Issue006 006· Fall · Fall2021 2021 Issue
COLLEGIETTE
IN THIS ISSUE: Voting Rights in the Wake of the 2020 Election Islamophobia in the American University Academic Community Navigating the “Girly Girl” Trope in Film: Female Agency or Sexism on Screen? Gaslighting and Sexism in Medicine Violence Against Journalists in the Wake of Donald Trump
HER CAM
AMER
LETTERS FROM THE EDITORS
Issue 006 of Collegiette is here and I could not not be more excited to welcome you into this magazine full of creative and innovative designs, stellar photography and incredibly meaningful articles that truly reflect the work of Her Campus American. Everyone on the HCAU team works tirelessly to foster a safe and inclusive platform for women in media, and this issue of Collegiette is a clear example of that. It cannot be stressed enough how many changes each HCAU member has gone through over the past two years, but whether in-person, virtually or a combination of both, this team has consistently produced incredible content on all platforms. That said, being back together and having the opportunity to work with each member more closely this past semester has been a true honor for me. In this Fall 2021 edition of Collegiette, you will find a collection of hard-hitting investigative stories, insights on women’s issues, political analyses, personal narratives and much more. We hope with each article, you gain a deeper understanding of why media organizations like Her Campus are more important than ever. Thank you to everyone on the HCAU team, to our supporters and to you, our reader.
HCXO, Peyton Bigora, Editor-in-Chief
M P U S AT
RICAN We are so excited to share with you our Fall 2021 issue of Collegiette! With the return to campus this semester, all of our writers faced new challenges and busy schedules, but that did not stop us from creating a beautiful magazine. We worked on our tightest timeline yet, but our writers and designers were still able to produce beautiful pieces of work and our best edition of Collegiette yet! I am excited for you to see this culmination of articles discussing everything from political issues to education and mental health to pop culture. I hope this issue allows you to explore relevant topics from new points of view, widening your perspective. I am so proud of all of the hard work and dedication that our writers and designers have put into this magazine. Happy reading! HCXO, Gabrielle Levy, Publishing Director
IN THIS ISSUE Women in Gaming Emma McDowall Now You Know: The Truth About the Montgomery Bus Boycott
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Gabrielle Levy
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Voting Rights in the Wake of the 2020 Election
Islamophobia in the American University Academic Community Amirah Ahmed
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Maya Larson
When Hype House Met Skincare Arusa Islam
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A Call for LGBTQ+ Classroom Inclusivity Peyton Bigora
What Has Growing Up Idolizing Toxic Relationships Done To Gen Z? Belle Evans
Navigating the “Girly Girl” Trope in Film: Female Agency or Sexism on Screen? Carson Grimm
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Gaslighting and Sexism in Medicine Sophie Ridlon
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29 Student Loan Forgiveness: The Program that all College Graduates Need, But Many Can’t Have Gianna Matassa
Violence Against Journalists in the Wake of Donald Trump Jordyn Habib
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37 Why Montgomery County’s 50% Rule Might Be Failing its Students
The Importance of Leisure: Are You Working to Live or Living to Work?
Riddhi Setty
Ellie Blanchard
53 Our Team
WOMEN IN GAMING
Emma McDowall TW: This article contains a discussion of sexual harassment and threats of violence. Many of us picked up new hobbies during the pandemic. For some, this new hobby was gaming. It became a connecting force in a quarantined world because people could interact safely online rather than in person. People became invested in gaming so much so that electric sports, or esport, viewership jumped by 83% during the pandemic.
During the 2020 season she was the only female player and ranked as the eighth best player in the world. In one match, Korean players accused Geguri of using an aim-bot because her click speed and accurate aim seemed inhuman. Eventually, Geguri played the same game under review to prove she wasn’t using an aim-bot.
Statistics show that women today make up 45% of gamers while in 2006 they only made up 38%. The identity of a gamer became male-dominated due to the once low numbers of girls interested in gaming.
Towards the end of her stream, she broke down in tears because of all the hate and threats she was receiving. She already receives undue hate as a woman in gaming, but when these top-tier male players accused her, the threats escalated to ones of death and rape as she was constantly under a barrage of harassment.
As a result of this male made stereotype, 59% of female gamers hide their identity online in fear of being harassed by the men playing these games. Similarly, 77% of women say they have been harassed solely because of their gender. Furthermore, 44% of women reveal that they have received unsolicited invitations of relationships. One of the largest issues in the gaming world is the lack of representation in the industry. According to The Game Haus, women make up only 5% of the professional esports scene. This figure is striking because according to DoteSports, women’s viewership makes up roughly 30% of total viewership.
Now she is a professional Twitch streamer. At a press conference, Geguri explained that “being an icon or being looked up to because I’m female — I’m grateful, but I don’t really have any thoughts about it. That’s not how I want to be known.” Geguri doesn’t want to be known as a gamer girl; she would rather be just a gamer.
If the gaming industry does not become more inclusive, it could fail to grow.
At a Professional Level At a professional level, there is an extreme lack of representation, and the women who do reach a professional level endure extreme amounts of hate and threats. One of the most popular female players in the esports world was 17-year-old Se-yeon “Geguri '' Lim who played for the Shanghai Dragons and professional Overwatch team.
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At a Casual Level Women who casually play video games are harassed and told to “go back to the kitchen” or demanded to “make me a sandwich.” Women often turn off their microphones, disguise themselves and use characters instead of profile pictures because they don’t want to be harassed— they just want to play the game.
Simi Singh Illustrations by Connaught Riley Doodles by Emily Stinneford Hannah Brown, a casual player of Valorant, said she won’t soloqueue or join a game with unknown players anymore because she has had so many incidents of harassment over her gender. Brown also said she hates being called a gamer girl because of the sexualization that comes with it. Annelise Kinseley explained that she gets anxious playing games out of fear that she will be called a “bitch” or “stupid.” Most people find gaming to be relaxing and a way to decompress after a hard day, however, when women are constantly harassed and intimidated, it becomes a daunting place. Madison Bohannan, a third-year computer science major at the University of California at Berkely explained that men usually “ask me if I play the healer role and typically assume I am of lower rank.”
For many this type of language is a deterrent in playing Overwatch because they constantly feel undermined. Bohannan explained that “I believe we need more girls on professional teams to inspire other girls to pursue careers in gaming, as well as to garner more respect from the male player perpetuating the sexist stereotypes.” Popular streamer Sunpi says that not a day goes by that she isn’t sexualized and harassed. She is continuously told to make an OnlyFans and to do porn to get more viewers. Sunpi will often find clips of herself on PornHub, doing nothing sexual besides playing games. She also receives threats of violence against her and her family while some men go as far as to stalk her in real life, trying to find out where she lives. Threat of rape, physical abuse and a persistent stream of hate are a constant for women in gaming. Twenty-eight percent of women say that they have been sexually harassed by fellow gamers, 40% say they have been verbally abused, 35% have said they have been sent inappropriate messages or content and 10% of female players received threats of rape. Moreover, The Independent reports that in a maledominated world, online harassment can easily transfer to real-life stalking and harassment.
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Gamergate
An Industry Overhaul
One of the most telling incidents in the gaming industry was Gamergate in 2014. Gamergate was a witch hunt for all the prominent women in the gaming industry. Many of the most outspoken and talented women in the industry in 2014 were targeted by men who threatened rape, violence and murder.
Misogyny is ingrained in the core of gaming culture. It has slowly improved from the days of Gamergate as more and more women take interest in gaming. Women often get qualified as “being good for a girl” or are accused of cheating because it is so unbelievable that they are this talented. The men in the industry need to start speaking out and speaking up for their fellow female gamers.
It all started when game developer Zoe Quinn’s exboyfriend, a gamer programmer, published a blog post about her and released private information on her after a nasty breakup. Quinn’s ex-boyfriend wrote entire blog posts about his and Quinn’s relationship painting her as a promiscuous liar and cheater. Quinn and her family were torn apart on the internet. Soon people found out where Quinn lived and would camp outside her apartment sending her pictures of herself or her apartment with threats of rape, violence and death. Quinn was forced into hiding. From this ignition point, Gamergate erupted into an argument of ethics when it came to games and how women are treated in the industry. Gamergate ended with no real change; it just highlighted the deep-seated misogyny in the industry.
June 2020 Reckoning In June, 2020, a collection of women in the gaming industry came out with allegations of sexual harassment from their fellow male gamers. However, most of the women who disclosed hid their identities for fear of a second Gamergate. Women gamers detailed how they were being pressured into drinking and then into sexual acts at industry parties and events, particularly by male bosses. Moreover, they were treated as scum when they declined their male coworkers’ advances.
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Beyond the individual, platforms that host gamers need to structure their systems to support victims and create safe places for women gamers to stream and create content without fearing threats and abuse. Gaming giants need to moderate and end the hate and abuse across their platforms. For there to be a change and growth in the industry, women need to feel welcome rather than face hatred and abuse.
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TWITCH.TV
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CriticalRole
$9,626,712.16
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xQcOW
$8,454,427.17
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summit1g
$5,847,541.17
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Tfue
$5,295,582.44
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$5,096,642.12
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EARNINGS ANALYSIS twitch.tv is a livestreaming platform owned by Amazon with a focus primarily on gaming and esports content. Founded in 2011, this site has grown exponetially since, especially over the pandemic, with 17 billion hours watched in 2020. In October 2021. the site had a massive data leak which exposed the payouts of the top 10,000 creators from August 2019 to October 2021. Despite the privacy risks this potentially exposed, it gives a good look at the clear gender disparity in video games and esports as a whole. Looking at the top 100 streamers, there is only three females present- making up a mere 3% of the top perfomers on the platform. Out of the three, only one regularly plays video games.
The first woman to appear on this list.
The second woman to appear on this list. Note- does not play video games on stream.
The third woman to appear on this list. Note- does not play videogames on stream.
Madison Renck
VOTING RIGHTS IN THE W 2020 ELECTION
WAKE OF THE
Maya Larson
Sydney Muench Illustrations by Lily Conti
Accusations of election fraud and tampering in the 2020 presidential election led by conservative activists brought national attention to proposed voting laws that claim to have the potential to make elections safer. Though deemed one of the “most secure [elections] in American history” by the Department of Homeland Security, the impacts of election tampering conspiracies have real-life consequences. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, between January and July, 2021, “at least 18 states enacted 30 laws that restrict access to the vote.” These laws are expected to mostly impact communities of color, who turned out in large numbers to the most recent presidential election. As a country, the United States has always prided itself on democracy. So why is it that voting, a symbol of democracy, is always under attack? American history is riddled with laws that aim to only empower elite communities while silencing the voices of marginalized groups, and voting legislation is no exception. The passage of the 14th and 15th Amendment, granting Black men and white women the right to vote, came with many strings attached. And it was not until the 1965 passage of the Civil Rights Act that the United States government decided it was unacceptable to discriminate or intimidate voters based on race.
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Even today, contemporary voting laws make it harder and harder for marginalized groups, many of which make up large portions of voting bases, to cast their votes.
The Fight in Georgia Georgia made headlines in June 2021 following a rise in activism over voting rights, especially for the protection of Black votes. Reminiscent of the original Freedom Riders of the 1960s, activists traveled from Mississippi to Washington D.C., urging President Joe Biden and Congress to defend their democratic right to vote. The summer protests were organized in response to a new election law that changed the process of mail-in voting and imposed stricter voter ID provisions that will likely make it difficult for many marginalized groups to cast their vote, according to CNN. Along with new absentee voting requirements, many individuals have voiced concerns over a provision of the law that allows any Georgian to challenge a voter or group of voters’ eligibility. Opponents of the law fear that this may allow groups to target specific populations and disenfranchise Black voters who make up over 50% of all Democratic voters in Georgia.
Sydney Muench
Texas’ Voting Restrictions A few states away from Georgia, the future of voting accessibility looks grim for Texans as the state expands some of the most restrictive voting laws in the country. According to the Texas Tribune, “Senate Bill 1” imposes certain restrictions to voting like “banning drive-thru voting, banning 24-hour voting, banning the distribution of mail-in ballot applications, enhancing poll watcher protections,” and others.
Studies of election data by county officials in Texas have shown that certain processes limited by this new law, such as the drivethru and overnight voting options, have been “particularly successful in reaching voters of color in the last election.” As a state with Republicans controlling the legislature, many constituents fear that these laws will target Black voters, who have historically voted for the Democratic presidential nominee.
A group of Democratic Texas lawmakers staged a public protest in an attempt to block the bill, refusing to attend a legislative session and instead made their way to Washington to voice their opposition to the proposed law. Despite public outcry and a series of testimonies from Texans opposing the bill, Republican lawmakers remained firm in their decision, shooting down any proposed Democratic amendments that tried to ease the restrictions of the law.
The Response In the wake of restrictive voting law rollouts, activists have sought out youth voices to help spread the message of the importance of voting accessibility. Former Georgia mayor Stacey Abrams, known for her voter mobilization efforts in her home state, encouraged young people to voice their concerns to local leaders in a campaign titled “Hot Call Summer.” Young people, especially college students, have historically been key contributors in different movements; during the
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Civil Rights era, students organized demonstrations like the famous Greensboro sit-ins and walk-outs protesting segregation in Chicago. In our own backyard, thousands of demonstrators gathered in Washington on the 58th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech to protest expansive and restrictive voting laws, particularly in states like Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Montana and Wyoming, NPR reports. Activists came from across the country, many of them students, in hopes of bringing attention to the impact these new laws can have on our right to vote. Though attempts to restrict the right to vote push forward, activists and organizers are determined to not go quietly into the night. With a generation of young people with fire under their feet working together with fellow activists, Republican lawmakers will have to face the criticism of communities that are willing to lobby and protect the rights of all citizens to vote. In the spirit of democracy, communities will continue to speak out and stand firm in their beliefs, not allowing their voices or their votes to remain under attack.
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Sydney Muench 9 | COLLEGIETTE
Sydney Muench
NOW YOU KNOW: The Truth About the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Gabrielle Levy
Illustrations by Noël Sedona James
The world has created a narrative of Rosa Parks – a quiet Black woman, tired from a day’s work. The truth is, Rosa Parks was not tired from a long day of work like many believe; instead, she was “tired of giving in.” When a white man came aboard, Rosa Parks refused to move from the center of the bus, a section she was permitted to sit in, citing the fact that she paid the same fare as the white man, and thus deserved to remain seated. The other three Black women sitting in the same section moved to stand in the back of the bus when asked, but Rosa Parks did not follow their example. Being an advocate for racial equity since her childhood, Rosa Parks had had enough. Although she is known by many as the one who incited the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Rosa Parks was not the first person to refuse to give up her seat to a white person.
Claudette Colvin was just fifteen years old when she refused to give up her seat on the bus, nine months before Rosa Parks did the same. Colvin was a young girl returning from school when she was asked to move to the back of the bus. One can imagine that this was not done politely, but either way, Colvin refused to move, citing the fact that she had paid her fare and had the right to a seat on the bus just like any other fare-paying passenger. As a result, she was forced off of the bus and arrested by police. That same month that Colvin was arrested, she had been learning about Black leaders in her segregated school. After hearing about all of the injustices people of color faced, she’d had enough and wanted things to change. NPR reports that “Colvin remembers the moment the jail door closed. It was just like a western movie.” The same things she was learning about in class were now happening to her. Now the question is, why is Claudette Colvin not the face of the Montgomery Bus Boycott? After all, as NPR tells us “in the same city [as Rosa Parks], in the same bus system, with very tough consequences, [Colvin was] hauled off the bus, handcuffed, jailed and nobody really knew about it.”
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According to Claudette Colvin, the NAACP felt that Rosa Parks should be the face of the movement as “she was an adult. They didn’t think teenagers would be reliable.” Rosa Parks better fit the profile of what a Black middle-class woman should look like, something that Claudette Colvin did not do. But why have we never heard of Claudette Colvin? After moving to New York City, the focus shifted towards Malcolm X and Black power, leading to Colvin never telling her story. As a result, her story is not well known and is overshadowed by that of Rosa Parks. Additionally, Colvin was pregnant out of wedlock as a teenager, something that was looked down upon at the time. "They said they didn't want to use a pregnant teenager because it would be controversial and the people would talk about the pregnancy more than the boycott," Colvin said in an interview. Colvin urges us to learn more about her,
because really, if [she] had not made the first cry for freedom, there wouldn't have been a Rosa Parks, and after Rosa Parks, there wouldn't have been a Dr. King.
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WHEN HYPE HOUSE MET SKINCARE Arusa Islam Renegade, dalgona coffee and The Ordinary. Do any of these ring a bell to you? At the beginning of quarantine, my TikTok for-you page was bombarded with videos of people making dalgona coffee and dancing to Renegade. During the summer of last year, while the whole country was quarantined, I decided to go to Ulta to look for a trending skincare product that has been all over TikTok: The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serum. After a while of looking around, I was unable to find the product and opted to ask a sales employee. She told me, “The product is sold out, I am so sorry.” I was disheartened but not shocked to hear that they had sold out of the product since it had gained mass popularity over a short period of time. Social media is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to the introduction of new trends. Since the pandemic began, TikTok has become a social media platform almost everyone turns to regarding what is trending in today's society, especially when it comes to skincare.
Influencers on social media have changed the game of the skincare industry by forming connections with their viewers and providing real reactions to products that the viewers are curious about. Recently, TikTok has become a social media platform, not only for members of The Hype House, but for brands like Curology and Glow Recipe, to promote products. TikTok’s platform has caught a lot of attention from the younger generation as well as many celebrities around the world. TikTok is a great marketing platform because it allows brands and influencers to create short video reviews on their products and skincare routines. Each day, “TikTok users spend an average of 52 minutes” on the app, according to The Newport Academy. With this being said, Tik Tok has completely changed the way that companies advertise their products to consumers. Glossy reports that skincare TikToks made by beauty influencers have risen by 39% and audience engagement saw a 164% spike from 2019 to 2020. Beauty influencers such as Bretman Rock, Hyram Yarbo and Mikayla Nogueira play a huge role in reviewing skincare products because they give honest opinions on what products are worth your budget. Brands such as CeraVe, The Ordinary and The InkyList have been recommended by these influencers, each with a large following. TikTok influencers have helped viewers develop healthier skincare habits by highlighting the importance of products that will nourish your skin and not damage it. Some examples of TikTok influencer-approved products are the CeraVe Hydratng Mineral Sunscreen and the C15 Super Booster Vitamin C serum by Paula’s Choice. Another example of a skincare product that has risen to popularity is the hydrocolloid acne patch.
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Simi Singh
Illustrations by Rozhina Amini In 2017, Founder Ju Rhyu of Hero Cosmetics came out with his own version called the Mighty Patch. Hero Cosmetics has since expanded to other patches including micropoint and daytime patches. The brand has seen 25% month-over-month sales growth since January 2020, according to Glossy.
Influencer Marketing Hub, as of July 2020, the "Beauty and Skincare" topic was the fourth trending category on TikTok with 33 billion views. The relation from skincare brand to influencer to viewer is heavily tied together because of social media. Brand influencers are using clever video editing such as split screens to show skin results before and after using the product. By creating videos that showcase real results, viewers have grown an appreciation for many skincare brands. Skincare remedies have been around for generations, passed down from word of mouth, literary works and magazines. Now, the best way to receive information about new skincare remedies is on social media platforms in the palm of your hand.
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Perhaps this comes as a result of a new enemy for teens and young adults, mask acne. Even though masks are an effective way of preventing COVID-19, constantly wearing them has shown adverse effects on one’s skin. Face masks increase the amount of moisture coming in contact with your skin. Keeping your face clean and healthy with the right skincare products can help with the amount of acne on your skin. Do me a favor and take a look at your own skincare products. Among your collection of face masks, serums, sunscreens and cleansers, which have you heard about from TikTok? TikTok is the new place for information and skincare fanatics and brands are all over it. In a report from
Simi Singh HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 14
Riley-Kate Pappas
Simi Singh
ISLAMOPHOBIA IN THE UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC
AMERICAN C COMMUNITY
Amirah Ahmed
Illustrations by Anika Kumar
Take a moment to think about the last time the topic of Islam arose in the academic environment you inhabit. Whether it was in an educational setting about the Middle East or South Asia or a rudimentary geography course, you can likely remember a time when Islam was a topic of discussion in academic dialogue. The world’s second-largest religion has verily had an impact on countless fields that we study as college students. However, many are unbeknownst to the underlying Islamophobia woven into their curriculum that negatively impacts Muslim students and faculty on a daily basis. Islamophobia is widely defined as a negative opposition or prejudice against Muslims or Islam. This phenomenon has a long history dating back to the first Muslims in North America that were often enslaved Africans. Widely perpetuated by the United States’ roots deeply laced in xenophobia and racism, Islam has been, and consistently remains portrayed, as incompatible with American values. This negative portrayal has led to state-policing of Muslim bodies and Islamic communities and institutions, especially in the years following the Sept. 11 attacks. The world of academia has not been spared from this looming threat to the Muslim identity. In a highly political academic atmosphere, like the one American University (AU) students experience, instances of Islamophobia within the classroom happen regularly and often remain without consequence. Dr. DeCuir, a professor in the School of Education, said that the first step towards dismantling Islamophobia’s spot in academia is “calling it out as racism.” She elaborated on her research supported by AU which examines Muslim students, specifically in spaces learning about 9/11. “[Calling it out as racism] allows anti-Muslim racism to be understood as an iteration of this big form of racism and then the solutions which we are dismantling antiBlack racism with systemically, can be the same solutions
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that we use to dismantle anti-Muslim racism,” DeCuir said in an interview. Emphasis on intersectionality is crucial to understanding Islamophobia and the implications of unpieceing its origins. “I think that also includes validating its existence.” Many Muslim AU students resonate with feeling invalidated when coming to terms with their lived realities. Education student, Qudsia Saeed, relayed her experiences as an incoming freshman last year. Saeed spoke about attending an honors program event intended to educate about Islamic art. Saeed recounted feeling shocked and then uncomfortable as she listened to the non-Muslim facilitator, Jeanne Allen, present misleading information about her faith. After confronting AU authority figures about the blatant disrespect and misinformation the event allowed, her concerns were “brushed under the rug.” Similarly, former Muslim Student Association co-president and current E-Board member, Kiran Waqar, described some of the struggles she’s witnessed at the institutional level. Lack of support for AU’s Muslim students manifests in the neglect of communal prayer spaces in American University’s Kay Spiritual Life Center, flagrant disregard for major religious holidays and various other shortfallings. Waqar spoke of the collective Muslim experience in classroom settings at a predominantly white institution. “You feel it and you see it in the curriculum, and the way the students and professors talk that Muslims are very much seen as the other, as the threat, and something that needs to be managed.” She recalled being told by a professor that, “Islamic feminism is an oxymoron,” further perpetuating the misogynistic lens Muslim women are forced to fit in an overwhelming majority of AU curriculums.
When asked about what she believes should be done both at the authoritative and student level to combat Islamophobia within AU’s classrooms and on campus, Naeemah Raqib emphasized the need for a “widespread mindset shift as an institution.” Raqib recently joined the AU community and reflected on feeling as if the university is “never doing enough” to fulfill its responsibility to make all students feel safe in their identities. Her observation reflects a shared exhaustion amongst members of AU’s Muslim community that find themselves confronted with the ugly face of Islamophobia as a part of their everyday experiences. During the interview, she elaborated on a long-time hope of hers: confronting Islamophobia head on. She laid out a scene imagined along the well-known AU Main Quad, suggesting students stage a silent protest by lining the common area with interpretive art pieces in direct protest of the gross injustices Muslim students have encountered on campus. In other words, she urged students to “hit the nail on the head” in resisting the post-9/11 perception of their identities ingrained in the foundations of academia. “Use this form of protest to call out the exact professors, call out the class, the day and your feelings at that moment.” Raqib’s call for action is only an echo of the AU Muslim community’s long-ignored rallying cry for change, a cry that must be intersectional, intentional and an embodiment of the institution’s alleged commitment to inclusivity.
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Riley-Kate Pappas
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A CALL FOR LGBTQ+ CLASSROOM INCLUSIVITY
Peyton Bigora Illustrations by Noël Sedona James “I had a little bit of trouble understanding how I fit in, where my identity lay,” Will Beckerman, an 18-year-old transgender man and recent DCPS graduate said, “which certainly played into a lot of my role in high school with my GSA [Gay Straight Alliance] and why I put such emphasis on the importance of creating a safe space in school.”
And while 39 states as well as the District of Columbia require same sex and/or HIV education, only six states necessitate LGBTQ+ inclusive education in all core curriculums. Beckerman’s resolution won backing over the summer from Rep. Allister Chang of Ward 2 and Rep. Jessica Sutter of Ward 6, who introduced the measure at the State Board of Education working meeting in early October. The purpose of this working meeting was to give the board the opportunity to comment on or request changes to the resolution.
This emphasis on making safe spaces manifested into a senior year capstone project, then a bill and finally a resolution. A resolution that was approved unanimously by Washington, “We know for students to fully learn and D.C.’s State Board of Education in show up in the classroom, they need to October of this year. feel included, to be seen, to be safe, to “The goal of this [resolution],” feel safe,” President of the State Board of Beckerman said at the State Board’s Education Zachary Parker said, echoing working meeting in October, “would the viewpoints of the board at the be to make sure that students see working meeting. “I’m looking forward to themselves represented in their education voting for it at our public meeting.” throughout different subjects.” Despite unanimous support for the According to the 2019 District of State Board of Education Resolution On Columbia Youth Risk Behavior LGBTQ+ Inclusive Education Standards Survey, 15.9% of District students at the public meeting later that month, identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual, the board’s approval does not guarantee with an additional 1.9% identifying as changes will be made to the District’s transgender. These students experience education system. twice the amount of bullying, mental health issues and disciplinary problems “Once the resolution is adopted by the State Board, it becomes a as their heterosexual peers. recommendation or advisory to the State
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Superintendent,” John-Paul Hayworth, the executive director of the State Board of Education, explained in a phone interview prior to the meetings. “The State Board does not have authority to implement policy.”
Now in a more welcoming city, she strives to bring inclusivity to her third-grade classroom. She said she feels supported by DCPS but acknowledges there is no official forum that would unify districts' approach on LGBTQ+ topics.
Many District of Columbia Public School educators are ready to see a more inclusive educational program and dialogue in the District’s education system.
name and pronouns, and mandatory diversity training related to the LGBTQ+ community.” Proponents say this would equip educators with the knowledge needed to establish a welcoming classroom space.
Alexander has experienced third graders coming out to her and expressing confusion about what “gay” is. As an educator, the In other words, Hayworth said, pressure falls on her to create safe spaces for these students resolutions of this nature are not binding, without institutional support. and the State Board’s only position of Alexander believes the resolution will allow students and faculty authority is to approve the standards of to “have these conversations and start grappling with these education that curriculums are required contents and life lessons and experiences at an earlier age.” to meet, making it unclear when or how these changes for inclusion will be The resolution makes efforts of “ensuring LGBTQ+ students’ officially enforced. safety and confidentiality while maintaining respect for their
Ninth grade English Language Arts t\ Teacher Ruben Caveren was not initially aware of the State Board’s resolution, but he recognizes the disadvantages LGBTQ+ students face in schools and classrooms that do not practice inclusive teaching. He explained that a school’s demographic can be almost entirely Black, Latino or white, or it might cater to a student body of one unanimous faith. However, this is not the case for LGBTQ+ students as they are integrated into every type of school system, whether it provides representation for them or not. “For DCPS, in particular, to live up to its reputation of being about equity and social justice, it would have to include LGBTQ+ curriculum,” Caveren said.
The impact that I would like to see is students being educated on the topic in the safe haven space of a school,” said Alexander, “which would trickle down into just understanding and learning what respect looks like.
Students are not the only ones who will benefit from the change the State Board’s resolution is pushing forward. Jacquie Alexander, a DCPS elementary teacher, came out to her coworkers in 2013 while teaching in Ohio. The negative reactions she received and lack of legislative protection for her ultimately influenced her move to Washington where her partner, and now wife, was living and teaching.
Simi Singh HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 22
WHAT HAS GROWING UP IDOLIZING TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS DONE TO GEN Z? Belle Evans Illustrations by Sarah Golder Growing up with streaming services meant Generation Z has had a wide range of options for what to watch at any given time. But some of today’s most widely loved shows have viewers rooting for a couple with extremely toxic tendencies. And while there are different definitions of toxic relationships, the general idea is that a toxic relationship is one that lacks communication and does not hold both partners as equals. An example of a toxic relationship fans tend to root for comes from the series "After." This franchise originated as a fanfiction on Wattpad, but has since become a series of novels and movies. Rebecca*, a student at American University, reflects on the first time she encountered the franchise, as a fanfiction online. “I read "After" for the first time when I was 12-yearsold and I was entirely hooked on the story. The image of the bad boy with a dark past and soft side, being extremely in love with Tessa, the innocent good girl, to the point that he will do anything for her, drove me crazy. I did not see an issue with the overly obsessed, borderline psychopathic relationship that this couple portrayed to someone so young and impressionable.” Another show popular among Gen Z with an extremely problematic relationship is Pretty Little Liars, which featured a relationship between a high school student and her teacher, who are portrayed as star crossed lovers. Sara*, age 20, said, “I used to ship them so hard because I was 15 and thought it was totally normal.” Unfortunately, "After" and "Pretty Little Liars" are far from the only media with an “epic love story” involving a controlling, manipulative male and a female who constantly bent her own morals to accept her unstable boyfriend’s behavior.
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Sara weighs in on why she believes toxic on-screen relationships are so common. “I think with movies and shows, the relationships tend to be unhealthy because that’s where a lot of the drama comes into play and allows people to be more intrigued by the relationship. Any really popular couple in TV and movies is toxic to some degree.” Seeing this type of relationship as romantic so often on television has conditioned many to believe there is nothing wrong with excessive jealousy or possessiveness. Rebecca mentions how she often likes a fictional male character with many negative attributes. “I watch movies where these men who are supposed to be the main guy, the dreamboat, are overly toxic and borderline aggressive and will catch myself swooning over them.” As we find ourselves in an era of binge-watching many of these shows, the extent of the impact of these overglorified toxic relationships remains unknown. With people dissecting these relationships on social media and discussing their manipulative and abusive tendencies, many are urging TV networks and streaming services to portray more healthy relationships.
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You have healthy and respected boundaries with your partner and are able to balance time together and time apart.
You mutually trust and support each other as equal participants in the relationship.
You are able to freely communicate with your partner without any anxiety or fear.
You can discuss and resolve conflicts in a productive way that progresses your relationship. You feel comfortable having fun and being yourself!
Noël Sedona James
NAVIGATING THE “GIRLY TROPE IN FILM:
Female Agency or Sexism
LY GIRL”
m on Screen?
Carson Grimm
Riley-Kate Pappas Illustrations by Rozhina Amini
The phrases “ugh, as if!” or “get in loser, we’re going shopping” ring iconically as a result of the volume of people who quote these movie lines and recognize the “alpha females” that say them. Cher Horowitz in "Clueless", Regina George in "Mean Girls", Elle Woods in "Legally Blonde", Claire Standish in "The Breakfast Club". The blonde, clad in hot pink, girly girl has long been a common trope in film, dating back to the 1953 film starring Marilyn Monroe, "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". However, this ultra-feminized depiction of young women in film finds itself in a complicated situation: is it a symbol of female empowerment or is it sexism on screen? Most movies seem to have one character that is hyper feminized. They wear lots of pink, are usually blonde, love to shop and talk about boys all the time. Sometimes, like Sharpay in "High School Musical" or Jessica in "Twilight", these side characters have little purpose besides posing a direct threat to the female protagonist by trying to steal the boy she’s interested in or to serve as a mean girl that bullies her.
This introduces the notion that the pretty, popular girly-girl is also a signifier of being upper class, a classist rhetoric that depicts the white, blonde females as the richest individuals in the films. They may put others down for not having the same type of money, like Regina George does in "Mean Girls". However, in other cases, like "The Breakfast Club", the class differences depicted lead to the main message of the movie and put an end to the perpetuation of stereotypes regarding class and cliques. The airhead, once again commonly seen in conjunction with other forms of the girly-girl, is a bubbly female character who others perceive as nothing but a pretty face. This is seen in its truest form through Karen Smith in "Mean Girls" or Cher in "Clueless", but it is also assumed upon characters based on their looks as well, like Elle Woods in "Legally Blonde". Thus, from these common forms of the girly-girl in film, the trope creates two opposing sides of how these characters are portrayed and can be interpreted: a demonization of ultrafemininity or young women in power, breaking norms.
But some films focus on these exact female “girly-girls,” who usually take on three main forms. First is the mean girl, most common in this girly-girl context. These characters live to put others down and remain in the role of alpha female. The rich girl often intersects with the mean girl, but may take form on its own as well. Examples of this include Cher Horowitz in "Clueless" and Claire Standish in "The Breakfast Club".
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When females are portrayed in film, they are often portrayed in an overly feminine way that allows them to put other females down and demonize the idea of overfeminization. But some films have been able to take that portrayal and turn it around, showing how even the girliest of girls can hold others up, as well as prove any preconceived stereotypical notions about women wrong. Women in Hollywood play an important role here, as female directors highlight the female gaze instead of the male gaze, shifting the portrayal of girly-girls in a positive, empowering direction.
So does the girly-girl trope finally cater to the female gaze, or does it just serve to Hollywood’s trend of sexism on screen? Although in its simplest form, this argument can be dependent on each individual movie and how they take on the idea of the girly-girl, it truly comes down to the male gaze and the perpetuation of negative female stereotypes.
The ultra-feminization of women in film is a trend that may be rooted in misogyny, but is being taken over by female lenses to push forth an agenda of empowerment, and it’s a move in the right direction.
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“The way women are depicted on screen as this perfect, blonde, bubbly, Regina George type character is simply the male gaze,” American University film student Maeve Evanovich said in an interview. She continued, “It’s not that the characters don’t end up being strong because, through the male gaze, women are always portrayed in a way that men will find attractive.” Molly Ringwald, who played Claire in "The Breakfast Club", once revealed in an interview how Director John Hughes gave her little say in her portrayal as Claire, even when it came to things she was uncomfortable with as a minor. Today’s women in Hollywood play an important role as female directors continue to bring forth the female gaze instead of the male gaze, shifting the portrayal of girly-girls in a positive, empowering direction.
Riley-Kate Pappas
"Legally Blonde" is an interesting case as this movie seems to use the girly-girl trope to both reinforce and abolish female stereotypes Main character Elle Woods goes to Harvard Law School to try and win her boyfriend back, but in the process overcomes the judgment of others who claim she wouldn’t be able to make it. Often painted as a stereotype-crushing “girl boss,” this movie only allows Elle to succeed through stereotypical female attributes—perm maintenance, fashion trends and getting a guy’s attention. Yet, Elle becomes a girly-girl hero that successfully stomps out any negative stereotypes about women.
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STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS: The Program that all College Graduates Need, But Many Can’t Have Gianna Matassa When students enter college, they are most likely unable to pay for their entire tuition amount. For these students, they must take out student loans to further their education. Each year, starting senior year of high school, students have to fill out a Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to receive financial aid from the government as well as receive student loans. After they have completed the FAFSA, which includes a student’s personal information, their parent’s information and their tax returns, their application is reviewed and their loan eligibility is determined.
In recent years the government has created a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to ease the burden of student loans. According to Forbes, this program wipes out student loan debt for those who are government or nonprofit sector employees after they have made 120 payments on their student loans.
If a student qualifies for student loans, they are awarded direct student loans such as unsubsidized or subsidized loans. An unsubsidized loan collects interest through college, while a subsidized loan doesn’t collect interest while students are enrolled in college at least part-time. Parents are also given the option to apply for the Parent PLUS Loan to pay for their child’s finances in college such as tuition, room and board, etc. After a student graduates from college, they have a sixmonth grace period before they have to start paying back their loans. According to US News and World Report, the average college student graduates with $30,000 of debt, which is a $5,000 increase from five years ago.
Riley-Kate Pappas
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Riley-Kate Pappas Illustrations by Yutong Deng These payments must be made on direct student loans in order to qualify for PSLF, and any previous payments made under any repayment plan can be counted towards PSLF as well. This program could ultimately benefit around 600,000 borrowers, according to the Department of Education.
The downfall of this program, however, is that Parent PLUS Loans are not applicable to the program, which is typically the biggest loan taken out for college students. Traditionally, many graduates will take over paying back this loan once they are financially stable enough to do so.
But there are currently a significant number of borrowers who will be left out of the PSLF program. Parent PLUS Loans, spousal FFEL consolidation loans and private college student loans are not considered direct loans, therefore they are not applicable to the PSLF. Payments made prior to 2007 and borrowers who have already completed their payments are excluded from the PSLF program as well.
There is hope that this program will improve over time and become more inclusive, however, there is no guarantee that this program will continue after the Biden administration.
While there is hope by many that the Biden administration will continue to reform the PSLF, there is a high chance that there won’t be any reformation for a while.
This problem is ignored by many college students who do not need to take out loans, but for the sake of their fellow peers there needs to be more advocating for student loan forgiveness, especially considering that no one knows what the future holds for our economy.
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So, what does this mean for the rest of Americans? Currently, student loan forgiveness is tax-free through 2025 due to the $1.3 trillion federal Coronavirus Stimulus Package passed in March 2021, according to CNBC. Many Americans have been concerned about the effect that this program will have on the economy, but due to the pandemic, this program will only help, according to research conducted by the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College.
Riley-Kate Pappas
HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 30
Riley-Kate Pappas
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Answers: 1A, 2A
! z i u Q p Po Do you know how many Americans have student loan debt?
A B C D
43,000,000 26,000,000 58,000,000 18,000,000
The total federal student loan borrowed is _____?
A B C D
42.9 million 59.2 Million 28.7 million 19.3 million
Yutong Deng
What steps can you take to tackle your student loans? Write it down!
GASLIGHTING AND SEX
XISM IN MEDICINE
Sophie Ridlon
Illustrations by Yutong Deng
Women are often told their pain is all in their head, they’re just stressed or they’re about to get their period, but it all stems from sexism and gaslighting. This topic is personal to me. At the age of 18, I was diagnosed with two chronic conditions that I have lived with my whole life. I had gone to my doctor over and over again telling her that something was wrong. I had been passing out seemingly randomly to the point where some days it was hard for me to function. My doctor had a multitude of explanations saying that I had an iron deficiency, some sort of virus or I was just stressed. None of this was true, and I tried to assure her that there was no way I could be stressed making cupcakes or getting my prom dress hemmed, but she insisted that this was the answer. It wasn’t until the summer before my freshman year of college that my mom insisted we get some answers. As soon as I listed my symptoms to a cardiologist, he knew exactly what it was and was shocked I hadn’t been diagnosed sooner. I had textbook symptoms that were ignored for most, if not all, of my life. Unfortunately, my story is not uncommon.
Gaslighting is a form of manipulation that forces someone to question their reality, especially in relationships with a power dynamic. In the medical world, this power dynamic is twofold. First, the doctor-patient relationship is inherently unequal. The doctor is the expert in this situation and most people surrender to their doctor’s knowledge. The second piece is
that the majority of doctors are men. Based on society’s ideas of who is more powerful in the world, if the patient identifies as a woman, she might feel she is less than her male doctor. As stated in Frontiers: A Journal of Women’s Studies, “Dependence on doctors also eliminates the woman’s own desires and needs from decision-making about her care… Lack of information about their bodies, plus the dependent, fearful relationship with their physicians, make it difficult for women to find out what is really wrong with them physically and what methods of treatment are possible.” Gaslighting isn’t always intentional or malicious and the gaslighter might not even realize they’re doing it, but that doesn’t make it any less harmful. Dr. Jennifer Hermina Mieres said, “A triage nurse may not deliberately tell a woman who comes to the ER complaining of chest pain that it’s all in her head, but she may notice that she’s very anxious and subconsciously make that assumption.” In the medical world, there has been a long-held belief that women are making up their symptoms. In the 18th and 19th centuries, female hysteria was one of the most common diagnoses. In 1748, French physician Joseph Raulin described hysteria as a condition that can be passed through the air, and even though men and women can contract it, women were more likely to get diagnosed “because of their lazy and irritable nature.” Although female hysteria is not a very common diagnosis anymore, doctors still hold onto the idea that a woman’s symptoms might be in her head.
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We see these direct effects exemplified in a study published in Academic Emergency Medicine. This study found that women who went to the emergency room for severe stomach pain had to wait 33% longer than men complaining of the same symptoms. Women are also more likely to be prescribed sedatives for pain rather than pain relief. A Johns Hopkins study found that women are 30% more likely than men to be misdiagnosed in the emergency room when they were having a stroke. Beyond just women being hysterical as a reason for them to go undiagnosed, many conditions are only studied on people with a male reproductive system. People with a female reproductive system are seven times more likely to be misdiagnosed and discharged from the hospital in the middle of a heart attack. As I said, this isn’t just me. My mother almost died when she was pregnant with my younger brother. She told doctors she didn’t feel well and insisted something was wrong. They told her that it was flu season, she was chasing after a toddler and was just tired. Turns out she had a life-threatening condition and her organs started shutting down before she went to the hospital again.
Breaking down the cycle of medical gaslighting requires two things, with the first being self-advocacy. Unfortunately, society is not at a place where people can trust their doctors. Until we can trust them, we need to advocate for ourselves because, after all, we know our own bodies best. The harsh reality is that many doctors might not believe us when we think something is wrong. ‘No’ is not an acceptable answer. We need to keep telling them, and they need to listen. It’s okay to switch doctors. The most important thing is our health and we deserve to get care from someone who believes us.
The only reason my mother survived was because a nurse recognized her symptoms and told her that they needed to get the baby out immediately. One of my best friends was diagnosed with Endometriosis after suffering from extremely painful period cramps for years. She told me she had just assumed this was how everyone experienced their periods, especially after doctors told her she had no tolerance for pain. “Once I had the surgery to get diagnosed I cried. I didn’t cry because I had Endometriosis. I cried because it confirmed that I wasn’t crazy and that periods weren’t supposed to be like this.”
Next is to share stories. This is hugely important as it can feel very isolating to not be believed. Being constantly told that nothing is wrong does make you second guess your reality. Even if you do receive a diagnosis, living with a condition can feel very isolating and knowing you’re not alone can make a world of difference. We are far beyond female hysteria to be living this way. People are dying and it’s time we actually do something about it.
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WHY MONTGOMERY COUNTY’S 50% RULE MIGHT BE FAILING ITS STUDENTS
Riddhi Setty
Illustrations by Simi Singh Sarah Golder At the beginning of every class, Kennedy High School Honors Algebra Teacher Mercy Griffith asks her class a survey question. Recently, when she asked her students what their favorite and least favorite things about school were, their responses shocked her.
Referring to the 50% rule, Kennedy Algebra Teacher Danielle Gardener said, “It was sold to me as the reasoning behind it was to avoid having a student ever be so far away from passing that they, you know, they give up, which I think everyone can be sympathetic with.”
“So many people said I hate everything about school. I hate learning. I hate coming to class. I hate this class.” Griffith said, “The attitude is honestly very disheartening. I've never seen anything like it.”
Gardner says that in practice, however, the rule actually serves to demotivate students. Giving the example of a board game, Gardner says, “If you think of a good board game or any kind of like Monopoly or any timeline, or mechanisms in place to make the game go faster, but they're also like, balanced with
Griffith attributes a large part of her students’ attitude to Montgomery County Public School’s 50% grading policy. With this policy, teachers are required to give students a minimum of 50% on all assignments, regardless of the student’s performance. According to Griffith, the difference in students’ motivation since the change in the grading system is “night and day.” She added, “Granted, there was a global pandemic which also might be affecting the way that students are participating that had a year of online school. However, I've had many students this year come up to me and say, ‘Well, I'm not going to do the homework because I get a 50 on it anyway.’ ”
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mechanisms to make it so that nobody can run away with it.” She explained that with the grading policy, students know that they are going to “win” so to speak and therefore do not feel compelled to put in additional effort. According to Walt Whitman High School’s College Counselor Ann Hutchens, the shift from high school to college can be a rough adjustment for students. The biggest hurdle that these students face is being able to switch gears and understand that unlike high school, their papers may have strict deadlines and “The new rule really harms students because you have given they will have exams that they cannot redo. students more of a reason to be less engaged in academics According to Hutchens, another big issue is “the fact that and you're putting more of a focus on how the school itself is MCPS did away with final exams.” She explained, “Not appearing grade wise,” said Lockhart. all students go prepared to understand how to take a final “My coworkers and I refer to it as learned helplessness,” says exam, like what that studying looks like and what that Griffith. “They will not pay attention during the lesson. note taking looks like.” And they'll just be on their phone or they'll be asleep. And Desireé Lockhart, a current junior at the University of North then later when it comes to practice problems, they'll just be Carolina at Chapel Hill and former high school student in like ‘Can you can you tell me what to do? Can you explain the Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) system, it?’And I think there isn't any motivation. There's not as agrees with Hutchens. She says that for many of her friends, much pride in their work.” even those in community colleges for whom the transition from high school to college was meant to be a little easier, there was a real struggle to meet the academic demands of the colleges that they were in.
Sarah Golder HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 38
Rita Mortellaro, who teaches college level English to dual enrolled students in the Montgomery County Public School system echoes Griffith’s sentiments and says that, “The 50% rule is kind of like putting a Band-Aid on a big problem.” Mortellaro has both noticed and been frustrated by a lack of motivation among her students to get their assignments done, an issue that she attributes to both the onslaught of a global pandemic and the MCPS grading system. Her top concern is that “we're not gonna be able to get back to a higher standard of education, because once you let stuff slip it's really hard to get it back.” American University School of Education Professor Jamie Zindler, a parent to two boys that have been through the Montgomery County Public School system, shares Mortellaro’s concern. Though Zindler’s younger son, now a freshman in high school, is an enthusiastic proponent of the 50% rule, Zindler is strongly opposed.
Sarah Golder
Zindler fears that the rule has the potential to create a false ego boost for students that can be harmful for their education and motivation to learn. Given the choice, she would rather her sons be given a 20% if that is what they would have scored on a test or assignment without the rule, as opposed to the 50% they would get with it. “ I feel like if it's going to be reflective of their actual either ability or effort then that's what they deserve,” said Zindler. As it stands now, several educators and parents alike are frustrated with the rule and its impact on students. Mortellaro proposes a grading system where the 50% rule continues so that students do not fail but adds that “as educators, we need to look at the other side of it and say okay but our student really got a 20,” and suggests that teachers adjust their lesson plans or re-teach certain subjects accordingly. “I don’t think it really benefits anyone to just not fail,” said Mortellaro firmly.
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Sarah Golder Madison Renck
VIOLENCE AGAINST JOU THE WAKE OF DONALD
URNALISTS IN D TRUMP
Jordyn Habib
Jordyn RiddhiHabib Setty Grace Nowak Doodles bybyRozhina Amini Illustrations Anika Kumar
Journalism is a dying career. This is a shared sentiment. Many journalism students, like myself, are familiar with hearing this sentiment from friends and family. Even my mother, who used to work for The Washington Post, claims that this is the reality. This was indeed the reality even before the election of Donald Trump. Small papers across the country are publishing their last pieces and closing up shop. According to data from UNC’s Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media, over 65 million Americans live in a county with only one local newspaper or no paper at all.
Donald Trump and his administration made journalists the enemy, citing their dishonesty as the culprit to corruption in our nation. The president weaponized his Twitter account to exclaim these sentiments, once tweeting, “Our Country’s biggest enemy is the Fake News so easily promulgated by fools!” His attacks went far beyond Twitter; in the press, the former president would berate journalists.
“Fake News”
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, he repeatedly told CBS reporter Weijia Jiang to “keep her voice down” and “relax.” There are also countless examples of him telling reporters to “just sit down” when he seemingly did not like their questions.
The increased negative rhetoric surrounding news during the Trump administration severely harmed an already struggling industry.
Beyond verbal attacks, his administration would often block major news outlets from being in press briefings and, most notably, his
secretary of state chose to travel to Asia without a press corps, which is quite rare in the nation’s history. It is important to note that President Trump is not the first president to wage attacks on journalists, he is simply the most vocal one. President Bush also had a shaky relationship with the press, often maintaining the view that many were biased and holding much less frequent press conferences than his predecessors. This is most certainly not solely a party issue, as President Obama was often accused of blocking Fox News from interviews.
Jordyn Habib
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Violent Words Turn to Violent Acts According to a Gallup poll, the American public’s trust in media dropped down to 32% in 2016 when it was steadily at the 40% range for the previous three years. However, the level of distrust is often determined by the party, as Republicans dropped from 32% to just 14% in 2016. Democrats' views have remained relatively the same and their trust has even increased in recent years. A clear correlation can be drawn between the rise of President Trump and a distrust in the media, particularly amongst his party. Beyond public opinion, negative rhetoric towards journalists has manifested into an increase in physical attacks and violence. According to the US Press Freedom Tracker created by the Committee to Protect Journalists, 300 journalists were assaulted in 2020, most of them following the height of the Black Lives Matter protests. The Reporters Committee also found that journalists faced 15 times as many arrests as the previous year.
Jordyn Habib
The Jan. 6 riot was perhaps the most blatant show of violence among many of former President Trump’s supporters with the words “Murder the Media” etched into the doors of the United States Capitol building. Hours before, President Trump encouraged the men who wrote this phrase to “fight like hell.”
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Annapolis, Maryland— An Example of What Can Occur The most violent attack against journalists in recent US history occurred in Annapolis, Maryland— my hometown. The Capital Gazette serves as the local paper for my town, aptly titled for being based in the capital of Maryland. The Gazette is the epitome of a local paper, reporting on almost all local sports games, detailing corn mazes and pumpkin patches in the area as well as discussing city council bills. As an Annapolis resident, I find myself often browsing the paper for the local news or surveying the articles for mentions of my friends’ latest athletic or academic achievements. This is why in 2018, I vividly remember turning on the news in my hotel room on vacation and seeing the headline “Shooting in Annapolis, Maryland.” Not much happens in Annapolis, it has always felt like a small town despite the upwards of 30,000 residents. Everyone knows everyone. This made the headline all the more frightening. On June 28, 2018, a man walked into the Capital Gazette newsroom with a shotgun and murdered five journalists: Rob Hiaasen, Gerald Fischman, John McNamara, Wendi Winters and Rebeca Smith. The motive of the shooter was disdain for an article written about charges he acquired for stalking and harassment. His war against the Gazette started in 2012 when he filed a defamation lawsuit against the author of the article as well the editor, the publisher and the paper itself. He did not win the case as the judge wrote he failed “to come close to alleging a case of defamation.” The shooter also had a Twitter account that included photos of the journalist and publisher as well as alluded to a mass shooting of journalists.
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Tom Marquardt, the publisher at the time, knew this man was a threat to the paper and even reported him to the Anne Arundel County Police Department who stated they could not arrest him. Marquardt even said that he remembered telling their attorneys that “this is a guy who is going to come in and shoot us.” Five years later, Marquardt's words devastatingly came true. What prompted the shooter to go into 888 Bestgate Rd. five years later is unknown. However, his act unquestionably came along at a time where journalists were increasingly being threatened. The Capital Gazette shooting, the only mass shooting to ever occur in my hometown, marked an age against violence against the media.
Hope for Journalism Majors Freedom of the press is arguably one of the most important rights for American citizens and it is what separates us from many other nations that do not enjoy such freedoms. The death of journalism could mean the death of democracy. It is imperative that all news outlets, big and small, are protected. Despite all that has worked against journalism in recent years, the fight for freedom of the press continues. Committees and societies have been created solely to protect journalists. Plenty of colleges are filled with aspiring journalists regardless of their families’ potential dismay. Without journalists the US would severely lack in documentation and news free of censorship. Access to information is extremely important to promote a fair democracy where informed citizens vote for the best leader to represent them. A disappearance of journalism would cause a lack of political involvement and education. Journalism may change, but it will never die.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF LEISURE: Are You Working to Live or Living to Work? Ellie Blanchard
American culture has a tendency to worship the hustlers. Beth Scott, a sophomore at American, describes college as We invest 100% of ourselves into either our schoolwork or “a never-ending cycle of tiredness, unproductivity and then our career, striving to be praised for our work ethic. This feeling bad that [she’s] not getting work done.” begs the question: is working so much that we miss meals or Ginger Knight, also a sophomore at American, adds, “There sleep really helping us to get ahead? is always work I can be doing, whether that is assignments, In reality, there is a limit to the attitude “just work harder.” studying for midterms or finals, looking ahead in my classes Whether it manifests as exhaustion, anxiety, mood swings, or finding classes for the following semester.” anger, apathy or sickness, the body eventually needs to On top of the demands of a full course load, many college compensate for overworking. students must work jobs to earn money for living expenses, Professor Kimberly R. Ross of American University’s join and lead clubs to make their resumes stand out and literature department speaks to the consequences of apply for internships to be competitive in the job market exhaustion. “I notice that I am not motivated to do upon graduation. anything when I am overtired, and depression can set in at According to Scott, “College, especially American, has times,” she said. “I am also cognitively deficient- forgetful, a culture that makes you feel unproductive if you and I lack concentration.” aren’t constantly doing something that will benefit you Despite feeling the consequences of overworking, academically or career-wise.” Americans find it difficult to escape this cycle. College Living in a society that glorifies work and demands busyness students in particular know how difficult it is to balance responsibilities and manage the pressure of building a strong can make it difficult to imagine escaping the consequences of exhaustion. However, training ourselves to have a healthy foundation for the future. relationship with leisure can make a world of difference. According to Alison Link, who works with at-risk populations to develop healthy leisure habits, leisure is less about a specific activity and more about a state of mind. Leisure can be artistic, physical, intellectual, social or spiritual, as long as the endeavor results in feeling free, present and integrated into a community. Link goes on to say that a good relationship with leisure can reduce stress, increase tolerance and understanding and enhance decision-making skills. In fact, taking breaks from work can actually increase an individual’s productivity.
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Illustrations by Connaught Riley A Microsoft subsidiary in Japan tested this theory in August 2019. As part of the “Work-Life Choice Challenge” summer project, they implemented a four-day workweek, closing their doors every Friday of that month.
reserve one day a week to engage in self-care instead of work tasks. Since there is always work to be done, it takes selfcontrol and understanding the value of leisure to stick to a regular pattern of breaks.
Full-time employees were given paid leave during closures. Additionally, meetings were limited by a thirty-minute cap, and virtual communication was encouraged when in-person meetings were unnecessary.
Professor Ross acknowledges that “there are times when I literally have to say, ‘it’s 5 p.m. and I’m not doing anything else today.’ I have been adamant that I will enjoy at least one day of my weekend as a work-free day… I have to set up constant reminders to establish these boundaries because if I don’t, I will work all the time.” Although it is sometimes impossible to reduce the tasks we are assigned, the goal is to find balance across different priorities. Professor Terra Gargano of American’s School of International Service explains what this looked like for her. “Within the last two years, I gave up some administrative duties because I needed more work-life balance. We are all a
At the end of the project, Microsoft found that productivity had jumped by 40% under the four-day work week. Not many push back against the notion that leisure is beneficial, but it can take effort and self-discipline to integrate it into your life, especially if you are used to the toxic attitude of idealizing the workaholic ingrained in you. The good news is that leisure is not measured by the longevity of the activity, but rather by the meaning a person gives to it. That means that you can begin to reap the benefits of leisure by building even just 20 minutes a day into your schedule. Some people prefer to use their lunch break to take a walk, read a book and get away from screens, while others try to
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work in progress and that balance might look different for each of us, but I think most of us recognize when something needs to change. Often the challenge is figuring out how to make a change and envisioning what it could look like.” To Professor Gargano’s point, the ideal implementation of balance and leisure is subjective. The goal is to pay attention to signs that your body and mind need a break and to determine what activities are relaxing and fulfilling for you. Leisure does not have to be a solitary endeavor. When American professors and students were asked to weigh in on what activities make them feel most relaxed and rejuvenated, a common thread was spending time with people they love. American Sophomore Mallory Snodgrass said, “If I am feeling overwhelmed, I talk to my support system, and I make sure to check in with them too.” Separately, Professor Ross said, “I feel most alive when I’m exploring the woods and new trails with my weekly hiking group.”
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Society, and the culture at American, encourages the mindset that every hour of the day should be spent trying to get ahead and compete with our peers. Too often, the costs of overworking are overlooked, causing a perpetual cycle of exhaustion and lack of productivity. We must shift our understanding of leisure from a perk if there happens to be free time into a necessary and regular addition to our schedule.
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Riley-Kate Pappas
Sydney Muench
OUR TEAM
Executive Board:
Peyton Bigora Editor-in-Chief Riddhi Setty President Allesandra Plourde Vice President Gianna Matassa Managing Editor Marissa Parisi Business Director Noël Sedona James Events Director Emilie Austin Social Director Gabrielle Levy Publishing Director Sophie Gilbert Design Director Isabel Thompson Multimedia Director Jordyn Habib, Mackenzie Riley Section Editors Kathryne McCann, Lori Rampini Social Media Editors Gracie Flach, Sana Mamtaney Print Editors Laisa Gastaliturris Multimedia Editor Rebecca Cichock Tik Tok Curator Jordyn Habib YouTube Director Hannah Brennan Website Director Kathryne McCann Breaking News Editor
Print Team:
Design Team:
Peyton Bigora Editor-in-Chief
Sophie Gilbert Design Director
Gabrielle Levy Publishing Director
Elaine Griffith Photo Manager, Logo Abigail Greenberg Illustration Manager Madison Renck Content Manager
Gracie Flach, Sana Mamtaney Print Editors Amirah Ahmed Annabelle Evans Arusa Islam Carson Grimm Ellie Blanchard Emma McDowall Gabrielle Levy Gianna Matassa Jordyn Habib Maya Larson Peyton Bigora Riddhi Setty Sophie Ridlon
Anika Kumar Illustrations Connaught Riley Illustrations Jordyn Habib Photos Lily Conti Illustrations Madison Renck Content Noël Sedona James Content, Illustrations Riley-Kate Pappas Content, Photos Rozhina Amini Illustrations Sarah Golder Content, Illustrations, Photos Simi Singh Illustrations, Photos Sydney Muench Photos Yutong (Sally) Deng Content, Illustrations
Cover design by Sophie Gilbert This magazine was designed by Sophie Gilbert and the Her Campus American Design Team. The text of Collegiette is set in Avenir Heavy and EB Garamond. Collegiette is printed for Her Campus American University by Heritage Printing & Graphics, Waldorf, Maryland.
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LETTER FROM THE DESIGNER Welcome back to campus, AU! And welcome to Issue 006, Fall 2021 of Collegiette. We have so enjoyed meeting back in person, seeing each other’s faces for the first time in a long time, and sharing smiles instead of sharing screens. Our writers worked diligently this semester. Their articles are critical and exploratory pieces that emphasize their experiences, the experiences of women on our campus, and women in the greater DMV area. Our designers: photographers, content creators, and illustrators, energetically produced exquisite and artistic graphics to accompany these articles. Thank you to our executive board and our writers. Thanks to all the members of Her Campus for reminding us of the joys and connections of being a college student, and to our designers for bringing this magazine to life. We are proud to present Issue 006 of Collegiette. Enjoy it with health, happiness, and love in this coming new year. HCXO, Sophie Gilbert, Design Director
HCXO