OPENWIDE 22:2: RECONNAISSANCE

OPENWIDEZINE.COM

a s s i n a n n o c c e e r

VOL. 22 ISSUE 2

OPENWIDE THE FIMS’ ALTERNATIVE STUDENT PUBLICATION

editor's note Dear readers, First and foremost, I want to congratulate you for getting through this first semester, or this fall in general. It's been a tough time for everyone, but it's times like these that really show the strength and resilience of our community.

I also want to welcome you to our second issue of the school year, OPENWIDE: RECONNAISSANCE. In English, the word means surveillance, observation, and investigation. In French, it refers to recognition, gratitude, and acknowledgement. While you dive into this issue, remember to keep an open mind, and most importantly, be critical of the structures at play around you. They aren't neutral, no matter how they appear.

But also, I want to encourage you to hold space for gratitude and peace in your life, too. It can be all too easy to get caught up in the negatives - and while it's important to leave room for that and explore those feelings - don't let it drown out of the positives in your life.

Stay cool, calm, critical, and "reconaissant".

Juliana Konrad Editor in Chief

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editorial team Editor in Chief Juliana Konrad Assistant Editor in Chief Jumana Labib

Resident Writers Sahaana Kuganesan Bianca Vasile Nicole Goverde Cat Tang Diya Motwani Hailey Wettlaufer Sabrina Caramico

Senior Editors Tia Sacks Jessie Chabot-Hamden Digital Content Kylie Walker Coordinator Sarena Akhter Lauren Medeiros

creative team Lead Graphics Cassie Kaczmarski Graphic Designers Kayla MacInnes Mya Cahill Rachel Feigenbaum Thea Medland Zainab Moosavi Resident Artist Emma Russell

Social Media Coordinator Selena Lim Photographers Farah Shobib Milena Sztainbok Podcast Editors Pritha Mukherji Rebecca Bartkiw Madeleine McColl

DISCLAIMER: the sole responsibility of this publication lies within its authors. Contents do not reflect the opinions of the University Student's Council of Western University ("USC"). The USC assumes no responsibility of liability for any error, inaccuracy, omission, or comment contained in this publication or for any use that may be made of such information by the reader.

table of contents Instagram's Body Positivity Movement: Helpful or Hurtful?

Who Is She? Why Do We Want To Be Her? #Thatgirl, Food Trends, and the Obsessive Aestheticization of Health and Wellness OPENWIDE's Picks Ways to Get Involved at Western: Intramural Sports Winter 2021 Watchlist Call Your Son, First The Truth About Spotify Wrapped: Unpaid Internships & Exploitation of Student Labour Art Insert Best Bird Courses at Western Social Media Professionalism: Have Your Cake and Show It Off Too The New Standard of Perfection: A Note on the Cultural Standardization, Manufactured Authenticity, and the Promotion of Capitalism through TikTok Slacktivism: The New Age of Digital Activism Freezing Denim: Does this Viral Hack Work?

Is TikTok's Algorithm Racist?

Back Cover Art

4-5 Jessie Chabot-Hamden 6-8 Sabrina Caramico 9 10 11 12-13 14-16

Juliana Konrad Kylie Walker Jessie Chabot Nicole Goverde Juliana Konrad

17 18-19 20-21 22

Emma Russell Cat Tang Hailey Wettlaufer Bianca Vasile

23 24-25 26-27 28

Tia Sacks Sarena Akhter Sahaana Kuganesan Emma Russell

Cover Concept by Juliana Konrad Cover Illustration by Emma Russell

socials INSTAGRAM: @OPENWIDEZINE ISSUU: OPENWIDE ZINE WEBSITE: OPENWIDEZINE.COM EMAIL: OPENWIDEZINE@GMAIL.COM PODCAST: OPENWIDE ZINE

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he Body Positivity Movement on Instagram hurts more people than it helps, and here’s why.

Over the past few years the Body Positivity movement on Instagram has gone from small and kept within a particular community to huge and mainstream. While at first glance it seems the movement is a social phenomenon of women and other folks reclaiming their bodies and loving themselves, I believe it reinstitutes the same beauty ideals that are already in place.

The Body Positivity Movement has roots in the Fat Liberation movement of the 1970s - a movement created for fat individuals to end their discrimination and oppression. To this, people of colour were also added in, as historically most social movements completely excluded and shadowed BIPOC individuals. So, the Body Positivity Movement was born. Originally created for fat, marginalized people of colour, the movement has since been co opted for everyone, and every body.

Not only does this adaptation continue to exclude fat BIPOC people, it also glosses over their marginalization and continues to put thin, white women at front and centre.

Recently, the Body Positivity movement has been focusing more on thin, white, cisgender, and able-bodied women more than anyone else. These women’s Instagram accounts have the most followers and support, and have changed the message of the Body Positivity movement - to again be about white people.

By Jessie Chabot-Hamden

Instead of popularizing and showcasing Instagram accounts featuring fat women like it was originally intended for, the Body Positivity Movement now features and spotlights thin white women. Their Instagram accounts show them loving their bodies, and they tell us to love ours too.

I’m not saying it’s the fault of white women with large social media followings - honestly, good for them for being able to create such a large platform with so many followers. I’ll even admit I am a sucker for a good fashion or travel Instagram account that features thin white women doing unrealistic and inaccessible things (that most of us in the real world could never afford to do), all the while ‘loving’ their bodies and ‘promoting’ self love.

It is, however, the fault of broader social systems and structures that continue to promote the same unrealistic and unattainable beauty and body ideals for women.

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I

know you may be thinking that I am going too far, and that the body positivity movement should be for everyone and everybody to participate and be represented in. I agree! It is incredibly important that we celebrate and understand the diversity in human bodies and acknowledge the beauty in every one of them.

However, this particular movement has been completely co-opted to again dismiss and oppress fat people of colour (the people the movement was intended for), and again sweep their struggles under the rug.

It’s not fair that fat BIPOC content creators do not get the same attention as thin, white creators, even when they are posting the same messages, pictures, videos and content. Why do Instagram’s algorithms often target fat creators, flagging and taking their content down, but leave up the content of thin white women even if it is much more explicit and sexualized? It is an unfair, biased system, and has caused the movement to become incredibly flawed.

We need to work harder to give fat BIPOC creators the platform they deserve, and to stop praising thin white bodies over anyone else. If we truly believe in body positivity we need to treat every body equally and celebrate each one with the same level of support, attention and praise we do to thin white women. Most importantly, we need to stop placing bodies in a hierarchy, with certain bodies at the top and certain bodies at the bottom.

It’s easy to get caught up in the Body Positive ‘hype’ - I certainly did. But, remember who is ultimately being favoured at the end of the day - the same bodies and small category of people who fit the narrow (and unattainable) Western and Eurocentric beauty standard.

Fat people of colour have been oppressed and left out of social conversation for far too long, and Instagram’s body positivity movement only furthers this.

As social media users, we need to do our part in creating space for fat people of colour, by supporting them and listening to their voices. It is time to use our likes, shares, comments, and social profiles to uplift marginalized communities and give them the space and respect they deserve!

We need to use our actions to show that every body is important and beautiful, and help reclaim the Body Positivity Movement and turn it back into what it was intended to be, and who it was intended for.

GRAPHICS BY KAYLA MACINNES

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By Sabrina Caramico | Graphics by Cassie Kaczmarski

Who Who is is She? She? Why Why Do Do We We Want Want To To Be Be Her? Her? #Thatgirl, Food Trends, and the Obsessive Aestheticization of Health and Wellness By Sabrina Caramico

Restorative yoga, yoga, boss-girl boss-girlmanifesting, manifesting, hustle hustle porn, porn, journaling and and avocado avocado toast toastwith witha ashot shotofof apple apple cider vinegar cider vinegar — a popular — a popular 2021 recipe 2021 recipe for TikTok’s for TikTok’s #thatgirl, who #thatgirl, does who it all does before it all 7 a.m. before 7am.

She’s got it all all together together (or (or so sowe’re we’remade madeto tobelieve), believe),and uses and uses her socials her socials to document to document just how just on how point on her point selfoptimized her self-optimized productivity productivity and wellness and wellness lifestylelifestyle is. But, is #thatgirl is. But, is really #thatgirl all that? really all that?

The commodification commodification ofofhealth, health,wellness wellness and, and, quite quite frankly, happiness has become a concerning reality on on TikTok, TikTok, andand one one that’s that’s beenbeen further further endorsed endorsed by popular by popular food trends foodand trends the persona and the of personification/ #thatgirl herself. persona of #thatgirl herself.

The visual 'pollution' of social media feeds with reductive The narratives visualsurrounding pollution of what social it should media lookfeeds like daily with to be reductive and feel narratives healthy can surrounding uplift streamlined what it should andlook often like unfulfilling daily to bestandards and feel healthy of can health, uplift streamlined wellness and and often unfulfilling standards of health, wellness productivity. and productivity.

From food trends and diet culture myths to obsessive appearance and eating expectations, TikTok has become From food trends and diet culture myths to obsessive a hub for normalizing approaches appearance and eatingone-size-fits-all expectations, TikTok has to achieving health and happiness - or, #thatgirl become a‘ultimate’ hub for normalizing one-size-fits-all status. Beautifully plated breakfasts, calorie meal approaches to achieving ‘ultimate’ low health and hacks, and- trendy Dalgona icedBeautifully coffees present happiness or, #thatgirl status. plated an illusion of health and wellness, obliging onlookers breakfasts, low calorie meal hacks and trendy to Dalgona icedbandwagon coffees present an illusion of healthstatus. and jump on the and claim their #thatgirl wellness, obliging onlookers to jump on the But, is #thatgirl attainable?

While the answer may differ bandwagon and claim their #thatgirl status. from person to person, there is no doubting the fact that wellness in all of its component partsare(emotional, But, is #thatgirl attainable?

And what REAL spiritual, physical, is anything but an implications of beingand a realmental) life #thatgirl? objective journey.

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Some food trends that literally almost Some trends that literally almost broke thefood internet this year on TikTok: broke the internet this year on TikTok: Ginger shot Ginger shot Lemon water Lemon water Matcha Matcha Baked oats Baked oats Natures cereal, Natures cereal, Mini pancake cereal Mini pancake cereal Acai bowls Acai bowls Avocado toast variations Avocado toast variations Overnight oats Overnight oats Dalgona iced coffee Dalgona iced coffee Tortilla wrap hack Tortilla wrap hack Pasta chips Pasta chips Cloud bread Cloud bread Baked feta pasta Baked feta pasta Emily Mariko SALMON Emily Mariko SALMON #ThatGirl-Approved Daily Activities #ThatGirl-Approved Daily Activities Daily stretching/yoga Daily stretching/yoga Walking/Exercising Walking/Exercising Manifesting Manifesting Affirmations Affirmations Journaling Journaling Goal-setting Goal-setting Healthy Eating Healthy Eating Reading Reading Eating Fruits and veggies Eating Fruits and veggies Drinking lots of of water Drinking lots water Productivity Productivity Save money Save money Kind Be Be Kind

INTUITIVE VS RESTRICTIVE / SUBJECTIVE VS OBJECTIVE WELLNESS APPROACH

TikTok culture has been a major force that has changed the nature of the health and wellness game in recent years. The aestheticization of health, wellness, and glamorized food narratives has taken precedence over mindful eating and intuitive self-care. #Thatgirl and trendy day-on-a-plate videos present objective approaches to health promotion whereby ‘good’ health is defined primarily on the basis of physical appearance, caloric consumption and quality of nutritional intake.

By reinforcing visual standards of what ‘good’ health and wellness should look like daily, TikTok’s #thatgirl endorses a rather dangerous diet mindset and nutrition mentality. For TikTok users, feeling good and being productive, in both one’s professional hustle and wellness lifestyle, requires a ‘clean’ diet and the implementation of #thatgirl-approved daily activities.

The #thatgirl lifestyle pushes fabricated health narratives alongside fitspiration and thinspiration ideals that hypocritically intensify the normalization of disordered health behaviours and perceptions.

GAZE CULTURE

#Thatgirl aside, let’s talk about food. Why has our media culture become so obsessed, fascinated, intrigued – whatever you like, by watching people eat – or, rather, by what people eat?

OOr, on the side of diet culture: is it because we’ve become conditioned to eat less to FIT in – to, perhaps, both our jeans and with diet culture standards of obsessive self-disciplining and restrictive behaviour around food and eating?

This sort of obsessive gaze elicits a sense of coercive, obligatory conformity within the consumer – like an ad that says, “Hop on these trends to secure good health and wellness, achieve #thatgirl status and see improvements in productivity and mental health.” Basically, #thatgirl’s whole selling pitch. #Thatgirl is essentially a living, breathing, walking Pinterest board that brings with her a highly constructed illusion of lifestyle minimalism. Glamorized food aesthetics and diet plans all seemingly achieved so effortlessly makes aspiring #thatgirls so intrigued to jump on the trend, too. By mobilizing the minimaleffort, low-maintenance approach to wellness using classic wellness tropes like meditation before bed, daily journaling, ginger shots, and intermittent fasting, the #thatgirl brand sells a conflated notion of ease associated with being both healthy and trendy.

EATING DISORDERS

The promotion of unrealistic body size, eating, and lifestyle routines by popular #thatgirl ambassadors (with acclaimed social media fame) comes with wider, negative implications for self-love and happiness. Continued...

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Weight-related appearance anxiety, negative mood and disordered eating can be some among many debilitating effects of the #thatgirl rhetoric.

The rise of eating disorders during the pandemic alone skyrocketed 25%, alongside rates of appearance anxiety and orthorexia nervosa, a condition characterized by obsessive tendencies around eating clean, healthy foods, according to a 2021 study by the Epic Health Research Network.

Enabled by TikTok’s platform, #thatgirls perpetuate a type of un-wellness culture that contradicts the healthy lifestyles they seem to advocate for — and instead, see it feasible to indirectly glamorize an ‘ideal’ physique and normalize disordered behaviours around food, food choices, and eating instead of speaking truthfully to the importance of healthy relationships with one’s self and body.

REPRESENTATION & EQUITABILITY

So, who has #thatgirl potential? From a representation and equitability standpoint, it’s usually the girl with the nice kitchen, aesthetic backdrops, privileged with the means to afford health foods and shop in the organic produce section. To be #thatgirl or to kickstart TikTok food fame, it is then expected that one has both the time and money to invest in their wellness.

What happens when people simply cannot afford expensive health food products, supplements, and organic produce?

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What happens when people simply cannot afford expensive health food products, supplements, and organic produce? Or, what about people who can’t afford the time to prepare ‘healthy’ meals that require particular ingredients and timeconsuming cooking procedures? They’re often left out of the #thatgirl recipe. Not to say they cannot get there, but #thatgirl status demands total attention to health and well-being, and not being able to realistically meet these equitability markers can leave people feeling left out, ashamed, or inadequate in some way or another. Being #thatgirl is a full-time job, and that's probably why TikTok pays so much to continue pushing attention onto them.

THE VERDICT Control – that’s the bigger picture here.

Under the umbrella of #thatgirl is a relatively restrictive, regimented approach to health whereby nutrition and mental health are glamorized and aestheticized.

Strategic online communication about food, dieting, and #thatgirl commodifies wellness and fetishizes healthism by promoting a commercialized common language or objective understanding of it.

So, we know who she is and what she stands for, but do we still want to be her?

We can certainly take her lifestyle advice, but should do so with a grain of salt and, perhaps, with our own subjective approach.

Here’s to more intuitive health, wellness, and self-love journeys!

OPENWIDE's PICKS

9 By: Juliana Konrad

hey y'all! i was hoping to compile a list of book recommendations by our team for our next issue - are there any good books you've been enjoying lately?

Pritha Mukherji, Podcast Editor

"The Silent Patient" by Alex Michaelides and "21 Lessons for the 21st Century" by Yuval Noah Harari!

Sabrina Caramico, Resident Writer

"All About Love: New Visions" by Bell Hooks and "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas Jessie Chabot, Senior Editor

I love "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng and "For Today I Am a Boy" by Kim Fu! Cassie Kaczmarski, Lead Graphics

Currently loving "Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt!!

Juliana Konrad, Editor in Chief

fantastic!! i'd personally recommend "This Changes Everything" by Naomi Klein, "Hood Feminism" by Mikki Kendall, and "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho!!

Tia Sacks, Senior Editor

"Help me" by Marianna Power Mya Cahill, Graphic Designer

"One Day in December" by Josie Silver - good read for the winter season!

Madeleine McColl, Podcast Editor

"Wreck this Journal" by Keri Smith. Not a huge amount of reading involved, but an interesting journal project for sure!

Milena Rzepa Sztainbok, Photographer

"Sister Outsider" by Audre Lorde is a good one!

Thea Medland, Graphic Designer

"Passenger" by Alexandra Bracken!

Zainab Moosavi, Graphic Designer

"101 Essays that Will Change the Way You Think" by Brianna Wiest Farah Shobib, Photographer

"Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates Jumana Labib, Assistant Editor in Chief

"Bunny" by Mona Awad - I ate that shit up!

Graphics by: Juliana Konrad

keep em' coming!

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By: Kylie Walker

Graphics by: Thea Medland

Way s to G e t Invo l ved a t West ern:

INTRAMURAL SPORTS

F ro m t h e m o m e n t Con n o r Mo n t g o me r y p uts on his b lack unifor m , laces up his c le a ts, a nd s t e p s o n to t h e s o ccer field, h e has one thing on his m ind — winning Weste r n ’s c ove t ed pu r p l e sh i r t . L imit ed edit io n pu rp le shir ts are only award ed to the m ost c om pe titive , dr i v en , a n d sw e at ies t s t u den t s on cam p us — Wester n Intr am ur al Sp or ts C hampion s. Th e w i nni n g te a m o f an y in t ramu ral s po rt gets to show off their athletic achiev em e n t a n d succe ss b y do n nin g a h igh ly s ou g h t -after shir t.

W i t h s o m e f a n c y fo o t wo rk an d a h ell of a lot of det erm i n a ti o n , Mon t g o mery ch arg es toward s the n et . H e sh o o ts. He s cores ! His t eam , nam ed Az ev ed o ( w h i c h a l so h appen s t o be t h e last nam e of h i s ro o m m a te ) , h as w o n t h e g ame! Tonight's 2-1 w i n aga i n st F e r nan des , t h e t eam w ith the b est reco rd i n th e l e a g u e, h as brou g h t h im one step c l o s er to h a v i n g h is own pu rple s h irt with white bub b l e l e tte r s h a n gin g in h is clo s et .

To M o n tg o m e r y, o wn in g t h is famou s shir t is the ultim ate a chi eve m e n t. “ I ’ve been playin g in t ram ur al soccer since I f i r s t c a m e to Wes t er n . Now t h at I ’m in m y last year of u ni v er si ty, I o n l y h ave o n e more s h o t at b eing cham p ion. At winning that p ur ple sh ir t,” say s t h e fo u r th - year fin an ce s t u den t . “It would just b e so cool to hav e one. I don ’t wa n t to g r a du a te w i th ou t it .” St u den t s do n’t just have to p lay soccer to win a p ur ple sh ir t.

Wes t e r n o ff e r s a wide variet y o f fu n sp or ts, includ ing ice or b all hockey, b ask e tba ll, u ltim at e f r i sb e e , a n d in n er-t u be w at er polo — just to nam e a few. For all the Pot te r h e a ds o ut t he re , Q u i d dit ch ( a s po rt in ven t e d b y J.K. Rowling for her b ook ser ies H a r r y P otte r ), i s al s o o ff e re d. So g rab t h o s e broo m sticks and ap p ar ate on over to Wester n’s in tr a m u r a l w eb s i te , w h e re you can reg is t er an d b egin y our q uest for the p ur p le shir t.

“I’ v e b e e n o n si x in t ramu ral s po rt s t eam s,” says M ontgom er y, counting his finge r s. “I ’ve p l ay ed so c c e r e very year, vo lleyball in fir st [y ear ] and ultim ate fr isb ee in seco n d [ye a r ].

No ma tte r th e sp ort , it 's always been a fun tim e.” There are m any way s stud e n ts c a n join i n o n t h e f u n ti mes . Wes t er n offers wom en’s, m en’s, and co-ed leagues, as we ll a s both c o mp e ti ti v e a n d recreat io n al leag u es so all stud ents, no m atter their b ackgrou n d in sp o r t s , c a n g e t in vo lved. Ally Mart in e llo, M ontgom er y’s team m ate, m ight have little e xpe ri ence pl a y i n g soccer bu t is h avin g t he b est exp er ience p laying intr am ur als. Th e se c ond - y e a r f o o d a n d n u t rit ion s t u den t p lay ed recreational soccer from age five to se ve n , b ut ha s n e v e r sc o red a g o al. “Scoring a goal is a... well, goal of m ine,” say s M a r tin e llo m i d - l a u g h . “ I n a ll s eriou s n es s , I care so m uch ab out m y fr iend s and I know ho w ba dly they w a n t to w i n t h is s h irt . I wan t t o score that goal, help them out in any wa y I c a n , a n d b r i ng h o m e th a t pu rple s h irt . To Martinello, p ar ticip ating in intr am ur als is so mu c h m ore than j u st h e a l th y co mpet it io n . I t ’s a way to m ake new lifelong fr iend s, get some e xe rc ise , a nd d e - stre ss f rom u pcomin g ex ams or assignm ents.

“I j o i n e d m y i n tr a mu ral t eam t o s pen d m ore tim e with m y fr iend s,” say s M ar tine llo. “L ittle di d I k n o w I w o u ld als o be meet in g a whack load of am az ing p eop le who I know I will k eep i n to u c h w it h for a lo n g t ime.” H igh off tonight's win, M ar tinello looks at h e r n e w fr i end Mo n tg o m ery an d s miles . “I h ave a good feeling ab out this year,” say s Ma r tin e llo.

“Tal k to u s a g a i n in a mon t h , an d w e’ll b e wear ing a p ur p le shir t.”

Winter 2021 Watchlist Graphics by: Rachel Feigenbaum

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Jessie Chabot-Hamden Winter is fast approaching. Soon, the cold nights and snowy days will be upon us, and so will all the warm and cozy feels that come along with them. During the cold season, there’s nothing better than watching a great movie curled up in your bed or cozy living room with a scented candle. Holiday movies seem to take over the winter season, but I think there are tons of seriously underrated non-holiday films that are perfect to watch on a cold night. Here is a list of great non-holiday films to get you going this winter season, so grab your cup of hot chocolate or tea and get watching!

The Grand Budapest Hotel

This Wes Anderson classic is visually stunning, capturing shots of brightly coloured houses, striking mountains, and wonderfully colourful hotel rooms. On top of that, it's hilariously packed with crazy characters and amazing adventures that will surely spark your desire for winter adventure and excitement.

I, Tonya

I, Tonya is a funny, sad, and beautiful recount of American professional figure skater Tonya Harding’s life, skating experience, and perspective of the infamous scandal that changed her life. The film is guaranteed to make you laugh and cry, and maybe even inspire you to get out of the house and go skating at your local rink!

Howl's Moving Castle

You might think Howl’s Moving Castle is a spring film, but it's actually perfect for the winter. It transitions from winter into spring perfectly, and gets you in the mood for beautiful flowers, green grass, and lovely cities. Howl’s Moving Castle is full of magic and wonder, and the music is so nostalgic for those who have seen it before.

ice age

Ice Age (all four of the films) are classics (and nobody can tell me otherwise). Although my personal favourite is the fourth film in the series, the whole set is guaranteed to make you laugh and smile - a tale of unlikely friends coming together and their hilarious adventures. Sure, the animation is a little outdated, but its great stories make up for it.

Anastasia

Anastasia is the perfect winter movie. It is packed full of adventure, romance, conflict and even song!

It has musical numbers that will get stuck in your head and scenes that will make you dream about visiting Paris. This movie will not disappoint.

little women

I know in my fall watchlist I called Little Women a fall film. I have since retracted that statement; Little Women is an all-the-time film. It's perfect for getting you in your winter feels - warm by the fire in the March living room, gazing into Laurie’s eyes while on a picnic in France, ice skating on the river, or writing by candlelight. The film wraps you up in a beautiful and magical world before modern technology.

beauty and the beast This classic Disney tale will get you in the winter mood. With songs many can sing along to, we suggest you even make a dinner that pairs with the movie ( a French meal or even the "grey stuff")!

the holiday

Winter means winter holidays so this movie works (right?). I like to look at this film as a winter romance movie that simply has holiday sprinkled in. The Holiday has incredibly cozy vibes and will make you dream of spending the winter at Iris’s cozy little cabin in rural England.

carol

Carol is a beautiful film about love and other complex relationships. It has gorgeous scenes within a 1950s New York City winter setting and incredible acting performances from actors Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett. Carol is a dramatic, captivating and complex film that always delivers.

The chronicles of narnia: the lion, the witch and the wardrobe

This Narnia film is the perfect balance of enchantment, mystery and adventure. The snowy scenery and bewitching forests are perfect for a cold night. It’ll put you in the mood to embark on your own winter adventures and hikes, and maybe even try some Turkish delight!

Be sure to stay warm this winter, and soak up all the coziness you can between exams and assignments. Do things that make you feel happy and relaxed, and happy watching!

CALL YOUR By: Nicole Goverde

I don’t know what it’s like to send your daughter into a world where one in three women experience sexual violence in their lifetime.

I also don’t know what it’s like to send your daughter to a university like Western, where about 70% of students report being sexually harassed during their time on campus. I don’t know what this is like because I’m not a parent; I’ve never taken on the infinite number of responsibilities and stresses that come with raising a child.

What I am, however, is a daughter. I’m also a sister, a friend, and a student. I study at Western, and as a part of that 70%, I am begging parents to reconsider their approach to talking about sexual violence with their children.

Every now and then, after another sexual assault allegation becomes a headlining news story, I receive a series of phone calls. I experienced this recently after news broke that multiple female students were drugged and assaulted in their Western residences during the first week of the 2021 fall semester.

Don’t get me wrong, the calls always come with good intentions. The caller, whether it be my father, my grandmother, my cousin, or my family friend, is always worrisome and sympathetic. They are also always filled with advice on how I can avoid or at least decrease my chances of being sexually assaulted.They tell me never to leave my drink unattended, not to show too much skin, to always have a buddy, and travel in groups when I can. They say, never walk alone at night, don’t get too drunk, and don’t Uber alone. I could go on.

The thing is, women are taught these lessons their entire lives. From day one, we are told that one wrong step, one slight oversight could result in our name becoming a headline. Anything and everything these callers say to me I’ve heard before, and once the initial gratitude wears off, anger and confusion set in. Sexual violence is not just a women’s issue; it’s a men’s issue. Many studies find that 90% of perpetrators of sexual violence are male. So why am I the one being told to change my behaviour? Shouldn’t we be telling boys and men to change their behaviour?

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SON,FIRST I understand that no parent wants to hear that their son is a sexual predator, perhaps just as much as they don’t want to hear that their daughter is a victim. But the more time we spend lecturing girls, the longer we go without addressing the root of the problem. Sexual violence is not an unexplainable or inevitable phenomenon. I believe it spawns from everyday instances of misogyny and sexism that often go without objection, nor punishment.

So, parents. If you must lecture someone, make it your son. Put a stop to this dangerous behaviour the second you see signs of it.

Tell them not to joke about rape, and that just because they’re your friend doesn’t mean you have free rein to grope them. Don’t call women “bitches” or “whores” or anything of the sort, don’t touch women without their consent, and if it’s not an enthusiastic yes, it’s a no. Don’t slut-shame women, and don’t catcall them either. Tell your sons to call out their sexist friends or simply not to befriend misogynistic men. Remind them that women are in fact people, not sexual objects.

These are the conversations that should be happening during those routine phone calls. Better yet, parents should be having these conversations with their sons from day one, just as they do with their daughters. If they did, maybe there would be no reason to teach their daughters these things in the first place.

Unfortunately, best wishes and prayers will not stop sexual violence from happening. Nonetheless, I encourage parents to offer their support when sexual violence affects their daughters and the people around them. Sexual violence is traumatic and isolating, and a good support system can make all of the difference in a victim’s recovery.

But please, stop with the crash courses on how your daughter can avoid being sexually assaulted, and call your son, first Graphics by: Mya Cahill

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THE TRUTH ABOUT

By: Juliana Konrad

Wrapped:

UNPAID INTERNSHIPS & EXPLOITATION OF STUDENT LABOUR With December comes freshly fallen snow, pine-scented candles, gingerbread houses, Michael Bublé on repeat, and, most importantly, Spotify Wrapped.

You know the end of the year is upon us when half of your time on Instagram is spent tapping through stories of people’s Spotify Wrapped, comparing the amount of minutes you’ve listened to your friends (I listened to 79,372 minutes in total, or more than 96% of other listeners in Canada… interesting), and looking fondly at (or seriously questioning) your top played artists and songs.

Regardless of whether you love Spotify Wrapped or hate it, you have to admit that it takes the world by (snow)storm during the Christmas season. As my personal Wrapped so fondly puts it, Spotify “understood the assignment,” right? I mean, if the assignment was exploitation, then sure.

The concept of the interactive and immersive Spotify Wrapped experience was actually created

by Jewel Ham, a then-intern at Spotify in 2019, who presented her idea at the end of her internship.

Originally created in 2013, Spotify Wrapped used to be a single link sent out to users where they could access their user data deck, see their “top” songs and artists, and listen to a personalized playlist of their top music that year. That is, of course, until Ham presented her idea in 2019 to turn Wrapped into a shareable and interactive project; something that was designed to live and exist on social media.

“When I gave the presentation at the end of my intern project, it was received really well. They liked the idea,” says Ham. “That was my last day.”

Spotify, of course, refuses to acknowledge this. In a statement made to Refinery29, a company spokesperson said, “Since Spotify’s Wrapped concept was first introduced in 2013, hundreds of employees have contributed ideas and creative concepts that have made the experience what it is today. While ideas generated during Spotify’s internship program have on occasion informed campaigns and products, based on our internal review, that is not the case here with Spotify Wrapped. It is unfortunate that things have been characterized otherwise.”

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It is unfortunate - for the thousands of unpaid student interns whose ideas are being stolen and who are not given credit for the valuable work they bring to the table.

As Ham’s case demonstrates, corporations own all interns’ content and the work they produce. Most interns are required to agree to an “Assignment of Inventions,” wherein they sign away all legal rights to their work. Just like Ham, they receive no royalties, recognition, or compensation for the fruits of their labour and their innovations.

What makes matters worse is that unpaid internships were designed this way. They were meant to be extractive. In fact, this is why so many corporations love unpaid student interns.

Ham's artwork via her Instagram

Companies market unpaid internships as highly beneficial to students hoping to get into any respective industry. In exchange for their labour, students are compensated with experience, exposure, a glowing letter of recommendation, and increased odds of future employment.

In exchange, companies receive cheap labour at a low risk and benefit financially from fresh millennial perspectives and innovative ideas - such as Spotify Wrapped - all the while portraying it as a win-win. It’s anything but a win-win.

@whateverjewel

Unpaid internships are extractive and exploitative, and foster a massive power imbalance between the employer and intern.

Most young interns don’t have the experience to know just how valuable their time and ideas are, nor do they have the confidence or support to negotiate for better compensation.

Since interns want to get a glowing letter of recommendation to help secure a good (and well paid) job in the future, many view the benefits of putting up with horrible treatment as outweighing the risks of speaking out and demanding proper compensation.

This inherent power imbalance of unpaid internships fosters an environment of fear, stress, anxiety, and submissiveness.

And, if they do speak out, more often than not they get fired that’s why these internships are so low-risk to companies.

Another significant problem with unpaid student internships is that they intensify economic disparities and reinforce social inequalities, as realistically, they are only feasible for those who are wealthy enough to afford four (or more) months without pay.

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Your Top Statistics: 50%

A report released by Statistics Canada shows that

of Canadian postsecondary graduates have student debt upon graduation. And, according to the US Department of Education, in 2019

45%

of all full-time undergraduate students and

84%

of part-time students work part-time jobs to help afford their schooling.

For the majority of those students (and even those who don’t work part-time), working for free for four months in exchange for “exposure” and “experience” simply isn’t a viable option. This puts them at a significant and grossly unfair disadvantage when it comes time to find a job postgraduation. As a recent poll by Gallup details, students who have completed an internship have double the chance of getting hired after graduation than those who didn’t.

So, in addition to being extractive and exploitative, unpaid student internships continue to disadvantage lower-income students and marginalized groups who are already underrepresented and underserved by the university. They continue to advance the cycle of poverty, and they privilege the already-privileged at the expense of the already-disadvantaged.

Education is supposed to be one of the keys to breaking the cycle of poverty, yet the current system of higher-ed continues to reinforce it.

And clearly, unpaid internships only exacerbate the cycle.

And they don’t just hurt students, either. They hurt the entire economy. As Darren Walker, the president of Ford Foundation (whose company offers and advocates for paid internships) suggests, “the broader implication is privilege multiplied by privilege, a compounding effect prejudiced against students who come from working-class or lower-income circumstances. By shutting out these students from entry-level experiences in certain fields, entire sectors engineer long-term deficits of much-needed talent and perspective. In other words, we’re all paying the price for unpaid internships.”

At the end of the day, work is simply an exchange of time for money. And all work, including student work, holds value, worth, and importance, and deserves more compensation than just “exposure” and “experience.” Interns - like Ham - deserve to receive fair compensation and proper credit for their innovative ideas. It’s not fair for their creativity and work to be stolen by multi-million dollar companies.

So, by all means, enjoy your Spotify Wrapped this year. There’s no denying that it’s fun to look back on your past year of music and the memories you made while listening. But remember Ham when you’re listening, too, and learn from her story.

Be selective and considerate of where you want to spend your time. Most of all, know that your ideas, creativity, innovations, and time are valuable, and deserve to be recognized.

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Graphics By: Juliana Konrad

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Best Bird Courses at Western Written by Cat Tang | Graphics by Cassie Kaczmarski

You’ve probably seen these questions all over “Must Knows” and r/uwo: what are the bird courses at Western? Easy bird courses to boost GPA? Bird courses for AEO? While it’s clear that Mustangs have a keen interest in our feathery friends, these questions are only ever met with answers like Math 1229 or Computer Science 1033 — courses not related to ornithology whatsoever. Where is a Western student supposed to learn about birds? Here at OPENWIDE, we’ve settled the matter once and for all.

Now, the next time someone asks what the best bird courses at Western are, you’ll be able to give them a real answer.

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Biology 3446B: Wildlife, Ecology and Management

This course is perfect for biology students looking to get their bird fix — it covers different groups of birds, bird anatomy, physiology, behaviour and more! Students will also have to identify many native Ontario bird species in lab sessions. To prepare for the course, students are strongly recommended to purchase a field guide to birds.

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Writing 3401F: You’re a Strange Animal

It’s natural to assume that bird courses must automatically mean biology courses, but we can actually learn about birds through many different lenses! Students in this creative writing course spend a large portion of their class time outdoors — writing about nature, in nature. Explore the flora and fauna of campus while observing real birds in realtime! As the course description says: “You will need the following: notepad, pen, sturdy footwear, a sense of adventure.”

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Biology 1225: An Intro to the Biology of Organisms

While not as bird- heavy as Biology 3446, Biology 1225 has no prerequisite courses and is open to any student looking to get their bird fix. This course is offered to students with no previous background in biology, chemistry, or math. It’s a broad course featuring some bird-related topics such as taxonomy, animal physiology, and ecology — and who knows, an initial curiosity about birds could lead to a lifelong passion for science.

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Graphics by: Zainab Moosavi

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When TikTok first came onto the social media scene in August of 2018, it was primarily used ironically and for comedic purposes.

The endless stream of robotic dance moves replicated by thousands of teenagers warranted relentless mocking by most people in society. However, the same mechanical reproductions of viral dance trends are now the foundation of TikTok’s massive success and rapidly expanding user base, making it evident that the app is not used ironically, and perhaps never was.

THE NEW STANDARD OF PERFECTION A note on cultural standardization, manufactured authenticity, and the promotion of capitalism through Tiktok.

Opening the TikTok app subjects users to an endless stream of viral copycat posts, involving superficial trends such as: VSCO girl and e-boy stereotypes, “what I eat in a day” videos or the “main character” trope. These appearance-based trends assist in promoting the illusion that our own fulfillment can be delivered through aesthetic and superficial derivatives.

TikTok poses as a curated self-improvement guide, providing tips on how to dress better, be more photogenic, make more friends, and what to buy in order to achieve these things. Because TikTok’s foundation is based on the imitation of viral trends, each consumer product that creators promote in their videos is equal to a sales pitch that inspires viewers to purchase and recreate the videos that they see. The app should be considered a blueprint for the promotion of capitalism as it is essentially a digital marketplace perfectly tailored to each user’s desires and insecurities.

These self-improvement suggestions are significantly more effective because of the pseudo-authenticity behind each viral TikTok video. Even popular creators attempt to convey the appearance of realness by posting in locations such as their childhood bedroom, with minimal makeup and often sub-par lighting. This apparent rejection of perfection has influenced the development of a new standard: manufactured authenticity. This guise naturalizes the capitalist promotion of every new item that creators unknowingly sell to their audience by making the video appear genuine.

BY BIANCA VASILE

Tiktok is essentially the puppet master of youth culture in modern society. Instead of encouraging the celebration of individual differences, TikTok rewards users for imitating popular creators and defines success based on the degree of sameness in viral videos. TikTok’s allure of connection through the compulsive loop of nearly identical one-minute videos is influencing the development of our generation, united through new standards that we are both creating and learning all at once.

The identical reproduction of viral trends by millions of users makes TikTok the most effective tool in generational standardization. Through TikTok, the cultural industry is able to influence real world expectations by naturalizing capitalist ideology under the guise of authenticity. TikTok’s creator-driven formula challenges traditional ideas of mass media and standardization, but grimly satisfies historical predictions about the power of the cultural industry to eliminate individuality in society.

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In the app’s infancy, these trends often took the form of solo dances, but have since expanded to include almost every category of culture and lifestyle. The more accurately users imitate other creators by replicating trends, the more attention they will receive in the form of likes, comments and real-life followers.

Popular TikTok creators lip-sync to trending sounds and make videos showcasing the effect of a popular skincare product as naturally as they would when giving advice to a close friend. In this way, TikTok differentiates itself from its mass media predecessors by making every comment section look like a group chat between friends and every personalized “ForYou” page feel like a facetime call. This hyper-connectivity creates the illusion of real connection and dissolves the barrier between the screen and our real lives, perhaps convincing us that the screen is the only way to exist at all.

Mass media has been influential in shaping the cultural landscape and societal standards throughout history. As the most recent agent of this societal standardization, TikTok is the carefully constructed blueprint of how to limit individuality in modern society. When on-screen imitation is foundational to real-life fame, and everyone’s insecurities are targeted through a specialized algorithm, it is no surprise that most TikTok users are chasing an ostensibly authentic standard of perfection that involves being anyone other than themselves. Originality becomes a theoretical concept in a world where modern culture is defined by a loop of nearly identical videos that celebrate similarity and discourage difference.

GRAPHICS BY KAYLA MACINNES

: M S I m V s CTI i A v AL T i I t OF DIG k c GE a A slT H E N E W

AC IA S T : BY

REPOSTING INFOGRAPHICS FROM ACCOUNTS RELATED TO VARIOUS SOCIAL JUSTICE TOPICS ON INSTAGRAM STORIES HAS UNDOUBTEDLY TAKEN MILLENNIAL CULTURE BY STORM, BUT WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT THIS FORM OF ACTIVISM ACTUALLY MAKES PEOPLE LESS INVOLVED AND LESS WILLING TO HELP THE CAUSE THEY ARE SUPPORTING? WE HAVE ENTERED AN ERA OF ANXIETY OVER OUR OWN SELF-IMAGE AND HOW WE PRESENT OURSELVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA, RESULTING IN CONSTANT FEAR OF JUDGMENT OVER NOT USING OUR PERSONAL PLATFORMS FOR GOOD. AS A RESULT, INSTAGRAM USERS HAVE BECOME MORE CONCERNED WITH SHOWING OTHERS THAT THEY SUPPORT CERTAIN CHARITIES AND CAUSES, RATHER THAN TANGIBLY DONATING OR PHYSICALLY VOLUNTEERING. A RESEARCH REPORT FROM UBC’S SAUDER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS EXPLAINS THIS PHENOMENON FURTHER. RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT THOSE WHO PUBLICLY ENDORSED A CAUSE WERE LESS LIKELY TO DONATE TIME OR MONEY TO IT LATER. THIS OCCURS BECAUSE SHARING YOUR SUPPORT FOR SOMETHING PUBLICLY ALLOWS YOU TO LOOK GOOD TO OTHERS, AND WHEN OTHER INSTAGRAM USERS REPOST, RESPOND, OR REACT TO YOUR POST, YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE ENOUGH.

KS

ATTENTION TO INDICATORS OF THEIR INVOLVEMENT. THIS KIND OF PERSON USES MODESTY AND UNPRETENTIOUSNESS IN THEIR ACTIVISM. HENCE, THE WORD “SLACKTIVISM” EMERGED FROM THIS SOMEWHAT LAZY FORM OF SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVISM THAT DOESNOT ACTUALLY BENEFIT CAUSES ASIDE FROM MERELY GETTING THE WORD OUT.

CONSIDERING THESE IDEAS, IT IS CLEAR THAT SOCIAL MEDIA AWARENESS OF ORGANIZATIONS DOES INDEED SPREAD THE WORD, HOWEVER, IT MAKES PEOPLE LESS INCLINED TO ACTUALLY GIVE TO THEM. TO FURTHER INCREASE DONATIONS, VOLUNTEERS, AND OTHER FORMS OF SUPPORT, OLD-FASHIONED METHODS MIGHT JUST BE THE WAY TO GO. PRIVATE DOOR-TO-DOOR CANVASSING AND CONFIDENTIALLY SIGNING PETITIONS ARE PROVEN TO WORK BETTER AND MOBILIZE PEOPLE, WITHOUT MAKING IT A PUBLIC SPECTACLE. OTHER OPTIONS LIKE PERSONALIZED EMAILS AND MESSAGES FROM ORGANIZATIONS CAN SATISFY OUR SYMBOLIC SENSE OF SELFCOMPLETION AND CAN PUSH US TO DO MORE. GOING FORWARD, IT IS TIME FOR INSTAGRAM AND SOCIAL MEDIA USERS TO PHYSICALLY SUPPORT WHAT THEY ARE REPOSTING ON THEIR STORIES INSTEAD OF JUST TALKING ABOUT IT AND SHOWING OTHERS THAT THEY CARE. WE CAN DONATE, VOLUNTEER, ATTEND PROTESTS AND MORE, WHICH WILL SATISFY OUR SYMBOLIC SENSE OF SELF-COMPLETION ON A DEEPER LEVEL. IT IS TIME FOR US TO STOP COMPENSATING FOR OUR LACK OF EFFORT AND TURN SLACKTIVISM INTO REAL ACTIVISM.

THIS REACTION STEMS FROM THE CONCEPT OF SYMBOLIC SELF-COMPLETION, WHICH IS THE IDEA THAT YOUR BRAIN CREATES YOUR SENSE OF SELF-IDENTITY THROUGH EVERYTHING YOU SAY AND DO. THEREFORE, WHEN YOU SHOW PEOPLE THAT YOU SUPPORT CHARITABLE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE-BASED CAUSES AND YOUR FOLLOWERS RESPOND TO THAT POSITIVELY, YOUR BRAIN HAS THE SAME REACTION AS IF YOU HAVE ALREADY DONATED OR SPENT MORE TIME FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE. THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK ONE RECEIVES ENDS UP COMPENSATING FOR THE LACK OF ACTUALLY GIVING BACK. THIS ALSO EXPLAINS WHY PEOPLE WHO HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN GIVING BACK TO ORGANIZATIONS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE CAUSES THROUGH DONATIONS, VOLUNTEERING, PROTESTING, AND MORE, WILL NOT CONTINUOUSLY BRING THEIR FOLLOWER’S

Graphics by: Mya Cahill

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Freezing Denim: Does This Viral Hack Work?

By Sarena Akhter

Graphics by Thea Medland

Every first-year in FIMS comes to know a few universal things about the faculty within the first few months of the school year: John Reed is a legend, the FIMS building is top tier for studying, and the unofficial-but-official MIT uniform always includes denim. A tradition almost as old as the faculty itself, the love for denim only grows.

Meaning more wear, more tears, and more washing.

For many, a single wash can seem so daunting, especially when you finally buy a pair that seems to fit you perfectly. Just ask FIMS soph, Kate Paterson (aka Poster Child), a fourth-year MIT student. Sophs have more of an attraction to denim than most other students. Their entire uniform for a decade or more has been the regular denim jacket and regular jeans when sophing. Required to remain in uniform all week (and getting mistaken for being a first-year student multiple times), Paterson shares she’s quite picky with her denim.

When asked if it was budget-friendly to buy a pair of jeans and hope for the best (when it came to the wear and tear), she disagreed. “I’m picky with the jeans I buy, so it’s definitely not budget-friendly. To an extent, it damages the jeans because it loosens the fabric, even if not the fit.”

“But,” she continues, “I’m mainly more concerned about how washing denim is mega bad for the environment, so I wash them less often and in cold water. I wash them around one and a half to two weeks in between.”

Paterson is right; denim is both environmentally and budget unfriendly. High prices aside, just to maintain or wash denim, it takes a manufacturer around 10, 000 litres of water just to make a single pair of jeans.

The lifecycle of a pair of jeans sadly ends after a few washes, as they either get too small or too washed-out after a few months (for those deciding to wear them religiously).

Did you know this statistic of 10, 000L to create a pair of blues jeans doesn’t include the water that you’ll use to wash your jeans over time?

So much for the sustainable patches on our denim jackets.

When asked if she had ever enforced this hack, Paterson mentioned she had. “Not only have I, but I know someone who does it with their denim and all their good clothes and swears by it.” While Paterson likes the intervals of cleaning, this method

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clothes and swears by it.”

While Paterson likes the intervals of cleaning, this method just doesn’t seem satisying enough for some.

Take for example Agetha Mahendran, a third-year medical sciences student, who confesses she sometimes throws her jeans in for a wash after a single wear. “I wash [jeans] like my regular clothes,” she said, mentioning how she was someone very particular about germs. “The idea of having dirty jeans just sitting around in my closet to be worn again doesn’t sit right with me.”

She mentioned the idea of outgrowing or washing out denim was not a priority for her, and it felt dependent on the quality of the jeans. “My jeans tend to be pretty good [quality] for a couple of years. [While] I’ve noticed black jeans tend to get a bit more faded the more you wash them, my typical blue jeans are better off.”

When approached about the idea of the denim freezing hack, Mahendran admitted having heard of it before, but bone she would never try herself. “I feel like I read this in a magazine somewhere, but putting jeans in your freezer just sounds a bit weird. I feel like it’s not really cleaning or helping long-term.”

As you guessed from the intuition of a science student, she’s absolutely correct.

According to multiple journals online including CNN, freezing denim just makes the bacteria and other germs on your jeans remain dormant, not get rid of them. The craze for freezing jeans has been around for a few years, promoted mostly by the CEO of Levis Strauss, Chip Bergh.

His advice? Don’t wash your jeans when you could freeze them—even if this unsanitary claim holds no scientific merit. Instead, try these methods instead: use clean water when washing, do spot reductions, soak them before a machine wash, or hand wash and then let it air dry. Not only is this more sustainable, but your denim will also last longer, be shinier, and remain firm even throughout the process longer. Another piece of advice?

Thrift your jeans if you can! Not only is this a cheaper alternative, but you’re also more likely to find denim that might fit your style.

SPOT REDUCTION = no need to soak the whole thing, just the specific spots it might have gotten something on it

Until then, freeze the unsanitary expectations instead of your denim. Because, according to science, dethawing is way grosser than a month-old pair of jeans.

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