27 October 2023
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Dialogue with the Deans: Scripps Deans Share Insight into Campus Policies
By Belén Yudess ’25 Copy Editor Intern
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n Oct. 18, five Scripps deans convened in the Hampton Room for a panel with students. Organized by the LASPA Center for Leadership, SAS President Lily Dunkin ’24, and Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Dr. Sha Bradley, the event served as a follow-up to a previous panel held during the Student Leadership Institute (SLI) at the beginning of the year. Vice President for Enrollment Victoria Romero, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty Jennifer Armstrong, Vice President for Business Affairs/Treasurer Dean Calvo, and Bradley joined the panel while Dunkin moderated the conversation. About 20 student leaders who also attended SLI sat in on the conversation. Various topics were discussed, ranging from Scripps’ plan to continue to increase diverse student enrollment following the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action, how tuition fees are divided and spent, and the new alcohol policy which has garnered many discussions on campus. Romero opened the conversation by addressing how the admissions office is working to maintain their efforts to admit a diverse student body despite not being able to directly take race and ethnicity into consideration. Although the admissions office must follow the Supreme Court ruling, she said there are ways to ensure that their enrollment of students of color does not drop or falter radically. She referred to the admissions process as three buckets: recruitment, the admissions review process, and yielding. With a focus on the yielding stage, she stated that the office will continue to host programs such as DIVE — a program for admitted underrepresented students of color and first-generation students — as a form of outreach. “The Supreme Court never said we couldn't go out and recruit the class we wanted to recruit,” she said. “My staff cannot look at race or ethnicity in an application, but a student can talk about these things in their essays, and the third bucket [yielding] is
Courtesy of Dr. Sha Bradley
when we bring students to campus, which the Supreme Court did not touch.” Romero went on to express her surprise for the ruling. “The makeup of the class changes dramatically when race and ethnicity are not taken into consideration,” she said. “I never thought that this would happen in my career, and we are [working] to ensure that the first year class is a diverse community.” On the topic of the Scripps student community, Armstrong and Bradley discussed support for undocumented students. “It's a quandary in some regards because we absolutely have those resources and support systems, and sometimes students don't want to disclose, [and] faculty do not know,” Bradley said. Armstrong encouraged undocumented students seeking support to reach out to her or Professor of Chemistry Mary Hatcher Skeers. She also encouraged students to generally reach out to faculty they feel comfortable with. “We should help our staff to know of resources if a
student were to come with them with this disclosure,” Bradley said. Regarding student resources, Calvo dove into the distribution of funds amongst different organizations and programs on campus. “If it's an expense through SAS, we don't see it, we [only] see when SAS funds CLORGs and [those funds] come back into the college,” he said. “We very rarely question an expense.” Calvo also addressed the topic of Scripps vans and the use of SAS funds to purchase these vehicles. The program, which was in place prior to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns, allowed students to check out vans or rent vehicles. He clarified that the expensive nature of insuring the vehicles led Scripps to discontinue the program. “We are supporting and encouraging the Zipcar program … and we are interested in feedback on that program,” Calvo said. “Almost all of the vehicles are purchased with the college’s funds, and there was one van that was purchased by SAS that was retired.”
Although several other questions were posed, one of the final topics of conversation was about the controversial new alcohol policy. Instated at the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year, it banned students over 21 from holding or consuming hard alcohol on campus. “In the days ahead, we are rolling back that policy,” Bradley said. “It will revert to what it was prior to that.” Bradley explained that the policy was formed with a “harm reduction lens,” but conversations with students contributed to the ultimate decision to roll back the new policy. In these conversations, students identified how the revised policy could encourage underground activities involving alcohol or movement to other campuses to engage in activities involving alcohol. “The Guide to Student Life is a living document and we try our very best to get it right but sometimes we don't and we have the right to swing again,” she said. Reporting contributions by Aviva Maxon ’24.
Blue Beetle’s Revival of 2000s Shitty Superhero Movies
Dammit Janet, “Rocky Horror” is Back at It!
5C Flavors: Come! Collins is Collin Your Name
IN THIS ISSUE Topless at Tiernan: The Attack on Areolas
1030 Columbia Avenue | Claremont, CA 91711 | Box 839 | scrippsvoice@gmail.com | Volume XXXII | Issue Two
2 • News
Athenas Unite: CMS Women’s Soccer Team Celebrated by Scripps Administration By Belén Yudess ’25 Copy Editor Intern
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n Oct. 11, Scripps President Amy Marcus-Newhall, Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty and Professor of Biology Jennifer Armstrong, and Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Dr. Sha Bradley attended the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) women’s soccer game against Occidental College. Publicized as Scripps Night at Athenas Soccer, Scripps students were able to rally together to support their peers while entering a raffle to win Scripps or CMS merch at the match. The Athenas emerged triumphantly that night with a score of 3-0. During the game, Laurel Ovenell ’24 earned the title of SCIAC player of the week following her first career goal. The game also featured impressive performances from Emma Fogg ’25 and Ivy Doran ’26. This inaugural Scripps Night at CMS was decided by Marcus-Newhall, Armstrong, and Bradley due to their communal devotion to athletics as well as Marcus-Newhall’s history with both of the colleges on the field. “As a former Occidental College tennis player, I appreciated the opportunity to see CMS in action against my alma mater,” Marcus-Newhall said. “Although my loyalties were slightly torn, I was thrilled that the Athenas emerged victorious.” Doran appreciated the the promotion of the match and the presence of Scripps fans. “The Scripps support night was super cool because a lot of what we do for soccer is on CMC’s campus and it was nice for all the Scrippsies to be recognized by fans and the Scripps administration,” she said. The CMS women’s soccer team has a four win, four loss, and one tie record in the SCIAC conference thus far, with wins against the University of La Verne on two occasions, Occidental College, and Caltech. Although
Belén Yudess ’25 • The Scripps Voice
off to a rocky start, the Athenas have turned their season around with a series of victories in league play, a testament to the team’s resilience and spirit. Doran noted that her teammates’ encouraging and vibrant natures are what makes being a part of the team such an important part of her college experience. “My time on the Athenas soccer team has been amazing so far,” she said. “I absolutely love my teammates and being able to connect with people from all three schools,” she said. “Our team is made up of some of the kindest and most hard-working people I know, making me feel so supported in my first two years here.” This night was just one snapshot of the extraordinary performance and camaraderie of Scripps student athletes, which President MarcusNewhall aims to bring to light through these events. “Their experiences
working together as a team greatly contribute to the classroom and to the overall vibrancy of our community,” she said. “They demonstrate the importance of productive collaboration and the value of achieving goals through teamwork, illustrating that it is possible to accomplish more as a group than as individuals.” The Athenas CMS teams have already seen a successful start to the 2023-24 athletic year, with women’s volleyball and cross country garnering much recognition in the past couple of weeks. The volleyball team is on the road to Nationals with an undefeated record in the SCIAC, and the cross country team is expected to repeat a SCIAC championship after going into the season 12th in the nation. Doran is optimistic about the remainder of her season and is proud of the team’s ongoing growth. “I think the whole team is excited for our next two games as we are playing
two teams we lost to earlier in the season,” she said. “We know we can win and we have been putting in the work. We have grown and improved so much this season and we have high hopes for the postseason!” The Scripps administration is also enthusiastic about the several women’s CMS matches lined up for the year, and they encourage students to attend these events in order to cheer on their fellow Scrippsies. “We had a lot of fun at the game, and we look forward to cheering on the CMS Athenas across various sports and events throughout the academic year,” Marcus-Newhall said in a joint statement with Armstrong and Bradley. On Dec. 6, Marcus-Newhall will continue her attendance at CMS games as a guest coach for the Athenas basketball team alongside Associate Dean of Racial Equity and Professor of Chemistry Mary-Hatcher Skeers.
Jazz for Justice: Keith LaMar at the Claremont Colleges Ella Menton ’27 Staff Writer
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n Oct. 7, the 5C Prison Abolition Collective and the Pomona Student Union hosted “Justice for Keith LaMar, an Abolitionist Jazz Concert Series for Justice and Liberation.” The event was held at Lyman Hall at Pomona College and was one in a series of concerts LaMar has performed at university campuses across the country. The goal of these performances is to reevaluate his 1993 court case and conviction. LaMar’s execution date was initially set for Nov. 16, but has been postponed to Jan. 13, 2027 thanks to the efforts of everyone involved in his campaign. With his musical collaborators Albert Marques on piano, Kazemde George on the saxophone, Yosomel Montego on
bass, and Zack O’Farrill on drums, LaMar recited his poetry about resilience, faith, and his life in solitary confinement. Keith LaMar called in from an Ohio state prison, and his call was connected to a speaker so he could recite his poetry live. The jazz band, whose members played with focus and skill, brought the room to life. When the jazz met LaMar’s impassioned poetry, the energy of the room seemed to crackle and spark in the air. “The arc of the moral universe bends towards justice, we are told / This may very well be / but we, with our own hands and mind / must bend it / We have to do the work / People are dying who could be saved,” said LaMar. At the end of the concert, the entire audience sang together, repeating the words “a love supreme.”
Slowly, the band faded out so only the audience was left singing for LaMar and those suffering everywhere beneath the American prison industrial complex. The crowd of young voices filled the room. The message was clear. In 1993, LaMar was convicted for his alleged involvement in the Lucasville Prison Uprising in which nine prisoners and one guard were killed. According to LaMar’s website, the State “paid jailhouse informants to create a false narrative that implicated Keith, even though he wasn’t affiliated with any of the groups involved in the riot.” Justice for Keith LaMar demands a reevaluation of his court case, as LaMar, a Black man, was convicted by an all-white jury in a notoriously racist neighborhood. LaMar’s fight for his freedom is one facet of the larger problem that the
5C Prison Abolition Collective, which partially hosted the event, focuses on dismantling. The organization is dedicated to abolishing the prison industrial complex in the United States. The trial complex in the United States. Under this system, private prisons are used for capital gain by private corporations and the state is therefore incentivized to arrest as many people as possible in order to keep prisons filled. The police serve as instigators of this money-making process, arresting predominantly Black men for minor charges and legislation like minimum sentencing laws keep these men in jail for a time disproportionate to their crime. To get involved in Keith LaMar’s movement, go to keithlamar.org and stream his album, FREEDOM FIRST, on all streaming platforms.
27 October 2023 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXII • Issue Two
Feature • 3
Scripps Presents Katie Sowers: The Power of Attitude and Opportunity
Photo Courtesy of Sports Illustrated
By Kayla Mar ’27 Staff Writer
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n Oct. 3, Scripps Presents hosted football and flag football coach Katie Sowers, who spoke about her trailblazing career in athletics. During the discussion mediated by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) athletes Ella Brisset CMC ’25 of women’s tennis and Kaavya Narayan CMC ’25 of 5C club volleyball, Sowers brought a wealth of knowledge and advice for fellow women, particularly those in male-dominated careers. In 2022, Sowers made NFL history as the first woman and openly gay individual to coach in the Super Bowl. In the NFL, Sowers coached for the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, and Kansas City Chiefs before joining the athletics department faculty of Ottawa University where she currently coaches their backto-back-to-back national champion women’s flag football team. To begin, Sowers was asked what sparked her interest in sports. “There was no other option,” she responded. As the daughter of a collegiate basketball coach, sports were always a part of her life and the obvious career choice. She described how from an early age she and her twin sister, clad in football pads, would run around and gleefully hit each other as hard as they could. Sowers cited Becky Hammon, NBA coaching icon, as her inspiration for getting into the profession. Once she found her influence, Sowers recalled how she boldly proclaimed, “Listen guys, I’m gonna be in the NFL,” to mixed reactions from men. She then recounted the “mixture of fate” that got her into the NFL, and asserted,
“You never know who’s watching, you never know who’s in the room … Someone will notice, someone will see your work ethic.” Sowers was then asked about her impact as the first female and openly gay Super Bowl coach. She expressed how society sees everything as “pink and blue,” and putting somebody in an unexpected position provided a different lens on life. She articulated how many job opportunities we limit for children, e m p h a s i z i n g h o w c h i l d r e n’s p e rc e p t i o n s o f t h e w o r l d a r e directly shaped by their immediate influences. She recalled how her nine-year-old “girliest girl in the world” niece never thought boys could play football since she grew up around women playing the sport. Sowers hopes people can dream a little bigger by seeing her on the big screen — past societal expectations of “pink and blue.” As Assistant Coach and Defensive Coordinator of Ottawa University’s women’s flag football team, Sowers hopes to teach people that women can be coaches. She stressed a need for more women in coaching and unapologetic feminists to advocate for what women need. After seeing how many of her players express a desire to coach, she indicated excitement for more female head coaches who “may or may not beat [her] in the future.” As a woman in a male dominated field, she described how she used to focus on her gender because everyone else did. She learned to reflect on how each man in her field has different stories, unique talents,
and varying backgrounds – being a woman is just one difference between her and her colleagues. Women tend to draw more attention just because of their gender, but Sowers reiterates, one difference does not make one mistake any worse. She then described one failure early in her career. While attending a small private college that did not allow openly gay individuals, a volunteer coaching opportunity was shut down due to her identity, citing this decision as “nothing personal.” Sowers thought her career was over. However, one closed door led her to a new opportunity in women’s tackle football, which eventually evolved into coaching in the Super Bowl. She explained that rejection can be an opportunity: “when [a door] doesn’t open, it might not be your door.” Sowers then was asked what she hoped to see in sports and leadership in the near future with an increasing investment in women’s sports. She simply stated when headlines no longer mention gender, then it is evident the extent women’s sports have progressed. She emphasized the power of media and marketing, and how “uncool camera angles” that women’s sports are often portrayed creates “uncool” images. “If you don’t know about it you don’t care about it,” she stated, underscoring how if women’s sports receive proper storytelling, then people will get invested in their stories. During the audience Q&A segment, Sowers commented on the transition from coaching in the NFL to collegiate flag football and her social impact in each role. Sowers described how
unfortunately, the public was more interested in a woman in a male dominated field rather than her coaching flag football. Her public position as a former NFL coach provides her a platform to advocate for addressing gender discrimination in sports. “Three time national champs should not be a pregame for men at the same college,” she said. “We’re not a pregame, we’re the main event.” When asked how to bring inclusivity of transgender athletes in all levels of sports, Sowers declared her unwavering acceptance of transgender student athletes and emphasized education’s utmost importance in society. Nobody plans to say they are transgender just to win women’s sports, she explained, and if sports is something that gives these young individuals “just a little more joy, then let them.” Many people opposed to transgender women in sports do not care about women’s sports, she asserted, they only care that someone different came into the picture. She concluded this question by maintaining, “Stop taking away opportunities for kids,” when sports provide remarkably more to young people than winning and losing. Katie Sowers represents a tremendous step towards women emerging in male dominated professions and presents an abundance of expectation-breaking advice for young women. She works as an inspiration to young women in sports, fighting gender discrimination with every game played and coached.
27 October 2023 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXII • Issue Two
4 • Feature
Topless at Tiernan: The Attack on Areolas
By Anna Odell ’27 and Chloe Swickard ’27 Social Media Manager and Staff Writer
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ipples. We all have them, and they come in many shapes and sizes: brown, pink, tan, hairy, the size of pepperonis or a penny, or one more than normal if you’re Harry Styles. Yet, according to Scripps’ policy, those nipples must be covered if they’re attached to anyone who identifies as a female. This clearly aligns with our society’s traditional view regarding nipples, which is that any nipples attached to anything resembling a boob should be covered (i.e. some trans men, men with gyno, etc). While Scripps may come across as progressive compared to society’s customs, as they advocate for women’s rights and seem to embrace genderexpression in all its forms, a closer look at their policy reveals baffling logic. This conversation was initiated by the student-run Topless at Tiernan event, a space envisioned to be safe and empowering for Scripps students to go topless during Scripps only hours and defy the aforementioned societal standards regarding the female nipple. We arrived fashionably late, being the professional investigative journalists we are, and immediately noticed the event being tampered with. A large sign stated, “Reminder! Appropriate swimwear must be worn in pool area. Tops are required
The Scripps Voice • Alyssa Wend ’24 for folks who identify as female.” This stood guard at the entrance of the pool, ensuring that nobody missed the message. The pool itself was being watched by two administrators, patrolling the area and preventing students from committing the heinous crime of freeing their nips. The first brave soul to take their top off was quickly instructed to cover up. Other Scrippsies present observed this and became wary to take off their tops, tarnishing the intention of the event. One attendee, Lily Camp ’27, voiced her frustrations. “The fact that a bunch of people came here with the hope of being able to be topless and that being acceptable, and then to be told that they can’t is really strange,” she said. When asked if they thought the nature of the event would have been empowering, many Scrippsies responded positively. “I think it’s definitely empowering, but I do think it’s performative if Scripps is like ‘oh we’re pro women’ but when it comes to women organizing events where they can have their bodies out, they stop it,” said Julia Buchanan ’26. Despite the initial setbacks, more people came to the event and united under a common goal. Soon enough, about one-fifth of the students in the pool had their tops off, overwhelming the two administrators. We witnessed Deborah Gisvold, Assistant Dean
and Director of Tiernan, march over to one of the topless students and ask, “Do you know our policy? If you identify as female you have to cover up.” These commands, however, seemed to have the opposite effect; students became increasingly motivated to rebel against the policy. Tops kept coming off and nipples were multiplying. The a d m i n i s t ra t o r s w e r e v i r t u a l l y powerless against it because of the many students that started participating. The frustrating aspect was that having one’s boobs out wasn’t an issue, until the individual identified as female. This policy at its core appears anti-women and doesn’t align with Scripps’ usually genderinclusive and accepting culture. What made this event different from past nude events, such as the annual Naked Brunch held every spring? We reached out to past SAS p r e s i d e n t s to u n d e r s t a n d t h e process behind Naked Brunch. “We worked closely with administration and OSE, and they already knew the ‘drill’ when it came to orbiting and set-up,” former members of SAS who wished to remain anonymous e x p l a i n e d . “ T h e r e w e r e n’ t a n y major problems regarding the Scripps policy, but during the event we had about a ton of ‘adult staff’ monitoring the event from the outside, which felt a little intimidating for students.”
Naked Brunch has been a tradition for many years and is organized professionally by the senior class presidents. Our interviewees described the Scripps’ faculty as more than happy to hold the event, so we asked for advice regarding the planning of similar nude gatherings in the future. “I would definitely work with people in OSE first since they were the ones who helped us organize this entire event,” the former SAS presidents advised. “They can’t really help you get the event approved, though; that usually comes from the Dean and if they will allow it.” As Naked Brunch has been a tradition for many years, it’s hypocritical of the administration to permit it while refusing to allow an event like Topless at Tiernan to take place. Tiernan has Scripps-only hours, so being topless should be an option for students during these hours and it should not have to be an arranged activity. The resounding consensus from the Scrippsies we spoke to was that a weekly Topless at Tiernan day would be empowering and enriching for our tight-knit community. There is power in numbers, and hopefully the whispers of a recurring #freethenipfridays will gain traction. For all those reading, Scripps only hours are Friday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Be there or be square.
27 October 2023 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXII • Issue Two
Feature • 5
Where does “Girlhood Summer” stand in the fight for reproductive autonomy? That’s what makes this past summer so remarkable. In part, “girlhood summer” was a mode of resistance. We watched as women gathered in droves to celebrate symbols of girlhood that have been historically labeled as uncool. Women showcased such influence, particularly through monetary spending, that it couldn’t be ignored. However, the corporations and media outlets who capitalized on “girlhood summer,” also saw it as a non-threatening way to eschew their culpability in the destruction of women’s reproductive autonomy. The same institutions that spent generations contributing to undermining the value of young women clamored to celebrate girlhood, creating a frenzy that ballooned “Girlhood Summer” into a cross-generational cultural moment. The truth is that the institutional embrace of girlhood felt great. It provided a false sense of security that suddenly Barbieland, or at least a world where women were respected as equals, was in sight. I love living in a world where Taylor Swift is celebrated as an icon of female power rather than belittled as a symbol of the self-centerednaiveté of young women. For my 12-year-old self, the one who didn’t know what hit her as she watched the world turn on her childhood hero, it is deeply healing. But as I watch the NFL celebrate “Taylor’s Version” and morning show hosts make Taylor-themed puns, I can’t help but feel like the broader culture is allowing me to reclaim my girlhood as a token in exchange for having stripped me of my rights as a woman. Perhaps “girlhood summer” wasn’t the feminist revolution it claimed to be.
TSV Editorial Staff 2022-2023 Anna Grez ’27 • The Scripps Voice
Maeve Sanford-Kelly ’26 Staff Writer
D
o you want to go to the Taylor Swift concert or is that lame?” my mom asked me over text the winter of my 8th grade. “Technically, it’s lame. But I still really want to go,” I told her. She promised it could be our little secret. When I was in middle school, Taylor Swift was the furthest thing from cool. She was infamously canceled in the July 2016 #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty, which to this day remains the largest simultaneous cyberbullying event in internet history. For me, a lifelong Swiftie who was deeply confused by the sudden villainization of my childhood hero, it was a turning point. Coupled with the election of Donald Trump and my biological entrance to womanhood, it was one of the moments that made 2016, my 12th year of life, the year I learned the faults of girlhood. I see Trump’s election and the cancellation of Taylor Swift as tandem events. The two moments, just months apart, were when the cruelty of the world fatally punctured my girlhood. My period, whether I liked it or not,
was my initiation into a club whose right to bodily autonomy is perpetually in limbo. I’ve learned that every woman has a moment when they learn that not only is the safe world of girl power and Barbie dreams a facade, but the real world actively works to undercut powerful women, especially young women, at every turn. This summer, seven years after 2016, we may have finally seen a shift. By now, you’ve probably heard: summer 2023 was “girlhood summer.” Between the dazzling success of Barbie and the unmatched frenzy of the Eras and Renaissance Tours, this past summer saw a monumental increase in respect for media that was repeatedly dismissed as vapid or insignificant because it’s geared toward young women. Girlhood is finally being validated as a powerful piece of American identity as news outlets like The Wall Street Journal and CNN rushed to write articles about the economic impact of young women. For so many women, “girlhood summer” unleashed something
beautiful. The notion of being a “teenage girl in her twenties” became popularly discussed online as young women processed the healing power of the cultural embrace of girlhood. But none of this was happening in a vacuum. Just a year before “girlhood summer,” we saw the deepest setback in American women’s rights in a generation — the overturning of Roe v Wade in June 2022. The impact of that decision continues to loom heavily over the lives of young women. Abortion is now essentially banned in 14 states and heavily restricted in 11 others. Across the country, women have watched their access to reproductive healthcare and autonomy over their own lives slip out of their grasp before their very eyes. C u l t u r e d i d n’ t b a n a b o r t i o n . Republican politicians did. It was possible, however, due to centuries of dismissing the interests, desires, and needs of young women as invalid or insignificant. Our cultural institutions were complicit in creating a climate where stripping women of their autonomy is politically acceptable.
Aanji Sin ’24 Editor-in-Chief Alyssa Wend ’24 Editor-in-Chief Ellen Hu ’24 Editor-in-Chief Isabel Suh ’24 Head Design Editor Elita Kutateli ’26 Design Editor Nawal Hassan ’27 Design Editor Hannah Fawley ’27 Design Editor Ellen Wang ’25 Copy Editor Juliette Des Rosier ’26 Copy Editor Frances Walton ’26 Copy Editor Belén Yudess ’25 Copy Editor Intern Ashley Ta ’27 Copy Editor Intern Carah Allen ’26 Webmaster Anna Odell ‘27 Social Media Manager
27 October 2023 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXII • Issue Two
H A L LO
6
Violence and Gentrification: What Makes Halloween so Political?
By Alexandria Smith ’27 Staff Writer
H
alloween is one of the most ancient of our American calendar traditions. It was a day to ward off the shrinking line between humans and the supernatural. To the Celtics, Halloween involved “propitiating the spirits of the dead.” So when did Halloween change into the commercialized megacelebrated day it has now become? And how did Halloween turn into something of great political and social controversy? Before the corporatization of the holiday in 1990, Halloween was a community celebration in which families made costumes by hand; ghosts, witches, and animals. The day itself was centered around children. But there was a shift away from this community tradition as Halloween became a capital landmark in the United States. Costumes began to be used as a racist tool to mock cultures. According to The Hill, “It wasn’t until the early 20th century … that costumes took on a different mood entirely, as people sought to portray themselves as other cultures and races than their own, wearing blackface to imitate African Americans or donning turbans and other symbols of what was once referred to as the ‘Far East’ and other ‘exotic’ destinations.” The capitalization and marketing of Halloween led directly to cultural appropriation through costumes. From the 1980s to today, Halloween has become a day for parties and festivities, expensive outfits, and trick-or-treating in the most lavish neighborhoods. Due to our culture’s emphasis on corporate marketing, the holiday has become more than a cultural phenomenon — it’s an economic powerhouse. The 1990s marked a permanent change in the culture around Halloween cementing it as an unavoidable holiday. As American society has become an increasingly corporate one, the political significance of Halloween has become more evident. According to a gentrification report by the Governing Archive, nearly 20 percent
Anna Grez ’27 • The Scripps Voice
of neighborhoods with lower incomes and home values have experienced gentrification since 2000, compared to only 9 percent during the 1990s. The gentrification of low-income communities has led to an obvious phenomenon during Halloween, leading us to question: what correlation does gentrification have to Halloween? Due to the profitability of the holiday, the practice of trick or treating now revolves around visiting the wealthiest neighborhood in hopes of finding larger candy bars and extravagantly decorated homes. These neighborhoods are often in gentrified small pockets of great wealth. Vice writes, “As the ritziest communities host hundreds of out-of-towners, others have seen a steep decline in local activity, creating a vacuum in the door-to-door economy.” Halloween
has evidently stepped away from its community-based nature. Halloween does not cause gentrification, but it does reveal the impacts of it. A key element of this phenomenon is the question of violence. Halloween is one of the most violent days of the year. The Los Angeles Police Department reports that the city of Los Angeles sees an average of about 150 more crimes on Halloween than on a normal day, a 26% increase, from data from 2014-18. Over the course of four years, there was not a single incident of crime in Beverly Hills on Halloween and only a 0.2 in Bel Air, the two wealthiest areas in LA. In sharp comparison to Downtown LA which had a whopping 38.2 out of 100,on the crime scale of crimes per individual, east Hollywood and Santa Monica at 23.8.
Gentrification leaves low-income and middle-income areas more susceptible to crime as wealth is condensed in small communities. In these low-income areas there is drastically more violence, making Halloween unsafe for children in the area. This leads to the rush into wealthy neighborhoods bombarding streets with hundreds of families seeking to reap what the market tells them Halloween is meant to be. As the patterns of violence have changed, Halloween has changed with it. Hence, Halloween reveals the impact of gentrification on community building within a city. On a holiday that is rooted in fear of both supernatural and unfamiliar experiences, Halloween often makes communities wonder who is considered an outsider. This can lead to assumptive classist and racist points of view. In gentrified predominantly white areas there have been reports of Black and brown children being turned away while trick or treating since the early 2010s. This occurrence in a “racially polarized city” further reveals the correlation between the impacts of gentrification on communities and the festivities of Halloween. As the complexities of the history of Halloween — capitalization, violence, and increased gentrification — meet, it creates an intense melting pot for political and social complications. Halloween has grown to represent a time of fear in many communities, whether that be of violence or racism. Cultures are not costumes, and white privileged individuals should not represent themselves on this day in disrespectful manners to any race or culture. The United States has a dark history of racism in every crack. By furthering education about cultural sensitivity and history, we pave the way for a more inclusive society. By acknowledging at this time the connection between Halloween and broader issues of capitalization, violence, and gentrification we begin to explore the complexities of one of the most politically charged days of the year. Let us turn Halloween into a day of unity rather than division.
Spine-Shivering Sillies: The Pun Equivalent to “I Got a Rock”! By Belén Yudess ’25 Copy Editor Intern
A
ll truly terror-fying tropes arrive in threes: the trio of witches in Macbeth, the Hotel Transylvania saga starring Adam Sandler (he’s not in the fourth one), and the Core cycle. Yet, a much more perilous triad looms upon the horizon along with the shadow of the Stag flag waving proudly from CMC’s new science building. A third year of my trick and not very much of a treat puns!
Why did the group of Scrippsies dressed up as Ronald Dahl characters visit Pitzer on all Hallows Eve? (In honor of Lauren Marler ’24) For a [James and the Giant Peach] Pit Stop
Where did the Pomona students dressed up as Trolls (the Anna Kendrick version) decide to camp out on Halloween? Under Big Bridges
What did the Zombie tourists buy at the Scripps Store? I heart Human-i-tees
What did the Mudd professor wish their students on October 1st? Happy Hochtober!
As Oogie Boogie once said, “you’re joking, you’re joking, I can’t believe my ears,” witch is an understandable response to these not so crypt-ic puns. Once again, thank you all for trekking through another round of these grave C+ (certainly not A) puns! I wish you all a gory gourd Halloweekend, and may the Great Pumpkin Pumpkin haunt your dreams for years to come!!
Why did members of the CMS rec team dress up like Bonnie and Clyde for Halloween? Because they loved Robber-ts
27 October 2023 • The Scripps V
OWEEN
7
Dammit Janet, "Rocky Horror" is Back at It!
By Ella Young ’24 and Belén Yudess ’25
Staff Writer and Copy Editor Intern
T
he 5Cs are doing the time warp again! The 5C production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is back for a second year, sponsored by 5C theater companies Spotlight and 5x5. The 1975 cult classic follows the journey of newlyweds Brad and Janet as they spend the night in a bizarre castle with a group of outrageous and mystical individuals. Alongside a screening of the film, the show features a shadow cast made up of various students from every campus, complete with acting, lip-syncing, and dancing. After a long hiatus, the show was revived by Eli Griffin PO ’23 and Abba Wilson PO ’23 as part of their senior thesis project. The cast and crew of this year’s production hope to continue to revamp the sin-sational tradition and follow the inspirational light that burns over at the Frankenstein’s place. Although Rocky Horror is composed of an eclectic cast and crew, at the heart of the production lie director Aidan Trulove ’24 and stage manager/
Courtesy of Aidan Trulove ’24
Spotlight technical director Ash Ahrenhoerster PO ’25. Trulove was involved in last year’s production, acting as Dr. Frank-NFurter and the narrator, but being a director is a new role for her, which she is excited to take on. “I knew that I needed to do something different this year,” she said. “I was hoping to bring the experience of someone who was in multiple showings and who got to work with all the different casts and all the lovely people who did it last year. Being a director has basically allowed me to oversee the actors and technicians and just make sure everyone is getting as much joy out of it that I was able to.” As the director, Trulove is responsible for many decisions involving how to shadow cast the film. In addition to the cult classic’s famous songs and dance numbers, the film also includes many scenes and terms that can be outdated and uncomfortable for modern crowds to engage with. This includes several sexually charged scenes, violence, as well as callouts that may be distracting or off-putting. These challenges have encouraged Trulove and the rest of
the crew to think of innovative ways to update aspects of the show while maintaining the show’s integrity. “Being able to modernize [the show], because there are certain things in the original film that don’t hold up as well, is part of my role [as director],” she said. “My ultimate goal is to make sure people have fun, and that means making sure people are safe. I have a lot of experience with fight and intimacy choreography and I’ve really tried to bring that to the forefront of my directing. It’s my job to make sure that when we’re rehearsing, the actors feel safe, comfortable, and feel like they can say no because we’re not just trying to [exactly follow] the movie.” Despite these modern updates, the cast and crew keep the tradition of Rocky Horror close in mind. This concerted effort encouraged Spotlight to take on the production. “[Spotlight] decided to take on Rocky Horror this year, because it had been mostly propelled by the students who directed and stage managed it last year. It was one of their theses,” Ahrenhoerster said. “We wanted to
keep the tradition going and we had the means to do it.” This rich tradition goes beyond the bounds of the Claremont Colleges. Rocky Horror has been enduring in its appeal practically since 1975, specifically in queer communities. This history has especially influenced Trulove’s direction as she seeks to cultivate a welcoming and inclusive space for actors, crew, and audience. “[Rocky Horror] is a production by and for queer people,” Trulove said. “That was really, really important for us to continue to emphasize. We said during auditions that a character can be more masc, more femme, or more androgynous than they’re actually presented on the screen, because we want to represent the identities of the actors we have. It’s meant to be a wonderful expressive space where almost nothing is off the table.” Trulove also noted Rocky Horror’s groundbreaking significance in the queer community and how its fame and success continue to inspire queer audiences today. “I think with Rocky Horror specifically, it’s a form of media that for a lot of queer people is familiar,” she said. “Getting to do it themselves and put their own identities and their own twist on it really helps transform it from something familiar into something truly heartfelt and personal.” Ahrenhoerster echoed these glowing sentiments, saying, “It’s fun. It’s campy. It’s interactive. It’s the most energetic theatrical production you may ever see,” he said. “It’s just a good night of art and queer people.” Trulove wished to recognize the rest of her company for their dedication and the joy they bring to the space. “The cast and crew of Rocky Horror have just been absolutely phenomenal,” she said. “Come see the show to celebrate all of their hard work.” 5C students can see the production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Friday, Oct. 27 at 10:30 p.m. or Saturday, Oct. 28 at 11:59 p.m. at Seaver Labs, and students can follow their Instagram @rockyhorror5c to stay updated.
Not Another Repeat: Looking Back on Spooky Seasons at the 5Cs By Sarah Paper ’25
Staff Writer midst the chaos of midterms and the unpredictable Southern California weather, Halloweekend at The Claremont Colleges always arrives during a chaotic time in the semester. We’ll only get a handful of hot drinks, delay wearing warm jackets for as long as possible (especially when going out on the weekends), and see few colorful falling leaves. And yet Spooky Season, specifically Halloweekend, is an extremely hyped up and romanticized time here at the 5Cs, especially when compared to the usual level of enthusiasm about festivities on campus. These impending events and the anticipation surrounding them gives way for discussion around the party culture here at the 5Cs, and more importantly, how Scripps students should be thinking about how to better foster community on-campus. For both those who are new and familiar with this holiday, Halloween offers a fun time to get spooky, dress up, and enjoy all the sweet treats and warm drinks we (and our flex) can handle. The party that usually takes place on the Saturday of Halloweekend
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Voice • Volume XXXII • Issue Two
is one of the most well-attended events across the 5Cs. It’s really the only time of year a majority of party-goers end up dressing on theme, which is a refreshing and colorful spectacle to observe. Things have gotten a little disordered during Halloweekend in the past, especially in recent years. The 2021 Halloween party was held on Pitzer’s campus. It was a non-wrist banded, open capacity event that took place at the Pitzer mounds, with a fenced-off stage for performers (live musicians and DJs) beneath the clock tower. Although very successful in attendance, many students will remember this party by the somewhat treacherous human-landslide situation, induced by the combination of a sloped dance floor with the distinctly infamous mosh-style crowd concentration present at almost every Claremont party. Nevertheless, particularly for those of us who didn’t topple like dominoes, this party was incredibly lively and memorable. Last year’s Halloween party on Scripps’ campus was also distinctly memorable. After about an hour of students arriving upon the scene, campus security was overwhelmed as gates were pushed aside and the
main entrance was stampeded. This was the result of a rapidly growing line due to many students possessing false wristbands. The former 5C Events Chair on Scripps Associated Students (SAS) commented on the extremely limited capacity Scripps’ students currently possess for hosting events, and how that contributed to the abrupt ending of Scripps’ 2022 Halloween party. “I think the fact that there was only one event going out on campus [that night], and it was severely limited in who could attend, just causes a huge issue of people feeling excluded,” she said. “If you want to have more manageable parties, there should actually be more parties going on every night so there aren’t as many people in one place.” Recent changes in the Guide to Student Life have re-allowed for 5C clubs to host events on Scripps’ campus, although SAS is still the only organization that is allowed to host 5C parties. Hosting more than one of these events within the extensive amount of guidelines (for permitting, capacity, security, etc.) and within our budget, has not yet been possible since returning to campus in 2021. Variances across the 5Cs in terms of
event funding, permitting, capacity, and wrist-banding are normal, but at Scripps many of the upperclassmen have watched the event scene here, particularly Scripps nightlife, disappear. “It’s highly problematic if we have a culture where the only places we can go to party are CMC,” said the former 5C Events Chair. “I think having majority female environments where you’re allowed to be social is really important in building our community.” L a s t H a l l o w e e k e n d b ro u g h t up a more critical concept in our Scripps events culture, especially since easing restrictions since the COVID-19 shutdown.The amount of time, restrictions, and supervision that is required to host gatherings here eradicates opportunities for spontaneity and organic community gatherings, which has a negative impact campus-wide. Whether you’d prefer to go out to a party or hang out in the common room with friends, every Scrippsie is looking for community. Moving forward, students and admin should be able to work together to facilitate a more connected community, whether it be through student-led events or changes in policies.
8 • Column
Satire: Answers to Questions You Didn’t Ask
By Aviva V. Maxon ’24 and Belen Yudess ’25 Staff Writer and Copy Editor Intern
H
ello, we’re back at it again. Since you enjoyed our first advice column so much, and we had the best advice you’ve ever heard, we’re back with more. Q: I forgot about Halloween and now I don’t have a costume! What should I be? A: I’ll tell you who you shouldn’t be: any of the gay people from Bottoms — that too closely resembles the angsty, delusional queer girlie you’re already spending countless retro Band-Aids and violent fantasies trying to become. This has been a year full of iconic bros who you should absolutely take the opportunity to honor this Halloween. Ken, Jeff, the many men who proposed during Love Story throughout the Eras Tour; so many powerful, confident, and musically adept men who will help you discover your inner mojo dojo. Remember those men who totally didn’t stampede last year’s Halloween party? Well this year, that could be you — the patriarchy incarnate, the JEFF! of the Claremont Colleges. Don’t let Halloween limit your transformation either, but become your chosen warrior year-round, 24/7. That’s exactly what the 5Cs
need more of, an army of welldressed Swifties (Travis Kelce’s version) who are brave enough to stand after getting unjustly tapped by a stationary Camp Sec golf cart or must wait after being denied the last scoop of chips on taco night. Q: Who puts the pumpkin in front of Denison? A: This is a mystery to all. It might be Ellen Browning Scripps herself, or Ella Strong Denison. Maybe it’s one of the several Ellens or Ellas that frolick these very campuses, (Ellen) Hu ’24 knows? It might be the facilities people. It might be you, or your roommate. The world will never know, but legend has it, if there is not a pumpkin outside of Denison, the carvings on the doors will be sad. Q: Is Scripps really haunted? A: Obviously. This is a silly question. Eleanor Joy Toll is viscerally shaking her head and cursing the laundry machines as we speak. Next time the swipe system breaks down as you attempt to wash every pair of underwear you own, know that you brought this upon yourself. The real question is, which areas of Scripps are the most haunted? You’re in luck, dearest reader, for we have done a very scientific (vibe check) and well-detailed (crafted hours before the article due date) list of Scripps’ scariest spots where you can be sure to encounter giggling
ghouls in the next couple of weeks! The Motley is haunted by the ghosts of Motley coupons spent on small vanilla lattes — so much wasted potential! This is your chance to fill your 7-Eleven slurpee container with an iced or hot sweet chai matcha with oat soy milk, and blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, and pumpkin syrup with cucumber whipped cream and cold foam. All for free! As Timothée Chalamet dressed as Willy Wonka will say in the foreseeable future, “sugar, sugar, sugar, yay!” Seal court is haunted by a duo of walruses with monocles who were rejected as the original mascots of the area. They were so excited to make their big debut as the iconic figureheads of one of the most popular spots on campus, but alas, they, along with Cecil the Seagull, were not chosen for this honor. Yet the disgruntled walruses still make their presence known every time you hear a random bark when there is nary the hair of a dog in sight. And of course, we can’t forget about GJW. GJW rhymes with boo. And that’s what ghosts say. Now that’s girl math! Q: I saw a ghost, now I’m afraid! A: Dear reader, this is not a question, so I pose some questions in return: why are you afraid? Is it the unexpectedness of a spirit? The
ever growing closeness of death? Is it that you see what the future and eternity holds for you? Why does a ghost scare you? Is the ghost afraid of you? Honestly the ghost has much more to be upset by. You walked into their home and then screamed as if they weren’t there. That’s not very cash money of you. Q: What’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show? Should I go? A: It is a show that has pictures, not much horror besides the line to get inside, and a man who isn’t really a man named Rocky. There are always many virgins present, and you’ll be singled out for this, so don’t worry if it’s your first time. Do not be a normie and miss this one. If you don’t go, we have forged alliances with all of the ghouls roaming the halls in order to haunt your air conditioning vents for eternity. You thought you were already freezing in your forced Dorsey triple? That’s nothing in comparison to the frozen tundras of a third floor Routt room. Think about the potential curses of housing registration before deciding on whatever will happen on a Saturday night. Well dear reader, this concludes our advice for the night. Make sure that you find your own frights and play nice with the ghosts, ghouls, and gays.
5C Flavors: Come! Collins is Collin Your Name
Maria Duan ’27 Staff Writer
H
m … it’s almost time for dinner. Why don’t I check the dining hall menus to see where the best eats are? I always went through these exact motions, checking from left to right: Hoch, McConnel, Malott, and finally Frary. Without a doubt, Collins was always the one left out on my pre-dinner scroll. I’m not sure where Collins, Claremont McKenna’s dining hall, received its infamous reputation as the worst dining location in the 5Cs. Upon arriving on campus this August, I felt like everyone, especially returners, had made it a goal to spread the word. General statements about Collins usually go something like this: “Eh, it’s not bad, there are just way better options. Seriously, what is CMC doing with all that endowment money if it’s not being spent on better food?” Alternate versions of these declarations echoed through my brain chamber constantly until one day, I surrendered to them and unconsciously made it my own opinion as well. Fueled by my preconceived notions of Collins and (perhaps) the slight grudge almost every 5C student harbored against the other schools, I avoided the CMC dining hall for as long as I could. It was only when some friends of
mine suggested going to Collins that I first stepped foot in there. Upon entry, one can see the impressive array of food stations: one for fresh fruits and salads, two islands for other cuisines, and about three more sections on the wall. My personal favorite feature was the dessert corner; how could one possibly choose amongst such a wide variety of baked goods, puddings, pies, and ice cream? Aside from an extensive range of food selections, Collins’ atmosphere also entices students to join in a meal. There is ample seating at almost any time during meal service, and the room itself gives off a spacious and clean aura. Four sculpture pieces surround the building’s front, newly installed just three years ago. The style is very much contemporary and open to interpretation, much like CMC’s overall architecture. Malott may have been a past art museum, but only in Collins can you munch on your meal whilst admiring “Four Loops” or “The Enigma of Pleasure” from your seat. I had always noticed Collins’ extra time slot at 10:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on the 5C Menu app, but I never really thought to explore it. Surprisingly, from Monday to Thursday, CMC students can come to the dining hall at this time to enjoy even more food. This perk can easily be accessible by non-CMC students, albeit at your
own risk since the dining hall staff rarely checks for student IDs due to the immense rush of students. Between the freshly fried onion rings, cereal, cut fruit, and dessert bar, how could one not love an evening snack? Lastly, CMC offers an alternate avenue for you to partake in their food: the Athenaeum, also known as the Ath. Located on the opposite side of the Hub, it can often be overlooked if one doesn’t take the initiative to find it. Known as CMC’s signature program, all 5C students, faculty, and alumni can dress up and enjoy a fancy and delicious dining experience accompanied by discourse led by some of the brightest minds in their fields. The Ath has a different team of caterers that prepare food specifically for the event itself,
resulting in an overall more tasty and comfortable experience. In terms of the discussion topics, CMC makes sure to cover a wide range. Recent Athenaeum speakers have presented on the American Constitution, the U.S. Military in relation to the Ukraine War, feminist discourse in mainstream culture, and various original works of writing and film. Although the programming is pretty extensive with a general run time of two hours, there’s a lot to be gained from the experience both gastronomically and intellectually. Whether it be Collins itself or the other eating opportunities that CMC offers, don’t hesitate to give them a try; sometimes, the best things happen where you least expect them, even if it is at the notorious Collins.
27 October 2023 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXII • Issue Two
Ellen Hu ‘24 • The Scripps Voice
Crossword • 9
Crossword: Spooky, Scary Scripps
ACROSS 4. The fall flavor 6. How many ghosts haunt The Scripps Voice? 9. Slimy spheres 10. Phoebe Bridgers’ Halloween 13. Fictional family associated with all things spooky 15. How many nights are you at Freddy’s? 16. Halloween host that doesn’t believe in wristbands 17. All the monsters are doing it 19. Famous vampire 20. Knotts ____ Farm 22. Witches’ city in Massachusetts 24. What’s haunting Toll? 27. Not a treat 29. Michael Jackson as a zombie 30. Location of on-campus trick or treating 31. He’s just ____ 32. Weapon of choice at last year’s Halloween party 36. A friendly ghost 38. Let’s do the ____ again 39. Bare bones
DOWN 1. Halloween event hosted in the Village on Oct. 22 2. Why did members of the CMS rec team dress up like Bonnie and Clyde for Halloween? 3. Don’t say his name three times 5. Where do pumpkins mysteriously appear at Scripps? 7. Fall seasonal drink at the Motley, sponsored by The Neighbourhood 8. The last one standing 11. Could also be a Christmas movie 12. Six of these movies have been made 14. Your straight football fan boyfriend’s costume 18. Halloween cult classic 21. College students’ biggest holiday 22. 2022 Halloween-gate 23. Halloween’s Michael 25. Broom and black cat handlers 26. Button eyed 28. It’s the Great Pumpkin, ___! 33. Why Taylor Swift can’t turn back now 34. What Tiernan is afraid of 35. No pleaseee, she’s a staaaar 37. Christian girl ___
27 October 2023 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXII • Issue Two
Arts and Entertainment • 10
Now Streaming: Cults, Gays, and the Psychological Consequences of Being Abandoned in the Wilderness for Nineteen Months
Anna Grez ’27 and Georgia French ’27 Staff Writers Contains spoilers for Yellowjackets
S
howtime’s Yellowjackets is a thriller — and thrill, it indeed does. But just why is it so scary? We watch the characters’ mental decline as they freeze and starve in the inhospitable wilderness. At the same time, we are left wondering if — or what — unexplainable supernatural forces are at work. The show holds such an obvious resemblance to Lord of the Flies that we assumed it was a loose adaptation. The fundamental differences in dynamics between the novel and Yellowjackets evolve from the distinction between the group's makeup — the former being prepubescent boys and the latter being high school girls. For the stranded boys, confidence,
physical dominance, and the sense of audacity only a 12-year-old boy could have are essential qualities of the leader. Power is given to the strong and loud rather than the intelligent. In comparison, Lottie’s (Courtney Eaton/Simone Kessel) emerging leadership in Yellowjackets comes not from her brashness or wilderness skills but from her unexplainable skill of soothing the group in distressing times. Her power comes from her ability to de-escalate the danger of a situation. Despite the less glaring aggression in the Yellowjackets’ dynamic, they eventually fall into a community just as brutal as that of Lord of the Flies. Their psychological calculations and personal vendettas proved to be more destructive. The cause of Jackie’s (Ella Purnell) death — while technically freezing to death overnight — was a brutal fight with Shauna (Sophie Nélisse/Melanie Lynskey), leading her
Crossword Answers ACROSS
DOWN
4. Pumpkin spice 6. Three 9. Eyeball 10. Punisher 13. Addams 15. Five 16. Pitzer 17. Mash 19. Dracula 20. Scary 22. Salem 24. Ghost 27. Trick 29. Thriller 30. Balch 31. Ken 32. Fire extinguisher 36. Casper 38. Timewarp 39. Skeleton
1. Spooktacular 2. Robberts 3. Beetlejuice 5. Denison 7. Sweater Weather 8. Final girl 11. Nightmare 12. Scream 14. Travis Kelce 18. Rocky Horror 21. Halloweekend 22. Scripps 23. Myers 25. Witch 26. Coraline 28. Charlie Brown 33. Haunted 34. Boobs 35. Pearl 37. Autumn
to sleep outside in the snow. Fueled by exceedingly vulnerable personal issues, the argument left Jackie so mentally wounded she opted for the physically dangerous wilderness over the security of the cabin. Jackie’s need for distance from Shauna was greater than her need for literal shelter, making this avoidable death all the more painful. Lottie’s character was perhaps the most terrifying, and vastly augments the show’s fear factor all on her own. From the beginning, she has a clear connection to the wilderness, eerily referred to as “it” throughout the show. Her leadership inspires the emerging cult in season two, something she mirrors in her “wellness retreat” in the present-day timeline. The scariness of the show is derived from the ominously unknowable aspects of this force. We are left to rationalize for ourselves: is "it" an outside force trying to control them or, more terrifyingly, a hallucination from their own collective delirium? One draw to the show for many was the promise of queer representation. While the show certainly includes this, some things were left to be desired. The two main couples in the 1996 timeline, Taissa & Van (Jasmin Savoy Brown/Tawny Cypress & Liv Hewson/ Lauren Ambrose) and Natalie & Travis (Sophie Thatcher/Juliette Lewis & Kevin Alves/Andres Soto), are established fairly quickly following the crash. Travis and Natalie grow closer over their daddy issues and their shared role as hunters for the group. Van and Taissa bond quickly and have a stable, though still deeply traumatic, relationship throughout this timeline. Despite the simultaneous existence of both relationships, Van and Taissa are overshadowed by the utter drama of Natalie and Travis’ on-again, offagain dynamic. Yellowjackets had every opportunity to focus on the former’s relationship, and yet we are
Photo Courtesy of Showtime
forced to fill in the blanks. Speaking of queer relationships, there is an undeniable vibe between … all my lesbians say it with me ... Jackie and Shauna! Although they never admit any feelings for each other, the heavy implication parallels relationships many queer women have prior to realizing their sexuality. Let's lay out the pieces: Shauna and Jackie are close — best friends, in fact. But best friends don’t sleep with their best friend’s boyfriend. Shauna does just this after feeling a lack of attention from Jackie. Her infatuation leads her to seek comfort in the closest thing she can get to Jackie — Jackie’s partner. Jackie is established in the first episode to show little attraction to Jeff (Warren Kole). The only time we see her wanting to be with a man is after she finds out that Shauna slept with Jeff. Who sleeps with a random guy to take revenge against your best friend? Subconsciously or not, Jackie is clearly attempting to make Shauna jealous. Shauna also finds support in Taissa, one of the only other queer characters, throughout their experience. All of this suggests a — at least heavily coded — queer dynamic between Shauna and Jackie. Disappointingly, Shauna’s sexuality in the present day timeline was never explored, and the plot instead revolved around her heterosexual affair. Now that season three is officially back on, there is hope for our unanswered questions: Is “it” real or just a symptom of their shared trauma? Will Shauna’s sexuality be explored in its entirety? Which timeline will be focused on next season? And finally, will the third season be filled with the cultish aspects, gay undertones, and occasional murder which make the first two so addicting?
27 October 2023 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXII • Issue Two
Arts and Entertainment • 11
Now Showing: We Are So Back: “Blue Beetle’s” Revival of 2000s Shitty Superhero Movies
Courtesy of The Art of VFX By Carah Allen ’26 Webmaster Contains spoilers for Blue Beetle
O
h yeah, we’re back, baby. Amid superhero fatigue, Blue Beetle shakes the world awake much like the cardiac-arrest-inducing lattes from the Motley and gives us what we’ve oh so desperately been missing — shitty 2000s-reminiscent superhero movies. Gone are the days of 20-year lore, dreary color-grading, and seemingly homoerotic tension between Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, and welcomed are the days of good, old-aged, silly movies! Angel Manuel Soto’s Blue Beetle brings back the lovable nature of superhero movies with a perfect combination of lovable and relatable characters, questionable acting, boring love interests, and a movable plot. With Marvel and DC attempting
to get the next big money hit at the box office, the name of superhero movies has been lost for the better part of a decade. In recent superhero movie releases, it seems corporations have preferred quantity over quality. Most Marvel and DC movies haven’t reached over 80% on Rotten Tomatoes in the past couple of years, with some movies (ahem — Dr. Strange: Multiverse of Madness (2022)) even reaching as low as 38%. I’ve been a superhero movie lover since the age of eight when my dad took me to watch Avengers (2012) at a drive-in theater in the middle of country bumpkin Texas. Over the last decade, I’ve witnessed the really high highs of superhero movies but also the really low lows the past couple of years have brought. In my own opinion, DC Extended Universe movies have never been the most promising. Justice League (2016) was a disgrace to humanity
and movie creators worldwide, Batman v Superman (2016) was a snoozefest, and Suicide Squad (2016) was a bit bland. Even with James Gunn and Peter Safran taking over DC Studios, I still didn’t have much faith in the studio to give DC the big push they needed. My worries were strengthened even more with the release of The Flash (2023) and the mess of a rollout that movie presented. Going into Blue Beetle, it’s safe to say I was scared and had severely low expectations. The trailers looked great and the main actor, Xolo Maridueña, is gorgeous. But a pretty face can only go so far in movie-making. With my apprehension towards the quality of the movie, you can imagine my shock when I was the loudest one laughing in the theater and even caught a few tears rolling down my cheek. Blue Beetle was a refreshing take on superhero movies. Instead of the rich, white playboy or the loser white man we see in most superhero movies, Blue Beetle focuses on Mexican-American Jaimes Reyes — a recent college graduate (first of his family) and his venture back home to Palmera City. One of the movie’s most moving storylines centers on the effects of gentrification on low-income Latinx families — a surprising and rareto-find plotline within superhero movies. The emotions in Blue Beetle are amplified by how lovable each character is. The Reyes family is incredibly tight-knit, and their love for each other radiates to the audience with the chemistry between each family member. The sister-brother dynamic between Jaimes and Milagro is your typical sibling relationship, with playful bantering covering copious amounts of unspoken love and care. Everyone in the Reyes family is a core member, and with one member not present, the audience can physically and emotionally feel their absence. This is exemplified by how heartwrenching the death of the father was. I’m not usually one to cry during movies, but the loss of Alberto Reyes broke my heart to the point a few sniffles and multiple tears were shed. The grief presented by all of the family members was intense and felt unbelievably real. Blue Beetle also brings back the comedic tone of superhero movies that has been missing. Some of the jokes are knee-slapping and tear-jerking good that had me cackling like a hyena. Jaimes’s first transformation into the Blue
Beetle is possibly in my top 10 of the funniest scenes in a superhero movie. George Lopez also adds a ridiculous amount of charm to each scene that is absolutely undeniable. The constant back-and-for th between characters generates hilarious conversation and even better one-liners. Other jokes and scenes in the movie are a bit more cringe-y, but they’re enough to make you let out a little giggle b ehi n d y o u r han d rat her t han a cringe that has you retract in your seat out of pure shame and second-hand embarrassment. The movie falls short with the love interest (as most superhero movies do). Brazilian model and actress Bruna Marquezine plays J e n n i f e r K o r d , J a i m e s ’s l o v e interest and the deuteragonist of the movie. Compared to her counterparts, Marquezine’s acting isn’t strong, and to be frank, it seems she graduated from the Gal Gadot School of Acting. Her chemistry with the Reyes family is weak, and the audience isn’t able to feel as strong of a connection to her as they do with the family. Specifically, the romance between Jennifer and Jaimes is flat, with no real buildup or tension throughout the movie. The end kiss between the two felt so off-putting I had to look away at one point. However, even i f J e n n i f e r a n d J a m i e s a r e n’ t Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone levels of sexual tension that have you rearranging your Pinterest mood boards at midnight, the on-screen awkwardness between the characters adds to the cringeworthy comfortableness of the movie. With the change in figureheads at DC, I was more than skeptical about the state of the corporation. But James Gunn and Angel Soto, I have to apologize. It seems I was unfamiliar with your game. At the end of the movie, I was thoroughly pleased with the results of Blue Beetle. The lovable nature of the Reyes family, in addition to the perfect mix of genuinely hilarious jokes and some more cringier moments, is enough to oversee the flatness of Jennifer Kord’s character and her romance with Jaimes. Blue Beetle successfully brought back fun to the movie theater – a feeling I haven’t experienced with superhero movies since the release of Deadpool (2016) and the original Spider-Man movies. From the bottom of my heart, I recommend everyone to give Blue Beetle a watch and enjoy the sheer fun you have while watching. Rating: 3.5/5
27 October 2023 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXII • Issue Two
Feature • 12
Fall Horoscopes
By Izzy Silva ’24 Horoscope Columnist
Aries March 21 - April 19
Leo July 23 - August 22
Sagittarius November 22 - December 21
As we are in the middle of the semester when everything is getting busy, it is important to remember to not overcommit. Aries, pick one thing and follow through. You don’t have to do 15 things at once.
The weather during this time of year is challenging for Leos in Southern California. One day it’s a crisp 60 and the next it’s a blazing Claremont 95. You are known for your fashion sense – make a new trend to fit this weather. I promise people will follow.
Sagittarius, everyone forgets you are a fire sign and when your season is. Have people be reminded of this! Loudly exclaim that your birthday is kind of soon! You can justify it, you are good at arguing!
Taurus April 20 - May 20
Virgo August 23 - September 22
Capricorn December 22 - January 19
Take a deep breath, the semester is not over. You have many weeks. Go shopping, go for a walk, or go to the movies! No, finals are not coming right up! Relax.
Oh, Capricorn. Just like Virgo, you are suffering mid-semester. What better advice to give but to say: go to an apple picking orchard… there might be goats!
The middle of things sit well with you. You like to be in the groove of things and with a set schedule. Prepare yourself for chaos to begin, but stay strong! Change is okay. Each of our suitemates has a oneof-a-kind sense of self and expresses it to the world through their personal style. This is our celebration of the people and place we love.
Gemini May 21 - June 20
Libra September 22 - October 22
Aquarius January 20 - February 18
F e e l l i k e y o u c a n’ t e n j o y y o u r birthday season because of all the midterm stress? Fear no more. Tell people that for a belated birthday present you would like them to make you study guides for all of your exams as gifts! It will definitely work.
You need constant change – midsemester is like a nightmare for you! To help, you should try a new laundry detergent. Sometimes the mundane changes make for an exciting twist. You are probably almost out of your previous detergent anyways!
Cancer June 21 - July 22
Scorpio June 21 - July 22
Pisces February 19 - March 20
Mid-semester tears are super normal. However, take a break from the sad movies and sit down to watch the worst spoof movie you can find on the internet. You can’t cry and laugh at the same time (this is debatable).
Halloween is soon! What goes perfectly with Halloween is pranking people – but in a safe way! Pull some very lowkey, no mess, not too scary, and tame pranks on your friends! Make them elaborate, we know you’re good at this.
Yo u w i l l b e a p p r o a c h e d b y a stranger who will give you a very specific piece of advice in your near future. Listen closely, this will determine your entire future. No pressure!
You may be scrambled trying to do everything at once. I recommend spending at least a few hours focusing on a specific project to focus your mind. Perhaps get into jewelry making?
Lola Fish By Rebecca Allen ’25 Staff Writer
War Takes Us All By Aviva V. Maxon ’24 Staff Writer
Lola Fish was the name of my childhood best friend. Her parents were hippies from upstate and let her run wild. She used to write “make love not war” in chalk on people’s front doors, then she’d bike over and tell me about it. Together, we spent hours at the creek, looking for salamanders and newts. She was always better at spotting them. In high school, she cut her hair and became a different person. She started taking the train into the city, walking along the Hudson for hours.
She told me about it once, about the late evenings in the park and the things she saw there. Back then, I thought she was lying, now I’m not so sure. Before I left for college, I asked if she would miss me. She said I was being childish and looked down. As she hugged me, I noticed her shoelaces were untied. She walked away and didn’t look back once. She doesn’t know my name anymore, and there’s smoke in the sky and she had the last word, as usual.
Terror moves through every inch of my body As friends recount And re count The lost and missing on their slim hands My soul is drained, pooling in my Stomach As the news seeps further into my Muscles. There is nothing to do but hide, there is nothing to do Waiting and wondering And hoping For the freedom we were promised My mother got on a train, When she was 10 years old to run away, to a better life My brother got on a plane, When he was 21 years old to fight for a country, that Saved us While I fear for those on the ground, And those waiting For the WhatsApp notifications, saying everyone is still
alive, I fear for myself and I fear the joy In the faces of those who only See us as the oppressors Terror fills Every inch of my being Terror for those Half a world away And terror for my own selfishness Terror that my own sense of safety and acceptance will disappear Because if we can’t be free There We will never be free Here When we go back ‘home’ we oppress and colonize But when we stay here we are foreigners who only cause problems And when i say “I have a Jewish problem” There’s a myriad of things i mean
27 October 2023 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXII • Issue Two