The Milton Paper DECEMBER 8th, 2017
MILTON’S INDEPENDENT WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Spotlight JUULing at Milton
VOL. 35 NO. 07
News
The Hijab at Milton
By NAV SEKHON '18
The JUUL nicotine vaporizer has gained popularity at Milton and among high schools and colleges all over the country. According to the JUUL website, JUULs are a “satisfying alternative to cigarettes,” designed to help adult smokers switch from carcinogen-carrying cigarettes to vapes. On Milton’s campus, the Student Handbook states that Milton “prohibits possession and use of all tobacco products and nicotine delivery systems… including e-cigarettes and vaporizers.” However, Milton students, nearly all of whom weren’t cigarette smokers before, took on JUULs as a new drug habit.
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News Freshman Grades By NATASHA ROY '19 On Tuesday night, Upper School faculty voted for final grades received during the Class IV year will no longer be recorded on the student’s official transcript. The new policy will begin in the 201819 academic year-- beginning, therefore, with the current eighth graders. “What [the transcripts] will list now,” explained Ms. Bonenfant, “are the classes that the student took their freshman year and the credits they received for those classes, but not the grades they received.” “They will still be graded like everyone else,” she continued. “All of their papers, tests, and assessments will be graded, and they will receive grades at the regular marking periods like everyone else does. Parents and advisors will continue to see students’ grades.” The only change is that these grades won’t go on the students’ official transcripts.
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Sarah Alkafaji and her mentee
By EVITA THADHANI '20 Millions of Muslim women around the world wear a hijab everyday. Typically women wear this headscarf in order to follow God’s will for modesty, but women may choose to wear the hijab for several different reasons. Many choose to wear the hijab in an effort for society to judge their character, not their appearance. The word hijab, which translates to “cover” in Arabic, encompasses a wide range of different types of headscarves, including the Shayla, Khimar, Chador, and Burqa. Unknown to many, Muslim men also follow a dress code which consists of covering up their legs and chests, and not wearing silk or gold. Unfortunately, with the rise of ISIS in the twenty-first century, the hijab has become associated with many stereotypes; many falsely believe that all Muslim women are oppressed and forced to wear a hijab. At Milton Academy, students often discuss Islam and the rise of Islamophobia in classes and clubs. In fact, several English
perspectives classes have incorporated Kamila Shamsie’s book “Home Fire”, a retelling of Sophocles's Antigone that tells the story of a Muslim family in England, into their curriculum. However, rarely do we ask what it is like for students to wear a hijab at Milton. Sarah Alkafaji ’20 is currently the only high school student who wears a hijab every day. “I see a hijab, in its essence, as a symbol of freedom and courage, not oppression,” she stated. Alkafaji started wearing the hijab when she was nine. She explained that, at first, she was too young to understand what it meant, but as she has grown older it became a significant part of her identity. When asked what it is like to walk around Milton wearing a hijab, Alkafaji pointed out that since she has worn it for so long, she’d gotten more used to it. However, she noticed at Milton that Lower School students are much more willing to ask her questions about it than Upper School students. “If someone has a question about a hijab or about Islam in general, they should
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Inside This Issue Milton's History With Gender pg. 6|| Dare to Be Idle pg. 7|| Stop Saying Triggered pg. 10
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The Milton Paper The 35th Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Managing Editor Editor at Large Opinion Manager News Managers Senior Editors Website Editor Layout Editor
Navpreet Sekhon and Rachel Handler Nihal Raman Jonah Garnick Aditya Gandhi James DeLano and Emma James Edward Moreta and Alex Millard Coalter Palmer Zoë Camaya
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Abby Walker Evita Thadhani Lyndsey Mugford Sarah Alkhafaji Brendan Hegarty Susan Urstadt Hana Widerman Nathan Smith Sarah Palmer Max Litvak Cece Zinny Charlotte Kane Eliza Dunn Louise Goldenberg Oscar Burnes Jennifer Chen
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Editorial
Stop Pretending to Know Things With so many political conversations transpiring on our campus recently, our desire to prove our knowledge—a desire that is particularly characteristic to Milton—shows itself often. We see plenty of debates in which students attempt to prove that they are smarter. Many of those debates happen to center on national matters, and a majority of those issues heavily involve the lower and the lower-middle class. Recently, for example, the new Republican tax bill has filled headlines. When arguing for or against this economic plan, at least one Milton student will inevitably point to the effects of this tax plan on the lower classes. Truthfully, however, not many of us understand the lives of people who belong to lower classes. We continue nonetheless to look at the lives of these people as if they are just case studies that figure in our conversations. Given that Milton is a place of privilege, we should try to look at such people as real people—not statistics—no matter how badly we want to use those statistics to reinforce an argument. Even the most accurate and undistorted statistics, if taken alone, do not show the whole story. Also, even though many news articles lay at our fingertips, we just cannot fully understand certain experiences unless we are the people who live those experiences. What this means is that we cannot know everything, especially if we rely only on statistics or other secondary-source information. Rather than try to prove a point and “win” an argument, we should accept our ignorance when it surfaces; lack of knowledge in one subject does not speak to overall stupidity. Although we recognize this fact as a truth on paper, many Milton students find difficulty in admitting that they are ignorant of a certain topic, and so we should actively strive to remind ourselves that we do not need to show off our intellect in every situation. Instead, we should focus on trying to understand and learn. Many of us found our way to Milton because we love to learn and because we are great students. Yet at Milton, we can easily forget that we have a lot to learn. We forget that everyone is a student, in a sense, and that we can still take a backseat in conversations and listen to others. Such a decision is particularly important to make when talking about matters that do not personally affect us, which is the case more often than we might think. When we decide to try to listen and learn rather than speak on topics that we do not fully understand, we can truly progress in our lives. On the other hand, we will not grow at Milton if we constantly try to prove our worth as one of the smartest people in the room, when our worth may in fact stem from our discipline as students. To listen to as many personal experiences and thoughts as possible is to develop a fuller understanding of the world around us. That knowledge then allows us to form actual, meaningful understanding. •
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Freshman Grades CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“Class IV grades tend to be the lowest on the Milton transcript” she added. “In allowing kids to have the opportunity to go through Class IV without stamping their transcripts with a C-, we can hopefully alleviate some of the worry they feel.” About eight years ago, the school underwent a holistic “strategic plan study,” the reports of which can be found on the Milton website. The result was a comprehensive review of the Upper School in the form of a newly established “curriculum committee,” chaired by Ms. Bonenfant and Mr. Skinner. In June 2017, after two years of work, the committee shared with the Upper School faculty its report, which focused primarily on the Class IV year, and A “Class IV Committee” is currently reviewing the Class IV curriculum and experience. “One of the big things to come out of the report was that we not record Class IV grades in the transcript,” said Ms. Bonenfant. “We’ve been talking about the change since September 2017, and we talked about it enough that we took the proposal to the faculty on Tuesday night for discussion and vote.” The proposal was borne out of a number of factors of the average freshman experience. “First and foremost,” said Ms. Bonenfant, “there are roughly 160 students in Class IV each year who come from an incredibly diverse range of
schools and backgrounds; they all come together in this one place and we really value that. We want to give them some time to adjust to Milton.” Ms. Hamblet, an English teacher, has noticed this disparity, saying "entering Class IV English, people have widely differing levels of preparation in writing skills, critical reading skills, and the rules of grammar.” She added, “what this policy does is give us [as teachers] a year to put everyone on the same level. With 'inhouse grades' that won’t leave the campus, the hope is that there can be more of a focus on what they’re going to learn rather than how they’re being measured.” The policy change hopes to ease the transitions of students from all backgrounds, from international students who have experienced entirely different schooling systems, to those coming up from the Milton middle school, where students don’t receive grades. Ms Bonenfant noted how receiving lower grades freshman year “can really rock the students’ confidence,” especially considering “most students come into Milton having been straight A students their entire lives: those are the kinds of people we accept.” She explained how after entering Milton’s hyper-competitive environment, “a lot of students start to think, ‘What just happened?! I thought I was smart; I thought could do this. Do I belong here? Is this the right place for
Image courtesy of diGJamaica
me?’” Ms. Hamblet, too, has noticed how “it disappoints students, particularly those who feel like they haven’t been as well prepared, to know that they’re working hard and not yet getting good grades.” In addition to damaging the student’s morale, Ms. Bonenfant noted how “numerically, if you have a C- in a class in November, it’s really hard to get yourself out of that hole. She also emphasized how freshmen in particular, more so than other new students, have a unique experience at Milton. “We tell them what classes to take. It’s not like they really have any choice, so they’re not necessarily taking classes they’re interested in.” She added that “nobody has any time in Class IV, so even if you want to meet with your teachers it’s often difficult to schedule that in. The policy, of course, will have an impact on students long after their freshman year. “We hope that it’s helpful during the college process,” said Ms. Bonenfant. “Not that the college process is what we were going for, but we are aware of the increasing pressures and selectivity of many schools.” This policy change has been in the works for years now, and will surely transform the Milton experience in the years to come. •
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News
Thanksgiving Break Option for International Students: Barely Compromises
Image courtesy of Montclaire State University
By SARAH PALMER '20 Milton departs on a six day break every November, two days of which are considered travel days, to relax and spend time with family in celebration of
Thanksgiving; this break fails to include 14% of our population, international students. For international students, Thanksgiving Break is anything but relaxed. As the third Thursday of November rolls around, international students have
three options: fly home, meet their parents in the United States, or stay with a friend or host family. Each option has its drawbacks. Flying home is not only a financial burden, but also a time burden, taking as long as twenty hours. The time difference can exceed twelve hours for some students, and for every hour of time difference, up to a day may be necessary to recover, according to Science Daily. By the time Thanksgiving break is over, an international student might still not have recovered fully from the initial flight, causing a very exhausting break. Furthermore, for the week after break, readjusting to the time change can be taxing. Ify Ofulue ’19, an international student from Nigeria, stated that she would sacrifice a homecooked meal and a visit home to avoid the hassles of packing and traveling in a short timeframe. When parents of international students come to the U.S during break, schedule and jet lag issues create problems for students. An student from International Students Club (ISC) commented that Thanksgiving break is not as enjoyable as it could be merely because she is exhausted from school and her parents are jetlagged. She also noted that most parents only have a certain number of days off from work: using these days off for a summer vacation
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JUULing at Milton CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The nicotine from this convenient vape, which looks exactly like a long USB, formed a now common addiction among students of all ages. Given its modern design and flavored “pods,” the recreational JUUL has gained popularity among youth. The pods—containers of nicotine liquid which equal 1 pack of cigarettes—include a variety of flavors: mango, cool mint, Virginia tobacco, fruit medley, creme brulee, and, at one point, cucumber. Comparing previous vapes to the JUUL, the JUUL easily wins in design. It overturns the stereotypical tank that associated vaping with looking dumb. At Milton, JUULs carry a form of status. Unlike cigarettes, which 25% of seniors in high schoolers used in 1997, JUULs are more socially acceptable: only around 6% of seniors in 2015 smoked cigarettes regularly, whereas over 33% of high schoolers have at least tried e-cigarettes in 2016, as reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Health Services. As Mr. Heard put it, JUULs are a trend and, given their addictive nature, they’re less likely to pass over. According to the handbook, getting caught with a JUUL results in going
before a Dean’s Committee, and a second offense results in a D.C.. However, the students who get caught with vapes the first time don’t go on drug testing, contrary to other students with marijuana and alcohol. Mr. Heard explained that the difference between the substances resides in legality: marijuana was illegal in Massachusetts until this year, and it’s a “psychoactive,” i.e. a mind-altering substance. Nicotine, on the other hand, is not. Even though nicotine’s health risks outweigh marijuana’s health risks, nicotine is legal and has commonly existed in various forms at Milton. For example, Mr. Heard explained that number of students caught for dipping, consuming tobacco orally, versus JUULing (the name has become a verb as well) is equal, but JUULs have been around for less time. In addition, the Deans don’t catch everyone who JUULs or dips, “but finding a large tin can is much easier than noticing a USB,” he said. For students on drug testing, JUULs provide a lesser burn compared to smoking weed, but they’re similar enough for students who want to replace weed. Students reported that the headrush that comes from nicotine are why JUULs are
enjoyable. A Class I student said, “The reason that JUULs are popular is that they’re a way for friends to hang out. We hear, ‘Do you wanna go JUUL?’” This student reported that the flavor, social aspect, de-stressing, culture, and convenience make it popular. Another student said that JUULs have replaced dipping: “JUULs are healthier than dipping, for sure; at least that’s what we think.” In regards to age, this student said, “You would think seniors would be the ones who do it the most, but that’s not true. Every grade does it.” JUULs at Milton have taken over every other drug in popularity, including marijuana and alcohol, according to student conversations. Because the vapor dissipates so quickly, it runs a smaller risk of getting caught compared to both weed and alcohol. Students don’t walk around visibly high or drunk, and given that JUULs are more socially acceptable, more people JUUL with their friends because they’re less scared. “It’s addictive—that’s a fact,” one student explained. Students like the physical rush and the “vibes” of the JUUL. This vape is widespread, low-key, cool, and addictive; it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.•
Slavery in Milton's History?
News
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The Hijab at Milton CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
definitely ask me or any other Muslims because none of us mind, really. I guess when I first came to Milton, there were a By JENN CHEN '20 few people that were almost intrigued or curious about my hijab. I kind of expect Last Wednesday, Craig Steven Wilder the stares at this point because it’s really came to Milton Academy. He currently not a big deal,” she said. Alkafaji hasn’t teaches American History at Massachusetts experienced a lot of stereotypes concernInstitute of Technology (MIT) and has taught ing the hijab at Milton, but realized the at other top tier colleges such as Dartmouth problem is that not everyone expresses and Williams College. Professor Wilder what they are thinking. “If I’m going to spoke about the intimate link between insti- be super honest, I think that most people tutions and slavery. Specifically, he stated in the Upper School are afraid to say what that most institutions established before the they’re thinking. I’ve met some people 1800s have only survived due to their direct who are very nice to my face, but have connection to the slave trade. said some pretty crazy and Islamophobic Despite the usual fatigue that weighs into things in clubs meetings or in passing almost every Wednesday assembly, history when I’m not around. I honestly think students found Professor Wilder’s subject people should feel less scared to speak matter interesting and engaging, especially their minds sometimes, because that way while attending a school established in 1798. we as Muslims can explain ourselves When asked for her first impression of the and hopefully change a bigoted point of assembly, Hana Widerman (‘19) expressed view,” Alkafaji described. her shock upon discovering the connection Recently, Mr. Bland asked Alkafaji to between highly acclaimed institutions and mentor a girl in fourth grade who wears slavery. the hijab during the weekends but not Widerman said that “we wouldn’t want to at school. Alkafaji agreed, and the two think that these institutions were connected girls met last Friday. She kindly gave the to slavery” or that “institutions so prevalent younger student the gift of a beautiful in the life of a student at college preparatory red hijab, and they made plans to meet school were intimately linked to the horrors for lunch every month after winter break. of slavery.” However, she also stresses the The Lower School has been working importance of addressing that “even educa- hard to make sure the fourth-grader feels tion was not separate from the slave trade.” comfortable sharing this part of her idenAkua Owusu (‘19) voiced a similar take tity; after telling her Health and Wellness away from the professor’s visit, stating that class that she wears a hijab, she was “[even] if an institution was not directly prof- asked to present at Cultural Awareness iting off of slavery, I’m sure that majority of For Everyone (CAFE) lunch about her the institutions trustees and students did.” experience with the hijab, and she proudAlthough Professor Wilder’s book Ebony ly did so. and Ivy mainly addresses the implications of The fourth grader wore her hijab for CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 the first time at school when she spoke
at CAFE. “If she ever needs advice or somewhere to vent, I’m always here, and don’t forget that there is a whole hijabi community out there. If any young (or older) person feels uncomfortable wearing it, a great solution would be to meet other people who are going through the same experiences,” Alkafaji shared. This inspiring mentorship is just one of the many the Lower School hopes to build with the high school. “Both sides of Centre Street can learn so much from each other. Mentors learn so much about themselves when they help guide others, and those who are being mentored benefit tremendously from exposure to their mentor's journey,” Dr. Thadhani, the Lower School Director of Health and Wellness, said. Alkafaji and the fourth-grader’s relationship highlights a very inspiring and heartwarming effort between students to help each other embrace unique parts of their identity and face the challenges of societal stereotypes together. Muslims make up such a small minority at Milton, and of that minority only one (and perhaps soon two) wears a hijab everyday. “Would it maybe be easier for most people in America to not wear the hijab? Probably. Would I get less blank stares from strangers or be more comfortable on a 100 degree summer day? Most likely. But it is perfectly fine for me to do something that is not necessarily easy if I feel strongly about it. If I were forced to wear, that would be a different issue, but I’m not. I wear the hijab out of my own free will and my consent makes the experience so much more powerful,” concluded Alkafaji. •
Thanksgiving Break CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
is more preferable and easier to schedule than for the abbreviated Thanksgiving break. Finally, international students can stay with day-student friends or with host families, an option which mitigates jetlag, long travel, leave time, and financial issues; however, the break is still not ideal. Thanksgiving is perhaps the most family-oriented break, and multiple students reported that they found their presence uncomfortable. While some students said staying with a host family or friends was fun, the IDC students also claimed that they were unable to operate on their own schedules, so the break wasn’t very relaxing. Students resoundingly agreed that
staying with host families was more difficult due to insecurity of how comfortable they’d be around the host family. So how can break be more enjoyable for international students? First of all, break could be extended to include the Monday and Tuesday before the break begins, which adds four days to break. In a joint discussion with the Students in ISC and Ms. Bonenfant, the Academic Dean of Students, this solution seemed the most feasible. Bonenfant acknowledged the “hectic” nature of Thanksgiving break and that other independent schools who had Monday and Tuesday off. She also stated, “Being in this office and signing special absence forms reminds me of how many
students are away.” However, she reminded members of ISC that Milton Academy is a K-12 school and K-8 is entirely day students. “Making a decision like this is not a decision we can make just for the Upper School but we have to think about how it impacts all three divisions.” In addition to extending the break, it was suggested during this meeting that international students be allowed to stay on campus during the break; about which idea, a student compared break to a long weekend with a snow day. They proposed an International Thanksgiving where they would all celebrate together. •
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Opinion
Milton's History with Gender
Image courtesy of Nazareth College
By PARKER HITT '19 My name is Parker Hitt. I identify as gender fluid—meaning I am a person who does not identify as a having a fixed gender—and transgender, and use they/ them pronouns. Gender Awareness Week comes as a part of my coordination with InIt, a YW Boston program based in leadership and social justice for highschool students in the Boston community. In the past year, the administration has made several confused attempts towards a shared goal of comfort and inclusion for all trans* [a notation used to indicate the inclusion of gender-queer individuals under the label or “transgender”] people on campus. A new parietals system—revised after scrutiny and request by the campus LGBTQ+ community—attempted to solve the issue of acknowledgement, replacing an outright refusal to admit the existence of trans* folks on campus with a few line edits, a bedazzled name, and some word replacements. The new, improved “in room visitation rules” still leave trans* students just as confused and misguided as to where we fit in. Are we allowed in certain rooms based on our gender expression? Our sex? Our perceived gender? The wording of the rule does nothing but make it more confusing; the student handbook repeatedly alternates between “sex” and “gender”, and uses terms such as “opposite sex”: muddling the two words, which both have their own separate meanings, and incorrectly defining both (there is no “opposite sex”: the existence of intersex people negates such language). The history of gender at Milton runs far deeper than parietals. It extends into the girls’ and boys’ schools, divided by Centre Street and merged rather recently (1981), absolutely no space was included here for gender-queer students. Where would we stand? The middle of the road? Even today, the remnants of the schools
remain obvious: around this time of year, the holiday assembly pops up. The dreaded “12 Days of Christmas” song plays, and girls are asked to stand for one category, boys for the next. Last year, I sat for both. Should I have stood for both? My gender fluidity sat, unable to decide. Gendered dorms lie as a proposed necessity in our community, for the security of students and mental well being of their parents. I live a good distance away from school, but my decision not to board came at the discomfort I felt nestling into a girls’ dorm. I knew doing so would serve ages of “but am I really,” and questioning of my gender long after I had already arrived at my logical conclusion. In classes, students are constantly asked to sort themselves into the boys’ group and the girls’ group, or these two form naturally and are allotted such names. I sit there, a little befuddled: of course, I present as feminine, but I’m not a girl... but here I sit, in my assigned girl group. Hours of dysmorphia follow. Milton’s structure is not the sole basis on which the burdens of trans* students on campus can be placed: the student body, a mesh of teens and their social networks, is the most complicated and yet most obvious reason for my own uncertainty in coming out. I knew that the second I mentioned my “new name” and “new pronouns” and “new gender” that the perception of me would shift dramatically, even though these facts have been true for years. I walk into class, and cooperate with students I know have used trans slurs, or have poked fun at my gender. Beyond their explicit hatred, an underlying, hard to see perception of trans* people lurks. I am gender-fluid. My belonging doesn’t quite make sense. I don’t fit in with the idea of “normal,” or with the simplified idea of how things should be, and so I unavoidably fit the concept of “weird.” This sentiment has been implicitly and explicitly expressed on campus. I don’t
fit into feminism (though I have many experiences that align with that of any oppressed gender); I don’t share some of the common experiences of LGBTQ+ people. Most don’t even know what gender-fluid means, and resultingly, my gender specifically has been the wrong end of many a bad joke—as have those of all trans* people at some point in their lives. Our appearance, our voices, our identities are called into question and placed under unnecessary scrutiny on a daily basis by everyone around us, and Milton is certainly no exception to this rule. Looking forward, opportunities for in depth collaboration between trans* students and the administration need to occur on a much more periodic basis. Consultations on perception and effectiveness of the rules, and their impact on trans* students, need to become a regular occurrence, as does communication on the level of “acceptedness” trans* students on campus feel. Perhaps the most important change which needs to happen is a more-than-superficial acknowledgement of trans* students and of the trans* identity as a whole: we are more than just a footnote or afterthought. We belong in the fight for gender equality, in considerations over rules and classifications, as more than simply a recognized group: as an accepted and embraced group. Given the progression LGBTQ+ rights have seen in the past 50 years, and continuous acceleration of learning and acceptance of trans folks, the future is bright for us, and particularly on campus, if Milton can keep up or even get ahead of with these patterns. (1) Gender fluid: a person who does not identify themselves as having a fixed gender (2) trans* is a notation used to indicate the inclusion of gender-queer individuals under the label or “transgender” •
Opinion Dare to Be Idle
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Image courtesy of Milton Academy
By MOLLY WILSON '18 Being a Milton student means being efficient. Each day, we cram more than a day’s worth of activities into twenty-four hours as we go to our classes, play our sports, rehearse for our performances, do our homework, interact with our peers and families, eat, and sleep. We are all trying to “do it all,” and therefore we rarely have time do nothing—to be idle. Unfortunately for us, spending time “doing nothing” has proven necessary for being at one’s peak. Using several imaging modalities, neuroscientist Dr. Marcus Raichle discovered in 2001 that certain brain areas—namely the hippocampus, the medial prefrontal cortex, and the precuneus—deactivated when people performed a specific task. Meanwhile, when people were not given any task to complete, these same brain areas became active. Additional studies have demonstrated that the brain regions that activate during idleness—referred to as the Resting State Network (RSN)—also activate during some introspective tasks, such as when a person reflected on his own emotional state, recalled events from the past and envisioned events in the future, or considered the thoughts of others. Since 2001, researchers have expanded upon Raichle’s observations and determined that the RSN plays a key role in introspection, reflection, and creativity, and consistently deactivates during external, goal-oriented tasks such as visual attention or working memory tasks. All people experience the effects of the RSN in their daily lives. For example, many believe that the RSN is responsible for the seemingly random “Aha!” moments in which great ideas and longsought-after solutions come to us when we are not actively seeking them out, but instead are driving, showering, knitting, or doing some other activity that allows our mind to “rest.” A resting brain and its activated RSN often finds better solutions
to larger, more challenging problems than the cognitively-engaged brain finds because the “idle brain,” according to RSN discover Marcus Raichle, “burns perhaps twenty times the metabolic resources of the ‘conscious’ brain.” These solutions often manifest in the form of “Aha!” moments and “sudden insights.” We spend almost our whole day doing goal-oriented tasks as we listen in class, take notes, compute math problems, write essays, and read scientific papers and novels. As Milton students trying to “do it all” and be successful, we often spend our time working towards the goal of completion, trying to reach the point at which we can move on to the next assignment, class, or activity. Additionally, most of us spend our days working towards the goal of tangible success, often in the form of exemplary grades, to please ourselves and others. This near constant goal-oriented behavior likely suppresses the activity of our Resting State Networks, thus suppressing our creativity, ability to reflect, and introspective thinking. Milton as an institution and its students would be better off if we could find a way to capture the lost creativity, reflection, and introspection. I imagine that Milton could revive this creative potential and introspective thinking by reforming its curriculum. In my rough-draft vision for the new Milton curriculum, every student would continue to take five core academic classes each semester, and these classes would still meet four times a week. However, for each subject, one of the four weekly class periods would serve as “exploratory” time and would involve some kind of fundamental exploration within the subject. For example, a Spanish class may spend forty-five minutes Skyping with students in Spain, a biology class may spend the time playing around with C. elegans just for sake of seeing what happens, and an English class may spend the time doing some reflective journaling or free writing. These meetings
would not be included in students’ grades in that class, and participation and performance would not be evaluated. These exploratory, ungraded class periods could allow for students to engage with the academic material in a manner that is in no way goal-oriented, thus making it possible for students’ Resting State Networks to become active. As a result, Milton students would be more creative and would receive a much-needed chance to be reflective and introspective while still engaging with the material. Additionally, if used correctly by both teachers and students, this exploratory period would have benefits that far outweighed the value of a fourth class period each week spent learning in a traditional manner, and the academic rigor of Milton would be maintained. Additionally, in the new curriculum, all students would be required to take ungraded half courses, which would serve as an additional time in which students’ Resting State Networks become active and creativity, reflection, and introspection are fostered. Students would take one half course at a time, and would pick a new half course every three weeks. These courses would be exploratory and would have no homework assignments or tests. Course offerings could range from “learn to knit” to “a real-world investigating into related rates in Calculus.” These courses would not appear on students’ official transcripts, thus encouraging students to try new things and explore different interests. My vision for the reformed Milton curriculum is simply one vision. Infinite possibilities exist for how Milton can help students to benefit from the positive effects of idleness and the abilities of the RSN. Nevertheless, it is in all of our best interests to first acknowledge that we could all benefit more constructive idleness, and then to take concrete steps to make use of this nearly untapped cognitive potential.•
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Opinion
Self-Adulation vs Self Promotion
Image courtesy of Google
By KAYLA MATHIEU '21 Self-adulation is the quality of having an excessively high opinion of oneself or one's importance. In the 21st century, the tendency to toot our own horns is inescapable, especially given that we are seeing this behavior from the leaders of the free world. Self-promotion attempts to present oneself to others as an accomplished, capable, smart, and skilled person. It can be through a face-to-face conversation, through social media platforms, or through our mannerisms, posture, speech or dress. Self-promotion is natural, as we like for others to perceive us as having wonderful qualities, such as intelligence and an abundance of skills. Self-adulation and self promotion can encompass both positive and negative behaviors that will either allow others to gravitate to you or
push them in the opposite direction. As we decide which path to explore, both adulation and promotion have benefits as well as drawbacks. Choosing not to engage in self promotion or adulation at a high school like Milton can pose problems due to the competitive nature of a rigorous school. A lack of self promotion can cause a student to get lost in the crowd, which may be a fear throughout the daunting college application process. However, the idea of a little self promotion is required and accepted here and in other places where achievement is based on merit. People blur the lines when they feel they must self-adulate in order to be revered by others. We all know the people who forever brag about their accomplishments simply for the sake of their egos. Self-adulators enjoy hearing themselves talk about themselves. They often lift themselves
and their accomplishments up by putting others down. A prime example of self-adulators at their best is during the voting process of pretty much anything student-elected. You tell multiple people who ran that you voted for them, but maybe you actually voted for the person who was least likely to win. Adulators can’t bear the thought of anyone doing better than them; therefore, by voting for the least likely candidate, the qualified candidate has a lesser chance of outshining them. This trait of self-adulation is often taken on by your greatest competitor or those closest to you. The positive side of self-adulation is quite evident. The simple fact is because you are constantly bragging about your accomplishments, to the outside world you appear to be the best at what you do. While you may not be the most wellliked for your “showboating” attitude, you inflate your accomplishments due to your constant reminders to others that you are talented. In contrast, the benefits of self promotion work in tandem with your personality and the talent that you have to offer. You are not merely boasting about your accomplishments for yourself but for the improvement of the people around you. Self-adulators believe that their knowledge can benefit others in their community. At Milton we often choose self-adulation over self-promotion in order to
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Milton and Slavery CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
universities directly or indirectly profiting from slavery, students and teachers cannot help but ask the question of Milton’s history with slavery. When asked, both Owusu and Widerman did not know the direct link between Milton Academy and the slave trade but stated interest in investigating Milton Academy’s history with slavery. From a history teacher’s point of view, Robert McGuirk, the chair of the history department, shared Widerman’s shock as he was “amazed to hear about how many schools failed in the mid/late 19th century because they did not have such a direct relationship with the slave economy.” Mr. McGuirk also highlighted that “the institution of slavery was not just a ‘deep south’ problem.” Although US History curriculum focuses on slavery throughout the school year, “the slavery narrative in
the North is often ignored or forgotten.” Again, the need to confront the ways slavery links to the American life is expressed. The question arises: how does Milton Academy’s history collide with slavery? Milton Academy was established in 1798, and slavery in Massachusetts was abolished in 1783. When Mr. McGuirk spoke with Professor Wilder, Professor Wilder “was quite certain that, because of the abolition [of slavery] in Massachusetts, Milton did not have a connection with the slave economy.” Like Owusu earlier, Mr. McGuirk was curious whether original members who founded Milton Academy had connections to the slave trade before slavery was abolished. This part of Milton’s history can be explored. However, Milton Academy most likely is not linked to slavery as other, larger
institutions were (for example, having slaves on campus or direct funding from an active slave economy). The connection between long standing institutions and slavery is astounding. More and more institutions, according to Mr. McGuirk, “are now open to diving into their histories to hold themselves accountable for those histories.” While speaking with Professor Wilder, he emphasized the role of multiple student protests against the administrations in Ivy League universities’ recent investigations into its relations to slavery. With our history of student protest, although not to the scale of what Ivy Leagues students have fought for, the students and heart of Milton Academy can pave the way for a more united and aware school, no matter how tiring the fight may be.•
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Opinion
The Line Between Tradition and Gender Norms
Self-Care By WILLA DUBOIS '20
Image courtesy of Milton Academy
By VIVIAN SOONG '18 Milton is a relatively progressive school, and I believe that the study body is constantly working towards maintaining equality, especially among different genders. At the same time, Milton is a place of deep-rooted tradition, and many of these traditions formed during time periods where sexism was a societal norm. Consequently, the challenge of finding the balance between maintaining tradition and resisting gender norms arises. One of Milton’s biggest traditions is having boarders assigned to dorms by sex. While some of our peer schools, such as Exeter and Andover, are in the process of, or have already, switched to all-gender dorms instead of sex-assigned dorms, Milton still maintains its tradition of having four girls dorms and four boys dorms. When talking to Mr. Heard about the issue, he said that the topic was rather complicated because it is a debate of either creating an additional, all-gender dorm on campus or uprooting the entire Milton boarding system. The traditions of having brother-sister dorms and escorts to Boarder Dinner and dorm dodgeball all have to be taken into consideration if Milton decided to add an all-gender dorm on campus. Boarding life is filled with many traditions and to limit these traditions to gender binary dorms would be unjust. Recently, I have also been contemplating the role of sexism in Hathaway Dinner, a special event reserved for the members of Hathaway. Hathaway Dinner is typically on the Tuesday before winter break, and it is a
night to honor the seniors in the dorm. All the people associated with Hathway (the students, faculty, and Flik staff) are invited to dress up and partake in this special night. The seniors also have the added aspect of inviting a person, typically a male, to come and serve food to the dorm during dinner, and afterwards, the guests make a speech about the person who invited them. Each year our dorm head makes sure to stress that we can bring a guest, not necessarily a male, and we don’t have to bring anyone if we don’t want to. However, many of us followed this unwritten tradition of inviting a male to serve us food. As I thought more about this tradition, I began to realize that it perpetuates a double standard. If the roles were reversed, this type of tradition would definitely get shut down. And again, the question of where the line between tradition and gender norms comes into play. To be honest, I don’t know if this aspect of Hathway Dinner should change. Hathaway Dinner is something that I love, and I have anticipated being a senior and having someone make a speech about me since my first year at Milton. At the same time, I think that we should not encourage this double standard, especially during a time when society is working towards equality for all. Our dorm head puts a lot of thought into our traditions and tries to make them more progressive, but the progress is not apparent when the majority of Hathaway decides to follow tradition. My decision to follow this tradition is definitely perpetuating the gender norms, but I also think that part of what makes Hathaway Dinner special is the tradition. •
At Milton, we talk about self-care a lot: teachers tell us to sleep over breaks, dorm parents tell us to take ten minute study breaks, and friends tell us to “just eat the brownie.” However, “self-care” at Milton usually means “do something you want to do instead of doing homework,” rather than actually saying “take care of yourself.” Getting enough sleep is an important form of caring for yourself, as is treating yourself on occasion. However, no one is pushing back on those requests: they come at no cost. Caring for yourself without any negative outcome is important, but selfcare is most meaningful when it is hard. I absolutely despise lotion, especially on my hands. The feeling of any sort of cream on my palms gives me shivers like nails on a chalkboard, and attempting to open doors while my hands just slide around is as frustrating as having four major assessments spread across two days. And every year, without fail, winter rolls around, and within several days my knuckles are cracked and bleeding within the first week of frosty grass. This year, I decided that it was ridiculous to be in pain every time I washed my hands, and dragged myself to my local Bed Bath and Beyond to purchase some cocoa butter. I have held myself to a strict schedule of putting lotion on my hands right before I go to sleep every night, so that I don’t have to open any doors, and my knuckles thank me for it. Though I still hate the feeling of lotion on my hands, I do like the way it smells, and it is an important self-care routine. Even though it doesn’t provide me much joy, I put lotion on every night because it is important that I care for myself. Why is self-care important? Honestly, not engaging in self care is ridiculous. On a physical scale, it’s obvious: my not putting lotion on my knuckles and just letting them bleed is dumb, as is not caring for an injury properly. Keeping your body in its best shape is crucial to being able to use it to the full extent for all activities you enjoy, whether that be climbing into your lofted dorm bed, playing varsity sports, or just walking around Turner’s with your friends. Self-care on a mental level is also crucial. One example is getting enough sleep: without enough sleep, you will be sluggish and frustrated, unable to engage in the world the way you wish. The same premise applies to all forms of mental self-care. Without engaging in self care properly, interacting with the world to the best of your ability is harder, if not impossible. Self-care is a hack of sorts, a simple way to get three steps ahead. Putting lotion on was an easy fix. However,
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Opinion
Stop Saying "Triggered" if You Don't Have a Mental Ilness By ALEX FLEITES '18 Before I begin, it’s important to clarify what the word “triggered” actually means. Its most basic definition is “activated by a trigger,” and a trigger is simply an event or action that initiates a reaction. Notice how these definitions don’t mention being offended, or being weak, nor do they reference “liberal snowflakes” or “angry feminists.” The concept of a trigger was formulated in around 1918 in response to soldiers’ post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by World War I. In this context, the most common triggers were things like fireworks, because of how similar their noise is to that of gunshots. However, the term is now used by virtually every marginalized community as a way to describe the words, images, or events that could cause a negative and potentially dangerous reaction. In more recent years, the idea of a “trigger warning” has gained popularity. These warnings, commonly placed before episodes of TV shows and posts on the internet, inform their audiences of any potentially triggering material to follow. This is where people seem to misunderstand what a trigger truly is. Trigger warnings are not in place to caution people of somewhat uncomfortable content. There are never trigger warnings to caution readers of mentions of the patriarchy, or of republicans. These warnings, working to protect the mental health of all readers, are utilized for topics like rape, sexual assault, mental illness, eating disorders, self-harm, etc. While it is important for topics such as these to be talked about in the media, for someone who has experienced a similar trauma, even hearing a reference to one of these topics could cause a panic attack, relapse, or other severe setback in their mental recovery. Having a trigger does not make you weak, just as lacking a trigger does not make you strong. Labeling those with a mental
illness as weak is just kicking them when they’re down; their illnesses are not something they can prevent, and those with mental illnesses are already significantly marginalized. When you make jokes about being triggered because someone “assumed your gender” or any other apparently hilarious social justice issue, you’re taking away the voices of those within marginalized groups and delegitimizing their concerns. Furthermore, when you use “triggered” as a joke, you’re specifically addressing those with a mental illness, demonstrating your belief that their struggles aren’t valid, and taking ownership of a word that was not meant for you. Soleil Devonish ’18, when asked why she thought “triggered” jokes weren’t funny, explained that the ability “to speak up for yourself and how you feel should be applauded, not mocked.” As someone who has anxiety and her own triggers, I do not feel as comfortable speaking up about my mental health as I should, especially in school. At a school like Milton, which prides itself on its diversity, students should never feel afraid to speak about their differences. Unfortunately, this silencing of marginalized voices is nothing new. When women spoke out against sexism, others began making jokes about man-hating, angry feminists. When “gay” was more oftenly used as an insult than as a synonym for “homosexual,” some members of the LBGTQA+ community were left to feel as if their sexual orientation was a bad word, something to be ashamed of. The idea of universal acceptance has somehow become synonymous with left-wing politics, but whether or not you should make fun of someone’s identity should not be a political issue, and being kind and accepting of everyone should not be only for liberals.•
Self-Care CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
mental self-care can be harder. One way to participate in mental self-care is to sleep in over break. That’s easy: you want to do it, it will make you feel better, and you don’t have to sacrifice anything to do it. A winwin. Unfortunately, the break after the three most stressful weeks of the year isn’t when you most need the extra few hours—those three weeks are. Taking time to care for yourself in order to make up for a time when self-care slipped to the back burner is important, but more important is not letting self-care slip—not ever putting it on the back burner. A great example is choosing to stop hanging out with your friends right when the movie ends and going to bed early because you know you have to wake up early for a game the next day. However, that choice is much harder than choosing to sleep in over break, when you aren’t missing anything: you want to hang out with your friends, so isn’t that doing selfcare? After all, spending time with people you care about is good for you, right? Yes, it is. But getting enough sleep before your game is far more important than an extra hour with your friends. Self-care is doing what is best for you, and that means finding a balance: watch the movie with your friends, and then go to bed. To do whatever you want all the time and call it self-care is an easy excuse to get out of self-care. However, selfcare isn’t self-making-happy, it is self-care, and that means doing what you need instead of what you want. The winter can be a stressful time, especially with major assessments jam-packed in before breaks, and, of course, January exams. This year, I hope all of you will try and do at least one thing that is good for your health, even if it isn’t what you want in the moment.•
Self Promotion CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
improve our standing in a competitive society. For example, many freshmen make the clear distinction between the abilities of regular geometry students and honors geometry students. This form of adulation for honors students tends to validate their perception of being extraordinary by slapping the word “honors” on the title of their class. The reality of it all is that self-adulation will forever drive the competitive nature of Milton students. But we all have a choice: you can either choose to be a narcissistic self-adulator or choose self-promotion as a way to lift yourself as well as others up.•
Arts & Enterainment
PAGE 11
No One Cares About Rappers or Drug Addicts: Some Thoughts on Lil Peep's Death
Image courtesy of The Fader
By LIZ FOSTER '18 “When I die, You’ll love me” reads one of Lil Peep’s final Instagram captions—a potential cry for help lost in a sea of adoration characterized by likes and comments. Gustav Åhr, better known as “Lil Peep,” was a social media icon and breakthrough Soundcloud rapper, who created and then mastered a new wave genre of alternative music: emo-rap. Peep was found dead late on November 15th, presumably of an overdose. In a world of kids like Lil Pump, who pop xans for clout, Lil Peep was a struggling victim. Peep “self medicated,” treating his depression with Xanax and other prescription drugs. Lil Peep wasn’t alone in this act, half the rap songs charting right now center around drugs. Post Malone’s latest hit “rockstar” focuses on “f*ckin hoes and poppin pillies” in a desperate attempt to return to the rockstar culture of the 1980’s and 90’s. No shade to Post as he’s just another product of our weird drug culture. Lil Peep was a Marilyn Manson to 2017’s outcasts. Starting as a homeless high school dropout, Peep was a runway model, rapper, and singer before his untimely death. Found “unresponsive” on the tour bus, news soon leaked to Twitter about the “sad boi” icon’s death. In an industry full of people who are widely regarded as being immoral, Lil Peep was an activist challenging racism and showing inclusion in his content. Taking to Twitter earlier this month, he told fans “do ur research on the artists u support” before asking for names of racist and homophobic rappers. His music video “Girls” stars a diverse cast
of women, including Peep’s on and off lover–”nu goth” Instagram star TooPoor. Peep fought against having the usual boring array of skinny, blonde girls who all look identical and have unachievable conventional good looks. Peep was a proud bisexual, coming out via Twitter in August. In a world of hyper masculine rappers, Peep wasn’t hiding behind a guise of heteronormativity, unabashedly dressing in high fashion looks, covering his body and face in tattoos, and constantly dying his hair different neon shades. The twenty-one-year-old was open about his struggles with depression and anxiety, acting as a modern Kurt Cobain to a new generation of misfits. As the music scene strays farther from “emo” music, even the Vans Warped Tour is coming to an end soon, Lil Peep was an alternative voice in a homogenous hip hop scene. His music was more reminiscent of Teen Suicide than Drake, but still retained a wholeheartedly trap identity. He gave a voice to teenagers who needed someone who faced relatable struggles. Someone who got them. When I was fourteen, I turned to bands like My Chemical Romance, but in 2017, kids believed in someone like Lil Peep. Lil Peep was a lot of things. What has come up most following his apparent suicide is his identity as a drug addict. His songs were filled with lyrics about “drugs in his nose.” The “gothboiclique” artist’s tendency to rap about his various addictions was not secret, but nobody did anything about it. That’s what taught me something. Social media flooded with individuals exploiting Peep’s death to advertise the hazard of rap culture and drug use. Is that what someone’s death is supposed to be? Drug overdoses are a pervasive
issue in the United States. Outside of pop culture, where icons like A$AP MOB leader A$AP YAMS die from unfortunate drug combinations, opioids are a raging epidemic. Despite being an ongoing issue since the 1990’s, only this summer was the opioid problem in the United States officially declared a national crisis by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). With approximately ninety people dying everyday from opioid overdoses alone, drug addiction is a pressing issue. Next to eighty-nine others lays Lil Peep, one victim who didn’t wake up from his high in the morning. Yet, his death hasn’t been taken seriously. Mocked as nothing more than a stupid kid, Lil Peep is reduced to a modern D.A.R.E campaign ad. No one took the time to think about Peep as a product of something out of his control. Mental illness and addiction are not easily “fixed,” but had someone in Lil Peep’s life done something, then maybe he would still be alive. Eerily, the rapper posted a video last night before his death saying how he was “on six xanax” and would see his El Paso concert crowd “later.” On “The Way I See Things” he sung how he “got a feelin' that [he’s] not gonna be here for next year,” though Peep did live to the next year (2016), only to not wake up on his tour bus barely one year later. Lil Peep was one rapper, one addict, and one unfortunate victim to mental illness. His life deserves celebration and his death: respect. Stop mocking a creator’s death because he didn’t chart on Billboard. Don’t blame a dead victim for a drug overdose that could have been prevented by someone else. Care about artists. Fight to change an industry and culture that celebrates toxic behavior and glorify self destruction. Do better.•
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Music for Food
Arts & Enterainment
Exploring Boston
By JANE YANG '18 This December began with the Music For Food concert, an event featuring the joy of sharing and giving, and corresponding to the end-of-year holiday spirit. The concert’s organizer, Pearce Crocker (II), had been “wanting to share with the Milton community since a year ago.” He came up with the idea when he taught children music in his freshman year for community service and realized that a natural connection lies between community service and music— both are acts of sharing. Therefore, he had since been seeking an opportunity to bridge the gap between the two and finally succeeded with the help from Ms. Geyling, the head of community engagement program at Milton, Mr. Whalen, the concert’s faculty sponsor, and Mr. Anantawan, the director of the music department, and his friends. Performers of the concert ranged from student groups to faculty and alumni. Jeanna Shaw (III) designed the concert t-shirt, the idea for which originated from Pearce's’ favorite artist, Andy Warhol, whose notable work includes the Campbell Soup Cans. The t-shirt sale raised 1,300 dollars while the donations raised $900, totalling up to $2,200. The funds will go to Milton Food Pantry, where they will be used to prepare 1,100 meals. One of the most memorable performances was Mr. Whalen’s rendition Remember When the Music by Harry Chapin, the lyric of which reads: “Remember when the music Came from wooden boxes strung with silver wire And as we sang the words, it would set our minds on fire, For we believed in things, and so we'd sing.” “The song speaks of a time when music served as a way of bringing people together to join their voices for greater causes and ideals,” said Mr. Whalen. The power of music lies in the belief of the musicians, and, similar to visual arts and theatre which are more commonly recognized as arts that have profound social impacts, music can offer more than we realize. Music reminds us of the value of sharing. At the end of guest artist Bobby Sanabria’s concert on November 29th, the Grammy-winning drummer, having presented to audience the gift of Afro-Cuban jazz, passionately urged the audience to remember sharing, giving, and “being kind to one another during our country’s difficult time.” Given that I myself am satisfied with the joy of playing and listening to music, I genuinely appreciate the message of sharing from these two meaningful concerts held in our community during the past week: we can always do more with our music. •
Image courtesy of MassVacation
By GRACE LI '20 Every time I open Instagram, I get photo envy looking at the aesthetically pleasing shots other photographers have taken. The artsy backdrops that complement a great outfit and pose are enough to make me want to travel across the country (and world) to capture a similar picture. Little did I know that a couple miles away in Boston there are a multitude of hidden gems for taking “artsy” Instagram-worthy pictures. With a multifaceted image, having vintage, modern, quirky, and organic vibes, Boston offers many different facades in which to take pictures of and to take pictures with. In the age of technology, the combination of Boston’s history and its emerging young artists have allowed the city to become very culturally diverse over the past few decades. Museums, old fashioned streets, and waterfront all yield great material for Insta. Depending on the exhibitions on display, the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) provides a thought provoking backdrop to compliment any outfit. Interacting with the different displays can create art with art. Unlike fine art, modern art is less structured. You can find a variety of different mediums to incorporate into your photos: projections, paintings, sculptures, and videos. I really enjoyed ‘projections’ exhibit, because its incorporation of the image onto the human body offered a new presentation of the art. The ICA is free with a student ID, so go look at some art and take some pictures for your feed. The Museum of Science, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the New England Aquarium also offer a diverse range of backdrops. Beacon Hill, specifically Acorn Street, offers a photo location that draws wedding and portrait photographers alike. The incorporation of
nature and the structure together offers a complementary backdrop. The curvature of the trees cuts through the harsh linear lines of buildings. The vintage vibe of the block emulates the streets of Paris, London, and Rome. Both a formal and casual look complements the structure of the buildings and the orderliness of the streets. Given the tall structures of the buildings around the street, the location offers a great picture during any time of day. The lighting is never too harsh because the trees around the buildings help diffuse the light; also, you can walk a couple of steps and get a completely different mood because light disperses itself differently along each street. Off the Red Line at Charles/MGH, Acorn Street is easily accessible from the T. Longfellow Bridge, the Seaport and Fan Pier, Boston University Bridge, and the Harvard Bridge all offer nice views of the Charles River. When taking pictures at either sunrise or sunset, the outlines of buildings and people are softened. The glow of the sun peaking over the horizon is reflected in the dark blue water. You can shoot either into or against the light for different moods. When shooting in the sunlight, you create a nice glow around the model, along with the rays of the sun. This golden glow radiates energy. You can access these bridges from a T station. Not only are there nice walking routes to and from each bridge, but there are so many interesting shops you can find along the way. No matter where you are, there are hundreds of locations in the Boston area for taking a great photo. Make the most of your current environment and embrace all the quirks around you. Life’s too short to do it for the ‘gram. Explore your community for yourself; you never know what you might find. All you need is a little sense of adventure and a camera.•
Arts & Enterainment
PAGE 13
Taylor Swift's Reputation: Sexism in The Arts
Image courtesy of Twitter
By GRACE VAINISI '19 Taylor Swift: a singer, an icon, a heartbreaker. I don’t remember when I started to listen to her music — she’s kind of just always been there with a song, ready for whatever I need it. Her concert was the first I went to, hers was the first song I memorized, and in many ways, she was my first real role model. Yet, every time she comes up in a conversation, someone is ready to shoot her right down. From “writing solely about dating guys” to “being a bad person,” I’ve heard it all. With her new album reputation streaming everywhere, the tensions are growing between those who love it and those not so enthusiastic about it. Before hating on Taylor, consider not just how content intended for female audiences is generally deemed inferior, but also the implicit sexism hidden in mocking Taylor Swift because she’s not the woman you want her to be. Have you ever noticed the stigma of inferiority in content intended for female audiences? Compare the image in your head of football fans and Taylor Swift fans. You’ll see how differently each group is painted. While rooting for football is validated and hardcore, rooting for Taylor — or even your favorite female
singers — is ditzy and frivolous. Thus, we perceive Taylor’s fans as secondary to those celebrating more “manly” content. Putting this image aside, and looking at the situation with a wider perspective, you can see sexist and misogynistic themes pervading throughout today’s pop culture. Pop artists like Taylor can cater their music to young female audiences, but in this dedication their music refreshingly respects and relates to a variety of girls and women today. Isn’t that awesome? To have an artist embracing women, not degrading them? In her music and public life, Taylor not only embraces women, but empowers them, too. Unfortunately, because women are her target audience, many lose out on this message as our culture perceives her content as lesser than. Furthermore, since the start of her career, everyone has had something to say about Taylor Swift. All of the sudden she became the girl who would tear you apart if you ever went on a date with her. Everyone decided to forget that singers can only write about personal experiences and to forget that a lot of male singers write just as many love songs about their own exes as Taylor, if not more. It’s curious that people paint Taylor Swift as a heartless dating machine because I’ve never heard of a male singer getting that
kind of long-lasting reputation clipped to his name. Why do we try to mold women into the ill-fitting shapes of what we want them to be? We, as a society, should embrace women in all of their differences, not shut them down because of a notion that she’s not behaving how a proper woman would. Look, I’m not saying everyone has to like the music that Taylor Swift creates. If you’re not into the way Taylor’s voice sounds or the general vibe of her music, I completely understand and respect that. The problem starts when people shut her down because she’s being herself and trying to live her life all because she’s not acting how people want her to. I encourage you to keep an open mind when you listen to Taylor’s music; try to keep from putting her, and all women for that matter, into neat little boxes. The reality is that your notions are not likely to line up with reality, and while those expectations are no one’s fault, we must start the process of changing them. Let’s start the conversation. Even just talking about Taylor Swift, celebrating her music, and embracing her for who she is can take us places as we change our perspectives on the Reputation of the women around the world.•
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Sports
Premier League Round-Up
This Weekend's Games Friday:
1st and 2nd Boys' Basketball vs. Thayer @ Milton 5pm
Image courtesy of skysports.com
By ELLIOT MIALHE '19 Manchester United 3 Arsenal 1. A lot of controversy arose as Manchester United came to Arsenal this Saturday, a game that saw four goals and a red card. With Arsenal’s long undefeated record at home on the line as well as Manchester United's desire to prove themselves against another big club, tensions were high on game day—not to forget the infamous Jose Mourinho-Arsene Wenger rivalry. Lineups included Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette, and Alexis Sanchez on Arsenal’s side with Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku leading Manchester United. Goals came in early with Manchester United as they punished Arsenal’s utterly disgraceful defense. Laurent Koscielny, who captained the Gunners in center back Per Mertesacker's absence, played the worst we’ve seen him play in a while. Off the whistle, under pressure from the United offense, Koscielny switched the ball intending for it to reach the wingback, but instead, the ball was intercepted by right back Antonio Valencia, who, with pace, pounced on the opportunity, playing the ball to Pogba at the top of the box. Pogba, dragging men to him, played it back to Valencia to slot it in. Three minutes in, it was one to zero for Manchester United. Only seven minutes later, we see the same thing from Mourinho's Men. Mustafi, pressed again by United forwards, woefully loses to the ball in the back. Pogba, dispossessing this time, threads it to Martial who lays it
beautifully for the young lad, Jesse Lingard to bang it in (and then milly rocked in front of the Arsenal fans like an absolute bellend). The rest of the half felt far more even. Arsenal had many chances with De Gea pulling off some incredible saves. He totaled 14 saves in 90 minutes, a premier league record. Arsenal came back with a goal early in the second half—Ozil played a graceful over-the-top through ball to Ramsey, who passed it to Lacazette who scored. The gunners started to look promising. However, Manchester United remained clinical off the counter, scoring a third goal in the 60th minute, a goal that saw yet again poor defending from Koscielny. All hope seemed lost for the gunners until the 70th minute when Pogba got sent off. With his missing a tackle and stomping on Hector Bellerin, referee Andre Marriner went straight to red. Instantly, managers Mourinho and Wenger made substitutions with Mourinho taking off a forward and putting Matteo Darmian in to play 5-in-the-back and Wenger doing the opposite in taking out Granit Xhaka and Sead Kolasinac and putting two strikers in, Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck. Regardless of these changes though, Manchester United succeeded in hanging onto the two goal lead and wrapped up the game. These crucial three points for Man U prove the world that they are well equipped to give Manchester City a run for their money, and this convincing win against Arsenal, as well as City’s comeback to West Ham, sets up next week’s Manchester Derby perfectly.•
1st and 2nd Girls' Basketball vs. Govs @ Govs 6pm 1st Boys' Hockey vs Govs @ Milton 6:45
Saturday:
1st Boys Basketball vs. Suffield @ Babson 2pm 1st Boys Squash @ Groton Invvitational 2pm Swimming @ Kingswood Invitational @ trinity 2:15 2nd Girls' Hockey @ Brooks 2:30 Wrestling vs Lawrence, Tilton, Hyde, ME @ Milton @ 4pm 1st Hockey vs. Govs @ Milton Boys: 3:30 & Girls: 4:00
Sports
PAGE 15
Score Report Boys' Hockey 12-6 vs. Lawrence
W 5-2
Boys' Squash 12-6 vs. Exeter W 7-0
Boys' Basketball 12-6 vs. Groton W 74-41
Girls' Hockey 12-6 vs. Exeter W 3-2
Girls' Squash 12-6 vs. Deerfield
L 0-7
Girls' Basketball 12-6 vs.Exeter W 57-54
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