04/03/2014 by The Heights

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things to do on campus this week

My Mother’s Fleabag, America’s oldest collegiate improv comedy group, will perform its annual Spring Big Show in the O’Connell House this weekend. Shows will begin at 7 and 10 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday night, and admission is free.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Oscar-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone and historian Peter Kuznick will present on their Showtime series and book, The Untold History of the United States, on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Robsham Theater. They will focus on terrorism during the Bush and Obama administrations.

A dozen Boston College dance groups, including one of last year’s winning crews, Phaymus, will compete Saturday night in Conte Forum in the Annual Showdown, hosted by UGBC. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show begins at 7:30 p.m, and tickets are available through the Robsham box office.

Words not Newsom urges revolutionized gender debate required By Carolyn Freeman Heights Staff

Alex Gaynor Hamlet once remarked about the incessancy of “words, words, words,” and how communication and language is, at times, bewildering. In an ever-globalizing world, non-verbal and technological communication has become the norm, making antiquated ways of communicating obsolete in many situations. In the spirit of a silent retreat I recently took part in, I have been noticing the prevalence of non-verbal communication in our generation, as well as questioning the nature of communication itself and the ability to communicate without always utilizing speech. If I thought that technological forms of communication were popular in the U.S., I was clearly not thinking about the Philippines. Known as the “Facebook and texting capital of the world” (a legitimate title), this place is addicted to nonverbal communication. Facebook, Twitter, texting, anything that isn’t a direct interaction seems to be popular among the younger generations. Some dramatic curmudgeon may see this as the apocalypse of human interaction as we know it, but perhaps it is merely an adaptation to the changing nature of the times. While I’d personally take a one-on-one conversation over a cup of tea over a Facebook message any day, it is valid that perhaps technological communication domination is symbolic of the growing nature of globalization, a necessary adaptive tool in order to communicate to people of all walks of life in all kinds of locations. Living in the Philippines has presented many challenges, but none seem as apparent on a day-to-day basis as language. I am unfortunately not a fluent Tagalog speaker—in fact, I can hardly even form a simple sentence. Working in communities where English is rarely spoken, I’ve had to adapt. How I would normally talk to an eightyear-old at home in English must be changed when talking to a similar eight-year-old Tagalog speaker who looks at me like I’m crazy when I try and speak English to her. So what is an English-speaker to do? St. Francis of Assisi once said that a good Catholic should try to preach the gospel, and if necessary, use actual words. While I am writing from a purely secular perspective, I believe that a similar idea applies here. When one is forced to convey his or her thoughts without language, actions and symbolic gestures are key. When language fails to convey a powerful message or idea, actions are the necessary next step. In both scenarios, adaptation is constant. Communication does not have to exist solely in the realm of language, and it can be spread out through many mediums. Speaking eloquently may not always contain expressive and advanced vocabulary, but it could be as basic as a hand squeeze to a friend in need of support. Despite the thousands languages being spoken all at once or the constant buzz of technology waiting to be utilized for the same purposes, non-verbal communication has the power to unite people that previously would have no reason to co-exist together otherwise. While Shakespeare may have a love-hate relationship with “words, words, words,” I see them as some of life’s greatest gifts, and also ones that we can learn to use in new, adaptable, and inventive ways.

Alex Gaynor is a senior staff columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at news@bcheights.com.

When Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s daughter, Montana, was born, she received pink gifts and compliments on her appearance. When her second daughter, Brooklyn, was born, she, too, received pink gifts. But when her son Hunter was born, he not only received blue gifts but also letters from the president and vice president and bibs and onesies with the White House insignia on it. He was also given a blue t-shirt with the words “Future President” on it, Newsom said. She wondered why her daughters did not receive gifts that suggested their limitless future options, she said. When Newsom asked the audience how many people were unsurprised by this story, a majority of people raised their hands. “For those of you who raised your hand, perhaps it’s because you understand the historical symbolism of the presidency as the embodiment of national manhood—the whole symbolic architecture of masculine dominating culture,” she said. Newsom spoke on April 1 in a talk titled “Recasting Women: Challenging Media Distortions That Curb Women’s Power and Influence.”

She discussed media influences that limit leadership positions to women and how everyone needs to have more conversations about this issue. Newsom is the writer, producer, and director of Miss Representation, a documentary that explores the media’s portrayal of women as it relates to women in leadership. A lot of sexist marketing is directed toward young people, whose brains are still not fully developed. She noted that it’s troubling that these young people, who are being fed violence, sex, and gender stereotypes, absorb the media’s message so readily. “In other words, they don’t truly comprehend that Kim Kardashian’s reality show is not reality, and that just because she’s on TV does not make her a healthy role model,” Newsom said. These marketing companies are more interested in the bottom line than they are in the common good, she said—their priority is profits. This country should have a moral imperative to set higher standards for our culture because so much of it goes overseas, she said. Things are changing in other countries: for example, excessive Photoshop is regulated in advertisements in the United Kingdom, but not in the

U.S. As one of the most diverse and innovative countries in the world, the U.S. should be a better cultural ambassador, she said. “Simply put, it’s because we have so few brave leaders of consciousness at the helms of media and merchandise companies,” she said. “In fact, we have leadership that has disconnected their hearts from their heads, that has bifurcated their professional lives and making money from their personal lives of communal responsibility and contribution to making the world a better place.” Women are vastly underrepresented in these leadership roles. Just five percent of the main decision -makers in the media are women, she said. “Ninety-five percent of what you watch, read, and hear comes from a limited masculine perspective,” she said. Newsom went on to say that she does not blame men: she recognizes that men in this society are often taught that their gender is superior, and that they must repress their emotions and devalue their relationships. She showed a trailer for her new documentary, The Mask You Live In, which focuses on how men face an idea of masculinity that downplays emotions and emphasizes

power and strength, which results in many boys acting out aggressively because they cannot express their emotions. “To be a man is to be independent, stoic, and in control,” she said. “Leadership to many of them becomes a zero-sum game, and those who challenge the status quo are ridiculed and threatened into silence.” Newsom discussed young women who convinced editors of major youth magazines to decrease Photoshopping, a public school teacher who helped his student start a social media campaign against sexist advertising, like Carl Jr.’s, and a father who brought Miss Representation into his finance firm’s HR office when he noticed that everyone who was being let go was a mother. “Let’s demand a culture and society that uplifts us all; that revolutionizes the gender debate and ensures equal opportunity; that inspires my daughter, and all of you women, to be CEOs and presidents of organizations and inspires my son, and all of you men, to be empathic, nurturing partners,” she said. “Imagine what the world could look like if we had more courageous men and women actively working to leave the world a better place than we found it.” n

Advocates for the poor spread pope’s message By Cameron Harding For The Heights The Lumen Christi Award recognizes the dedication of Catholics who have displayed exemplary advocacy for the poor while proving to be “true agents of change.” On Monday, March 31, the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry (STM) hosted an event featuring four recipients of the award in Robsham Theater. “The Transformative Power of Faith: Responding to Pope Francis’ Call” featured Director of Migrant Ministry Jose Lopez; Lopez’s wife and Director of Hispanic Ministry Digna Lopez; President of the St. Francis Mission Rev. John Hatcher S.J.; and Mary Susanne Dziedzic, C.S.S.F. Each panelist had worked for decades in some of the most impoverished areas in the U.S. The panelists’ work and discussions aimed to reflect the message of Pope Francis, who behests Catholics to get out into the streets and work with those in need, not recline in the familiarity and security of their local church. Rev. Mark Massa, S.J., dean of STM, mediated the four panelists as three younger guests (who had all been mentored or inspired by these leaders) sat beside him. Before the panelists told their stories, a brief film was shown that provided some basic context for the event. Jose and Digna Lopez served the predominately Latino communities of Stockton, Calif., providing support for thousands of at-risk youths and vulnerable migrant workers. Hatcher led the St. Francis Mission

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on the Rosebud Reservation in North Dakota. The St. Francis Mission addresses prevalent issues of poverty, substance abuse, and suicide afflicting the Reservation. Dziedzic is a member of the Felician Sisters, a Catholic group rooted in Kingstree, S.C., a destitute area of the rural South plagued with prejudice. Massa prompted the panelists to discuss the challenges they confronted in their particular diocese. Jose and Digna Lopez indicated that while there are many who favored and practiced Catholicism in Stockton, 50 percent of whom are Latino, the city is rated one of the most dangerous metropolitan areas in the U.S. Over the span of 20 years there has been a constant struggle to acquire sufficient resources to fund the programs that assist the community.

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Four panelists discussed spreading Pope Francis’ message in impoverished dioceses throughout the U.S.

3/28/14-3/30/14 legal age in Vanderslice Hall.

9:38 a.m. - A report was filed regarding vandalism in 90 St. Thomas More Road Hall.

1:03 a.m. - A report was filed regarding an underage intoxicated BC student in Keyes North Hall.

3:15 p.m. - A report was filed regarding medical assistance provided to a BC student in Fulton Hall.

2:09 a.m. - A report was filed regarding dispersing a loud party in the Mods.

4:37 p.m. - A report was filed regarding an actual fire in Merkert Chemistry Center.

Sunday, March 30

12:43 a.m. - A report was filed regarding an intoxicated BC student of

Despite the challenges embedded in these areas, Massa asked the three guests, all of whom were members of the communities in which the Lumen Christi honorees worked, how they thought their communities would be different if weren’t for the efforts of the four panelists. Lily, who immigrated from Mexico at the age of 12, found that the Jose and Digna Lopez greatly helped bring out the talents of the community’s youth. Jennifer, a volunteer at St. Francis Mission, stated she was honored to have worked with Hatcher, and insisted he had brought hope to her community that was bereft of spirituality. Kevin, a Kingstree resident who grew up around the Catholic Center, described the sisters as “an extension of our family in our community,” and said he couldn’t imagine where he would be without them. n

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Friday, March 28

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Hatcher, who has spent 39 years aiding the Rosebud Reservation, emphasized the importance of recognizing the troubled history the Lakota people have had with both the Church and the federal government. In addition to meeting challenges of alcohol abuse, poor healthcare, and waning spiritualism, a balance between preserving the Lakota people’s native traditions and spreading the hope of the Gospel is constantly kept in consideration. Dzeidzic laughed that her biggest problem was that “there are only seven days in a week.” Alongside destitution and crime, however, the Felician Sisters have been obstructed in the past by small population of Catholics within the area—although the Felician Sisters now work with 11 other denominations, less than five percent of the region is Catholic.

1:00 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a suspicious person in McGuinn Hall.

—Source: The Boston College Police Department

Who is your favorite BC Dining employee? “Ana from Eagles.” —Eduardo Rovira, A&S ’17

“Dana, easy.” —Joey McCarthy, CSOM ’17

“Dick Po forever.” —Maakeda Sinclair, CSOM ’17

“Pasta toss Matt.” —Sultana SebanSumner, A&S ’17