The Body Issue

VOLUME 42, ISSUE 03 January 2022 thelinknewspaper.ca

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WELC OME B ACK I’d like to extend a warm welcome to all new and returning students.

Our goal is to deliver a great term and a safe experience for everyone.

Looking forward to seeing you soon,

CONCORDIA.CA

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Graham Carr President graham.carr@concordia.ca

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VOLUME 42, ISSUE 3

Table of Contents

THE BODY ISSUE

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EDITORIAL

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10 ALTERNATIVES TO ‘LADIES AND GENTLEMEN’

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NAVIGATING INTIMACY AND SEX AFTER CANCER

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THANK YOUR BODY

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CRITIQUE OF MODERN BODY POSITIVITY

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WACKY BODY FUN FACTS

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PROFILE: SEX AND SELF

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STUDENT SURVEY ON BODY IMAGE

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BODY IMAGE IN SPORTS

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A PORTRAIT OF HIJABS

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PLAYLIST: DOWN BAD

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FICTION: RUNNER’S HIGH

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PERSONAL ESSAY: AUTISM & SPECIAL ED SCHOOLING

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POETRY: RED RAIN, MY MISTRESS

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PORTRAYAL OF HUMANS WITH STATUES

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OVERCOMING EATING DISORDERS

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CREATING SAFE SPACES IN TATTOOING

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DIVERSITY IN CLIMBING

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DEMYSTIFYING IUDS

“I’m a future Forehead,” since 1980

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EDITORIAL

Editorial: Systemic Neglect and Racial Marginalization of Bodies The idolization of western bodies has been created in a world that praises slim, white figures, which imposes a divide in the way normal bodies look and how our society expects us to appear. Anyone that challenges this archetype ultimately gets shunned and is mandated to conform to Eurocentric standards.

Since the exportation of capitalism and colonialism throughout the modern world, Eurocentric body standards have left a stain on our perceptions of others and ourselves. Along with these western standards came violent exploitation that would result in the practices of transforming all tangible things into objects of trade. This process is known as commodification, and includes the appropriation of the body to excuse egregious atrocities such as slavery, human trafficking, sex trafficking, and every abuse that objectifies people and their bodies. This history is often dishonestly contextualized as a distant past, when in reality we live in a country, on unceded Indigenous lands, that has maintained such colonial structures for several centuries.

Capitalism has never prioritized our health because it has always forced us to sacrifice ourselves culturally, mentally, socially, and physically in the pursuit of productivity. Our bodies were never a priority when it came to this bottom line, leaving only a minority of those privileged enough with the time and energy to listen to their bodies and provide the attention they need.

You don’t have to look far.

Every head bows in exhaustion, every dark circle confesses. Everybody is tired. Sick of the disregard and neglect.

The modern-day subjugation

of our bodies has led to the implementation of a ranking podium of worth.

Black bodies are dismissed, Indigenous women go missing at alarming rates, and Black and Brown people find themselves disproportionately represented in the carceral system. These are all results of actions and ideals that may seem harmless, but in reality promote noninclusive prejudicial messages.

We cannot keep ignoring the way this prejudice inherently harms and penalizes minorities—groups we keep neglecting.

In many situations, People of Colour are not provided with the appropriate resources and supportive tools to sustainably conduct their work.

They often feel a pressure to fill a certain role, forced to discuss their identities and often their trauma in the work they do. While there is clear diversity on The Link’s masthead, this does not take away from the fact that there continues to be institutional influences that mentally drain those who feel obligated to represent themselves.

We need to hold ourselves and others accountable in the roles we play in the silencing of marginalized voices.

Hiding behind the pretense of ignorance does not cut it, and it never will. This so-called lack of awareness happens at the expense of someone’s upbringing, mental health, and existence. Protection of marginalized bodies from oppressive Eurocentric standards is crucial.

Are we all taking the time to have conversations centred around POC with our families and others? Being shocked is not enough. Acknowledging harmful actions, but not stepping in is not real advocacy. It’s performative.

Collage Samantha Lepine Graphics Stella Mazurek

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Ten Alternatives to “Ladies and Gentlemen” PLEASE don’t say “theydees and gentlethems” Sophie Dufresne Graphic Maria Chabelnik @djmaria.mp3 Why are we still imposing binaries on crowds? It’s still misgendering even if you didn’t mean to. Saying “But I’ve always said ‘ladies and gentlemen,’” or “But I’m not misgendering anyone directly,” aren’t valid arguments because it’s just like breaking any other habit. If you’re so sure that you aren’t misgendering anyone, why don’t you ask someone who doesn’t identify as either a lady or a gentleman if they feel misgendered when you use that expression? It doesn’t cost you anything to simply find another expression to use.

Oh, and if you’re wondering, the expression “theydees and gentlethems” makes my skin crawl. After all, why are we gendering gender-neutral pronouns? It’s not only performative and cringeworthy, but it’s still misgendering because you're creating a new binary specifically for non-binary people… I will leave the room if I hear it.

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Below is a compilation of some of my favourite gender-neutral terms to address a crowd. Hopefully, this list will help you whenever you find yourself writing a work email or speaking to a group of people. 2022 is the year we stop saying “ladies and gentlemen.”

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Friends and enemies (inspired by Malcom X)

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Y’all (some might mistake you for a southwestern American, but yeehaw am I right?)

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Fellas (or fellows if you don’t think fella is gender-neutral enough)

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Folks (also spelled folx, a more inclusive term for marginalized identities)

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[REDACTED] (Most insults are gender-neutral but The Link cannot condone this language)

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Prestigious/esteemed/honourable attendees (again, just one is enough, but if flattery is your forté, go wild)

Humans and non-humans People/comrades/colleagues/peers/associates/ partners (just one of these would suffice, but you may use the combination that fits best your speech)

Your highnesses Distinguished guests

Honourable mention: Guys, gals and non-binary pals—though this one makes gendered distinctions among guests and not everyone identifies as either a guy, a gal or a non-binary pal. Use this one sparingly, if at all.

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Navigating Intimacy and Sex After Cancer Approaching sex post-diagnosis can be intimidating, but far from impossible.

Laurianne Tremblay exology and cancer are sensitive topics, but how they intersect is discussed even less.

The treatments against cancer can be very aggressive and often leave damaging repercussions on one’s body. They affect all aspects of people’s everyday lives, notably their attitudes towards sexual health and intimacy.

AN INTRODUCTION TO ONCOSEXOLOGY In Quebec, there are very few people specialized in oncosexology, a term which refers to sex therapy for cancer patients. Renée Pichette was the first professional to occupy the position of clinical sexologist in oncology in Quebec.

“It’s Dr. Pierre Drouin that approached me to do a small survey since he felt that oncology disorders had repercussions on women’s sexuality,” said Pichette about the beginning of her career as a clinical sexologist.

At 39 years old, and after working as a medical secretary, Pichette decided to go back to university to obtain a bachelor’s degree in sexology at Université du Québec à Montréal, as well as a clinical master’s degree. She had her first encounter with cancer patients during her internship at the Notre-Dame Hospital in Montreal. There, she worked with women experiencing problems mainly linked to vulvar vestibulitis and needed colposcopies—a procedure used to examine the cervix, vagina, and vulva for signs of diseases, like cancer.

After being approached by Dr. Drouin, who specialized in gynecologic oncology at the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, Pichette got involved in a project regarding the creation of a psychosexual clinic in oncology around 2001. She explained that due to the hard work

“Every time my partner would touch my breasts, I would remember how I’d had an operation, why I had the operation, [and my] cancer remission.”

-Julie and tenacity of the gynecologic oncology team, the project continued to evolve, which eventually led to the creation of her position as a clinical sexologist in oncology at the CHUM in January 2008.

“In the [Quebec] healthcare system, in oncology, we are three, maybe four. We are not a lot,” said Pichette.

The few clinical sexologists working in oncology departments like Pichette follow their patients throughout the entire time they are being treated against cancer, which can go anywhere from months to years.

“The goal is really to bring the

person through a process of psychotherapy, through reflections, [and] through a journey in which we accompany the person,” she said. “In oncology, we are also subjected to medical monitoring. […] We follow the evolution of the patient.”

Outside of hospitals, it is still possible for people going through treatments or in remission to receive counselling from psychotherapists in sexology.

It is also possible to receive counselling from interns like Marianne Laporte, a third-year student in the department of sexology at UQAM. Amidst the framework of her internship, she became interested in the medical and biological aspects of sexology, and the relationship of these aspects among people struggling with cancer treatments.

Laporte does individual and couples counselling, as well as group counselling for women. She explained that her goal is to help people gain back their ability to feel confident in their sexuality after it has been affected and altered by cancer treatments.

“I have clients that don’t know if they will survive. They still have cancer and it’s not necessarily a good diagnosis since they may pass away eventually,” she said. “But they still seek help so that these moments— [whether they] be one to two years or 10 to 20 years—[are spent] the way they actually want.”

REPERCUSSIONS OF CANCER TREATMENTS Receiving a cancer diagnosis is a very traumatic and difficult moFEBRUA RY 2022

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Graphic Joey Bruce

ment to go through. In some cases, decisions have to be made quickly regarding treatments and surgeries.

Good sexual health is not something that comes up when receiving a diagnosis. It often comes later in the process after the treatments have already affected the body.

The repercussions of cancer treatments often lead to sexual dysfunctions for patients. Among other treatments and surgeries, hormone therapy is a treatment used to slow or stop the development of cancers that need hormones to grow, which are found in breast or prostate cancers.

The side effects of this treatment can cause the decrease or loss of sexual desire, the inability to have an erection, as well as menopause-like symptoms including vaginal dryness, hot flashes, and changes in menstruations. These reactions can alter the sexual health and capability of patients, which can lead to psychological distress and changes in a couples dynamic and intimate habits. “[In my relationship], the breasts were part of the foreplay, they were kind of a key element,” said Julie, a breast cancer survivor, who agreed to share her story anonymousT HEL INK NE W SPA P ER .C A

“I wanted to live the way other couples my age were living.”

-Julie ly and whose name has been changed for the purpose of this article. “Slowly, what happened was that every time my partner would touch my breasts, I would remember how I’d had an operation, why I had the operation, [and my] cancer remission, and right away there were all these thoughts going through my head.”

Julie was diagnosed in her early 30s. She explained how consulting a sexologist helped her find solutions for the physical aspects of her sexual dysfunctions, but also helped her deal with the trauma and anxiety that affected her intimacy. “[I was] feeling aged in [my] sexuality, and in my head I wasn’t accepting it,” Julie said. “I still felt young, and my partner and I had recently had a child. I wanted to live the way other couples my age were living,” she added.

A SOCIAL ISSUE Pichette explained how cancer has become a chronic problem in our society that demands an important need for qualified sexologists in oncology programs. The need for trained sexologists is crucial since they are able to adequately guide patients in decreasing the psychological distresses linked to a lack of fulfillment in their sex lives.

“The precision of sexologists isn’t for nothing. We are there to help these people adapt better to their situations and to understand what is happening [in their bodies],” said Pichette. “I hope that one day, every oncology program will have a sexologist on their team, and that there will be a trained person who understands sexuality and all its aspects, who will able to help these people regain a balance even if it’s not like before; a balance in the quality of their sex life.”

Pichette remains as passionate about her position in the field as she was 14 years ago when she first started. She explained how there is an important need for funding in order to integrate more sexologists in oncology departments across the province.

OPINIONS

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Thank Your Body

Let’s take a moment to be grateful for everything the body does for us Allyson Brownie @BrownieAllyson Graphic Eva Wilson We tend to base our judgement on what the human body should look like by scrolling through social media. We use photos of influencers, celebrities, and personal trainers as inspiration for our own bodies and what we should look like.

Moving into the third year of the pandemic, many of us have been presented with challenges on ways to stay physically healthy. Our regular fitness routines often took a beating as safety protocols forced gyms and fitness facilities to shut down. Some of us gained weight; some of us lost it. Some of us have done both—several times.

But let’s take a moment to reflect on all the hard work our bodies do for us, even without a gym routine or spinning classes.

Our bodies do so much for us every millisecond of every day. It’s about time we thank them without passing so much judgement on their exteriors. They heal wounds, fuel our energy, breathe in, breathe out, and— sometimes to our frustration—shrink or expand.

While you might feel guilty about eating an extra couple of cookies without being able to hit the Bowflex, the average body will still burn around 1,800 calories in a day doing absolutely nothing. That’s because it’s working hard to digest every bite of food you take with the help of acids and enzymes in your stomach, turning carbohydrates into glucose. Because of this, your body gives you all the energy you need to either run a marathon or binge watch Squid Game. Either way, those 1,800 calories won’t be hanging around for your Marvel marathon the next day.

Let’s not forget to acknowledge the brain’s part in your energy consumption. While it may only make up 2

per cent of your body weight, it accounts for 20 per cent of calories consumed. When you’re in exam season and raking your brain for all the information stored within your longterm memory, keep in mind the importance of a good night’s sleep after all that energy it just ate up. Evidence shows it’s during sleep that those memories are consolidated and properly stored in the brain.

Sleep also helps run a healthy immune system— something we’re all vying for these days. The trillions of cells and molecules throughout your body help carry out the work of the immune system. While the skin is the first layer of armour against invaders trying to get in, immune cells such as phagocytes and white blood cells will kick into gear when needed to help protect you against viruses and illness.

All of this, of course, would not be possible without the unrelenting work of the heart. Your heart will beat for you about 100,000 times each day. Simultaneously, your lungs will inhale and exhale around 22,000 times. As they continuously breathe for you, your lungs are also working overtime to protect your health by cleaning out pathogens trying to sneak in. If a particular particle is aggressive enough, your body will likely try to get rid of it for you by sneezing and making it someone else’s problem—something to ponder if you’re wondering whether or not masking up is worth it.

The best part: all of this happens without you having to put an ounce of thought into it.

Next time you catch yourself looking in the mirror and picking apart all the things you might not like about your body, take a moment to think of the miracle that it is and the relentless determination it has for keeping you up and running.

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Body Positivity is Dead and Thin People Killed It Respectability, impracticality, and a lack of intersectionality have corrupted the body positivity movement Zachary Fortier @ZachFortierMTL

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riginally a mainstay of the second and third-wave feminist movements, the pro-fat movement is functionally dead.

“We are angry at mistreatment by commercial and sexist interests. These have exploited our bodies as objects of ridicule, thereby creating an immensely profitable market selling the false promise of avoidance of, or relief from, that ridicule,” wrote activist Judy Freespirit, author of the Fat Liberation Manifesto, published in 1973.

The original goal of the fat liberation movement in the 1970s and ‘80s was to bring an end to the oppression experienced by fat people in social and political spheres through awareness, governmental changes in policy, and shifts in media culture.

Fat liberation, through changes in popular culture and beauty standards, has been rebranded over time as body positivity, but what are the primary differences between the two?

“Because body positivity is so deeply focused on internal, individual change, conversations about power, privilege, and oppression often don’t come naturally to self-proclaimed body positive people,” said fat activist and author Aubrey Gordon in her book What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat. She argues that the difference between the two is that fat liberation is a justice movement focused on ending weight-based oppression, while body positivity is based on individual self-image.

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Graphic Joey Bruce

Graphic Emma McSharry

The modern body positivity movement is coated in layers of white liberal feminist ideology, praising individuals’ confidence and comfort instead of focusing on dismantling systems of oppression that have always hurt fat Women of Colour the most.

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whom it was never meant to serve. the movement hollow it out to calm ades ago, but have now largely been It has been overrun by thin people, their insecurities. As Gordon explains, drowned out in a sea of mid-sized leaving fat people out of the conver- “[w]hen fat activists talk about body- white women who speak over them. sation. based oppression, thinner body posiIntersecting issues of fatness As of February 2022, there tivity activists paint it over, replacing and race, however, are even older are over 9.5 million posts on Insta- it with a more palatable insecurity. than the ‘70s—they go back centurgram using #BodyPositivity. #FatLib- But when we don’t talk about body- ies. In her book Fearing the Black eration, on the other hand, has only based oppression, we’re strangely Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobeen used in around 65,000 posts. lauded for our confidence.” bia, sociologist Sabrina Strings exThe oppression of fat people Because body positivity is plains how racial and fat noncomplitakes place because of fatphobia, and not rooted in undoing oppression, it ance intersect: the original purpose of body posi- is less effective. Its original purpose “Since the height of the slave tivity was to end it. Fatphobia is the is nullified, as it has been deradical- trade and the growth of Protestantdisgust, dislike, mistreatment, or ized and declawed. The process of ism, Black women had been symbols stigmatization of fat people of “savage” aesthetic inclinbased solely on their bodies. ations and amoral appetites.

The effects of fatThe body positivity movement has […] The association between phobia can be wide and fatness and Black femininity now been fully declawed by those […] reemerged. Yet again, far-reaching.

Everything from how a person is treatwomen were to bewhom it was never meant to serve. Black ed walking down the street come the focus of fear, anxIt has been overrun by thin people, iety, and degradation over to how they’re treated on the operating table is afof their bodies.” leaving fat people out of the con- the sizeThe fected by anti-fat bias. modern body Fatphobia, espepositivity movement is versation. cially in medical settings, coated in layers of white can be dangerous. A 2019 liberal feminist ideology, study of Canadian physicians called declawing actually has another name: praising individuals’ confidence and Examining Weight Bias among Prac- respectability politics, which Black comfort instead of focusing on disticing Canadian Family Physicians feminist academic Evelyn Higgin- mantling systems of oppression that found that around 1 in 4 doctors had botham, author of Righteous Discon- have always hurt fat Women of Colour an outright dislike and discomfort tent: The Women’s Movement in the the most. around obese patients. Nearly 1 in 5 Black Baptist Church, described in The transformation of the Canadian doctors openly admitted the following way: body positivity movement has also to “feeling disgusted when treating a “The politics of respectabil- occurred to fit the trending aesthetpatient with obesity.” ity emphasized reform of individual ic needs of a white liberal consumer Studies that have come out behaviour and attitudes both as a goal base. Similarly, this white consumas early as the 1990s have found evi- in itself and as a strategy for reform er-based process has also been done dence of systemic fatphobia. A 1998 of the entire structural system […]. If to the features of Black women and study by the American Medical Asso- respectability signified dialogue with Afro-Latinas. White women, due to ciation called Body Weight and Health oneself and with others, it also sig- evolving beauty standards in the past Care Among Women in the General nified class and status differentiation decade, have increased the demand Population looked at the correlations between those who exhibited its def- for a certain slim thick look. between women’s body mass index initional criteria and those who did While the aesthetic can be and their usage of preventative med- not.” characterized by a small waist and ical services.

The argument she presented flat stomach, it also includes large Lackluster communica- was that when marginalized people breasts, hips, and ass. These are all tion, feelings of judgment, and lack are too outspoken or too loud about characteristics for which—as Strings of rigour in diagnosing symptoms their oppression, they are ostracized pointed out in her book—WOC were were all factors in the deterioration and told to silence themselves. By not demonized for centuries, but have of doctor-patient relationships for being vocal on oppression, staying in now been appropriated. fat women. The researchers found one’s place, and not complaining, one According to a 2021 study, that women with a higher BMI were becomes respectable to the majority, the global sum of money thrown into much less likely to go to their doctor Higginbotham argued. the weight loss industry is over $250 because of this blatant lack of care, The core of her work as an billion annually and growing. Weight potentially worsening their health academic and author is on Black is still incredibly stigmatized, no outcomes. women’s issues. Black women, espe- matter what is decreed by the proBody positivity turns a blind cially activists such as Johnnie Till- ponents of the modern body positiveye to the violence of systemic fat- mon, held a very important place in ity movement under the faulty veneer phobia. Instead, thin proponents of the Fat Liberation movement dec- of inclusion.

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FUN FAC T S

By Elise Paré @PareElise @lilipare

Get to know your body a little more with these fun facts did you know that... humans have the same number of hair follicles as chimpanzees?

By: Elise Paré Twitter: @PareElise Instagram: @lilipare

listen up! did you know your earlobes never stop growing?

ever heard of omphalophobia? although it sounds suspiciously similar to oompa-loompa, omphalophobia is actually just a fancy word to describe a fear of belly buttons!

i hear your heart beat, to the beat of the drum... but did you know the only muscle that never tires is the heart?

attention lefties! only 10 per cent of people on Earth are left-handed, and youʼre one of ʻem!

foot fact! every day, your feet can produce over half a pint of sweat! yay feet! a party trick that’s sure to blow your guests away! on average, a person farts enough every day to fill up a party balloon with gas!

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PROFILE

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Swipe Swipe Right Right On Sex Education Meet Felicia Gisondi, a university student who decided to take sex education into her own hands Delaney Kelly Graphics Isabelle Avola Just days after her parents dropped her off at McGill University, 18-year-old Felicia Gisondi downloaded Tinder. She swiped right on a tall, attractive, 24-year-old man and soon found herself curled up next to him in bed.

They started a sexual relationship, which was all steamy and pleasureful until Gisondi learned that her partner was not being faithful and continuously having sex with other people.

Two months later she discovered she had a yeast infection and bacterial vaginosis. Gisondi sought out treatment right away and even after her infection was gone, she was left with the alarming realization that she was utterly uneducated about certain parts of her own body.

This inspired her to create Sex and Self, an organization that aims to provide comprehensive sexual education seminars, workshops, events, and resources to students across Canada.

Gisondi was raised in a Roman Catholic household and attended a Roman Catholic high school. She always wanted a simple life: to go to university, receive her undergraduate degree, become a teacher, find a husband (to whom she would lose her virginity), have a happy monogamous marriage, and attend church on the weekends.

“I just thought that was the right thing to do for me to be the best type of woman. [I had been exposed to] a lot of misogyny, a lot of internalized abstinence ideals,” she said.

She realized she was not the only one who had this mindset when she started university. Many of her peers had similar experiences of the high school curriculum failing to provide relevant sex education.

“I didn’t learn where my uter-

us was in my high school curriculum, I learned it by myself reading The Vagina Bible,” Gisondi said, referring to the book by Dr. Jen Gunter.

2021 graduate of John Rennie High School in Pointe-Claire, Emilie Bernardi, also felt the sex education she received was insufficient.

“All we were taught were the methods of contraception and we skimmed over the reproductive systems, but nothing further. [There was] no explanation on what to expect or that people like different things,” Bernardi explained.

Dr. Laurie Betito, the president of The Sexual Health Network of Quebec agrees that high school sex education is leaving many students with unanswered questions. According to Betito, many young adults are unaware of what is normal and what is not in terms of their bodies, leading them to confusion and discomfort.

“The less education you have, the more likely you are to get [a sexually transmitted infection], the more likely you are to have an unwanted pregnancy, the more likely you are to live with discomfort for longer,” said Betito.

In early 2019, when Gisondi learned that McGill was accepting applications for the Mary H. Brown Endowment Fund—a grant that aims to support projects that strive to improve the health and well-being of McGill students—she was inspired. Gisondi sat in front of her

computer and typed up a long and very emotional proposal and pitched her idea for an organization called, Ladies, Let’s Talk About Sex. A couple of months later, she received a congratulatory email. Her project had received a grant of $750.

She immediately began to recruit other students to help launch the organization.

Gisondi wanted her fledgling organization to cater to vulva owners who identified as female on campus since that is what she wanted to learn about most. As the organization grew into a wider community, however, the name was changed to Sex and Self. This change reflected the organization’s efforts to promote sex positivity and sex education for students of all genders and sexualities.

Sex and Self primarily organizes seminars where experts, advocates, or medical prodessionals discuss topics regarding sexual relationships and health.

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“[The goal is] to make sure [students] are well equipped with all of the inclusive, science-based information that they need to move forward in their sexual endeavours.”

- Felicia Gisondi

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PROFILE

They are now expanding to provide student-led workshops as well.

Gisondi makes it a priority to make these seminars and workshops as accessible to students as possible, whether they are held on Zoom or with small groups in person. For example, a recent workshop titled “The Sex Ed You Never Had” was a crash course on science and sex positive-based sex education that included several different experts and advocates. “[The goal is] to make sure [students] are well equipped with all of the inclusive, science-based information that they need to move forward in their sexual endeavours,” she said.

Elyssa Bush, a non-binary McGill student, discovered Sex and Self on Instagram in their first year. They inquired about becoming involved with the organization.

Bush said they will never forget their first Zoom meeting with Sex and Self. The team leaders opened the meeting by asking everyone to introduce themselves by stating their name, pronouns, and what sex toy they would be if they were one. Bush and the team giggled, they looked at their computer screen and felt they could trust all team members instantly.

Similar to Gisondi, Bush grew up in a Catholic household where sex was not talked about and attended a Catholic high school. As a queer and non-binary person, they could not relate to the minimal sex education they were taught.

“I think being with this organization has really helped me dismantle my beliefs around sex in a really positive way, pushing aside ideas of abstinence being key,” they said.

Canada’s high school curricula baffles Gisondi. “We learn about our esophagus but why are we not learning about our clitoris?” she said.

In fall 2020, Sex and Self launched an initiative called Bodies A to Z where they visited seven Montreal high schools to provide comprehensive and accessible sex education. Bodies A to Z aims to empower and educate the youth of all genders and sexualities by providing lesson plans and workshops.

Gisondi felt that part of the issue with sex education in high schools was that students may not feel comfortable ask-

ing teachers questions regarding sex, since their instructors tend to be significantly older than the students and might have outdated views regarding sexuality.

“The beautiful thing about our program is that it is young people speaking to young people,” Gisondi said.

As Gisondi tries to help educate other students, she too is constantly learning more about sexuality.

“I will never be done learning, especially in this realm because things are changing all the time,” she said.

One area specifically that she would still like to learn more about is how culture and society affect peoples’ attitudes towards sex.

“As a woman coming from a lot of privileges, especially being white, I am constantly trying to challenge myself and make sure that equity is upheld in our organization,” she said. “Sexual health and sexual reproductive justice is such an intersectional issue that affects so many people, specifically minorities.”

At times Gisondi has been apprehensive about trusting people she does not know well to implement a Sex and Self team at other universities. She is grateful to have been able to work closely with the Concordia University Sex and Self chapter president, Gabriela Kennedy, to maintain the original vision for the organization. She hopes that by winter 2022, the organization will be implemented at a couple more schools.

“Taking [Sex and Self] from east to west, north to south, as far as we can go with the organization; that would be the dream,” Gisondi said.

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SURVEY

The Student Body Meets The Body Issue Data Olivia Piché Infographic Micah Angell We asked 50 Concordia students how they felt about their body and health. Here’s what we found.

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SPORTS

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The Athletic Pressure to Be “Beautiful” Athletes are expected to look a certain way, even when it is not relevant to performance Mohammad Khan

They would hide the cookies from me because they thought I was eating too many of them,” said amateur boxer Mahmoud Babiker As a 10-year-old boy, Babiker would start his day with a regimen of 20 push-ups, 20 sit-ups, 10 crunches, 30 jumping jacks, and two minutes of wall sits.

“The reason why my parents put me in sports was because I was a chubby kid,” said Babiker, now 28 years old. “You can imagine the message that sent to me.”

From a very young age, Babiker’s parents noticed he was taller and bigger than his siblings and peers—something they saw as a problem that needed to be solved.

“They put me in karate, soccer, track and field, and boxing to make sure I lost weight. I hated it. I hated exercise as a child,” he said. “My love for sports now comes as a form of therapy, but it began as resentment.”

Like that of many young athletes, Babiker’s journey in FEBRUA RY 2022

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sports has been plagued with the pressure to look a certain way. The typical male athlete is expected to be tall, lean, with broad shoulders and great musculature, while the stereotypical female athlete has a smaller frame, well-defined though less bulky muscles, and very little body fat.

Athletes of all ages, genders, shapes, and sizes are forced to deal with this pressure and the debilitating effects it can have on their physical and mental health.

In women’s sports particularly, unrealistic and irrelevant patriarchal standards are often imposed. These include archaic uniform regulations, media objectifications, and the need to cater to male viewership. This all impacts how women in sports see themselves, how they are presented, and the expectations that young female athletes then have for their image and their bodies.

“I broke my body trying to achieve the standards that were set out for me.”

- Jordan Mckay “When we got to 13, a lot of the girls started hiking their suits up to make them more revealing or appealing. It led to a lot of body insecurity and unnecessary competition among the girls, something that never happened with the guys,” said Jordan Mckay, former synchronized swimmer and competitive water polo player.

Mckay emphasized that for her, the pressure didn’t come solely from other athletes, but from coaching staff and parents as well.

Coaches started teaching Mckay and her teammates about nutrition and dietary suggestions when they were as young as 10. Coaching staff categorized Mckay and her peers into different types of competitions based on their changing teenage and prepubescent bodies.

“The coaches often made assumptions about what [events] kids should be competing in because of these standards. Because of those assumptions, I was forced into a box,” said Mckay.

This one size fits all approach was one of the most toxic parts of swimming culture, Mckay said. All athletes underwent the same training, went to the same practices, participated in the same events, but when results varied and athletes underperformed, they and their bodies were to blame. This caused athletes like Mckay to overwork and overtrain themselves, resulting in painful and recurring injuries. “[Injuries are] weaknesses that are treated like crutches or nuisances rather than problems, and are rarely addressed. I’ve had people ridicule me, claim I’m lying and even [ignored me],” Mckay added. “If you’re injured for too long, coaches will usually give up on finding solutions. If you don’t meet the impossible standards, coaches will usually just give up and forget about you.”

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sues that have never healed to this day.

“I broke my body trying to achieve the standards that were set out for me,” she said.

As a result, she has endured mental health issues such as eating disorders, intense anxiety, depression, and body image problems. When asked whether there were resources for her to deal with her health problems, she stated there were absolutely none.

Mental health problems and body image standards in sports seem to go hand in hand, and the problem particularly affects teen athletes.

Multiple studies have demonstrated that hormonal changes and puberty can create mental states that are vulnerable to body image and self-confidence issues. This ties to the competitive nature of many athletes and sports that encourage perfectionism to enforce rigid discipline, which can lead to compulsive behaviour.

For young athletes with often busy schedules, controlling body image is a way of demonstrating ownership of themselves, especially for teenagers navigating their way through the many changes and challenges associated with that period of growth.

Physical education teacher and former McGill football player Kamba Manueli Katchelewa talked about the importance of creating a judgment-free, skill and performance-based sports culture that addresses individual needs and provides resources for growing athletes.

As a former university-level athlete, Katchelewa described the tough guy mentality and toxic locker room culture that comes with certain sports such as American football. He spoke on the need to eliminate cultures that allow athletes to judge, make fun of, and pressure each other in groups.

Katchelewa explained the toll this sports culture took on fellow athletes at the university level who could not make time for themselves to take care of their mental health and bodies.

“A lot is expected of athletes. You’ve got training, performance, and you’re constantly scrutinized,” said Katchelewa. “Everyone talks about you all the time. However, at the end of the day, you’re still human, you’ve still got feelings.”

Parents, coaches, and training staff have a responsibility to provide emotional support, treat body dysmorphia with mental health services, provide nutritional advice that is not detrimental to athletes’ bodies, and create healthy team cultures.

Katchelewa stressed that the need is more pressing than ever for teenage athletes.

“If coaches talk about bodyweight, it should strictly be about performance,” he said, emphasizing the importance of performance that is sustainable to an athlete and their individual capabilities.

At the international level, however, world-class competitors such as Serena Williams, Nikola Jokic, Andy Ruiz Jr., Isaiah Thomas, and Tyson Fury are defying body ideals and doing it with success. Commentators have called them too short, too athletic-looking (or not athletic-looking enough), too fat, too small, or physically undesirable. Despite this, these athletes have broken norms and perceptions

SPORTS

in their respective sports, going so far as to become international champions and MVP candidates.

“I think it’s great, and honestly the biggest thing for me growing up was representation,” said Katchelewa. “To see someone that looks like you, to see that it’s possible, it gives you confidence that you have a way to go to that place.”

In this process, these elite athletes have inspired and are influencing new generations of sports players to embrace their natural bodies and work with them in a way that is conducive to both their success and their health. By breaking the old standards and attitudes towards body shapes, they are paving the way to a world of sports that is more inclusive and less judgemental.

“We need to change our way of thinking about [amateur] athletes,” said Mckay. “[We need to let] amateur athletes develop all skills equally instead of focusing on archaic ideas about bodies. We also need to focus on treating mental health and injuries with more sensitivity than we ever have before.”

Graphics Joey Bruce

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the women in my life wore hijab and looked beautiful in it.”

People often experience growth during their hijab journey, which enables them to have a more profound outlook on the hijab and its importance. Aside from feeling connected to the concept, it often takes time to fully comprehend its importance.

While there is no right age to start wearing the hijab, being exposed to the idea of wearing it is often a common practice among more traditional Muslims, given its cultural context in relation to religion. Kawter Chougui, a visual artist and editor from Montreal, underwent a similar Sun Noor scenario when it came to first wearing the hijab at a young age, not fully understanding its significance.

“When I first started wearing et’s face it; when discourses and partition of a person’s thoughts, it, I was uncomfortable,” she said. “I regarding hijabs are brought up in news character, and demeanor,” said Sperwas a teenager and I did not properly headlines, they are mostly led by those ander Yawa Ayimah, a Montreal-based understand its meaning.” Chougui’s who do not wear the garment or have fashion designer. It is important to introduction to the hijab was more no knowledge regarding its purpose. understand that people who wear hicultural since the people around her The hijab is often reduced to a custom jabs undergo different journeys, but were wearing it at a young age. or a religious symbol, given the lack of their struggles create a shared experiThe state of the world postdesire for insight on what it consists of ence.

9/11 became stressful for Chougui due and why people choose to wear it.

“I started wearing hijab in to the rampant Islamophobia in QueThe controversial nature of January 2007. I was midway through bec. The negativity even clouded her the hijab, paired with its politicization sixth grade and my mom, brother, judgment and view of hijabs, making in the western world has led people to and I just returned from pilgrimage,” her journey uneasy. Witnessing the take a position either for or against it said Chicago-based physician Deena hate generated towards those who without attempting to underare visibly Muslim led her to stand its true purpose. Howwear it as a statement instead ever, understanding the rea- “I think it’s beneficial to hear from of a personal connection. son why people choose to wear “For the longest Muslim women, those who wear hiit and its meaning is crucial. time, I was wearing it as a In Islam, the notion jab now or did in the past, and those statement, almost like I was of modesty is tied to how one a defiant, rebellious woman, should present themself and is who do not wear hijab at all and which in a way can be true mentioned in the Quran. The never have.” because it’s not always easy hijab also symbolizes modesty to wear the hijab,” she said. in terms of choice of clothing. -Kawter Chougui “Then I realized that I was However, the details of what wearing it slightly for the modest encompasses are amwrong reasons because I was biguous, as there is no mentrying to prove something to others.” tion of specifications within garments Kishawi. Her experience in Mecca, the Imani Bashir is a broadcast in scripture. There have been various birthplace of Islam, was the starting journalist and entrepreneur who arguments regarding whether modesty point that led her to wearing the hijab. started her hijab journey in her twenis based on observation and tradition Kishawi said it kept her connected to ties. She underwent an identity crisis or laws.

Islam on a spiritual level. during her adolescence which pushed In terms of clothing choice in “I was 11 at the time, and quite her away from the hijab until she truly Islam, all Muslims are asked to present frankly didn’t understand hijab the understood its meaning. themselves in a modest manner ac- way I do now,” she added. “My under“Once I began my career in cording to the Quran. “The Arabic def- standing of hijab at the time was very broadcasting I remember taking a inition of hijab literally means a barrier basic, but I had a deep love and pashard look at myself and [asking] ‘Who or partition. Hijab is also the barrier sion for the way it looked on me. All do you want to be?’ and also ‘How do

A Depoliticized and Realistic Portrait of Hijabs

Preconceived notions of hijabs are often inaccurate and cloud the experiences of those who choose to wear it

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you want people to see you now?’ I felt like I had a better understanding of myself and my personal relationship with Allah, so I’ve been wearing a hijab ever since,” Bashir said.

On top of the struggles that come with wearing the hijab, many people undergo inner conflicts regarding their intention with it. Chougui mentioned having different views on the hijab over the years.

“After sitting down and doing more research on my religion, I had a life-changing realization that this has nothing to do with other people and is solely between you and God,” said Bashir. She also saw a turning point during her hijab journey once she realized its importance when it comes to representing Islam.

The hijab sparks various conversations, especially in the western world as people often view it as a limitation to women’s rights. However, Muslim women for the most part do not view themselves to be a part of that oppressed narrative that appears to be pushed upon them.

“I felt and still feel people spend way too much time [focusing] on hijabs and women when men were first commanded and mandated to have it,” said Bashir. What anti-hijab feminists fail to realize is the problematic nature that arises from labeling those who freely choose to wear hijab as oppressed. This both invalidates people’s lifestyles and adds to the stress of dealing with hostility just for wearing the garment.

Chougui found the hijab uncomfortable at first, given the false narratives tied to it in popular media that made Muslim women appear as victims of oppression. “When you’re young, it’s kind of overwhelming to be bombarded with these sort of messages about yourself,” Chougui said. “I think it’s beneficial to hear from Muslim women, those who wear hijab now or did in the past, and those who do not wear hijab at all and never have.”

Ironically, Muslim women are mostly left out of the feminist discourse on the hijab being an oppressive symbol. Ayimah indicates that wearing the hijab in a patriarchal structure of society is rather empowering. “It represents a woman’s freedom of choice to dress as she sees fit , and she may

choose to put it on and take it off. That is her business,” she added.

Even though western society is slowly moving towards becoming more inclusive, inaccurate narratives about the hijab continue to manifest.

A lot of the negativity surrounding hijabs comes from uninformed opinions that vilify those who wear them.

“Hijab represents so many things to so many different people, but at the end of the day hijab is also just a piece of fabric,” Ayimah added.

“If a piece of fabric on a woman’s head scares so many people, then we as a society truly have a bigger problem and need to reevaluate our priorities.”

Graphic Sun Noor

“After sitting down and doing more research on my religion, I had a lifechanging realization that this has nothing to do with other people and is solely between you and God.” - Imani Bashir

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P L AY L I S T

The

DOWN BAD

by The Link @thelinknewspaper Graphic Aude Simon

playlist

For when you’re horny, pining over unrequited love, or both Coconuts — Kim Petras disco tits — Tove Lo

i’ll die anyway. — girl in red You’ll miss me when I’m not around — Grimes Two Weeks — FKA twigs Girls Need Love (Remix) — Summer Walker & Drake Since I’ve Been Loving You — Led Zeppelin Good News — Mac Miller Papi Chulo… Te Traigo El MMMM — Lorna ks Fuck Him All Night — Azealia Ban How You Want It? — Teyana Taylor (feat. King Combs)

MASSEDUCTION — St. Vincent Monáe Make Me Feel — Janelle

With Me — dvsn Planez — Jeremih (feat. J. Cole) Eternal Youth — RUDE Hit the Back — King Princess

In My Room — Frank Ocean Essence — Wizkid (feat. Tems) Pussy Is God — King Princess

Wanna hear more?

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TW: This story discusses themes relating to eating disorders.

By Jaime Kerr Graphic Felix Muxwahl “It’s probably not as bad as I think,” I said, fumbling with the belt in the bathroom. The knife kissed the hard, tacky leather and made a notch next to a line of roughly carved holes. I thought of a comment a paunchy customer at work made earlier that day. He’d grabbed my belly and given me a steely, bitter grin: “Don’t forget to eat.” The blade punctured the leather—it was done. I wrapped the belt around my bony hips and yanked until the buckle sat shut within its new dimensions: still a little loose. My shirt stayed tucked in this time, but the hold was anything but firm. It would have to do.

I looked in the mirror again and found it spoke well tonight. I was the beautiful thin wisp I’d always dreamt of—a single cigarette crammed into a pair of black skinny jeans. Slim and supple, with only a slight rounding of the gut. Typical, but was it enough to circumvent by sucking it in a little bit? I tried.

Anxiously, my eyes slid to the photo collages that plastered my walls like posters of LeBron in a basketball player’s college dorm. A shirtless Chalamet playing guitar on the beach; Bowie mid-performance—spandex stretched taut as a drum against a completely flat abdomen; Cillian Murphy cut like a ruler in a suit. I didn’t have to meet their eyes to know the answer. Unsettled, I turned to go. *** My paper plate held six slices of celery and a delicate portion of skinless turkey. The past couple Thanksgivings had gone this way. Everything else on offer was unknown territory: a minefield of hidden calories in sauces, spreads, and archaic roasting techniques. That it was also Gramps’ 90th tonight meant an even more abundant display than usual. As I was being stared down by the horde of pies, roasts, and baked apples, a decorative silver spoon shot out from the right and drenched my plate in blood red cranberry sauce. Battle had been joined.

“How could you forget your grandmother’s secret recipe?” implored my aunt Mary-Ann. Fuck. Cornered. I grimaced as more foes were swiftly marshalled onto my plate by a pair of unforgiving iron tongs. The orange flesh of a weighty sweet potato burst from its roasted skin, pats of butter already gushing down its sides like fountains of lava. Of course. Who wouldn’t want butter on their sweet potatoes?

I flashed Mary-Ann a queasy smile, blood draining from my face. Hungry adults pressed in around us to share conversation and praise. Gross acts of indulgence commenced. Chubby arms shovelled in spoonfuls of these dangerous, delightful mixtures, and beer bellies quivered as hot stuffing was scarfed down.

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Everywhere one looked the horde laid waste. Just standing there was far too conspicuous.

With as nonchalant a movement as I could muster, bracing as if about to drop from the summit of a roller coaster, I delicately raised a tiny scrap of stained turkey to the back of my throat. My mouth made chewing motions, teeth clamping down on metal as I strained to keep the bleeding white flesh where it could not be tasted. A morsel slipped off, brushing my tongue like a single sugared snowflake, melting into a spring flood of saliva. I kept my mouth shut and cheeks puffed until an opportunity presented itself to slip away and jettison the intruder.

Immediately, I scraped the contents of my plate into the garbage, leaving just enough to give the impression that something had been hastily devoured. Jittery satisfaction filled me as this labour of love unceremoniously slid under piles of waste paper. I had gained the upper hand. My opponent was pinned to the ground—the life fading from its veins as my shaky hands clamped around its throat.

As the evening endured, I mercifully began to slip into the runner’s high. I hadn’t eaten since my religiously observed breakfast of a half cup of oats and exactly 28 almonds, but with each screech and clamour of hunger beaten into submission, my compulsions to devour everything in front of me subsided. My body trembled and my stomach felt small and flat. I shivered under my shirt despite the warm bodies around me. My head cleared and nagging shouts of “shovel,” “scoff,” “slurp,” “demolish,” and “devour,” evaporated into nothing. I was buoyant, my head lighter than a feather. It felt fantastic. I laughed loudly at uncles’ repetitive stories, received hugs warmly from fleshy aunts, and eagerly told anecdotes about shitty, paunchy customers.

Sublimely arranged plates passed by almost unnoticed, the stimuli was losing its initial vigour. A great hill had been mounted and the road appeared to flatten out. I was an athlete in peak performance, a coked-up supermodel breezing down the runway on skates. I was Bobby fucking Sands, and to wither away was victory. Nothing could stop me.

“I hope everyone’s enjoyed the appetizers,” Grandma said, cutting through the patterns of Thanksgiving talk. “But as I think we know, this isn’t the only holiday of the week. Lucile and MaryAnn have made something rather special at Gramps’ request.”

The lights switched off and the room began to burn from dim candlelight. All eyes turned to the kitchen doorway where two masterchef aunts carried a cake adorned with a flaming wax ‘90’.

This was a very special request indeed: a New York Cheesecake with a lovely, simple chocolate ganache–a dish sacred in its simplicity. Memories of past birthdays resurfaced. This was not only Gramps’ favourite dessert—it was mine.

A photograph of us from years ago sat prominently on the dining room wall. In it, we sat side by side, spoons filled with creamy goodness en route to our open and grinning mouths. This visitor from the past was set down in front of Gramps’ honoured place at the head of the table. Cheers erupted as he blew out the candle and the lights flared back to life. The clink of cutlery and china T HEL INK NE W SPA P ER .C A

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O N F I C T I O N F I C T I O N F I C T I O N F I C T I O N F I C T I OF I CN FICT TION rebounded—the party eagerly assembling into formation. I was armed with a fork and tiny china plate and thrust into the vanguard.

“Let the cheesecake monsters have the first bite!” a family friend sounded from the back.

Agreement was shouted, and I found myself side by side with Gramps. He beamed up at me with the kindly smile reserved for his grandchildren.

“My God. Looks good doesn’t it, son?”

“Oh God, yes. There’s no better food on earth,” I said mutely.

“Well, let’s put some flesh on you,” he shakely leaned over and, with considerable effort, sliced first through the dense ganache. Having pierced this layer, the knife disappeared into that mysterious milky sea before anchoring itself into graham cracker crust.

“There you go. Try not to eat it in one bite!” He gave a gentle chuckle and handed me the rattling, delicate porcelain with a tenderness only possible in the act of bestowing a gift. I thanked him and turned to let the next relative through when Mary-Ann caught my arm.

“Let me get a picture of you two! What were you, nine and 79 in that photo? Now 20 and 90! Oh, this is so special!”

We were enthusiastically arranged into a reenactment of our iconic cake-devouring pose, both of us noticeably more skeletal than 11 years prior. The cake gazed up at me. There was no strong smell, no visceral stimuli; it was completely unassuming. My grandmother turned fondly to the old photo on the wall and sighed. I looked right at Gramps who flashed me another warm smile. His skinny arm wrapped around my shoulder and his grin turned to the camera, cake-adorned fork already surrounded by false teeth.

Could I do it? Could I spare a slice of cake for my old Gramps? I bit down and the camera flashed. The taste came slowly; it cracked like an egg on my tongue, and the warm yolk of years gone by began to leak into my veins. Slowly at first, then like lightning. My eyes widened.

“Oh,” sighed Grandma. “You used to be such chubsters!”

All warmth evaporated and the shaking resumed. The morsel never made it past the back of my throat. Excusing myself as politely as I could, I made a hasty exit for the bathroom. *** I walked home despite the cold. Not much of anything had actually been swallowed. Still, I could feel even the momentary pleasures I’d indulged in dripping down my body like a thick sap waiting to form fleshy, panic inducing deposits of fat around my waist. Nauseated, I clawed at my belly to assure myself against these phantom apparitions. It didn’t seem visibly rounder. I’d retained control, I told myself. I’d been good.

A weary smile crept across a gaunt face. As I marched airily on, my shirt untucked itself again and started flapping in the wind. I yanked the new notch across the buckle as far as it would go, the pin sticking out comically far away from my waist. The leather bit into my bones, but I could already feel my clothes fluttering away like dust in the wind.

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Stop stigmatizing me: A Neurodivergent Woman’s Plea for Acceptance and Understanding How society’s vilification of autism contributes to low self-esteem among neurodivergent individuals Alexa Toguri-Laurin

Graphic Joey Bruce T HEL INK NE W SPA P ER .C A

P E R S O N A L E S S AY

I was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at three years old. Throughout my early education, I received speech therapy and social skills training to speed up my neurological development and fit in with my peers. While these services helped me throughout the years, I realized how they reflected society’s stigmatization towards autism, which caused me to lose my sense of autonomy, and most importantly, my confidence.

When I was five, I threw a tantrum while my mother practiced on her piano; it felt like pins and needles scraping inside my ears. I dropped to the floor in anguish, screaming like a banshee. My tiny body couldn’t handle a single note coming out of that damn piano. After several incidents of hypersensitivity, my parents enrolled me in special education programs to prepare me for a school environment.

From preschool to elementary school, I was assigned to various social workers, speech therapists, and integration aides to improve my neurological development. SST aimed to help me develop basic social skills in order to communicate with my neurotypical peers, navigate through various social situations, and create “My SST experience consisted of meaningful connections. My SST experience consisted of getting pulled out of class durgetting pulled out of class during a ing a fun dodgeball game or an arts and crafts fun dodgeball game or an arts and activity with my friends, just to sit in a cold, empty classroom reviewing appropriate socrafts activity with my friends, just cial behaviours from worksheets with poorly illustrated cartoons. to sit in a cold, empty classroom These worksheets portrayed what reviewing appropriate social from my integration aide deemed as unfit behaviours, such as lacking eye contact in conworksheets with poorly illustrated versations or not following orders. They cartoons.” also portrayed my stimming habits, such as humming to myself and flapping my arms, as unfit behaviours. I had to adjust my actions and emotions to resemble the appropriate mannerisms in my worksheets to make sure my aides didn’t lash out on me.

When I asked my integration aide why I had to learn these new behaviours, she responded, “To make people like you.”

Over the years, my integration aides even scolded me during times of distress, making me cautious of how I should express my emotions, as well as reminding me to be nice to the teachers who chastised me in class. Despite my hypersensitivity, speech impediment, and non-verbal behaviour drastically improving, I was left with this lingering question of why I had to change myself so that people would like me.

Although I learned how to initiate a conversation, wait for others to speak, and introduce conversation topics, I eventually became a target for bullies in my first year of high school. I desperately wanted to fit in and be included in school activities, dances, trips, and clubs, but I still felt like I didn’t belong anywhere. Many of my interactions with peers seemed forced and awkward because I was too eager to make friends like the other kids. After being excluded, teased, and spat on, I felt like it was easier to hide than talk to someone.

When I met the person who would become my closest friend in grade 9, I thought I was worthy of making meaningful social connections. We instantly bonded over our internet crushes, insecurities, and personal goals. But, as our FEBRUA RY 2022

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friendship grew, so did her malice.

In English class, we had to do a public service announcement project on raising awareness towards certain issues, such as HIV/AIDS, alcohol addiction, or sex trafficking. She learnt about my diagnosis through my mother and did her PSA project on autism because she claimed it was a disease.

My autism diagnosis became a topic of discussion in family emails and faculty meetings. “She’ll never graduate high school.” “Will she be able to get a job?” “Is she ready to live by herself?” As my heart filled with acrimony, memories of SST constantly reminded me to smile at the disingenuous people who visited me during Thanksgiving and passed by me in the hallway.

I wanted to lash out and be honest about my feelings, but I was scared that my reactions would feed into the ableist idea that I am incapable of doing anything for myself if I look too erratic. Bearing this type of negative treatment by those who surround me jams up my brain and makes my body freeze. How was I able to stand up for myself and risk being disliked by people who were supposed to uplift me?

“When I asked my integration aide why I had to learn these new behaviours, she responded, ‘To make people like you.’”

My earliest memories are ones of bullying, teasing, and actions of malice from the people in my close circle, all because I have autism. I distanced myself from the autistic community and internalized ableist ideas of my own. I refused to educate myself on my diagnosis because everything I read reminded me of my failure to blend in at school and succeed in other areas of my life. My eyes would fill with tears after reading stories of parents who claimed that autism destroyed their children’s social lives. It felt like being autistic meant being a burden to society and my loved ones.

I compared myself to my little sister and copied her style, because I wanted to look normal like her. I even created personas of myself to fit different people’s idealized version of me in their imaginations, causing me to lose my identity. I grew up tolerating a world that doesn’t tolerate me, so I reinvented myself to avoid humiliation. Even telling someone that I am autistic could obliterate all the progress I made to redeem my staggering reputation at school.

After everything, I’ve realized that my autism wasn’t responsible for my low self-esteem. It was society’s lack of empathy towards people who are like me that made me feel this way. The assumption that neurodivergent people are meek, feeble, and incapable of self-worth, creates ambiguity and fear among society. Open-minded people who surround me often don’t understand their own stigmatization of disabilities. I’ve heard those closest to me say they would disown their children if they became disabled.

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Now that I’m high-functioning, I communicate effectively and act somewhat normal. However, opening up to people about my diagnosis and experiences confuses them because I don’t look or sound austistic. My story and emotions aren’t valid enough for people to understand me. I don’t want to give off the impression that I’m an attention-seeker wanting a pity party; I just want people to understand me and re-evaluate their behaviour towards people with visible and non-visible disabilities.

I managed to graduate high school, get into my dream university, and be offered opportunities that go against the ableist barriers that were held against me. I managed to cut off ignorant friends from my life and surround myself with genuine people. I still walk around my house on my tippy-toes, overreact to slight changes in my routine, and get too carried away in my conversations, but I wouldn’t sacrifice my individuality for society’s intolerance towards me or my diagnosis. My autism makes me think more analytically and creatively, helping me approach situations with great curiosity.

The stigmatization of autism obliterated my confidence because of the pressure to fit in and endure intolerable people who constantly remind me that I won’t be good enough. Thankfully, I have the most supportive mother in the world who believes that I’m capable of anything, no matter what people say. The lack of education and compassion further drives the stigmatization of neurodivergent individuals like me, where I constantly have to prove to everyone that I’m worthy of respect based on the way I interact with others. I can’t afford to be trapped in a continuous cycle of self-hate and guilt just for being different. I love my autism because it taught me how to remain strong and authentic in spite of society’s lingering othering of people who are born differently.

POE TRY

Red Rain

By Eva Wilson @st1cki

plants are watered with the rain water turns red blood pink shower drops pour vines of black hair onto my face bloody washings morning and night soak, rinse, dry stains like a strong fruit cravings my wild berries squish inside and pour virility spotted, flowered bed sheets, like a leaf, or leopard’s pattern Moon, Sister and I are full what powers possess us? maybe never knowing is the best part

Graphic Eva Wilson Photo Caroline Marsh

My Mistress

By Hannah Tiongson @hannahtiongson2 My mistress’s hair is like autumnal trees, coarse on my frail skin.

Gleaming on my face, her cheeks—the colour of dawn.

Her luminous dove-white body intertwining with mine, like leaves on a windy day whirling from one direction to the other.

Her nipples—dark and swollen staring like berries waiting to be tasted, eaten.

She looks at me with stormy grey, crossed-eyes waiting for me to finish as I taste the plain, raw oysters of her vagina.

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The Sculpted Human Form Across History Examining how bodies have been sculpted throughout time Joe van Wonderen Photos Ibrahim Mahmoud

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he word statue might evoke images of larger-than-life, white marble figures in regal philosopher poses, like the ancient Greek statues that go hand-in-hand with the European idea of fine arts.

Thankfully, that’s not all there is. It’s time to look past the Apollos and Aphrodites by turning our gazes towards some of the different ways people have sculpted the human form throughout history. It’s time to pull back the curtain behind the Eurocentric lie that is fine arts.

The European idea of fine art comes from the Greco-Roman classical era. This tendency to put the past on a pedestal came into force during the Italian Renaissance with the Humanist movement.

“Humanists were also very interested in eloquence, which was an area of study that was promoted in the classical world. Humanists tried to rehabilitate it in the Renaissance world,” explained Steven Stowell, an art history professor at Concordia.

“Sculpting the human body was often the highest test of an artist.”

That helps to explain the importance placed upon statues like Michelangelo’s David and other white marble Renaissance statues. “[Renaissance sculptors] saw the body as an expression of God’s craftwork, or God’s artistry. Its beauty reflected the divinity of God,” Stowell said. “It was part of God’s creation, but also, since they saw humans as the highest of God’s creations, it was one of, if not, the most beautiful thing God created.”

The curator of the pre-ColT HEL INK NE W SPA P ER .C A

umbian section of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Erell Hubert, highlighted that sculptors in the region of what is now Peru heavily detailed the parts of statues that were necessary to identify the person and seemed to almost ignore the parts that weren’t.

There’s an earthenware statue titled Standing Female Figure in the Mesoamerican section of the gal-

“Sculpting the human body was often the highest test of an artist.”

- Steven Stowell lery; the head and face are the most detailed aspects of the sculpture.

The statue features an enlarged, deformed skull. According to Hubert, this procedure of deforming the skull to achieve an altered shape was painless and performed on infants. It was a widely recognized status symbol.

She explained how extra attention was given because the face represents a person; looking at a person’s face is how we identify and communicate with each other. The statue has no prominent genitalia. According to Hubert, the slit is just enough to denote the subject as female. The figure similarly lacks arms or detailed legs, because these periphery features are not needed to understand the figure.

This statue features only

what is needed to identify it: a warped skull to denote status, a detailed face to show its humanity, a shadow of a genital for its sex, and nothing more. “[It was] quite common in the Andes, and other places in the world, [art] style attempts to represent humanity with minimal distinct figures,” Hubert concluded.

Along with minimalistic aesthetics, some statues offer functionality along with their beauty. In the African section of the gallery, there are some Songye power figures. The crown of the head, and the head itself, were traditionally important to the Songye, but Hubert explained that the most important part of the body was the navel, where the umbilical cord is cut.

She explained how the Songye created a hollow space in the statue, accessed through the navel.

Substances placed inside imbued the statue with magical powers, according to Songye tradition. The statues are both a representation of humans, and a ritual item designed to affect the material world.

Yinka Shonibare’s Pan directly challenges the Greco-Roman classical ideal through a post-colonial lens. This statue is a thoughtful reflection on the ideals of classical art, located near the exit of The Arts of One World gallery in the MMFA. Within the last century, contemporary sculpting has seen a major shift in subject matter. “I do think that sculptors were influenced by the feminist movement using women models, older women for example, or women who did not have [conven-

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tionally] beautiful bodies,” said Nancy Skreko Martin, an American sculptor. Skreko Martin can speak both as an arts student and as an artist in the field since she holds a master’s degree from Bradley University and has had her work featured in the Smithsonian museum.

“I think the trend in contemporary sculpture, particularly in monuments, is [moving] away from figurative work,” said Skreko Martin.

“One of the things I see more artists doing is [fragmenting] the image. In other words, I see more sculptures that are just a leg, or a pair of legs, or an arm.” She hypothesized that this

trend in sculpting is due to the invention of computer assisted design programs and the commonality of smart phones with the potential to take high definition photos.

Perhaps figure sculpting for accuracy is fading away, but Skreko Martin has said that artists are still creating figures, as Shonibare’s Pan attests. The MMFA has both feminine subjects in their galleries and sculpted figures in The Art of One World. The human body has taken on many forms across humanity’s history, illustrating that there is no singular correct way to see and value human shapes or forms.

Yinka Shonibare,

ROMUALD HAZOUMè,

Pan

The Goddess of Love

JIM DINE,

At the Carnival

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Eating Disorders: Taking a Look Beyond the Body and Self When medical professionals neglect to look past just the physical, they actively ignore their patients’ needs altogether Yael Tobón

TW: THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES EATING DISORDERS

Graphic Maria Chabelnik T HEL INK NE W SPA P ER .C A

RESEARCH PIECE

When eating disorders are mentioned, it is not unusual for people to think of them as illnesses that only affect the body, ignoring mental health triggers.

Even though eating disorders are a very unique personal experience, a study published in the United States National Library of Medicine has shown that they tend to leave behind long-term psychological effects that are often overlooked.

Drew, whose name has been changed to protect their anonymity, was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa five years ago. Nineteen-year-old Bladimir Rodriguez has been battling bulimia for six years, and Daniela Martinez has also struggled with her relationship with food and her body since her early teen years.

Medical providers warned Rodriguez, Martinez, and Drew about the damage their illnesses could do to their bodies, which included chronic headaches, irregular or absent menstrual cycles, kidney failure, osteopenia or osteoporosis, low blood pressure, reduced metabolic rate, and constipation.

While they were all warned about possible physical repercussions, none of them were warned about the damage that could affect their psyches, such as empathy deficit, attachment insecurity, and poor emotional regulation, among other side effects.

Some of these psychological repercussions may have long-term impacts on the lives of those recovering from eating disorders, especially if the illness is not treated as more than just a physical one.

Because of the complexity of eating disorders, it remains crucial for patients to receive a multidisciplinary treatment where they are able to gather enough information to prevent them from getting to a critical state.

Peggy Claude-Pierre is an eating disorder specialist and author of the book The Secret Language of Eating Disorders. Claude-Pierre developed the concept of the negative mind or confirmed negative condition—terms she uses to describe a disintegrated ego that results in a complete lack of self. It is often manifested as a relentless and destructive inner dialogue.

“My body was no longer something of mine, but something that had to be fixed. My mind became my enemy for a long time.”

- Daniela Martinez Claude-Pierre describes agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic attacks as the most common comorbidities—a term referring to the presence of more than one disorder in the same individual. Patients tend to develop these symptoms once it seems that behaviours related to the eating disorder have subsided, as she explains in her book.

Those who suffer from eating disorders will often also struggle with additional psychological disorders.

Rodriguez was given the diagnosis of anxiety in addition to bulimia nervosa. Drew was diagnosed with social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and chronic depression.

“I just wanted to be seen, to feel important,” Drew said. “I was in a constant state of numbness, I felt lost and empty.”

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“My body was no longer something of mine, but something that had to be fixed. My mind became my enemy for a long time,” she added.

It is no coincidence that certain personality traits are common among sufferers such as high harm avoidance (a personality trait characterized by excessive worrying, pessimism, and shyness), low self-directedness, and perfectionism.

These traits may play a key role in fueling an eating disorder and remain persistent even after recovery from the condition.

“I am hands down a more perfectionist guy, sometimes in a bad way,” said Rodriguez. “I also suffer from anxiety, so this increased my discomfort. I quit attending some social events since I feel as if everyone is watching me, and it is uncomfortable.”

While those with eating disorders suffer great difficulty in their everyday lives, they are not the only ones affected by their illness.

“Even when I saw all the sorrow I caused my mother, how I was slowly shutting my body down, my mind only wanted me to keep going.

My body and food became my only identity,” said Drew.

Recovery from an eating disorder can be an arduous process that requires commitment from all parties since, after all, they are seeking to connect with the self again. However, those who are fighting will never walk alone for there is someone who has traveled down that same path at least once before.

“It’s really easy to fall into [eating disorders], and it would really help to teach a healthy relationship with food [during] childhood to everybody. Please stop body shaming.

It’s not okay and you never know what is going on in others’ lives,” Martinez added.

“It is not normal, but you’re not a freak. I feel for you, you are not alone,” said Rodriguez.

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How Homegrown Tattoo Artists Are Revamping Old School Ink More people are opting for in-home studios instead of traditional tattoo parlours Ivan de Jacquelin One out of five Canadians sport at least one tattoo.

If you’ve ever gotten one, you probably remember your first time like it was yesterday. Getting your first ink stays with you forever, both in your mind and on your skin. For some, that kind of commitment can be intimidating.

Inexperience, fear of judgment, and having a 40-year-old tattoo-covered artist leaning over you with a needle can often make first-time clients uncomfortable. Many are afraid to overstep and can’t do much other than trust the artist. This power dynamic creates an environment where it’s easy for people with abusive tendencies to take advantage, and in recent years, Montreal’s tattoo industry has been rocked with allegations of sexual harassment and abuse.

Several artists from the Montreal tattoo scene have said their customers shared stories of abuse and disrespect regarding intimacy. They’ve also said it’s an open secret within people of the industry that some shops still make it hard for those who are not part of the dominant white old school biker tattoo culture to get apprenticeships, and a number of tattoo parlours allegedly pay female artists less than male artists.

However, Montreal’s tattoo scene is seeing a new wave of inclusive tattooing coming from a younger generation of up-and-coming tattoo artists who feel like the industry isn’t making enough space for them. They say they want to reclaim the industry and make it a better, friendlier place for expression that is accessible to any creative spirit that puts their mind to it.

To best picture it, imagine getting your first ink in an environment T HEL INK NE W SPA P ER .C A

Claude Guérard (left) and Camille Martin (right)of Pxssy Club House Tattoo.

Photos Ivan de Jacquelin designed to make you feel safe. You walk in–not to a shop, but into the artist’s home. As you enter the living room filled with plants, Buddha statues, and astrology posters. You’re offered tea, and the artist takes the time to get to know you before actually sitting down and dipping the needle in the ink. The artist asks for consent before touching you, and you would be offered coverings if the tattoo is in a sensitive spot.

This is how customers de-

scribe the home studio of Camille Martin and Claude Guérard. Aged 21 and 20 respectively, the two young women opened their private studio–Pxssy Club House Tattoo–in their Plateau apartment in 2021. Despite never undergoing professional training through mentorship as is usually the case for tattoo artists, they managed to build a loyal customer base by turning their home into a safe space where anyone can enjoy the best tattoo experience possible, all in the span of the

FRINGE ARTS

first year of the pandemic.

Martin said a home studio makes clients more comfortable for a number of reasons, which is crucial considering the often long periods of time tattoo appointments take.

“I feel like it’s super important, before bursting that little personal space bubble, to get to know [my clients] and to prove to them that you are trustworthy, and that you have nothing but good intentions,” she said. “What better way than to welcome that person into your safe haven?”

Guérard said her interest in tattooing dates back to when she was about 13. “I got kind of out of it after my parents sent me to do an internship at a tattoo shop [for] experience. It was a shop in Longueuil with animal skulls everywhere and heavy metal music. They only tattooed skulls and naked women and it really put me off as a 13-year-old girl,” she said.

Before the pandemic, Martin and Guérard had both given up on their artistic ambitions and worked various jobs in order to pay rent. When the first lockdown suddenly broke that routine, they made the decision to teach themselves how to ink, and it changed their lives forever.

“I was seeing the Montreal tattooing scene grow into a very welcoming space, and it kind of dragged me back into it,” Guérard said.

One thing led to another and

the two friends bought an $80 tattoo machine and started practicing on pigskin and courageous friends.

In the conventional tattoo industry, however, self-taught tattooing is known as scratching and is extremely frowned upon. Tattoo artists consider it to be damaging for the reputation of the industry and recommend avoiding it at all costs, arguing that most scratchers practice in unsafe environments, have no professional training, and lure customers with cheap prices.

In some instances, some of these criticisms are justified, but Martin and Guérard have come a long way from tattooing friends at parties for a few bucks to growing a professional home business and make a living out of it.

“It’s kind of a boys’ club, and they want to stay on top,” Guérard said about the industry. “That’s why they make it difficult for other people to get apprenticeships and say stuff like, ‘You should get an apprenticeship or you’re not a real tattoo artist.’ It’s just gatekeeping.”

Tattoo artist Geneviève Farley-Tremblay, co-owner of the tattoo shop Tatouages Vilains in the Plateau, said she advises all aspirants to find a mentor in a studio, but understands people who don’t feel like tattoo shops are for them and who prefer learning at home.

“Mostly it’ll just be a much longer process to get to the level you aim for,” Farley-Tremblay said. “There’s also

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more risk in learning by yourself because you can be unsafe without knowing it. It can spread serious [blood-related] diseases like hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, infections. It can get dangerous.”

Quebec currently has no law or certification process to guarantee the safety of a tattooing environment, even for studios. There is a bloodborne pathogens training required by most shops now, and Farley-Tremblay recommends those who are interested in tattooing to take it.

Martin and Guérard confessed that their beginnings weren’t the safest, but they say they became very serious

“I feel like it’s super important, before bursting that little personal space bubble, to get to know my clients and to prove to them that you are trustworthy, and that you have nothing but good intentions.”

- Camille Martin

The tattoo machine and equipment are all in the corner of the living room, which also serves as their studio.

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about safety as soon as their clientele extended beyond just friends.

“The second that we started to have an influx of people that we didn’t personally know, we started to take it to heart,” Guérard said. “A huge part of tattooing is that you’re fucking with people’s [immune system], you’re risking infection all the time. You have to be careful.” The two of them are planning to take further training in the coming year.

Through Instagram and word of mouth, what started as a fun hobby has turned into a profitable business. Martin and Guérard now tattoo more than 12 people a week, and demand is only increasing.

Martin said she could easily live on half the bookings she has, but demand is so high that she would be making clients wait for weeks to get their tattoos. “I just feel bad because if I put only half of them, my bookings would go up to four months from now,” she said.

According to both artists, the secret to their success is the personalized customer experience.

“When [clients] show up for their appointments, we take the time to talk about it, to really cater to each and every person’s preference and style,” Guérard said.

“I like to book at least two hours, even for a small piece. We have good conversations, sometimes talk about their trauma.” Martin said. “I never found such a safe space in a tattoo shop. That’s what we look for here, a community.”

All their bookings are made through social media, and because word spreads fast in the Plateau, their reputation is growing exponentially. They said when they first started out, they had in mind to eventually open a private shop which would take in minority apprentices, Black, trans, POC, queer and others, “because those are the people in the traditional industry that aren’t given the light of day.” said Guérard.

However, some say the industry–even in traditional shops–is changing. “There’s way more inclusive studios opening,” said Farley-Tremblay, whose shop opened last February on Duluth St. “The first shop where I started was a ‘boys’ club’ and it was often uneasy to work in, so I get it. Here we’re mostly girls, and we do our best every day to make everyone feel welcome.”

Among the inclusive and T HEL INK NE W SPA P ER .C A

body-positive shops that are emerging in Montreal, Farley-Tremblay mentioned Minuit-Dix and Désolé Maman, both located in the Mile-End. Martin and Guérard said that the thing they like most about what they do is getting to be part of a virtuous cycle.

They say they’ve met an amazing community of at-home artists through their work; a community that grew after the first lockdown.

Beyond just tattooing, they say they’ve discovered a ton of hardworking artists who make custom jewels, vintage clothes and other items from home that are eventually sold through social media.

They described this community of creatives as very open-minded and say they often collaborate with each other by exchanging their craft, thus proving that even in these peculiar times, Montreal continues to be a fertile ground for those exploring the arts community.

SPORTS

One Breath at a Time, One Step Ahead: An Inclusive Approach to Climbing The growing community of climbers among women is reaching new heights, allowing newcomers of different backgrounds to find supportive climbing networks Marianne Liendo-Dufort Over the past two decades, women have been asserting their presence as capable athletes within the climbing community. From climbing harder grades and setting routes in gyms, they now have new, unprecedented opportunities to empower each other.

Climbing is a sport where each climber can move at their own unique pace. Until the late ‘90s, only a select number of women—Lynn Hill, Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou, and Bethany Rodden to name a few—were known pro rock climbers. Despite being considered leading athletes in the world of climbing, they were far outnumbered by male climbers.

According to a study published in 2021 by Columbia University, “multiple women can be found in the list of top 100 rock climbers, a trend not found in any other major sport.”

It emphasizes how climbing is a sport that, unlike more traditionally popular sports, allows both women and men to perform at high, comparable levels.

If women can perform at such high levels, why is the surge of female climbers only occurring now?

“I always thought that climbing was very intimidating, that you had to look a certain way and have this prerequisite of being strong,” said Emma Contaoe, a climbing instructor with

Emma Contaoe at one of her retreats in Lanaudière, Quebec.

Courtesy Emma Contaoe

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over six years of teaching experience.

“When a woman exhibits expert knowledge and strong climbing skills, it uplifts the entire female climbing community,” wrote Tory Lesce in an article published on the Mountain Safety Research blog.

Climbing Escapes, Contaoe’s business, perfectly exemplifies Lesce’s words. She founded it in 2016 and is the climbing instructor during her retreats across the various outdoor climbing sites in Quebec. Climbing Escapes offer climbing courses and the required gear during multi-day climbing and yoga retreats for climbers of all levels.

Despite encouraging fellow women climbers to push themselves to climb at new heights, imposter syndrome remains a challenge Contaoe faces daily. “The barrier of me not being good enough, not being legit enough [as an instructor], comes from within,” she said. “[It’s] because I never had a role model that looked like me.”

As the daughter of Filipino immigrants, she had no one she could identify with as she learned how to climb. She wished to create a safe space for those who struggled with feeling a sense of belonging in a community that was and still is predominantly white and male. She has since succeeded in becoming that role model to other women, especially Women of Colour. The facts are self-explanatory, as the demographic she attracts most is Asian women.

“Most of [the women attending the retreats] said that they didn’t think they could do it, that they would ever be capable because of their fear of heights,” said Contaoe. “Most people who come are beginners who have never climbed indoors or outdoors.”

Contaoe strives for a greater diversity in the sport. Her empowering retreats allow women to just be themselves, however they wish to be.

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Women like Ginette Charbonneau, one of the oldest women climbers in Quebec, inspire the younger generation of climbers to keep pushing their limits. During an interview at her regular climbing gym, Allez Up, Charbonneau said she started climbing at 50 years old and now has close to 17 years of experience with the sport. She climbs four times a week, whether it is rock climbing, bouldering, ice climbing, or indoor climbing.

“It’s just normal for me,” Charbonneau said regarding her very active lifestyle.

Such a casual approach to the sport makes her a very approachable and relatable role model. It is not uncommon for her to have strong climbers of either gender telling her she’s their idol, which never fails to amuse her.

“Women have a different definition of success, they cheer each other on more easily, and it comes from the heart,” Charbonneau said

when discussing the different attitudes about climbing between both genders.

Throughout her multiple climbing adventures, Charbonneau noticed how there is an increasing number of women climbing by themselves. “We can now see a bunch of girls climbing together, going on climbing trips,” she said. “Before, when you would see a girl climbing outdoors, it would usually be with a group of guys, and she would always be in a relationship with one of them.”

Climbing is a sport that incites those practicing the sport to help one another. Watching someone else will inevitably teach the observer new skills, as the person climbing usually has their own climbing style. Charbonneau explained that comparing one’s own movements to those of another climber can be healthy and beautiful in its own way.

It highlights the diversity in people, and how unique every body is.

Corinne Baril, a route setter at the bouldering gym Bloc Shop, believes routes should be inclusive for climbers of all levels.

Bouldering is a type of climbing where the climbing routes are shorter and no ropes are used. Instead, crash pads are used to cushion the climbers’ falls.

Setting new routes that place new climbing projects on the wall involves a lot of teamwork.

“We try to make it as perfect as possible for everyone on the team,” said Baril. Simply put, if the projects feel good for all the route setters, then they will likely feel pretty good to every client that walks into the gym.”

“It’s more in the details, the way you generate the movement [that varies],” Baril said about the different people climbing routes. “Guys don’t always realize how much strength is required for big moves,” she said. She explained that because of the different bodies everyone has—whether it is

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“The barrier of me not being good enough, not being legit enough as an instructor, comes from within. It’s because I never had a role model that looked like me.”

- Emma Contaoe men or women who are tall or short, flexible or not—a good route setting team should be composed of diverse climbers.

“Elevating more women not only cements women’s place in the climbing community, but creates a far more inclusive culture,” wrote Lesce. This growing inclusivity benefits climbers of all genders, ages, body types, and ethnicities, as more styles of climbing are now showcased in gyms.

Opposite: Corinne Baril organizing the climbing holds she will be using to set the route.

Top: Emma Contaoe setting up a young girl for her climb.

Bottom: Ginette Charbonneau ice climbing.

Courtesy Corinne Baril, Emma Contaoe, Ginette Charbonneau FEBRUA RY 2022

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Demystifying IUDs, One Woman At a Time Finding the right contraceptive for the right uterus Marianne Liendo-Dufort

C

ontraception is not something new—it can be traced all the way back to ancient Egypt. According to historians, the available options were quite different from what people with uteruses have today and instead were ranging from concoctions of crocodile feces and honey to acacia honey swabs.

Fortunately, with modern times came modern contraception methods.

While the first scientific paper about intrauterine devices dates back to 1909, these long-acting reversible contraception devices only gained popularity in the United States in the early 1990s, following the introduction of a new generation of IUDs in 1988.

Fast-forward to 2022, uterus owners have many options to choose from when it comes to IUDs. Options for IUDs include hormonal devices that release a progestin hormone daily in the uterus. Two hormonal IUDs are available in Canada—Mirena and Kyleena—and can be left in the uterus for about five years.

Another popular option is the copper IUD, which is non-hormonal, and can last up to ten years. Both make the uterus inhospitable for fertilization—so no babies will be renting those uteruses for nine months.

Both devices interact differently within the body, and since everyone is different, it can be scary and intimidating to try and find the right contraception for your own body.

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Why would one pick a device over the other? There is no clear-cut answer to that question. It all depends on your own body and comfort. Every uterus owner’s body works differently and has experienced life differently.

While doctors may make suggestions and recommendations, people with uteruses are ultimately left on their own to make the choice of whichever option is best for their health.

Marie-Ève Campion got her first IUD when she was in CEGEP. Due to her high blood pressure, her physician recommended she avoid hormonal contraceptives as they can potentially increase blood pressure. She consequently opted for the copper IUD. “This choice works perfectly for me,” Campion said. She feels a slight increase in period cramps with her IUD, but nothing particularly unusual.

She also noticed her periods being less

regular than before, varying between 26 and 34 days instead of her normal 28 days.

“I find it awesome not to have to think of taking a pill, and [my IUD] doesn’t mess with my hormones,” she said.

Campion removed her IUD when she planned on having kids. As soon as she had it taken out, her periods came back to their regular cycle. After giving birth to her two daughters, she decided to get her second copper IUD. She plans on getting a third copper IUD once her current one needs to be taken out.

In contrast with the copper IUD, the hormonal IUD comes with its own set of benefits. Among these, a decrease and/or complete stop of menstrual bleeding and cramp-related pain is very common. As such, it is often recommended to uterus owners diagnosed with endometriosis—a painful condition where the endometrium tissue lining the inside of the uterus grows outside the uterus.

“My whole life, I had really terrible periods,” said Patty Elizabeth, who was diagnosed with endometriosis. “I had to take one to two days off work every month because I really couldn’t function.”

As soon as she received her diagnosis, she was recommended the hormonal IUD to alleviate her pain.

“I was a little bit apprehensive,” said Elizabeth. She avoids medications and additional hormones in her daily life whenever possible, but she had reached a point where she was at a loss of what to do about her condition.

“It changed my life so much,” she said. “Had I known about this, I would’ve gotten it 10 years ago.”

Elizabeth plans to continue using a hormonal IUD after the one she currently has expires. She now has periods during which she can go to work and pursue her daily life without worrying about the heavy bleeding or being incapacitated by the pain caused by her cramps.

One does not have to have a medical condition to get an IUD, as it is also just a very convenient way of preventing unwanted pregnancies.

Alexia Vincent was only about 10 years old when she got her first period, and they quickly became quite

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painful. When she eventually became sexually active, she decided to get on the contraceptive pill to be sure not to get pregnant. She found the pill–an estrogen-based oral contraceptive that needs to be taken daily–to be helpful in alleviating period pains.

At 25 years old, Vincent switched to a hormonal IUD. She was looking for a long-term contraceptive that was simpler to deal with on the daily.

“When I had Mirena , there were a couple of things about it that bothered me,” she said. These things included very painful cramps following the insertion of the device. She also falls in the one to 10 per cent of women experiencing increased hair loss due to the Mirena IUD. Vincent is now using her second IUD and has decided to switch to a copper one. The lack of additional hormones found in the device make her feel like she’s finally discovering her body after being on hormonal contraception from such a young age.

She does feel new undesired symptoms, such as pain during ovulation, bloating and more spotting throughout her menstrual cycle. She’s only had it for two years but doesn’t know what contraceptive she will go for once her current one expires. “Now that I have the copper IUD, I miss my first one,” Vincent said.

Contraception is a very personal choice to make, as it impacts every body in a different way. No matter what information is available, there’s still no knowing how the body will react. All the factors influencing the decision require time and energy but will ultimately indicate what’s best for individual needs.

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