Corsair newspaper spring 2017 volume 113 issue 02

THE

CORSAIR

MARCH 22, 2017 | VOLUME 113 ISSUE 02 | SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

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WOMEN'S MONTH SPECIAL EDITION

BUDGET CUTS FOR EDUCATION (P.3) LA MARATHON (P.6-7) BALANCING EDUCATION AND MOTHERHOOD (P.9)

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2

CONTENT

VOLUME 113 ISSUE 02 •MARCH 22, 2017 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

EDITORIAL STAFF ZIN CHIANG

.................................. Editor-in-Chief

corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com RYANNE MENA

............................ Managing Editor

corsair.managing@gmail.com DANIEL BOWYER

............................... Photo Editor

corsairphotoeditor@gmail.com MARISA VASQUEZ

.............................. Photo Editor

corsairphotoeditor@gmail.com

MAZYAR MAHDAVIFAR..................... Design Editor

corsair.designteam@gmail.com

OSKAR ZINNEMANN

.......................... News Editor

CHRISTINA KELLEY

................ A&E/Culture Editor

corsair.newspage@gmail.com corsair.culture@gmail.com

ISAAC MONTOYA

.............................. Sports Editor

corsair.sportsppage@gmail.com

LAZARO CARRANZA

.......................Opinion Editor

corsair.opinionpage@gmail.com

RAMSES LEMUS....................... Social Media Editor

socialmedia.corsair@gmail.com

MICHELLE AYALA....................... Multimedia Editor

corsair.multimedia@gmail.com

Mothers and their children attend the Women's March Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California on Jan. 21st, 2017. Zin Chiang

CORSAIR STAFF Jose Aguila, Clyde Bates, Haoyu Chuang, Alejandro Hernandez, Cecilia Martin , Matthew Martin, Diana Parra Garcia, Essence Robateau, Frank Southard, Linda Aviles, Setareh Bakhtiyari, Adrianna Buenviaje, Kathleen Cullen, Juan Gomez Zane Thornton, Emeline Moquillon, Edward Lee, Michelle Ayala, Luis Valladares, Jazz Shademan, Abraham Barkhordar, Angelica Ramos, Sade Richardson, Trevor Schock, Maya Toolin, Chelsey Sanchez, Vanessa Wyatt, Brian Vu, Miguel Gonzalez, Pedro Xavier Hernandez Garcia, Jade Lew, Angie Ramos, Oscar Steven Carranza, Sam Green, Daniel Han, Daniel Lee, Jasmin Rogers

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR ZIN CHIANG Editor in-Chief Dear Readers,

stories on gender, sex, family, health, and much more. We

About a month ago, the advisors and staff of The Corsair

didn't just limit our coverage to cisgender women because

had a meeting to introduce the new team. During which

feminism fights for all. Within the pages of this issue, you

time someone asked if there has ever been a female Editor

will see a wide variety of perspectives and opinions.

In your peers, you will find tolerance, tenacity, determi-

in Chief. The answer was yes. We had one about 5 years FACULTY ADVISORS

nation, and valiant efforts at protecting fundamental human

ago.

rights, despite political and financial setbacks.

...... Journalism Advisor

This year, Santa Monica College made history by having

gerard burkhart.........................Photo Advisor

three women in management positions at its student news-

We are also reminded that the struggle is not over. In

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paper. The Corsair is currently led by myself as Editor in

light of recent budgetary cuts to education, healthcare and

corsair.admanager@gmail.com

Chief, Ryanne Mena as Managing Editor, and Marisa Vasquez

the arts, we as an academic community are being put to the

as Co-Photo Editor alongside Daniel Bowyer. Our advisor,

test once again. Equality has not been attained for all and

also a woman, is Ashanti Blaize, a former professional

the road towards it has only gotten more treacherous. We

journalist who has now dedicated herself to nurturing the

face opposition from naysayers, misinformation, fear-

next generation of journalists.

mongering, and even physical violence.

ASHANTI BLAIZE-HOPKINS

Adding to the surprise; not only are we women, we also

I am, however, optimistic.

represent a wide range of ethnic origins and sexual orientations. This all happened without planning and fell in place because our predecessors have already laid the groundwork

"A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men." ―Gloria Steinem

and opened the doors.

FRONT COVER Illustration by Andrew Khanian

When the section editors got together to discuss Issue #2 of Spring 2017, we realized that current events and the torrential movement for equality around the world beg for a “Women’s Special Edition” at The Corsair.

We gathered the staff, put our heads together in earnest, and set out to explore the lives of women cisgender or otherwise in our community. We found that Santa Monica College is comparatively a nurturing environment for traditionally underprivileged students. Our reporters and photographers put on their walking shoes and interviewed people of every walk of life. They came back with intimate

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NEWS/ILLUSTRATION

VOLUME 113 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 22, 2017 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

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EDUCATION AND BUDGET CUTS LAZARO CARRANZA

DANIEL BOWYER

Opinion Editor

Photo editor

Santa Monica College students and staff can expect some changes in the near future when it comes to the school's budget. SMC President Dr. Kathryn Jefferys informed staff via email about potential budget cuts and on March 16 confirmed the cuts were coming during a faculty flex day speech in front of the entire Santa Monica College staff.

The budget troubles started with the decline in full-time enrolled students over the past seven years. Since 2009, full-time student enrollment dropped 9% while SMC has faced a 35.1% increase in expenditures for many school programs and campus expansion projects, like the recently opened Core Performance Center on the main campus. In an earlier email sent to SMC faculty on March 15, Dr. Jefferys along with the District Planning Advisory Council (DPAC), highlighted these five major changes in fiscal spending:

March 16, 2017. President of Santa Monica College Dr. Kathryn Jefferys talks to faculty about potential budget cuts on flex day when students aren't on campus at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California. Daniel Bowyer

students with financial need.

This may be just the first round of issues SMC is going to face within the next few years. If President Trump's “America First” budget proposal goes the distance on Capitol Hill, many college students could feel some negative effects.

Trump's plan is expected to cut 14% of education funding, according to The Washington Post. The budget is keeping the Pell Grant Program but is expected to reduce the funding for the program by $3.9 billion. According to USA Today, the Pell Grant program sends nearly $6,000 to first-year students in families that earn less than $40,000 a year.

The budget plan is also expected to cut the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) program completely. According to the U.S Department of Education, the FSEOG program gives anywhere from $100-$4000 a year to college

The budget cuts on education and other programs are expected to free up billions of dollars to fund Donald Trump's proposed wall on the US-Mexican border and increase deportation of illegal immigrants, according to the LA Times.

Vermont senator and ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee Bernie Sanders said in a statement: “President Trump's budget is morally obscene and bad economic policy. It will cause devastating pain to the very people Trump promised to help during the campaign.”

President Trump's “America First” budget plan is bound to be a fight on the hill as the GOP holds a slim majority of seats in the senate with 52, but not all Republican senators are on board just yet. A few members of Donald Trump's party are joining the Democrats in opposition to this spending plan. South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Trump's budget is “dead on arrival – It's not going to happen,” according to NBC News.

With the “America First” budget not yet being a sure thing, Santa Monica College students and staff, for now, should focus on the school's personal budget changes as they are bound to affect many of us.

ILLUSTRATION BY DIANA GARCIA

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4

OPINION

VOLUME 113 ISSUE 02 •MARCH 22, 2017 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

PLANNED PARENTHOOD WHY I'M NOT ASHAMED

ADRIANNA BUENVIAJE STAFF WRITER

I was insanely nervous the first time I walked into a Planned Parenthood. I did my best to keep my head down and avoid all eye contact with anyone in the waiting room. There’s a sign on the wall that reads in big block letters, “We Care.” I walked up to the front coutner, and when the lady asked me what I needed I said, “I just have some questions.”

She hesitated.

“So, do you need to make an appointment?” she asked me.

“Uh—yes?”

She handed me the paperwork. When I gave it back to her, she called me over.

Taking in my visible youth, she wanted to clarify that the paperwork was correct and if I wanted to see someone for sterilization counseling. I checked the box because I only saw the word “counseling.”

“Yeah, I just have some questions,” I said without specifying.

I didn’t have it in me to tell her that I needed to talk to somebody about sex.

When you’re a girl and you’ve grown up inside a Catholic community, where sex and all of its ramifications are a painfully taboo subject, your "first time" can feel altogether surreal, frightening, and most notably shameful. I grew up in Kern County, a conservative county, and attended Catholic school from kindergarten through senior year of high school. My first sex education “class” was a slide show of what sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) looked like on human genitalia, concluding the lesson with the notion that abstinence was the only defense mechanism that guaranteed 100% protection against both pregnancy and STDs. The terms affiliated institutions like Planned Parenthood were along the lines of “the place where they killed innocent babies” or “the place that takes our money to kill innocent babies.”

As a girl in this community, it was difficult growing up. There were days when faculty members would separate girls from the boys to lecture us on our skirt lengths and how exposed skin implies promiscuity. They told us it was our duties as females to maintain abstinence for both sexes. The administration badgered us constantly; regulating our bodies with rhetoric such as how our bodies are sacred and we should treat them as pure temples which welcome God’s grace. Did any of us understand what those words meant? While these metaphorical references sounded inspiring, they were neither informative sexual education

nor practically effective in protecting us.

This kind of language and environment is dangerous.

Aside from implying that our bodies do not belong to us, this attitude denies young girls the rightful knowledge to manage and understand our bodies at a time when they’re changing rapidly. It dismisses vital information that could benefit the community’s youth. Statistical analyses done in Kern County have shown rising number of people contracting STDs since 2011. In a 2016 County Health Ranking National Data Report, Kern County, amongst fifty-seven counties in California, ranks first in cases of Chlamydia and second in teen birth rate.

There was a sense of ignorance and carelessness amongst

I was always under a microscope—individual dress inspections before entering dances, female students being publicly called out about their skirt lengths, feeling as though I shouldn’t look too feminine for boys’ sake.

“Don’t let boys…you know. Leave a little to the imagination,” one of my principals once told a gymnasium full of confused teenage girls. "Don’t let them do what?

Leave what to the imagination?" we wondered. It’s frustrating to not understand why the female body deserved such scrutiny. At a time when we’re already so vulnerable and insecure, the shaming and ambiguity towards sex impose the idea that our self-worth is determined by our chastity. We had no idea how our bodies functioned or why we felt that way.

It wasn’t until I visited a Planned Parenthood that the frightening aura surrounding my sexuality disappeared.

Being in a woman’s body no longer gave me constant anxiety about keeping it “holy.” I stopped feeling like I was falling out of grace by discovering sex.

There was a sense of openness and honesty—a language founded on concrete terms and methods instead of abstract concepts—that felt comforting to hear. Given factual education, my body was no longer a metaphorical house for the Holy Spirit or whatever.

Sex was no longer an ominous, catastrophic curse. I was given the power to claim my body as my own.

I have a hard time seeing Planned Parenthood as anything other than a place of education. I think a lot about the statistics on STDs and teen pregnancies in my community, and it saddens me to remember the accompanying disdain towards Planned Parenthood— especially considering the STD Testing & Treatment and Contraception services it provides. Due to the stigma on Planned Parenthood and female chastity being the only endorsed contraception, seeking answers to questions was difficult for young girls in my community. If the Catholic community can't bring themselves to talk about women's bodies openly, it is necessary to encourage girls to seek out reliable scientific sources to learn about their sexuality and bodies.

Planned Parenthood in Inglewood California. March 22, 2017. Marisa Vasquez As I was leaving Planned Parenthood, I noticed the women in the facilmy peers. A few students had gotten pregnant and STD ity and saw the “We Care” sign. There’s something to outbreaks were quite frequent. Although people would be said about the services Planned Parenthood provides gossip and chuckle, no one wanted to talk about sex. women and why they provide them. I can only see that, The reaction to the rising sexual activity in this band at its core, Planned Parenthood has come to be a symbol of horny adolescents was to crack down with more of support and empowerment. Coming from a place that preaching about abstinence. The hyperaware attitude denied me the right to my body, this is all I ask for. towards our bodies’ intensified. I remember feeling like

TO LEARN MORE OR ASK FOR HELP, CONTACT...

Planned Parenthood

Website: http://www.plannedparenthood.org Appointments: https://www.medfusion.net/plannedparenthoodofla-2867/portal/#/user/login

Santa Monica Health Center (Planned Parenthood) 1316 3rd Street Promenade #201 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Phone 800.576.5544

Santa Monica College Health Service Center

The Health Services Center is located in the northeast corner of the Cayton Center Complex by the Cafeteria.

Contact Information By phone: 310-434-4262 during business hours For On Campus Emergency Contact Campus Police at: 310-434-4300 Campus Police Location: 1718 Pearl St. For Off Campus Emergency Call 911

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OPINION

VOLUME 113 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 22, 2017 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

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HOW FEMINISM MADE ME A BETTER MAN DANIEL BOWYER PHOTO EDITOR

You don’t have to be a man, woman, straight, bisexual, lesbian, gay, or any of the over 51 gender roles categorized by Sam Killerman's “A Guide to Gender” to be a feminist. Gender equality is a human right. You may not consider yourself a feminist, yet you may have feminist beliefs and just don’t know it. The men and women who fought in the Civil Rights movement proved that both sexes could work together for equality. You can even be a white, heterosexual, cisgender man like myself and still be a feminist. I believe identifying as a feminist is the strongest stand I can take in the struggle to create political, social, and economic equality between the sexes. But talk is cheap and what am I doing to create change within myself?

The most proactive thing I can do as a man is to support women to be masters over their own bodies and lives. I am not threatened by women's equality. My father was never constant in my life and it was difficult for me as a young adolescent boy searching for male influence.

My mother was more often the person I looked up to.

She took on the responsibilities of both parents and never discouraged me from exploring my own identity or masculinity, allowing me to make mistakes while I learned what it means to be a man. I was lucky to have a strong female role model in my life. I thank her every day for my interaction with and treatment of women.

In Phyllis Schlafly's “The Flipside of Feminism," she states that “feminism emasculates man.” Equality between

ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL BOWYER

men and women does not take away my courage, independence, and assertiveness. Is destroying gender roles the answer? I can’t agree with that either. There is much good that comes with how I’ve been socialized to be a man: brotherhood, strength, courage, and tenacity. This is why I don’t simply believe the answer, at least initially, is to abandon gender altogether. As a masculine man, I do believe at the very least we must acknowledge

that the current masculine paradigm is toxic to modern society; it hurts men altogether.

So in what way is it possible for a man to change how he has been conditioned to be dominant over women for thousands of years? Changing the way we view masculinity may be the key to bringing that change and gender equality to the world. It is not an easy task because man has been at the forefront of holding the most powerful positions by a show of force. But times are changing and masculinity just might be in crisis.

Let’s face it, men need just as much support from women to overcome our 21st-century problems regarding our own identity, expression, or emotions. As Australian archeologist Peter McAllister once stated, "Men are really searching for a role in modern society; the things we used to do aren't in much demand anymore."

Also, British sociologist John MacInnes wrote that "masculinity has always been in one crisis or another," suggesting that the crises arise from the "fundamental incompatibility between the core principle of modernity that all human beings are essentially equal (regardless of their sex) and the core tenet of patriarchy that men are naturally superior to women and thus destined to rule over them."

Some might argue that as a man I can’t identify with feminist struggles thus making it impossible for me to be feminist. But I beg to differ that the feminist movement is solely a female burden. I believe that feminism benefits both men and women. Until men understand our stake in transforming masculinity and working against a system that offers us disproportionate privilege, absolutely nothing will change. My hope is that the experiences I've had will benefit others. There’s much to learn from one another.

WHAT IF SHE WON? RYANNE MENA MANAGING EDITOR

ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREW KHANIAN

Who would have ever thought a reality show star, with no prior experience in politics, would become the president of the United States? Certainly not I. About four months ago, the unthinkable happened: Donald Trump became the 45th president of the United States. Many Americans thought he didn’t stand a chance, let alone against Hilary Clinton, but we were ultimately proven wrong.

We now live in a world where America, a country that has progressed in many ways throughout its history,

is being ruled by a man who 16 women claim sexually assaulted them, according to The Huffington Post. The current president of the United States has made countless racist remarks prior to his presidency and has dabbled in thought punishing women who have abortions. Most, if not all of what Trump stands for goes against all the progression America has made over the past centuries.

Former president Barack Obama pushed boundaries for our country that presidents before him have not, such as legalizing same-sex marriage on a national level under his administration. Being the first black president, of course, Obama made history, which really shows how far America has come as a country. His presidency also proved how prevalent racism still is in our country, with the many deaths of young black men done by the hands of law enforcement officers. Donald Trump questioned whether Obama was even born in America, to which he was quickly proven wrong, according to CNN. The Democratic nominee in the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton, is just about everything Donald Trump is not. Clinton has a law degree, is a former senator, a former first lady and cares about the greater good for the American people. The Clinton Foundation, started by Hillary and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, is a good example of her philanthropic endeavors. According to the Clinton Foundation website, the organization works to combat childhood obesity, provide more opportunities for women and girls and improve global health.

If Hilary Clinton had won the 2016 presidential election, America would be a much different country today. Law abiding undocumented citizens would not live every day in fear, because ICE would not be holding checkpoints to inspect drivers’ documentation paperwork.

The future of Planned Parenthood and the organization's funding would not be up to a misogynistic man. The list of everything that would be different in this country under Clinton instead of Trump is truly endless.

Under a Clinton administration, Syrian refugees would have been welcomed into America to escape a

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treacherous life where the risk of being killed is high.

Trump, on the other hand, ordered a 90-day travel ban on foreign nationals from 6 Muslim-majority countries.

Clinton sought to only deport immigrants, “who pose a violent threat to public safety”, not mothers or fathers, or children, according to the Business Insider. She would have continued taking America down the path in search of equality, opportunity, and freedom for all.

So, what is an American or any human being to do during the next four years of a Donald Trump presidency?

I wish I could say the galvanizing of the Left is the silver lining of Trump's presidency, but there’s nothing silver in the lining. The American public has made their distaste of living under Trump's administration known by demonstrating across the country, including staging a never-before-seen Women’s March of 750,000 people in Los Angeles alone. That event would not have occurred if Hillary Clinton were president. Yet, calling any of those events a ‘silver lining’ would be trivializing and reducing the intensely negative impact Trump has made.

What is being fought for comes down to one thing: basic human rights. Yes, even before Trump’s presidency America as a whole had many issues that needed to be addressed. Under a Clinton administration, these issues would be at the surface and fought for as well.

However, Trump lit the fire under America’s ass. It is now or never. Trumps presidency led America into a state of forced urgency. It’s either, we deal with these issues now as a country, or have those rights taken away.

Now more than ever is a time to be a well-informed citizen and fight for the issues you care about. We are stronger together and this is a time where much of America seems divided, but it is also a time where we as Americans must unite as one.

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PHOTOSTORY

VOLUME 113 ISSUE 02 •MARCH 22, 2017 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

March 19, 2017. Katrina Pho holds up a sign waiting for her sister Kathy Pho to cross the finish line of the 2017 LA Marathon in Santa Monica, California. Daniel Bowyer

“it wasn’t just one group of people supporting the whole city; it was many groups of people…”

Young women showing their support to L.A. Marathon runners by giving out high-fives at 17-mile mark in Beverly Hills, California, on March 19, 2017. Ethan Chuang

Santa Monica College Acssociated Students Activities Director, Kathy Pho

Over 24,000 people participated in the 32nd annual L.A. Marathon on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

(right) stretches before her 26.2 mile treck as preporation for the 2017 Skech-

Runners arrive at 18-mile checkpoint in Beverly Hills, California. Ethan Chuang

ers Performance LA Marathon on Sunday March 19, 2017 at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California., Marisa Vasquez

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VOLUME 113 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 22, 2017 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

PHOTOSTORY

7

March 19, 2017. Hellen Jepkurgat from Kenya wins first place in the women's division of The Los Angeles Marathon that finished in Santa Monica California. Jepkurgat finished in a time of two hours thirty four minutes and twenty three seconds according to the official L.A. Marathon tracker. Daniel Bowyer

WO M E N RU N L A MARISA VASQUEZ PHOTO EDITOR

T

he marine layer engulfed Dodger stadium at 5am on a Sunday morning. Runners from all over the world gathered to celebrate healthy exercise and the city of Los Angeles. Despite the thick fog, the runners were ready to take on a mammoth challenge.This year’s top female athlete, Hellen Jepkurgat, traveled to Los Angeles from her home in Kenya to compete in the elite female athlete category. Despite being held back by her pace group, she finished first with an impressive two hours thirty-four minutes and twenty-three seconds according to the official L.A. Marathon tracker. Jepkurgat had a hard time keeping the same pace as her fellow runners. According to Los Angeles Daily News, the pack of women racers “kept clipping her heals” and showed “no interest” in upping their pace.

Santa Monica College’s own Kathy Pho, the Associated Student Director of Activities, had a very different experience. She mentioned that “the community of runners [were] so supportive because we’re doing the exact same thing…” Pho witnessed multiple times that “[Runners] would stop their own run to help other people.”

Not only the runners themselves, but the communities that the route ran through came together to support the 24,000 marathon athletes. Pho explained that “it wasn’t just one group of people supporting the whole city, it was many groups of people…” that came out to show their support. With help from her running partner, Jacob Lee, Pho finished her race in seven hours, fourteen minutes, and twenty-six seconds in honor of her father and one of her biggest supporters throughout her race, Que Pho, who had originally ran the Los Angeles Marathon in 1994. When asked if she would consider running the race again, Pho stated “I don’t know if I will be participating in another marathon…but to have experienced it at least once, with such a positive attitude, it is something I can never forget.”

March 19, 2017. Kathy Pho (left) shows off her medal after completing The La Marathon and stands with her father Que Pho (right) who ran The LA Marathon in 1994 show off his medal. Kathy Pho finished the marathon in five hours fourty nine minutes fifty four seconds. Santa Monica, California. Daniel Bowyer

March 19, 2017. Kathy Pho (right) completes the 2017 LA Marathon and embraces her childhood friend Jacob Lee (left) who ran The LA Marathon along side her. Kathy Pho finished the marathon in five hours fourty nine minutes fifty four seconds. Santa Monica, California. Daniel Bowyer

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8

CULTURE

VOLUME 113 ISSUE 02 •MARCH 22, 2017 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

LOVE THE SKIN YOU'RE IN ADRIANNA BUENVIAJE STAFF WRITER

Jes Baker, author of the book “Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls,” stood in front of Room 165 in Santa Monica College’s HSS Building. She smiled as students filed into the room, taking their seats in the rows of the amphitheater-styled lecture hall. Behind her, the projected screen read, “Change the World, Love Your Body.

The Social Impact of Self-Love.”

At 11:15 a.m., she began by asking the audience, “How many of you would feel comfortable calling yourselves beautiful?” Only a few people raised their hands.

Observing the reaction, Baker told the audience that, according to a study conducted by Dove, only 4% of women call themselves beautiful. And realities such as that—women believing that they are not beautiful—drive Baker to fight for each individual’s idea of self-love.

“My experience, first of all, it’s different than other women’s because, as a fat woman, my body is viewed very differently,” says Baker. “In American culture, white, fat bodies are not sexualized. So, the regulation and ridicule comes in a very different way, in bullying, in faux-concern for health.”

It all started with Abercrombie & Fitch’s CEO, Mike Jeffries, who said in a 2006 Salon Interview, “Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive, all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends.

A lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes], and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely. Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny.”

Baker, whose blog “The Militant Baker” focuses on a universal, inclusionary beauty for all body types, was among the voices in the backlash against this statement.

In 2013, Baker released a photo ad campaign responding to Jeffries’ comments about his notion of “cool kids.”

While including Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) clothing, Baker’s photos featured a twist on the A&F watermark.

The watermarks read “Attractive & Fat.” Alongside the photographs, Baker wrote to Jeffries. “I challenge the separation of attractive and fat, and I assert that they are compatible regardless of what you believe,” she wrote.

The compatibility of attractive and fat, alongside the destruction of the idea that the two are exclusive of each other, remains at the heart of Baker’s campaign for body positivity among women and men.

Baker’s presentation at SMC featured statistics about the public's sense of body image. The findings were from several research organizations including the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

They revealed that: 81 percent of 10-year-olds are afraid of being fat, 40 percent of 9 to 10-year-old girls have tried to lose weight, 91 percent of non-transgender women are unhappy with their bodies, and only five percent of women are actually born with the ideal body type portrayed in mainstream American media. Due to these statistics, Baker sees that self-love is critical in reestablishing a healthy relationship with our bodies.

A major part of the process is removing the stigma surrounding the word “fat.” Baker uses herself as an example. Despite having accomplishments by the age of 31, including walking runways, writing a book, and working with clothing companies to create more plussize options, Baker explained that people will only see her as a fat girl. The term fat is often accompanied with other words holding derogatory connotations—such as laziness, repulsiveness, unintelligence, etc.

“I have to remind myself that this culture has been created to be hostile and it has nothing to do with me, my body, or my worth,” she said. “It’s just a deeply ingrained belief that fat bodies are inherently bad and worthless.”

Baker also emphasized the importance of reframing our perception of physical health. She said, “Health at every size works on transforming our concept of health.

Health at every size talks about treating our body well, because we love it and not because we feel the need to change it. And what this really does is focus on behaviors—healthy behaviors.”

For the 95 percent of women whose bodies aren’t the ideal naturally, restructuring their body type to fit a cultural standard is not always healthy. Although the diet industry is a $60 billion-dollar industry, Baker argues

that achieving and maintaining the perfect body type goes against natural laws.

Diane Chen, Santa Monica College’s nutritionist, explains that a person’s size or weight—whether large or small—can be attributed to several factors, rather than just one. “We need to look at our genetic, hereditary issues,” she said. “If my family is all big, including myself, and somebody tells me I need to be trimmed down to half of that, is that going to be realistic?”

Chen is a part of the Student Health Services Center, and she assists students with improving their eating habits. She finds it important to work with students to find a “healthy way, not the ideal way” to feel comfortable with their diet. Diet trends emphasized by the media are not always worth the hype in regards to evidencebased knowledge surrounding human health, such as the coconut craze and gluten free diets. According to Chen, cutting out certain foods to lose weight isn’t always

Baker reminded her audience that “thin” bodies can be healthy or unhealthy, and “fat” bodies can be healthy or unhealthy. She builds a bridge between how we view our bodies and how we treat them. In her view, all bodies, no matter the size, shape, color or gender, deserve the same amount of human respect. Once we recognize this about ourselves, Baker stresses that we will naturally treat our bodies with the respect and care with which human bodies should be treated.

“I had weight-loss surgery a couple of years ago, and I thought losing weight was going to help me be happier, but I had lost so much happiness that I forgot who I am,” said Ruby Rojas, an SMC student who attended the presentation. “Coming here, it’s empowered me to be happy with who I am now, not where everyone else wants me to be.”

Tangila Lee, another SMC student who attended the presentation, talked about the importance of teaching

ILLUSTRATION BY OSKAR ZINNEMANN

needed to attain a healthy body. “Eating should be good knowledge, good choices, and it should be fun,” she said. Chen also works with students suffering from bulimia and anorexia, collaborating with SMC’s Wellness & Wellbeing Center to provide students with the necessary support and guidance to heal their relationship with their bodies.

So, why feel guilty when it comes to loving and appreciating our bodies? Why should food and diet be seen as the bane of so many women and men’s existence?

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self-love to women, beginning at a young age. “They learn so young about the negativity in this world,” said Lee. “And it’s placed on them, and they grow up with that, they grow up with hating themselves.”

Although it’s not easy to restructure cultural beliefs, Baker left the crowd with a hope-filled statement. “What I can do today is help you release the mental and emotional burden of feeling inferior because of your body.”

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CULTURE

VOLUME 113 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 22, 2017 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

9

BALANCING EDUCATION AND MOTHERHOOD

Faten Safadi (center) embraces her sons Wail Safadi (Left) and William Safadi (right) during William’s High School graduation from Pacific Palisades High School in June of 2016 in Pacific Palisades, CA.

Natalie Gonzalez (23) and her 8 month old son, Auston pose for a selfie on January 7, 2017.

Thai Brookman and her daughter Savanna Jordan embrace for a photo on August, 2016 at a relatives birthday party at the Gable Bowing House in Torrance, CA.

Vanessa Wyatt STAFF WRITER

Being a mother is a hard job that no book can prepare you for and college can be stressful for any student to complete. What happens when you are faced with both experiences at the same time?

Santa Monica College student Natalie Gonzalez planned on finishing college and becoming established in her career before having children. However, last year she became pregnant with her now 8-month-old son, Austin. "I basically have only one day off, but with an 8-month-old son, I feel like I have no days off," said Gonzalez. Gonzalez has a full schedule between attending classes at SMC and working at Islands restaurant, located in Marina del Rey. A lot of her success comes from an excellent support system she attributes to her mother and fiancé. "I have great support from my mom and the father of my son," said Gonzalez.

Being a young mother and student brings challenges that many of her college friends at SMC don't face. "You don't really realize how much time you have on your plate when you have bigger responsibilities like having a child," says Gonzalez. After her son goes to bed around eight o'clock, Gonzalez does her homework and studies for classes. This doesn't stop Gonzalez from working toward her goals. "I do love being a mom and I would never trade it for the world," said Gonzalez. Gonzalez is majoring in journalism and communications and plans to be an entertainment news reporter one day. Even though being a college student and mother is difficult at times, she advises others to "never give up on your dreams."

Faten Fakher Safadi, a mother of two, takes night classes at Santa Monica College.

As a non-traditional college student, she is part of the pre-health club which she joined with her son Wail who also attends SMC. She moved from Israel to the United States in 2006 with her husband and two children because of the recession. "As a mother like me, to come back to school after 25 years, it's a big challenge... and with another language that's not your own language," said Safadi.

Safadi's educational journey began when she started taking adult night classes at Olympic High School for English as a second language. English is actually Safadi's third language since she is also fluent in Arabic and Hebrew. "I want to thank Brett Schneider who is a producer for the game show "Jeopardy," and was my ESL teacher for four years at Olympic High school, and has been a big influence in my accomplishments," said Safadi.

Safadi was able to land a job as a caregiver. Her patient Fannie Fishlyn, a law librarian at USC was suffering from lymphedema cancer. She encouraged Safadi to go back to school and earn a GED. Fishlyn helped Safadi study for her GED in between taking her to chemotherapy appointments. Safadi earned her GED from Olympic High School in 2012. After receiving her GED, another patient, Ruth Greenburg, told her to consider nursing school. "They encouraged me to go to nursing school. They said you are good

for this major, why don't you go to nursing school?" said Safadi. Motivated by her patients, Safadi found Santa Monica College and began taking prerequisite classes.

"There is a lot of struggling to be a mother and watch teenagers. Sometimes I would only see them for a few hours, and then study from 12 to 3 a.m." said Safadi. Currently one of her sons, Wail, is attending SMC as a pre-medical major. The other son, William, is transferring from SMC to a university this fall. William was accepted to California State University, Northridge, and plans to go on to dental school. "Nothing can stop you, if you have the will you can do it. Just manage your time and improve yourself. Every mom can do it," said Safadi. She is currently working toward her associate degree in nursing at SMC and plans to transfer to earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing.

Balancing a busy schedule is something that SMC student Thai Buckman knows all too well. The mother of two is a non-traditional college student a 10-year-old daughter and a 20-year-old son. Buckman started taking a few classes at a time at SMC after her son Mark was born. There were a few breaks in between semesters due to her family obligations.

"My children are first, always. No matter school, no matter work, they are first and I work around them," said Buckman. On weekdays, Buckman is a writer for a monthly newsletter which allows her to work from home. Buckman has to be done with her day no later than 4:30 p.m. to be able to pick up her daughter Savanna from school. Buckman's schedule has to remain structured to make sure that she gets things done on time. During many late nights, after her daughter is asleep, she stays up to finish homework. Buckman, a film studies major, loves to involve her daughter in projects and get her input. Buckman has shot various videos around campus for the transfer department and for the psychology department. Being a good role model to her son and daughter are important to Buckman.

Buckman aspires to transfer to USC or UCLA to continue her education after Santa Monica College. She says that she is very fortunate to have her husband's help and to be able to do everything that she's dreamed of. Buckman's said, "There's a lot to being a parent in itself, and to add school... it's a lot, but its worth it. I would encourage any woman to take small steps. The tortoise beats the hare. Small steps... you're making movement and going forward. That's what I focus on."

Joining clubs such as pre-Health, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Black Collegians and Adelante at SMC is something these moms encourage students to get involved in to keep them engaged with their studies. They urge students to see what SMC has to offer and to make time for it. These hard working moms at SMC play an important role by inspiring other women and other students. They are of various ages and backgrounds and they each have different stories. However, they all seem to embody the same qualities: they are motivated to keep moving forward and to never give up.

"never give up on your dreams."

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CULTURE

VOLUME 113 ISSUE 02 •MARCH 22, 2017 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

GENDER-NEUTRAL BATHROOMS AT SMC

Santa Monica College Computer Science major, Sylvia Manson, 19, shown at the Gender Neutral restroom in the Core Performance Center, on the SMC Main Campus in Santa Monica, Calif. , Monday March 20, 2017. Mason is a transgender woman and GSA member (The Gender Sexuality Alliance Club) who isn't comfortable using the none gender neutral restrooms. (Staff Photographer Emeline Moquillon)

OSCAR CARRANZA STAFF WRITER

We live in a time when things are rapidly changing, but Santa Monica College has kept up with the issues facing the LGBT community today.

With new terms and developments on the subject, members of the community continue to learn new things. SMC is constantly making adjustments designed to help the LGBT community feel safe and welcome. A problem that the transgender community commonly faces is controversy about their use of public bathrooms. It is something that other people may not think about, or even dismiss outright. However, for many transgender students, using public restrooms continues to remain a huge dilemma. Sylvia Manson, a computer science major, is familiar with the problems of using public restrooms. Manson is a transgender woman currently in her first year at SMC. “Public bathrooms are usually avoided whenever possible," Manson said. Even though I still look like a guy, I look like a decently feminine one, which can, at the very least, get me lots of glares in the men’s bathroom.

And I'm not even going to attempt the women’s bathroom, cause there is a zero percent chance of that going well,” she said.

There are currently a few gender-neutral bathrooms on SMC's main campus, two of which are located in the new Core Performance building.

Luckily for Manson, living across the street from the campus means she doesn’t need to face these problems like others within the community.

"Fortunately, I live close to the school, so I use the one at home," said Manson.

Many students have openly worked towards addressing these issues.

Mysterie Pena, a transgender man, is a business major with plans of minoring in LGBT studies. Though only in his first year at SMC, Pena is President of SMC’s Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club. Its goal is to create a safe space for LGBT individuals and allies.

“I’m lucky that I can 'pass' as the guy I am most of the time," said Pena, describing how others view appearance. "But for many people who don't 'pass' as well or don't want to 'pass', with some students and teachers, it's common to misgender them. I also identify within the binary of male and female, but many of my friends don't, which makes it harder to feel comfortable using any bathroom or gendered public space," said Pena. "I think SMC has done an amazing job so far, but as we continue to progress and find out more about the trans community, we also need to be willing to change our ideas about policy and spaces.”

Yet the bathroom problem here on campus is a minor concern to the members of GSA. Accidental discrimination in the classroom against the LGBT community leaves many transgender students feeling outcast and FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

uncomfortable. The GSA club hopes to tackle these issues, having discussed the problem with school faculty at a workshop held in March. They also held a workshop for faculty members on the same day to teach them how to interact with LGBT students.

The GSA club also has a plan to create a gender-equality center as a hub for all students who need support, information, a place to meet others, or a safe zone. Professor Donahue of the Art History department and other faculty members have a five-year plan, but lack funds to make it happen.

GSA club vice-president Christopher Bailey feels that SMC could improve on what it has already done. “No one should have to go out of their way to do something naturally occurring like using a restroom...It's important that the LGBT community and the community at large, be inclusive of transgender people because they, too, are human beings. They, too, should be validated."

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VOLUME 113 ISSUE 02 • MARCH 22, 2017 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

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SMC’s 8th Annual

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM Gender Equity: Is Equity Enough?

Cash prizes up to $500!

STUDENTS Are you currently working on a class assignment that is related to global citizenship or gender equity? Submit your work from the 2016-17 academic year to the Global Citizenship Research Symposium for an opportunity to win cash prizes.

Apply by March 31, 2017

For further details please visit our website at: www.smc.edu/GlobalCitizenship

SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dr. Andrew Walzer, Chair; Barry A. Snell, Vice Chair; Dr. Susan Aminoff; Dr. Nancy Greenstein; Dr. Louise Jaffe; Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez; Rob Rader; Laura Zwicker, Student Trustee; Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery, Superintendent/President

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VOLUME 113 ISSUE 02 •MARCH 22, 2017 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

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