FRIDAY, APRIL 5
WHAT’S INSIDE:
SPRING 2024 | ISSUE 6
A&C
SPORTS
OPINION
Masquerade throws back to Mughal Empire
Cards besties double team lacrosse, hockey
Teaching, learning with Shine On!
ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA/Cardinal Points
A show at the North Country Planetarium in Hudson Hall projects an image of the stages of eclipse.
How to prepare for eclipse day
BY BRIONNE THOMPSON Staff Writer
ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA/Cardinal Points
Kelly Metzgar, executive director and co-founder of the Adirondack North Country Gender Alliance, addresses the crowd gathered in the Alumni Conference Room in anticipation of the panel discussion.
Trans Day of Visibility expands to community BY ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA News + Managing Editor
SUNY Plattsburgh held its largest yet observance of International Transgender Day of Visibility, with a whole day of programming March 27. Organizer Kelly Metzgar, a transgender woman, said Transgender Day of Visibility, observed March 31, is a “happy day” celebrating the contributions of transgender people while learning about the hardships they face. “Due to discrimination, not every trans person can be visible,” Metzgar said at the reception for the occasion. The events included a reception and two information sessions tackling topics of anti-trans legislation across the country and working with transgender athletes. Some staple events from last year’s observance — a panel discussion featuring transgender community members and a game of trivia —
Michelle Dupree, a special education teacher at Stafford Middle School and SUNY Plattsburgh alumna, attended the programming as part of her professional development. Dupree also attended the sessions to learn how to better support her youngest child, whose pronouns are they/them. Dupree said it was important to learn more about the different ways people can express themselves, whether within or outside the Plattsburgh community. Middle school is also a time for children to experiment with every facet of who they are and want to be — that can now include genMichelle Dupree takes a photo of der, Dupree said. “Back in the day, we didn’t have slides at an informational session. these conversations,” Dupree said. made a return, but this year’s was a step up to a whole day of proSee more photos from gramming, Metzgar said. Transgender Day of Visibility Metzgar, executive director and co-founder of the Adirondack on Page 7. North Country Gender Alliance, has been speaking at SUNY Platts- Email ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA cp@cardinalpointsonline.com burgh since 2016.
We have reached the most anticipated astronomical event in years — the total solar eclipse is just days away. People have traveled far and wide to view it from here, because Plattsburgh has some of the best views of the eclipse, even making national news. “A nearby hotel took a reservation for the eclipse seven years ago, in 2017, with a pen and paper because the computer couldn’t book rooms that far ahead,” New York Times reporter Michael Wilson wrote. The eclipse is a huge deal and we are looking at it from a vantage point. SUNY Plattsburgh’s web page dedicated to this year’s total solar eclipse describes it as when the moon shadows across North America, momentarily blocking the sun. The college community has a great view of it, but it wouldn’t be as fun without making sure students, faculty and staff are kept safe — they need to have the correct type of eyewear to make sure they don’t damage their vision. Regular sunglasses are not enough, according to a campus-wide email
from Director of Emergency Management Michael Caraballo. The only time it is safe to look at the eclipse unprotected is when it is in its totality phase, which is when the moon is fully covering the sun. This time period is only from 3:26 to 3:29 p.m. — about three minutes. Safety glasses are available today, April 5 at the Angell College Center from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Glasses will also be provided with refreshments at the Hawkins Pond Eclipse Watch Party from 2 to 4:30 p.m. April 8. Today is also filled with informative and fun eclipse-related programming on campus. In one session from 9 to 9:50 a.m., also available on Zoom, professor of behavioral neuroscience Jennifer Bremser will talk about neurocosmic curiosity and assistant professor of social and personality psychology Andrew Christy will share what it was like to witness his first eclipse in 2017. Another highlight is a demonstration of a sculpture commemorating the eclipse with a mixture of bronze and aluminum poured by the artist, associate professor of art Drew Goerlitz. ECLIPSE > 3
Athletics shows Transitioning, life beyond: Panel for trans athletes shares North Country experiences BY ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA News + Managing Editor
Transgender athletes are banned from participating in school sports that align with their gender identity in 24 states. New York has no such bans, but the issue is tricky to navigate nonetheless. Plattsburgh State Athletics staff, including coaches, attended a session tackling the contentious topic of transgender athletes in sports Wednesday, March 27.
Answering a question asked at the session, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Howard said that this is the first year that the department has worked with transgender athletes interested in playing at the intercollegiate level. Led by SUNY Cortland professors Erin Morris and Kris Newhall, the session discussed the ways sports at every level can include transgender athletes while questioning how and why sports are separated. SPORT > 2
BY ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA News + Managing Editor
There’s little data on LGBTQ+ populations in the North Country, a historically conservative area in a state with some of the most transgender-friendly policies in the nation. To fill the gap, six transgender members of the greater Plattsburgh shared their stories in a panel discussion March 27. ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA/Cardinal Points
From left: Panel speakers Jessie Pokorny, Chris Chamars and Lindsey Bradley PANEL > 2 share a laugh at the Alumni Conference Room on March 27.