THE
The Kalamazoo College Student Newspaper
INDEX Established in 1877
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Wednesday, May 18, 2011 Eighth Week
mentality about Crystal Ball. He cited the recent campus discussion about Frelon’s “Man Dance” as an example of this shift. “I think gender relations are at the forefront of everybody’s mind, and Crystal Ball becomes an opportunity to continue those conversations,” said Wedding. “But we think that these conversations need to be happening on a regular basis and not just once a year.” Hinkhouse, this year’s Kaleidoscope president, also wore a blue sundress. She spoke about her daily relationship with bending gender norms through clothing. “In some ways I perform drag everyday,” she said. “I would love to be wearing a tux right now; I’m way more comfortable in that.” She stressed the concept of costume intentionality to the audience. “At least know what you’re doing. Don’t dress one way because that’s what everyone else is doing.” After Crystal Ball, Hinkhouse said she felt that this intentional participation was up from previous years.
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n Friday, May 14, Kaleidoscope sponsored the third annual Crystal Ball community reflection. Junior Max Wedding and senior Hallie Hinkhouse led the chapel, filled with an audience of about thirty, in a reflection on stereotyping gender roles and what they hoped to see at this year’s “Empire State of Drag.” Wedding, a Kaleidoscope member, wore a backless blue sundress and gave a brief history of Crystal Ball, which began as an exclusive social event where members of Kaleidescope could express themselves in a safe space. But according to Wedding, after the organization chose to open the event to the entire campus, it strayed from its original intention. “The mantra became, guys dress like girls; girls dress like sluts,” he said. “And this only served to reinforce the gender norms.” However, Wedding said that he thinks K is moving towards a more thoughtful and intentional
Drag reflections: Senior Kaleidoscope President Hallie Hinkhouse and junior member Max Wedding both dressed in drag for their talk at this week’s chapel reflection. Bottom right: Sophomore Gina Massari on the dance floor at Crystal Ball.
“Just witnessing from what people were wearing, it went really well,” she said. “Intellectual thought about what people were wearing was heightened.” Hinkhouse recalls ambulances outside the event to assist dangerously intoxicated students during her freshman year. This year, of the estimated 1,050 attendees, six students and three guests were removed from the dance due to alcohol intoxication, according to
Security Director Tim Young. “There were probably more that had been drinking, but those were the ones that had stood out,” Young said. Hinkhouse hopes to see Crystal Ball develop into a week-long examination of gender rather than a one-night party. “The campus really just wants to dance,” said Hinkhouse. “This is Kaleidoscope’s event. Shouldn’t we be able to define it for ourselves?”
Photo by Chandler Smith
By Elaine Ezekiel News Editor
Photo by Elain Ezekiel
Student organizers reflect on and anticipate Crystal Ball 2011
New student organization raises aid to support a post-disaster Japan By Jennifer Wendel Staff Writer
visit from her father gave her a new perspective on the March events. While visiting K, Kutsumi said her father stayed attentive to the Japanese news. She said he told her that as a citizen of Japan, he feels it is his social obligation to grieve with the victims of the
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eam Japan, Kalamazoo College’s newest student organization, held two events this quarter to raise awareness about post-tsunami Japan. Senior Yuka Kutsumi, who is originally from Japan, started the group after a
affected area. “What I knew was just through the media here; I didn’t even know the atmosphere of Japan,” said Kutsumi. “I wanted to be a messenger between Japan and here.” Team Japan’s first held a memorial service in Stetson Chapel
where they observed a minute of silence for victims of the tsunami, discussed how Japan prepares for tsunamis and started an open discussion about the usefulness of nuclear power plants. They group also hosted a fundraiser on the quad and raised $734 for the Japanese Red Cross by selling bubble
tea and hosting a raffle. Kutsumi wanted more people to understand that Japan is functioning again. “I want to [clarify] the misunderstanding,” she said. Though the name will change, the group has decided to continue next year as a Japanese cultural club.
Arcus Center Unveiled
“Cruising” Card Game
First Food Truck
Off-Campus Athletes
A building plan is drafted for the social justice and leadership homebase.
dabong!, a card game invented by K professors, sold out its first supply on Amazon.
Gorilla Gourmet, the first food truck to settle in Kalamazoo, serves street food with a twist.
A look at K athletes who leave campus to compete.
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