Women's History Month 2023 — Technician 03/02/23

TECHNICIAN

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

THE WOMEN OF STUDENT MEDIA

WHAT YOU MISSED:

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NC State launches project to advance digital equity

NC State launched the Digital Access and Inclusion Project to increase digital access and knowledge for NC State employees who do not regularly access computers. The project came into fruition after a 2021 Staff Senate survey revealed 80% of NC State Dining and Housekeeping employees reported one or more challenges accessing technology.

SOURCE: NC STATE NEWS

Alligator living outside Havelock Walmart stirs debate

Residents of Havelock, North Carolina are demanding the alligator recently found living in a retention pond near a Walmart should not be relocated. Residents argue the alligator, nicknamed Ollie, is in his natural habitat and those who try to feed him “deserve whatever Ollie Gator gives them.” City officials have warned the public against feeding or approaching Ollie.

SOURCE: N&O

Rare ocelot and kitten spotted in Texas

A couple visiting the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in Texas spotted a mother ocelot crossing the road to retrieve her kitten. Experts estimate there’s only 50 to 80 ocelots left in the U.S. due to habitat destruction. The daytime sighting was lucky because ocelots tend to be more active at night.

SOURCE: N&O

Hong Kong lifts mask mandate after 959 days

On Tuesday, Hong Kong announced it will end its COVID-19 mask mandate after nearly three years. Originally implemented in July 2020, the mandate enforced face coverings in all public areas through fines that could reach over $1,000. The city has previously rolled back other restrictions, such as mandatory quarantine for international travelers, and with the lift of the mask mandate has now removed all pandemic precautions.

SOURCE: CNN

THE RADAR

Events to keep an eye on for the week of March 2

WOMEN’S HERSTORY MONTH: PERMANENT

HISTORY: PLANTING OUR ROOTS

Thursday, March 2, Noon-2 p.m.

TALLEY STUDENT UNION, 5210 Free

Kick off Women’s History Month with interactive art projects, snacks and explorations of self-love and personal growth.

LET’S DIP AND TAKE A TRIP: BOWLERO EDITION

Friday, March 3, 7 p.m.

BOWLERO, CARY Free

Dust off your bowling balls and head to Bowlero with the Black Student Union to get off campus, socialize and knock down some pins. Transportation will be provided for those who register ahead.

QUICKSCRIPTS: 10-MINUTE PLAY FEST

Saturday, March 4, 8 p.m.

FRANK THOMPSON HALL Free

Head to campus to see the product of 24 hours of hard work during which student directors and actors have read, cast, rehearsed and finally performed a 10-minute play.

TASTY TUESDAY

Tuesday, March 7, Noon-1 p.m.

CARMICHAEL RECREATION CENTER, 1158 Free

Join dieticians Soo Uhm and Lauren Smith in Carmichael’s Learning Kitchen for free snacks and instruction on how to make a quick, easy recipe.

NC State celebrates women’s firsts with monuments, exhibits, Women’s Center

Kate Denning Correspondent

NC State’s history of “first women” goes as far back as 1901 and as recent as 2020. Monuments, exhibits and centers around campus shed light on women who have made a difference on campus.

While the University was founded in 1887, the history of female students on campus began in 1901 when Margaret Burke became the first woman to enroll at NC State. However, it wasn’t until 20 years later when Lucille Thomson became the first full-time female student.

Six years later, in 1927, the first women to receive degrees from NC State were Charlotte Nelson and Jane McKimmon as undergraduates and Mary Yarbrough as a graduate.

Yarbrough had previously studied chemistry and mathematics at Meredith College, while only being permitted to attend NC State classes as a “special student.” Shortly after her graduation from Meredith College, NC State would go on to allow women to receive degrees. Yarbrough was then the first woman to receive a graduate degree from the University for chemistry.

McKimmon is honored by the McKimmon Center for her dedication for continuing education. Yarbrough’s perseverance in seeking gender equity within higher education is honored in Yarbrough Courtyard, located on North Campus.

While these women are well-known and celebrated within NC State history, Dare and Do!, an exhibit in D.H. Hill Jr. Library, highlights the history of NC State women, and its research team acknowledges the gaps that exist in women’s history for women of color.

“Silences appear in the archives through

the decisions made by archivists as to what stories were worth saving,” an installation in the exhibit reads. “‘Dare and Do!’ is shaped by these silences and acknowledges that not every woman’s story has had the opportunity to be shared. Some of NC State’s history that has not been fully identified in archival collections includes the experiences of Black, indigenous, international, Latine, and Asian students, faculty and staff.”

Beyond the choices made by archivists of the time, there exists indisputable gaps in the timeline of white women in the University compared to women of color.

In 1966, Norma Wright Garcia was the first Black woman to receive an undergraduate degree from the University, 39 years after Nelson and McKimmon. Hazel Virginia Clark became NC State’s first Black woman to earn a master’s degree in 1960, 33 years after Yarbrough.

And while the first female Student Body President, Cathy Sterling, was elected in 1970, the first Black woman would not be elected to the position until Melanie Flowers in 2020 — 50 years later.

“Being a ‘first’ is an honor, a celebration, and it’s also an obligation to the communities that you represent and all the ones you’re serving,” Flowers said. “I was the 10th woman and the 10th Black person to serve as Student Body President and the 100th person in the position. There was a lot of symbolism going on there. I felt an obligation to continue the legacy of the women who came before me, of Cathy Sterling, of the other Black student body presidents.”

In 1964, Watauga Hall opened its doors as the first women’s dormitory, marking the first time unmarried female students were permitted to live on campus. While women had been increasingly permitted to partici-

pate in University classrooms for several decades by this time, there were no designated female spaces before Watauga Hall. It remains on campus as the oldest standing residence building.

Women continued to seek out more support and recognition on campus. In 1991, the Women’s Center opened in the basement of Nelson Hall, thanks to the advocacy of the newly formed Women’s Resource Coalition and various female faculty. The goal was to offer a physical space for women to feel supported, as well as conduct sexual assault prevention education.

Director of the Women’s Center Janine Kossen explained how the Women’s Center has continued the initial mission of the space.

“Students who do utilize our services start to feel safe,” Kossen said. “They feel like this is a place they can come to be heard, feel affirmed, they can get connected to resources.

It’s just about building community. Just like with any campus community center, it’s often described as a home away from home.”

Today, the Women’s Center continues to offer support to survivors through the Pack Survivor Support Alliance, as well as community gatherings like Feminist Fridays and a book club.

The center will begin celebrating Women’s HERstory Month on March 2 with Permanent History: Planting Our Roots, featuring an interactive art project and conversational topics of self-care and personal growth.

“Women are the strongest when they’re acting as a collective,” Flowers said. “I’m excited to see how that idea strengthens in the future. I think NC State is very actively trying to acknowledge and create the opportunity for that kind of collective work to happen, but it’s up to the students to engage with that.”

Dare and Do! exhibit highlights

Esme Chiara Staff Writer

D.H. Hill Jr. Library celebrates 100 years of women attending NC State with the exhibit Dare and Do! Women’s History at NC State. The exhibit was first unveiled in December and is expected to remain in the library’s exhibit space through the end of 2023.

Dare and Do! focuses on the accomplishments of women at NC State, from women’s presence on campus before Lucille Thomson, the first full-time female student who enrolled in 1921, to current female faculty, staff and students leaving their mark today.

The exhibit was curated by members of the University Libraries staff, including Kelly

Arnold, a graduate student in public history, who compiled much of the exhibit’s primary sources from the University Archives. Arnold said her goal was to include as much information as possible about a wide variety of women.

“We didn’t want it just to be the big names like Katherine Stinson and Mary Yarborough, who have things on campus already named after them,” Arnold said. “We wanted to include them, but we also really focused on making sure that women were included who weren’t necessarily major firsts or major donors to the school. A lot of that came with photographs and oral histories and stuff like that, but also some smaller bios that I did to equally highlight those women.”

achievements

and involvement of women throughout

NC State’s history

Henry Stover, a fourth-year studying art and design, was responsible for the design and layout of the exhibit. He said his intention was to make the exhibit different from previous ones done to celebrate women at NC State by using sources obtained by Arnold that haven’t previously been displayed.

“If there was a lot of material in the archives that Kelly found a lot of, like of one person who has all this stuff in the archives and we haven’t talked about them, then we put that out there,” Stover said. “As the library’s exhibit, we should show what’s in the archives, that’s sort of what makes our exhibit, we’re the people telling that story so we should use the resources that we have.”

The 15 exhibit cases are primarily divided into categories such as “Student Government and Activism” and “Women in WWII.” In addition to short biographies, photos and primary sources, many of the cases also contain QR codes to scan, leading to more information relevant to the corresponding category. Some of this online information includes oral histories, which Arnold said were vital to her research.

“Oral histories played such a big role in all the research that I did; it would have been fantastic to actually have some of those playing,” Arnold said. “They have a lot of really good information

DARE AND DO! continued page 4

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Council on the Status of Women identifies gender disparities, proposes solutions

Jameson Wolf Assistant Culture Editor

The Council on the Status of Women is a group of faculty, staff and students responsible for advising the Provost on how best to support women on campus and eliminate gender disparities from the classroom and workplace.

The council has approximately 30 members from across the University who meet once a month and serve on subcommittees focusing on everything from policy and campus climate to outreach, professional development and planning their annual Sisterhood Dinner. At the end of the academic year, council members meet with the Provost to report and advise on the issues they addressed that year.

Under the advice of the council, the University has seen changes, particularly with issues of equitable pay. Anne Burke, associate head of learning spaces and services with University Libraries, chaired last year’s council and is a current member.

“It was some of the work that came out of the Council on the Status of Women that resulted in our paid parental leave that we have here at the University now,” Burke said. “That’s a very recent development and just demonstrates how the work of the council has had just tremendous, real and meaningful impact on people’s lives.”

Janine Kossen, director of the Women’s Center and advisor to the council, said this victory of paid parental leave in 2020 has since spread to the entire UNC system, demonstrating the council’s impact beyond NC State’s campus.

Kossen said despite the progress made over the past several decades, women are still regularly compensated less than men in equivalent positions.

“It’s been 60 years since the passage of the Equal Pay Act and yet women-identified folks, particularly women of color, are still making less than their male counterparts in the work-

DARE AND DO!

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and some stuff is just shocking. … Both from early students like Katherine Stinson, who was told ‘Girls don’t do engineering’ and ‘Girls don’t go here,’ ... but even stuff like Jackie Gonzalez talking about wanting to get ‘Dixie’ out of the alma mater in 2018, she had some pretty terrible stuff said to her for leading that charge.”

According to Arnold, one of the biggest challenges of making the exhibit was paring down information but also not wanting to leave too many women out.

“It was definitely something that was a little difficult to balance,” Arnold said. “I think I personally was of the opinion of, ‘Let’s just put more in’ because I think even just the idea

place,” Kossen said. “Then we also take a look at invisible labor.”

A 2001 salary equity study of tenured and tenure-track faculty at NC State revealed substantial inequities in pay for both women and minority men in comparison to white men. The University responded to this report by investing $700,000 towards closing this gap. Though a 2006 salary equity study demonstrated narrowing of this gap, inequalities remained.

The University continues to conduct these studies every three years, but the council is concerned about the absence of non-tenure University employees in these studies. Burke said tenured and tenure-track faculty make up approximately 15% of all employees on campus. Focusing solely on this group neglects professional track faculty, non-faculty and staff that comprise the vast majority of NC State’s workforce. This oversight means we don’t have accurate information concerning pay discrepancies of NC State employees as a whole and are thus unable to address inequities.

“Asking the questions, knowing if there is a discrepancy, are the first steps towards rectifying any discrepancies,” Burke said. “But that’s not being done outside of tenure and tenure-track faculty as yet.”

Establishing a comprehensive pay equity study is a complex and costly process that Burke said may take time. In the meantime, the council is promoting implementation of salary transparency measures such as including pay scales in job listings. Pay scales are systems that help to calculate base salary for a given position. Understanding base salary helps job candidates effectively negotiate their pay so that it matches their experience and qualifications.

Pay scales also help candidates understand the qualifications they need to get the salary they want. Dr. Domonique Carter, program manager for the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the College of Engineering and current chair of the council, said acces-

that there was this overwhelming history, I just think that’s valuable in and of itself.”

Though there was a wealth of information for more well-known women, Stover also said it was difficult to find sources on NC State’s less-documented female figures.

“There were a lot of people that we just don’t have photographs of and I wish that we did,” Stover said. “It’s interesting how much history just isn’t really there. There are some people who have a little bio about them, and it’s like ‘This person sounds really important,’ and then you go to the archive website and there are no pictures.”

sible pay scales provided through her previous institution were a major factor in her educational decisions.

“One of the motivators for me to continue my education was that I had [pay scales] visible, and I could see ‘OK, if I take six more credits, then my salary will go up this much,’” Carter said.

The council is also exploring gendered trends in the distribution of uncompensated invisible labor.

“Women-identified folks, and particularly women of color, are expected to take on additional labor, especially in the [University] around serving on committees that are uncompensated committees, providing mentorship to others without compensation,” Kossen said. “A lot of the extra work inside and outside the classroom often falls on women in the University, and particularly women of color.”

While the University has child care resources for University employees, these resources are not available to parenting students, a population that is often underserved due to the lack of data showing how many students are responsible for children.

“Those of us who are interested in trying to help in this space are often stymied because

we don’t even know the scale of support that is needed,” Burke said. “It’s hard to convince people we need to provide support in this space [when] we don’t know how many students have caregiving responsibilities.”

Issues of inequality in the University, many of which are embedded in established structures, are complicated and require consistent, longterm efforts from the council.

“The University wasn’t set up to support women in the beginning, or people of color, or people of other marginalized identities,” Kossen said. “We as a council uplift those issues, work towards elevating them and bringing those to the attention of the people within the University who have the power to make change.”

The Council on the Status of Women’s annual Sisterhood Dinner was Feb. 27 where the council presented the winners of the Equity for Women Awards and held a silent auction to raise money for the Women’s Center. Dr. Joy Gaston Gayles, graduate professor in the college of education, gave the keynote address on the night’s theme of reenvisioning an equitable workplace.

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SARAH COCHRAN/TECHNICIAN

The NC State Libraries’ exhibit “Dare and Do! Women’s History at NC State” on Feb. 28, 2023 at D.H. Hill Jr. Library. The exhibit highlights the historic women that have made an impact at the University and the world.

Professors teach history of women and Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies in classrooms

Women’s History Month highlights important contributions women have made to history and recognizes the impact women have had on society throughout history, and NC State professors continue these discussions about women and gender in their classes and programs.

Mandy Paige-Lovingood, a graduate student in public history and teaching assistant, said there is generally a lack of recognition of women and their contributions to history.

“One of the issues with history, in general, is it has created a large-scale erasure of women in history,” Paige-Lovingood said. “It’s been told by individuals who have had unfortunate thoughts on the way women are. It’s created a lot of absences of [women] in history.”

In an effort to accurately illustrate their contributions to history, Paige-Lovingood said she makes an active effort to include women and their achievements in her classes.

“All of my teachings in global history typically have a gender component to it, which I like to centralize in every lesson in one way or another,” Paige-Lovingood said.

This lack of discussion about women and their role in history and society has been a topic of controversy in recent years. Some say this censoring of women is a product of ignorance, but Paige-Lovingood said this phenomenon stems from gender roles.

“This erasure of women in history can

be traced back to the gender roles that have existed in our binary society,” PaigeLovingood said. “While men have been in the public sphere, women were designated to the domestic sphere. Men have had the opportunities to become educated, to travel and to speak freely, while women have been confined to the home. This created an absence of women in history due to their lack of education.”

Paige-Lovingood said she sees discussing gender roles as a necessity rather than an option. She said gender should be discussed in every class to grasp the understanding of inclusivity in the classroom and material. Even though this topic is mainly disregarded, it is beneficial to discuss to succeed.

Aside from discussing gender roles in non-gender focused classrooms, a lesserknown program, Women’s, Gender and Sexuality studies, mainly focuses on these topics that are ignored. The program explores how every aspect of life intersects with gender, sexuality, sexual orientation, age, race and more.

Natalie Bullock Brown, an assistant teaching professor of interdisciplinary studies and filmmaker, said the program is critical to helping everyone understand the experiences they have in life and how their background ties into their perspective.

“As I’ve gotten older, I wanted to be able to unpack some of the things that I had experienced at the hands of men,” Bullock Brown said. “[Feminist readings] helped me to make sense of my life. I wanted to use what I’ve learned through film to help other Black women and girls to better

understand what they were experiencing because not everyone has the opportunity or knows where to look to find the information.”

Bullock Brown said anyone with an interest in the program should start with the intro courses. They provide a great and interesting foundation without being too reading-intensive.

“The Intro to Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies course is the best place to start,” Bullock Brown said. “The way it’s taught is using a text that includes a range of issues and a range of scholars. There’s history and there’s a lot that helps students understand why Women’s, Gender and Sexuality studies are important.”

Bullock Brown said now is one of the most important times to study women’s, gender and sexuality studies given the context of the political climate and homophobic or transphobic legislation being passed.

“There is a way that our politicians, whether they’re on the state or on the federal level, are really hoping to turn back the possibility of young people in particular understanding issues relating to race, gender and sexuality,” Bullock Brown said. “Because if you don’t understand those things, you’re more easily led down a particular path because you’re not able to critically think about what you’re seeing and hearing.”

Amanda Edwards, an assistant professor in the School of Public and International Affairs, said she first began teaching courses in the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality program following a long interest in gender policy, especially around discrimination

and gender equity.

“[Gender and politics] has transformed into being about all these other important things,” Edwards said. “It’s transformed into being about transgender rights, gender equity, equity in STEM and education.”

Edwards said students who have a general interest in the program, whether it be for credit or for a minor, can expect to learn and connect a lot to their major depending on which class they take.

“I think that, if you’re interested in international relations and equity, then you might take a course on global feminism because it’ll feed into that which is beneficial,” Edwards said. “If you’re in political science, you may take a class on gender and politics. And there are other courses that they just focus on a specific issue as it relates to gender.”

Edwards said the program is always evolving and growing to help match students’ needs and what topics they’re most interested in.

“My students were driving the questions about global feminisms and how that impacted gender and feminism,” Edwards said. “So when a call came from [Women’s, Gender and Sexuality] to develop a global feminism course, I applied for it saying, ‘Hey, this is what a lot of students want to learn about.’”

Both Bullock Brown and Edwards encourage students to take courses in the program that align with their degree requirements and say they’ll be able to gain new and valuable perspectives across all topics and majors.

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Ally Tennant, Autumn Wasler and Jacob Henderson Correspondents

We stand against the New York Times’ transphobia

On Feb. 15, 2023, over 1,200 New York Times contributors co-signed an open letter addressed to Associate Managing Editor Philip B. Corbett with concerns of an anti-trans bias in the newspaper. The Times responded with a rejection of these concerns and has continued publishing pieces with an anti-trans bias.

We, the editorial board of Technician, stand with these Times contributors and emphasize the importance of accurate and sympathetic reporting on transgender people.

In the letter, contributors accuse the Times of publishing inflammatory news and opinion articles that can actively harm the transgender community. Stories of puberty-blocking medications, gender-affirming chest surgeries and children using different names at school use non-trans sources, opting to speak with cisgender observers of trans people instead. These stories are written without the trans perspective and thus fearmonger.

Additionally, the Times has published anti-trans opinion columns by writers like Pamela Paul, who have pushed back on trans acceptance in her writing.

The letter also cites the history of the Times in relation to trans people as well as others of the LGBTQ community, including its tardy coverage of the HIV/ AIDS crisis in New York. LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD also sent a letter expressing similar concerns to the Times the same day.

Executive Editor Joseph Kahn sent a

memo to the Times’ staff the following day. He didn’t acknowledge any faults of the paper and instead praised the reporting criticized in said letter.

This memo was not a thoughtful consideration of the letter’s content, but instead a perfunctory rebuff. Kahn wrote the paper “will not tolerate, participation by Times journalists in protests organized by advocacy groups or attacks on colleagues on social media and other public forums.”

The next day, the Times published the perhaps most inflammatory piece yet: an opinion article by Paul entitled “In Defense of J.K. Rowling.” Rowling’s anti-trans stance is well-documented, and this piece being published directly after a lukewarm response to accusations of an anti-trans bias from the paper is upsetting.

Poor coverage of transgender stories is harmful, especially from a legacy news organization. According to CNN Business, the Times had 100 million registered users in mid-2021 — including those with and without paid subscriptions. By the end of 2025, the Times wants to have 10 million subscribers. With such a huge readership and a reputation for respectable reporting, the Times might affect how transgender people are seen across the country.

Research from Northumbria Univer-

sity in Newcastle found poor representation of transgender people in the media — specifically journalism — hurts that demographic. Participants felt like their lives were being misrepresented or sensationalized for the press. Without proper representation in journalism, reporters can cause active harm to marginalized groups.

Given the anti-transgender legislature the North Carolina Senate is pushing right now, the last thing we need is additional hateful rhetoric on top of the fight for equal representation. Dubbed the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” Senate Bill 49 is currently awaiting approval from the North Carolina House of Representatives — a likely outcome, due to its Republican majority.

In essence, this bill is North Carolina’s equivalent to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. It bans discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in grades K-4 and requires schools to tell parents if their kid asks to use a different name or pronouns at school, among other things. Needless to say, it only exacerbates the struggles transgender students face on a day-to-day basis in North Carolina.

The Times’ biased reporting isn’t comparable to passing anti-transgender legislation, but media — especially a newspaper as large as the Times — undeniably impacts the public’s perception, and sub-

sequent support or disapproval of, such issues. In this way, we believe the Times is irresponsible in its lack of unbiased, empathetic reporting.

We understand our responsibility to accurately, humanely report on transgender stories at NC State. Going forward, we’ll continue to respect peoples’ chosen names and pronouns, seek out transgender sources when reporting on topics that directly affect them and, most importantly, focus on the transgender experience as a whole.

On an individual level, we urge you to start by unsubscribing from the New York Times and instead opting to receive news from alternate outlets. Human Rights Campaign is a great place to pursue unbiased, humane reporting, and NC Health News reports on LGBTQ stories within North Carolina.

And if you’re unsatisfied with our content as it relates to reporting transgender experiences, please let us know. Shilpa Giri, our editor-in-chief, is available at technician-editor@ncsu.edu. Wade Bowman and Sam Overton, our managing editors, can be reached at technicianmanagingeditor@ncsu.edu. Our editorial board is committed to covering such stories with accuracy and acceptance.

The LGBTQ Pride Center offers a plethora of resources for transgender students, faculty, staff and alumni to take advantage of. For more information regarding NC State’s Transgender Resource Roadmap, visit the website.

‘Like’ is a great word, like, let’s stop judging those who use it

For most of my life, I’ve been told to stop using the word “like,” as it may make me sound less confident or educated in daily conversations. In fact, there’s quite a bit of online discussion about the use of the word and how people will benefit from not saying it. Even WikiHow has a “How to Stop Saying the Word ‘Like’” page. However, I think it’s time we look back at how this word has historically been used by all, not just by young women — contrary to popular belief.

Mariana Fabian Opinion Editor

I spoke with Robin Dodsworth, professor of linguistics, about the use of the word “like,” and how it has changed over time.

“The word ‘like’ has actually been evolving for several hundred years, even as much

as 800 years,” Dodsworth said. “Early on it was a verb, and later on it started to ac quire other syntactic functions including preposition. There is now an adverbial use, there’s a discourse marker used in a discourse, particle use, but those different syn tactic functions have evolved at different times over the course of the last several hun dred years.”

I also asked Dod sworth if she knew why the word has garnered such hatred or disdain in

recent history. She noted that one of the reasons she thinks it’s been criticized is because it’s such a syntactically flexible word. It’s incredibly multifunctional, so why should we not all use “like” more? Dodsworth also referenced the newest use of the word is called quotative like, which refers to saying something, like — no pun intended — “They were like, ‘Hey, how are you?’”

This quotative like may have originated from the West Coast, which may have caused an association to certain people, such as valley girls,

who have often received the short end of the stick in media representation and in general. Dodsworth said this connection is what also caused “like” to have criticism, despite it being widely used in other cases everywhere else throughout history. She also said that the other syntactic uses of “like” did not originate from the West Coast and have nothing to do with the valley girls.

Dodsworth also talked about the criticism that the high-rising terminal, or better known as “uptalk”, receives. Uptalk is essentially when a clause ends on a high inflection point, like a question. Similar to how “like” is criticized, uptalk is often associated with the valley girl persona and is seen as less professional or as a lack of confidence.

“LIKE” continued page 7

The unsigned editorial is the opinion of the members of Technician’s editorial board, and is the responsibility of the editor-in-chief.

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Women lead, too: Rihanna controversy sparks outdated gender role debates

Women have been pushing their way to equality for years but never seem to break past the glass ceiling set by powerful men, outdated standards and society. While we see the norms slowly and continually changing for women, attitudes of others are stuck in the past and view women as nothing more than caregivers, making it nonetheless difficult for true progression in equality.

Ashley Linzey Staff Columnist

child have sent many people in an uproar. Traditionally, men are deemed to be breadwinners of the relationship, the provider, the protector and the guider. Women, for years and still to this day, are seen as caregivers and homemakers; people who shouldn’t take the step forward into bigger and better advancements.

A prime example of groupthink towards this idiotic attitude regarding women is the controversy over the recent British Vogue cover for the March 2023 edition. The cover displays the gorgeous and successful Rihanna in the forefront, and A$AP Rocky holding their baby boy in the background.

The viral tweet captioned with “There is a whole lot to unpack with this photo here,” sparks a debate on the gender role Rihanna should be representing and how the man should be the one leading. Comments such as “I see it too, she’s leadin and pullin him along while he’s lookin like a nurturing mother… SMH,” and “Yea, mother ASAP Rocky and father Rihanna. Look at him embracing his proud motherhood. The idea is that a strong man leads the family. But hey that’s [Hollywood] for ya,” showcase the stereotypical debate on how women should stay in their place.

Something that was meant to bring attention toward a successful artist and her growing family turned into speculation of an emasculated man and inspired toxic femininity. But the article isn’t even about A$AP Rocky, so it wouldn’t be logical to position Rihanna in the background anyways. Complaints over A$AP Rocky being behind Rihanna and having him hold their

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“There came to be an association between saying ‘be like,’ and the valley girl persona or other kinds of people they didn’t take very seriously,” Dodsworth said. “What happens is people tend to be ready all the time to criticize the way that young females talk. Anytime there’s some new thing in language or something that people think is new, they just kind of go ahead and associate it with young females. And why that is? We don’t know. But, we think it has something to do with people’s willingness to criticize young females in general.”

Criticizing the way young women speak

Corey Cogdell-Unrein, a two-time Olympic trap shooter bronze medalist, is another example of a woman taking on a successful role but overshadowed by a dominant-male role viewpoint. After Cogdell-Unrein won her second Olympic medal in 2016, the Chicago Tribune tweeted “Wife of a Bears’ lineman wins a bronze medal today in Rio Olympics,” with no mention of her name or past achievements. Although we don’t get a Vogue cover in this example, we still recognize the idea of putting the man in the forefront.

While gender equality has come a long way from old traditions, there will always be a push and pull every time a woman steps into success or leadership, no matter the case. We prominently see this across powerful positions, athletics, work environments — especially within the medical field — entertainment and even in educational institutions.

We ought to acknowledge women for the strengths they possess and their ability to climb the ladder higher just as men do. Both men and women are capable of being successful, as well as being loving and supportive nurturers. If anything, men should be prominent figures in their children’s lives and support their significant other just as much as women do. A$AP Rocky holding their child while his successful partner takes on the role as boss babe is evidence enough.

There is no emasculation at play here. We as a society need to see more examples of women as leaders, and also make it a norm for both genders to share all roles and to be

is not unheard of at all. It’s important to acknowledge the age-old argument about who talks more: men or women. I’m sure many will recognize the redundant claim that women speak 20,000 words a day and men speak a mere 7,000. Claudia Hammond from BBC noted that this stereotype has no basis in scientific evidence. In some of the studies she referenced, where men’s and women’s communication had been analyzed, there’ve been differences, but they’ve been negligible.

However, in a study from 2020, researchers sat in college classrooms to see who talked more: men or wome.? The findings confirmed that male students talked 1.6 times more often than female students, and they often speak without raising their hands, interrupting the class and engaging

acknowledged equally.

The more women continue to be a living example of what is possible by not letting outdated gender roles define their level of

in more prolonged conversation than their female counterparts.

Women were also found to have a less assertive tone than men when answering questions, which leads me to consider the fact that women may feel less inclined to speak in a room where men take up more of the vocal space and ask the questions first. This is seen in work settings as well, as noted by Elizabeth Weingarten from Behavioral Scientist.

The way women, especially young women, speak and answer questions has been scrutinized without any scientific or linguistic evidence. Using the word “like” often is not something that only young women practice, and it’s certainly not something that should continue to be critiqued or seen as lesser than. In fact,

achievement or dictate their ability to lead, the less prevalent gender stereotypes will be. Controversy over a woman posing in front of a man will soon be a thing of the past.

this incredible change of language and multifaceted uses of “like” should be celebrated, as language is constantly evolving and linguists are studying this on a dayto-day basis.

“If we transcend popular ideology, there’s absolutely no sense in which using the word ‘like’ a lot means that you are not confident or not educated or something like that,” Dodsworth said. “It’s simply a word that has taken on many different syntactic functions.”

So, just remember that using “like” in your daily conversations is more than OK; the word has way more historical significance than others might understand. “Like” is multifaceted, and if someone criticizes your use of it, pay them no mind at all.

GRAPHIC BY PEARL KNIGHT

Girlhood

Sophie

A second-year studying art and design

Safe Space

Lucy Osborn, Staff cartoonist

A second-year studying art and design

A

Pearl

Season’s Pickin’s: Kumquats

Wylie Phu, Staff cartoonist

A second-year studying art and design

A

Gabriel, Staff cartoonist

Woman of the Month

Knight, Staff cartoonist

fourth-year studying art and design

A Wandering Fish: Part I Jacinto Sho Hernandez, Staff cartoonist

A second-year studying art and design

Tortoise & the Hare Harrison Burstion, Staff cartoonist

second-year studying art and design

Women’s HERstory Month connects women through community events

While March is known as Women’s History Month, the Women’s Center acknowledges it as HERstory Month. Celebrating women and their accomplishments, the Women’s Center has a jampacked lineup of events on campus commemorating Women’s History Month this year. The theme for Women’s HERstory Month this year at NC State is “Grow Together, Heal Together, Grow with the Flow.”

The Women’s Center, located on the fifth floor in Talley Student Union, is a space where everyone is welcome and can receive services regardless of gender. The center’s mission is to build and create a community of allies and leaders committed to pursuing gender equity and social justice to improve the campus climate.

“People have the chance to come to [events] and see what we’re actually doing as a women’s center and why the Women’s Center as a center is important,” said Tyra Frye, a third-year

studying English and a student programming intern for the Women’s Center.

Alexus Smith, program coordinator of the Women’s Center, said there are several qualities that are really important for her to implement in this year’s Women’s History Month.

“Having a conversation about dialogue, where we think about ‘Why do we not prioritize self care as women or women-identified folks?’ and ‘What can we do better for ourselves?’” Smith said.

The first kickoff event for HERstory Month, Permanent History: Planting Our Roots, will take place Thursday, March 2 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Women’s Center and will focus on well being, self-care and femininity through interactive art activities. The Women’s Center will also provide food and snacks at the event.

The Women of Color Brunch is a signature event that will be hosted by Multicultural Student Affairs on March 9. This year, the center will provide brunch and invite students to an open discussion about specific issues women

of color face on campus and around the world.

What’s Your Word is a mindfulness workshop with a licensed expressive art therapist partnered with the Crafts Center. Participants will be able to make their own takeaway bracelet with words of affirmations or anything they can imagine. The event will be March 21, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Craft Center. Make sure to sign up because space is limited.

Healing HERstory is an open mic event for students and potential outside poets to perform pieces about feminism, feminist history and growing and healing. Participants will need to sign up for a time based on the art form of their performances. The event will be held from March 29 from 6-7:30 p.m. in the African American Cultural Center.

The Women’s Center staff will also be presenting a digital open space for women by posting Spotify playlists and a list of book spotlights dedicated to HERstory Month on their Instagram.

Other running programs at the Women’s Center:

During weekly Feminist Friday events, students have the chance to sign up and present a feminist topic of their liking, while also participating in fun activities.

“Last time, I think I did vision boards,” saidSimone Spencer, a graduate student in higher education administration and graduate assistant for the Women’s Center. “At one point, I did painting, and people were able to take little canvases and paint like feminine energy, what they feel like, things like that.”

The Women’s Center also hosts the annual Women of Color Retreat, a community building event for all women of color on campus full of fun, emotions and beautiful settings.

Selina Urieta Correspondent

Check out the Women’s Center located on the fifth floor of Talley Student Union or connect with them through their Instagram @ncsuwomenscenter or website.

University Theatre’s ‘Urinetown’ offers artful satire, criticizes capitalism

NC State’s production of “Urinetown the Musical” was equal parts hysterical and dystopian. Over 100 student volunteers contributed to the production and what came out was anything but amateur. From the lighting to the set to the actors, this production was clearly a labor of love.

The musical’s narrator, and an audience favorite, Officer Lockstock, was played by Jackson Griffin, a third-year studying history. Lockstock introduced the story: citizens are living in a dystopian universe where a water shortage has given way to a monopolistic corporation, Urine Good Company. After having taken control over the toilets in town, Urine Good Company started charging its destitute citizens to pay exorbitant fees each time they relieve themselves. Those that refuse are sent to the mystical Urinetown as punishment.

For those that attended this weekend’s showings, Griffin’s delivery in every scene was effortlessly comedic, managing to make even the most dire reveals an occasion for laughs. Lockstock’s narration scenes were acted across from Little Sally, played by Madeline Core, a first-year studying history. This choice showed the dichotomy between the haves

and have-nots: Officer Lockstock, representing those with power who carry knowledge of how the system works, and Little Sally, representing those with who’ve been exploited and are left questioning why.

Other talented individuals included nepotism baby Hope Cladwell, played by Mary Furr, a third-year studying history, and our protagonist from the slums, Bobby Strong, played by Jake Ensey, a third-year studying English. Cladwell and Strong’s romantic meeting turned into a duet that somehow gave off Gabriella and Troy vibes despite the context of corporate greed.

Despite occasional pitch issues throughout, the voices on display were incredible. Furr’s voice had a purity that fit her character perfectly. It matched beautifully with Ensey’s slightly rougher melody, which befit his character as well.

My personal favorite was Penelope Pennywise, played by Julia Robbins, a fifth-year in art studies, whose voice had incredible body and depth. Robbins showed off her massive range in an early solo of “It’s a Privilege to Pee.”

Every song was accompanied by a live orchestra placed in a 5-foot recessed pit in front of the stage. A team of just six individuals, the orchestra’s live performance elevated every performance.

JERMAINE HUDSON/TECHNICIAN

Will Godby, a fourth-year studying psychology, resists being taken away as the character Caldwell B. Cladwell during the Urinetown musical in Stewart Theatre on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023.

JEREMY BYRNE/TECHNICIAN

Gray Nico (right), a third-year studying statistics, frames Will Godby (left), a fourth-year studying psychology, as part of a musical number during NC State’s theater production of the musical “Urinetown” in Stewart Theater on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023.

Shelby Bryson

Staff Writer

Even smaller characters had a big impact. Bobby Strong’s father, played by Joshua Saffold, a second-year studying sports management, who only appeared on stage once in the first scene, comically popped up five or six more times in the audience repeating the same line while wiggling his whole body to appear like a flashback for Strong to reflect on.

The set was also stunning. Scene transitions were incredibly creative with individual images of buildings or important landmarks popping up — someone behind scenes physically moved each piece for each transition. It was reminiscent of kids making shadow puppets against the wall.

Unsurprisingly, a rebellion begins to form in the town with citizens fighting back against fee hikes and legislation put in place by Urine Good Company. In one of my favorite moments, characters on stage began to protest holding farcical signs reading “Don’t tread on pee,” “Wee the people” and “Urine trouble now!”

Act I was filled with hilarious choreography, a great plot and lots of laughter. Amid all the dancing, one character stood out: Dr. Billeaux, played by Kara Cushman, a secondyear studying communication, didn’t miss a single step.

Act II lost a little bit of energy plot-wise, because it took place mostly in the sewers — not the most engaging of the set designs. That being said, the act included some major plot twists delivered pricelessly, wrapping the story up well.

The ending, as Lockstock told us early on, was anything but happy. Despite the satire, the truth behind the production is a clear scolding of capitalism — a satirical comedy meant to reveal the realities of an economic system where the rich get richer by exploiting the poor into getting poorer.

JEREMY BYRNE/TECHNICIAN

Members of the cast strike a final pose together to end the NC State’s theater production of the musical “Urinetown” in Stewart Theater on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. The play is a comedy of a dystopian society deprived of water and ruled by water companies.

JERMAINE HUDSON/TECHNICIAN

Jake Ensey, a third-year studying English and theater, leans on Mary Elizabeth Furr, a fourth-year studying history and theater, as Ensey sings “Follow Your Heart” during the Urinetown musical in Stewart Theatre on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. The musical was about citizens fighting against a company that regulated toilet usage during a 20-year drought.

The heat is on: NC State baseball’s pitching staff off to hot start in 2023

NC State baseball is off to a red-hot start as one of the few teams to remain unbeaten through the first two weekends of the 2023 season. A big reason for the Pack’s perfect record is the strong top-to-bottom play of the Wolfpack’s pitching staff, which has given up no more than four runs in a game and holds a team ERA of 1.57, good for second-best in the ACC.

Entering the season, junior righty Matt Willadsen was expected to be one the Wolfpack’s better pitchers, and he’s delivered so far this season, striking out batters with ease. With 14 strikeouts, he’s more than doubled the six hits he’s given up in two starts, and his rare ability to limit batters from even putting the ball in play makes him a key asset to the team.

Freshman Dominic Fritton has impressed in his first two starts of his collegiate career. The lefty is holding opposing batters to just a .154 batting average, and the only run he’s given up was a solo shot against Belmont — the Bruins’ only score of the game. Despite being new to the college game, Fritton has held his own, emerging as one of the early surprises for the Wolfpack.

Meanwhile, redshirt junior righty Logan Whitaker is NC State’s Friday-night starter and has looked the part in his two starts, allowing just 10 hits and four runs while posting six strikeouts. His production has been good, but it will be interesting to see if Whitaker remains the Friday starter with the tremendous jobs Willadsen and Fritton have done.

NC State’s final starter, junior PJ Labriola, will likely see most of his action during midweek games. The Clemson transfer has started one game this year — a midweek game at Coastal Carolina where the Chanticleers scored three runs in 3.2 innings, but the lefty threw five strikeouts. At Clemson, Labriola was primarily a reliever, so becoming a starter will have a learning curve, but he’ll have opportunities to build confidence during mid-week starts this season as he adjusts into his new role.

In addition, the bullpen is also a strength for NC State this year, as it has little drop off from the Pack’s group of starting pitchers. The group has several talented and experienced players that give the Wolfpack an advantage late in ball games, only giving up two runs this season.

Redshirt senior Baker Nelson is one of the more experi-

enced options on the mound for the Pack. The right-handed reliever has appeared in three games, blanking opponents in each appearance while earning three strikeouts and only giving up three hits.

Junior Justin Lawson is also one of the better pitchers in the bullpen — through four innings pitched, he leads the team with an opposing batting average of .077. The righty has also racked up six strikeouts, the most out of all the relievers. He’ll be a valuable asset for the team, especially facing a challenging conference schedule.

Making his highly-anticipated return to the hill, junior Sam Highfill has played well thus far after coming off a back injury from last season. So far, in 3.1 innings of action, the righty has only given up one hit while striking out three batters and as the season progresses, it’ll be worth watching if Highfill’s role evolves. Last season, he started six games and would have been a capable starter should he have remained healthy, but he also provides a steady presence on the mound late in games, something the Wolfpack will need in ACC play.

JERMAINE HUDSON/TECHNICIAN

Junior pitcher Justin Lawson throws the ball during the game against Belmont at Doak Field at Dail Park on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. Lawson had four strikeouts. The Wolfpack beat the Bruins 7-1 with the Wolfpack sweeping the series.

Noah Teague

Staff Writer

NC State track and field claims 3 individual titles at ACC Indoor Championships

Jenna Cuniowski

Sports

NC State track and field traveled to Louisville, Kentucky to compete in the ACC Indoor Championships on Thursday, Feb. 23. Over the course of the three-day event, the Pack earned three individual ACC titles and set 10 new personal bests. Overall, the Wolfpack women finished fourth and the men’s team finished 11th in a field of 15 teams.

The red-and-white got off to a strong start on the first day of competition, posting five top-10 finishes that included three podium finishes. Senior Kelsey Chmiel stole the show with her first-place finish in the women’s 5000m, and her time of 15:55.54 was good enough for a new facility record. Graduate student Sydney Seymour wasn’t far behind, taking second place with her time of 15:57.18 and earning All-ACC First Team honors. Also competing in the 5000m, junior Gionna Quarzo clocked in at 16:08.01 to finish in sixth place and earn All-ACC Second Team honors.

NC State’s women’s distance medley relay team added to the women’s distance team’s success on Friday with its third place finish in the event. The team — consisting of seniors Caroline Lewis and Sam Bush, graduate student Savannah Shaw and junior Katelyn Tuohy — recorded a time of 10:52.16 and broke the NC State record in the event for the second consecutive week, taking home All-ACC First Team honors in the process.

Outside of the impressive performances by the Pack’s distance runners, freshman Kyzaiah Stone was the only Wolfpack athlete to finish in the top 10. Stone’s mark of 2.09m earned him sixth place in the men’s high jump and All-ACC Second Team honors.

Day two of competition was highlighted by senior Jirah Sidberry’s first-place finish in the women’s long jump; her mark of 6.31m is the third-best in NC State history. On the men’s side, graduate students Jamar Davis and Cameron Murray finished in third and fourth in the long jump, respectively. Davis earned All-ACC First Team honors for his 7.56m effort while Murray earned All-ACC Second Team honors for his mark of 7.47m. Murray also competed in the 60m hurdles, taking first place in the prelims and clocking in at 7.67 to set a new facility record and advance to the finals.

Both the men’s and women’s teams grabbed top-10 finishes in the mile prelims. On the women’s side, Bush and freshman Grace Hartman recorded times of 4:41.03 and 4:39.42 to take fourth and third place, respectively. For the men’s team, junior

Brett Gardner clocked in at 4:05.29 to finish in ninth place.

The final day of competition saw the Pack finish strong, with Tuohy grabbing the individual title in the women’s 3000m. Her time of 8:51.92 was good for both a facility and meet record. Bush also performed well in the event, earning fifth place and AllACC Second Team honors with her time of 9:07.76. In the men’s 3000m, graduate student Ian Shanklin set a new personal best with his mark of 7:53.75 and finished in fifth place. Junior Ian Harrison finished just .01 seconds behind Shanklin to claim sixth place. Both Shanklin and Harrison earned All-ACC Second Team honors, and their times rank third and fourth-best in Wolfpack history.

In the women’s mile final, Hartman and Bush finished in fifth and sixth place, respectively. Other notable performances from NC State came in the sprinting and jumping events, led by senior Alex Lang’s fifth-place finish in the 60m final. In the triple jump, Sidberry and Davis both finished in seventh place for their respective genders.

The Pack will take a week off before making the trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico to compete in the NCAA Indoor Championships, a two-day event that will begin on Friday, March 10.

ANNA HANSEN/TECHNICIAN

Junior Caroline Lewis runs the 800 meter at the Raleigh Relays at Paul Derr Track on Saturday, March 26, 2022. Lewis finished 10th in her heat.

Assistant

Editor

The red-and-white got off to a strong start on the first day of competition, posting five top-10 finishes that included three podium finishes.

NC State men’s basketball cut down in Cameron, loses 71-67 at Duke

Wade Bowman Managing Editor

DURHAM, N.C. — NC State men’s basketball dropped its final game of the regular season inside a raucous Cameron Indoor Stadium, falling 71-67 to the Duke Blue Devils.

The Wolfpack (22-9, 12-8 ACC) competed early, hanging within striking distance for the majority of the first half, but let things slip away in the second when Duke (22-8, 13-6 ACC) got out to a 12-point lead with 8:39 left in the game. Led by an offensive barrage from guard Jeremy Roach, the Blue Devils made the plays necessary to finish their year undefeated on home court.

“That’s pretty impressive to go undefeated at home in a year,” said head coach Kevin Keatts. “You look at that team, they’ve grown so much. I remember when we played them, I don’t know, a month ago, and they played like freshmen. You can tell that those guys have grown up. It was a great game.”

Graduate guard Jarkel Joiner led all scorers with 26 points on 50% shooting from the field, adding eight rebounds and an assist to his stat line by the final whistle. Picking up the pieces left behind from poor performances by sophomore guard Terquavion Smith and senior guard Casey Morsell, Joiner’s offensive contributions were nearly enough to help the Wolfpack steal one late.

In the last two minutes of the contest, Smith hit his first shot from the floor — a 3-pointer to cut the Duke lead down to nine — before Joiner orchestrated an 8-2 scoring run by his lonesome. With the Duke lead within a single possession at three points, NC State had a chance, but a win in such a hostile environment wasn’t in the cards for the Wolfpack.

“[Joiner] has been great,” Keatts said. “I thought we hit a home run with him. … He’s been so huge for us. He’s played as an all-conference guy — first-team, second-team down the stretch.”

To even have an opportunity to win the game was a miracle for NC State with Smith’s shooting slump persisting through the last few outings. Tonight, the sophomore finished with eight points on 2-9 shooting from the floor, also collecting five rebounds and two assists in his 27 minutes of court time. Adding to the offensive inefficiency, Morsell’s one point on 0-8 shooting from the floor made it that much harder for NC State to find its 23rd win.

Following Joiner in the box score, graduate forward DJ Burns and graduate guard Jack Clark scored 13 points apiece. Carrying along the overarching theme of the night,

Burns wasn’t immune to offensive deficiencies either, shooting a more-than-solid 4-5 from the floor at the end of the first half but falling down to a 6-15 line by the final whistle. Shooting 40% is nothing to scoff at, but on a night where so many of NC State’s stars were struggling, his drop-off in the second half made things even more difficult for the Pack.

However, Clark looked promising, returning from an injury suffered against Wake Forest on Feb. 22 to score his aforementioned 13 points on 60% shooting and reeling in seven rebounds. NC State continues to be a better team with Clark on the court, and with a full week to rest before the ACC Tournament, having him anywhere close

to 100% will be a welcomed sight.

“Jack was good,” Keatts said. “Just to have him on the floor gives us another scorer. … He’s our best rebounder, so we need to have him on the floor.”

Another bright spot for NC State was sophomore guard Breon Pass, who picked up minutes for freshman guard LJ Thomas because he was out with an illness. Although Pass’ four points and two rebounds in 14 minutes don’t jump off the page, the guard was serviceable enough to keep his team competitive early on, signifying just how deep this rotation can go when necessary.

Despite ending its regular season on backto-back losses, NC State has fought hard to bring the program to new standards fol-

lowing last year. Building a resume of 22 wins and 12 conference wins is nothing to dust off, and heading into the conference tournament with a chance to add even more is a great situation for the Wolfpack to be in.

“It’s been a blessing man,” Joiner said. “This new team has gelled together great. The transfers, me, DJ, Jack and [graduate forward] Dusan [Mahorcic] … we got a lot of work put in.”

NC State is the only ACC team without a game left to play this weekend and surely welcomes the extra time for preparation and rest. While the rest of the conference fights for its seeding, all the Wolfpack can do is sit back and watch it all unfold.

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Graduate guard Jarkel Joiner shoots the ball as the Duke team surrounds him at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. Joiner led in scoring for the Wolfpack with 26 points. NC State lost to Duke 71-67.

NC State baseball overwhelms Longwood, enjoys easy day at the plate

On a perfect afternoon for baseball, NC State crushed Longwood 14-0 in a game that was seemingly over before it began.

The Wolfpack (8-0) bats were hot from the start, helping the team jump out to an early lead. The Lancers (2-7) had no answer, and as a result the 10-Run Rule was implemented, which ends the game after seven innings when one team is leading by 10 runs or more.

“You can lose your focus pretty easily,” said junior left-handed pitcher PJ Labriola. “Just keep your foot on the gas pedal, keep doing what you’re doing.”

Junior designated hitter Carter Trice opened up the scoring with a two-run blast for the Pack in the first inning. Graduate right fielder Trevor Candelaria then followed up with a double, and with an assist from the Doak stream, sophomore catcher

Jacob Cozart hit the Wolfpack’s second home run of the inning.

“After, I was in shock because the Doak stream took that ball,” Cozart said. “I was just happy that I could help the team today.”

In the second frame, NC State loaded the bases, bringing sophomore shortstop Payton Green to the plate. He drilled a ball into the outfield, bringing in a couple more runs, and before the inning was over, the Pack would tack on one more run, making the score 7-0.

The scoring temporarily slowed in the third, with the Pack only scoring once, but NC State got back on track in the fourth when Cozart hit a three-RBI double. With the team up comfortably, head coach Elliott Avent elected to give his second-stringers a chance to showcase their talent. The team kept right along scoring into the fifth, when junior outfielder Dominic Pilolli smashed a home run to add two more to the Pack’s

tally.

“We got a lot of rookies on this team and a lot of guys that are gonna be great baseball players at NC State,” Avent said. “Every time you can get them out on that field, they get a little bit better — I thought that was very important.”

While the Pack had no troubles scoring, the Lancers never found their way across home plate, becoming the third Wolfpack opponent to be shutout this season. NC State’s strong fielding played a key role in blanking Longwood as the team had zero errors.

“It makes it easy when you have a defense like we do,” Labriola said. “Just super clean the last couple games, and you just give them plays to make you have quick innings.”

The pitching staff did its part against the Lancers with Labriola making his first start in Raleigh. In four innings, the lefty only gave up three hits, preventing Longwood

from getting around the diamond. However, Avent wants to see Labriola improve on the performance.

“I didn’t think PJ was as good as he was the first time at Coastal [Carolina] — I just didn’t think he was as sharp,” Avent said. “I thought the last inning he was a lot better and a lot more like he was at Coastal, but up to that point I didn’t think he was as sharp today.”

Once Avent called it a day for Labriola, he let multiple pitchers go to the mound, allowing them to gain some valuable experience. Aside from a pair of walks, the group did well, and junior lefty John Miralia closed out the game, recording a couple of strikeouts in the sixth.

The Wolfpack will be back in action at Doak Field on Wednesday, March 1 at 3 p.m. to take on the Radford Highlanders. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.

GRIFFIN BRYANT/TECHNICIAN

Sophomore catcher Jacob Cozart prepares for an at bat during the opening day game against the Wagner Seahawks on Doak Field at Dail Park on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. The Wolfpack beat the Seahawks 14-1.

Noah Teague Staff Writer

STANDING AGAINST TRANSPHOBIA

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