The Silhouette — February 15, 2018

S The Silhouette Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

Sex and

The Steel City Sex, love and health

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Pages 17-25

NEWS: MSU landlord wiki will launch at the end of the term // PAGE 5 SPORTS: Flag football provides an athletic community for women on campus // PAGES 28-29

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Volume 88, Issue 21 Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

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The Silhouette, Thursday, March 13,1986

S e x! S e x! Sex !

editor-in-chief | thesil@thesil.ca

How sexually aw are are you? Some answers to the question were given in a lecture by Shirley WheaUy on March 7, presented by the McMaster Students Union (MSU) Sex Ed Centre during sex­ ual awareness week. The lecture almost filled the Medical Centre’s Ew art Angus Centre.

Wheatly has been a registered nurse for 21 years, supervisor of Fam ily Plann­ ing for the City of Toronto and is now an advisor of Health Services at Sheridan College. Her past employment has allow­ ed her to see sexuality develop as well as the problem s which a rise due to unavailability of information about sex, she said. “ Good quality information is hard to find especially when you as an individual are looking for advice” , said Wheatly.

Wheatly began the talk with a discus­ sion on sex roles and sexuality. “It is up

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Emily O’Rourke features@thesil.ca

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Justin Parker sports reporter Jessica Carmichael sports@thesil.ca sports editor

& culture editor Daniel Arauz & culture reporter Razan Samara aandc@thesil.ca

arts arts

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Madeline Neumann Kyle West production coordinator Grant Holt production coordinator Timothy Law production@thesil.ca photo editor

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By P A U L L A B E R G E Silhouette Staff

Hamilton’s Convention Centre was tbe site last Wednesday of a public forum on the Peterson governm ent’s proposed plan to legislate a ban on extra-billing by doctors. The event, hosted by the Hamilton Academy of Medicine, provid­ ed an opportunity for m em bers of the public to hear and question both sides in the dispute.

First to speak was Dr. Don Rosen­ thal, a local dermatologist and vicechairman of the Academy. He told the crowd of over 500 that the legislation has caused "resentment and outrage in the health care profession” for those who feel “jilted” because of their depiction as greedy and selfish.

Yvonne Lu Jaime Cook online content coordinator Susie Ellis online@thesil.ca video editor

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cessability Act” , is negotiable except in its principle, Ward said. He also said that the only infringement on doctors rights caused by the Bill is the “ ability to charge patients w hatever they wanted.”

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CONTACT MUSC, Room B110 McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4S4 Editor-in-Chief (905) 525-9140, ext 22052 Main Office (905) 525-9140, ext 27117 Advertising ccpc@mcmaster.ca 8,000 circulation published by the

The Silhouette welcomes letters to the editor in person at MUSC B110, or by email at thesil@thesil.ca. Please include name, address and telephone number for verification only. Letters should be 300 words or less.

We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters and opinion articles. Opinions and editorials expressed in the Silhouette are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the publishers, the McMaster Students Union or the University. The Silhouette is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the McMaster Students Union. The Silhouette Board of Publications acts as an intermediary between the editorial board, the McMaster community and the McMaster Students Union. Grievances regarding the Silhouette may be forwarded in writing to: McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Student Centre, Room 201, L8S 4S4, Attn: The Silhouette Board of Publications.

The Board will consider all submissions and make recommendations accordingly.

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Following the speeches, the forum was turnfed over to the crowd who were free to question the speakers and Dr. Ed Moran, general secretary of the OMA who was also on hand for the event. The questions and rem arks representing both sides of the issue of those who spoke out were m et with applause and boos from other members of the divided crowd.

Dermot Nolan, a local attorney, who acted as m oderator, told audience m embers several times to contain their rem arks so the session could proceed.

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Wentworth North Liberal M PP Chris Ward was on hand to explain the govern­ ment’s position. Ward said th at “ extra­ billing is an impediment to equal access” for the poor, the elderly and the socially disadvantaged and is unacceptable in an equal opportunity health care system.

Dr. Doug Bell, director of district four of the Ontario Medical Association

(OMA) followed Ward at the podium and spoke of the history of the health care system in Ontario, saying it was a system “pioneered by doctors, not politi­ cians” .

Doctors wish to be “a free society of Bill 94, the so-called “ Health Care Ac-

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unregulated professionals,” said Bell, free from what he termed “ non-medical controls” . He feels, as do a vast majority of his colleagues, that Bill 94 clearly stops the medical profession short of achieving these goals.

G o o d lo o k in g h a i r a t a g o o d lo o k in g p r ic e .

Rosenthal also stated that doctors feel it is “ethically and morally wrong to overbill those who can’t afford it” and that anytime that this happened, it was purely unintentional. The doctors can understand the government’s position but would much prefer negotiation to legislation to resolve the issue, said Rosenthal.

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child and what they should tell children.

Studies show that in Canada sex is mostly taught only in physical education classes. Only 50% of students take physical education in high school.

“A good sexual relationship must start with a good relationship. When sex is going badly it’s number one on the list but when all other factors in a relation­ ship are going well sex is at the bottom of the list” .

The discussion which took place after the lecture centred mainly on myths about sex. When asked about ejaculative expulsion by women, Wheat­ ly dismissed the idea. “ It has never been proven and is not physically possible” said Wheatly. Another myth mentioned

by Wheatly is the possibility of male child bearing.

There was much discussion about the number of unwanted pregnancies at the University level. According to Wheatly, “if enough information was given about sex and support was given for saying “no” to sex then less unwanted pregnan­ cies would be found.”

until sixty days in the uterus that all em ­ bryos are fem ale” . However, it is not un­ til the age of four that a child develops gender indentity. This takes place late in the child’s life despite the fact that they are continually made aw are of their gender. This is seen as early as at birth where all babies are placed in different coloured clothing based on gender.

At one time men and women were not prepared for sex since they were told nothing about it. Wheatly said today there is a rising need for informing the young public about sex. “ Girls are sta r­ ting to m enstruate earlier and that makes things happen earlier and faster” , she said.

Insufficient or inadequate sex educa­ tion of young children means that as adults they may not fully understand sex. “ Past experiences, good or bad, set the stage for us to move on into adult sex relationships. Parents should be the prime educators but the school should also take part in this education” said Wheatly. The problem is that parents are concerned about who should educate the

B y C A R L A C E R M IN A R A Silhouette Staff

Shane Madill @shanemadill digital media specialist | dms@msu.mcmaster.ca Aaron de Jesus managing editor | managing@thesil.ca Rachel Katz production editor | production@thesil.ca Catherine Tarasyuk online editor | online@thesil.ca Haley Greene Sasha Dhesi news reporter Cassidy Bereskin news@thesil.ca

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“A good sexual relationship must start with a good relationship.

When sex is going badly it’s number one on the list but when all other factors in a relationship are going well sex is at the bottom of the list”.

WE WANT YOU TO CONTRIBUTE We’ll see you after next week’s mid-term recess!

As always, we will continue to accept volunteer submissions, feedback and inquiries. Feel free to send an email to the section you would like to contribute to.

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

The Silhouette

| 3

News Celebrating women in STEM The IWISCI conference aims to support young women entering STEM fields Donna Nadeem Contributor

McMaster students and faculty came together on Feb. 11, the United Nations recognized day of Women in Science and Technology, to celebrate and empower women in science and technology during their International Women in Science day conference.

McMaster biochemistry and health sciences students developed the IWISCI day conference in 2017 as a small event that was focused on women in science and what kind of careers women have after a biochemistry degree. Due to the high interest, it was turned into a day-long conference that not only focused on biochemistry, but women in all branches of sciences.

“We keep trying to keep an open forum for people to talk and kind of understand the gender disparity or the gender inequities that exist in the field of science and how we can fix them and work forward to creating an equitable environment,” said Inna Ushcatz, co-chair of the IWISCI 2018 conference.

The conference will celebrate women’s contributions to research, healthcare and industry. The conference also aims to encourage gender equity, empower peers and offer advice from mentors and supporters.

“Sometimes, especially when your at such an exceptional school, like McMaster, it’s easy to feel like your in this bubble and that everything is great, people are so welcoming to… women in science but what I realized with talking to people who were actually in the work force and have their careers in academia and in science, it’s not as good as it could be, so I’m starting to realize how things could be a lot better and it’s important to have this conversation,” said Ushcatz.

The conference consisted of two keynote speakers, Prof.

Charu Kaushic who is a profes-

C/O IWISCI CONFERENCE

We keep trying to keep an open forum for people to talk and kind of understand the gender disparity or the gender inequities that exist in the field of science and how we can fix them and work forward to creating an equitable environment Inna Ushcatz Co-chair of the IWISCI 2018 conference

sor of pathology and molecular medicine at McMaster University, and Prof. Stacey Ritz, the assistant dean of the bachelor of health sciences program and an associate professor in pathology and molecular medicine at McMaster.

The conference also featured two panels and three workshops that focus on important topics of giving women communication tools to speak with confidence both in professional and personal settings, gender inequalities in the workplace and the perspectives on women in science over the years.

The IWISCI executive team hopes to reach out to high schools in the area for future conferences. They want to

provide them with workshops that they have as a portion of the conference, and take that to the schools to try and encourage high school students who are who are interested in the science field as a future career path. The executive team also plans on trying to branch out to elementary schools in later years, to encourage student as early as possible of the career they could have in the science.

“From last year we learned what people wanted to see from the conference so we are trying to facilitate that this year,” said Michelle Lohblihler, co-chair of the IWISCI 2018 conference.

The IWISCI community is focused not only on bridging the barrier between McMaster

students and professors, but also extending and promoting women’s access to and participation in the field of sciences in the Hamilton community.

@theSilhouette

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NEWS

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 | www.thesil.ca

How the campus clinic stacks up The MSU health services report stresses the need for shorter wait times and more counsellors

One of the most common complaints about the SWC is its lack of hours during the weekend.

MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR Jackie McNeill Contributor

The McMaster Students Union Student Representative Assembly’s Standing Committee on University Affairs, in collaboration with the MSU Student Health Education Centre, conducted a survey on McMaster health services from Oct. 23, 2017 to Nov. 10.

A January 2018 report written on the health services review acknowledges that physical and mental health are important aspects of student life, and that the health services survey was a key method for student voices to be heard on these topics.

The survey sample was roughly 100 students. 83 per cent of respondents identified as female and only four per cent of the sample was first year students. The lack of participation from first years is explained as likely resulting from the survey being early on in their first semester, not giving them

“The Student Wellness Centre does blood testing, but they don’t do it for non-urgent reasons… they can’t really offer all the services on campus because they have limited capacity.”

David Lee MSU associate vice president (University Affairs) time to have visited the Student Wellness Centre.

The report does acknowledge a need for strategies to encourage participation in the future from those who identify as male given the majority were female respondents.

Starting with the availability of appointments, the survey itself looked at a variety of topics surrounding student health and the SWC. Although appointments were not difficult to get with wait times generally below one week, 36 per cent of respondents said they had tried to access the SWC at a time when it was closed.

The SWC is open from 8:45 a.m. until 7:45 p.m. most weekdays, except for Fridays when it closes at 4:30 p.m. It is closed all day on weekends, but the survey results suggest a need for operating hours on the weekend when students do not have classes.

Another important issue addressed by the survey is blood testing on campus, which was not offered at the time. If a student had needed blood testing done, then they would be referred to an off-campus location. According to the survey, 48 per cent of students referred did not complete the recommended blood test, often due to

difficulties finding the location or accessing it without a car.

David Lee, MSU associate vice president (University Affairs), explained that this situation has begun to be rectified with the SWC now offering blood testing on campus.

“The Student Wellness Centre does blood testing, but they don’t do it for non-urgent reasons… they can’t really offer all the services on campus because they have limited capacity,” Lee stated.

This limited capacity means that referrals are still very necessary in order for students to access the healthcare they need.

There is, however, the hope for a more detailed explanation of the referral system and locations in the future, especially for international students who may not be familiar with the area.

A large area of concern in the survey and report was the counselling offered by the SWC, with 54 per cent of respondents that had participated in counselling claiming dissatisfaction.

The most common complaints pertained to wait times of sometimes months between appointments, especially during the stressful exam season, and a lack of sensitivity from staff.

These have been addressed with the hiring of five new counsellors specializing in addiction and trauma, and the potential for a new model to be implemented by SWC staff when approaching mental health and mental illness.

“It’s easy to think of the Student Wellness Centre as the main problem, but it’s really a bigger issue of the health care system in general,” Lee said.

Students who have visited the SWC are encouraged to fill out the brief survey on their website, so student ideas for improvement can be heard. Students can also look forward to the SWC’s future relocation to the coming Peter George Centre for Living and Learning. @theSilhouette

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

| 5

A new lease on renting in Ontario The Ontario government and MSU are taking steps to help tenants understand their rights Cassidy Bereskin News Reporter

When he was in his third year at McMaster, Brad Tyler was living in the basement of a house in the McMaster community. In 2016, cockroaches began to infest the place.

“The landlord was told several times that the bug problem was escalating and he didn’t consider the severity of the situation nor seem to act urgently,” said Tyler.

It was not until the spring of 2017 when Tyler decided to cancel on his rent cheque until the landlord addressed the cockroach problem.

“I brought to his attention that the raid was a huge health hazard to the home and tenants and the landlord was still reluctant to properly resolve the issue,” said Tyler, who ended up moving out early.

In 2015, fourth-year McMaster student Mara* rented a place from a landlord who, unbeknownst to her and her roommates, was being chased by the fire department and the city for failing to bring his building up to code since October 2014.

“The landlord has been keeping secret all sorts of information pertaining to our living in the house,” said Mara*.

“He has been showing up at the house without any notice as well as allowing his hired contractors and electricians come into our home with no notice,” she said.

In spite of these issues, Mara* will live in this place until

On Feb. 7, the Ontario government introduced a new standard lease, which uses simple language to help tenants understand their rights. The update will be implemented for private residential leases signed on or after April 30.

The new Ontario lease is meant to inform tenants of their rights in an accessible manner.

MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR

the end of April.

In recent years, more and more stories have popped up of landlords taking advantage of McMaster students. However, this may change with the Ontario government’s new standard lease and other efforts being made to increase landlord accountability.

On Feb. 7, the Ontario government introduced a new standard lease, which uses simple language to help tenants understand their rights. The update will be implemented for private residential leases signed on or after April 30.

At McMaster, steps are also being taken to make students like Tyler and Mara* less vulnerable to being taken advantage of by landlords in the community.

In their year-plans, Chukky Ibe, president of the McMaster Students Union, and Ryan Deshpande, vice president (Education), sought to build a landlord wiki aimed at increasing

transparency about landlords in Hamilton.

The project will provide students with an online platform to evaluate their landlord and living situation.

Although the details are still in the works, according to Stephanie Bertolo, MSU associate vice president (Municipal Affairs), the landlord wiki system will likely allow students to post reviews anonymously.

“There is a possibility that students may not want to publish a review since the landlord could figure out it was them,” said Bertolo. “However, since the reviews are anonymous, this should prevent this issue.”

The landlord wiki was originally slated to become available in February, but has since been pushed back.

“We are currently sitting with the questions and want to run them by a lawyer because there are legal implications to starting a program like this,”

“We will likely build a lowcost, temporary version of the system to get [landlord wiki] running and gain traction around it, and then have it fully launched for next year.”

Ryan Deshpande MSU vice president (Education) said Deshpande. “We will likely build a low-cost, temporary version of the system to get it running and gain traction around it, and then have it fully launched for next year,” he said.

Nevertheless, other groups on campus have been working

to help students like Tyler and Mara*.

On Feb. 28, the Pro Bono Law Ontario McMaster team will be holding a “Stop, Drop and Law” speaker series event in room 108 of Burke Science Building.

“We have a couple of local lawyers coming in, and they’ll talk about student’s right as tenants and other in’s and out’s of property law regarding student housing,” said Janna Getty, a PBLO McMaster executive.

With these efforts, students should be able to advocate for their tenant rights. *named changed to protect identity

@cassidybereskin

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Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 | www.thesil.ca

Elevating marginalized voices in Hamilton New coalition puts spotlight on artists of colour in Hamilton Saad Ahmed Contributor

The Coalition of Black and Racialized Artists is a Hamilton-based collective of artists of colour. COBRA serves as a creative outlet to racialized individuals and provides access to valuable tools and resources within each artist’s field, allowing them to showcase potential and grow their audience.

The group is comprised of around 40 members from diverse racial backgrounds who

are engaged in numerous arts communities within the city, such as photographers, musicians, playwrights, visual artists and designers.

COBRA held their inaugural launch event on Feb. 9, showcasing live music, theatrical performances, vendors, art installations and other artistic offerings from a wide variety of creative Hamiltonians.

These artists have all contributed in different ways to today’s artistic scene in Hamilton; they are substantial components

GRANT HOLT / PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

in the growth and popularity of Hamilton’s arts and culture, which is now a major selling point in drawing people to the city.

“One of our main goals is to create awareness for our talents. We hear some local entities talk about culture and diversity in the city, but they don’t really practice it,” said George Qua-Enoo, a photographer and active member of COBRA whose travel photography was on display at the event.

The coalition was formed

around two years ago when a few artists began to discuss the barriers they faced as a racialized community. They realized the lack of opportunities available as minority artists in Hamilton, and quickly discovered they were facing the same issues regardless of art discipline. This led artists to address the issue at hand and come together to form a collective voice to support one another.

“It has come to our attention that artists of colour are underrepresented, both at the grassroots and administrative levels; we seek to offer our perspective as the Hamilton Arts Community begins making strides towards a more complete understanding of the city’s under-served artistic scene,” COBRA stated.

“Our hope is that by starting this conversation, we can ensure that Hamilton’s rich and vibrant art scenes reflect all of the city’s communities as they continue to flourish and mature.”

COBRA hopes to inspire the current and next generation of black and racialized artists in Hamilton through their various forms of art. They are hopeful that more artists of colour in Hamilton connect with each

other and reach out for opportunities to create a more tight-knit, resourceful community. They also hope to ease the discovery of racialized artists and create a platform for them to showcase their creativity on a large scale.

“Although it may appear obvious that non-white artists in the city are easily accessible, we often hear entities say they do not know where and how to find artists of colour in the city,” said Qua-Enoo.

“COBRA exists to create a platform for these entities to help and support artists of colour from any art discipline to navigate through these hurdles.

We have the talent, and we have a lot to contribute to the city’s art landscape,” He encourages any black and racialized artists in Hamilton to join COBRA. They meet once a month and encourage all members to be actively involved in their meetings to improve the landscape of opportunities for artists of colour in Hamilton. @theSilhouette

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

| 7

Zero-tolerance policies and practices in elementary and secondary schools Campus activists and community members are working to prevent discrimination in Hamilton schools Tashy Davidson Contributor

On Feb. 6, an activist group called HWDSB Kids Need Help facilitated a meeting at Sir John A.MacDonald Secondary School. This offered community members an opportunity to discuss their experiences of discriminatory treatment by the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board and its constituent schools and staff.

The group came together after an incident at a Hamilton high school that involved police and a child with autism. The incident raised questions about de-escalation strategies, the roles and training of teachers as both educators and caregivers and direct and systemic discrimination in schools.

“We want to… make it as accessible as possible for everyone to speak about what has happened [to them].… We

want to provide that route to the board,” said Gachi Issa, one of the event organizers.

Participants were asked to share their stories and recommendations for improvement, which the group is compiling into a report and will share with the HWDSB in the coming weeks. The report will also be released on their Facebook page.

The organizers, Issa and Sabreina Dahab, now students at McMaster, also faced systemic barriers in accessing educational supports.

“There is a community, but a lot of us have been working on our own instances of discrimination and working against it on our own,” said Issa. “We’ve seen change happen in our school, although it was cultural… [which] doesn’t necessarily transfer to structural [change].”

This is central to the group’s mission to demand structural change from the HWDSB. But

the need for this kind of change stretches beyond Hamilton.

An investigation carried out by the Ontario Human Rights Commission found that sections of the Ontario Safe Schools Act, passed in 2000 by the Conservative government, failed to protect students’ human rights, including the right not to be discriminated against based on race or ability.

The act set down new rules for suspension and expulsion, namely that suspensions and expulsions for certain behaviour became mandatory rather than discretionary, in addition to other zero-tolerance mandates.

The OHRC’s study found that the act has a disproportionate impact on racial minorities and students with disabilities.

Upon interviewing a large sample of school administrators, social workers, parents, students and lawyers, they concluded that the act allows for both direct

and systemic discrimination.

For example, the act does not prohibit suspension or expulsion on grounds that are a result of a student’s disability, despite the OHRC requiring that a student with a disability is accommodated to the point of undue hardship. Likewise, students of colour tend to be placed in special needs classrooms more often than white students. “[Teachers and administrators] aren’t being held accountable, which enables [them] to continue these actions and not be trained,” said Dahab. Training is one issue that Dahab and Issa will address with the board. Julie Johnson, a parent of a child with autism and an advocate for students with autism who attended the HWDSB Kids Need Help meeting, had to leave her job because her son could not stay in school. She identifies a shift in teaching conventions as a setback for fair teaching

practices.

“I think that’s the bigger thing — actually caring about human beings and building them. So, it isn’t always about marks. Sometimes it’s about, ‘This kid’s really struggling. He’s got some real issues at home’… you just have to hope you have a decent human being looking after your kid,” Johnson said.

As HWDSB Kids Need Help and families such as the Johnsons continue to organize, the community will strive to better support marginalized students in Hamilton and reduce barriers to education.

@theSilhouette

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February 15, 2018 | thesil.ca

DANIEL TUBA D’SOUZA Vice President (Finance) vpfinance@msu.mcmaster.ca 905.525.9140 x24109

The idea for the newly opened Grind café came from trying to address two current issues: the availability of affordable food on campus, combined with the lack of available study and lounge space. Located inside TwelvEighty, one can enter The Grind to the right, just down the steps from Union Market in MUSC. As anyone who has ever spent time in MUSC can attest, there is not enough space for students to simply sit down and eat. While there are multiple new buildings on the horizon, there are still numerous cohorts that will face congested lounge spaces, eateries, and libraries. Moreover, cafés are becoming increasingly popular places in which to lounge and study. The Grind aims to give students more affordable food options, while providing additional space to study

or relax between classes.

The price points for food and beverages at The Grind were designed with value and affordability in mind. The café offers a range of sweet and savory crêpes, with almost the entire menu under $7. A popular sweet crêpe is the Hazelnut & Banana for $5.99, with Nutella, sweet mascarpone cream cheese and fresh bananas.

On the savory side, a favourite is the Grilled Veg & Goat Cheese with freshly grilled vegetables and an herb goat cheese spread for $6.99. In addition to crêpes, The Grind offers the best premium coffee prices on campus, with most beverages under $3.

The freshly ground, handcrafted cappuccino can be purchased for $2.45, while a latte of the same genesis is only $2.95. In addition, there is an assortment of other premium coffees and herbal teas.

Students can grab a coffee and crêpe to go, but are welcome to stay for a while to study and eat.

In addition to crêpes, The Grind offers the best premium coffee prices on campus.

The initial proposal for the café was brought forward in May when the 2017-2018 Board of Directors took office. Working with the Student Representative Assembly, the TwelvEighty management team, and Facility Services, a budget to build the café was approved and an architect was hired to manage the construction. Starting in the summer, consultation with student focus groups took place to get a sense of the type of food and

features students were looking for in a new café space. It was very in-depth, with input gathered from students regarding lighting, plugs, seating, and the overall aesthetic of the space, as well as food offerings, to ensure this was a space that the campus commujnity would enjoy. Moreover, student feedback was also gathered throughout the café’s training period, wherein data

was collected to assess affordable prices for the various crêpe and coffee options on the menu.

The Grind was created in response to student needs, namely the lack of study space and the desire for more affordable food options on campus. Given the quality of the food, the great value at which it is presented, and the atmosphere therein, I am certain The Grind will impress.

MSU_McMASTER

MSUMcMASTER.ca

@MSU_McMASTER

/MSUMcMaster

TEXT ‘MSU’ TO 71441

The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the McMaster Students Union (MSU) Board of Directors (BoD) to communicate with the student body. It functions to highlight the Board’s projects, goals, and agenda for the year, as well as the general happenings of the MSU.

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

EDITORIAL

| 9

Editorial Inconsistent presidential elections An overhaul of the rules is needed no matter who ends up winning Shane Madill Editor-in-Chief

While I have written about how we should be expecting campaigns on campus to follow the rules, a larger problem exists.

What if the rules need reform?

Having odd rules does not excuse a candidate from not reading the rules, intentionally breaking them or their inability to run a disciplined campaign team. But regardless of how all of these recent appeals for the McMaster Students Union president-elect turn out, there should be a re-evaluation of what is necessary to keep in the rules and a consistent system that serves to better represent the severity of each violation.

There are a few different approaches to how violations have been approached over the years.

One example of this is rule 5.1., which reads, “Materials may not possess any logo(s) of the MSU, McMaster University, or McMaster University recognized groups”. This is a standard violation.

In 2016, a cooperative approach was used when Mike Gill was tagged in a photo of someone wearing an MSU Spark shirt. This was deemed to be in violation of the rules for the usage of an MSU logo. The Chief Returning Officer warned Gill about the situation, Gill replied that the person was not on their campaign team and the CRO

All of this could be yours.

added that it was still their responsibility to ask the individual to take the photo down, which it was. The motion to fine Gill failed.

In that same year, Justin Monaco-Barnes uploaded a campaign video filmed in the Underground that had the MSU and Child Care logos visible.

The CRO notified Monaco-Barnes, and the team put a “censored patch” over it. Two motions passed: the first was related to 5.1., and the second was for inappropriate use of MSU resources.

It is also worth noting that Gill’s violation had to do with a non-participating member posting an MSU logo and Monaco-Barnes’ violation came from his campaign team. This election also featured a ruling that dismissed a complaint against Jonathon Tonietto as they could not verify if someone using Snapchat was on his campaign team.

2018 featured a different approach according to the Jan. 25 minutes. The CRO emailed all candidates stating that all logos needed to be blurred. This came up in Rabeena Obaidullah’s violations when a campaign team member wore a McMaster sweater in their photo on the campaign website and in the team photo. This resulted in a 5.1. ruling, and a severe violation for deliberately breaking a rule.

The 2018 election also featured multiple rulings that added non-participating members to campaign teams, then passing violations on those teams.

The actions of members added to Aydin’s team resulted in one standard violation. Multiple standard violations and one severe violation were added for Farah because of members added to the team by the committee and multiple standard violations were added for external endorsements. One additional standard violation was added for retweeting a non-MSU member’s endorsement, which is fair.

Multiple standard violations and one severe violation were added to Odaidullah because of members added to the team or friends of the candidate.

Inconsistencies when it comes to the communication of violations with the candidates and the rulings on those violations and on non-campaigning members have led to this year being strange when it comes to rulings.

In 2016, you could be relatively sure that all of the violations against Sarah Jama, who was disqualified and later reinstated after appeals, were from her or her campaign team. Her disqualification and reinstatement went through a process that evaluated her designated team’s ability to follow the rules, and uphold the integrity of the campaigning period. This year

to beating the system to closing 30 tabs to post-grad acceptances to getting extensions for assignments you haven’t started to Henry Brown’s Hot 4 U ice cream flavour to the door opening option select to wholesome TA pep talks to Nigel’s backless dress to numb eyes to clear skin and breathing easy

has been questionable whether Farah and Obaidullah deserve to be disqualified on their own merits or if they were disqualified thanks to things that were out of their control.

These different approaches to interpreting the rules should be clarified and overhauled to allow for each year to be judged

to flights of stairs after a run to AirPod discrimination to networking gone bad and miscommunicating your intentions to the bra size conspiracy to Billy Corgan porn parodies to sexualizing oatmeal to targetted hate blogs to being ghosted to being aggressively DM’d about deleting someone on Snapchat to the youths

similarly. There should be no questions about whether the subjective interpretations by the elections committee in a particular year have significantly influenced the election results or fines levied. @shanemadill

The Silhouette is hiring for next year’s Editor-in-Chief!

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for overseeing the entire Silhouette media operation, including the weekly print product, the website and all multimedia projects.

Print product

Managing money

Moving forward

Leadership

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for coordinating and creating the newspaper each week during the school year.

As Editor-in-Chief, you are responsible for paying bills, preparing purchase orders and creating the budget for the following school year.

Consumer expectations for media are changing. The Editor-in-Chief is the captain of the ship and will set the direction for the Silhouette.

The Silhouette currently has 18 paid part-time staff members and one other full-time staff member who is split with CFMU.

For more information, visit msumcmaster.ca/jobs! Deadline is Feb. 25.

10 |

HUMANS

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 | www.thesil.ca

you’re at and who you are, and that you’re absolutely worth it.

When’s the last time you told yourself that?

Be kind. There was a time when my family was barely making it, we didn’t have money to spare for little luxuries.

On top of that, I was struggling with school and managing relationships, but I kept quiet about it all. Nobody knew about what I was going through or what I’m going through now, just like I don’t know what others may be going through at any given point in their lives. I’ve learned that everybody has a story and you aren’t always privy to it.

Kind words cost nothing and only good can ever come out of it, so just be kind.

“Surround yourself with the best kind of people.

These will be the people that make you smile... even in your most miserable moments.”

An’am Sherwani Kinesiology II

Manveer Kalirai Contributor

What drew you to McMaster?

Sense of community, for sure.

In high school, even though I had been acquainted with many people, I still felt pretty lonely.

I always felt like something was missing, felt it like a void.

Growing up in Hamilton, I was on the McMaster campus quite a bit and in the same way you can often pick up on a person’s vibes, I could pick up on the vibes here. It truly felt like home. Everything I was looking for, I had a feeling I’d find it here. I just knew I’d love it here.

When I was in grade twelve, I had some older friends, who were already attending Mac, and they told me that you wouldn’t be just a statistic here, that McMaster genuinely cares about your well-being, your mental heath, your learning experience and you as a whole. Sometimes we build these lonely spaces for ourselves, but it’s nice knowing somebody cares.

If you could give advice to your first-year self, what would you tell her?

It gets better. It sounds terribly cliche, I know, but it truly is the best piece of advice I could give to first-year An’am. First year had its ups and downs, successes and failures. There was lots of laughing sometimes and just as much crying other times. It was a rollercoaster, no doubt about that.

Despite the fact that I met some incredible people over the course of the year, that I got to do some incredible things and learn incredible things, I do remember there being lots of disappointment. I went into first year with high expectations and goals that I was so certain that I’d be able to achieve. But, when things didn’t quite seem to go as I’d envisioned and some goals were moving beyond my reach, I was crushed. I was trying so hard, and I was angry with myself whenever that hard work didn’t pay off. It became an exhausting, unhealthy vicious cycle.

If I could tell my first-year something, I’d tell her to cry it all out. We often put up this tough exterior, trapping all this negative energy inside. If you’re worried or tired, scared or anxious… if you feel like crying, cry. Get it out of your system. Let it all out. I promise it gets better.

An’am Sherwani Kinesiology Year II

What words of wisdom do you live by?

Surround yourself with the best kind of people. These will be people that make you smile — scratch that, laugh — even in your most miserable moments.

These will be people that truly want the best for you and will support you in every way. They will help you move closer to your goals and aspirations.

Keep these people close.

Love yourself. You may think this sounds silly or obvious, but I still find it worth bringing it up. Stand in front of a mirror and tell yourself that you are happy with where

facebook.com/HumansOfMcMaster

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

The Silhouette

| 11

Opinion Mental health support

Services and supports for mental health on campus are not as supportive as they could be

MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR Alex Bak Contributor

Mental health is a topic that has gained a lot of attention at McMaster. The recent push in initiatives and the sheer number of advocacy campaigns have made it the most relevant topic at the university.

The dialogue started by students and staff about the stigma of mental health issues swelled and increased awareness around the topic. However, an issue arises cloaked by all the buzz, as there is still a lack of mental health support services on campus that adequately support students who are suffering from mental illness.

While some student-run services, such as the Student Health Education Centre and the Women Gender and Equity Network have peer-support

volunteers, McMaster should consider hiring more trained counsellors equipped to deal with these illnesses. These are the installments students need

For many students, having to wait months for an available appointment doesn’t fit the temporal needs of counselling as mental health issues can become increasingly worse in a short period.

to combat these issues, but it is presently lacking on campus.

For students who trust these student-run services, it may be worth considering hiring trained employees with the appropriate qualifications on campus that these volunteer-run services can refer to when student’s mental health is detrimental or comprised.

In addition, for many students, having to wait months for an available appointment doesn’t fit the temporal needs of counselling as mental health issues can become increasingly worse in a short period.

The Student Wellness Centre is a location for mental health issues on campus and having an inadequate supply of staff for the volume of demand is a problem that is clouded behind the animated awareness campaigns, discussions and fo-

rums. Especially when students who have accessibility issues are asked to provide evidence of their mental illnesses to find academic support in services such as Student Accessibility Services, mental health is compromised for students who are seeking help but are having trouble finding it on campus.

A factor that plays into the concern for mental health awareness and services with adequate support is the lack of advertisement of the existing support services. For students who may not be as involved in school related events or co-curricular activities, it may be hard to even be aware that certain services are present on campus.

Especially for students with symptoms of isolation due to state of mental health, it makes it difficult to cater to a large student body if students if there

is little knowledge due to lack of awareness for mental health support.

Mental health is still a subject that is sensitive and an issue that is often misunderstood even though it has made great strides compared to the past. The tireless efforts made by local student groups and organizations to increase dialogue needs to be complemented by the implementation of the hiring of more mental health support staff or counsellors and advisors appropriately prepared to handle these issues. This could then work to destigmatize the issues around mental health and ensure that students are receiving the support that they need on campus. @theSilhouette

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VOTING DAYS: MARCH 6−8, 2018

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For information about candidates in the election of undergraduate and graduate students to the BOARD OF GOVERNORS, SENATE, and the UNIVERSITY PLANNING COMMITTEE, please see the University Secretariat elections website: www.mcmaster.ca/univsec/elections/index

Questions may be directed to the University Secretariat, phone 905.525.9140, ext. 24337, or email unielec@mcmaster.ca

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OPINION

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

| 13

Competition for career building Students should participate in competitive volunteer opportunities for career experience Reem Sheet Opinion Editor

Experience in any form, whether voluntary, competitive or direct employment, is important for students who are looking to build their resumes and develop their careers. By participating in competitive volunteer opportunities on campus, students can gain experience that can help improve their chances for job opportunities.

McMaster should consider making them known to students from all faculties, in addition to ensuring that these opportunities are as all-inclusive as possible in terms of faculty representation. Experiential opportunities McMaster should be open to students from all faculties and should aspire to create opportunities that help students from all educational backgrounds participate in experiences that could help their future.

Post-secondary education is meant to prepare students for the real world and give students what they need to succeed outside of school as well. Nowadays, career-related education is not as easily accessible as it should be for young adults. It is difficult enough for students to understand the basics of job-search, which in turn makes finding a experience that can helps students build a career an even greater challenge.

By participating in competitive volunteer opportunities on campus, students can gain experience that can help improve their chances for job opportunities.

In creating student-oriented opportunities that will help students build their skillsets and add experiences to their resumes that are not paid and are volunteer based, McMaster would be helping students prepare for the real world and fulfill what university is meant to do for students.

C/O DELTAHACKS.COM

A perfect example of a student-competitive volunteer opportunity is McMaster’s annual student hackathon for change, DeltaHacks. With over 500 participants last year from universities across the nation, the competition encourages students to participate in an event that creates positive change in participating in solving real world problems using design thinking strategies.

The competition offers several positions and opportunities for students, from being a coordinator or a mentor to participating in marketing strategy.

It offers many opportunities for students to work on real-world skills that help students build a resume skillset.

Opportunities like this are unique for students, because they encourage students from all fields and educational backgrounds to participate in build real-world applications together in hopes of creating solutions that create positive change globally.

Though this opportunity

sounds like it would be directly relevant to engineering and computer science students from the title, students from all backgrounds and talents can play a role in the competition.

In addition, given the variety of participants, the competition can also be an opportunity for networking and building relations with individuals from diverse skill sets and experiential backgrounds. This allows for a less-stressful, more beneficial

opportunity for students to network with other students who may be pursuing a similar career, or who might know others that can give better insight in the field you are pursuing.

DeltaHacks is an example of an opportunity that allows students from all faculties at McMaster to come together in a volunteer-run event and create positive change. The opportunity opens doors for students to develop new skills, make new

connections and add experience to their resumes.

McMaster should make a greater effort in promoting opportunities that will help students build thier career portfolios and ensure that students of all facultie are able to participate in these opportunities.

@ReemSheet

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STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES

MAC BREAD BIN

Food Collective Centre

NOTIFICATION TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES FOR APRIL 2018 EXAM ACCOMMODATIONS

MONDAY TO THURSDAY 11:30AM TO 3:30PM

All requests for accommodations must be activated by March 28, 2018. Returning students (previously accommodated) can self-activate via sas.mcmaster.ca. Newly

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McMaster Students Union’s

EVENTS CALENDAR SRA Generals

Trans(forming) Mac

Nominations February 5 to 27, 2018

February 13 to 15, 2018

Polling March 6 to 8, 2018

Trans(forming) Mac will consist of three days of trans-focussed programming to create space for trans students, and generate awareness around challenges trans people encounter navigating cissexist systems, and announce the resources we have available for trans and gender noncomforming students.

Where: MUSC 204

Where: msumcmaster.ca/SRA Nominations for the 2018/2019 Student Representative Assembly (SRA) election are now open, and will close on February 27at 5PM. For the nomination form, the number of seats in the SRA for each faculty, and important documents for running in the election, visit: www.msumcmaster.ca/SRA For polling, ballots will be sent electronically to the McMaster emails of students.

Stay Connected:

field Q&A for all interested students in a town hall style event. Complimentary food and drink will be served beginning at 3pm. Presentations from the Presidents along with Q+A will begin at 3:30pm. All are welcome, no registration is required.

For more info visit:

msumcmaster.ca/campusevents

Town Hall Thursday February 15, 2018 Where: TwelvEighty Bar & Grill’ Chukky Ibe, President of the McMaster Students Union (MSU) and Dr. Patrick Deane, President of McMaster University will deliver a presentation and

/MSUMcMaster

Check out the full Events Calendar at: msumcmaster.ca/events

@MSU_McMaster

msumcmaster.ca

OPINION

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

| 15

MSU election regulations

Election regulations are too strict and need to be reassessed given recent disqualifications Kieran Douglas Contributor

The recent McMaster Students Union presidential election concluded with two of its candidates disqualified, including the president-elect. Rule-breaking among the candidates was so common that Connor Wong, the satirical option, was the only one to abide by them.

Is it the case that this class of presidential candidates fought particularly dirty campaigns?

Hardly. An examination of the election night meeting minutes reveals a fleeting glimpse at campaign regulations that seem to nearly guarantee a candidate will blunder into violating at least one of them. The standards by which a candidate will be judged are frustratingly opaque in their public inaccessibility.

The “How Do I Run?” guide on the Elections Department’s website states that rules are distributed in the nomination package and recommends candidates become familiar with them, though the website is unclear about where they can be found.

The contents of the meeting minutes from Jan. 25, election night, are alarming. The elections committee sustains a habit of retroactively adding individuals to campaign teams, often resulting in multiple violations and fines levied against candidates for a single event. This happened six separate times across all candidates, even in situations where it was unclear whether the relevant campaign had control over the individuals responsible. Muhammed Aydin, now president-elect, was fined because “an eager friend” posted to a Facebook group in support of him; I fail to see how Aydin was culpable in this case.

Ikram Farah was similarly fined for appearing in the Instagram story of an MSU part-time manager. The individual who posted it was added to the campaign by the electoral committee, who then fined the campaign a second time for employing a PTM not on a leave of absence. Sensible as it is that the Elections Department would be interested in monitoring the social media activity of candidates to ensure a consistently fair competition, it is difficult to ignore the fervent excess with which the Committee motions

and unanimously passes fines.

There is also the matter of Rule 7.9.8, which is violated with the “deliberate” violation of any other rule. I presume that it was introduced to deter candidates from simply embracing the various fines they incur, as its conviction entails an additional $30 fine for any offence it is attached to.

However, its use seems to instead normalize the frequency with which the committee charges ambiguously responsible candidates for seemingly minor offences. The existence of a rule that distinguishes some violations as ‘deliberate’ implies that a lack of culpability is no defence even while it can be used in prosecution. This judiciary double standard ensures that candidates may be fined when fault is not theirs, and that they will be fined more heavily when it is.

While a functional system of regulation and adjudication is an intrinsic virtue, the behaviour of the Electoral Committee has real consequences. Though her violations in part seem more serious than those of the other candidates, Ikram Farah won the vote and was disqualified days later. The decision of the Electoral Committee in this case obscures the ostensibly democratic will of the MSU. Whether Farah deserved this fate or not, this decision should never be taken lightly, and the saturation of severe violations this election cycle suggests that sometimes it might be. Furthermore, though individual violations usually incur fines between $15 and $30, those charges can easily snowball, especially given the tendency of the Committee to “double-up” offences.

In the face of such a rule-breaking epidemic, it is worthwhile to consider that the rules and their application might be the cause. This evidence shows that reform is necessary for both the maintenance of democracy and the sake of student candidates. The campaign rules should be revised and published, as the students of the MSU deserve transparency, efficiency and sensibility in their elections.

@theSilhouette

MSU presidential campaigning fines generally range between $15 and $30 for candidates.

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The Silhouette | 17

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

SEX AND THE STEEL CITY impermanence On love in your early 20s Sasha Dhesi News Editor

As February comes and brings on Valentine’s Day and assignment due dates, I’m reminded of the possible incompatibility of my relationships and my future plans, something I’m sure I share with others.

With no guarantee of where you may end up after finishing your undergraduate degree, having a long-term partner during your early 20s comes with a series of questions that force you to evaluate your future and your relationship.

Every once in a while, I will check on some old acquaintances from school only to find out that they are not only married, but have children on the way.

Others have settled into stable jobs after completing technical, professional degrees.

Whenever I do this, I ask myself, “where is your life going?” and I start taking stock of everything and everyone in my life. Most importantly, I consider my relationship with

my partner and how he fits in with my post-grad plans.

While my partner and I have only been together for a little over a year, relatively speaking, we’ve been together for a long time. He’s been a constant in my life for the majority of my undergraduate so far, and it’s hard to picture McMaster without him here.

As someone who loves to plan everything out, I hold a ton of anxiety over how my partner will factor into my postgrad life. Will we end up in the same city? Will we have similar schedules?

I already stress out over grad school applications even though I haven’t even finished third year, so trying to coordinate it with a whole other person is my own personal hell.

I maintain that having a long-term partner while young isn’t really the issue. No matter how old you are, you’re making a commitment to someone without any concrete evidence that your relationship will succeed, using only inferences

made from your past. So long as you’re honest with your partner and willing to compromise, most relationships can do well.

The problem lays in the insecurity of your early twenties.

Very little in my life is set in stone right now. While I have some concept of where I want to end up after my bachelor’s degree, nothing yet is confirmed. Like most 21-year-olds, my life is a crushing monotony that I must follow, lest I ruin my future, and it’s essentially the same case for my 24-year-old partner.

There isn’t necessarily a fear of breaking up. Social media makes long-distance relationships easier than they have ever been before. For me, the fear is in how these changes may diverge from each other and inadvertently colour an otherwise healthy relationship.

Much of the research surrounding development agrees that people continue to mature well into adulthood and it’s no secret that a change in environment will cause someone to

behave a little differently.

I often wring my hands worrying about how my partner will change once he leaves Hamilton at the end of this semester, mostly concerned that our dynamic may change when he starts the next part of his life.

That’s not to say change isn’t good; ideally you would want to grow with your partner and mature together, especially if you started dating as young as we did, and if you’re changing your environment, you’re going to have to grow.

But a quiet voice in my head will always remind me of how easily things between us could shift, and how quickly we may lose sight of each other.

This is especially a concern when you’re a little younger than your partner, as I am, because I’m always going to worry that I’m not achieving my goals at the same rate as he is.

These thoughts are, in my case, unfounded and easy to overcome since all they really require are good communication.

So long as you’re talking about

your issues, you can grow as a person and still maintain a good relationship with your partner, something that I have found with my partner in the last few months.

You might still break up, but you will at least have the infrastructure to productively talk about your issues. And to me, that’s really what’s most important: even if things don’t work out, there’s no reason for your breakup to be a bitter affair, especially when so much of what happens in your 20s is outside of your control.

At times it feels like I fell in love too young, but that discredits the support and fulfillment me and my partner offer to each other.

While it would have probably been easier to fall in love after I found a stable job, I wouldn’t trade my relationship with my partner for anything.

No matter where we end up, I’m glad we’re together. @SashaDhesi

18 |

SATSC

“

Queerness eliminated so many of the rules I had understood myself to exist within, and, within the state of unrest, queerness allowed for a vast range of acts to fall under the umbrella of intimacy.

Queering

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 | www.thesil.ca

Intimacy www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

Madeline Neumann Photo Editor

Experiences of intimacy, in so many of my own cases, were often wrought with the anxiety of underperforming or oversharing. It was with some relief that I finally arrived at my own queerness in my late teens and felt my world grow bigger. Finally, I had arrived somewhere where I could set my own pace and my own definitions. My understanding of intimacy changed radically.

Queerness eliminated so many of the rules I had understood myself to exist within, and, within the state of unrest, queerness allowed for a vast range of acts to fall under the umbrella of intimacy.

At its core, intimacy is to explore, and perhaps share, parts of oneself. That connection, to oneself or to another, and most especially in the context of queerness, allows for the attainment of some small slice of liberation.

In spite of the inherent risks, and against the odds, there is power to be claimed in these acts of queer intimacy.

I found power in screaming at my best friend’s drag show debut. I found power in kissing my friend on the street in broad daylight. I found power in cooking breakfast for my first girlfriend. I have found unparalleled intimacy and safety in so many of my relationships with other queer people.

In thinking about this photo essay, I thought about twin beds and toothbrushes in pairs, about picking up the bill and carrying the grocery bags. I thought about inhibitions and shyness, and about bravery both quiet and loud. I considered all those ridiculous and beautiful moments that are made free under the banner of queerness.

Queer intimacy, like all intimacy, can exist as a haven in which to shelter oneself.

Queer intimacy is a place for growth that is both euphoric and aching. It is the capacity to say, “Here is what my chaos looks like. Will you celebrate it?” It is the capacity to be heard. Queer first loves, whether romantic, platonic or somewhere in between, have an element of unique shared vulnerability that I have found indispensable to my own growth as a young queer person. In taking these photographs of a queer couple, I did my best to capture this particular flavour of softness.

@theSilhouette

SATSC

| 19

MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR

20 |

SATSC

Baring it Rachel Katz Managing Editor

If you asked 14-year-old me what my worst nightmare was, bra shopping was at the top of the list.

As I fumbled with various straps and clasps in a seemingly endless tangle through adolescence, my discomfort with the under-shirt, over-skin layer grew.

And when I moved out of training bra territory and into more “grown up” styles and designs, I was faced with not only discomfort, but a degree of alienation from the sexually-charged marketing of bras and lingerie that greeted me at the entrance of any boutique or store at the mall.

When I was a teenager, it was easy to convince myself that I just wasn’t “ready” yet, “ready” in the euphemistic way my Grade 7 health teacher talked about anything done behind closed doors.

I was okay with that, partially because I found myself in the unfair reality where my body grew up before I did.

But as I finished high school and began my undergraduate degree, I noticed that my aversion to anything that wasn’t a sports bra and plain cotton underwear had only gotten stronger. And by then it was harder to convince myself that what I was feeling was normal.

Why was the idea of wearing lingerie so uncomfortable to me?

This inability to even try to challenge myself and explore the seemingly endless world of lace, prints and straps was disappointing to say the least.

People around me saw lingerie as an empowering piece of clothing. They were beautiful, they were sexy, they knew it and they were going to make sure you did too. I admired them, but felt that I could never be like them.

At that point I wished I could just grow up a little bit.

And so, equipped with a more defined sense of self, I began to puzzle over this discomfort on a more frequent

basis. At the time, I came to the conclusion that the parts of my body most lacy, architectural lingerie is meant to accentuate were not parts of me I ever thought of as being especially interesting or attractive. I liked my shoulders, arms and back, areas these garments existed on or around, but that were typically not the focal point.

Through a recent conversation with Hamilton-based lingerie designer Rosalie Loney, I finally found some solace in that I was not alone in my sentiments.

“I have so many memories of shopping for bras,” Loney said. “Even like, as a teenager, shopping for bras with my mom and thinking ‘this is terrible’.

Like going to La Senza and feeling like [I] must have been the weirdest shape because nothing ever, ever fit.”

Loney’s line, Rosalie Wynne, offers a fully customizable sizing experience, meaning that she is able to offer a much broader range than what is available in most big-box retailers. Poor sizing was an issue for Loney in the past, and she created Rosalie Wynne out of a desire to ensure that anyone, no matter their size or proportions, can find a beautiful bralette or pair of underwear they can wear with confidence.

“I really want women to feel empowered, to be comfortable and confident in their own bodies and to know that you can be super comfortable in your unique shape, whatever it is,” she explained. “I don’t want to choose between being comfortable and feeling pretty.”

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 | www.thesil.ca

After a long period of discomfort, I’ve finally realized the sexiest items in my closet are those that make me feel like myself

MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR

“At the time, I came to the conclusion that the parts of my body most lacy, architectural lingerie is meant to accentuate were not parts of me I ever thought of as being especially interesting or attractive.”

Rachel Katz

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

“And slowly i’m becoming more comfortable with the idea that I can feel pretty in a plain bralette or confident in something lacey or sexy in a sports bra.”

Rachel Katz

Loney’s commitment to working towards universally comfortable lingerie anyone can feel confident in is admirable and her pieces are undoubtedly beautiful. Her work is focused on empowerment, not necessarily sex appeal, and it allows customers to appreciate their bodies as they are and not as objects of desire.

After our conversation, I reflected on the associations we tend to have between femininity, beauty and what is meant to be sexy about women and women’s lingerie. These one-dimensional views of sex appeal are not emblematic of a universal experience of womanhood.

This is not new information, but it took me a long time to realize that this visual definition of womanhood did not mesh comfortably with my own feelings about femininity and sexuality. While I still don’t have an alternative term for my ex-

pression of myself as a woman, that internal realization allowed for so much of my discomfort around traditionally feminine, overtly sexual lingerie to make sense.

It was such a relief to finally discover for myself that I didn’t need to find the raciest or laciest undergarments to feel sexy. But I was still left wondering what, if anything, made me feel that way.

I recalled something else Loney had said to me: “A lot of feeling beautiful is feeling comfortable.”

At that point during our conversation, it dawned on me that there actually were undergarments in my drawer that made me feel beautiful and confident and maybe even a bit sexy.

And one was a little lacy, one was a fun colour and one was literally a grey Spanx bralette. But they all made me feel beautiful because they made me feel more than comfortable; they made me feel like myself.

“If you’re not feeling comfortable, it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing,” she added. “You could look great, but if you don’t feel like you can just be yourself, then what’s the point?”

Loney is right.

And slowly I’m becoming more comfortable with the idea that I can feel pretty in a plain bralette or confident in something lacy or sexy in a sports bra.

My body will change, and so will my style and ideas of womanhood and queerness. And slowly I’m learning that all of these elements are inherently beautiful and I can feel confident and even a little sexy because of — not in spite of — all of these different parts of me. ­­ @RachAlbertaKatz

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A&C

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 | www.thesil.ca

An orgy of lines and laughter:

The Art of Yigi Chang

Yigi Chang Bumper Buns, 2014 Digital Print, Wacom tablet in Photoshop

A&C

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

Markhamraised artist and illustrator uses art to explore queer culture, the complexity of sexuality and to crack a couple of dick jokes along the way Daniel Arauz A&C Editor

In preparation for our interview, Yigi Chang laid out a table full of his artwork and crafts.

He had coasters featuring the gaping anuses of men, which he carefully painted, felted, resined and assembled. He had cum rags with open-mouth portraits, a button with a golden crown of cocks and an intricate penis bookmark. He was drinking coffee out of his signature “Cup of Joe Mug”; with a naked man doing the backstroke, erect cock poking out of a swimming pool of his own cum.

Chang’s art, especially in his crafts and prints, convey a visual joke. The images are often so ludicrous in concept that it is difficult to always categorize his art as strictly erotic. His work is intended to lift the spirits of his audience. Laughter is Chang’s method, but he ultimately uses it to dispel the shame and guilt associated with sexuality.

“There’s a lot of baggage that comes with sex and I want to alleviate all of that,” said Chang. “I want to remove the historical, negative stigmas that are associated with homosexuality.”

“If I can make someone laugh, I can break the tension, frustration or anger that’s directed towards me. I feel like that’s a footing that we are now sharing together.”

While Chang has obviously embraced this expression of sexuality, practicing erotic art as a teenager was not without that shame.

Growing up in Markham, Chang recalled not having access to a large gay community.

As a teenager who often found himself home alone, he had to explore sexuality and sexual experiences through his art.

He used his art as an excuse to watch pornography on the early Internet, insisting that he was just looking for photo references.

With the help of porn and sport and fitness magazines, Chang was improving his sense of anatomy and refining his line work. But Chang was still embarrassed the moment that he finished, and he would draw over the same page with another nude body, gradually obscuring each image.

“I sort of built up this layered and linear style, and that’s how I disguised what was going on,” explained Chang. “At the end of the day it would be like this line orgy where no one could be distinguish what was happening. Every now and then you would see an explicit part; you’d see a little butt here, you would see a foot there and then have to delve into it to unravel what was happening.”

As much as Chang attributes his artistic interest to being a horny teenager left to his own devices, he is recognizes that his fixation on sexual subjects is a result of his queer experience.

“As a queer youth you are confronted a lot, through societal norms… you’re forced to question your sexuality.…

Oftentimes for me art was ‘art as therapy’, but it was self-directed therapy. I couldn’t even

“

There’s a lot of baggage that comes with sex and I want to alleviate all of that.

I want to remove the historical, negative stigmas that are associated with homosexuality.

Yigi Chang Artist

recognize that it was a moment for myself to reflect… and to process. It was a way for me to process my queer experience growing up.”

Chang continued to thrive in the arts throughout high school, ultimately leading to his enrollment at OCAD University where he received a BDes in illustration. He decided to use his thesis to bring queer culture to an unfamiliar audience, with his own dash of absurdity, fantasy and visual humour.

Queer as Folklore is a series of illustrations that present modern day fables that explain the mythological origins of gay culture. Some of Chang’s personal favourites include the origin story of the “Glory Hole”, which are holes in wall used for anonymous sex, but were originally invented when unicorns teleport into men’s bathroom stalls and accidentally drill holes in the walls with their horns. Chang depicts a half-dog, half-human “Self-Sucker” that originated oral masturbation, and a mythical, giant pair of scissors that lesbian couples use to untangle their pubic hairs.

The tonal decision behind Chang’s work goes beyond visual gag. Queer as Folklore invites those outside the LGBTQ+ community to not only understand their slang and language, but to participate in this tongue-andcheek and humorous attitude that is sometimes forced onto queer sexuality.

“I think it was something that Dan Savage… who is a sex columnist [said]. As a queer person, when you come out, you have to go to your [parents] and say, ‘Hey I’m gay’. What they hear is ‘Hey I suck dick’. Subconsciously that’s the image that they are seeing so you’re always confronting the extreme image.

So you have to deal with it a bit of irreverence. I think humour has always been the coping mechanism.”

By alleviating the tension and seriousness of sexuality, Chang’s work both embraces the power of sexuality, while recognizing and combatting the cultural and political forces that try to control that power.

Chang’s artistic journey has been one of liberation, not just for himself, but also for an audience that he has invited to share in his love for sexuality. It is in this love for the body and a love for laughter in spaces where there once was shame that is apparent in every line he draws. @ DanielArauzz

Yigi Chang A Humble Tumble, 2008 Graphite on paper

Yigi Chang Self Sucker, 2011 Wacom tablet in Photoshop

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Choosing your first sex toy!

Materials

Knowing what materials are available will affect how you experience your toy of choice, but it will help you avoid choosing a toy made from dangerous substances. The sex toy industry is considered unregulated, so the most common sex toys you see in stores are made from materials that can cause genital burning, frequent yeast infections, headaches, cramps and nausea.

Satisfyer Pro Penguin 2

KYLE WEST / PHOTO REPORTER

Getting a sex toy for the first time can be an overwhelming experience. There are an incredible number of toys to choose from, like vibrators, dildos, butt plugs, rabbits, suction toys and even fucking-machines. The amount of materials, brands

and options out there can make it hard to pick the right toy for your body. I’m a veteran sex toy reviewer, who’s had many different things pass through my orifices, so I’m here to give you the lowdown on information you should consider when choosing your first toy.

Good Materials:

100 per cent pure silicone, medical grade stainless steel, wood (with medical grade finish), Aluminum, glass, natural stone, ceramic, ABS-plastic.

Some of the bad materials listed aren’t necessarily toxic, but are porous, which means they can harbour mold and bacteria and are impossible to disinfect.

Bad Materials:

Jelly/Jellee/Gel, rubber/“skin safe” rubber, Cyberskin, vinyl and PVC, TPE, TPR, elastomer, TPR-silicone, SEBS, “silicone blends”.

Vulva toys There are many ways to stimulate a vulva, so there’s a ridiculous amount of toy options for their owners.

External vibrators and suction toys stimulate the outside of your vagina (the clit, clitoral hood and labia mainly).

If you’re looking for something discreet and small, get a bullet vibator like the We-Vibe Tango.

If you’re looking for something super powerful, try a wand vibe like Magic Wand Rechargeable.

Or, if you’re someone who likes receiving oral sex, try out a suction based toy like the Satisfyer Pro 2.

Dildos are used for penetration and are occasionally used to mimic the feeling of a penis. They’re also used to hit the G-spot and A-spot (like the G-spot but an inch deeper in a vagina). If you’re new to sex toys, I recommend looking at purchasing dildos that fall on the smaller side and are made of a softer silicone. The Blush Novelties Real Nude dildo line is my favourite to recommend, as their dildos come in a variety of shapes (phallic and non-phallic)

Susie Ellis Contributor

Penis toys and are made of dual-density silicone with a hard core and softer exterior.

Internal vibrators are used to arouse the vagina and send vibrations to internal pleasure points like the G-spot and A-spot. Internal vibrators are great if you’re not sure which type of toy you’re looking as they can still work on your external genitalia if you don’t want to use them internally. I recommend the Lelo Mona 2 or the L’Amourose Prism V. Rabbits are toys that are used to stimulate both your internal and external genitals simultaneously. And while this sound great, more often than not they don’t end up being good toys. Everyone’s genitals are situated differently on their body, and rabbit vibrators tend to miss their marks, so to speak.

If you want simultaneous internal and external stimulation, get two different toys!

It’s a common misconception that there aren’t a lot of options for toys for people with penises, which is far from the truth.

A cock ring is goes around the base of the penis (and/ or balls) to restrict the blood flow from the penis to produce a harder and longer-lasting erection.

Masturbators and sleeves are the toys are made to simulate penetration. Most have textures on the inside to enhance sensations for the user, and some have orifice-looking holes to create a realistic illusion.

Tenga Eggs or the Quickshot Vantage are a good example of fun, but not aggressively

Doc Johnson Tru Curve

L’amourose Prism V

Butt toys realistic-looking toys. FYI: Most masturbators are made from TPE or TPR, which are considered porous. Make sure you are cleaning your masturbator regularly and look out for wear and tear of the material. You should be replacing a well-maintained masturbator every one to two years.

Penis vibrators exist and (from what I’ve heard) feel fantastic. The Hot Octopuss PULSE III wraps around the end of a penis, vibrates all around and has an oscillating plate that sits under the penis head. The Fun Factory Cobra Libre sits on the end of the penis and uses vibrations to massage the penis head.

Everyone has a butt, but maybe you’re someone who wants to put things inside it! There are a variety of toys for assholes, including butt plugs, anal beads, dildos and vibrators. No matter what you decide to choose, get something that has a flared base twice the diameter of the insertable end. A flared base prevents toys from getting stuck inside you as the rectum has a habit of sucking things inside it (which results in uncomfortable doctor’s office visits).

I suggest starting with a small silicone tapered butt plug, like the Fun Factory Bootie, as it’s a comfortable toy in terms of sizing and feeling.

Real Nude Dayo

njoy Pure Plug Before you choose your first toy, you’re going to want to make a mental note of what you like during masturbation or sex.

Once you know what your body prefers, you’ll be able to search for your sex toy much more easily.

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

Sexual health in Hamilton

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Top 3 most prevalent STIs in Hamilton

Chlamydia & Gonorrhea infections

Hepatitis C

What you need to know:

• Caused by bacteria • You can contract this STI by having unprotected oral, vaginal or anal sex or sharing sex toys with an individual with chlamydia

Symptoms:

• Signs include abnormal discharge from genitals, testicular pain and burning pain during urination, but most infected individuals don’t experience symptoms

What you need to know:

• Infection of the liver • Virus is only transmissible through blood • Can develop into a long-term infection that can lead to liver cancer and scarring of the liver

Symptoms:

• Infected individuals could notice jaundice and stomach pain, but most will not have symptoms

Treatment:

Treatment:

• Hepatitis C is curable and different medications are used depending on severity

• Can be treated with antibiotics

Where to go for help:

Razan Samara A&C Reporter

Stigma

Other STIs

Sexually transmitted infections are more common than you would think but often go undiagnosed as individuals fear social repercussions.

The social and psychological stigma attached to STIs can prevent individuals from taking the necessary steps to educate, protect and take care of themselves.

• Ask your doctor to test for the STI • Student Wellness Centre (MUSC B101) • Sexual Health Clinics & Walk-in clinics • Sexual Health Information Line (905-528-5894) • AIDS and Sexual Health Information Line (1-800668-2437) • The AIDS Network in Hamilton

Preventative measures: • Frequent STI testing • Inform your partner(s) of any STIs • Practice safer sex

HIV • Human Immunodeficiency Virus causes a blood borne infection • Left untreated, HIV weakens the immune system and leaves the person vulnerable to infections • HIV lives in blood, semen, vaginal fluids, anal fluids and breast milk and is transmittable when the virus is present in high enough quantities • Testing for HIV is very important; you can have HIV and not know it • HIV remains incurable, but HIV-positive individuals on effective treatment can suppress the virus enough that they are no longer capable of transmitting HIV and can live normal healthy lives • Individual risk varies and prevention methods for higher risk individuals such as Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) are available

Safer sex:

• Familiarize yourself with common STIs and symptoms • Have open and honest conversations with your partner(s) • Get tested; you can’t assume anything about your sexual health unless you seek answers and strategies to maintaining your health • Use protection such as a latex or non-latex condom correctly every time you have sex, or seek alternative • Dental dams can be used to stop the spreading of infection. The latex or polyurethane sheets can be used between the mouth and vagina or anus during oral sex. If a dental dam isn’t available, you can cut the tip, and very bottom off of a condom, then cut it in half vertically to create a flat sheet • Latex gloves can be used for any type of fingering/hand sex, especially if someone has a cut on their hand. Cotton balls can be used in the finger ends of the gloves to protect your partner from sharp or long fingernails • Most people don’t experience symptoms of STIs, so regularly consult your doctor and get tested for STIs

Syphilis • Transmitted by skin-to-skin or sexual contact with an individual with syphilis • Syphilis first appears as a chest rash or painless sores typically on the genitals or mouth • Most people will not experience or notice symptoms • Infection can be treated by antibiotics but can progress if left untreated Please note: This infographic does not use percentages and data tracking as STIs are typically under-reported and individual risk can differ in communities depending on sexual orientation. This is not an exhaustive list of STIs but rather is based on the prevalence of reportable diseases indicated on the City of Hamilton’s Infectious Disease and Environmental Report for Jan. 1 to June 30, 2017.

TIMOTHY LAW / PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

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GAMES

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 | www.thesil.ca Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.49)

7 3 2 2

5 4

2

1

3

7

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9

2

4 5

3 6

2

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2 8

1

3

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7 5

9

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Wed Feb 14 19:50:02 2018 GMT. Enjoy!

Puzzle 2 (Hard, difficulty rating 0.66)

8

9

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5

7

4

2 5

Across 1. PC core 4. Singer Morissette 10. Birds that may be spotted 14. Prince Valiant’s son 15. Copies 16. Ship’s company 17. ____-disant (self-styled) 18. Reproductive 20. HBO alternative 21. Narrow path for walkers, cars or ships 22. Satisfied 23. Not tied down 25. Beef 28. Uno + due

7

29. To be, in Paree 30. Stage whisper 31. Sharp 32. Amusement 35. Poseidon’s realm 36. MSNBC rival 37. Cosmopolitan 44. Currency exchange fee 45. Conductor Dorati 46. Guitarist Clapton 48.Made a hole 49. Dutch painter Jan 50. Alpaca’s cousin 51. Muslim messiah 53. ____ boy!

55. ____ canto 56. Interposed 59. Proverb ending?

60. Irritate 61. Ethically neutral 62. Tumult 63. Ice cream brand 64. Monetary unit of Macao 65. Original

9

5

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1 6

5

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8

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Wed Feb 14 19:50:02 2018 GMT. Enjoy!

Puzzle 3 (Easy, difficulty rating 0.43)

9

Down

4 26. Dictator Amin 27. Writing instrument 30. Turkey’s highest peak 31. Shelter for a dog 33. Extra-wide shoe size 34. SIx, on a phone 37. Lizard 38. How Leander swam the Hellespont 39. U-turn from SSW 40. Pigged out 41. Blast of a trumpet 42. High-spirited horse 43. Green citrus beverage 44. Look up to

7

8

5

1. Fortified feudal residence 2. Encourage 3. Mythical creature 4. Sufficient 5. Old Italian money 6. Surrounded by 7. Republic in W. Africa 8. Frozen water 9. Common ID 10. Twice tetra 11. Expressed in writing 12. Young hare 13. Whence Ikea 19. British verb ending 24. Begins

1 6

2 7

8

8

47. Immature 49. Title for Anthony Hopkins 50. 1972 Derek and the Dominos hit 52. Poor grades 54. ____ II (razor brand) 57. Put an upper limit on 58. Doc bloc

4

2 7

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8 6 3

7

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6

2 3

7

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4 6 3

5

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Wed Feb 14 19:50:02 2018 GMT. Enjoy!

The Silhouette

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

| 27

Sports A tale of two seasons As the men’s basketball team gains momentum just in time for the post-season, starting forward Matt Quiring reflects on a season of ups and downs Justin Parker Sports Editor

In an interesting season that has seen its fair share of ups and downs, the men’s basketball team has not seen much consistency. However, there is one consistent player who has donned the maroon since pre-season tipped off. Third-year forward Matt Quiring is the only player on the Marauders to start every possible game this season, playing in one more game than guard Kareem Collins.

“Just trying to stay consistent and stay in the right mental space,” said Quiring on his ability to stay on the court. “The game is so mental. Trying to stay focused, and being diligent and disciplined on what I need to do with regards to the team — like being a leader with the younger guys and also supporting the other guys as well.”

In that time, Quiring has managed to average 10.7 points in 23.8 minutes per game. Quiring also puts a lot of work on the glass, leading the Marauders with 6.2 rebounds. Quiring kept that average in his most recent performance on Feb. 10, adding six rebounds to his team-leading 23 points against the second-place Western Mustangs.

“Even when we are down, guys are still supporting each other. It’s like that really tightknit family,” Matt Quiring Men’s Basketball Team “I’m kind of a leader on the team and also [play] a support role,” Quiring said. “Our main guys are [David McCulloch, Collins and Miles Seward] and

I’m kind of that fourth guy to support them and just be that body on the floor that needs to hit screens, clean up the boards and do what I need to do and focus on those simple things so that they can do what they need to do as well.”

In this role on the team, Quiring has had a front-row seat to the turbulent season the Marauders have had. While there were some bright spots throughout the year, the team could never quite finish off a game. There were flashes, but in a game of runs they could never convert on the last few minutes of a match and often fell short.

So while players like Quiring have been able to stay consistent and show up for every game, the same could not be said about the team as a whole early on in the season. Looking back, it is easy to split the season into two very different sections.

All but one of the team’s eight wins this year have come since play resumed after the winter break. And frankly, the Marauders look like a different team than the squad that hit the hardwood in the fall.

This newfound ability to finish games has not happened by accident. It is a direct result of implementing coaching changes during the team’s practices and then executing them on the court. The hard work the team has put into training is certainly paying off, helping the team finish games properly.

“We have been focusing a lot on finishing games because in the first half we had five games that we lost within five points,” Quiring said. “So that’s been a huge factor. We have been focusing a lot on situational kind of things, like last three minutes of the game and we are up a couple of points, we are down a couple of points and we have to finish, have to execute.”

Despite the bumpy road thus far, the team has still

Quiring lays it up in a dominant win over the Mustangs.

KYLE WEST / PHOTO REPORTER

managed to stay together. Some teams are never quite able to get things back on track after a tough start to the season, but that is not the case at Mac thanks to the makeup of this team. This is where the intangible part of the game that does not directly show up on the box score makes the difference, and is what Quiring says is his favourite part of the game.

“Just the emotion and the camaraderie that goes with the guys, and when guys are happy — and even when we are down, guys are still supporting each other,” Quiring explained. “It’s

like that really tight-knit family.

Regardless of what happens we are still there for each other and while we are celebrating it is so much fun. It’s such a great time.”

Now that the team has rallied and played well enough to make the playoffs, winning six of their last seven contests, the boys in maroon are poised to make a strong playoff run. “[We will] keep having that playoff mentality and finishing games,” said Quiring. “We have a couple of games left. We have to finish them hard, play them hard and continue to play our best. Just getting more wins.”

As playoffs start, the regular season tends to be forgotten.

While teams carry the lessons they have learned and the plays that have worked with them, the tough wins fade away along with the heartbreaking losses and agonizing defeats. While the playoffs follow a year of hard work, they are almost certainly an opportunity for a fresh start where anything is possible. @justinparker81

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Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 | www.thesil.ca

SPORTS

The power of powderpuff A closer look into women’s flag football and how the extramural sport unites women across campus Jessica Carmichael Sports Reporter

Powderpuff football, also known as women’s contact flag football, is one of the biggest extramural sports played at McMaster. On paper it may not seem like much, but the sport involves a great deal of skill, strength and the ability to run on snow and ice. Made up of about 119 girls split up into five teams, the extramural club’s season begins in January and runs for six weeks.

“This is the first year we have three new teams and two teams who have played for Mac before,” said club president Selena Paquin. “How it works is that whenever you join the club, the team you are put on is the team you grow and play with over the next number of years. Each team is assigned four McMaster men’s football players who volunteer their time to coach.”

Every season begins with an invitational weekend tournament at the University of Toronto, followed by an inter-squad tournament at McMaster that determines what top teams will travel to an overnight tournament at Wilfrid Laurier University. There is also an invitational tournament hosted

by McMaster.

The Laurier Lettermen Powderpuff Tournament is the last tournament of the season where over 18 teams from

C/O JASMINE WONG

across Ontario compete, which is considered to be the provincial championships among the teams participating.

Last year the eldest of the two McMaster teams who attended the Laurier tournament came out on top taking home the tournament title and looked to do the same this past weekend. This year three out of five teams competed in the tournament: Mac Black and Mac Bloodhounds, two of the experienced teams, and Mac 3, a rookie team. Unfortunately for all three teams, none of them were able to defend McMaster’s title, despite Mac 3 making it to the semi-finals.

Although the teams were not able to take home the title, the memories made over the last several weeks will last a lifetime. For Paquin, being able to be in a club with women who all share her passion for football is an experience like no other.

“I’ve always loved football since I’ve gotten my love for sports from my mom, but growing up in London, Ontario I didn’t have a women’s football team in high school,” said Paquin. “After looking into it and signing up I had so much fun in my first year which is why I am still here three years later.”

Paquin credits being able to come back to her team, Mac Black, with the same coaches,

and old and new teammates is something that makes the club unique.

“Being able to grow with your team and meet new people along the way makes it one of those things that I will definitely remember for the rest of my life,” Paquin added.

Women’s football gives many women who have given up competitive sports for one reason or another, an opportunity to play at a competitive level again. It is a great way to

relieve stress, get active and redefine what it means to play football.

SPORTS | 29

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018

“Being able to grow with your team and meet new people along the way makes it one of those things that I will definitely remember for the rest of my life.”

Selena Paquin Club president

Although it is flag football, many people are surprised by the level of physicality and contact that the women bring to it. With a lot of the players having rugby, soccer and track and field experience, there is an incredible amount of talent on the field.

Flag football players still have to know the skills tackle football requires, such as passing, catching and blocking, and do this all in the freezing cold.

It is not something everyone can do.

No one bears witness to the hard work these women put in more than their coaches. The

members of the men’s football team who coach and even ref the games will be the first to tell you the level of intensity of the sport and why they take their coaching as seriously as they do.

“Their [men’s football team players] passion helps to grow ours,” said Paquin. “A lot of girls are interested in joining our club but they don’t know a lot about the sport, but the knowledge that the men share helps to teach us.”

She credits their passion for the sport also helping the women feel a sense of accomplishment and pushes them to want to play even more. “When we instill confidence in our players they go out and play with such intensity,” said coach of three years Devin Keeling. “When you see that as coach there is no better feeling.”

The season may be over for the women’s team as they end just in time for everyone to focus on their main priority — school — but the unexpected friendships made with people they may have never known without football is part of the

reason so many women will return for years to come.

@JaayCarmicheal

“When we instill confidence in our players they go out and play with such intensity.

When you see that as a coach there is no better feeling.”

Devin Keeling Coach

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Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 | www.thesil.ca

SPORTS

Strength down the middle The women’s volleyball team’s two middle blockers Maicee Sorensen and Hailey Kranics expand on their shared responsibilities and strong relationship

Maicee Sorensen and the Marauders celebrate a win last season.

THE SILHOUETTE PHOTO ARCHIVES Ryan Tse Contributor

When you talk to Maicee Sorensen and Hailey Kranics, you quickly get a sense of their easygoing, friendly personalities. The two middle blockers on the women’s volleyball team describe each other as amiable and outgoing off the court.

On the court, the two blockers alternate in the rotation so that one is always in the front row, giving McMaster a formidable blocking presence and a more than adequate offensive option at all times.

Sorensen is the more experienced player, already in her fifth year at Mac. Originally from Hamilton, Sorensen started playing club volleyball in Grade 10 as a middle before becoming acquainted with Mac’s head coach Tim Louks and deciding that McMaster was right for her. She has excelled in the middle position over the

Hailey Kranics looks on.

C/O RICK ZAZULAK

past five years, something she attributes to hard work and dedication every offseason.

“I think the most important thing individually is to watch a lot of video on professional teams and yourself as well,” Sorensen said. “Just because we are not in season does not mean you cannot be getting better. I try my best to commit my summers to volleyball and not just during the school year.

I also try my best to watch a lot of video these past few years on people who are better than me at my position.”

Kranics is relatively young compared to Sorensen, as this is only her second year in maroon. Her volleyball experience is also quite short — she only began playing club volleyball in Grade 11, with her primary focus being soccer before then.

It was a hard decision for her to switch sports at such a late age, but she has no regrets about her decision.

“I think I fit better in the volleyball world just with my body type and what I like to do,” Kranics said. “I did not like running in soccer [laughing].

It was a big decision to drop something I had been doing for such a long time and risk getting into this sport — but I’m happy about it.”

“It definitely suits her,” Sorensen added.

Despite Kranics’ inexperience, she has a love for the game that has allowed her to learn quickly. She did not start any games last year for the team, but instead spent the year learning and watching.

“Last year, I was just a sponge,” Kranics said. “I did not get any playing time, so it was just about watching Maicee and Alicia Jack as middles that were three years older than me.

I took everything they were doing and tried to work through it and apply it to my own game.”

Sorensen has been impressed with how fast Kranics has progressed so far.

“It’s honestly crazy,” Sorensen said. “She has improved immensely. All first years are very fresh to the game, but Hailey did start volleyball later.

Coming to university, it’s scary at first, but she has done a really good job. She has worked really hard just to behave like a sponge and just take everything in that she can. That’s the best part of her as an athlete.”

“All athletes have to be able to do that,” Sorensen added.

“There are people out there that are better than you, and if you don’t watch, you’re not going to get better.”

In return, Kranics is appreciative of Sorensen’s role as a veteran on the team.

“She’s very dedicated, determined and supportive — very supportive of everyone,” Kranics said. “Everyone on the team is a good friend of Maicee’s.”

As the two main middle blockers, Kranics and Sorensen work together during games.

Even though they are not on the bench at the same time because of the rotation scheme, they exchange strategy during timeouts and breaks in play.

In Kranics’ opinion, part of what makes the two blockers successful is that their styles of play complement each other.

“I can play a high game and she can play a fast game,” Kranics explained. “When I go on, the other team sees a totally different game from the middle, and when she goes on, it’s different as well, so I think we complement each other in that sense. It throws the other team off. We work together by working very differently.”

Regarding Kranics’ ability to play a “high” game, she is still trying to work out how to best use her tall frame to her advantage. Specifically, she says she is trying to become a more efficient blocker by controlling the height of her block in relation to the opposing hitter.

Sorensen is always trying to improve as well. Right now, she is focused on reading the other team’s setter and figuring out when to deploy different types of blocks.

The complimentary style of Sorensen and Kranics has helped McMaster enjoy another strong season. The team currently sits third overall in blocks per set, one indicator of the two players’ contributions, though Sorensen insists that blocks alone do not tell the whole story.

“If there happens to be a block, that’s great, but our main goal as a blocker is to take up space and to funnel the hitter into hitting somewhere they don’t want to hit,” Sorensen said. “If they are hitting right at one of our defenders because they cannot hit anywhere else, that’s what the blockers consider a good job. That’s one of the things we are getting better at this year.”

It is not just the middle blockers that are having a good year. The whole team has thrived, looking poised to repeat as Ontario University Athletics champions. To make that happen, Sorensen and Kranics will have to continue to work together to anchor the middle of the court.

@theSilhouette

CHLOE KIM IS MY HERO I wish I could do back-to back 1080s while think ing about sandwiches C1

THURSDAY

THE

HAMILTON SPECULATOR Appealing presidential elec tions since 1934

Februar y 15, 2018

NOTSPEC.COM

Local student excited for home cooking over the break Weeks of eating pho and pizza will be replaced with lovingly made cookies SAINT PETER VEGAS I only eat bread and drink wine

After abandoning New Year’s resolutions and failing to maintain a regimented schedule visiting the Pulse, a local student looks forward to pretending to return to healthy eating by returning home over the midterm recess.

“My mom loves vegetables!

I’m sure she’ll serve me plenty of those when I come back,” said Taylor Kei, first year student.

Kei has not realized yet that their mom has planned to feed them sweet, savoury and unhealthy foods to spoil them. This was also the case during Thanksgiving, Christmas and literally every weekend they have gone

home. Mama Kei simply want to tempt them to return home more often.

“I’m sure my baby is eating healthy at McMaster. They have plenty of cheap options that are filled with vitamins and nutrients and all that good stuff, right?” said Mama Kei. “I am not worried about a few days of us spoiling our child.”

Moving forward, Kei will enjoy their break and have wholesome conversations catching up with their mom while eating various casseroles and desserts.

INSIDE I THINK WE NEED TO REDESIGN THIS PAGE BECAUSE OF CHANGES THE ACTUAL SPECTATOR HAS MADE A2 I PLAY TRUNKS/BEERUS/KID BUU IN DRAGON BALL FIGHTERZ NOW. JUST THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW A3 WE ALSO CONSIDERED “SEX AND THE MEAL CITY” AS A SPECULATOR ARTICLE A5 LOCAL STUDENT PLANS TO USE THE BREAK TO PROCRASTINATE, THEN DO EVERYTHING ON THE LAST DAY B1 SOMEONE OFFER ME A JOB B2 This is probably the most wholesome piece you’ll read in the Speculator all year, so I hope you like it as a change of pace.

Sex and the Kneel City

Local knockoff combines hanky panky with political activism SAINT PETER VEGAS Side hugs leave room for the holy spirit

Inspired by Colin Kaepernick’s prior kneeling protests, his appearance in the 2013 ESPN Body Issue and the revival of “Sex and the Steel City” by the Silhouette, a local zine maker has attempted to pair getting down with getting steamy for local advocacy.

While food and sexuality have had a storied history of associations, most notably with how Jim Levenstein ruined a perfectly good dessert in American Pie, blanket monsters and activism have rarely been paired outside of the sex-positive movement. Sex sells and

activism sells, but the two have rarely come together.

“I don’t see why you can’t promote marching for women’s rights after oral, visiting your local animals shelter after doggy style or messaging your local political representative after missionary. The good people of this city should connect improving the lives of others with improving their skills in the bedroom,” said Dick Johnson, the zine’s creator.

Articles feature connections like this, the need to ensure your sex toys are fair trade and the legality of protesting in the nude at McMaster.

POLL: What’s your favourite kind of activism?

Any event that has free pizza

Anything I can put on Instagram

Trying to get Marvel movies out faster

I only do activism for things that directly affect me

Protesting against dumb polls

Getting me out of the office

Advocating for pop-tarts being classified as sandwiches

All of the above

DO KIDS UNDERSTAND WHAT HANKY PANKY MEANS? IS THAT SLANG TOO OLD? WHAT ARE THE GENERATIONAL GAPS FOR THINGS LIKE THIS? B4 GOING BACK TO 32 PAGES THIS WEEK REMINDED ME OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS WHEN EVERYONE WORKED THREE TIMES THE HOURS THEY WERE PAID FOR C2 WOULD SETTING UP OPERATIONS TO PRINT COUNTERFEIT MONEY HELP OUR BUDGET? C3 DID YOUR PARTNER FORGET ABOUT VALENTINE’S DAY? HERE ARE OUR FIVE FAVOURITE DOG HOUSES TO PUT THEM IN C5 THE 2010 MOVIE VALENTINE’S DAY HAD A GOOD CAST DESPITE IT BEING TERRIBLE D1 LOVE ACTUALLY IS STILL DEEMED OVERRATED BY THE SILHOUETTE STAFF D3

I believe this photo has a 100 per cent correlation between kneeling and having an appearance in one of the most popular recurring magazines in the world.

Tweets to the Editor Wow, that Olympian didn’t get a medal! What a disappointment

The paper doesn’t include enough perspectives or experiences similar to mine!

- Jason, 34, owner of a dozen participation ribbons

- Tyler, 22, ignores the open invitation for volunteer writers

I COULD’VE BEEN IN THE OLYMPICS IF I TRAINED MY ENTIRE LIFE TOO D5 PER ISSUE: Multiple job openings available at the Silhouette for the 2018-2019 year. You should apply.

Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. How do you feel about the Speculator placement? Not sure whether it is more appropriate here or elsewhere if the back cover is taken.

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