November 15, 2017 Issue by On the Record News (Formerly the Ryersonian)

Homeless deaths Birth control and rising in T.O. mental health page 4 pages 6-7

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017

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ryersonian.ca Volume 72 Number 9

Produced by the Ryerson School of Journalism

Faculty surveys reveal race and gender biases JULIA LLOYD AND ANGELA MCLEAN RYERSONIAN

When Ryerson students fill out surveys to evaluate their instructors each semester, female faculty are often subject to a disproportionate amount of racist and sexist criticism. RTA School of Media professor Laurie Petrou saves each comment she receives, then uses them to shape future courses. She said some of what she reads seems to be in response to her gender, citing one comment in particular: “Laurie acts like your best friend and then when you have the slightest issue with handing things in or a problem arises with a test, she is very hostile and never tries to help any student regardless (of her saying)

What’s online Check out ryersonian.ca to read about an app designed by a Rye grad that pairs people up so they don’t have to eat alone.

she is available to talk.” Reflecting on the comments, Petrou said, “that is using language I presume wouldn’t be used (toward) a male prof. Not the first time I’ve been accused of ‘acting like your best friend’ then changing my tack.” These comments can cross the line into harassment. “When I was a fairly new and younger professor, I dealt with a lot of sexual harassment from students — in surveys, on Rate My Professor, (and) on Twitter,” Petrou said. Faculty course surveys provide an opportunity for students to turn the tables and grade their instructors on criteria like knowledge, enthusiasm, class organization and treatment of students.

Female coaches in U Sports Kori Cheverie challenges the male-dominated sport culture and breaks barriers for women coaching across the country. page 9 NATASHA HERMANN | RYERSONIAN

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Rye gets F for free speech practices RSU’s Susanne Nyaga says the ranking ignores the need to stand up for marginalized communities MAGGIE MACINTOSH RYERSONIAN

Ryerson and the Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) flunked a 2017 report card from a national organization whose mandate is to defend free speech and other Constitutional rights. The 2017 Campus Freedom Index (CFI) gave Ryerson a C for its policies and an F for practices. The RSU failed both categories. Universities and their student unions are given grades from A to F on the annual CFI, which measures free speech policies and practices at 60 public universities in Canada. The grades were published in late September by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF). “Ryerson needs to hold free expression and academic freedom to a much higher degree of importance than they do things like creating a welcoming environment or a positive space,” said Michael Kennedy, co-author of the CFI and JCCF communications director. Only six A grades were published this year, while 38 F grades were distributed to various universities and student unions. “University isn’t always going to be a comfortable space for people because it’s the place where we debate very controversial, high-profile issues of which people have a variety of different viewpoints,” he said. RSU president Susanne Nyaga received a letter about Ryerson and the RSU’s grades from the CFI authors earlier this semester. “My definition of freedom of speech is definitely a little bit

MAGGIE MACINTOSH | RYERSONIAN

The Campus Freedom Index gave Ryerson University an F on its free speech practices for the first time in five years.

different than their definition of freedom of speech,” she said. Nyaga said she’s proud of the work the RSU has done to stand up for marginalized communities, including its support for trans, racialized and Indigenous students. “I’d rather support those marginalized communities than fight for an A grade, which might harm those communities.” Nyaga added the university could do more work to stand up against hate speech. Ryerson administration responded to the Ryersonian’s request for comment by stating: “One of the university’s primary responsibilities is to protect

and promote free speech and the open exchange of ideas on campus within a culture of mutual respect.” Ryerson’s CFI profile cites the university’s decision to cancel “The Stifling of Free Speech on University Campuses” panel in August as part of the reason why Ryerson ended up on the flunk list. Sarina Singh, the Ryerson social work graduate and free speech advocate who organized the panel, arranged to rent a room at Ryerson. Jordan Peterson, the University of Toronto psychology professor known for his refusal to use his students’ preferred pronouns,

and Rebel Media contributor Faith Goldy, were among the panellists. Less than a week before the event, Ryerson released a statement cancelling the room rental to prioritize campus safety over free speech. “Ryerson is not equipped to provide the necessary level of public safety for the event to go forward, particularly given the recent events in Charlottesville, Va.,” according to the statement the university posted on Facebook on Aug. 16. In an email, Singh told the Ryersonian, “this cowardly act by Ryerson has emboldened the enemies of free speech.”

She said she’ll never hold another event at the university. “Ryerson is a complete and absolute disgrace,” Singh said. “I’m ashamed it’s my alma mater.” James Turk, the director of Ryerson’s Centre for Free Expression, published a blog post that called Ryerson’s decision to cancel the panel a mistake, but said the CFI rankings are “useless.” Turk said that while the JCCF is a well-intentioned institution, the rankings reduce complex free speech matters to a grade. “Ryerson is the only university in Canada that has created a Centre for Free Expression and given people like me a blank canvas to create it,” he said. He added that the centre’s existence isn’t mentioned in the CFI. Kennedy, the CFI’s co-author, said the university’s fundamental purpose is to promote the free exchange of ideas and find truth through open discussion. Kennedy said universities and student unions like the RSU don’t need to be inventing new restrictions on free speech because the Criminal Code already does that. Under the Criminal Code, hate speech is defined as any form of public speech that promotes or incites hatred towards a targeted group, which could disrupt peace. “Every one of the universities (on the index) says that, on paper, it values academic freedom and free expression and holds it to a high pedestal but then, in practice, it seems to all fall apart,” Kennedy said.

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Wednesday, November 15, 2017

STUDENT cont’d...

Student feedback unfair to women The fall semester surveys were made available to Ryerson students starting Nov. 10. These surveys are used by the university to encourage constructive criticism — but that’s not always what they get. A female Ryerson instructor who teaches a sexuality and gender course in the sociology department spoke to the Ryersonian on the condition of anonymity. She said that being a woman, and a woman of colour, she was aware going in that some students might think she couldn’t teach that subject without bias. She’s far from the only instructor or professor to be the subject of similar stereotypes and labels. And if it’s not bias, it’s something else. Faculty receive comments like “She’s too nice, but not nice enough.” Or they may be called things like a “bitch,” bossy or someone who picks favourites. Saeed Zolfaghari, vice-provost of faculty affairs, said his office is aware of the gender and racial bias on faculty course surveys. They’re working to address these concerns, he says, with the Office of Equity and Community Inclusion, the Ryerson Faculty Association (RFA) and CUPE 3904, the union representing contract instructors at Ryerson university. “If concerns about inappropriate student responses are brought to the university’s attention by an instructor, the university would assess to determine if university policies have been violated and then determine the appropriate action, within the limits imposed by the responses being anonymous,” Zolfaghari said in an emailed statement. “We would also provide some education to students to ensure they understand the importance of their feedback, but also the need to provide feedback in a constructive, respectful and appropriate manner.” The RFA has been openly critical of faculty course surveys. Ian Sakinofsky, negotiating

AMMI PARMAR | RYERSONIAN

Fall 2017 surveys are available online until Nov. 20 for day and graduate students and Nov. 24 for Chang School students.

chair, wrote in their fall 2016 report that their concerns have to deal with “how the survey is administered, the manner in which survey responses are summarized, distributed and interpreted, and the use that is made of this data.” Ron Babin, grievance chair, added that faculty course surveys are flawed, discriminatory and “should be dramatically restructured.” RFA executives did not respond to multiple requests for additional comment.

names of two online teaching assistants, one male and one female. Both gave similar feedback to students and returned assignments at the same time, yet the male identity scored significantly higher. “There’s a lot more racial biases and sexism in academia than I think most people are willing to talk about,” Andrea Eidinger, a sessional instructor based in British Columbia, said. Eidinger, who wrote a blog post on the topic earlier this year, sometimes shares class notes with

Peer review, which is frequently used with pre-tenure faculty, lets professors evaluate other faculty members. That comes with its own issues, Eidinger said. “When you have female faculty members being reviewed by male faculty members, many of them bring along the same types of gender biases that the students do.” Another problem lies in the fact students don’t always recognize their gender biases. Third-year journalism student Aidan Lising attributed some of the gender bias amongst students

There’s a lot more racial biases and sexism in academia than I think most people are willing to talk about. — Andrea Eidinger The problem of sexist and racist faculty surveys isn’t limited to Ryerson, or Canada. A 2014 study conducted by a group of researchers from North Carolina State University examined the relationship between an instructor’s gender and their student feedback. Researchers swapped the

her husband, a fellow instructor. The pair teach similar subjects. “He, I don’t think, has ever been criticized for talking about women too much or about feminism, whereas I routinely get at least one comment per course about that,” Eidinger said. But if not faculty course surveys, what’s the alternative?

to media representations of the school system. “Caucasian male professors are (often who) you see on TV and movies … coming in with a turtleneck and suede elbow patches,” Lising said. “But when you come to a campus like Ryerson and you get more

female professors and professors of colour, it could be a bit jarring (for some students).” But according to Eidinger the problem in these comments is much more than just perception. Faculty course surveys have become an important tool for hiring practices, and she says males move up to the top of the list come promotion time in part because of their higher scores. “(It is) not necessarily because they are better teachers than I am but because they happen to be male,” Eidinger said. “That’s just not acceptable.” Despite the biases, many professors and instructors don’t want to do away with faculty course surveys. Petrou, for example, remembers and appreciates the constructive comments she receives. “This is my second class with Laurie, and I enjoyed this class (more) than my previous one. Some of the readings are a little hard to understand, however Laurie broke them down and explained in class,” one student wrote on their survey. “That reassured me that breaking down the reading content is not repetitive but helpful,” Petrou said. “I think that some students (just) have a gender bias, a racial bias, or a homophobic or transphobic bias, (and) we can’t generalize Ryerson students,” criminology professor Anke Allspach said. While she has received some comments with an “infantilizing and objectivizing undertone,” most of her comments have been positive. “Students somehow need a venue to give feedback (and) professors need to be held accountable for their teaching and how they treat students.”

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70 homeless deaths recorded in 2017 Homeless people in Toronto face a lack of resources during the cold winter months ISABELLA PERRONE RYERSONIAN

Those living on Toronto’s streets have faced the brunt of extreme weather this year. At least 70 people experiencing homelessness have died so far in 2017, according to records from the City of Toronto. Of these 70 deaths, over half were people under 48 years old and 57 were men. Yogi Acharya, an organizer with the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, said the

homeless aren’t given the help they need because of limited resources. “Despite the extreme cold weather warning, no emergency spaces were opened,” Acharya said. “Instead of opening shelters, the city wants to talk about adding warming centres. “The problem is that they are being used as a venue to cram people in. They don’t have beds and there aren’t adequate showers or food support systems available.” Acharya said that because there aren’t enough shelter beds

for Toronto people experiencing homelessness, spaces like the Moss Park Armoury could be used to house people from the freezing temperatures. “I think the decent thing to do is to allow people to use space. The city knows it takes time to open a shelter, and no one’s debating that it takes time. But the number of deaths this year so far is an emergency situation,” he said. “People should not be dying at the rate they are dying at, and if it were happening in any other neighbourhood to any other

group, the city might be taking action faster.” Ryerson’s location in the downtown core means that the university could be affected by these deaths as well. Pascal Murphy is an instructor in the areas of homelessness, disasters and social and environmental justice at the Chang School, as well as the president of St. Clare’s Housing in Toronto. Murphy said the crisis has stayed the same even though more information on it is available. “I can point to a few different

things: one is that the shelters themselves aren’t adequate enough. There’s a long waiting list so people don’t have access to what they need,” Murphy said. “Secondly, the shelters are not often seen as positive alternatives for a lot of people who experience homelessness. A lot of people will avoid the shelter system for safety and health concerns.” While Ryerson has taken steps to help those experiencing homelessness on and around campus, Murphy believes that a national housing system needs to be reinstated. The former system was cancelled in 1994, and Murphy said that the cancellation has been, “catching up with us every single day because we’re not funding it. “Ultimately, you have to understand that shelters are a band aid, and various services to try and get people off the street are a band aid unless we actually provide realistic alternatives.” While more services to help keep people out of the cold are available during the winter months, many of these efforts don’t help the overall issue. “You can put various policies in place and services and so forth and so on but if you’re ultimately not housing people, then the situation is not going to drastically change,” Murphy said. Recent research from Toronto Public Health has suggested that in Toronto, there are instances where people have been more likely to die from heat exposure than cold exposure. Murphy said the research contradicts what most people’s ideas of the problems people experiencing homelessness are, and that the amount of services offered in the summer months is far less than what is offered during the winter. @isabellaperr1

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SPEECH cont’d

Rye’s score stays low

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Ryerson’s official position on freedom of speech states that, “Ryerson does not avoid controversies, difficult ideas, or disagreements over deeply held views.” The university’s average is getting worse. In 2015, Ryerson scored an A for practices. Last year, its practices got a D. The grade for the university’s policies hasn’t moved from a C since 2015. The RSU continues to receive Fs for its refusal to grant both a men’s issues group and an anti-abortion group official RSU club status. “I would be very frustrated as a black femme student if my

student union was allowing students to be racist and misogynistic just to uphold freedom of speech rather than caring about my wellbeing,” Nyaga said. She said freedom of speech is close to her heart because black voices have historically been silenced, but that certain free speech conversations need to be inclusive. “When we’re having conversations about trans lives but trans people aren’t at the table, that’s an issue,” she said. Nyaga said she supported the decision to cancel the panel. She said it’s “super messed up” to give Peterson — a cis, white and

able-bodied man — a platform to talk about trans-ness, pronouns and dictate the value of trans lives. “He is not trans and he does not face transphobia, nor does he understand it very clearly by his statements.” “The Stifling of Free Speech on University Campuses” took place off-campus last weekend, three months after Ryerson revoked Singh’s privilege to rent Ryerson space. Peterson spoke at the rescheduled panel, which was held at Canada Christian College in Toronto. @macintoshmaggie

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R yers

Features

Hormonal birth causing your

Ryerson students describe their experiences using different forms of

HEATHER STEWART | RYERSONIAN

Try-Cyclen birth control pills are taken every day for a 28-day period and include three weeks of hormonal pills and one week of sugar pills. HEATHER STEWART RYERSONIAN

Mood swings. Emotional breakdowns. Overwhelming anxiety. When the birth control pill was introduced in the 1960s, it was a symbol of sexual liberation and choice for women. Today, women are speaking up about the way that the pill has affected their mental health. Kayla Gladysz, a fourth-year journalism student, said that the pill caused her to fear anything outside of the four walls of her bedroom. “My brain was convinced that the worst things

were around the corner at every turn,” Gladysz said. “I felt like the brain in my head wasn’t my brain anymore. It was horrifying.” She said that even though she stayed on the pill for only a month, the impact it had on her ruined her third year of university. She said that she was skipping class and avoiding friends. Gladysz even spent her 20th birthday crying alone in her room. Studies have shown that since its creation, the pill has become more safe for use by women. When used correctly, it prevents pregnancy 99 per cent of the time. It is also prescribed to tackle things like irregular periods, acne and hormone

replacement. Research suggests that birth control is safe, but there is considerable debate surrounding whether it can trigger depression and anxiety in patients. Despite this, patients are often written prescriptions upon request. Side effects for the birth control pill include decreased libido, migraines, breast tenderness, nausea and an increased risk of breast cancer and blood clots. “Mood changes” are also considered to be a side effect, which is the closest listed descriptor to depression and anxiety. “It actually took some time to acknowledge that it really was the pill

that was making me feel so weird,” said Gladysz. Oral contraceptive pills are the most popular form of birth control used by women. Three-quarters of women in North America take the pill at some point in their lives. Most birth control pills are a combination of two synthetic hormones, progesterone and estrogen. This combination prevents ovulation. Without the release of an egg, there is nothing to be fertilized by sperm, thus preventing pregnancy all together. “I just don’t think that good things comes from putting extra hormones in your body. I don’t think it is natural,” said Maxine Hood, a fourth-year media production student at Ryerson. Hood said that she knew it must be her birth control pill causing her emotional distress because it has only happened three times in her life. Each time, she was taking Alesse, a popular brand of birth control pill. “It is fine for the first few months and then I just start crying all the time. I have these acts of hysteria where I just break down in front of everyone over the smallest reasons — I’m not usually like that,” said Hood. A study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry last September suggests that hormonal contraception can be a cause of depression. The study, conducted in Denmark over a 14-year period, analyzed data from more than one million women between the ages of 15 and 34. It concluded that women who take the birth control pill have a 23 per cent higher chance of depression than non-users. The study stated that this risk is most common during the first six months of using the pill, and is more prevalent with younger users of hormonal birth control. According to the study, other forms of higher-dosage hormonal birth control also come with a higher risk of depression. Women who used a hormonal intrauterine device have a 40 per cent greater risk, users of the patch have a 50 per cent higher risk and those who opt

sonian

Features

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

control could be r depression

f birth control and the many ways it affected their mental health for the vaginal ring have a 60 per cent greater chance of experiencing depression. “I was moody and anxious about work and school, constantly fought with my boyfriend and family,” said Lauren Chilco, a graduate from the Aveda Institute in Toronto. “I had never struggled with depression or anxiety, and this was the

only thing in my life that had changed.” Chilco said that these changes started happening after she got a hormonal IUD inserted. Aside from painful cramping and spasms, she said that her emotions were unstable and it was typical for her to cry daily. “Doctors don’t actually confirm that there are any side effects to the IUD

other than the odd discomfort. It is super frustrating, but I found hundreds of other women (online) who have shared the same experience I have,” said Chilco. It took two months and a Google search for Chilco to realize that her IUD was the cause of her issues. She said that within a week and a half of having it removed, all of her side effects went away.

“Any time that someone is feeling like something is not normal for them, or they are worried about it, I think it is a great idea to check in with their doctor,” said Dennis Williams, a health service education co-ordinator at Planned Parenthood in Toronto. Williams said that if women decide to go off the hormonal pill and want to switch to another type of birth control, they do not have to wait in-between making the change. “There are so many options. People get really focused on hormonal birth control when they talk about birth control. I think that they forget how many non-hormonal options there are,” said Williams. Barrier methods like condoms, diaphragms, sponges, spermicide, as well as copper IUDs and the withdrawal method have proven to be effective when used correctly. “I don’t think that birth control is a horrible thing, but I think that there are a lot of cons to it that aren’t really talked about. They should be,” said Gladysz. “People just need to make knowledgeable decisions about what they put in their bodies.” @heatherstewart7

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Arts & Life

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From graduate, to starving artist Despite employment growth, arts graduates are still underemployed JOSH CUPIT AND MAH-NOOR MUBARIK RYERSONIAN

What’s a liberal arts degree worth these days? According to current studies, not much. There is an overabundance of university graduates in Canada’s job pool. Recent statistics from Ryerson say that 49.7 per cent of students who graduated from a Ryerson arts program were still underemployed two years after receiving their degrees. A new Statistics Canada study has highlighted the discrepancy between university graduates and the jobs that demand them. The study, Linking labour demand and labour supply: Job vacancies and the unemployed, said the average rate of unemployment in Canada has decreased by 3.8 per cent since 2015, while the number of job vacancies has increased by 18 per cent. Despite that positive trend, if graduates restrict their job search to openings requiring a university degree, there are 5.9 unemployed university graduates per job. That means many graduates still struggle to find suitable employment. Some graduates say they feel frustrated over not getting the job they were trained to do. “In the absence of the job, I have to take what is available so that I can feed myself and have a roof over my head,” said Aneesh Tiberias Murali, who works as a department administrator at Ryerson University. His ambition is to teach history,

but he said there are few positions available. After graduating from Western University with a PhD in history, Murali encountered a severe job shortage. He and his colleagues had to rely on soft skills they picked up throughout their studies, he said. Murali sees a shortage of jobs in liberal arts. He said that no part of his present career advances his ultimate goal of teaching and that sometimes, you’ve got to settle in order to survive. “It is my hope (to teach), but you know hope springs eternal. I have to be practical with the reality of the situation,” he said. He isn’t the only one who remains hopeful. Despite the increasingly negative outlook on liberal arts degrees, Ryerson’s arts programs have grown steadily in step with the university as a whole. The only change in application trends is a marginal increase in the high school grades of incoming students.

Half of arts graduates are unemployed in their field after two years — Ryerson

In spite of troubling anecdotes of unemployment, Ryerson economics instructor Leo Michelis said the study doesn’t necessarily

AMMI PARMAR | RYERSONIAN

According to a recent Statistics Canada study, there are 5.9 unemployed university graduates per job requiring a degree.

mean universities are producing more graduates than the economy can absorb. “Labour markets are very competitive now,” said Michelis, “and a university degree leads to higher overall wages and long-term earning potential for its holder. “It may take some time until you find your perfect match for a job. In the short run there may be some sort of discrepancies between what you know and what your skills are, and where you end up getting employed,” he said. Andrew Hight, an arts and contemporary studies thirdyear class representative, shares Michelis’s outlook. “We are all students. Of course

we are going to work at retail or barista jobs. But that doesn’t mean we have to stay there,” said Hight. The most recent rate of employment for arts and contemporary studies students, two years after graduation, shows that they have a 39 per cent chance of employment in a field related to their degree. Hight views the negativity as unwarranted. He sees value in a liberal arts education that goes beyond the immediate employment opportunities. “We spend a lot of time learning the basics of humanities and how modern ideas were shaped by the past,” he said. Maryam Oyawoye said after graduating from

Bishop’s University’s social sciences department with a honours bachelor degree in economics, high expectations of applicants made it difficult to find a job. She found that every prospective job required two to three years of experience, or a higher degree. After a year and a half of internships, Oyawoye is working towards getting a master’s degree at Ryerson in economics and finance in the hopes that she’ll finally find an appropriate job. “It’s honestly been stressful and hectic,” she said. “But then knowing it’s going to be worth it at the end of the day, knowing that I at least tried, gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

R yersonian

Sports

Men’s hockey find winning streak ryersonian.ca Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Rye coach skates past male culture Representaঞon of female coaches is lacking at the Canadian university level KATE SKELLY RYERSONIAN

The head coach of Ryerson’s men’s hockey team spends his days on the ice with 28 competitive players. But after work, he goes home to his two young daughters running around the house with their mini hockey sticks, looking forward to watching their dad’s next game. Johnny Duco hopes that by the time his daughters grow up, the road will be paved for women and men to be treated equally when it comes to job opportunities. But if they choose to pursue leadership or coaching roles in athletics, the road may not be as smooth as he hopes. According to a guide developed by the Female Coach Mentorship Project, the number of female head coaches in U Sports has steadily declined over the past few years. Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, the CEO of the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS), says about 25 per cent of all coaches in Canadian sport are women, but that number is disproportionately at the grassroots level. As you move into the higher performance spaces, the number of female coaches starts to dwindle. “Cultures that are male-dominated are not always inviting spaces of women to be in. It’s tough being the only woman around the table or the only woman in the locker room. Your perspective, your voice, isn’t always heard,” she said. “That’s a huge leap for a lot of women to make, so that makes Kori extremely rare.” “Kori” is Kori Cheverie, who broke barriers last year when

NATASHA HERMANN | RYERSONIAN

Kori Cheverie was the first female hired as an assistant coach of a men’s hockey team in U Sports history.

she was hired alongside Duco as an assistant coach of the Ryerson men’s hockey team — the first woman to join the coaching staff of a men’s hockey team in U Sports history. “I felt a lot of pressure, especially just growing up and being in an environment of hockey — there’s a lot of pressure anyways, so now having that spotlight on me as being

working as assistant athletic directors and assistant coaches is noticeably closer to the number of men working in those positions. But for leading roles, the gap is much larger. When it comes to jobs like head coach or athletic director, the percentage of men being hired is more than double the percentage of women. A 2013 report published by

diversity at all levels will create a stronger culture and stronger outcomes. “Not only because women deserve it, and deserve to be able to access coaching opportunities just as much as men do, but also because it is a huge loss to the U Sports system not to have the talent and the contributions of women as coaches,” she said. “There’s a missed opportunity there for U Sports and

It’s not a women’s issue. It’s a sport issue. — Allison Sandmeyer-Graves the first female in the college men’s world, it was a little bit daunting,” Cheverie said. “But, I was excited.” Dairy Farmers of Canada and the CAAWS released a report in 2016 that documents women’s participation in U Sports leadership roles compared to men. The number of women

the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), found that while there are almost as many teams in U Sports for women as there are for men, only 17 per cent of the athletic director positions in Canadian universities are held by women. Sandmeyer-Graves says this is not a women’s issue, but a sport issue, and having gender

for their athletes.” Lisette Johnson-Stapley, the chief sport officer of U Sports, uses two words to describe the representation of female coaches at the university level: not common. She says men play a crucial role in the conversation, needing to speak to the skills, lead-

ership and abilities that women bring to the table. According to Sandmeyer-Graves, a perfect example of someone who plays his part is Ryerson’s director of athletics, Ivan Joseph. “It’s about having men who are prepared to take action within their sphere of influence, to open doors, to champion women, and to set out strategies to help women advance,” Sandmeyer-Graves said. In 2015, the CAAWS, the CAC and U Sports discussed the status of women in coaching and planned an initiative with Ryerson University to give retired female athletes an opportunity to transition to permanent coaching positions. A chosen mentor coach at Ryerson was required to complete the CAC’s one-day, intensive training module that prepared coaches to step into the mentor role with confidence and clear purpose. But the CAC’s leadership is adamant in calling for more. In one sentence, Lorraine Lafrenière, the CEO of the CAC, summed up what U Sports needs for this conversation to continue and open up more opportunities for women. “We need more people like Ivan Joseph,” she said. Down at ice level, Joseph’s initiatives seem to be paying off. “We didn’t look at it as, ‘let’s hire Kori so she’s the only female coach in men’s hockey’ — we had a really strong relationship with her and we knew the strengths she had, and that’s ultimately why we leaned towards her,” Duco said. “But I do think the ripple effect of that is huge.” @kate_skelly

R yersonian

Editorial

Read more Opinions online ryersonian.ca Wednesday, November 15, 2017

EDITORIAL

RSU free speech? The Justice Centre For Constitutional Freedoms is terrified that speech outside the Ryerson Students’ Union’s mandate is — wait for it — a threat to free speech. The new “Campus Freedom Index” is out and neither Ryerson nor the Ryerson Students’ Union did well. Both earned failing grades for their practices. Explaining the grade, the centre noted the RSU lacked a stated commitment to free speech, its rules for campaign materials around election time are excessively stringent and “the student union takes political positions on issues outside its mandate.” If this is supposed to come from free-speech absolutists, surely the right of elected RSU executives to advocate freely deserves defending as well? The centre’s report cites RSU policy detailing that no union resources, space or recognition will be allocated “to enhance groups/individuals who are members of or directly affiliated with external organizations with the primary/sole purpose of antichoice activities.” It notes, however, that in practice, the RSU advocates for and supports other, unrelated causes. “The RSU takes political stances on issues including bottled water, the prison industrial complex, privatization, public funding for Pride events, abortion, women’s issues, and religious, spiritual and cultural freedom. It has

also endorsed the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement,” the centre’s report read. What this has to do with free speech is anyone’s guess but it does reflect a pattern. Back in July, the head of Ryerson’s free speech club appeared in a column by that noted freethinker Sue-Ann Levy to decry “social justice gone mad,” at Ryerson. His complaint? The RSU made a statement in favour of justice for Canada’s Indigenous people and against Canada 150. He insisted the RSU “be apolitical and advocate for every single student.” That sounds an awful lot like forced speech, frankly. Free speech warriors almost always turn away in disgust when left-wing activists say anything remotely controversial. Our student union slate was elected in part on an equity-oriented platform. It advocates on that basis. There’s no reason why elected representatives must give way to the pressure of a right-wing mob and back away from controversy to remain “apolitical,” or to avoid disagreement. No one was forced to avoid Canada Day because the student union asked them to. The report suggests the preoccupation with free speech on campus is a preoccupation with comforting the comfortable. The JCCF and the free speech club’s claim that free speech is under attack at Ryerson deserves to be taken about as seriously as it takes the fight to defend free speech.

BROOKE TAYLOR | RYERSONIAN

OPINION

No more Zones BROOKE TAYLOR RYERSONIAN

As the famous philosopher Kanye West once said, “don’t let me get in my zone.” More like “Ryerson won’t let me get into the zones.” In a school hard-pressed for space, why are we constantly giving it up to outside groups? For some reason, designated breastfeeding spaces are harder to access than Zones. Currently, the only designated breast-feeding space on campus is behind a locked door. More on that later. Darrick V. Heyd, senior adviser for academic space planning, said space on Ryerson is limited by campus location and therefore it’s a challenge to give space to breastfeeding parents.

Yet, we have 11 Zones. Seriously, 11. I don’t think I’ve spoke to a single person who understands the Zones. How do you become part of Zone Learning? Honestly, I don’t get it. You have to have a startup plan, maybe. Or, maybe not. It’s not entirely clear. How can Ryerson accommodate these Zones while telling student-parents and other groups that “woops, sorry, no space for that”? My understanding is most of Ryerson’s Zones hire staff from outside of the university. Wouldn’t it make more sense for our university to cater to the students who pay for these Zones in the first place? I don’t want to know how much of my nearly $11,000 annual tuition goes to these Zones. Did I mention the overcrowding in classrooms? I got lost in the SLC the other day and happened upon a Zone. It was midday and there were three people occupying the rather large space, despite the “space crunch” Ryerson suffers from.

It’s the Student Learning Centre for God’s sake. Give it to the students. That is some prime real estate. Now, maybe I’m just jealous that I’m not in one of these exclusive clubs. I don’t think I am, but I know I’m jealous that these weird Zones get priority over every other student space in the university. In a previous article, I wrote that finding a private and quiet space to breastfeed (to be clear, I am not a parent) was nearly impossible. Yet, we have but ONE designated breastfeeding space? It’s in the RSU building, the door is locked and if no one is working, tough noogies. The new Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex will have a designated breastfeeding space. So, when that is finished being built in 2018, we’ll have two. Ryerson offers students just one prayer room and it takes a lot of sifting through Ryerson’s many websites to find it. But, we have 11 Zones, so I guess that’s fine.

R yersonian

Voices

Read more Voices at ryersonian.ca Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Finding my way out ‘I convinced myself that summer was just a rough patch and the months ahead would get easier’ JULIA LLOYD RYERSONIAN

I didn’t realize I had an eating disorder until I noticed myself skipping every meal. It started the summer going into my second year at Ryerson. During this time, I also found myself becoming more and more depressed and anxious. I went days eating only a slice of bread and maybe a few veggies here and there. I was working at a restaurant that summer where I was constantly around food. If I got hungry I would try to eat something light, but as soon as I started to eat I would get a sick feeling in my stomach. It felt like my body was punishing itself for trying to eat. Growing up, I never had an issue with my body. I was always skinny and athletic. But then, in my first year of university, you could say I gained the freshman 20. My roommate was stunning and I spent that year constantly comparing myself to her. I felt disgusting, fat and unattractive. The summer going into second year came along; I started convincing myself that not eating every day could help me lose weight. My idea started innocently — I just wanted to lose the weight I gained in first year. I didn’t even notice my depression and anxiety getting worse because I was high all the time. I would continue to smoke weed and ignore the fact that I was avoiding meals and hated myself. When that summer ended, I was moving into a new apartment and didn’t tell my new roommate

MILCA KUFLU | RYERSONIAN

Ryerson student Julia Lloyd reflects on her struggles with her eating disorder.

I was struggling. Because I was embarrassed. Smoking weed helped me forget about it. And, during this time, I was high almost

easier — but I was wrong. My roommate started noticing how much weight I was losing. At one point, I lost 50 pounds off my weight from first year.

I wanted to die during these months in second year. I didn’t see the point in life anymore. It was a very dark time for me.

As soon as I started to eat, I would get a sick feeling in my stomach. every day. All day. Forgetting I was struggling became easy. I convinced myself that summer was just a rough patch and the months ahead would get

I finally noticed how bad my eating disorder was getting. But at that time I was way more focused on stopping myself from possible suicide.

It got to the point where my dad would weigh me every time I came home to visit. I would sometimes make a meal just so my parents would believe I was eating.

Then, I would throw it out. Because I couldn’t eat it without barfing it up minutes later. At one point I was putting a small amount of milk in a cereal bowl and taking a photo of it. I kept it as proof. I kept it as proof in case my dad asked if I had eaten breakfast. Still, it wasn’t foolproof. I still sometimes second-guess if I have an eating disorder. Society tells us that unless you look deathly skinny that you aren’t suffering from an eating disorder. However, my experience has taught me that eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes. Some eating disorders are based on restricting, while others are on binging. There is no structure or box a person suffering can fit into. Everyone is different. It is not just the girl whose ribs you can see that is suffering. You can’t always tell. Once I got better medication for my anxiety and depression I thought my eating disorder would disappear. But I still have anorexia nervosa. It’s the most common eating disorder. I still struggle to eat three full meals a day. Most days I can get one meal in or maybe a meal and a snack. But do not follow my steps. Do not ignore your eating disorder until you can’t ignore it anymore. And don’t compare your own personal story to mine. We all suffer differently. But I believe the only way to work through it is being aware you are not alone. @JuliaRyerson

R yersonian

Full story available at ryersonian.ca

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Campus Connection

Campus Comment How are you preparing for flu season?

Events Nov. 16: FCAD Fireside Chat with Dean Falzon

If I do get sick, I take the time off. I rest. I find when you keep going, you just stay sick.

12:30- 2:30 p.m. IMA Lobby

Nov. 17:

— Lindsey Malcolm

Prince and Revolutions

His

4- 6 p.m. ILLC London Paris Room

I just don’t do stupid things, like go to places where people are sick. I just avoid class, that’s the answer.

Nov. 20-24: Shop the SLC: A Holiday Market

— Sabrina Bertsch

10 a.m - 4 p.m. SLC Amphitheatre

HEATHER STEWART | RYERSONIAN

Nov. 21:

Senior scores big with Rams soccer record Business student Nick Lambis has set a new record for most goals scored in Ryerson men’s soccer history. Since his first year as a member of the team in 2013, Lambis has scored 34 times. His career as a Rams athlete ended this season with his team taking bronze in the Ontario University Athletics final four matchup on Nov. 3. Lambis scored one of the three goals that finished the 3-0 game against McMaster.

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News Editors Matthew Amha Jacob Cappe Hayley Hanks Nikhil Sharma

I’ll put a seat in front of my toilet so when I throw up I’ll be more comfortable.

Transdressing: trans inclusion in clothing design and fashion

— Christian Ryan

12- 2 p.m. MA Studio, KHW-258

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