The Signal Vol. 18 No. 19

STD TESTING

SEX CENSUS

THE GENTLE GIANT

BLOTTER

Five clinics near campus for students to get free or low-cost testing.

An analysis of the kinks and sexual preferences of more than 200 student responses.

Balancing relationships and basketball with freshman big man Jalen Thomas.

COMIC

PAGE 14

PLANNER

PAGE 19

NEWS

PAGE 6

FEB. 11 - FEB. 18, 2020

ARTS & LIVING

PAGE 10

SPORTS

PAGE 15

PAGE 2

VOL. 87 | NO. 19

S E X

Issue @gsusignal

PHOTOS BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR, PAGE DESIGN BY DEVIN PHILLIPS & ART DIRECTION BY ADA WOOD | THE SIGNAL

The

georgiastatesignal.com

THE SIGNAL

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GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

BLOTTER FEB. 3

Stop harassing me

A Georgia State student was the victim of harassment at 11:07 a.m at Piedmont Central. The case is still active.

FEB. 4

Keep the noise down!

At 51 Peachtree St., a nonGeorgia State offender was arrested for disturbance and battery at 7 p.m.

Keep your art on paper

A Georgia State student was a victim of vandalism at 5:05 p.m. in the Arts and Humanities Building.

FEB. 6

We came to watch the game

At the Georgia State Sports Arena, two students were victims of larceny at 10:57 a.m.

FEB. 5

Having too much fun?

At 3:21 p.m., a Georgia State student was arrested for drug and liquor law violations at Piedmont Central.

ILLUSTRATION BY MONTENEZ LOWERY | THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020

www.georgiastatesignal.com/news

GEORGIA STATE DATE NIGHT ON A BUDGET Discounts that you didn’t know you had just in time for Valentine’s Day BROOKLYN VALERA News Editor

G

eorgia State students spend a lot of money on school, with funds going to classes, dorms, books and supplies.

Students can rarely afford to take a partner out for a bite to eat or sit atop Atlanta’s famous Ferris wheel.

Valentine’s Day is near and students may be encountering yet another holiday where they might feel alone because they simply cannot afford to fund a date night.

But it’s not too late — Georgia State gives discounts and special offers to students, faculty and even retirees.

Alecia Awuah, a Georgia State student, had no idea about the discounts and perks that Georgia State offered.

“Being a broke college student is hard, so to know that we have these advantages is awesome,” Awuah said.

Below is a collective list of almost all the benefits Georgia State offers for restaurants, entertainment and attractions — take advantage of it this upcoming holiday, for a couple or just to treat yourself.

RESTAURANTS

If you’re currently a Georgia State student or faculty member (retirees are accepted for certain offers), all you have to do is bring your Georgia State ID to any of the following restaurants to receive your benefits.

“I’m going to tell my boyfriend to take advantage of this,” Awuah said. “I want to be wined and dined.”

Newk’s Eatery offers Georgia State employees, retirees and students with 10% off their order, valid in-store only at Midtown and Howell Mill Road. In order to access this discount, the customer must show their Georgia State ID. Moe’s Original BBQ offers Georgia State faculty, staff and students 10% off all dine-in food.

Black Sheep Tavern offers Georgia State employees, retirees and students 20% off all food items (but this discount doesn’t cover alcoholic beverages). There is a limit to one discount per person.

When Georgia State wins a game, Taco Mac Metro offers one free six-pack of wings with the purchase of a beverage if you dine-in. The customer must show the ticket stub to receive the discount.

The Georgia State men’s basketball team has two home games and the Georgia State women’s basketball team has two away games, each on Feb. 13 and Feb. 15 — four separate chances to earn free wings. The offer is only valid the Monday and Tuesday following the game.

McAlister’s Deli offers Georgia State employees and students 10% off their dine-in or carry-out orders, only at the West Midtown location.

If you’d like to treat your sweet tooth, the Southern Candy Company of Underground Atlanta offers $10 off any purchase of $30 or more for Georgia State faculty, staff and students.

Customers must show their Georgia State ID. For our pizza lovers, Your Pie offers Georgia State employees, retirees and students 15% off their order, valid in-store only at Your Pie Grant Park and Perimeter locations. In order to access this discount, the customer must show their Georgia State ID. California Pizza Kitchen offers Georgia State employees, retirees and students with a free appetizer from their menu with the purchase of any entree. This deal is only valid at the Alpharetta, Perimeter, Marietta, Norcross, Lenox Mall and Atlantic Station locations.

Students can eat around Atlanta affordably, especially students who live on campus and have formed new relationships. This option provides a cost-effective way for college students to still have a fun, low-cost outing with a friend or loved one.

ENTERTAINMENT

Georgia State has partnered with Medieval Times to allow students, faculty and staff to use the “Medieval Times Partner Portal for Georgia State” available on the discounted tickets website in order to access the online-only discounted tickets for

the Medieval Times dinner and tournament.

Medieval Times also offers a $30 Valentine’s Package Upgrade.

The package includes a framed photo of the two guests, two souvenir glasses of champagne (or two non-alcoholic beverages for those under age 21) and a light-up rose.

Regal Entertainment tickets are available at the Information Center located on the first floor of Student Center East. Tickets are $9 and according to the Panther PERQs website, they never expire.

The Rialto Center for the Performing Arts also offers 15% off series shows.

ATTRACTIONS

Georgia State also offers discounted tickets for theme parks and attractions.

For our sports fanatics, tickets for the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta United FC are available online with promo codes accessible on Georgia State’s discount ticket website.

Tickets for many other attractions are also available online only — Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags White Water, SkyView Atlanta, Stone Mountain Park and Zoo Atlanta.

The Georgia State discount website lists the various logins, codes and methods of access to obtain the tickets.

Students have the opportunity to take SkyView Atlanta for a ride with a loved one or even a friend.

For a limited time, SkyView Atlanta also offers a $33 Valentine’s Day package called “Love is in the Air.” The package includes two adult tickets, a box of assorted milk and dark chocolates and a long-stem red rose.

However, the promotion code offered for SkyView Atlanta isn’t valid for this Valentine’s Day offer.

Discounted tickets to the Georgia Aquarium are also available online or at the Information Center.

Six Flags Over Georgia currently has a Valentine’s Day special on their website even though the park is closed until March 3. The special includes discounts on 2020 season passes for rides, parking and more.

For our students looking for weekend getaways or day trips, Georgia State offers discounted tickets to Walt Disney World and the Biltmore Estate — George Washington Vanderbilt II’s mansion museum in North Carolina.

Tickets at Work also provides discounts on tickets at various Florida resorts, parks and attractions. The access code to the website is found on the Panther PERQs page.

If someone searches “college students valentine’s day Atlanta” on the internet, many pages list things for college students to do. All three popular holiday topics are incorporated into Georgia State’s list of discounts; many include going to the movies, going to off-campus restaurants and looking for what’s going on around campus.

“They should really advertise this more,” Awuah said.

With Panther PERQs, Georgia State makes a night out affordable. There are over 20 offers that any Georgia State students or employees can take advantage of.

Truvelle Thomas, a Georgia State student, also said he wasn’t aware of these offers.

“I could take my boo out for Valentine’s Day,” Thomas said.

“It will save me money, and maybe I can actually get her a gift.”

ILLUSTRATION BY ALLEN NGUYEN | THE SIGNAL

NEWS

4

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

What you think you know about condom use Truths about six condom myths to save your sex life BROOKLYN VALERA News Editor

C

ommon misconceptions about condoms can cause a ripple effect of unsafe sex practices.

The following six condom myths have been replaced with helpful information that can promote healthy sexual interactions across Georgia State.

Vivian Ludi has over 42 years of varied nursing experience, including hospital work and nurse management.

“People probably do not know how effective [condoms] are if used properly to prevent pregnancy and STIs,” Ludi said.

“Condoms can break if not properly applied.”

MYTH 1: CONDOMS PROTECT AGAINST ALL SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS

According to the CDC, condoms help to protect against STIs that can be transferred through bodily fluids, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia.

Syphilis, genital herpes and human papillomavirus (HPV, which causes genital warts) are spread through skin-to-skin contact, so condoms provide less protection against them.

In October 2019, the CDC reported increases in syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia cases from 2017 to 2018, which are the most commonly reported STIs.

MYTH 2: CONDOMS DON’T PROVIDE PROTECTION AGAINST HIV

When used consistently and correctly, condoms are highly effective in preventing HIV. “HIV is a virus that is carried in blood, semen and vaginal fluids,” the Planned Parenthood website states. “None of these substances can pass through an intact latex condom, a polyurethane male condom, or a polyurethane internal [female] condom.”

MYTH 3: CONDOM SIZE DOESN’T MATTER

A condom that fits correctly reduces the chance of condom malfunctions.

“A condom that is too small will feel too tight and has a higher chance of breaking. A condom that is too big could potentially fall off during sex and/or leak,” according to Sustain Natural, an all-natural condom company.

“It’s hard to find the right size. I think it’s because size differs between brands,” Kody Wood, a Georgia State student, said.

Wood uses condoms as his preferred choice of contraception.

“I don’t think I really know what ‘appropriately fit’ is,” Wood said. “When you’re about to have sex, it’s on, it fits, but then you’re having sex and you hear a pop or it comes off.”

Debunking six common condom myths to inform students about safe sex practices.

MYTH 4: ‘DOUBLE-BAGGING’ CONDOMS OFFERS MORE PROTECTION

Medical professionals caution against wearing two condoms, according to Verywell Health, a website providing health and wellness information from health professionals.

The friction caused during sex can cause both condoms to tear, ultimately making both ineffective.

MYTH 5: YOU DON’T NEED A CONDOM FOR ORAL SEX

Oral condoms, also known as tongue condoms, protect the wearer from STIs, HPV and HIV.

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

MYTH 6: YOU MUST BE 18 TO BUY CONDOMS

Sellers aren’t supposed to ask for an ID when buying condoms because there is not an age requirement to purchase them.

Power to Decide, a campaign to prevent unplanned pregnancy, reports that sellers are not legally allowed to refuse to sell someone condoms if the buyer doesn’t disclose their age.

Georgia State’s Student Health Promotion, located on the second floor of the Citizen’s Trust Building, Suite 241, offers free male and female condoms for pick up.

Editor’s Note: This article is not meant to serve as medical advice. For any information regarding your personal sexual health, refer to your primary caregiver or the campus clinic.

Watching porn: Does is it affect your health?

Healthy or unhealthy, researchers disagree ROSS MCWATERS Staff Reporter

P

orn: Either everyone on the face of the planet is watching it, or there are some marathon viewers out there putting in serious work.

According to the Huffington Post, in 2013, porn sites garnered more visits per month than Netflix, Amazon and Twitter combined.

Pornhub boasts that they streamed enough content in 2015 to fill around 175 million 16GB iPhones. In the same year, 88 billion videos were consumed, which equates to an average of 12 videos per person on the planet. When Tumblr banned pornographic content from the platform, their web traffic decreased by 30%.

Porn is a widely consumed form of media. However, Utah passed a resolution in 2016 citing porn to be “a public health hazard leading to a broad spectrum of individual and public health impacts and societal harms.”

Studies exist suggesting consumption of pornographic content can be unhealthy.

A 2016 meta-analysis in the Journal of Communication of 22 studies from seven different countries produced associations with porn consumption and the perpetration of physical and verbal sexual aggression.

“I think society as a whole could benefit from bringing more attention to the fact that [porn] is so widely watched … there are so many health risks associated with it that aren’t really talked about,” Nish Sinha, a Georgia State student, said.

A study in the JAMA Psychiatry journal indicated that individuals who view porn are more likely to experience dissatisfaction in real-life sexual encounters.

The study also attempted to link brain function with drug use and pornography consumption. In particular, they studied the brain’s reward system, finding that those who use pornography regularly have altered reward systems. However, it is unclear if porn consumption caused the condition or if it existed prior to viewing porn.

The same 2014 study cites findings that adolescent boys using pornography daily showed interest in deviant or illegal types of porn.

The Journal of Sex Research asserts that “pornography use was related to the occurrence of sexual intercourse, greater experience

with casual sex behavior, and more sexual aggression, both in terms of perpetration and victimization.”

The article also found associations with porn use and stronger gender-stereotypical beliefs.

However, Desmond Goss, a lecturer in the sociology department, disagrees with the findings of the studies.

“The widespread consumption of pornography is not, within itself, a problem,” Goss said. “In other words, pornography consumption is neither inherently healthy nor inherently unhealthy.”

Instead, Goss suggests that viewers ought to use discernment if they choose to watch pornography.

“Be cognizant of the type of porn you consume … consider the ways that your consumption of such porn upholds systems of oppression,” Goss said.

Georgia State student, Miranda Coreless, considers porn to be normal but expressed concerns about younger audiences viewing it.

“It’s complicated … if most people are getting their sex education from porn, it just creates a very unrealistic and unsafe environment for the people they go on to have sexual encounters with,” Coreless said.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020

NEWS

5

Sexcapades: Atlanta’s local sex shops

Where to go for some added flavor to your love life DANIELLA JOHNSON

M

Due to more states legalizing and decriminalizing marijuana, police are working on a “pot breathalyzer” to discourage people from driving while high.

According to WSBTV, the person in question would be asked to blow into the machine and the machine would be able to detect how much THC is in the person’s system and if they had smoked marijuana within the last three hours.

ost students have heard the tale of the birds and the bees or even the biblical myth of Adam and Eve, both of which are told to teach us about how we got here in the first place: sex.

Sex comes in many fun forms, and the sex shops in Atlanta are the first place to start if you want to spice up your sex life.

Atlanta has had a sexualized past underlying the rich culture it holds, such as the legendary Clermont Lounge — a strip club and hotel established in 1965.

Famous strip clubs such as Magic City or Follies that have been cosigned by Atlanta-bred rapper Future and others are a part of the adult entertainment culture for which Atlanta is so well known.

This focus on the adult entertainment industry in Atlanta has resulted in sex shops opening around the city to bring the sex appeal from the strip club to your living room.

Many know of the sex store Starships, but there are plenty of local sex stores located in northeast Atlanta only 20 minutes from campus.

Here are three local sex shops students can visit to please their special someone this Valentine’s Day.

NATIONAL President Trump acquitted on both articles of impeachment

BARKING LEATHER, 1510 PIEDMONT AVE.

STARDUST, 3007 BUFORD HIGHWAY

According to Kareem Clark, a manager at Stardust, this sex shop has been open for about seven years.

LOCAL Police are working on a marijuana breathalyzer

Staff Reporter

Barking Leather is a specialty shop partnered and owned by Ray Stew, although he prefers to refer to it as a fetish store.

“I wouldn’t call this a sex shop. It is more of a ‘fetish store,’ which sells leather fantasy clothing,” Stew said.

Stew opened Barking Leather as a way to buy leather because he said it is very hard to purchase quality leather online.

“You never know what you are getting,” Stew said.

According to their website, Barking Leather specializes in handmade adult leather clothing, including their own brand.

In efforts at making Barking Leather a one-stop fetish store, they do sell sex toys in addition to their leather apparel.

“We also have all sorts of novelty items as well, such as floggers, whips, nipple play, cock rings, restraints and much, much more, so be sure to check it out,” their website states.

According to Stew, their leather harnesses are Barking Leather’s all-time best sellers.

Their clientele consists mostly of gay men, but overall their customers are very diverse and wideranging.

“Because we are a fantasy store, people come in during [Valentine’s Day] to experience new things,” Stew said.

Customers must be 18 years or older to enter, allowing freshmen to meet the minimum requirement.

Though Barking Leather has yet to have any student employees, Stew has seen college students come through his store.

“I don’t agree with students engaging in sexual behavior work, but I do not have a problem with students working in this type of atmosphere,” Stew said.

Barking Leather currently does not offer student discounts but this is something that could possibly change in the future.

NEWS BRIEFS

Check out three local sex shops in the area to make your Valentine’s Day special.

There is a very strict age limit of 18 years or older with a valid identification card at Stardust as they do check IDs at the door.

Similar to Barking Leather, the customer traffic at Stardust also increases around the holiday season but in the form of groups.

“A lot of couples come in around the holiday time to get new things as far as new toys … or to try new things that we also have,” Clark said. “[Sometimes,] if they buy a toy, they can get a small bag that comes with a few samples along the way.”

Outside of their selection of sex toys, they also have a variety of lubricants, condoms, massage oils and shoes, but what many people go to Stardust for is their unique selection of lingerie.

“I would say that my best sellers would be my lingerie,” Clark said. “We deal with a lot of strippers in Atlanta as well.”

According to Clark, Stardust specializes in lingerie and has almost 50 different styles.

“Most shops around here, they have some lingerie, but we cater to a lot of sizes, from regular size to plus size,” Clark said.

He said that he chose to work in Stardust after moving here from New York and has been working there for almost a year. After throwing his own play parties and becoming familiar with the adult entertainment industry, he found Stardust was a good fit.

Stardust does hire students based upon their availability and class schedule, and welcomes everyone, provided, of course, that they meet the age requirement.

Clark is all for students engaging in sex

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

work in the adult entertainment industry; he believes there is a lot that people can learn about themselves, protecting themselves sexually and finding fun in knowledge about sex in general.

“You will find out about a lot of stuff you never knew was out there that can help you with any type of sex life,” Clark said.

TOKYO VALENTINO, 1739 CHESIRE BRIDGE RD. NE

Tokyo Valentino is one of six franchise locations since the company was established in 1955.

According to their website, they have the largest selection of adult-related toys, products, lingerie, bondage gear and smoke shoppe selection in the Southeast.

“Sex should be fun and that’s what we try to make it,” their website states. “We have every possible toy imaginable with a lingerie section including everything from couple’s intimate wear to dancer costumes for girls and guys.”

The store located on Cheshire Bridge Road specializes in a variety of things.

This location comes equipped with 20 video booths, shower, locker and massage rooms, open and private play rooms, as well as private bedrooms.

Tokyo Valentino is also open 24 hours.

“The booths are always crowded but peak times are Monday to Friday from 12 p.m. - 2 p.m., and from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.,” the website states.

“The location is open 24/7 with the exception of Tuesday morning when we close for 8 hours to thoroughly clean and repair.”

On Wednesday, the Senate voted to acquit the president on two articles of impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of justice. The Senate voted based on their party with Republicans voting against impeachment and Democrats voting for it.

However, one Republican, Mitt Romney, is now facing backlash from both President Trump and the GOP party for voting with the Democrats on article one.

GLOBAL Over 20 casulaties in mass shooting by Thai soldier

On Saturday at 3:30 p.m., a Thai soldier opened fire in an airportthemed mall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

There are over 20 people dead with many injured.

According to ABC News, Sergeant Jakrapanth Thomma is behind the shooting because of a land dispute.

NEWS

6

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

Confused about where to get tested? Here’s a list!

Low-cost and free STD Testing Clinics near campus

IMANI DENNIS Staff Reporter

A

s a Georgia State student, finding a clinic that fits your needs takes more than a quick search on Google.

According to a 2018 press release by the CDC, nearly 2.3 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were diagnosed in the U.S. in 2017. Below is a list of five testing centers that are MARTA-accessible and low-cost:

1] AID ATLANTA HOURS | Monday - Thursday [9 a.m. - 9 p.m.]

Friday [9 a.m. - 7 p.m.]

TELEPHONE | 404.870.7741 ADDRESS | 1605 Peachtree Street NE MARTA | Arts Center Station

2] CENTER FOR BLACK WOMEN’S WELLNESS Wellness Clinic

1

HOURS | Tuesday, Thursday & Friday [9 a.m. - 4 p.m.]

Appointment Only TELEPHONE | 440.688.9202 ext. 110 ADDRESS | 447 Windsor Street SW, Suite 309 MARTA | Garnett Station

3] EMPOWERMENT RESOURCE CENTER Comprehensive Intervention Clinic

3 5

2

HOURS | Monday & Wednesday [9 a.m. - 6 p.m.]

Tuesday & Thursday [9 a.m. - 8 p.m.]

Friday [9 a.m. - 4 p.m.]

Saturday [Appointment Only] TELEPHONE | 404.526.1148 ADDRESS | 230 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 1800 MARTA | Peachtree Center Station

4] SISTERLOVE INC- MOTHERHOUSE

4

HOURS | Appointment Only Through Website TELEPHONE | 404.254.4734 ADDRESS | 237 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd SW MARTA | West End

5] MERCY CARE HOURS | Monday - Friday [7 a.m. - 5 p.m.]

Wednesday [7 a.m. - 7 p.m.]

TELEPHONE | 678.843.8500 ADDRESS | 424 Decatur Street SE MARTA | King Memorial

WHEN SHOULD YOU GET TESTED? The CDC recommends the following for when you should get tested: - Adults [13-64] : Once in a lifetime for HIV - All sexually active women younger than 25: Gonorrhea & Chlamydia once a year - Women older than 25: Every year - Pregnant Women: Syphilis, HIV & Hepatitis B starting early in pregnancy - All sexually active gay & bisexual men: Once a year for Syphilis, Chlamydia & Gonorrhea - Anyone who has unsafe sex or shares injection equipment: HIV once a year

Georgia State also provides students with free HIV and STI testing. Directions on how to take advantage of these services are found on the Student Health Promotion’s website.

MAP LEGEND

MARTA LINE LGBTQ ALLY

COST

FREE

ILLUSTRATIONS AND PAGE DESIGN BY JACY SHEPARD | THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, 11,2019 2020 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY JANUARY 15,

www.georgiastatesignal.com/opinions

If they aren’t hungry, then I don’t want them

Stop sticking around in relationships with losers YASMINA AL-ABOUDY Staff Columnist

H

onestly, if he isn’t hungry, then I don’t want him.

Hunger is not just the instinct to feed ourselves; it also describes the desire to become something greater than yourself and what you know.

A hungry person has a clear sense of drive to pursue their passions and goals; they crave a life outside of what they know and will do whatever it takes to get closer to and eventually achieve that goal.

Ambition, much like breathing and blinking, is a constant of life. An unambitious person is a drag to be around; no new plans or even attempts at moving up from their current state leaves little to be admired. They spend their days doing the exact same thing they did the day before and often do just less than the bare minimum to survive.

Now, considering the description and your desire to hate

the person described, then why would you date them?

If I had a dollar for every conversation about a friend’s partner who lacked ambition and didn’t provide emotional support in their relationship, then I would have enough to pay for a year’s worth of their gas for dating a loser with no drive.

Stop wasting your time in a dead-end relationship that doesn’t offer you emotional fulfillment. If the person you are with has no goals, dreams or any aspirations outside of getting up and barely making it to class on time, then maybe they aren’t the right person for you.

Relationships should be a mutual effort. If your partner is dragging you down because they’re jealous of or upset at your accomplishments, wishes you would slow down or does not support your goals, then they are not worth your time.

Madison Rodriguez, a political science major at Georgia State, knows the struggles of having a driveless partner all too well.

“My ex-boyfriend held me back from reaching my full potential because he was a bum who would never strive for anything,” Rodriguez said. “While I was working at

my dream job and getting new opportunities and dealing with many extracurricular activities, he would complain that he could not keep up with me and that he was not good enough for me.”

Rodriguez admits the relationship was one-sided, saying, “Because I was so scared to be alone, I made myself diminish into someone he could be comfortable with instead of telling him that yes, he was not good enough for me.”

Don’t be afraid to walk away, and certainly don’t force yourself to stick around “because you love them.”

You don’t love them; you love the idea of them.

If they really loved you, they would jump at the opportunity to stand in the front row to watch you succeed.

ILLUSTRATION BY MONTENEZ LOWERY | THE SIGNAL

To all the boys I’ve lied to before: I can explain I don’t want your number, I want you to leave me alone NICOLE CASTRO Staff Columnist

I

t was a hot August afternoon, only getting hotter as the time spent waiting for a bus to the Blue Lot dragged on and on. When it finally arrived, a crowd of impatient students crammed themselves onto the bus.

By the time I got on, there were no seats left, but luckily for me, a boy offered me his seat — and I accepted, appreciative of his gesture.

The bus made its brief journey to the parking lot, and the sea of passengers flooded into it. I made my way down the stairs to the Green Lot, where my selfless knight in shining armor had apparently also parked.

I thought we went our separate ways, but moments later, he just so happened to drive past me on his way out of the lot as I was getting into my car. Now, we’re all expecting him to just keep on driving, maybe smile and wave at most, right?

He parked his car, got out and walked over to me where I was sitting in my own car. He motioned for me to roll the window down, which I did. I thanked him again for his kind act on the bus and he responded by complimenting me and asking for my number.

I told him, “No, I’m sorry, I have a boyfriend,” to which he retorted, “You’re not allowed to have friends?”

I then told him that I lived far from campus and worked a lot, meaning that I don’t have much free time.

“That’s okay, what’s your number?” he asked.

At that point, I decided that I have to choose my battles and that this one was not a worthy cause.

I gave in, gave him my number, and before I had made it home, I had received a text from my new “friend.” I blocked him soon after.

Why would you want to pursue a girl who is not into you? If a girl tells you, “No,” chances are that the relationship was a dead-end from the start.

Since then, I’ve adopted a strategy of giving my number to whoever asks for it regardless of whether or not I’m actually interested in them. That way I don’t have to put

up a fight and I can decide later on for myself if I care to entertain the conversation. It’s easier than saying no.

Georgia State sophomore Rita Khalil knows exactly what I’m talking about.

“They keep asking you and they guilt-trip you,” Khalil said. “If you wanna get out of the situation, you just have to say, ‘Yes.’” It seems as though it doesn’t matter what your true intentions are; the least uncomfortable thing to do for everyone involved is to save face for both parties and oblige when someone wants your attention. It shouldn’t have to be this way, though.

I get it: Approaching a girl takes some courage and rejection is never an easy thing to accept. But a “no” should suffice — no more questions asked.

I don’t want to have to make up excuses as to why I don’t want to talk to people; I just want to be able to respond however I feel inclined and carry on with my day. It’s really nothing personal. I’m just not interested. I don’t owe you that explanation, though.

OPINIONS

8

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

Watching porn for days, but you don’t last How media contributes to the female orgasm gap

executive INTERIM president & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ada Wood editor@georgiastatesignal.com creative director Vacant managing editor Will Solomons

JANNEYN SIMMONS Staff Columnist

director of business operations Vacant Editorial NEWS EDITOR Brooklyn Valera

A

s Valentine’s Day approaches, rose petals litter the floor, bottles are popped and hearts are everywhere. The metro area is painted red and pink, and love is in the air.

NBC reports that, on average, women orgasm 65% of the time in heterosexual relationships, compared to 95% of their male counterparts.

While some women produce more orgasms than other women, the 74.4% rate of orgasms in lesbian relationships still pales in comparison to the 95% of heterosexual males, 88% of bisexual males and 89% of homosexual males.

Georgia State junior Kaila Hill attributes these low rates to the gendered expectations of what is considered “proper” female sexual behavior.

“Women are taught to be very giving and not look for pleasure in their own sexuality,” Hill said. “We’re shunned from our sexuality.”

On the topic of orgasm statistics among lesbian women, Hill attributed the higher rates to familiarity.

“Women don’t have to be taught, because they have a vagina,” she said. “It’s merely what you want on a different person.”

A woman’s familiarity with female anatomy may contribute to higher rates of orgasm, but the statistics aren’t high enough for this to be as simple as familiarity.

Women and sex aren’t meant to mesh together.

Sex is marketed from the male lens. Men can enjoy sex anywhere that they turn. From the average soda advertisement to the kinkiest pornography, men can pick out an object of desire with little to no regard for the other person involved.

The male gaze permeates every facet of media, even in the media marketed toward women.

The depiction of female pleasure always has a male interest behind it. Female orgasms in porn depict women as faucets, setting an unrealistic standard for women and enticing fascinated male viewers. Women are given a platform for a sexually liberated facade when they are a fetishized shape and size.

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ILLUSTRATION BY SAMAR KHADER | THE SIGNAL

If we put an ounce of the time and effort into sex for the female gaze, perhaps we would see an increase in female orgasms and general attitudes toward sex.

If a woman could see the man of her dreams, regardless as to his race or size; if a woman could see non-traditional depictions of group play, BDSM and role play that cater to her needs, rather than her boyfriend; and if women could see themselves as more than just the vixens in pornography and other forms of sex work, then the stigma around objective female sexuality would be broken.

If more outlets promoted female sexuality and made it as ubiquitous as male sexuality then more people, including women, would understand how a woman’s body works. There would be a higher comfort level around discussing sex and requiring mutual pleasure.

This Valentine’s Day, instead of thinking of sex as your reward for a teddy bear that she didn’t want, think of sex as a playground — one that everyone can enjoy and use their colorful imagination.

This Valentine’s Day, give your Valentine a gift that she really wants: an orgasm her way.

First it’s Ted Bundy: Now, it’s “YOU” Spoiler alert: Being a stalker isn’t sexy RAQUEL CROSTON Staff Columnist

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ifetime’s original series “YOU” debuted its first season in early September 2018. Now on its second season and recently sold to Netflix, the show has taken the world and internet by storm.

Twitter, Instagram and Facebook were blasted with “YOU” jokes and commentary following the successful debut of its second season last December. Among parody inner dialogues mimicking the main character’s, Joe Goldberg, there was an alarming number of posts made romanticizing Joe. The point is clear: Joe Goldberg is sexy, mysterious, “damaged” and loving. Women far and wide raved over his good looks and commitment to bettering the lives of the women around him, all the while watching him murder their friends and stalk their lives.

The series begins with Joe watching a girl from his bookstore through her window, enjoying a street viewing of her undressing and having sex while simultaneously working his way into her life from the outside in. His charming personality and curly0haired

white boy looks were destined to draw attention from young women.

What the producers may have not known was that this attention would not dwindle, even after Joe committed a number of crimes.

User @anacertifico tweeted: “kinda wanna move to a new city, get a new identity and maybeeee fall in love with someone?? like joe goldberg??? sounds fun.”

Being stalked, held hostage and manipulated out of obsession is not the typical idea of fun, nor should it be.

Another Twitter user, @healynation, tweeted: “god i am so fucking in love with joe goldberg and i shouldnt be proud of it because i am crushing on a fucking murderer jesus.”

That about sums up what most of the female audience of “YOU” are feeling. But why? What is it about Joe Goldberg that is so attractive and comforting that we will allow him to become some sort of fetishized idea of a boyfriend?

Such cases go back to serial killers like Ted Bundy, a man who still retains his fan club of horny women chasing after an above-average man with apparently such wild charm that it somehow makes it okay that he raped and murdered people in cold blood. It’s easy to make excuses for people when you want to, even

murderers and psychotic stalkers.

“His intentions were pure, but his actions were not.

Like, he tried to take out all the toxic folks in ole girl life, but instead of trying to get her to cut them off, he killed them,” Jae Trinity, a freshman at Georgia State, said.

Molly Olajide, another student at Georgia State, said that she thinks Joe does care in his own way about the girls he dates, but because of the unresolved trauma in his life, he doesn’t know how to express it in a healthy way except by killing people.

The problem with these statements, among the thousands of others being made, is that we are excusing what is clearly abusive behavior as stemming from some sort of trauma, which somehow absolves or at least minimizes his actions. This idea of men being something for a woman to fix has well preceded psychological thrillers.

Boys will be boys, and boys will be hurt in their past and then hurt women, but they’re hurt, so it’s okay, it’s all good.

Joe is obsessed with these women, not in love with them. He does what he does in a selfish act of lust and obsession. If you find Joe Goldberg sexy in any form, your perception of a healthy relationship has suffered at the hands of misogyny.

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ARTS & LIVING TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020

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LEARNING HOW TO SAFELY PARK THE CAR IN THE GARAGE

A deep-dive into Georgia’s sex education curriculum

ILLUSTRATION BY MONTENEZ LOWERY | THE SIGNAL

HANNAH JONES Staff Reporter

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etween half-dressed celebrities on magazine covers, popular TV shows like “Sex Education” and abstinenceonly curriculums, our society clearly has a complicated relationship with sex.

In Georgia, the word “sex” has maintained taboo within the state’s public school systems.

According to Planned Parenthood, a nonprofit focused on reproductive healthcare, only 29 states require comprehensive sex education. Additionally, fewer than half of high schools teach sexual health topics deemed “essential” by the CDC. The Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Family and Children Services administers a Title V Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Grant Program, which aims to “support decisions to abstain from sexual activity by providing abstinence programming.”

With a conservative administration and political climate, exclusively abstinence-only programs are funded by the federal government.

Rachel Bloom is a dual-enrollment student and splits her time between Decatur High School and Georgia State.

Bloom’s last health class was in the eighth grade, where they spent some time talking about sexual health. She remembers the course focusing mainly on sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy.

“It wasn’t completely abstinence, but that was one of the options they gave, and then they talked about condoms, but there were definitely some things missing,” Bloom said. “I think my teacher was trying to, like, do us justice, but they definitely said abstinence was the most effective [method], which, you know, isn’t false but it’s not a great thing to preach to kids.”

Bloom said that sex education should be included within the high school curriculum but believes that her school is trying to offer sufficient resources.

On the other hand, Bloom has been in uncomfortable situations at Georgia State and was unsure of where to turn.

“I’ve been in situations at Georgia State where I’ve been sexually harassed in class and I just didn’t know what to do or who to talk to about that,” Bloom said. “So, if there was a clear resource for that kind of situation, I think it could be really beneficial. It’s kind of

awkward to talk to a professor when you know that you’re going to have to fill out a bunch of paperwork, and it doesn’t feel very safe to talk about [these topics.]”

Dr. Holley Wilkin specializes in health communication at Georgia State. In the realm of sexual health, communication can range from patient-to-doctor, partner-to-partner, teacher-to-student and via media.

Wilkin said that while a public health issue is on the rise, government funding and attention increase temporarily but eventually simmers when another pressing issue presents itself.

She believes that comprehensive sex education is a crucial step in stopping this cycle. Wilkin added that regardless of sex education, teenagers will still be curious about sex.

“There’s also a lot of misinformation that gets spread as a result of there not being any kind of formal education,” Wilkin said. “Kids are still going to talk about it, and [an] older brother or whoever is telling them things that are not true or accurate that they might’ve picked up someplace. So, they’re coming away thinking things like, ‘If I have anal sex, it’ll be safe because you can’t get the girl pregnant that way.’ Well, yes, but you can still be spreading diseases.”

According to the CDC, the rate of teens having sex has stayed stagnant over the past decade, yet fewer students report having used condoms the last time they were intimate.

The organization makes its stance on sex education clear.

“Lack of effective sex education can have very real, very serious health consequences,” said Stephanie Zaza, director of the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health said. “School-based sex education is a critical opportunity to provide the skills and information they need to protect themselves.”

According to Georgia Public Broadcasting, Macon-Bibb County Schools are testing a new sex education curriculum based on a program in King County in Washington state called FLASH. Their website states that the program is intended to prevent teen pregnancy, STDs and sexual violence. In King County, the teen pregnancy rate has decreased by 62% over the past decade.

Former Georgia State public policy student Sophia Drewry said that her classes have focused on education and prevention, and sex education is no exception.

“Education comes in handy by empowering people with the knowledge they need to play an active role in their own health,” Drewry said. “The more children or people you can talk to early in their sexual lives, the more informed they’ll be when it comes to making a decision

around safe sex practices. It all lies in preventative work.”

Drewry’s high school in Kennesaw dedicated roughly two classes of health class on sexual health. She said her class was taught by her male gym teacher, which she felt limited the range of topics discussed, such as birth control options for women.

Bloom, Wilkin and Drewry all agree that many important topics are routinely omitted from the sex education curriculum, primarily consent and LGBTQ+ representation.

According to the Center for American Progress, Georgia does not require the discussion of healthy relationships, consent or sexual assault.

Bloom said her class failed to mention consent even once- so high schoolers have to figure it out for themselves. She explained that within a friend group at school, the students discovered that one of the boys had sexually assaulted several girls. The group of friends discussed the situation, and “they’re kicking him out of the group.”

Bloom added that the curriculum focused primarily on heterosexual couples, despite slight deviation thanks to her progressive teacher. Bloom feels that there is a lack of sufficient resources for the LGBTQ+ community.

“It’s not that the information isn’t out there, but not everyone’s exposed to even the questions to ask,” Bloom said. “There’s not a lot of information about queer people on how to prevent STDs and stuff and how to be safe. So, that definitely needs to be included in the curriculum.”

The disconnect between abstinence-only and comprehensive curriculum seems to be as strong as ever.

“I think some of it comes down to just different underlying values and beliefs about the role of sex in people’s lives,” Wilken said. “The fear that usually drives the abstinence-only program or the no sex education at all type of approach comes from a place of fear [that] teaching them about [sex] will make them go and do it, whereas most of the research suggests the opposite: that if you teach them about it, then they’re going to wait and be a little bit more responsible when they do.”

Drewry saw this paradox between sex education and abstinence within her own high school.

She said one of the health teachers, also a soccer coach, referred to sex as “parking the car in the garage.” She believes this is emblematic of our society’s relationship with sex.

“I think it’s very taboo,” Drewry said. “The teacher could not even say the word ‘sex’ in the class. I mean, that has to be a red flag.”

INFOGRAPHIC & PAGE DESIGN BY AMBER KIRLEW | THE SIGNAL

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What does a ‘born-again virgin’ look like?

A deep dive into why people are reclaiming their v-card HANNA WEILAND Staff Reporter

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hroughout history, in the heteronormative and religious sense, virginity was a prized quality in a woman about to be married.

As time passed, the high value placed on abstinence before marriage came to be seen as outdated. But there are people who still believe in the power of virginity. Pop culture highlights a section of celebrities, athletes and social media figures who decide to “reclaim” their virginity. So, what is a “born-again virgin?”

A born-again virgin is a person who decides to vow to wait until marriage to have sex after already losing their virginity before. In the modern age of acceptance and woke mindsets, virginity is viewed as a social construct originating from a bygone era. Religious beliefs portray virgins as a symbol of perfection.

People started embracing the concept of reclaiming their virginity in the 90s and 2000s with the rise of abstinenceonly education. The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 began the abstinence-only education movement when it promised $50 million every year in Title V education grants to be spent on programs that promote “abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage as the expected standard for all school-age children.”

The phenomenon of reclaiming one’s virginity has gained traction, especially in women, due to the societal pressures women face to be seen as “pure” across many cultures. Even members of the Hollywood elite have begun to take back their virginity.

With celebrities becoming vocal on different issues on social media they are able to give us insight into the issues they have with virginity and sex as well. Miley Cyrus’ views of virginity as a social construct developed after receiving backlash for a provocative music video. But a few celebrities maintain the idea that virginity can restart after already having had sex.

Ciara and Russell Wilson shared with fans their belief in waiting until marriage, even though Ciara had a child from a previous relationship. Supermodel Miranda Kerr and Snapchat creator Evan Spiegel also pledged to abstain until marriage to have a traditional marriage.

What constitutes a “traditional” marriage is subject to a diverse array of opinions that cannot be easily narrowed down to one religious or cultural framework. Different

ILLUSTRATION BY BRANDON ZHAN | THE SIGNAL

cultures have different beliefs on the nature of human sexual relationships, and virginity is too broad a term to have one exact definition.

Born-again virginity favors the side of a more traditional view of marriage.

Heteronormative relationships tend to follow the aspect that virginity is defined by sex between men and women, excluding gay, lesbian and bisexual conceptions of sexual relationships.

All sexual relationships cannot be defined by male and female intercourse. Therefore, the definition is a social construct.

Socially, virginity is praised by various groups and religions. In Afghanistan, virginity tests are legal. Female genital mutilation, the removal of the external genitalia, is performed in countries such as Mali, Egypt and Sudan, where up to 91% of women between the age of 15-49 are mutilated.

Whether one decides to be a virgin again for a clean slate, their safety or moral views, virginity is a construct and its significance is in the eye of the beholder.

Let’s talk about sex and music, baby!

How music preference can affect sex and sexual preferences SHARAYAH DAVIS Staff Reporter

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study conducted by Sonos shows that 67% of couples who listen to music together have more sex than couples who do not. Even Spotify has created their own curated sex playlists to get people “in the mood.” Music has a profound effect on the human mind and body and it plays a massive role in sexuality as well.

Biologically speaking, listening to music and having sex both release dopamine, which is known as “the happy hormone.” Dopamine is part of the pleasure and reward system in the brain that is associated with feelings of motivation, happiness and temporary euphoria. When people feel that they want, crave or love something, and they get that thing, dopamine is released leading to feelings of euphoria.

Endogenous opioids are also released, which are bonded to the opioid receptors in the brain and, when released, result in lowered stress levels, pain relief and mood

enhancement. When people listen to a song together, the neurons in their brains begin to synchronize. Also, when two people who are attracted to one another are listening to a song, oxytocin and serotonin are released from listening to good music. This makes an interesting combination of hormones that often result in people having sex.

Someone’s preferred music genre also has an effect on sexual satisfaction and sexual activities. According to separate experiments in Bustle and Cosmopolitan magazine, the most commonly enjoyed genres to which to have sex are electronic dance music, R&B and heavy metal.

When it comes to sexual behaviors, studies show that fans of country, blues, jazz, reggae and hip-hop are the most satisfied with their sex lives. Fans of blues, in particular, have shown to have the longest sexual encounters of the most common genres.

Couples who have similar musical tastes also are more likely to experience greater sexual satisfaction than those who do not have similar tastes.

EDM and heavy metal fans have been shown to be the most experimental in the bedroom, whereas classic rock and pop fans are the least experimental. Preferred sexual positions also vary among the genres, with rap and hip-hop

fans preferring doggy style while pop fans preferred the missionary position.

These sexual behaviors could largely be due to the lyrical content of the songs as well as the intensity. The lyrical content of the song, if sexually explicit, can drive people towards participating in sexual activities in younger individuals.

A 2007 study in the journal Pediatrics actually confirmed the influence of lyrical content on sexual behavior, ranking songs of eight different genres based on sexual content in the lyrics. The four genres with the greatest amount of songs with degrading sexual content were rap-rock, rap, R&B and rap metal. Young fans of these genres were shown to have sexual experiences earlier in their lives than young fans of other genres.

Music and genre choice actually correlate pretty heavily with sexual activity and preferences. Music can also amplify a sexual experience, and experimenting with different genres can also lead to more experimentation in the bedroom. Good sex is a fun experience for people who are attracted to and trust one another, and music choice is one way to make the experience even more exhilarating.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020

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The spectrum of not wanting sex — explained

Georgia state student dispels common myths about asexuality BEN PARKER Staff Reporter

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high school girl nervously tugs at her shirt sleeve in the anticipation of a fearful diagnosis only to be relieved when the sex therapist informs her that her lack of desire to have sex is normal.

This is one plot point in the newest season of the Netflix series, “Sex Education,” in which the characters address asexuality.

Georgia State student Hailey Fulk defines asexuality as a “lack of sexual attraction or a reduction of sexual attraction,” noting that asexuality exists on a spectrum.

Fulk is gay and asexual. “[People have] a tendency to group asexuality as a sexual orientation,” Fulk said. “I don’t like this because sexual orientation is more about who you love. Being asexual has more to do with how you interact with people you love in a romantic or sexual way.”

Fulk includes “demisexual” on the asexuality spectrum.

Demisexual refers to those who experience sexual attraction towards others only if they feel romantically attracted to them.

In Fulk’s case, she has the capability of feeling romantic attraction towards others, though she has never experienced sexual attraction and does not expect herself to in the future.

As the asexuality spectrum varies on degrees of sexual attraction, Fulk also noted that some individuals could feel the opposite as she does. They may just want sex and not want the romantic attraction alongside that.

“There are people out there who are just in it for the sex.

That’s all they want out of a relationship,” Fulk said. “There’s people who only want one-night stands, and that’s valid.”

According to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, the “a-spectrum,” represented in the “A” of LGBTQIA+ encompasses asexual, aromantic and agender.

GLAAD defines aromanticism as individuals who may want relationships but may only experience platonic feelings towards those people as opposed to romantic attraction.

Just as someone can be sexually attracted to particular genders, Fulk mentioned that someone can be romantically attracted to particular genders as well.

“You can love a certain gender because of certain body structures, or you like something [about someone] that is usually a feminine or masculine physical trait,” Fulk said. “It depends how one thinks about the physical trait.”

For example, Fulk does not find abs sexually attractive.

“I like the way they look and the way they feel, but they don’t make me horny,” Fulk said. “It’s more of a romantical attraction to abs.”

Fulk first came to realize that she differed from others who are not asexual in “late elementary school,” unable to relate to her friends’ descriptions of their sexual dreams.

Fulk’s dreams about her crushes never exceeded romantic kissing.

“I’m capable of having sex but don’t have the urge to have sex,” Fulk said.

Fulk described relationships as a “give and take thing,” mentioning that she is willing to have sex for her partners if she thoroughly trusts them.

“If you don’t want sex at all, you have that right to express that, but if I feel like I can trust my partner enough, it’s alright with me,” Fulk said.

For Fulk, this trust is rare.

She experienced “rejection after rejection and getting dumped numerous times,” due to not wanting to have sex with her partners at the time.

“I wholeheartedly believed I was unlovable,” Fulk said.

“It seemed everyone I was interested in would date me but didn’t like the fact that I was ace,” a short term for asexual.

Hurdling that period of feeling as such, Fulk is currently in a five-month relationship with her long-distance girlfriend who is not asexual.

Fulk noted that one of the first conversations when Fulk and her current girlfriend decided to date was explaining to her girlfriend what it means to be asexual.

Apart from the previous rejections, Fulk’s asexuality has also caused her to feel “a little left out of conversations” with friends.

Georgia State student dispels common myths about asexuality.

This is also depicted in “Sex Education” when the asexual character, Florence, is depicted on the outside of a conversation with her friends who hint that Florence will inevitably have sex with her male counterpart of the school play. Florence can’t seem to relate, feeling that something must be wrong with her, which leads her to the office of the sex therapist.

“I’m capable of having sex but don’t have the urge to have sex.”

— HAILEY FULK Georgia State student “I can make sexual jokes and I can laugh about them, but I can’t fully understand the appeal to have sex with another person,” Fulk said.

Fulk emphasized the pressure surrounding her of losing your virginity.

Assigned male at birth, Fulk was raised with the idea that it is an important thing to have sex. She also discussed

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

that “to lose one’s virginity” can mean different things to different people, emphasizing that the concept of virginity is merely a social construct to begin with.

“Everyone knows what it means to be gay,” Fulk said. “If we had more representation in the media, [people] wouldn’t be as confused about asexuality.”

In the past, individuals have asked Fulk if her being asexual meant that she “reproduces by splitting herself,” referring to the form of asexual reproduction known as budding, most commonly found in invertebrates.

She responded that underrepresentation causes confusion.

The portrayal of an asexual teen in “Sex Education” is a start to the normalization of asexuality in popular culture.

Slice of Ace, a youtube channel run by an asexual identifying individual centered around asexual issues reviewed the show’s representation of the topic, saying that it was “phenomenal” and “hits all the right notes.”

“It’s not something to be fixed. It’s not something to be cured,” Daniel, the host of Slice of Ace said. “[Asexuality] is just a normal part of you and there are plenty of other people like you.”

He highlights the importance of the word “asexuality,” noting that defining one’s lack of sexual attraction can help them to find a like minded community, dispelling the internal notion that one may think that they are “broken.”

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games

comic

“NAUGHTY COP” Comic by Staff Cartoonist

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

SPORTS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020

www.georgiastatesignal.com/sports

Men’s Basketball Valentine’s Day Plans

The players’ plans and thoughts on the occasion ANDREW FREEDMAN & AVERY WIGGINS Sports Editor & Staff Reporter

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very year on Feb. 14, we celebrate the day of love known as Valentine’s Day. Named after the Christian martyr, St. Valentine, this is a day where couples spend time with each other, give each other gifts and overall show love to each other.

For many, college opens the doors for students to meet a plethora of new people from all over the world. While some believe their significant other is “the high school sweetheart,” the majority of people meet them in college.

A few players shared their thoughts with The Signal ahead of Friday’s special day and a weekend that will feature games the days before and after Valentine’s Day. From those in a relationship to those who are still playing the game of love, the men’s basketball team knows the importance of such an occasion.

For freshman forward Joe Jones III, it is a day of loving those closest to you.

Meanwhile, redshirt forward Damon Wilson has the rest of this season in his college hoops career to find someone and just to enjoy himself.

“Valentine’s Day is a good day to just be happy and share [the] love throughout,” Wilson said. “It doesn’t have to be with your significant other just share love to any individuals. It’s a holiday of love. And love is the number one answer for everything.”

What Wilson also noted is that he cannot always do everything he wants on Valentine’s Day due to his schedule as a studentathlete.

“Usually we’re around in basketball so we don’t have time to do anything crazy,” he said.

The single Wilson may have Friday night planned. But he is also more than OK spending the night in, as he will be recovering from Thursday night’s game.

“As of right now, no,” he said. “But you never know. Anything could pop up.”

Things are looking good for Jones and fellow freshman forward Jalen Thomas. While they are both in relationships, both are also long-distance and unable to spend Friday with their significant other. Despite that, Jones already has plans to celebrate the conclusion of his freshman season.

“We’re gonna take a little trip after the season to Florida,” Jones said.

The destination: Orlando. Not just Disney World, Universal Studios, Epcot, or SeaWorld. All of them. The only question is whether his 6-foot 9-inch, 245-pound frame will fit in some of the rides.

“To me, Valentine’s Day is a day that you celebrate with the people you love. I like it because it’s a chance to tell people you love them.”

— JALEN THOMAS Freshman forward, Men’s Basketball team “I’ll buy my girlfriend gifts,” Jones said. “Little teddy bears, maybe a little chain or something, some little pink clothes.”

While he may be one of the team’s biggest players, the Brooklyn native is still a gentle giant on the inside.

Unlike the rest of the players on the men’s basketball team, Thomas will enter Friday’s special day in a loving relationship with his girlfriend of nearly a year.

The two met in the summer of 2018 but were unsure if they were ready to take things to the next stage.

“We didn’t start dating at first,” Thomas said after a light film and weightlifting session. “I talked to her for a couple of months, and then we [were] on and off, really. And then I started dating her.”

His love for her extends farther than the state borders or the

Jalen Thomas discusses his plans for Valentines Day and the relationship between him and his girlfriend.

game of basketball. She lives in Michigan and, unlike Thomas, does not plan on planning college basketball.

Despite being nearly 1,000 miles apart, the two have maintained a healthy relationship. After Tori made the visit to Atlanta to visit her boyfriend, the celebration will probably be the next time they see each other.

“I’m good to her and she’s good to me,” he said.

“To me, Valentine’s Day is a day that you celebrate with the people you love,” Thomas said. “I like it because it’s a chance to tell people you love them.”

Thomas found someone who may be young but appreciates Valentine’s Day for the little things.

While some are thinking of their girlfriends and others are enjoying the day to themselves, a few are not interested in the festivities. They prefer to use the day to focus on the game and focus on the thing they love most and improve their skills in any way possible.

Redshirt junior guard Corey Allen treats Valentine’s Day as just

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

another day. As someone who does not have a significant other, the day can be put to other things, like working hard at his craft.

“In the past few years, I haven’t had a Valentine [in order to stay focused],” Allen said.

The team will indeed need to focus this weekend. They enter a slate of games that will feature back-to-back matchups at home.

With consecutive weekends spent on the road, head coach Rob Lanier’s squad is back home this weekend following a 1-1 road trip to Louisiana. What better way for the men on the team and fans to spend the weekend than to play and come out and support the team they love?

As the team approaches the homestretch of the season, they will need to love the game more than ever before in hopes of chasing a fourth straight Sun Belt Conference championship.

Wilson, Allen, Jones and Thomas, along with the rest of the Panthers will play against Appalachian State on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. and against Coastal Carolina on Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. at the GSU Sports Arena.

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Four fathers and their lives away from Georgia State How coaches and ADs balance family and work ANDREW FREEDMAN Sports Editor

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or members of a Division I athletics department, there are many things to enjoy about the job. They can bring their family and friends to games and events and give them experiences that few will ever have the opportunity to enjoy. They are able to watch 18-yearold kids blossom into fully-fledged student-athletes.

But sometimes, you have to go on the road or stay in the office late. Sometimes, work needs to come before family. Mike Holmes, Doug Justice, Chris Kreider and Rob Lanier enjoy working here--it is a home away from home.

For Mike Holmes and Doug Justice, they were free the day after the tragic deaths Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, 13, The two are avid sports fans and, like Bryant, spend as much time as possible with their families.

Holmes, Georgia State’s associate athletic director, has two young children, LJ and Hannah. His bond with nine-year-old LJ is one that he could talk about for hours.

Holmes and I spoke about how he and his son keep in touch when the Panthers men’s basketball team is on the road.

“I think that’ll help because it does hurt him when I go on these 4-to-5-day road trips where I’m not around,” he said. “Especially when we’re in a different time zone, it’s hard to kinda catch him when he gets home before I go to the game. It’s definitely a challenge.”

He spoke of nights that never saw him leave the office.

For Holmes, there is never an offseason, just a less busy time of the year. Usually, that ‘less busy’ time is booked for one person: LJ. “At the end of the day, when this season is over — whether it ends [on] March 15, 25 or April 6 — whenever it’s over, LJ and I will head to Florida for a handful of days and we will just go live it up,” Holmes said.

Without hesitation, Holmes, a die-hard New York Mets fan, clarified how to party with kids.

“When you have a seven-year-old, it means [that] if they want ice cream, you go get ice cream,” Holmes said.

“If they want to play putt-putt, you go play putt-putt.

If they want to go to the beach at eight o’clock in the morning, you go, ‘Can we eat breakfast and then go?’ and then he’ll go, ‘Okay, sure.’”

“With two incredible children who have always played sports, I always wanted to make sure that I spent quality time with them and was able to be at their events whenever possible.”

— ROB LANIER Men’s Basketball head coach Justice, senior associate athletic director and chief of staff, understands this too. His three angels are his sons Kevin and Elliot and his daughter, Anslee. Road trips do not come often for him.

It is the long workdays in his office at Georgia State Stadium or the Sports Arena that keep him late. He praised modern-day technology for allowing him to talk to his kids.

“Well, there’s a great thing called FaceTime, which I talk to them a lot [on],” Justice said. “My kids usually get home off the bus [at] about 2:50 [p.m.]. A couple times a week, we’ll FaceTime at 3:15 [p.m.]”

While both Holmes and Justice work at Georgia State, they take advantage of their access to sporting events, especially with their children.

“I had the opportunity of taking my son to the Duke-Georgetown swing,” Justice said.

But his son also lived out the dream that thousands of high school basketball players have dreamed of.

“He was able to go to practice and take some shots in [Duke’s] Cameron [Indoor Stadium]. Those are experiences that not everyone gets. For them, it’s kind of like nothing new,” he said.

Indeed, it is not anything new. Justice is a kind person, loves his family and cherishes the friends who have been with him throughout his journey. As such, it rubbed off on his kids too.

“There are kids they go to school with [who they will ask], ‘Oh, do you want to go to a football game?’” Justice said.

However, there are plenty of memories that the staff cannot share with their families. Justice missed New Year’s Eve with his family after attending the Arizona Bowl that took place just a few hours before the world ushered in 2020.

“It was a great experience, but my kids weren’t able to go,” he said. “I missed New Year’s with them. So, that’s just the trade-off. There are long days and this is a lifestyle; it’s all-encompassing.”

But who goes on the road more than anyone else in collegiate athletics? The teams and coaches.

Men’s basketball head coach Rob Lanier, a father of two, works hard to ensure that the balance between work and family is kept.

“I learned at a young age in my coaching profession that I wanted to be a coach that succeeded and found a work-life balance,” Lanier said. “Although there are plenty of times during the year where we have to spend a lot of time at the office and on the road, there is also plenty of time where we can leave the office a little early and be home to spend time with our loved ones.”

Lanier, father of Davidson College basketball commit Emory Lanier, also allows his coworkers to enjoy their time with family. But in his first season with the Panthers, the head coach found a new family as well.

“We have a family-friendly office, and I encourage my staff to have their families stop by, as well as get their work done and then go home,” he said.

Joining Lanier on the bench this year has been assistant coach Chris Kreider, also a newcomer to the program. He never takes what he does for granted, but the former Rice University assistant coach and father to threeyear-old Livia admits that there are challenges.

“It is the tough part of the profession for sure,” Kreider said. “To offset it, you have to make the time you spend with them quality time.

Maximize the time you spend at work and get everything done late at night in order to spend as much time with your family as possible.”

Holmes, Justice, Lanier and Kreider all share one thing in common: They are fathers first.

They understand that time is irreplaceable and that nothing should be taken for granted. From attending sporting events to watching the kids get home from school, all of them cherish family time.

Coach Lanier put it best.

“With two incredible children who have always played sports, I always wanted to make sure that I spent quality time with them and was able to be at their events whenever possible,” Lanier said.

ILLUSTRATION BY MONTENEZ LOWERY | THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020

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An outlook of the 2020 Beach Volleyball season How the Sandy Panther’s will dominate 2020 ERIK INDRISANO

Associate Sports Editor

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s the semester rolls on and edges closer to spring, Georgia State will welcome back beach volleyball. With familiar faces returning, new and exciting freshmen joining and players returning from injury, fans can expect a very exciting season from the Sandy Panthers.

The 2019 season was a successful one, behind multiple successful tournaments and an almost perfect record at home (5-1). The season ended with a semi-final loss to Florida State in the CCSA Tournament and falling just short of a bid to the NCAA tournament. The team graduated three ladies, leaving a large leadership role in the air for the taking.

“I am incredibly excited and also a little nervous because it’s the last go-around,” senior Georgia Johnson said. “I want to make the most out of the season every opportunity we get.”

Along with Johnson, three other seniors will look to take the leadership role: Maddie Gordon, Kate Novak and Olivia Stasevich. All four ladies know the importance of leading the team and want to make the most of their final season as Panthers.

“I think that this last year is going to mean so much for all of us … we’ve been a team for so long,” Gordon added. “We’re leaders of our team, so I think that’s really exciting for all of us.”

Apart from soaking up the sentimental value of the season, the long off-season has fueled the drive to compete even more.

“Our off-season is so long, so there is so much build-up to the season; I think we’re all so ready to play other people,” Novak said.

Additionally, the long lay-off has meant persistence and hard work.

“I think we’re all excited to go into the season; we’ve worked so hard in the off-season and pre-season,” Gordon said.

The Panthers, despite losing three seniors last year, will welcome two new freshmen to the team. Jessica Maxson from Florida and Elise Saga from Norway will look to hit the sand and make an immediate impact for head coach Beth Van Fleet.

The coaching staff will see a new face as well: assistant coach Wayne Holly. Holly joins the staff after a long six-year run as head coach at Tulane University. For Van Fleet, she enters her 7th year as head coach and is excited to pick up where they left off last season.

“Each day for practice, this team shows up with grit, passion and commitment. They are an inspiring group of humans, and it is thrilling to do this work on a daily basis,” Van Fleet said.

“We are excited for the competitive portion of our season to begin, especially the CCSA duals.”

Both Van Fleet and players have been putting in the work,

Becky Treshman and Maggie Gordon set up for a serve during the 2019 season.

and the goals are set in stone for this season.

“The goal is to be one of the top three teams on the East Coast, and we will get there through consistent and thorough preparation,” Van Fleet said.

The Sandy Panthers open their season up on Feb. 21 at the

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

UNF Beach Invitational in Jacksonville, Florida. The team will look to get off to a hot start right away, with games against Florida International, North Florida, Mercer and Florida Atlantic.

“This team can go really far this season,” Johnson said.

New coaches, new players, new team

How the 2020 regime will rebrand Panther baseball JULIAN HARDEN Staff Reporter

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eorgia State comes into the 2020 season with a new lease on life. For the first time in 13 seasons, the Panthers will have a new head baseball coach to call the shots: Brad Stromdahl. His first season tasked with bringing consistency, he will be tested by the Sun Belt’s stiff competition with Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina and Louisiana-Lafayette all on the schedule.

“The Sun Belt is a tremendous conference that really tests you every weekend, and our non-conference slate offers great competition as well,” Stromdahl said.

Stromdahl replaces former longtime manager Greg Fray and with it comes a culture change for the program.

The Panthers will host the Atlanta Challenge for the sixth consecutive season along with Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State. The Panthers have their work cut out for them in the tournament, facing two ranked opponents: the No. 13

Georgia Bulldogs and No. 20 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Georgia State is currently predicted to finish last in the conference. However, the Sun Belt has a habit of underestimating the Panthers. Predictions like these are what put the “fun” in “Fun Belt.”

Even with the challenges for the Panthers, the new head coach is excited for the season to begin. Heading into 2020, Stromdahl is oozing with anticipation for his young squad.

“This is something we’ve been waiting for all fall, and it’s finally here,” Stromdahl said. “We’re still trying to figure out who we are as a team, and we have a new culture that’s different from the previous regime.”

The Panthers will face every Georgia Division I program this year, headlined by a trip to Athens to take on the Bulldogs. Additionally, home-and-homes with Georgia Tech, Mercer and Kennesaw State will take place. The season’s most anticipated game will be in Statesboro as the Panthers travel to take on the Georgia Southern Eagles.

Georgia State will come into 2020 with a solid crop of recruits looking to develop into stars for the program, highlighted by much-needed pitching upgrades.

Camren Landry and Chandler Dawson headline the

current list of Georgia State commits. Both have had strong careers in high school, ranking in Perfect Game’s top 500 players in the country.

Last season, the Panthers ended the 2019 season with a poor performance in the pitching department. The team had a collective earned run average of seven and a 15-41 record from the pitching staff. Georgia State’s top commitments this season are a couple of solid pitchers looking to turn around the pitching performance.

With pitching addressed, another puzzle piece is still looking for a spot.

The most important task for the Panthers this season will be to find its identity under Stromdahl. This season will be about growth and development over wins and losses under a new regime. While this season will probably be rough when it comes to the win and loss record, it’s going to be a season where the new recruits will be able to hone their play for upcoming seasons.

Georgia State begins its new era at home against the University of Cincinnati on Feb. 14 for the start of the Atlanta Challenge.

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GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

20 things for Panthers athletics in 2020: Part Two Ten more things the program is looking forward to GRANT BLEVINS Staff Reporter

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ngagement of the Georgia State alumni football games bound for exciting finishes and top-tier talents in sports, the Panthers are making a name for themselves.

Of course, there is always more to improve on. In continuation of last week, let’s highlight ten more things we want to see from athletics in 2020.

11. ENGAGE GEORGIA STATE ALUMS

One of the larger problems in creating the passion that Georgia State’s athletics needs is gaining the support of the Panther alumni. As a university with more than 200,000 alumni, Georgia State is certainly not lacking in quantity.

“We really believe that if you come out for one football game [or] one basketball game, it will change your perspective on what Georgia State used to be,” Associate Athletic Director Mike Holmes said.

Building the support of the alumni who most likely already want to support Georgia State is a goal that will contribute to the overall long-term goals of the athletics on the campus of creating a winning culture with a supportive fanbase behind it.

12. CREATE A WINNING CULTURE

Most of Georgia State’s athletics programs are fairly young or have only begun to have success in recent years. To create a winning culture is a long and drawn-out process, but Mike Holmes and the athletic department have a plan.

With more top-flight games for football against opponents like South Carolina, Georgia Tech and Louisiana State, the media exposure for the program is sure to grow. Although it will take time for Georgia State to catch up with older programs like the University of Georgia or other SEC schools, the progress even in the last ten years has been impressive. “[UGA has] got a hundred-year start on us,” Holmes said. “If they stopped playing football tomorrow, and we played for the next hundred years, that’s basically the only way we can ‘catch up’. But how do we build our own fanbase internally and make sure we’re getting 25,000 a weekend and then 30,000?”

13. WIN, WIN AND WIN AGAIN

Any sports program’s primary goal is winning to win games.

Over the last five years, men’s basketball and men’s soccer have achieved that goal. The two have a combined 160 wins and multiple Sun Belt Conference title game appearances.

Other sports are heading in the right direction as well. Look no further than the football team, who recently played in a bowl game. The emerging women’s track team also looks to have multiple athletes compete in the conference tournament this year.

The last 10 things that Georgia State will expect from athletics this year.

PHOTO BY SHEL LEVY | THE SIGNAL

14. BUILD A BRAND

Building a brand is about exposure and culture. These come from consistent support, whether that be in a newspaper or on TV. The culture is built from winning, ensuring fans attend events regularly.

“How do you engage the students?” Holmes asked. “To me, it starts with our freshmen, and that’s the most important thing. We want them to basically think this is all they know, so when they come to that first football game how do we get them back?”

football and basketball student-athletes already living in the newly developed apartments, the benefits of the project are already on full display.

“We’re excited for the fact that we have our football and basketball student-athletes living over right by the stadium,” Holmes said. “Our football guys are able to come and train and be right there; [if] they want to watch extra film, they can literally walk across the street.”

Reaching the teams’ full potential.

Men’s basketball head coach Rob Lanier talked about the importance of this in light of the team’s success in recent years.

“I want us to become the very best version of ourselves, whatever that is,” Lanier said. “If that’s going to a Final Four, that’s what I want to do. Whatever the potential is for this team, I want to realize it. Every team is only together once, and I want this team to be the best possible version of itself.”

15. A MEN’S TRACK TEAM

17. LAND TOP RECRUITS

As the culture and brand of Georgia State athletics continue to grow, it begins to be a hot stop for top recruits in the nation.

Atlanta is already one of the top cities to be in in the country, and the amenities and facilities available to athletes are always getting better thanks to the vision of the athletics department.

Not only will these factors attract top recruits but it will also bring in a higher volume of athletes as well.

“We’ve had our first signing date back in December, and we signed about 18 or 17 guys, and we’re going to have a couple more guys that are going to sign in the second period,” head football coach Shawn Elliot said.

19. STELLAR SUN BELT TOURNAMENT PLAY

Last week, Lotte Mayberg won her fifth Student-Athlete of the Week award behind new personal best of 4:55.69 in the mile, currently the fastest in the Sun Belt. This is just one example of how the women’s track team has been building success within the conference.

With the women’s team gaining exposure, is it time to include a men’s team? Being in one of the top recruiting states in the country paired with the success of the women, starting a men’s team would be seamless.

16.UPDATED FACILITIES

Georgia State is building a new Athletics Village by Georgia State Stadium, which is still in its early phases of construction.

But students can not wait to see how it grows this year. With

18. BECOME THE BEST VERSION OF OURSELVES As mentioned earlier, winning should be a sports program’s number one goal. But what comes next?

With many teams around campus entering the last leg of their seasons, the Sun Belt Conference Tournaments are just weeks away. The basketball, track and field and tennis teams all look to make their mark in the tournament and hopefully bring home some hardware as the best in the conference.

20. MAMBA MENTALITY

In honor of the late basketball legend Kobe Bryant, the final thing we want to see from Georgia State athletics in 2020 is the Mamba Mentality. The Black Mamba’s greatest attribute as a basketball player and a person was the level of competition he brought in everything he did but especially on the basketball court.

All any of us can ever do is put 100% into what we are doing, just like the Mamba himself.

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