April 12, 2017 Issue by On the Record News (Formerly the Ryersonian)

Headline goes Rye startup here xxxx xxxx wins xxxxxx xxx xxx Google grant page 2

Mass Exodus pages 6-7

yersonian R WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2017

ryersonian.ca Volume 71 Number 22

Produced by the Ryerson School of Journalism

Campus ‘sugar babies’ BROOKLYN NEUSTAETER RYERSONIAN

Being a university student in Ontario comes at a high price. Tuition rates are some of the highest in the country and with the current rent crisis, housing in downtown Toronto is unaffordable for students working at minimum wage. For some, being able to afford the high cost of living in the city while attending university means becoming a sugar baby. According to SeekingArrangement.com, a growing number of Ryerson students are becoming sugar babies to pay for post-secondary education costs. The company’s annual list of “Fastest Growing Sugar Baby Schools” in Canada was released earlier this year.

Equal Pay Protest Ryerson midwifery grad Tara Wodelet listens to Fay Faraday Tuesday during a demonstration for equal pay for women. April 11 is Equal Pay Day in Ontario. This date symbolizes how far into the new year women must work to earn what men earned the previous year. Read more online.

Please see SUGAR, page 3

What’s online Text goes Xxxxx xxx xx xto x. get Xxxxx xxxxxup Xxxxx Head overhere. to ryersonian.ca caught on xxx xx x x. Xxxxx xxxxx Xxxxx xxx xx x x. Xxxxx xxxxx Humans of Ryerson, read about a new building Xxxxxxx xxxxx Xxxxx xxx xx x x. Xxxxx xxxxx Xxxxxxx on campus more. xxxxx Xxxxxand xxx so xx much x x. Xxxxx xxxxx Xxxxxxx xxxxx Xxxxx xxx xx x x. Xxxxx xxxxx Xxxxx

LUKE GALATI | RYERSONIAN

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Pressure to pay the bills

News

page 5 Wednesday, April 12, 2017

DMZ alumni startup wins big from Google JESSICA VOMIERO RYERSONIAN

A tech company that was born in the DMZ has received $750,000 from Google for its digital education technology. The company, The Rumie Initiative, was one of the winners of the Google.org Impact Challenge. It is an opportunity for registered non-profit organizations and charities to compete for grant funding from Google as well as mentorship from the tech giant. “It’s great to see Google acknowledging ‘The Rumie Initiative,’ a DMZ-based non-profit startup that is moving the needle to build a better world through technology,” said Abdullah Snobar, executive director of the DMZ.

JESSICA VOMIERO | RYERSONIAN

Hani Al Moulia, of the Prime Minister’s Youth Council, and Rumie’s Tariq Fancy.

Rumie founder Tariq Fancy accepted the grant on March 30. Rumie is an educational startup that specializes in two methods of delivering education

to remote communities. The first way Rumie does this is through solar-powered tablets, which give underprivileged kids access to basic educational materials.

and of exceptional potential for research and student engagement,” according to a statement from the university. The search for someone to fill the position is currently underway. The appointed person will be “an international leader who will foster collaborations beyond the academic community, building connections with public and community organizations,” said

dean of the Faculty of Arts, Pam Sugiman. The chair will also be in charge of developing the new curriculum and hosting public panels with community groups particularly focused on citizen engagement. Stephen A. Jarislowsky, founder and president of the Jarislowsky Foundation, told the university he believes Ryerson is the right institution to lead the study of democracy.

The second way it does this is through its online repository of learning resources, which is a database sourced through the work of multiple volunteers. “Their pre-loaded, solar-powered tablets are improving the access to basic educational materials to underprivileged children in several parts of the world including Haiti, Liberia and Syria to name a few,” said Snobar. Merone Tadesse, the business development representative for Rumie, said that she’s always wanted to work for a company like Rumie because of its different approach to solving problems. “I have long been passionate about education. It’s something that I studied in school and I also majored in international development.

“I was really a fan of the way Rumie took a unique approach to tackling these really entrenched problems and really had an ambition to hit the ground running and be based in these communities,” she said. Other winners included World Wide Hearing Foundation International, the Arctic Elder Society and Peace Geeks Society. Another DMZ alumni group, Growing North, earned a finalist prize of $250,000. “This is a country with humanitarianism and innovation baked into its DNA, and that comes out in these big ideas to make the world better through technology,” said Jacquelline Fuller, managing director of Google.org.

“Ryerson University’s reputation for innovation and its deep commitment to an engaged

citizenship in Toronto and beyond make it a strategic choice for this impactful position.” Jarislowsky, a Canadian businessman, founded the Jarislowsky Foundation in 1991. The foundation has since created 31 chairs across a number of Canadian universities in the fields of medicine, business, governance and arts and humanities.

@JessicaVomiero

$2M to create new democracy chair MONIQUE JAGPAL RYERSONIAN

A $2-million donation from the Jarislowsky Foundation will create a new research chair in the study and advancement of democracy at Ryerson University. The donation, which will be matched by Ryerson, is “particularly timely, in keeping with the socially relevant and engaged activity in the faculty of arts,

RYERSONIAN FILE PHOTO

The Faculty of Arts.

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R yersonian STUDENT FINANCES

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Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Ryerson ranks second on sugar baby website SUGAR cont’d ... The University of Ottawa was ranked third, Ryerson University came in at second and the University of Alberta topped the list at number 1. Currently Ryerson has the second highest number of students registered on Seeking Arragement. Univeresity of Toronto has the most and University of Ottawa is third. Bailey*, a first-year student who was a sugar baby before coming to Ryerson, said she’s not shocked that the university has one of the highest rates. “I’m not necessarily surprised that Ryerson has (one of) the highest student sign ups because I just think living in Toronto is the most expensive thing,” said Bailey. Bailey was a sugar baby for approximately a year and had three arrangements during that time. She said she was introduced to the sugar baby lifestyle through a friend and wanted to make enough money in a short amount of time to afford her rent and schooling for her first year of university. “I never did it if for shoes or bags or clothes. It was because I

CHRIS BLANCHETTE | RYERSONIAN

knew I was moving to Toronto and that’s an expensive thing,” said Bailey. “It’s all gone towards paying my rent and textbooks.” When it comes to tuition, the Ryersonian previously reported that Ryerson has one of the lowest overall tuition rates in Ontario, but it’s still higher than other

provinces. In addition, tuition isn’t the only thing contributing to Ryerson students’ debt. Susanne Nyaga, the incoming Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) president, said that it’s a combination of factors that contribute to students finding alternative ways to make money.

Ryerson ranks second for the total number of students on Seeking Arragement. Courtesy SeekingArrangement.com

“Affordable housing is very, very hard to come by. Food costs in the downtown core are at high rates. When we look at tuition, that’s also at a high rate … Everything is at a high rate and not very accessible for somebody who’s coming from a low economic status,” said Nyaga. But if tuition rates decreased, she said that would start to help students combat their debt. “The university needs to look at how to cut tuition costs and make sure students aren’t sacrificing a meal to pay for a class,” said Nyaga. For Amy*, a first-year Ryerson student, being a sugar baby has let her live a life of luxury while being a student. “Being a sugar baby has helped me save a lot of money that I wouldn’t have been able to,” said Amy. “Basically (being a sugar baby) has helped me live a lifestyle

I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.” Amy has been a sugar baby on and off for a few years and says she got into it because she was more interested in the lifestyle of being a sugar baby than the money. “I promote being safe and doing whatever you’re comfortable with. It’s more about being pampered and having fun. It’s different than being an escort,” said Amy, who says she doesn’t have sex with her partners. “A lot of the people I’ve met at Ryerson have opened up to me about either doing it or wanting to do it and it’s a lot more common than people realize.” Nyaga said that Ryerson having one of the highest sugar baby rates may have something to do with its location. “When we’re looking at the high sign up (rate) of sugar babies at Ryerson in comparison to other schools, we also need to understand the dynamic(s of it). “With Toronto being a huge metropolitan (area) … It’s very different than other suburban atmospheres like Guelph or Waterloo or Western,” she said. Bailey agreed, citing the location as a middle ground for these types of arrangements to work successfully. “In Toronto, it’s a lot more accessible to find rich, successful men that are willing to have this type of arrangement,” said Bailey. “All the businessmen are more drawn to Toronto and us as Ryerson students just happen to be in Toronto as well.” * names have been changed @BNeustaeter

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From President Lachemi, a message of thanks.

One of the great joys of serving as president is finding inspiration every day from you, our wonderful students. Your enthusiasm, creativity, talent and optimism are the spark that energizes our community, and inspires me. As the academic year comes to a close, I want to thank you for making my first year as president so enjoyable, and so fulfilling. To those of you graduating this year, I look forward to seeing you at convocation. For those continuing in the fall, I wish you all the best in your studies. Please have a safe and relaxing summer.

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Student debt got you down?

What students owe when they leave school affects not only them, but also the economy, according to the Canadian Federation of Students ALEXANDRIA PANKRATZ RYERSONIAN

From about the age of five, people attend school, going from elementary school to high school to university. But the question is: is post-secondary education worth a lifetime of debt? At Ryerson University’s recent Board of Governors (BoG) meeting, a study done in 2015 on the levels of debt faced by students was discussed. The study found that 57 per cent of Ryerson undergraduate students head into the workforce with debt. More specifically, four per cent of these students said they are graduating with $50,000 or more in debt, while eight per cent are graduating with between $20,000 and $24,999 in debt. The survey was conducted on

1,647 students. Marie Coyles completed two years of university before she decided that she wanted to pursue a career in something she was passionate about. Coyles enrolled in social justice and peace studies at Western University and said that it was a great experience because it opened her eyes to the world. She felt, however, that there was more for her out there. “Halfway through my second year, I just really got bored. What I did was I made a sheet for myself with all of my goals — my health goals, my financial goals, career goals and personal goals for the next one, five and 10 years. When I looked at the sheet ... what I was taking in university had no place on there,” said Coyles. She said she did not want to spend another $20,000 to get a degree in a field she did not want to pursue. She decided right then to drop out of school and move to Toronto to pursue music. This, Coyles said, was one of the best things she could have done. While she may not have completed her post-secondary education, at least she is debt-free, she said, unlike many of her friends. Many students find themselves in a similar position as Coyles and, according to Gayle

COURTESY MARIE COYLES

Marie Coyles dropped out of Western University to save money.

CHRIS BLANCHETTE | RYERSONIAN

McFadden, the national executive of the Canadian Federation of Students - Ontario, debt is a legitimate concern for students. “I think (student debt) definitely is a growing problem — as we are seeing tuition fees go up, more and more (students) are graduating with debt,” she said. “Some students are avoiding post-secondary (education) because they are afraid of the debt and don’t think they can afford it.” McFadden also said that it has become accepted by society that students should pay high tuition fees and that debt is normal. She is challenging students to stand up and speak out against this, calling for free education. “It affects everyone. When you are in that $30,000 debt, there is no money to buy a fancy car or a home or go out for dinner. There is a huge economic debt for this generation and looking outside of just the students ... student debt has a major role on the Canadian economy,” said McFadden. According to McFadden, it is because students are so in debt that they will face challenges engaging with the economy in the same way their parents did. If students have a lot of debt, they will not be as inclined to go out and spend money, which in turn, will have a negative impact on the economy. Ultimately, said Coyles, student debt aside, it all comes down to pursuing something you’re

genuinely interested in. “You look at how many hours you will put into your career someday — if you don’t pursue something you are passionate about, you are only doing a

disservice Coyles.

yourself,”

said

@thealexpankratz

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Features yersonian

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Mass Exodus debuts fourt

Fashion student Millie Yates creates designs aimed at th It’s Saturday afternoon at Daniels Spectrum centre on Dundas Street East. Millie Yates, a Ryerson fashion design student, is beaming and full of smiles amongst a crowd of family and friends. Her debut collection, SCYTHE, was just shown on the runway at 2017’s Mass Exodus. In between congratulations and elated chattering, she says: “I’m really excited with how the show went, I’m super excited with the models I had ... everything was beautiful and stunning as well.” Each year, senior fashion design students are given the opportunity to showcase the fruit of their labour from final year— a collection created entirely by themselves. Yates is a graduating fourth-year who says that “the pinnacle of the four years is participating in (Mass Exodus). “It’s a nice kind of thing to tie everything together… it really helps too, for my parents — who aren’t involved in the world of fashion, to see my clothes on a runway. It really helps them understand what I’ve done and put together.”

Yates is originally from Peterborough, where she says a fashion presence is limited. Besides some close friends who were mildly interested in fashion, her pursuit of the career has been mostly independent. Beginning with sewing lessons in Grade 2, Yates’s love for fashion and design continued to grow throughout the years. Though sewing took the back burner for a while during her high school studies, she decided to take a leap of faith and apply to Ryerson’s fashion design program as her first choice because, “It’s something I’m passionate about, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.” She applied to other universities as well, mainly to English programs, like comparative literature, but said, “If I get into Ryerson, I’ll go (for fashion).” And four years later, Yates has already secured a job with Abercrombie & Fitch after interning there last summer, with the help and guidance from her program. Caron Phinney, a fashion technology instructor at Ryerson, says

JULIA HO | RYERSONIAN

Fourth-year Millie Yates in one of the Ryerson fashion design labs.

that the company typically picks that contract because all around, s dedicated to her work, she’s really well.” For Phinney, it was apparent h tions were drawn from. “That’s re resents who she is to a T in terms o cohesive she is. It was just kind of years … I thought it was fantastic.” Yates credits much of her succe provides an advantage over some depth study of design technology come to school and love what you I’m really glad I picked Ryerson … I programs, but I’m not sure I wou what I do.” But perhaps fashion and literatur designer. The inspiration behind S son’s poem, The Lady of Shalott. Ya ticularly informed the direction of half sick of shadows.’ So she’s som she is. She likes her life, but she’s and what else is out there, and I lik and the unknown, and that’s wha bit.” A predominantly black and wh play on lightness and darkness, al that runs throughout the poem. S through pleating and the illusion o details. Her use of juxtaposition doesn’t s phaelite artist John William Water Yates looked to the soft and roman and soft edges. “You’ll see I’ve got s my collection as well.” The collecti and five looks, includes co-ordinat the main pattern of the fabric, in textiles, such as cotton, silk and wo And as for the name? Yates says in with her theme. As an agricultu the contrast of a soft-sounding wo But the collection is designed fo was something I decided to do bec I’m five-eleven, there’s really noth body really well. Tallness is someth as a disadvantage in any way whe that she often gets comments like, it creates such great lines,” and say need to look professional in the w lengths that are suitable for their j Her frustrations come from pers for example, her back becomes ex blouses are too short for her. “I’m and suddenly my stomach is expo

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Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Features

th-year collections

he taller woman. By Julia Ho

the best students. “Millie received she’s a fantastic student. She’s very y able to pick up new concepts as

how close to home Millie’s inspiraeally Millie on the runway. It repof the technique that she used, how her final expression after her four ” ess to Ryerson, and says the school e other schools because of its iny. “It’s a great feeling being able to do every single day, and ultimately I think I would’ve enjoyed the other uld’ve felt that same passion about

re aren’t so unrelated for the young SCYTHE comes from Alfred Tennyates says, “There’s this line that parf my collection, where she says, ‘I’m mewhat comfortable staying where also tempted by the outside world ke this tension between the known at I play on in my collection a little

hite collection, Yates uses that as a ligning with the theme of shadows She further expands on this motif of depth with slits and long-flowing

stop there. Also inspired by Pre-Rarhouse’s painting of the same poem, ntic style of the art, combining hard silk linings, but also metal details in ion, which consists of eight pieces ted separates, with pinstripe being n conjunction with various natural ool. she liked how the word “scythe” fit ural tool for reaping crops, she liked ord that describes a hard blade. or a niche market — tall women. “It cause, being a tall woman myself— hing out there for me that fits my hing that people don’t really look at en it comes to shopping.” She adds , “Oh, clothes look so great on you, ys, “While that is true, women still workforce. They need to have hem job.” sonal struggles with clothes, where, xposed from bending over because m raising my arms above my head, osed ... so I’ve made adjustments in

JULIA HO | RYERSONIAN

Millie Yates collection, SCYTHE, is targeted for taller women.

my patterns for things like that.” For Yates, it’s all about being comfortably professional. Her goal for the brand is to make shopping for tall women just as easy and accessible as it is for anyone else. “It’s just clothes, but it’s clothes that are going to fit a tall woman really well ... Right now on the market, there’s Long Tall Sally. That’s pretty much it in Canada.” Yates has been working on her collection since the summer, where she was constantly sketching and “getting out all those bad ideas.” However, despite it seeming like these students have an abundance of time to work on their collections, Yates said all the muslins (essentially a prototype) for each piece have to be made and completed within a one-week span during their fall term. Time constraints such as these give just a small taste of what pressures fourth-year fashion design students face, especially given the fact that Yates says she typically spent about 30 hours total on each individual piece of garment.

With so much effort put into this collection, Yates hopes that she’ll be able to sell some of her pieces to be worn in editorial work, although she does not plan on showing the collection in another show or mass producing her products. Her reason behind it is simple: fashion is tricky, and trends fade. “Keeping that in mind, I’ll also be working on creating pieces after I graduate. This is not my last collection ... And you do have to keep up. My collection is contemporary women’s wear; it is intended to be worn, it’s not art-to-wear.” For now, Yates’s focus is on continuing to design in her free time even after she graduates and moves to Ohio to begin working for Abercrombie & Fitch. Having also previously dabbled in modelling, the designer has stepped back from that to hone in on her main goal:“To be taken seriously as a fashion design student.”

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Arts & Life

Read more Arts & Life online ryersonian.ca Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Students to Watch: Fourth-year RTA student empowers women in podcast

Best Practice makes perfect for budding photographer and podcaster Taylor Reynolds CHERILEIGH CO RYERSONIAN

Fourth-year RTA student Taylor Reynolds co-hosts Best Practice with classmate Kaylyn Jung, a podcast fostering mentorship between creative female entrepreneurs. “Most of our listeners, myself included, are still in the early stages of our careers and our mentors mean everything to us,” says Reynolds. “The mentorship dynamic is perfect for conversation, because it’s all about asking questions and absorbing as much information as possible.”

Reynolds produces the podcast alongside fourth-year classmates Kassi Bellamy, Kaylyn Jung, David Sutrin, Holly Hudson, Kate Wilson and Adrienna Bailey. They funded the first season by campaigning for $5,000 on Indiegogo. As a budding photographer, Reynolds wanted to find an inspiring community of women to help motivate and guide her. Jung and Reynolds had never hosted a podcast before, but this endeavour has led to an open space for young creative women. “I wanted to create a space where women could have these honest conversations about their

ROBYN BELL | RYERSONIAN

Taylor Reynolds is currently working on the second season of ‘Best Practice.’

work, how they got their start and obstacles they’ve faced,” she says. “Ultimately, I wanted to create a project that would break down the walls within the industry, to inspire conversation and to not romanticize the hard work along the way.” Reynolds noticed the media industry has a huge issue of representing the female voice by up-talking, overusing qualifiers and vocal fry. (Known as the millennial version of up-talking, vocal fry was popularized by the Kardashians and is when a perROBYN BELL | RYERSONIAN son’s voice gets creaky and raspy.) “It’s important to represent Taylor Reynolds started the podcast for women to discuss their work. female entrepreneurs and creatives in media because clearly to add an extra element to the lis- that.” things haven’t evolved enough tening experience, connecting the Reynolds and her team are and in radio specifically, things artist to their work – the hustle to currently planning for season 2. need to change.” Their first season Although they’ve “I wanted to create a space where women focused on women recorded at Ryerworking in visual could have these honest conversations about mediums, and they son’s Allan Slaight Institute, a few epi- their work.” want to shift the sodes were recorded -Taylor Reynolds focus to activism, with Breather, an in light of U.S. PresAirbnb-like app for workspaces. the end product.” ident Donald Trump’s Muslim They recorded an episode in New Best Practice plans to host more travel ban, Black Lives Matter and York City featuring Jessica Foley, live panels for season 2. Their first the Toronto Women’s March. a photographer and marketing live episode was a wrap on the “We’ve seen such an amazing director, and Jessi Frederick, an first season when they aligned swell of activism both globally art director and model. with RADmag’s sixth issue and in Toronto over the past few In addition to the podcast, Best launch. months, and there are definitely Practice publishes a zine for each “It was amazing to see our lis- a few women whose stories we episode to add a visual component. teners engage with the guests want to share.” They’ve featured visual artists and each other, and it makes for a such as Joy and Rose Broadbent, really cool live energy in the epi@cherileighco Ness Lee and Ryerson fashion sode recording,” she says. design alumna Mary Young. “We’re always looking to find “We wanted a way to give con- ways to push that sense of comtext to the conversations as well as munity and empowerment highlight the amazing work these beyond our screens and a live women are doing. Our zine works event is a great way to achieve

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Intense and introverted: A Carly Clarke profile Intense and introverted:

A look at Ryerson’s women’s basketball head coach and her rise in the coaching ranks BRIANNE SPIKER RYERSONIAN

It’s a Friday afternoon and 10 players from the women’s basketball team have congregated onto Coca-Cola Court at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. The season is over but preparation for next year is already underway. The assistant coach is leading the drills today, having the players work their way through agility ladder exercises. Head coach Carly Clarke watches over, offering the occasional suggestion to a player. It is when the group is divided in half for net drive drills where Clarke gets involved. As player after player practises going to the hoop, Clarke is the obstacle in their way. They try to dribble around her as she acts the part of the opposing player. She’ll occasionally stop her group to offer advice but for the most part she spends the next half hour helping her players get better

LUKE GALATI | RYERSONIAN

Carly Clarke and one of her players

LUKE GALATI | RYERSONIAN

Head coach Carly Clarke during a recent women’s basketball practice at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.

by being an opponent. In 2012, Clarke was hired as the head coach of the women’s basketball team. Under Clarke, the Rams have made the post-season in all five seasons, including 45 wins in the past three regular seasons combined. She led the team to an OUA championship and a CIS Final 8 silver medal in 2016, the first Ryerson team to go to a national championship final. Ivan Joseph, the director of athletics at Ryerson, estimates Clarke beat out between 50 and 100 people for the job. “She’s reached the expectations that I had quicker than I thought she would,” said Joseph. “I always knew she would be an excellent coach. But I didn’t think she would achieve the goals that she has achieved so quickly. She has a keen basketball mind, doesn’t settle and

has made us a national powerhouse. She’s made us instantly recognizable among the best by claiming an Ontario championship and heading to nationals, winning the silver medal in just her second chance.” Clarke grew up playing basketball and got into coaching through camps and summer teams while she was still playing. She graduated from Bishop’s University with a degree in biology. Unsure of what she was going to do next, Clarke got the opportunity to join the university team as an assistant coach, where she realized she loved coaching. Clarke is not one to rely on yelling and screaming to get the message across. Clarke said that while she tries not to coach with punishment or consequence, she admitted she has to sometimes to create a more

competitive environment. Her coaching philosophy is rooted in understanding and, as a former university basketball player herself, she hopes she can guide and connect with her players in that capacity. She said she likes to coach in a way that the athlete understands why they are doing something and hopefully they’ll be driven to want the outcome. That understanding has led to high-level players joining the Rams. Kellie Ring, an OUA champion, CIS bronze medallist and two-time OUA First-Team All-Star during her four years with the University of Ottawa, used her last year of OUA eligibility to play for the Rams. While pursuing a master’s degree in digital media at Ryerson was her No. 1 priority, she said, “The fact that Ryerson has a strong program really

helped. I knew Carly had a lot of expertise and a lot of knowledge and is very laid back and easy to get along with. (She) has clearly done something right in the past because the team has only improved each year and so I knew this was a program I wanted to be a part of.” Ring said that Clarke instilled a confidence in her by giving her freedom to try new things and working a lot on her game with her in the summer. In addition to her time as a university coach, Clarke has established herself with Canada Basketball. Currently the head coach of the junior women’s national team, she started as the apprentice coach with a program at time called the National Elite Development Academy, a centralized year-long program of high school athletes in Hamilton, Ont. She has won multiple medals with the national team including gold at the FIBA Americas U16 championship for women, the first championship for Canada in the age division.

@Brianne_Spiker

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Editorial

ryersonian.ca Wednesday, April 12, 2017

EDITORIAL

One stiletto step closer to equality in the workplace A Canadian province has moved one step closer to banning discriminatory dress codes by prohibiting mandatory high heels in the workplace. British Columbia’s Green party leader Andrew Weaver introduced a private member’s bill last month. The bill would have made it illegal for employers to require females to wear high heels in the workplace. Though it has not become law, the government did make revisions to the province’s Workers Compensation Act last week. The amendment bans the requirement of footwear and material that prevents the employee’s ability to safely perform their tasks. Things like ankle protection, foot support, bone and muscle-related injuries and slipping are all factors that should be considered by employers when assigning dress codes. Employees wanting to wear heels in the workplace are welcome to do so. But the amendment bans the requirement that some employers have placed on their workers to wear high heels. As a newsroom made up of students – some of whom work in restaurants, bars and the service industry – the Ryersonian supports this ban. But we must acknowledge that it is a long time coming. The service industry has

long faced criticism for promoting sexist dress codes and selling techniques. We’ve all heard the saying that sex sells. But there is a fine line between selling a product, and not just allowing but promoting a culture of sexist dress codes to exist. These codes put workers’ safety – and dignity – after good business. The impact of this on female workers is also well-documented. The Ryersonian’s own Alexandria Pankratz tackled this issue last month, writing about cashstrapped female students facing sexual harassment in restaurants. An image of an Edmonton waitress’ bloodied feet made the rounds on Facebook last year after her friend shared it. The Ontario Human Rights Commission also created a policy last year acknowledging that certain mandatory dress codes could violate the human rights code. This includes things like high heels, short skirts and low-cut tops. Time and time again, we’ve seen the impact that dress codes and the treatment of women in the workplace can have, both mentally and physically. And while allowing B.C. women to ditch their heels for work is great, we cannot forget that sexist dress codes are a concern not restricted to borders. It’s time other provinces follow in B.C.’s flat-soled footsteps.

MONIQUE JAGPAL | RYERSONIAN

From everyone here at the Ryersonian, congratulations to all the graduates.

OPINION

Kendall and her flat Pepsi LAMEES WAJAHAT RYERSONIAN

I’m a KarJenner lover. It’s out in the open and I feel no shame in following Kim, or her family, religiously. I’ve watched enough of their antics to mimic them in real life, from losing an earring in the ocean to handing someone a can of Pepsi in a time of conflict. While they are undoubtedly entertaining, they’re also incredibly problematic. Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi ad was released last week, and it was garbage. It begins with her posing for a camera, while a protest takes

place in the background, which sort of looks like a Black Lives Matter demonstration … weird. I guess her inner activist kicked in then because she whipped off her blonde wig and wiped off her plum lipstick to go march with the demonstrators. Very cliché “Love” and “Join the conversation!” signs are scattered throughout, and Kendall Jenner chooses this pivotal moment to grab a cold can of Pepsi and hand it to a cop. This entire ad was a mockery of the culture of protest, especially the Black Lives Matter movement. Black Lives Matter was created to question the police’s actions and motives, to discuss their true intent behind killing numerous black people. For someone like Kendall Jenner to be a part of this seems a little ridiculous. The most obvious reason being is that Jenner is a white woman, a person who could not be more culturally removed from the situation.

I mean, has she ever spoken up about police brutality or donated to the cause? No. She hasn’t. I doubt she’s even been out to show her support. But here she is in an ad for a huge company pretending to care, and profiting off of it too. It’s almost taunting, to those who are actually part of these protests, to see a young model just make everything go away with a soft drink, while they had to literally fight policemen off their backs. It makes me so angry to think that this is what Pepsi thinks of millennials, that we’re a bunch of hippies with an innate need to protest, and that we just need to share the love. All this ad taught me was that Kendall Jenner ended racism with Pepsi. I always knew there was a reason I liked Coca-Cola more. @punjabisamosa

R yersonian