Feb 8 Sex & Gender Issue

w MARTLET.CA

FEB. 8, 2024 • VOLUME 76 • ISSUE 10 @THEMARTLET @THEMARTLET

The

Sex & Gender Issue

Drag in Victoria pg. 6-7

Platonic Love pg. 5 Queer Fashion pg. 9

CRUSHES & CONFESSIONS

A little bird told me...

We asked UVic students to submit their anonymous confessions

me y told n u g e ta ot” th nigh One new a sp e me to a k k he “ ed to ta . eed eyard proc grav

I can’t put my finger on exactly why being around you is intoxicating. You’re not the most beautiful. You’re kind of an awkward, shy prude. And yet… When you walk into class and sit down across from me, when you blush terribly every time you speak in public, when you say the most thoughtful things straight from your big, humble heart….

I’m lost, for a moment, floating. Because of circumstances, I can’t tell you any other way than this: I think you are an extremely lovely human.

I th in wit k my we h her best ird frie bro nd me with e ther.

Th is in a s bro the o unc ch oth ey ar love es sist om rw er i o e i f her r up a ll phys ortab t mak say like a ll the ically le. The es cur s thing baby time a pick h . ly h air s like And m nd tre is h a a hav nd I e has y frien t w eh d t air ant m he be like yk st i him ds t o .

hoverboard Full face helmet you gone? ve ha guy, where s around campu Seeing you rip st pa e th of rt pa was the best the only thing few years and actual joy on e that brought m campus. Please this dark dark not the same come back, it’s t you. ou ith w re he

My friend is in love with a professor in the English department. They think it's adorable how they squint in their glasses, and how they get so excited that they trip over their own feet.

De so ar S yo und , I k We ur b inse now thi ha oyf ns ele ve b riend itive, s is g alw m bu oi c e ee sin ays nta n be heat t I'm ng to e ce ha ry s st in d a ch fri d on glad e gra you o je st cru ol nds yo d yo alou e 12 arte sh o and sin u. rig u wi s an I'v d da n yo I've ce e t h d t sh t no h him up alw ing u. Ev ay ow w Ad er se .

I t b s a I'm you ut I' know whe felt m m so h n all ow y I h ou se o yo u n muc ping 're s e ee h I thi ad d S lov s w . Lo e y ill ve ou .

A

THANK YOU

TO OUR CRUSHES & CONFESSIONS SPONSORS

102 - 2580 Penrhyn Street, Victoria www.cadborobayoptometry.ca

$90

250-360-2229

with valid student ID

Dr. Samantha Bourdeau O.D.

Dr. Kelsey Ford O.D.

2 // FEB 8, 2024

NEWS

UVic's 'negligence' during snowstorm promtps backlash after student injuries

Campus remained open during extreme weather, students petition for reform SYDNEY LOBE SENIOR STAFF WRITER The University of Victoria’s treatment of snow-related campus closures on Jan. 17 and 18 has led to criticism from students about university policies and a student-led petition which demands an apology from university administration following student injuries.

On Jan. 16, the City of Victoria encouraged residents to be prepared for imminent snowfall per Environment Canada’s forecast. B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation also warned that, on Wednesday, Jan. 17, the weather would increase the risk of collision while travelling by road, and encouraged folks to stay home if possible.

As predicted, Jan. 17 and 18 saw heavy snowfall throughout the greater Victoria area. However, UVic remained open on Jan 17 until 12:30 p.m., at which point multiple student injuries on or near UVic’s campus due to motor vehicle accidents had been reported on social media.

Sophie Taylor, a third-year theatre major, was rushing to her 9:30 a.m. class when, crossing Ring Road, a car slid on a patch of black ice and hit her left side.

“It was a little bit of a blur,” she told the Martlet. The next thing she remembers was asking her friends to notify her professors that she’d be missing from class, then heading to the hospital.

Taylor shattered her shoulder, but is otherwise okay. She identifies the reason for the crash as poorly managed, icy roads on UV ic’s campus.

“I wish I had made the decision not to go to school that day,” she

says. “It's very weird how quickly your life can just get turned on its head within the span of ten minutes.”

On the evening of Jan. 17, UVic released an announcement stating t h a t , d u e t o i m p ro v i n g ro a d conditions, campus would reopen the morning of Thursday, Jan. 18.

Come 1:00 p.m. that day, campus closed once again due to a morning of consistent snowfall.

In an email to the Martlet, a UVic spokesperson attributes the decision to keep campus open at various points on Jan. 17 and 18 to rapid shifts in forecasting. “[Because] these situations are not static,” they write, “changes to recommendations on closures may be required and decisions may need to change rapidly.”

Following the two mid-day closures, a student petition was created on change.org. The petition demands that the university publicly address “negligence” and that administration justifies why they didn’t opt to conduct virtual classes during a period of known extreme weather.

Additionally, the petition calls for no academic penalty for students who made the decision — contrary to the university’s recommendations — to stay home from campus and miss class on those days.

Lastly, the petition requests that “damages be addressed to the students who sustained injuries as a result of potential administrative negligence.”

Lane O’Hara Cooke, director of outreach and university relations for the UVSS, met with Jim Dunsdon, associate vice-president student affairs, to discuss the petition.

According to Cooke, Dunsdon was

receptive to their concerns and suggestions — including a recommendation to change UVic’s approach from “when in doubt, open the university” to “when in doubt, keep the university closed.”

The UVSS representative will follow up with Dunsdon and UVic administration in coming weeks to ensure that “commitments are followed through.”

While the University of Victoria left an Instagram comment to a concerned student reading “I can assure you that the university follows up directly with individuals involved in any incident reported to UVic,” Taylor says that they haven’t heard from the university since the accident, except for a message from UVic’s Instagram account.

“They were essentially like ‘If you need any accommodations, let us know, we can try and pass it on for you.’ … I think they just wanted to reach out,” says Taylor. “I always assumed if something like this happened to me, [the university] would at least send me an email or something,” she adds.

Taylor explains that her professors have been understanding and offered her accommodations as she recovers.

However, UVic administration has made no effort to acknowledge the accident and has not provided any standardized accommodations for Taylor.

A UVic spokesperson says that, due to confidentiality, they are unable to confirm or deny.

“When an injury occurs on campus, our campus security officers respond immediately to provide first-aid and support,” reads their email to the Martlet. “In the days following a safety incident, we do our best to

Photo via @universityofvictoria on Instagram.

make contact with the impacted parties in order to connect them with appropriate resources and supports.”

Cooke, however, is more concerned with academic accommodations following an accident like the one Taylor experienced. “The response needs to be more uniform,” says Cooke. “It can't be dependent on the attitude of a [professor] because that could vary from one class to another.”

As of Feb. 2, the petition has 582 signatures with a goal of 1 000, and Cooke is still waiting on another meeting with UVic administration, at which point they will follow up on

the concerns they voiced to Dunsdon.

A UVic spokesperson says, “We are listening carefully to feedback and will consider what we’ve heard as part of our debrief of this weather event as we look to refine our approach in the future.”

Taylor hopes this will be the case, so similar accidents can be prevented.

“Person to person, [UVic is] such a wonderful community … but it does kind of feel like, at times, UVic as a corporation sees us as bodies instead of actual students,” says Taylor. “I hope this is a wake-up call for UVic.”

UVic students are exploring polyamorous relationships --- and their communication skills and sense of belonging are benefiting Despite pushback and misconceptions, one student has found a 'big, fun group of poly friends' MARAYA COOPER CONTRIBUTING WRITER This cuffing season — when people tend to seek out companionship — more young people are open to exploring non-monogamous relationships. “[It’s] very important to keep an open mind and curate our relationships to what our needs, and boundaries, and strengths are,” said Beau Houle, outreach and communications coordinator of the Gender Empowerment Centre (GEM) at UVic. “Instead of just allowing ourselves to be told how we should be relating to other people.” There is no one-size-fitsall in relationships.

Polyamory has become a kind of revolution among Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012). It requires individuals to push back against social constructs and voice their personal needs in order to maintain successful relationships, intimate or platonic.

As defined by a 2023 Psychology Today article, polyamory is an umbrella term for the practice of being in multiple consensual relationships at one time.

“Polyamory requires a lot of things out of people,” said Dr. Audrey Yap, a philosophy professor at UVic, in an interview with the Martlet. “You need to be really clear in your relationships about

Photo by Maraya Cooper.

your boundaries, about your desires, basically about all kinds of things.”

While Yap says these skills are important in all types of relationships, Sam Capps believes polyamory has especially helped develop their communication skills.

Capps is a third-year English and history student, who has been practicing solopolyamory (having no primary partner) for two and a half years.

Unlike monogamous relationships, which usually end with the ceremonial

burning of any evidence of your ex’s existence, Capps’ relationships rarely end with anything so drastic. “Just because it didn’t work out when we were sleeping together doesn’t mean I don’t want to be friends with you,” they explained.

According to Yap, modern dating labels promote a sense of belonging among young people. “There’s a way that I am, and there’s other people who are that way. It makes you feel like you’re not just by yourself.”

This is particularly true for Capps, who explained how their friend group expands due to the fluidity and inclusivity of the polyamorous community. “We’re just a big, fun group of poly-friends,” said Capps.

Yap teaches a course devoted to analyzing the nature of love called Philosophy of Love, Sex and Friendship.

The course examines what love looks like, different types of relationships, and the challenges of standard views about love. While teaching, Yap has noticed many students showing interest in polyamory after learning about it. “It seems like [polyamory] has become a much more normalized way to be in relationships,” Yap said.

While polyamory is certainly not new, more recently it has been recognized in the online dating sphere. A 2023 study conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Tinder found that 41 per cent of Gen Z Tinder users are open to or seeking a non monogamous relationship. In an effort to celebrate the diversity of modern dating, Tinder launched the “It Starts With a Swipe” campaign — allowing users to specify their relationship orientations and pronouns.

Despite this, Yap says some people who are accustomed to monogamy still push back against dating practices like polyamory. “The kind of relationship that

someone’s in often feels like … a big part of someone’s identity,” she said. “People doing things in really different ways can sometimes feel threatening to that identity.”

As for Capps, who has experienced some monogamous resistance, explaining their relationship orientation can be taxing due to misconceptions; and no, polyamory and casually dating are not correlated.

According to Houle there is also a darker side of polyamory within the community.

“I think there is a phenomenon of people who … date like they're playing Pokémon, just like ‘gotta catch them all’” said Houle, referring to people who misappropriate the polyamorous label.

Cheating among polyamorous partnerships is also possible. This can be identified by a disrespected or broken boundary. Proving that strong communication and trust among all partners — polyamorous or not — is essential for healthy relationships.

“You have a lot more options [in] your romantic life. There’s not just one path that you’re going to follow,” Yap said. “I think having an environment, where there’s not just one way that you might do things lets people actually try and explore what might work best for them.”

FEB. 8, 2024 // 3

NEWS OPINIONS

Nobody wants to be the b*tch police

It's time to rethink the way we challenge oppressive language SYDNEY LOBE SENIOR STAFF WRITER Recently, I was rifling through a basket of free pins at the Anti-Violence Project’s office in the basement of the SUB. I settled on a button that says “Challenge Oppressive Language.”

As I slid the button onto my backpack, I thought about its call to action. For me, the commitment to challenging oppressive language is twofold; it means both aiming not to hurt others with my words and, because it is something I care about, holding those who care about me accountable to a non-oppressive vocabulary as well.

I am thinking in this article, which will appear in the sex and gender issue, particularly about language that is oppressive to non-men — words like b*tch, sl*t, wh*re, etc. This is not to exclude other oppressive language from the conversation, but rather because it’s a relevant focal point for a lofty issue.

Language use has real, tangible consequences as it has historically been used to manipulate, control, hurt, and oppress marginalized groups. And on an individual basis, we have all, at one point or another, been hurt by name-calling or directed insults.There is so much pain that lives in etymological history; language has always held the capacity to be a vehicle for oppression. Thus, stakes in our fight for gender equality are as high on the page and on our tongues as they are in the streets, our homes, and our workplaces.

Usually, when I overhear people speaking up to resist an oppressive word or phrase, it sounds like “you

can’t say that,” or “you shouldn’t use that word,” and it’s often brushed off with a quick apology, or worse, met with a laugh or an eyeroll. In my experience, the next steps are usually rinse and repeat.

One of the reasons I suppose this happens is because words like b*tch are so common in our lexicon, that it feels to users like the words’ frequency of use correlates to the degree of harm they are capable of causing. Of course, this isn’t true.

I often wonder: why does my attempt at challenging oppressive language, and the attempts of those around me, feel like an unsatisfying, even Sisyphean task? Why doesn’t it stick?

I had a conversation with my friend recently about interpersonal boundarysetting. Her therapist told her that a boundary with a friend or partner is not functional without a consequence to breaking that boundary.

I think this applies in the context of challenging oppressive language, too.

“Don’t say that,” or worse, “you can’t/shouldn’t say that,” are the linguistic equivalent of a parent telling their child to turn off the television w i t h o u t g i v i n g a re a s o n o r a consequence for what might happen if they don’t.

The result is bad for both the policing force and the policed. The policed party feels scolded or maybe a sense of shame or misdirected anger at the other party — not for their request, but for being told what to do. On the other hand, the policing force feels unheard, embarrassed, even potentially ostracized when they are not taken seriously.

If we’re thinking about what my

friend said — that consequences are essential when instating boundaries — that might look like saying “we can’t be friends if you keep saying that word.”

But here we are again, in a lose-lose situation. The person using harmful language may feel taken aback or judged, and has the opportunity to weaponize this severe boundary as evidence of uptightness. Also, backlash against what we are told we can’t do is natural. A kind of alluring, forbidden novelty is thus introduced to the word when it feels off-limits, and so the slur in question remains in use — either by reason of carelessness, rebellion, or novel appeal.

And on the other hand, the boundary-setter in this situation is potentially losing a friend because they initiated such a high-stakes ultimatum.

It is exhausting to be the b*tch police.

So, where do we go from here?

To me, the word “challenge” in the phrase “challenge oppressive language” brings to mind the image of two lancers in their ready positions.

Ready for a challenge, indeed.

I have been thinking about what it would look like to reframe challenging oppressive language by speaking up in a way that is productive and forward moving, rather than in a way that places us and our loved ones on opposing sides of a confrontation.

Instead of a discouraging aside in conversation such as “don’t say that,” what might it look like to instead find an appropriate time to put the onus for change on your friend or loved one, as opposed to letting the burden of policing fall on you?

Photo by Syndey Lobe.

For me, a more productive solution is to be honest about the emotional impact of the oppressive language used by those I care about, then leaving the responsibility of what to do next to them.

“The fact that X is a part of your vocabulary makes me feel uncomfortable around you,” or “When, as my friend, you say a word that has been used to hurt people like me, it embarrasses me,” are a couple of examples of what I think is a happy medium between firm chastisements with no real consequences and highstakes consequences that don’t serve any parties in a relationship.

The approach is also a litmus test for whether the people in your life can value and respect your feelings. I hope that any change that this might

facilitate would be more enduring too b e c a u s e i t ’s c o m i n g f ro m a n independent choice made from an informed position, not a prescriptive demand.

In order to work together, we have to reach a more vulnerable place of negotiation. In a perfect world this means a bid for empathy, met with willingness to try to understand.

As far as I’m concerned, there is no easy solution, except to listen to each other when we talk about what hurts, in any facet of life, and make an i n d i v i d u a l e ff o r t t o e r a d i c a t e oppressive language from our vocabularies — whether your loved ones have to tell you to or not.

And to my fellow b*tch police, don’t be discouraged; every evolution is incremental.

With porn more accessible than ever, it's time to take a hard look at how we use it Is it time to say goodbye to porn?

ATUM BECKETT SENIOR STAFF WRITER Porn is always just a click away. How much harm is this accessibility causing?

Pornhub, the largest adult site on the internet, recently released their 2023 stats. In Canada, 85 per cent of the website’s traffic came from mobile devices. With access easier than ever, gone are the days of looking over your shoulder as you try to watch something on the family computer. It makes me a bit weary of touching other people’s phones, honestly.

Unfortunately, our culture has associated masturbation with porn so closely that they’re almost synonymous.

Every study that I’ve looked at that focuses on masturbation on its own highlights the importance of the act for healthy sexual development. The studies that look at pornography on the other hand — no pun intended — aren’t so positive.

Another statistic demonstrates that worldwide, 27 per cent of the website’s visitors are 18–24 years old, making this age group the largest demographic. But there’s a problem with this stat — since you “have” to be at least 18 to access Pornhub, there isn’t any data on how

4 // FEB. 8, 2024

many underage users there really are.

Just look at the most searched video game terms on the site — Fortnite, Overwatch, Minecraft, and Pokemon.

These are video games that are primarily marketed to children, so it’s safe to say that there are probably a lot of younger users on there.

I believe that there are two factors that need to be looked at when thinking about the detriments of porn: how it affects you and how it affects others.

How does it affect you? While porn addiction isn’t a medically recognized disorder, as with any substance once it starts affecting or impending on other facets of your life negatively, it’s time to take a hard look at your habits. Studies suggest that once porn consumption becomes problematic, it can result in both physical and psychological issues.

One study shows that erectile dysfunction among young men is alarmingly high. Interestingly enough, this study says that masturbation frequency is not the cause of this dysfunction, but rather the frequency of porn use. Look, it’s normal to get nervous from time to time, and everyone should learn about arousal non-concordance, but a generation of virile young men not being able to physically perform sexually is rather concerning. Other physical issues

Photo via nrp.org.

from overconsumption of porn are premature ejaculation and desire dysfunction. The list of psychological issues that can come from it is unsurprisingly long, ranging from melancholy to low appetite.

For women, the detriments of porn seem to be largely psychological rather than physical. The largest issue with reliance on porn seems to come down to self-image, as the models in porn tend to promote very unreal beauty standards.

And that’s what it all comes down to:

porn isn’t real life. Porn is not an accurate representation of what sex is or should be. If a teenager with no sexual experience and limited sexual education starts watching porn, that can instill terrible expectations and values surrounding sexuality.

What’s more, the ethics of the pornography industry are questionable at best. Fight the New Drug is an entire organization based on stopping the harm that porn causes. But is villainizing an entire industry the right way to go about it?

The porn industry has been built on exploitation — especially of women. But saying that all porn is inherently exploitative discredits the autonomy of sex workers all over the world. As our accessibility to it changes, so do the options for the ones creating it. Models willingly creating and participating in porn now have many ways to do it independently.

Just to be clear, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with masturbation on its own. First and foremost, it is by far the most effective way to explore your sexuality in a healthy way. How could you ever communicate to a partner about what you like if you yourself don’t even know? Plus, for men, ejaculating frequently may even lower the risk of prostate cancer. Masturbation has undoubtedly been part of our lifestyle for millenia. Porn in its current state is comparatively brand new, and it’s important to separate the two.

If you are going to consume porn, it’s time to do some due diligence and research what production companies are actually ethical. But more than that, maybe it’s time to go old-school and try just using your imagination during your next alone time.

NEWS OPINIONS

Friendship makes the world go 'round

Love doesn't only come in a heart-shaped box of chocolates NINA JEAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER In our constant search for romantic love, we often forget to acknowledge the friends who have been loving us in different ways the whole time. You can go for a walk in the moonlight or cuddle up in front of the TV with a friend the same way you can with a romantic partner. For some, the difference between platonic love and romantic love is the spark, or the lack of sexual attraction. However, platonic love is not romantic love with something missing, it is a selfsufficient, deep form of connection.

Although often made a subplot in the media we consume, friendship is just as important and influential as romantic love. Think of all the friendship bracelets, birthday cards, and inside jokes you’ve shared with

your friends over the years.

My friends have been the most constant thing in my life. They have taught me how to longboard, how to celebrate both my big and little wins, and they have watched me grow up and grow out of all the strange phases I’ve had. I have had friends wipe my tears when life gets rough, and we’ve screamed songs together with the windows down. Sometimes I will call up a friend and invite them over when I need to clean my room, they’ll lie on my bed and nap while I fold laundry.

Though these aren't romantic gestures, they are intimate, and they demonstrate that non-romantic love can produce intimate and meaningful moments just as romantic love can.

I’m not the only one who believes in the importance of non-romantic love, either. I posted a poll to my

6 GREAT FILMS · 3 FUN WEEKS 1 GIANT SCREEN

M AR C H 8–31, 2 0 2 4

MORE INFO AT

imaxvictoria.com

followers on Instagram to see which relationship brings them the most fulfillment: friends or romantic partners. According to the 61 people who voted, 77 per cent of them gain more fulfillment from friends.

As a follow up question, I asked what friendships offer that romance doesn’t. Throughout the 19 written responses I collected, the biggest reason was that friends offer a community of support that is not necessarily a part of a romantic relationship. Many said they found more diversity among their friendships, that they didn’t have to rely on one person for all of their needs.

In addition, they found their friendships to be less stressful as they didn’t have to worry about the stability of the relationship. Like Phoebe Buffay says, “Boyfriends and girlfriends are gonna come and go, but [friendship] is for life.”

Platonic relationships are so important they have been cemented in art as well. Singers Khalid and Lorde both have albums, American Teen and Pure Heroine respectively, that encapsulate the feeling of growing up with friends. Wendy Cope’s poem, “The Orange,” starts with the sharing of an orange amongst three friends.

It portrays an act of love, giving pieces of yourself to your friends without expecting something in return.

Friendship is not an exchange of bodies or material things, like sex or flowers, it’s the exchange of time that is shared and valued by both people.

You choose to continuously hang out

Photo by Tristan Savatier via Getty Images.

with these people because you enjoy their presence!

In all our scrolling on dating apps and well-timed moments of eye contact at BiblioCafé, our friends are getting us our favourite drink or messaging us a photo with the caption “this reminded me of you.” These are acts of love that don’t rely on romance or endless scrolling to find the right match.

During the season of love, let’s not forget that love comes to us from more than one direction. Valentine’s Day is not only for romance, it is also a day to celebrate the friends in our lives that we love fiercely.

FEB. 8, 2024 // 5

Illustration by Chloe Latour.

'World changing': Drag provides freedom from binaries for Victoria's LGBTQ+ community

Amid rising hate, safe, diverse spaces are essential MELODY POWERS SENIOR STAFF WRITER Pop music echoes through the street as we walk up to The Vicious Poodle, one of Victoria’s only gay bars. A waiter wearing a “faggots are fantastic” muscle shirt shows us to our table.

A vibrant drag queen stands on a stage in the corner of the room as music faintly plays in the back.

She's wearing a tight pink skirt and crop top with lace in between.

Her wig is perfectly done up and her makeup completely transforms her face.

“Everyone knows if you tip a drag queen, you’ll have six years of good sex,” she says. “But if you don’t, you’ll have 12 years of bad sex!”

The basic pop music swells and she lip syncs the lyrics. She dances her way through the small space, holding a glittery rainbow bucket and shoving it in the faces of audience members. People throw bills in it as she struts around the bar.

After Victoria’s only gay club, Paparazzi, put its rainbow flags back in the closet, and with antiLGBTQ+ rhetoric and legislation in Canada and the U.S. increasing, t h e c i t y ’s q u e e r c o m m u n i t y i s searching for safe, diverse spaces.

Though not always safe from hate,

6 // FEB. 8, 2024

drag shows like this one provide queer folk with much needed refuge and the opportunity to explore and embrace their identities.

shows have only just begun to become popular, introducing not just queer people, but everyone to drag.

HISTORY OF DRAG

DRAG AND GENDER IDENTIT Y

The concept of drag started as early as the 17th century during the time of Shakespeare’s plays.

Women were not allowed to perfor m on stage, so men had to dress up and play the parts of women. The term “drag” first originated later, in the late 1800s, named after male performers’ petticoats, which would drag on the floor while they were on stage.

While men dressing up as the opposite sex is not new, it wasn’t until the late 1920s that drag was finally linked to the LGBTQ+ community. Since then, drag has become a staple in the queer community and it holds an important place in queer history.

In the 1950s and ’60s, drag performances toured around the States, though at the time, it was illegal to dress as other genders.

During the Stonewall Riots in 1969, drag queens were some of the first people to resist being harassed and discriminated against by the police, marking a turning point for the community.

Now, with Rupaul's Drag Race hitting mainstream media, drag

UVic student Keelin Balla sits down in front of me, cross legged, drinking a bottle of lemonade.

Balla first discovered drag around age 12 or 13.

“I had a vague idea that [drag] existed through other pop culture references,” Balla tells me. “But I watched Rupaul’s Drag Race and was like, ‘Oh my god, this looks so fun and cool,’ and that’s when I understood how big [drag] was.”

Balla moved to Victoria from a small town near Calgary to attend UVic in 2021. During their time here, they have come to understand their gender identity, and drag has given them opportunities to see people living outside of the gender binary.

“I’ve always known or at least felt that I was not cis,” they say.

“My mom tells me this story about ... how I would scream and cry and say, ‘I’m a boy, I’m not a girl.’ I wouldn’t wear any of the clothes that I had ... So I’ve kind of always felt, and have known, that I’m queer.”

Growing up in Chester mere, Alberta, Balla didn't see much in

terms of gender diversity. While they had known from a young age that they were queer, Balla was unaware of the different ways they could express their gender identity.

I t ’s n o s u r p r i s e t h a t m e d i a representation helps make marginalized demographics visible. But for the transgender c o m m u n i t y, r e p r e s e n t a t i o n i s becoming more important than ever, especially with trans rights being rolled back in the States.

For Balla, Drag Race had a huge effect on them.

“Discovering drag... and seeing people who are existing outside of the conditions placed on them in an agender sense was really world changing for me,” Balla says.

“With drag, it’s not binary. I knew trans people existed, but I always denied that is something I could be.”

Growing up, Balla had only heard of strictly binary trans identities, and didn’t know that they could exist outside of that framework.

But they found that drag encompasses everything.

Ezra Lavender, also known by his drag name, Poptart, started his drag journey at the age of 20 when he entered a now-defunct pageant called Mr & Miss Gay Vancouver Island. Even though it was his first time doing drag, he took home the crown that night as a drag king.

Since then, his drag persona and his life have evolved.

“Initially I was they/them, in drag or out of drag,” he explains. “I thought I had to be a king.”

Lavender started his full transition a year after starting his drag career.

Since then his drag persona that started as an androgynous drag king has grown into the hyperfeminine queen Poptart is today.

“Exploring that femininity is natural and easy to me,” he continues. “It taps into how I really saw and what my relationship with femininity was. For a long time it was deeply performative.”

While being transgender and drag are completely different, trans performers have played a key part in the history of drag.

During the ’60s, when drag started to grow in popularity, many trans women became drag queens, as transphobia and homophobia made it hard for them to find work.

But even in the LGBTQ+ c o m m u n i t y, t r a n s w o m e n w h o perform as drag queens have been criticized. In 2018, RuPaul said he “ p ro b a b l y ” w o u l d n ’t h a v e l e t popular queen Peppermint on the show if she had started genderaffirming surgery. But this seems to have changed in recent years, as season 14 of Rupaul’s Drag Race had the highest number of transgender drag queens yet.

RISING TENSIONS W h i l e d r a g p e r f o r m a n c e s a re becoming more popular than they have ever been, there has also been a concerning rise in antiLGBTQ+ rhetoric and legislation.

Recently, certain states in the U.S. have implemented restrictions on healthcare for transgender people, criminalized drag performers, and have seen an increase of anti-drag hate and protests.

Canada is not safe from this antiLGBTQ+ rhetoric either. Recently, Saskatchewan passed the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” which means children under the age of 16 need parental consent if they want to change their pronouns or names, and Alberta is working on similar legislation.

Hate crimes are also rising fast for the queer community. Between 2019 and 2021, there was a 64 per cent uptick in hate crimes targeting LGBTQ+ people. Even safe spaces have been targeted. In 2022, around 30 drag events were threatened across Canada and Victoria was no exception.

That same year, Caffe Fantastico had to cancel its all-ages drag show, Sashay Café: Emo Edition, after an anonymous gun threat.

These threats have only been exacerbated since the Freedom Convoy, which flooded the streets across Canada in the summer of 2022. During this time, a user on the Ottawa Convoy Telegram channel, a popular app used by right wingers, warned against events like drag shows, saying, “We encourage you to keep an eye out for these events in your community and rally together to put [an] end to this abuse of the most vulnerable, our children.”

Even though Victoria has the highest proportion of trans and nonbinary people in Canada, queer people still feel unsafe.

“Safety concerns resonate really loudly within the community,” says Ace Mann, president of Victoria’s Pride Society (VPS). “It does feel scary right now, with the political climate in the U.S. and around the world. Things are going backwards and it’s hard to feel like that doesn’t have a ripple effect here.”

QUEER SPACES IN VIC TORIA “[Queer spaces] are spiritual for me,” Mann says. “It feels rejuvenating, like a spa day for m y s o u l . I t ’s s o m e t h i n g t h a t I appreciate so much, to have that availability and to know that no matter what is going on, I feel safe and comfortable.”

These sanctuaries, however, can be hard to find in Victoria. After the popular club Paparazzi took down its rainbow flags, Friends of Dorothy and The Vicious Poodle have been left as the only openly LGBTQ+ bars.

“I can definitely see that it could be hard to know where to go,” Balla says. “It can be hard [to find events] if you’re not internet connected, or social media connected.”

These dwindling options have led to calls for more safe, diverse spaces for the queer community. “ We ’ v e g o t t w o b a r s . . . a n d both serve a different demographic of queer people or people who are supportive, and that’s great,” Mann says. “I also recognize that it only serves a handful of queer people. There are sober people who might not feel comfortable going.”

While there are no plans for another queer-friendly business to open in Victoria yet, Mann says t h a t V P S i s c re a t i n g a n o n l i n e calendar to broadcast queer events around the city.

“We can’t reinvent the wheel, and we can’t do all those events that all these people are doing, but we can certainly amplify them,” Mann says.

They also have big dreams for the future of the queer community.

“I absolutely would love to have a small community center, or small building... that we could have events,” they say. “I would love to have a spot that is more accessible. Not just for people with disabilities, but accessible for different age groups and demographics.”

W h i l e t h i s i s c u r re n t l y j u s t a dream, it’s shared by some.

Photo via @thoooooorn on Instagram.

“I think having designated spaces and advertised spaces, that are like ‘this is a queer space f o r q u e e r p e o p l e ’ . . . i s re a l l y important,” Balla says. “How else are you going to know where to meet other people like you and form those community connections, if there aren’t spaces that are outwardly saying they’re spaces for you?”

Back in The Vicious Poodle, pop music continues to blast through the speakers. The bar is full of

people being themselves. There are queer couples holding hands, and people laughing with their friends, dancing, and singing. The waiter with the “faggots are fantastic” muscle tee grooves his body while making drinks.

The drag queen continues making her way through the entire, dimmed restaurant, shaking her sparkly rainbow bucket now filled with change.

One table apologetically shakes their heads. Her eyes roll and she

gently flips one of their phones, like a game of flip cup, continuing to mouth the song lyrics.

The energy in the room buzzes with excitement as the song winds down, and the space fills with applause. The queen takes a bow and walks away, leaving the entire bar wanting more.

Photo by Pina Messina via Unsplash.

Photo provided by Ezra Lavender.

FEB. 8, 2024 // 7

CULTURE

Bitter truths about the chocolate industry, and the UVic students working to improve it

Student projects work to decrease the environmental impact of cacao farms and support those who run them ATHENA RAFAEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER Chocolate is one of the world’s most beloved commodities, but there’s a dark story behind the source of this sweet treat.

In its rawest form, chocolate begins as bean pods grown on cacao trees, found close to the equator. Strict growing conditions and limited yield per tree means farmers struggle to keep up with global chocolate demands.

Cacao farms can be major climate change contributors. According to chocolate company To’ak, in the worst cases they operate by replacing the diversity of tropical rainforests with a single species of cacao tree. Additionally, farmers work in less than ideal conditions and are often not compensated well for their labour.

“I don’t think the world is going to stop eating chocolate tomorrow,” says Michaela Meil, a member of the UVic’s Environmental Governance Group who is researching how corporations import cacao into Canada. Many students, like Meil, are taking their love of chocolate to the next level by looking for solutions to help the environment and the lives of cacao farmers. One such solution is encouraging farms to get Fairtrade certification.

Fairtrade is a certification that appears as a blue and green symbol on products, something 57 per cent of Canadians recognize according to Fairtrade Canada. It signals to the buyer that the farmers behind that product were equitably paid and treated.

“What’s good about Fairtrade is that you do have to meet [certain] social and environmental standards,” says Meil.

According to Fairtrade International, such standards include minimal use of agrochemicals and pesticides on farms, prohibiting child labour, and encouraging

farmers to invest money into their businesses and communities. “We’re ensuring to the consumer that they’re buying chocolate from a farm that’s more ethically sourced than what you get from somewhere else.”

The ‘somewhere else’ Meil discusses refers to corporations such as Lindt or Hershey, which Meil says aren’t ethically sourced because it's difficult to track the origins of their products, making it harder to fairly pay farmers.

Meil describes this issue using an image of an hourglass. On one end are the many farmers who contribute to the global chocolate industry, and on the other are customers. The middle represents the very few traders who control where the money goes in the supply chain, ultimately leading to unfair pay for the farmers.

The problem is that farmers don’t have an incentive to go Fairtrade. For many farmers, the process is expensive and time-consuming. It’s easier to commit to their immediate plans of making money to support their families.

How, then, can we provide security for farmers so that they can afford to go Fairtrade?

Thankfully, Meil isn’t the only UVic student working on this issue. Third-year undergraduate geography major and chocolate sommelier Madison Ashton is working on a research project called “Beyond Cacao” that aims to increase farmer’s income security and diversity through selling non-cacao products such as nuts, spices, and fruits. She wants to know if chocolate makers in direct trade relationships with cacao farmers are more willing to buy their non-cacao products to use in chocolate products.

Ashton says her research project was inspired by Taylor Kennedy of Sirene, a Victoria-based chocolate maker, who visited the farm where his cacao is grown.

When Kennedy saw that the farmers

Illustration by Chloe Latour.

also grew cardamom, he started buying and using it in his products.

Ashton also works at The Chocolate Project, a bean-to-bar retailer in Downtown Victoria. The retailer sells bars from local businesses like Sirene and runs classes to educate the public.

“There are a lot of barriers to supporting the cacao farmers,” says Ashton. “We really want to show people in Victoria just how many issues there are with commercial chocolate.”

Other students have been involved with this issue on site. For her UVic Honours research, Sarah Rebitt took her research closer to cacao’s origin. She visited Belize for two weeks to learn how soil quality relates to the yield of cacao.

She worked alongside the Belize

Foundation for Research and Environmental Education and local Belizean farmers with the goal of producing more of an unconventional strain of cacao called Criollo cacao.

“Criollo specifically likes shade … It grows better in an agroforestry environment where there's big rainforest trees surrounding the cacao,” says Rebitt.

Unlike typical full sun monoculture cacao farms, agroforestry systems welcome the inclusion trees instead of cutting them down.

Growing more of these diverse agroforestry systems could be a great way to reduce the deforestation that can come with cacao farming.

“One of the reasons I was conducting this research was to promote cacao in

Belize,” she says. “They want to find this ideal system where this Criollo cacao grows and share that with other farmers in Belize to encourage people to grow this cacao.”

So what can the public do? In all, Meil suggests “using your dollar if you can” on Fairtrade or bean-to-bar chocolate.

What’s more, educating ourselves and using our voices to spread awareness about the origins of chocolate and associated problems is an equally powerful tool.

“There is a better way we can support cacao farmers,” says Ashton. “And while we’re doing that … [we can] get some much better chocolate out of it, too.”

Five queer love songs for Valentine's Day Music by queer people, for queer people JULIEN JOHNSTON-BREW CONTRIBUTING WRITER ‘Tis the season for songs about love, be it romantic, heartbreaking, sexual, or otherwise. Here’s a playlist of five songs by queer artists to listen to whether or not you’ve got someone to cozy up to this Valentine’s Day.

“HONEYBEE” BY STEAM POWERED GIRAFFE Steam Powered Giraffe (SPG) is a musical pantomime troupe started by twins David and Isabella “Bunny” Bennett. Bunny, a trans woman, began hormone replacement therapy in July 2014 after having changed the gender of her character, the automaton Rabbit, earlier that year.

The original 2012 recording of “Honeybee” is SPG’s most popular song on Spotify, and was re-recorded after Bunny transitioned. The 2015 version has a more clear, present, and reverberating quality to the instruments and vocals, showing the troupe’s (and Bunny’s) musical and personal progress.

The song itself isn’t directed toward any particular gender, and applies to anyone besotted by another.

“I LOVE YOU” BY WOODKID Woodkid, also known as Yoanne Lemoine, is an openly gay French

8 // FEB. 8, 2024

musician and music video director who has collaborated with Drake, Rihanna, Lana Del Rey, and Katy Perry.

“I Love You” is a hauntingly forlorn song about unrequited love for someone who doesn’t know and/or care. Though this is a universal experience, Woodkid taps into a particularly queer sense of rejection and yearning, heard in the lyrics when he speaks directly to the boy he loves.

“TYPE” BY TODRICK HALL Todrick Hall is a recurring judge and choreographer on RuPaul’s Drag Race as well as a decorated musician and music producer.

“Type” comes from the album Forbidden, set in a world where heterosexuality is stigmatised the way queerness is today. The song highlights a lack of love in a self-depreciating way.

The smooth synths, punchy bass drums, and up-beat vocals that contrast the heartbreaking lyrics. Sometimes in relationships, for better or worse, love just isn’t quite there.

“GIRLS LIKE GIRLS” BY HAYLEY KIYOKO Hayley Kiyoko, known for her roles in Five Points, CSI: Cyber, and Lemonade Mouth, has had a successful music career since 2013.

Illustration by Neha Saxena.

“Girls Like Girls” marked Kiyoko’s public coming-out as a lesbian, and has since inspired a New York Times bestselling novel by the same name. This song is cheeky and unapologetic about loving women, and the music video puts visuals to this with stolen glances and kisses.

“LOVE MACHINE” BY ALTER BOY Alter Boy is an alt-pop collective fronted by trans and hard-of-hearing vocalist Molly Priest. Their performances often feature heartbeat-like rhythms, otherworldly lighting, and Australian Sign Language to broaden their work

for audiences who can’t enjoy other forms of music.

“Love Machine” explores bodily selfconsciousness, vulnerability, and sexual intimacy, all threaded with synths, piano, and Priest’s ethereal vocals.

CULTURE

Five tips for queer-ing your closet

Want to serve gay vibes with your outfits this spring semester? Dust off your carabiners and learn to flag yourself as queer CONTRIBUTING WRITER UVic’s fashion scene is strong, so it takes more than “good style” to be clocked as LGBTQ+ in the wild. While there is no gay uniform, some people leave clues to their identity in their outfits to “flag” themselves as queer for other members of the community. If this sounds interesting to you, keep reading for five ideas to give your outfits some zest.

COMMIT TO AN AESTHETIC Many fashion subcultures indicate queerness because they originated in queer spaces where people

If you’d rather inter net culture avoided your closet, you could put a spin on classic flagging techniques such as carabiners or a hanky in your back pocket. Lesbians have worn carabiners on their belt loops as a queer signal since the ’30s, and the placement clarifies the wearer’s role in relationships (right side for bottoms, left side for tops).

The “hanky code” was created as a similar technique for gay men, with complicated rules to what different colours and placements mean. It’s a good idea to research to ensure you find the configuration that represents you best, but this is also a clear marker of queer identity.

While I hope these tips enlightened some, looking gay is not the be-all-end-all of anyone’s identity, and there is no pressure to conform to a style in order to be accepted. The word “queer” in a political sense inherently rejects norms, so the best solution is to dress however you like!

LITERAL FLAGGING

PERFORM A GENDER Sex and gender are intertwined ideas, so it’s common to view clothes that “perform” gender in some way as queer. This includes g e n d e r- b e n d i n g w i t h c l o t h e s that don’t stereotypically match your assigned gender, like butch lesbians, feminine gay men, or nonbinary people might do. It also means hyper-performing your assigned gender, the way hyperfeminine sapphic women or gay “bears” might.

CLASSIC FLAGGING

specific symbol combining the venus and mars symbols for transgender people. Nonbinary or agender people sometimes use the mathematical “null” symbol, and asexual people wear ace playing cards. A pink and a blue triangle overlapping is an official bisexual symbol. These symbols come on all types of clothing and accessories, so you can control how obvious they appear.

COOPER ANDERSON

Photo by spphicism via X.

realized they could present in ways that didn’t fit into social norms. If you already have a strong personal style you can develop that, but otherwise choosing a known “aesthetic” such as punk, boho, emo, eclectic, grunge, vintage, or cottage core can read as gay.

I would vote that, in V ictoria, “granola” outdoor fashion is included. Since it’s so common h e re t o d re s s i n b l u n d s t o n e s a n d h i k i n g g e a r, o n e m i g h t

perform crunchiness by intensely committing to the style.

WEAR QUEER SYMBOLS If you’re avoiding big style changes, wearing queer symbols can be a subtle solution. For sapphic women, this could be lavender, violets, nautical stars, or the double venus. Gay men use green carnations, pink triangles, or the double mars. There is a

Queer films to check out from the Victoria Film Festival

Horror, comedy, drama, or a documentary, this year's lineup had them all

Pride flag colours can be loud, but there are ways to still wear a standard outfit while incorporating them. Wear-once pride parade a c c e s s or i e s are d i ff e re n t f ro m everyday queer accessories that can be worn with casual outfits. I find Etsy is a great place to look for accessories with flag colours presented in a balanced way.

Wearing rainbow can feel intense for some, so try wearing a more subtle rainbow image rather than rainbow as a colour palette. There are tons of clothes with small, simple rainbow decals that are muted and won’t draw too much attention. Another idea is wearing clothes with disguised pride flag colours, like the famed “lesbian sweater” from H&M.

For the complete film schedule, visit CINECENTA.COM

UPCOMING FILMS

BRIANNA BOCK

THE PRINCESS BRIDE

VOLUNTEER STAFF WRITER The Victoria Film Festival returned this month for its 30th anniversary with, as usual, a fantastic lineup. This year’s event included a variety of LGBTQ+ gems, so if you’re in the mood for a queer movie here are three picks to keep your eye on — and two you can still catch during the festival.

FEBRUARY 13 & 14: 5:00 & 7:00

OPPENHEIMER

THE JUDGMENT

FEBRUARY 23: 6:30 FEBRUARY 24: 3:15 & 6:30

The Victoria Film Fest describes The Judgement as a “thrilling queer horror” story. When Mo and his boyfriend Hisham visit family in Egypt, the two are forced to hide their relationship in order to protect themselves. Terrified of being discovered, Mo and Hisham must fight internal and external homophobia to save their relationship and themselves.

JESS PLUS NONE If you’re looking for a lighter film, this one might be for you. Jess is dreading her best friend’s off-the-grid wedding.

Despite her reservations towards the groom, no cell service, her ex-girlfriend in attendance, and being surrounded by perfect couples, Jess is trying her best to be a supportive friend and make it through the wedding in one piece. It is a comedy after all, and nothing can go right.

CLOSE TO YOU Elliot Page stars as Sam, who has decided to finally visit his hometown for the first time since his transition four years ago. While visiting, he runs into Katharine, his high school

13

Oscar Nominations!

POOR THINGS

Illustration by Chloe Latour.

best friend/crush, and that crush is still very much active. During Sam’s stay, the two grapple with their own personal definitions of home, family, and happiness.

LEILANI'S FORTUNE This documentary follows the career of Ayo Leilani, a queer Ethiopian-Eritrean artist known as Witch Prophet. After years of struggling as an independent artist to produce her album, The Gateway Experience, she is finally getting recognition for her work.

Leilani’s Fortune follows the album’s creative process and reception.

Leilani’s Fortune is playing at Blue Bridge Theatre, Feb. 9 at 8:30 p.m.

THE FLOATING MAN In this “intimate self-portrait,” Michael V. Smith explores his previous work while meditating on his personal relationship with gender. Weaving together the clips of his search for Joni Mitchell on the Sunshine Coast, past performances, interviews, road trips, video poems, and performance art, Smith examines his body of work and his ever changing relationship to art.

The Floating Man is playing at The Vic Theatre, Feb. 10 at 2:45 p.m.

FEBRUARY 29 & MARCH 1: 4:45 & 7:20 MARCH 2: Oscar 2:00, 4:45 & 7:20 Nominations!

11

THE ZONE OF INTEREST MARCH 3: 3:00, 5:10 & 7:20 MARCH 4: 5:00 & 7:10

5

Oscar Nominations!

FEB. 8, 2024 // 9

LIFESTYLE & SPORTS

UVic researchers are engaging in crucial work for the UVic community and beyond

Hear what experts have to say about HIV prevention and healthy sexuality HANNAH LINK SENIOR STAFF WRITER

There are dozens of professors and researchers at UVic who dedicate their studies to the world of sexuality and gender. We sat down with two of them to hear more about their work and its impact on our community.

Tyrone Curtis is a postdoctoral fellow and public health researcher at UVic. His focus is researching PrEP and its accessibility in Canada.

But what is PrEP? “Prep stands for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis,” Curtis told the Martlet, explaining that the medication is taken regularly to prevent HIV. “It’s particularly good for people who are at higher risk for HIV,” he said. “That includes men who have sex with men, but also substance users and heterosexual people who have a partner who has HIV and [is not] on regular treatment.”

According to Curtis,“It’s 99 to 100 per cent effective at preventing HIV if it’s adhered to properly.” This type of drug isn’t new — it has been used in the past as a treatment for HIV, and PrEP was first approved in Canada in 2016, he explained.

Curtis’ research is centered around the idea that, despite having such a powerful drug to prevent HIV, cases of this disease are still common.

“Why are people not accessing PrEP w h e n i t ’s a v a i l a b l e t o t h e m , particularly in a place like B.C. where it’s available for free?”

Curtis holds focus groups, for those with the potential to be affected by HIV and also for healthcare workers and policy makers, to hear what people have to say about PrEP. He looks at systemic and personal barriers that people face in accessing

Photo via leahtidey.com.

the drug.

The biggest problem in PrEP accessibility is simply awareness, said Curtis. “I’m constantly surprised at how many people I meet, in the queer community but especially beyond [it], who have just never heard of this.” He added that even healthcare providers are often unaware of PrEP. On top of his research, Curtis is a sessional instructor for a biostatistics course, which is part of the master of public health program. He helps students understand the value of statistics in assessing public health.

“My background before I got into health research was math and physics, and that’s why I got into medical statistics and epidemiology,” Curtis explained. “I wanted to use that background but in a way to help people and help members of my community.”

Curtis noted that, though statistics plays a big part in his work, he is a m i x e d - m e t h o d s re s e a rc h e r. “ I understand that statistics can only tell us so much, and it’s why [we] also need to do qualitative research to get some understanding of why statistics are showing [us] what they are.”

“I love seeing more promotion of talking about sex and sexuality because it’s something that is almost forbidden,” said Curtis. “It’s a great way of making people feel seen and [letting them] know that there’s other people out there like them.”

Like Curtis, Leah Tidey is a sessional instructor at UVic. She’s also a certified sexual health educator and a podcaster. Tidey took a Healthy Sexuality course during her undergrad at UVic and it inspired her to pursue sexual education as both an area of research and career.

However, Tidey’s PhD is in applied

theatre. “What I decided to do was to use theatre … to talk about sexual health,” she told the Martlet.

“That started me on my journey of talking about older adults and youth.” Tidey was interested in how these age groups interact with sexuality because of the judgement that they face for being outside of society’s “normal” image of people who engage in sex.

Tidey described her training process to become a sexual health educator, which involves being observed while teaching, as daunting. “But it’s incredibly empowering,” she added. “I didn’t have access to this information when I was growing up, so I had to do a lot of learning and unlearning.”

Tidey also enjoys her sessional work at UVic. “I’m always amazed by the thoughtfulness and the expertise that comes from students,” she said. “I’m teaching a third-year class, Promoting Healthy Sexualities, so I get to have students from all across campus …

The joy is having all of these students in one place to share their perspectives.”

Tidey’s podcast, The Love Doctor, began during the height of COVID19, just after she finished her PhD. She brings in a different guest for each episode and dives into their areas of expertise.

“One of the most important things is that talking about sex and being a sexual person is not something to be ashamed of,” said Tidey. “I can’t give everyone every bit of information that’s going to be helpful to them, but hopefully I can hold the space [that’s] safe and comfortable.”

Chocolate goodness on campus to get you through Valentine's Five ways to make the holiday season even better (or simply bearable)

check out Denman Island Chocolate bars, sold at the UVic Bookstore and at Bibliocafe. These bars are organic, gluten-free, and vegan, which is probably also why they’re so delectable. I tried out the “zesty orange” flavour and it was a rich, deep, dark chocolate of the variety that makes you feel refined and worldly.

I’m now curious about the rest of the flavours, and these hidden treasures just might be my next chocolate obsession. They’re on the pricey side, though, so try to enjoy these in moderation. Or add them into your weekly grocery budget if you’re a true chocolate devotee.

HANNAH LINK SENIOR STAFF WRITER Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with your partner, your roommates, or by yourself, here are five types of chocolate treats I found on campus for you to enjoy.

OAT FUDGE BAR These bars have everything you’re looking for in a mid-week moodboosting snack. I would eat these every day if I had the budget and dietary tolerance. They’re chewy, soft, and buttery without feeling heavy.

They’ve also got enough saltiness to offset the chocolate, and the oats leave you feeling satisfied and ready to take on your next lecture. I bought mine at Mac’s as a dessert to accompany my custom sandwich, but oat fudge bars can also be found at Bibliocafe, Boardwalk, and any other UVic Food outlet.

HOT CHOCOLATE As a lover of high-quality warm drinks, I chose Munchie Bar as the place to test out a hot chocolate on campus.

As always, their milk frothing abilities did not disappoint, and this drink was thoroughly delightful. With just enough chocolate syrup without being sickly sweet, this treat provided a satisfying balance that made me feel warm, even

10 // FEB. 8, 2024

CHOCOLATE PLANT MILK

Photo via celebrationsweets.com.

during an early February drizzle. If you’re looking for more adventure, try asking for the addition of a flavoured syrup to your cocoa.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIE I’m not one to frequent Mystic Market, but when I do, I’m probably looking for a quick fix of chocolate

before heading home after class. I stopped by the Boardwalk Cafe on my way to the bus loop and bought a double chocolate cookie to tide me over. This is the type of dessert to buy only when you have a deep, indescribable need for chocolate, which I am proud to admit happens to me quite often. The chocolate chips surrounded by chewy, chocolatey dough certainly hit the

spot and left me in great spirits.

Again, these cookies can be found at UVic Food outlets all throughout campus.

DENMAN ISLAND CHOCOLATE I f y o u ’ re l o o k i n g f o r a m o re sophisticated gourmet option, then

Perhaps you’d rather try a healthy, quick hit of chocolate from the one and only Cove. In that case, I recommend the Earth’s Own individually sized chocolate milks. These are also available at most UVic Food outlets.

They have an oat and an almond variety, both superb in their own right.

I slightly prefer the almond one, only because it has a richer, bolder taste than the oat. Either way, these milks are the perfect size to propel you through your readings. Plus, everyone is talking about how flavoured milks are IN for 2024.

LIFESTYLE & SPORTS

How humans have changed in the last 50 years

From sperm counts to life expectancy, a look at recent human evolution One meta-analysis found that from 1977 to 2013, the average age for the onset of puberty decreased by three months every decade.

Although improved childhood nutrition is one reason for this, stress, especially familial, is also a factor.

Unfortunately, early onset puberty can result in higher risks of breast and uterine cancer later in life.

ATUM BECKETT SENIOR STAFF WRITER It can be hard to fathom just how much our society — and our lives — have changed in the last 50 years.

Just half a century ago, we were getting the first pocket calculators, colour television was becoming all the rage, and video games could finally be played at home. Now, I have to force myself not to spend too much time staring at the infinite information available at all times in my pocket.

B u t i t h a s n ’t j u s t b e e n o u r technology, fashion, and thinking that has changed — we have. Our physiology and the key indicators of healthiness have changed in the last 50 years. Here are some of the most interesting ways in which we’ve changed, for better or for worse.

TESTOSTERONE

LIFE EXPECTANCY The global average for life expectancy in 1974 was about 58 years. It is currently about 73 years. This can be a tricky statistic to accurately measure, but no matter the uncertainty, a 15-year jump over 50 years is pretty impressive, and could be due to great advances in healthcare, disease response, and overall living standards.

Though life expectancy is still increasing, it has dipped in many countries recently due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, life expectancy for women is considerably higher than for men, which doesn’t seem like it’ll change anytime soon.

SIZE People are not only living longer, but also getting bigger, in both dimensions. Canadians have gotten slightly taller in the last 50 years, but not by much compared to the growth

seen in other countries.

On the flip side, obesity rates in Canada have more than doubled since 1978, from 13.8 per cent to about 30 per cent.

It is worth noting that these stats do use Body Mass Index (BMI) as their metric for obesity, which simply looks at height vs weight, not health overall. One side effect that can come from obesity is infertility.

SPERM COUNTS Chances are that sperm counts don’t often come up in conversations with your friends or roommates, but over the last 50 years, they have drastically dropped.

A meta-analysis of over 200 studies shows that in 1973, sperm counts were at 101 million per milliliter of

Have you ever seen a photo of your older male relatives from when they were younger and thought “Damn, why were they so jacked?” Well, maybe they were just eating better and exercising more, or maybe they had substantially more testosterone than you do now.

Even accounting for factors that affect testosterone levels, like rising obesity rates and falling smoking rates, testosterone levels in men have been declining for a long time.

Additionally, due to increased Illustration by David Horsey via the Los Angeles Times. advertising efforts, Testosterone Replacement Therapy has seen a semen. Compared to the 2018 count, Looking more locally, Canada’s large jump in popularity. Testosterone which was 49 million per milliliter, population in 1974 is estimated to is important to ensure that your that’s more than a 50 per cent decline. have been nearly 23 million. In muscles and bones stay strong, and Not only that, but it says that the October 2023, it was estimated to be plays a key role in regulating libido. decline is accelerating globally. just over 40 million. Additionally, the The Mayo Clinic says that a sperm rise in population from the previous These are just a few of the ways the count of less than 15 million per quarter was 1.1 per cent, the largest human race has changed in the last milliliter can cause fertility problems. increase in Canada since 1957.

50 years. Who knows what we will be Is this downward trend in our little India recently surpassed China in like in another 50 years? swimmers a threat to reproduction population numbers, with each and population? country having over 1.4 billion people.

The United Nations (UN) predicts that our global population will peak in the POPULATION 2080s, with 10.4 billion people.

Back in 1974, the world’s population was just about to break four billion. PUBERTY On Nov. 15, 2022, we hit the big milestone of eight billion people Another stat that you’ve probably globally. Doubling our population in never thought about. But yes, people under 50 years is pretty incredible. — especially females — are going through puberty earlier than before.

No wonder there’s a housing crisis.

Five afforable dates in Victoria

These fun, budget-friendly date ideas are perfect for Valentine's Day EXPLORE ROYAL ROADS UNIVERSITY

KIERA CLARK CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Royal Roads University is home to the beautiful Hatley Castle. Though guided tours of the castle are closed for the season, the grounds and 565acre gardens are free for visitors to access daily from 10 a.m. to dusk. The stunning castle is also a beautiful place to take photos. Beyond the castle and gardens, Royal Roads also has dozens of forested trails to explore, including old growth forests home to some of the tallest Douglas fir trees in Greater Victoria. Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a leash and remain in the designated areas. Though the service is rather sporadic, the 51 bus will take you from UVic to Royal Roads in about 40 minutes.

It’s no secret that Victoria is an expensive city to live in, especially with the rapidly increasing costs of housing, groceries, and other essentials. This makes it difficult to find an affordable night out. Whether you’re going out with your significant other, some friends, or by yourself, these five inexpensive date ideas are perfect for Valentine’s Day.

DUMPLING DROP If you’re exploring Chinatown, make sure to visit Dumpling Drop for a unique dining experience. This local business was created by Tarn Tayanuth to support her mother, Toom, following her Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2016.

Their regular menu offers pork belly and vegan dumplings, along with a rotating weekly special. It’s $8 for five deep-fried dumplings, which they top with their house-made chili oil, cilantro, and crispy onions. If you prefer a night in, Dumpling Drop also offers hand-rolled frozen dumplings made fresh every day. They’re open Monday to Wednesday 12–6 p.m. and Thursday to Sunday 12–9 p.m.

The restaurant also transforms into Chaiyo by Dumpling Drop, which offers authentic Thai cuisine, every Thursday to Sunday night.

Illustration by Frankie Ho.

ART WORKSHOP AT 4CATS Feel like getting creative for Valentine’s Day? 4Cats Art Studio has a variety of workshops available throughout February. They offer self-paced workshops, which allow you to follow the project steps through video tutorials with an instructor nearby to answer any questions and offer support. Their February workshops include the “Little Birdie” vase, a stoneware “Acorn Home” pot, and the “All You Need Is a Love Mug”.

These self-guided workshops are approximately $10–$20 depending on the project. 4Cats also offers instructorguided workshops, though they are slightly more expensive, ranging from $15–$44. 4Cats has two locations in Victoria, one in Oak Bay and one in Uptown.

QUAZAR’S ARCADE If you’re looking for a unique date spot, try Quazar’s Arcade. Tucked away down a staircase at the base of

historic Trounce Alley, this all-ages ’80s inspired arcade offers a wide variety of arcade and pinball machines, including classic games like Ms. Pac Man, Donkey Kong, and Tetris. Their tokens are 50¢ each. The majority of their classic arcade games cost one token and their Pinball machines cost two to three tokens. They’re open Monday to Thursday 12–10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.–11 p.m., and Sundays 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

IN THE FLESH: THE NUDE IN ART, PAST AND PRESENT Looking to explore the art in Victoria?

Visit the Victoria Art Gallery to see this unique collection of works with one common theme: “the nude as a subject for artistic expression.”

This exhibit combines the works of prominent historical artists such as Pablo Picasso and Pierre-Auguste Renoir with modern Indigenous and Canadian artists, including Susan Point, Carole Sabiston, and Evergon. Though general admission is $15, it is free for people under 25.

FEB. 8, 2024 // 11

FUN STUFF

Ready to raunch

SEE THIS ISSUE'S CROSSWORD ANSWERS MARTLET.CA/CROSSWORD

ATUM BECKETT CROSSWORD WIZARD

LAST ISSUE CROSSWORD ANSWERS JAN. 11, 2024

DOWN

ACROSS

1. Repetitive behaviours or motions used to cope with emotions 2. Jesse Pinkman actor 3. Use a condom if you don't want this 4. The dragon warrior 5. Who you would report harassment to 6. Type of traditional Chinese tea 7. The opposite of narcissism 8. Gwyneth Paltrow's brand 9. A castrated bull 11. The nation that Killers of the Flower Moon is about 12. Concussion abbr.

14. How dirty some of these answers are 15. Push back against 22. Rapper ___ Dogg 23. Japanese affirmation 24. All across the world abbr.

31. Public healthcare service in England abbr.

32. Cat sound 33. Purple Adventure Time character 34. "One" in Hindi 39. Skateboard trick 42. Rapper __ Dirty Bastard 43. "Everybody Hurts" band 46. Juvenile way to say "having sex" 47. Like a sharp jawline 48. Vitamin A derivative used to have younger looking skin 49. Make someone dumb 50. Bookstore chain abbr.

51. Roman two 53. Routine task 54. A stomach sore 55. TV show This Is __ 56. Skeleton enemies from The Legend of Zelda games 58. Boring or dull 63. Sex in Danish 64. Opposite of the foreground abbr.

66. Community services for children abbr.

1. The original lesbian poet 7. What you might feed by completing this crossword 10. Vegetable that is a common bubble tea flavour 13. Daredevil Actor Charlie 14. Text slang affirmation 16. Anger 17. What someone with no hair sees in the mirror 18. Santa's favourite word 19. Commonly misused for e.g.

20. To look better than someone else, internet slang 21. Kind of white blood cells that support your immune system 25. Artificial neural network abbr.

26. Alternative to JPEG 27. This crossword was made without the help of it 28. Opposed to 29. Common nickname for your dad's dad 30. Antagonists in The Matrix movies 33. Players who focus on specific lanes in games like League of Legends or Dota 2 35. Prefix relating to blood 37. Internet slang for white 38. What Quentin Tarantino probably likes to do in the bedroom 41. How a Scottish person might say "our" 44. Toilet paper thickness 45. Common formatting style guide 46. Intense criers 50. What someone from Bruges is 52. The __ Gala 53. Type of oral sex 57. "You" in Spanish 58. Package delivery service 59. Type of shirt 60. Strong wind 61. Your computer's address 62. Dwayne "The ___" Johnson 64. What you would call your sister's husband 65. What you might cover with makeup 67. It's around a nipple 70. What you might say an awesome 39-down is 72. Vermont Senator 73. Extremely or excessively

Research matters.

Researchers matter too.

ARE YOU A GRAD STUDENT BEING PAID BY UVIC TO DO RESEARCH? Then you are eligible to sign a union card.

COPE 491

VOLUME VOLUME 7676

The The Martlet Martlet Publishing Publishing Society Society is is an an incorporated incorporated B.C. B.C. society society and and operates operates based based on on our our Statement Statement of of Principles.

Principles. We We strive strive to to act act as as an an agent agent of of constructive constructive social social change change and and will will not not publish publish racist, racist, sexist, sexist, homophobic homophobic or or otherwise otherwise oppressive oppressive copy. copy.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ashlee Ashlee Levy Levy edit@martlet.ca edit@martlet.ca OPERATIONS OPERATIONS MANAGER MANAGER Anna Anna Alva Alva business@martlet.ca business@martlet.ca DESIGN DESIGN DIRECTOR DIRECTOR Sie Douglas-Fish Sage Blackwell design@martlet.ca design@martlet.ca

ISSUE 10 2 ISSUE

STAFF ILLUSTRATOR ChloeSENIOR Latour STAFF WRITERS Kristen de Jager, Sydney Lobe SENIOR STAFF WRITERS STAFF Atum VOLUNTEER Beckett, Hannah Link,WRITER Brianna Sydney Lobe, Bock Melody Powers STAFF WRITER EDITOR VOLUNTEER SENIOR STAFF Yo'ad Eilon-Heiber Brianna Bock

SENIOR STAFF EDITORS VOLUNTEER STAFF EDITORS Christian Romanowski, Rowan Watts Julien Johnston-Brew, Hannah Seaton VOLUNTEER STAFF EDITORS CONTRIBUTORS Julien Johnston-Brew, Hannah Seaton Cooper Anderson, Sage Blackwell, Kiera Clark, Mary MacLeod, Aidan Nelson-Sandmark, CONTRIBUTORS Sarah Roberts, Paul Maraya Voll Cooper Anderson, Kiera Clark, Cooper, Frankie Ho, Nina Jean, Athena Rafael, Neha Saxena

Our paper is written and published on the unceded lands of the Lekwungen peoples, and the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.

12 // MAY 25, 2023

Newsroom 250.721.8361 | Business 250.721.8359 | martlet.ca Newsroom 250.721.8361 | Business 250.721.8359

||

@TheMartlet | martlet.ca

| @TheMartlet Facebook.com/themartlet