Walk / March demands end to victim shaming September 21, 2016 The Signal page 3
David Colby / Photo Assistant
Students use their own experiences to raise awareness of how women are mistreated. continued from page 1 National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women in college will be sexually assaulted, while a 2010 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that “lesbian, gay and bisexual people experience sexual violence
at similar or higher rates than heterosexuals.” These statistics are part of the reason why the protestors call our culture a “rape culture.” Sophomore psychology major Gigi Garrity, WILL cochair of internal affairs, defines rape culture as “a very negative, very violent culture that, unfortunately, has been very
prevalent in our lives — a lot of times in microaggressions.” As she said this, Bridget Appleby wrote a quote on Garrity’s thighs from someone who had previously told her she flirted too much — “You will open your legs for anyone.” This is part of the definition of “slut” — a word that implies women who take control of their own sex lives are dirty, and a word that perpetuates rape culture. It is why Kurnyta and others want to reclaim the word “slut” with events like the Slutwalk. Garrity also touched on microaggressions, which she defined as “subtle but offensive comments or actions directed at a minority or other nondominant groups that is often unintentional.” Sarah Almeda, a freshman computer science major at her first slutwalk, shared a memory where someone asked, “Why are you wearing makeup? You already have a boyfriend.” This is an example of a microaggression, since someone implied Almeda was wearing makeup to impress boys. Almeda felt it was important to wear makeup to the protest because she likes makeup. This event also lets rape survivors know that there are people on their side. Rape survivor and alumna Jennie Sekanics (’16) gave a poignant speech in which she shared details of what she remembers from that night. She admitted that for years, she was hesitant to call it a rape, but she had an epiphany she shared in her speech: she shamed herself into thinking that it was her fault because she should have known better. Self-shaming is how women feel in a victim-blaming rape culture, and these protestors rallied to change that. “If there’s lack of agency over your body, you’re not free,” Kurnyta said. “Rape culture must come to an end.”
James / Former Signal editor
disscusses life as a journalist Want to be on the Want to be on the other other side of this paper? side of this paper?
Queally shares how he uses Twitter as a notepad. continued from page 1
parasite, when they’re in the middle of… a life-altering situation,” he said. “Treat people like people. It’s that simple.” With that mantra in mind, Queally set out to tell a new narrative about Ferguson, one that didn’t center around riots and fires in the streets. Around Thanksgiving, he found “Momma Cat,” a 53-year-old woman named Cat Daniels who had been serving Sunday meals to demonstrators outside the Ferguson Police Department’s headquarters nearly every week. Daniels saw herself as a mentor to the younger generation of protesters. “This, to me, summed up the center of what I saw in the protests,” Queally said. “It’s not what you’re getting on CNN. It’s not what you’re getting on Twitter. There, you’re getting fire… riots… looting. This is happening, but everyone can tell you that story. I don’t need to be there to tell you that story.” Besides finding innovative story angles, Queally practices a novel method of note-taking. He described the typical cliché journalist to the audience — the ones with their notepads out, furiously scribbling down detailed notes, much like
Connor Smith / Sports Editor
many of the students in the audience. But, Queally said, that’s not always the case when covering long-term stories, like the tensions in Ferguson. There and beyond, Queally said he uses his Twitter feed as a notepad. “I post 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 (tweets) in a couple hour span — probably more than that,” he said as he gestured to his own Twitter feed on the projection screen. “This is your notepad. I try to set a scene later by looking at this.” From social media to photography to videography, Queally noted that journalists are expected to be jacks of all trades. “(It’s about) trying to… serve both needs, web and traditional print side, without compromising one or the other,” he said. That’s not an easy task, but it’s a necessary one for journalists in the digital age. Queally impressed upon students the importance of embracing the digital side of reporting without “neutering” traditional journalism. But above all, he encouraged them to find a career that makes them happy. “I have not felt in seven years like getting up and going to work felt like work,” he said. “If you can find that job, you need to stay in that job.”
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