WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2016 ISSUE 12 WWW.THESPUTNIK.CA @SPUTNIK_NEWS THE SPUTNIK
STUDENT HEALTH GET TESTED 3
NORMALIZING
FEMALE MASTURBATION 6
Sex
FEATURED ARTIST SHANNON COULTER 8
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The sex issue “Let’s talk about sex, baby. Let’s talk about you and me. Let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things that may be.” - Salt ‘N’ Pepa, “Let’s Talk About Sex”
Brittany Bennett Features Editor Because you know what? Sex is a part of life, so why not discuss it on a public forum like we would any other prevalent area of our lives? Yes, sex can be awkward. Yes, sex can be super great! Yes, sex can be absolutely horrendous. Yes, sex can be freaking mind blowing! Sex is what it is, so let’s talk about it. There are so many nitty-gritty details about sex that go beyond this physical act we all instinctively picture. Here at *The Sputnik*, we aren’t afraid to dive into the world of the unknown, the uncomfortable. We are ready to undress this topic and touch some of the sweet spots – with consent of course! This issue may contain content that makes you squirm if you are less inclined to have open conversations about sex and sexuality, and that is totally okay! Keep in mind we are not here to sensationalize this topic, this issue contains educative pieces that could benefit you in the long run, or at least we hope will get you thinking. Although Valentine’s Day may have inspired this theme much like it may inspire sex for some, that does not mean it is mandatory. Valentine’s Day doesn’t just bring a Hallmark of chocolates and flowers, with the romance comes the myth of sexual expectations. But guess what? You are never
obligated to consent to anything sexual ever! Just because it is Valentine’s Day, and your partner spent money and time on your dinner or getting you jewelry or whatever, does not mean you have any sort of obligation to reciprocate those feelings sexually. Valentine’s Day is really just a socially constructed marketing scheme. If you want to take advantage of it to display your consenting love, then go for it! Just keep in mind, you definitely do not have to. If you are choosing to have fun this romance induced week, please don’t forget to protect yourself and your sexual partners, both physically and emotionally. The idea that only “dirty” or “slutty” people receive STDs and STIs is a myth. It can happen to anyone that isn’t careful, and the fact that it did or does happen most certainly does not define an individuals character in any way. But not asking for consent does define a person’s character, that’s sexual violence. There is no room for forgetting when it comes to asking for consent. We also want to point out that sex is not always sexy. If you are ever feeling unsure of any sex-related experiences, please know that there are so many great resources available! Just to list a few: hit up the Wellness Centre, Sexual Assault Centre of Brant, Dean of Students office, Victim Services of Brant, Special Constables Service or email Laurier Brantford’s Sexual Violence Counsellor, and Advocate at hayley@sacbrant.ca.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2016
Video game industry sexualizing half of their demographic
Female character tropes Sai Gnanaharan/ The Sputnik
Shelby Do Staff Writer With the ever-growing popularity of video games, and increased amount of accessibility on various platforms, rather than acknowledging their largest demographics, unfortunately, the video game industry predominantly seems to ignore one of their biggest demographics, women. According to research done by Statistics Portal, as of 2015 44 per cent of the gaming community is female, down about four per cent since 2014. While it isn’t the technical majority, research shows that women make up a large percentage of the video game industry, and provide a massive market for producers to advertise to. That being said, games like Mortal Kombat that represent women as sexual objects prove that there’s a massive push against the female market. In its roster of ten characters, the original Mortal Kombat only featured one female, Sonya Blade. Moreover, Sonya Blade is depicted in tight green spandex and massive breasts. Considering Mortal Kombat came out in 1992, it’s not surprising that the series isn’t attempting to win over a female audience with proper representation. That being said, the series has continued, with its newest release, Mortal Kombat X, being released in 2015, and hasn’t shown much growth in terms of female representation. Characters like Kitana, Mileena and Tanya are still portrayed in scant-
ily clad clothing, with large breasts and thin waists. While more revealing outfits are fine to wear, it should be the choice of the women; however, Mortal Kombat is meant to be a fighting tournament, and wearing outfits without any protection, that reveal more skin are impractical, proving that these characters are meant to titillate the heterosexual male players, and sexualize women. Mortal Kombat isn’t the only game guilty of sexualizing or misrepresenting women. In fact, many M-rated games treat women as props or distractions. The Grand Theft Auto franchise is infamous for the players free ability to easily find strip clubs and prostitutes to receive sexual favours from them. Not only does the game play on appeal of voyeurism when allowing the player to partake in sexual acts, but also encourages violence against women, specifically sex workers, by allowing the player to brutally beat and murder these women in a variety of ways. Both Grand Theft Auto and Fallout: New Vegas take this violence to the next level. When players kill someone in GTA, they receive money. In Fallout: New Vegas, players who murder prostitutes gain infamy, and depending on how the player wants their game to go, this, like the money in GTA, is a reward for killing sex workers. With such an expansive demographic and large market of female consumers, the video game industry should learn to evolve socially. They need to adapt to the expanding female market by toning down their sexualization and violence towards women, if not for the sake of social sensitivity, then for profits.
The Sputnik “Sexy-Time” Playlist.
(as curated by the Ed Board) Let’s Get it On- Marvin Gaye Sex- The 1975 Surfboard- Beyonce Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I WantThe Smiths 38 Years Old- The Tragically Hip Only Love- Ben Howard Hello, I Love You- The Doors Electric Feel- MGMT Skinny Love- Bon Iver The Good Old Hockey Game- Stompin’ Tom Cha Cha- D.R.A.M. Comfortable- Mick Jenkins
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2016
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Exploring 2016 economic predictions Vikrant Jaswal Contributor Through analyzing the six key areas of corporate Canada, we can distinguish how well the economy is doing. Canada is currently facing a financial crisis in the energy sector, where oil prices are dropping below $40 U.S. a barrel with little signs of recovery in the market. The low oil prices raise concerns about rising defaults on bank loans, since producers in the energy sector are having trouble repaying loans. Several forecasters predict deeper cutbacks in this industry that could result in thousands of lost jobs. Investors are leaving, which has caused TSX energy securities to drop more than 50 per cent since the downturn on oil in 2014. With weakened credit, the ability to let the industry grow again is less recoverable, making forecaster’s predictions more advisory to investors. Right now in the real estate sector, the housing market is having one of it’s best years yet. But due to the oil crisis, provinces such as Alberta and Saskatchewan are being weighed down financially. New down payment rules from Ottawa will take some pressure off Ontario and British Columbia, which will commence in Feb. 15. This will cause growth to decrease noticeably, The Canadian Real Estate Association predicts that national home prices will increase 1.4 per cent in 2016. This already puts pressure on the market, with average prices outside of Toronto and Vancouver falling more than five per cent in 2015. Mortgage rates are also expected to increase for the next two years. This means that when renewing a mortgage loan, monthly payments would cost more at an increased rate according to a survey by Mortgage Professionals of Canada called “A Profile of Home Buying in Canada”. In the retail sector, having a weak dollar will increase the cost of imports although consumers will force these extra costs onto the merchants. This is because of the rise of e-commerce and shrinking of physical stores. So in order for retail to compete, a price hike on products will decrease consumer demand in comparison to e-commerce shopping. This will be extremely tough on oil drained provinces; particularly Alberta. “Merchandising sales are pro-
jected to rise 3.6 per cent in 2016, compared with an estimated 2.2 per cent in 2015 and 4.6 per cent in 2014” said retail consultant Ed Strapagiel in an article by the *Globe and Mail. This implies that merchants will have to work a lot harder to make the right income. Despite the downturn on oil, in the manufacturing sector there is an opportunity to take advantage of. With the Canadian dollar being weaker than the U.S., this is an opportunity to boost non-energy exports. But due to the oil crisis, a lot of manufacturers that supply the energy have to hold on projects and killing new business with suppliers. “Canada’s manufacturers still face structural competitive challenges as the U.S. economy continues to diversify trade away from Canada,” said economist Emanuella Enenajor in an interview with the *Globe and Mail. Meaning despite low costs, sales are not guaranteed when dealing with exports and uniqueness is much needed. Canada cannot rely on the U.S. as it did in the past, because the total command of U.S. market share has eroded over the years to lower cost competitors like Mexico and China. But new business relations in the Canadian telecom sector will open doors, with Calgary cable operator Shaw Communications announcing to buy start-up company Wind Mobile Corp. This opens up new competition in the wireless industry but will have to wait until 2017 when Wind mobile upgrades their service. When distinguishing how an economy is performing, the bank’s fortune in the banking sector usually reflects the economy, since economic activity promotes mortgages, loans and the capital markets activity. According to Bloomberg, the big six banks (National Bank of Canada, Royal Bank, The Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, The Bank of Nova Scotia and TD Canada Trust) rose in profit by five per cent to $34.4 billion in 2015. But, this does not change the fact that our economy is not doing well in other sectors of corporate Canada. Despite the rising competition and economic problems. The banks are taking these threats seriously by establishing relationships with outside firms and developing new innovative technology, leading to an interesting step for financial innovation.
Women’s Centre open on campus
Lawyer’s Hall Anna Principato/ The Sputnik
Taylor Berzins Manager of Operations WLU Brantford campus is now home to a Women’s Centre. The space located on the first floor of Lawyer’s Hall is a place for self-identified women to meet and grow on campus. “We are hoping to provide a safer and affirming space for all self identified women on campus,” explained Sarah Cifani, a Masters student in Laurier’s Social Justice Community Engagement Program, who is hosting her volunteer placement hours in the space. According to Cifani, there is a part-time counselor who is employed through a program out of the Sexual Assault Centre of Brant at the Women’s Centre, “to provide support for students who may need it.” Cifani explained that the space is
geared to be an accessible place for women to hangout on campus. The Women’s Centre will eventually grow include a library with feminist literature. “My personal hope for the Centre is that is provides women a place to go on campus that they are able to feel safer, free from rape culture, and oppressive sexist language or harassment,” said Cifani. “However this is why we refer to Centre as safer, instead of safe, because we cannot guarantee it will be safe. Rape culture is unfortunately so prominent and especially on University campuses. I am hoping we provide a space where women are free to talk about their experiences, have access to counseling or other resources if they need it, and just realize that they are not alone! Women need to work together, in solidarity with each other and above all I hope that this Women’s
Centre is able to provide a space where women are able to work alongside one another to eliminate gender inequality.” “The Women’s Centre is working under the DEO, although the process to obtain the Women’s Centre did begin prior to the DEO being on campus,” said Cifani. “We are working alongside other groups under the DEO it is a great way to create allyship!” In its current form, the Women’s Centre is geared to serve students, but Cifani explains that they hope to also someday service self-identified women faculty members as well. “As of right now faculty are welcome to any events we will hold, as gendered based violence is not just present for students, it is real for faculty as well so I think there should be support for both faculty and students.”
Laurier Brantford provides students sexual health resources
Taylor Burt Staff Writer Laurier Brantford’s Wellness Center provides many sexual health services to students, whether they need help with sexually transmitted infections, discussing sex or need support for a pregnancy. “If students are registered, they have full services available to them, including sexual health screening and treatment, Paps, family planning, Plan Bs, and anything else they may need….We sell birth control for the cost to assist students who do not have coverage from their insurance provider and annual sexual health exams,” said Cindy Wood, Manager of Laurier Brantford’s Wellness Center, in an email. “If a student is pregnant we provide all options and support them in their choices.” Wood expresses that everything involved in a test for an STI is completely covered by OHIP, although the blood test to determine if you have herpes type-2 (even if you have no symptoms) called, “Herpes Simplex Serology Typing 1/2,” is not covered by OHIP. The test costs about $150. Students need to make an ap-
Sai Gnanaharan/ The Sputnik
pointment, and they will have all the support they need from the staff at the Wellness Center. “Student meets with an RN and or Physician for the education counselling and then a decision is made on the type of exam requested. STI testing can be done through swabs; students often self-swab, or through a urine test. All the tests are sent to the lab for analysis with results generally back within 24-48 hours,” said Wood. “Pending those results, if positive for an STI, the student will be informed and will require treatment, through the Wellness Centre, their own GP, Public Health, etc. The student may also receive a call from Public Health in the area of testing to ensure the student was treated and informed partners as this is a communicable disease. In-depth
testing (such as HIV and VDRL) requires blood work; however, we offer full-service lab here (blood work done on site).” Students are urged to tell their peers about the services available at the Wellness Center. Wood explains that they do everything they can to let students know that assistance is available. “We do as much advertising as possible,” said Wood, in an email. “Including LBTV screens, we have Peer Educators who run our information/education fairs, posters, a partnership with Brant County Health Unit Sexual Health team, attending fairs, weekly news advertising, word of mouth and I attend the orientation presentations, Headstart presentations [and more].”
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Discussing public hook ups Shreya Shah Staff Writer Hook up culture on university campuses is seemingly more prominent than ever. While every student has their own definition of what a hook up looks like, there seems to be an agreement that casual sexual encounters are becoming more and more commonplace. As described by Laurier Brantford student, Aleena Habib Khan, “I think hook up culture is a norm because everything we are surrounded by encourages sex. Whether that be music videos, the lyrics of a song, movies, TV shows, advertisements, or of course, social media. University students are constantly exposed to all of this.” The internet has played a large role in making casual sexual en-
counters accessible. With apps like Tinder, Grindr, or DOWN, finding a casual partner has never been easier. Some websites also make it easy to find no-strings-attached venues for causal rendezvous. One site called, CruisingGays, advertises local spots in Brantford where members can meet strangers for anonymous hook ups. One of the hook up spaces that has been advertised on the site since 2007 is a campus building. The ad states the following information, “Washrooms on the [first] floor in Grand River Hall, the ones near the lounge area, not the elevators. Washroom is pretty big and usually empty.” In November 2015, website Narcity Toronto posted a video to YouTube called “Top Places to Bang (Wilfrid Laurier),” in which students on the Waterloo campus were asked to point out their ideal spaces to have sex on campus. Students overwhelmingly agreed that the best place to get it on would be on the bench next to the statue of Sir Wilfrid Laurier.
Alyssa Durant, a second year student explains, “While there are some dangers, for people that are just looking for a quick sexual encounter, hook ups are the easiest way to satisfaction. If people are looking for a one-time thing, doing it in public with a stranger is safer. That way, no one knows where either party lives, what they do for a living…The less information they share, the better.” While most coordinated sexual encounters occurring in public are consensual, there are still legal and safety risks associated with sex in public. Sex in public is a criminal offence and participants risk being charged with public indecency which can result in fines or jail time. While it is becoming more overt that students offer and receive sexual services on campus, Dean of Students Adam Lawrence, states, “The Dean of Students office has not received a formal concern/ complaint about this topic.” Tech can help facilitate public hook ups Jamaal Owusu-Ansah/ The Sputnik
Campus A lens on knife violence responds to in Brantford offensive posters
Brittany Bennett Features Editor OSSTF said they did not authorize the offensive posters quoting Adolf Hitler put up across the Brantford campus. Last Monday Brantford students received an email informing the campus “that posters depicting and quoting Adolf Hitler were posted at various locations of the Brantford Campus on Friday [Jan. 29].” The message alongside each poster said, “signed your union card yet? Support OSSTF,” giving a supposed signature by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF). “An OSSTF representative responded Feb. 2 with a message to
Laurier President and Vice-Chancellor Max Blouw and a letter to all Brantford staff advising that OSSTF did not authorize this or any other poster at Brantford Campus and do not condone circulating any type of offensive and harmful imagery,” stated Pamela Cant, assistant vice-president of Laurier’s human resources in an email. The posters were taken down immediately following reports to Special Constables and human resources. “This type of offensive messaging and harmful imagery is absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Cant stated in an email. “Any incidents of this nature will be taken seriously by the university and will not be tolerated.” Since the removal of these posters there have not been any reports of similar activity. Laurier’s human resources stated nothing about possible leads on who did post the posters or why.
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Wednesday february 10, 2015 7pm rcw 202 election. your campus media. food.
Matthew Burley Art & Culture Editor Adam Stocker Staff Writer Machete and knife attacks are becoming more frequent in Canada, leaving victims in serious condition. From Dec. 23 to Dec. 31, there were three separate attacks in Toronto. Two of the incidents sent teenage boys to hospital with lacerations on their hands. One of the teenage boys had one of his fingers severed from the attack. The third incident occurred at the Eaton Centre, where a man carrying a 30-centimetre machete and 20-centimetre hunting knife attacked a shopper before being tackled by security. In Winnipeg, Canada Day celebrations were ruined following a machete attack that sent another victim to hospital. Brantford is not immune to machete attacks. In July and September, two attacks left men in serious conditions. One of the victims was sent to hospital to be treated for a 20-centimetre laceration on his neck. The machete cut through the victim’s neck, slicing the muscles on the right side of his neck and just barely missed severing his nerves and arteries. Police eventu-
ally charged a man with attempted murder following the attack on Dalhousie Street. The first four weeks of 2016 have seen Brantford police respond to four incidents involving knives according to published reports on its websites. Two of the incidents were robberies that saw the perpetrator brandish a knife to hold up a store. The two other incidents involved individuals uttering threats to another person while being armed with a knife. One of the incidents included a naked man waving a knife while issuing threats. In both cases, police intervened and charged both men with multiple offenses. Machetes are popular tools for bushwhacking, hunting and gardening. Under Canadian law, anyone can buy one, but some stores have policies that prevent the sale to anyone under 18. Meaghan Hanley works at Brantford Surplus, on Colborne St., where machetes are kept behind the counter to ensure safety and prevent shoplifting. Hanley believes that the government should consider require licenses in the future when purchasing machetes. “We sell one to two a week during the summer,” said Hanley. Machetes sell for $17.99 plus tax at
Brantford Surplus. Canadian Tire is one of the largest retail stores in the country. For as little as $30, anyone can buy an 18-inch machete. “Every Canadian Tire carries machetes, not just Brantford,” said Brantford store employee Erin Petelka. The machetes inside the Brantford location, on Lynden Rd., are locked in a glass cabinet. However, machetes in Canadian Tire were not always behind glass. “One was not behind glass. One was stolen just after the summer,” said Petelka. Fellow employee Jamal Chase said machetes are not a high-volume item. “(Machetes are) not sold that often. (I’ve) worked here about a year and only sold a few,” he said. Both Petelka and Chase said there should be restrictions on the purchase of machetes. “There should be a limit. (There) Should really have to enforce (selling to) 18 (years olds) plus,” said Chase. Petelka said that the sale of machetes should be similar to the sale of crossbows. “Its 18 plus for crossbows, but no licenses or info.” Editor’s note: since this article was written Brantford Police have charged a 32-year-old woman with second degree murder following the stabbing death of a man in Brantford on Saturday Feb. 6.
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(In tune of “Smelly Cat”) Fix your cat, fix your cat, they are overpopulated.
Consent is golden and mandatory
Melissa Weaver Staff Writer
Blossom the cat Christina Manocchio/The Sputnik
Christina Manocchio Photo Editor Every year, the population of homeless cats increase in Canada. One third of cats are left to shelters due to owners change in lifestyle. Several cats aren’t neutered leading to an increase in the homeless population. According to A Comprehensive Report on the Cat Overpopulation Crisis, in 2011 there were 600,000 homeless cats in Canadian shelters were left without a home. Cats enter shelters more often in comparison than dogs, and they have a tougher time being adopted out. It all comes down to irresponsible cat owners. Male cats who are not neutered could get a female cat pregnant without knowing. Many times, the cats will stray without a form of identification for shelters to find its home. Some owners will take little action to find their cat,
Laurier’s Advocates for Student Culture of Consent (ASCC) hosted the first panel discussing the “Blurred Lines of Consent” on Jan. 26 in Waterloo. The event was streamed from the Paul Martin Centre in Waterloo to the Brantford Students’ Union boardroom. There were 40 attendees in Waterloo and seven in Brantford. The event was moderated by Lynn Kane. The panelists included: Stacey Jacobs, a sex educator at Planned Parenthood Waterloo; Stephen Soucie, program coordinator at Male Allies against Sexual Violence; Rebecca Godderis, Gendered Violence Faculty colleague; and Karly Rath, co-founder of Advocates for Student Culture of Consent and Laurier alumni. ASCC was created by Laurier students and alumni who have experienced sexual violence. They are currently in the process of having a
sexual assault policy approved, and are now creating a protocol for the policy. Topics ranged from how to set boundaries in a relationship, the harm in sex representations in media, to being sent pictures or sending pictures. ASCC addressed the confusion around consent, especially under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Taylor Berzins, Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications Brantford Manager of Operations and ASCC co-founder later tweeted, “if the words are slurred, consent is deferred.” A central theme was to address consent not only in the bedroom, but also in everyday interactions. Instead of saying, let’s go to the movies, try asking, “would you like to go to the movies?” This provides a space for choice rather than forcing someone into a situation. Soucie said, “Consent is a skill. If we only ever practice consent in the bedroom, we’re setting ourselves up for failure.” Jacobs talked about normalizing consent at a young age. “[With children] ask permission before hugging or kissing, don’t force them to hug someone they don’t want to, teach them how to read body lan-
guage and teach them the correct body part names”, she said. ASCC used the event to launch their website, and social media campaigns through the hashtag #ConsentIsGolden. The website was launched the same day as the panel. It has a section about how to handle disclosures, what to say, what not to say. It also includes resources for the Brantford and Waterloo-Kitchener area, both on and off campus. Natalie Anderson, attendee of the streaming and Healthy Lifestyles coordinator, said, “I was mostly wondering about the line between alcohol and consent, but the panel made me aware of other blurred lines of consent.” Godderis emphasized that consent is complex and an ongoing conversation. Anderson said, “I learned how to have the conversation about consent in a long term relationship and not make it awkward.” In honour of Valentine’s Day, the ASCC, the Gendered Violence Task Force, and the Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG) have created ‘consensual valentines’ and will be handing them out on both campuses for free.
leading the shelter cat population to grow. Cats who wander without being fixed or properly vaccinated has led to the speared of viruses and diseases. The result of cat overpopulation leads to euthanasia, it is the act of killing due to the problem of overpopulation and suffering sick kitty cats. There are preventative attempts towards the cat overpopulation. In Brantford, there is Havens Hope and Telephone City Feral Cat Rescue. Both offer adoption, rescue, and the Trap, Neuter and Release Program. For a fee, the program will take cats that have been brought in for a health examination and neuter them. This leads to less speared of disease, viruses and unwanted kittens to the cat population. Also, just by taking care of existing pets will reduce this problem significantly. Art courtesy of Brenda Dong and Karly Rath
Zika and access to abortion Josh Adesina Opinion Editor The Zika virus has become a big concern for the public due to its potential and rapid spread. The Zika virus is expected to spread rapidly through countries in South and Central America, particularly Latin America, according to Broadly/Vice.
The World Health Organization has also declared the Zika virus as a ‘public health emergency of international concern,’ according to Broadly/Vice. Furthermore, the virus severely threatens pregnant women in Latin American regions who are at high risk due to restrictions put on receiving abortions. The Zika virus is spread through mosquitos and affects the growth of unborn babies. The virus is said to affect the heads and brains of unborn children, according to Broadly/Vice. Fatal diseases are not new to us, and are yet to be a thing of the
past. The concerns coming from media outlets and health institutions seem to come from the threat it has towards pregnant women and their unborn children. Up to 3,100 pregnant Columbian women have been infected by the virus, according to CBC. In addition, up to 26,000 Columbians have been affected. Furthermore, pregnant women in Latin America are facing challenges with receiving abortion. This type of restriction will become a serious issue because this leaves women vulnerable, especially females that become pregnant due
to an unpredictable circumstance such as rape. In an unfortunate event such as this, females that have caught the virus are left with few options; one of them involving the practice of an unsafe abortion or taking an abortion pill. Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, who is the founder of a website called Women on Web, has been sending out abortion pills to pregnant women that have caught the virus, according to Broadly/Vice. The efforts of Gomperts have been successful as she has sent out abortion pills to pregnant women in up
to 120 countries. Although Gomperts is doing her best to help, this will not change the strict laws that countries like Brazil have with shipments coming through, according to Broadly/Vice. Pregnant women that are suffering with the Zika virus await a dependable solution. Gomperts hopes to reduce the rate of deaths that stem from pregnant women practicing illegal abortions which is currently 68,000 annual deaths, according to Broadly/Vice.
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FEATURES
BRITTANY BENNETT | FEATURES@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
Masturbate our way to success Christina Manocchio Photography Editor Ladies, let’s loosen up the socially imposed chastity belts and talk about sexual empowerment. Female sexuality has stereotypes in society: if you don’t have sex, you’re viewed as a prude; if you enjoy having sex, you’re seen as a slut. Thanks to the contraceptive pill becoming publicly available in the 1960s, women were afforded the possibility of sexual liberation on their own terms. The pill allowed women to challenge the negative ideals of their sexuality, setting them free from societial structures revolving around sex. Women have evolved since then, embracing their sexuality more and more. But, there are still ideals that society has placed on women and their sex lives. Yes, women get horny and yes, they like to have orgasms too. There are some old myths surrounding masturbation and sexual empowerment within society. The new Ontario sexual education curriculum discusses many aspects of sexual health, including masturbation. In some sex education classes they point out the clitoris on a diagram,
numbers become closer between the ages of 25 to 29, with women at 72 per cent, but the numbers for men are still higher. Considering females reach puberty before boys, at the age of 16 to 17, only 45 per cent of women masturbate, while 75 per cent of men do. Masturbation has many benefits, one being that it releases endorphins, leading to less bodily pain. It also won’t get you pregnant, and you can’t get an STI from masturbating (unless you’re using something dirty, then that’s all on you). “Women are taught in society that they have a contradictory, fine line to walk where they have to be sexually attractive to men. They also have to be personally responsible for the way in which men act towards them,” Kouri-Towe stated. “This produces a social context where there is a lot of shame and stigma attached to women’s desires and sexuality with not a lot of freedom to make choices that are by a women’s interests.” Historically, society views women as figures of sex, especially for men. Women have an expectation from society to act a certain way and to look a certain way. This creates pressure on women to feel attractive based on someone else’s ideals. Even body hair removal has become an expectation. Society views women with pubic hair as a
Society downplays the acceptance of female masturbation because of social stigmas and standards Christina Manocchio/ The Sputnik
then that is it. Some people consider the functions of the clitoris taboo. The clitoris is not located in the vagina; it is located on the top of the labia. The clit is comparable to the penis because it contains erectile tissue, but it contains double the amount of nerve endings in comparison. It is the only organ made purely for pleasure. “There are all types of traditional norms: women should not be assertive or aggressive, women should be gentle or sensitive,” said Natalie Kouri-Towe, gender studies professor at Wilfrid Laurier University. The idea of not talking and educating about the clit is what makes it a taboo. Masturbation won’t cause you to go blind, or cause horrid acne. According to Indiana University’s National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, from the ages of 20 to 24, 83 per cent of men masturbate while only 64 per cent of women do. The
fetish rather than a norm. The porn industry is to credit for projecting this ideal that women should be constantly grooming themselves. Society has pressured women into making themselves desirable for men and for others. This all boils down to women losing control over their sexuality. “It impacts an individual’s sexuality in general, it removes your relationship from your own desire from that equation,” according to KouriTowes. Slowly, society is creeping closer to embracing the powers of female sexuality, but of course, we still need conversations like these, about masturbation and pleasure to happen in order to make the topic less taboo. We need to embrace female sexuality. Ladies, take the time to flick the bean, finger-paint, paddle the pink canoe, or just straight up masturbate. It should be normal for us too.
Discussing love and sex in the LGBTQ community
Laurier’s Rainbow Alliance sits down to talk about LGBTQ-related topics Jamaal Owusu-Ansah/ The Sputnik
Dellesia Noah Staff Writer “There are no GAY scenes. There are scenes with people in them,” said television producer and writer, Shonda Rhimes while clapping back to an ignorant Twitter hater last year. She decimated this person by saying if they have this need to point out “gay scenes” as too much, not only are they late to the party, they’re not even invited anymore. Laurier’s Rainbow Alliance invites us all to this LGBTQ party, where we discuss everything from sex, to relationships, to life obstacles seen within LGBTQ lives.
If you identify as he/him describe what you believe masculinity to be, and how has that changed from what you thought masculinity was growing up? Will Thompson: “Masculinity has always been that lumberjack persona and when I came out I had to move away from that. I ended up watching 1 Girl, 5 Gays because once I came out I was like ‘ok, how do I be gay?’ For two years I acted super flamboyant because that’s what I thought being gay was, and then I realized that isn’t mandatory, I can act however I want. Masculinity for me now is this [gestures to self]. I am my own masculinity.”
For those that identify as she/her, what is your definition of femininity, and how has that changed from when you were growing up? Melissa MacNaughton: “I don’t think there is one set definition of femininity, I think it does change. There’s society’s view, which is the pink dresses, long hair, and makeup,
but for me I think I’m feminine but there are days where I don’t want to wear a dress, I don’t want to wear makeup, but I’m still feminine.” Nevena Rakic: “Being a queer woman makes femininity difficult, because other queer folks expect queer women to be a little more on the masculine side.” Danielle Jurgens: “I get that for sure, people call me butch, gold-star lesbian just because I’ve had really short hair … my gender is pretty fluid, so today I feel feminine but other days I’ll feel more masculine.”
think that if you’re gay you’re automatically going to get AIDS. That’s not the case, actually right now in a majority of countries females have a higher rate of HIV/AIDS. Also I know a lot of straight people think that gay men and anal sex just happen, but it takes a lot of preparation. It’s a big deal for most people.” Melissa MacNaughton: “Anybody can get AIDS it doesn’t matter your religion, your race, your sexuality.” Danielle Jurgens: “Viruses do not discriminate.”
As someone who is gender fluid how has masculinity/ femininity put constraints on how you identify?
What are one of your most awkward sexual moments?
Taylor Simmons: “I usually just wear whatever I want.” Nevena Rakic: “I think we’ve been socialized our whole lives to be either super feminine or masculine. Why does it matter?”
What was your most memorable ‘coming out’ moment? Will Thompson: “When I first came out to my mom, she was driving me to work and she confronted me and asked me [if I was gay] and I said yes, it’s a thing that’s happening in my life. She cried for 20 minutes and kept asking me, ‘why?’ She told me, ‘I guess as a parent ignorance is bliss.’ That taught me don’t tell anyone.” Taylor Simmons: “I never really had to come out to my parents. They just knew, I brought a girl home one day and introduced her as my girlfriend. My dad said ‘well at least she won’t get pregnant.’”
What misconceptions are there about gay/queer sex that you want to shut down right now? Taylor Simmons: “Well, scissoring is not a thing!” Danielle Jurgens: “Even lesbians can get STIs.” Will Thompson: “A lot of people
Danielle Jurgens: “I invited this girl that I liked up to my cottage and she was a real party person so we went along the beach inviting kids our own age to a bonfire at this beach. We ended up playing truth or dare and I got dared to kiss this guy. Something which I have never done before. I was like ‘I don’t really want to do that’ but you know it was a dare and the peer pressure so I ended up doing it, it was horrible and wet. It was the worst moment. So it kind of reaffirmed my gayness.” Nevena Rakic: “Being queer and growing up having to change with other girls was literal torture. It was like ‘do you think I’m looking at you?’ I don’t know what these feelings are that I’m experiencing.”
What benefits of same-sex relationships do you think hetero-couples overlook? Melissa MacNaughton: “There isn’t as much pressure. In a stereotypical relationship between a guy and a girl. The guy pays for the date, he asks the girl out, with same-sex couples there isn’t that pressure to conform. There’s more room to be who you are.” Nevena Rakic: “I live with my partner so a lot of stuff is so much easier, when I don’t know what to wear I just go into her closet.”
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2016
THE SPUTNIK
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FEATURES
BRITTANY BENNETT | FEATURES@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
What ’s Your thing? Meet Brantford, the secret city of sex and arousal
Brittany Bennett Features Editor Some know Brantford as the Telephone City, or the hometown of that hockey player Wayne Gretzky, or as that city near Six Nations of the Grand River First Nations reserve, but little is spoken about Brantford for its sex life. Just like any other city, Brantford too has its dirty little secrets. For students familiar with the downtown core, we know that spaces like The Habit, and The Gentleman’s Club are likely contributing to the mood sustaining downtown’s sexual desires. According to the Brant County Health Unit, 2012-2014 showed 128 births in the downtown Core. But like restaurants and grocery stores, there is more to Brantford than what exists in the downtown core. Darlene Luffman, employee of Brantford’s Love Shop on King George Road, says that vibrators are one of their most popular items to sell. But it’s not just to the women in on the scene, Brantford’s men are known to frequent the shop, buying toys and lingerie for their partners, especially around Valentine’s Day.
Craigslist has shown a huge desire in the Brantford-Woodstock area with over 1300 posts currently seeking casual encounters, but for the majority, it’s a sausage fest. These posts range from “meaty cock deepthroat for gentleman,” and “blo me and go,” to “any women interested in having their ass worshipped?” and “ever kicked a guy in his nuts before?” With quite a few posts in the men seeking women, and men seeking men categories, none of the Brantford area posts are listed as “women seeking men” or “women seeking women.” “There’s a lot of bondage in Brantford, a lot of bondage,” says Luffman. Brantford’s Love Shop sees a large mixture of clientele, from 18 up to 82 years old, and the experience is quite varied. But Luffman has noticed more and more young couples wishing to begin new and exciting things in the bed. “Some of the people that come in here, you wouldn’t think are into a lot of these things, like the bondage and stuff,” says Luffman. “It’s really neat, like people you wouldn’t know.” A very popular product that many customers venture to Brantford’s Love Shop for is called Performance Plus: an all-natural male enhancer. Brantford men use this natural form of Viagra not just to help get it up, but because it boasts to be “side effect free” with the promise of helping one last longer than usual. “Sex is everywhere, and it’s grow-
ing,” says Luffman. While sifting through online chatrooms such as “The Adult Hub” and “Let’s Meet Up” it is easy to see the large community of Brantford men seeking fun sexual encounters over the very few women listed. Although, “The Adult Hub” does have a fair amount of couples looking to swing with other couples, or add an additional person to the bedroom mix. There is a community of women seeking new sexual encounters in Brantford. “Women are getting more liberated in using strap-ons and pegs with their boyfriends,” says Lydia Keith, Manager at Brantford’s Stag Shop, also on King George Road. Since the roar of Fifty Shades of Grey, Keith says that restraints have also become much more popular. The Stag Shop explained that vibrators are also one of their most popular products. New technology lets people control their partner’s vibrators from afar. Both Brantford’s Love Shop and Stag Shop admit to their large student-based clientele, yet The Habit has been receiving negative flack for having their adult rated products in this student atmosphere. Give it up Brantford, we all know you’re hot for some kinky fun. Sex is here and although the male dominated scene seems to be holding up these city walls, women of Brantford are also venturing out with new and exciting sexual adventures in mind.
Laurier Brantford Wellness Centre offers sex education resources that high school sex ed may have missed Christina Manocchio/The Sputnik
Let’s talk about sex... Education Tayler Buchanan Staff Writer In 2015, Ontario revealed the newly updated Health and Physical Education Curriculum which included much needed changes to a previously outdated sexual education outline. Changes included topics and discussions centred around gender identity, sexual orientation, emotional and physical factors to consider when making sexual health decisions as well as dealing with sex on social media platforms. According to the government of
20 something other dudes? It was definitely a scare tactic, me and my friends just laughed about it.” “I was supposed to have [sex ed] in Grade 9,” Brandon Setten, a third year Leadership student explains. “However, my teacher completely skipped the sex ed portion of the course. I know this because other gym teachers for my same grade taught their classes sex ed.” Learning about things such as prevention of STDs and preganancy didn’t always come from school for these students. “Most of what what I learned came from basic elementary school sex education, or learning from friends within my high school who had the proper sexual education, or learning from their older siblings,” Setten says. “I think it was good in a way
Learning with fruit, how to put on a condom Konnor Huard/ The Sputnik
Ontario, the changes the new curriculum added were necessary since many children now enter puberty at a much younger age. It is also very common for young children to have access to the internet, social media and smartphones, therefore they can actively seek out information that can be incorrect and potentially harmful. Previously, the curriculum hadn’t been updated since 1998, 17 years ago. Many of the students here at Laurier Brantford experienced this very outdated version of sex education, some not receiving any at all. We asked some students what they took from their high school sexual education experience and whether or not they agree that the new curriculum will help, or harm the next generation of students. “I didn’t really get a proper education in regards to sex,” Taylor Burk, a second year explains. “I went to a Catholic high school so if anything the focus was on abstinence. Literally we talked about abstinence for one week and that was it. Which is hilarious since everyone in my grade was definitely not practicing that.” “All I remember is this chart with a bunch of stick figures … It was something to do with well, if you sleep with this person then really you’re sleeping with this many people,” Burk says. “So I hook-up with someone who’s hooked up with 20 other people so really I slept with
to learn since I was comfortable with the people sharing so it was easier to learn. We figured it out as a community, me and my groups of friends. Obviously I had to do my own research to figure out what was right and what wasn’t.” Grace Puccia, third year con-ed students explains that she is not very familiar with the recent revisions to the health and physical education curriculum. “But I do think it is a good idea for students to have more conversations about sex, especially the emotional aspect of sex and healthy relationships. So I agree that the revisions were needed,” Puccia says. The majority of this student consensus found they did not receive a proper, formal education in regards to sex, and what they did learn came from factors outside the education system such as peers, family members and the internet. While these outlets can be helpful, the school system is meant to prepare kids for their adult lives, which eventually will include sexual activity and intimate relationships. “For future generations,” Setten explains. “I think the proper way to learn [about sex] is from the school because that way the information they are getting will ultimately be correct, there wouldn’t be any confusion like I experienced.”
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THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2016
ARTS & CULTURE MATTHEW BURLEY | ARTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
Featured Artist: Shannon Coulter Photos of Shannon Coulter Jamaal Owusu-Ansah/ The Sputnik
Matthew Burley Art & Culture Editor The Featured Artist is a Laurier Brantford student who is constantly striving for creative and artistic excellence. The medium isn’t what’s important; it’s the art. This weeks Featured Artist is Shannon Coulter. How long have you been writing and singing music for? I’ve been singing for pretty much my entire life, but I started writing songs when I was in grade seven (13 years old). What influenced you to start singing and writing music? Personally, I’ve always loved singing along to music on the radio, but I was always very shy about my voice. It took a lot to sing in front of people because I was always so nervous. That’s one thing I really had to work hard to overcome. As for songwriting, I never really kept a diary. The songs I write are essentially my version of diary entries. It’s always easier to write what you know, so that’s how I got started. Feeling happy about something? I wrote a song. Having a bad day? I wrote a song. Soon enough, I overcame my nerves and I sang in front of people for the first time and I haven’t looked back since. Do you write all of your own songs? If so, what do you feel is the value of writing your own music over having someone write the song for you? Generally, yes, I do write all of my own songs. There have been occasions where I have collaborated with other songwriters and recently, I’ve really enjoyed creating mashups of popular songs. Honestly, I love singing my own music because I can put all of my emotions into it. That’s how I usually take time to relax, and clear my mind. When someone writes a song for you, you don’t have that natural connection right away; you have to work to build it. It’s the same for me when I think about another art-
ist singing one of my songs. Everyone has their own interpretation of each song they hear, so they may not feel the same thing I feel when they sing it. A lot of music coming out recently has been about sex, drugs, partying and heartbreak. What attracts you writing and singing about love instead? Personally, I can relate to love better than any of those other topics. Plus, the one thing I love about songwriting is that people can relate to what I write. By now, a lot of my close friends actually know the lyrics to my songs, and it always amazes me when one of my songs relates perfectly to what they are going through. Everyone can relate to love in one way or another, so it’s a fairly relevant topic to write about. While looking for your work I noticed that you had a bio on CBC music. How did you become involved in that? So last year, I entered CBC’s Rock Your Campus contest, which is available to any university or college students across Canada. I entered one of my favourite original songs that I have written so far, called Effortlessly. From there, people voted for which songs they like. I was over the moon when I made it to Top 100 and I appreciated all of the support from my family and friends. That was also the first time most of my friends heard a song I wrote and sang, so it took a lot of courage, and a lot of times recording my vocal track, to be 100 per cent happy with the final version of the song I was putting on CBC’s website. Which of the two do you find more influential while writing music and why: love or heartbreak? Truthfully, both are super influential. However, that being said, I find it much easier to write about heartbreak. My friends joke that I’m kind of a mini Taylor Swift in that way. Whenever someone breaks my heart, the lyrics just flow out seamlessly. In fact, for a while, I found it harder to write upbeat happy love songs compared to sad, more intense heartbreak songs. I’ve
been working to change that, but the pain and hurt from breakups always makes for great songs. So you’ve performed in a number of concerts in the past. What is one of your favourite concert memories? One of the worst? One of my favourite concerts was performing at an event ran by Waterloo’s Youth Council. It was held in Waterloo Public Square in the middle of Uptown Waterloo. I loved the venue and the crowd there was wonderful. I also did a coffee house in Waterloo where I sang an original song for the first time. That performance will always be special to me because I got so much positive feedback from that original. It really pushed me to continue singing songs I’ve written. My worst wasn’t necessarily a concert, but I auditioned for a talent show a few years ago. It was one of my first times singing under a bit of pressure since there were judges watching. I got my family to record the performance and my voice was just not very good because I was nervous the entire time. It was a great learning experience though, and since then, I am able to sing the song I sang that day with much more confidence. As this is the sex issue, I should ask a few questions about sex. How do you feel about the sexualization of female singers in the music industry? Personally, I think that it’s getting a bit out of hand. As a rising artist in the industry, I’m starting to feel pressure to be more sexual with lyrics and my appearance to get noticed in the industry. Actually, there’s a great country song right now by Maddie and Tae called “Girl in a Country Song”. The lyrics in that song describes what being a girl in the music industry means perfectly. I don’t want to give into the pressures though. That’s not who I am. I much rather have people like the person I am instead of someone I’m not. Who do you think the sexiest person in the music industry is? The least sexy? Well, I am a country music fan, so for sexiest person I’ll have to say Luke Bryan. As for least sexy,
honestly each person has different opinions about what they like and don’t like physically in a person. So the fact that I may not find someone physically attractive shouldn’t mean that they aren’t physically attractive to everyone. When writing a love song, has sex ever been an influence? Honestly, not really. I tend towards writing about the cute, “honeymoon” phase of love or the sad and angry feelings of heartbreak. How has going to Laurier Brantford influenced your singing? Coming out of high school, I was much more confident with my singing since I performed in each musical production and a bunch of other opportunities performing in front of audiences. So when I got to Brantford, I wanted to continue to try to sing as often as I could. During my O-Week in 2014, I was actually the first person who performed at Talent Night. I also did each BRC Coffee House, and currently, I am an executive on Laurier Brantford Singers. I also had the opportunity to compete in a competition between students from Laurier, the University of Waterloo, and Conestoga College, called The Shot. In season three of the competition,
I made it to callbacks, which had about 30 or so performers in it. It was an amazing experience and I hope to participate in it again in the future. I saw your music video for Round 2. Can we expect any other music videos or upcoming albums? I’m hoping to record a demo album one day. That’s the dream. Over the next few weekends, I’m working with a music producer during some songwriting workshops and I’ll have the chance to sing one of the songs I’ve written in front of a panel of music industry professionals, so you never know what could come with that! I’d also love to make more music videos in the future. I recently got a new DSLR camera, so maybe I’ll put some time aside over the summer and work on another music video. Is there anywhere that people can listen to your work? Yes. I post all of my covers to my SoundCloud account, and I also have a twitter account dedicated to my music, which is @officialSCmusic. I’ve always wanted to start a YouTube channel too, but I still haven’t found the courage to make that leap. Maybe one day I’ll do it though!
THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2016
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ARTS & CULTURE MATTHEW BURLEY| ARTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
What is the world coming to? How much does virtual reality cost?
VR Porn Sai Gnanaharan/ The Sputnik
Matthew Burley Art & Culture Editor You are sitting in your living room watching tv; as you flick through the channels, a slender, scantily dressed woman struts into the room. She skips the introductions and starts getting comfortable. Clothing slowly hits the ground, and your heart rate steadily increases. Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump. The woman is now bent over and eye level with you; her hands gently gripping your thighs. As her hands move closer to the fly of your pants, you can feel your heart rate getting even faster. Thump thump, thump thump, thump thump. The woman is breathing in deep signs, which transition into moans with each continuous breath. You begin to
squirm as her hands start to unbutton your shirt. As her hands scale your chest, you begin to feel anxious and look around, but all you see is black. With a gasp of air you return to reality; you have just experienced virtual reality porn. What was once a teenage dream has become a reality, as VR porn prepares itself for the internet. One of the industry leaders, Naughty America, has been showcasing their latest addition to journalists and enthusiasts alike at events such as 2016 Consumer Electronics Show. Although everyone involved had different opinions on how much they enjoyed it, all of them came to the conclusion that it was different from anything else. VR porn immerses the user within the scene, and takes the sense for a ride. Although VR porn is incapable of recreating the sense of touch, it provides visual effects that left users feeling confused. In his article with Playboy, Raymond Wong spoke on how trying out Naughty America’s VR demo
frazzled his senses. Wong tested out multiple scenes in the demo, in which one “ a male porn star who was thrusting into ‘me’ was so up in my personal space, I swear I smelled his armpits. There wasn’t, of course, any smell,”. Brad Chacos of PCWorld tested out a similar demo on the Samsung Gear VR and swore, “I felt the performer’s breath on my skin as she leaned in close.” The Samsung Gear VR will not be the only way to experience the new reality of porn. Naughty America plans on making VR porn widely compatible with as many devices as possible. So if you’re jonesing for a feel of the future and don’t have the time or money to wait the Oculus Rift or Samsung Gear VR, it will be available on the more affordable Google Cardboard.
Google Cardboard - between $23 and $85 depending on style/quality
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Zeiss VR One - between $120-$129 - available now
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Freefly VR - $109 - available now
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Razer VR - $300 - available now
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Fove VR - $349 - available now
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Avegant Glyph - $699 - available now ( U.S. and select regions in China)
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Oculus Rift - $599 - pre-order
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Samsung Gear VR - $100 with Samsung phone, approximately $700 without - available now
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Face porn: Beautiful Agony Alex Vialette Staff Writer As long as you put effort into finding it, whatever kind of porn you want to watch is already on the internet. If you want to see amateur face shots of both men and women climaxing, Beautiful Agony has you covered. Beautiful Agony is a website whose content is exclusively head-
shots of normal people finishing. No tits, no dicks, just beautiful agony. “Beautiful Agony began as a multimedia experiment, to test a hypothesis that eroticism in human imagery rests not in naked flesh and sexual illustration, but engagement with the face. We wondered whether film of a genuine, unscripted, natural orgasm - showing only the face - could succeed where the most visceral mainstream pornography fails, and that is, to actually turn us on.” The general idea of Agony is that while porn has existed for hundreds of years, rather than de-
veloping and become more and more sophisticated as our society does, it has devolved to terrible interpretations of what sex is really like. While their website notes that sure, pornographers have incredible tech to produce their content and are constantly pushing for more, that doesn’t mean they have the right kind of eroticism. Agony wants to fill that gap by having their entire database filled with candid sex people are actually enjoying. If you’re one to enjoy a little interview with the actor or actress before they get down to what they’re there for, Agony has that base covered as well. The site has over 3000
Christina Manocchio/ The Sputnik
videos in which their stars sit down and talk about what turns them on. These conversations make up a good chunk of their website, with around 2000 videos of ladies, 1000 videos of guys, and around 200 couple videos which represents most sexual orientations. Beautiful Agony’s site also includes a Transgender/Genderqueer/Intersex category. To keep content accessible and relevant, there’s a forum where users can discuss the website, its content, request specific content, anything really. While that might sound a little small compared to megalithic porn indexes like Pornhub, YouPorn,
Brazzers, etc., Agony adds to their content around five times a week and will keep growing as long as they have subscribers. This website doesn’t feel like a porn site, it’s a category of its own. Almost like an art project website. One of the actresses even mentions “even if your mom stumbles across it you wouldn’t be too horrified”. The site charges ten bucks a month to keep itself alive, and if you’re interested in getting involved with the site there’s a page that outlines all of the requirements one has to fill.
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THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2016
SPORTS
DEVON MOMY-GAMACHE | SPORTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS Should players abstain from sex before engaging in sports? Christina Manocchio/ The Sputnik
The sex effect Jessa and Adam explore the question should one abstain before a game?
Go have sex, you'll play better
Jessa Braun Staff Writer As an athlete, you might have heard or been told somewhere along your athletic journey that having sex before a game will negatively affect your playing ability. I have one word for you: myth. According to a lot of research and studies, sex doesn’t downgrade an athlete’s game in any way. In fact, some studies show that sex even improves athletic performance. So lucky you… Get back in bed! Muhammad Ali was always very set on abstaining before a big day in the ring and even Plato recommended Olympians avoid sex before competing, but science seems to think differently. In short, scientists believe orgasms can fight muscle pain for women and a testosterone boost can help build strength for men. Female orgasms stop the release of pain transmitters for up to 24 hours, which is what helps to ease their muscle pain and soreness. Men gain a boost in their strength from testosterone boosts because testosterone plays a key role in increasing the size of muscles and bones. Not only does sex improve men and women physically but it improves them psychologically too. It helps them to gain confidence and self-esteem and take their minds off stress before the game. Marv Levy, a former head coach of the Buffalo Bills, used to tell his players to separate themselves from their wives before Super Bowls to ensure abstinence. This theory proved to be unsuccessful because out of the four Super Bowls he coached the Bills through, they lost every one.
“It’s not the sex that wrecks these guys, it’s staying up all night looking for it,” legendary New York Yankees manager Casey Stengel once said. Sex therapist Dr. Ian Kerner is on the same page as Stengel. He says most athletes abstain the night before not because of the sex itself, but because of the partying, dancing, eating, drinking and everything that comes with it. He also said in an article for Greatist that, “People who have healthy sex lives end up having more confidence and self-esteem by doing better at work.” Dr. Samantha McGlone did research and analyzing that she recorded in Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. McGlone focused on three scientific studies that have been done before. All studies had athletes do a certain exercise twice. The first time would be in the morning after sex and then the second would be during a morning after a night of abstinence. McGlone’s research concluded that sex could improve performance through either physiological or psychological factors, such as level of energy and alertness. McGlone’s studies also suggest that sex can be a way for athletes to relax the night before a big event because it takes their mind off stress. Fitness expert Dan Trink says it’s mind over matter. If an athlete believes that having sex before a game will negatively impact his or her game then it will. It’s equivalent to believing that you’ll lose just because you’re not wearing your lucky socks. Overall, the case might be different for everyone. The debate will continue to be ongoing, but right now it seems to be an issue of mind over matter. Speaking logically and scientifically, sex is perfectly fine the night before an event because sex affecting an athlete’s game negatively simply hasn’t offered enough proof.
The myth of sex and the game
Adam Stocker Staff Writer Sex before the big game: it’s a question, a myth that is constantly recurring in the sports world. The question continues to live, as superstitious athletes, coaches and media members refuse to let it die. In popular culture, the question of sex before the big game arose in the latest edition of the Rocky franchise. In Creed, Sylvester Stallone reprises his role of Philadelphia southpaw Rocky Balboa. But instead of being a boxer, Rocky returns as the reluctant trainer of Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan). The role earned Stallone a nomination for best supporting actor for an Academy Award, following a victory at the Golden Globes. As training progresses, Rocky believes Creed is ready for his first fight against rival a Philadelphia boxing prospect. The night before the fight, Rocky tells Creed not to have sex before the fight because “women weaken legs.” The scene acts as a continuation, linking a lesson Rocky learned during his boxing career from his trainer Mickey, in the initial 1976 film. In reality, it is an idea that is held in high regard for boxers and trainers. Weak legs could mean the difference between winning and losing a fight. Strong legs allow boxers to generate more punching power. But more importantly, strong legs play a role in the defense of a fighter. Strong legs provide a strong base for a boxer, allowing for them to absorb an opposing punch if they
are caught. Additionally strong legs lead to better footwork that allows fighters to use footwork to move and avoid being hit. In other sports, the question has come up through media press conferences. It is a tradition at the annual Grey Cup Head Coaches’ press conference that the question of players having sex the night before the CFL’s championship game is the first question asked. South of the border at Super Bowl media day, players and coaches are routinely asked the same question from all sorts of media members that bombard the host city to cover a sporting event that they normally do not cover. Similar questions have been asked at the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Final about players’ sexual tendencies prior to games. The myth exists in soccer and track and field as well, as coaches and athletes believe sex leads to weak legs, fatigue and dehydration. Scientific studies have been launched to see if there is truth to this myth. Studies have looked at the amount of energy used during sex and the physiological effects on muscles that sex has. Some studies have looked at the effect sex has on feeling physical pain, to anxiety levels, to the level of aggression athletes have when they abstain from sex. Famously, Muhammad Ali abstained from sex weeks before big fights because he believed it made him more aggressive inside the ring. However, in the end, these studies provide no definitive answer to the myth of sex before the big game. Results differ from person to person. But one thing is for sure, athletes will continue to have sex before games. While some athletes will choose not to. The myth will live on, and the questions and human curiosity will continue.
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WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2016
THE SPUTNIK
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SPORTS
DEVON MOMY-GAMACHE| SPORTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
Laurier finishes sixth after up and down day
Shannen Head scores her second of three goals on a wrap-around against Seneca to help Laurier reach the fifth place game. Devon Momy-Gamache/ The Sputnik
Devon Momy-Gamache Sports Editor Laurier’s women’s extramural hockey team was able to find some success on home ice but looked tired as they struggled in the fifth place game. Playing in their second consecutive game, and fourth of the day, Laurier lacked energy in a 3-0 loss to Conestoga. Laurier started the game strong until failing to score on a power play, which seemed to give Conestoga the momentum. A pair of tip-in goals gave Conestoga a 2-0 lead late in the first period.
On the third goal, Laurier goalie Madison Scott had no chance after the defense gave a Conestoga forward lots of time in front of the net to Deke Scott. In the final two minutes of the game, Laurier gave it their last shot. A pair of penalties gave Laurier a two man advantage for over a minute. Laurier couldn’t capitalize and also failed to score on another power play in the two minutes. Laurier started without captain Samantha Keen, who sustained a minor injury just before the game. Keen returned halfway through the first period. Coach David Crumpton refused to use the double-header as an excuse, “That’s what these tournament formats are. It was the same for the other team, so I don’t think
that really played into our loss. We came out really strong in our semifinal and really took it to them the first half of the game. We took our foot off the gas a little bit when we were up 3-0 and let them back in it and never really found our energy again and never found it in the fourth game.” To get to the final point against Conestoga, Laurier did win two games, including a 4-1 win in the semi-finals against Seneca. The star of the game and the tournament as a whole was Shannen Head. Head scored four of Laurier’s seven goals during the tournament while consistently leading the attack and generating opportunities. Head contributed a hattrick against Seneca to help carry her team to the fifth place game. Her contributions were noted
by Keen, who said, “Some people stepped up and performed really well like Shannen did with her hat-trick and play throughout the tournament.” The team was only in their second tournament of the season after their previous tournament was canceled, Head felt the team’s chemistry improved, “we’re still making connections and we played pretty good for not playing a lot.” Laurier will now begin to prepare for their next tournament, the Challenge Cup, which will also take place in Brantford on March 10 and 11. The tournament will feature the top seven teams in the Ontario College Athletics Association. Crumpton discussed areas that he wants the team to improve on,
such as short passes. The team is also aiming for more contributions from the entire roster and finding ways to utilize the players to highlight their strengths. Crumpton mentioned some of the elite talents on the team, “I think we’ve got three or four players on the team who can really be difference-makers.” Crumpton all discussed the struggle for him coaching the team for the first time “I’m not used to coaching adults [...] I’m trying to learn my way, how to push them without pissing them off.” Laurier will be facing the top teams in the challenge cup but with enough improvement could surprise a few teams.
Men’s hockey team preparing for final tournament
Devon Momy-Gamache Sports Editor Laurier’s men’s hockey team will be hosting an Ontario College Athletics Association tournament on Friday at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre. This will be the fourth and final tournament of the season for the team. The team has improved with every tournament. They opened their season in early November in a tournament at Sheridan. They opened the tournament with a win before losing their final two games. In their second tournament at Humber North, the team opened with two wins before losing their final game, which eliminated them from the tournament. If the team
can continue to improve, they have a chance to make it deep into the tournament in front of their home-crowd. In their most recent tournament on Friday, the Golden Hawks made it to the semi-finals while visiting Conestoga. The team is captained by Kevin Lamplugh, who will need to be a strong leader, as the team does not have a coach. For the team, like all extramural teams, the key will be to have good chemistry and strong endurance for the short tournaments. The responsibility for this will be on Lamplugh. Unfortunately, Laurier will most likely not be able to qualify for the end of season challenge cup due to a low ranking in the OCAA power ratings. This will be the end of the end of the season so the team will be giving it their all.
Laurier’s men’s hockey team warms up for their last tournament of the season. Alex Vialette/ The Sputnik
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THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2016
OPINION
JOSH ADESINA | OPINION@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
Fetishes Anya Eland News Editor
Oh fetishes. As much as people perhaps don’t care to admit it, a lot of us are at least a little kinky and likely harbour a sexual fetish. Fetishes are when one feels a sexual attraction to situations, body parts or objects. As strange as your fetishes may seem, never lose site of the fact that your kink could possibly be a turn on for someone else too. Communication is key! Whether you’ve opted to celebrate or repress your lusty interests, you may be impressed to know that you’re not the only kinky soul on campus. Laurier students expressed what sexual fetishes makes them feel kinky (all submissions are anonymous):
“Toes”
“Long fingers like Victor from the Corpse Bride” “Sex in public places” “Role play: Princess Leia and Chewbacca”
“I still like spanking” “I really like handcuffs, whips, chains” “Sex in the shower” “When food is involved in sex like whip cream” Having a sexual fetish isn’t weird! It’s okay to be kinky, (we all are in one way or another). Take some time to today to ponder the things that turn you on.
The modern student: Netflix not togas Photo by Christina Manocchio/ The Sputnik
Ricky Pacheo Staff Writer It seems these days the misadventures associated with being young, reckless and in school have become more a relic of how university used to be, and less of a reflection of modern student life. The hijinks fed to us by movies like, American Pie or National Lampoon’s are clearly not visible in what we consider to be the reality of college life today. It’s not unreasonable to agree the idea of
toga parties, anything-but-clothesparties, naked miles or pledge hazing is far less tangible for our generation than it was for the prior. If you don’t believe me think of the last “A-B-C” party you tried to host. Think about whether or not it turned out to be anything beyond you and a handful of your res mates drinking liquor in the common area wearing bed sheets. I don’t blame you if that’s how it turned out. We’re all just trying to have a good time and if an anything-but-clothes party implies uninhibited college students, mixing alcohol, and loose fitting bed sheets with the opposite sex, people attend because they really do want to see anything but clothes. So let’s talk about modern sex
and campus life. First, we obviously can’t have this discussion without mentioning “Netflix & chill.” Essentially, “Netflix & chill” stems from an early dating strategy we employed in our early high school years when we were broke and without a car. The idea was to invite your crush over to your house on a Saturday night to watch whatever was on television, sitting on your parent’s sectional before eventually making your move. Now we’ve got the availability of movies right at our fingertips and the parameters of having a crush extends to include anyone that entertains the idea of having sex with you, “Netflix & chill” is synonymous with bootycall. So we don’t party like they do in
the movies we based our archetypal university experience around. Fear not, I’m not saying it’s impossible to have a good time, it’s just different. To be perfectly candid, I’m no stranger to booze filled nights of playing strip poker with the girls, and having a residence life staff member watch our bare asses struggle frantically to get back into our dorm after being locked out. It’s difficult these days to opt out of the low-key reality of mainstream hook up culture, when being in university makes you comprehend the reality of society’s ills. To you then, I say, experiment: step out of your comfort zone and let it all hang out if that’s what it takes. Just be respectful to yourself and most importantly, others.
moving away from home and having to put yourself out there to meet new friends, especially if you haven’t embraced yourself first. You shouldn’t be ashamed of your sexuality because it’s a big part of who you are. In 2016, people are still struggling to accept the LGBTQ community. It is hard for people to come out, or embrace their individual sexuality because of the scrutiny of people and hostile norms. Women also have a hard time
with self-acceptance. We like to pick at ourselves constantly, and this is a big factor as to why we often struggle to embrace our sexuality. The entertainment industry is based on the idea that women have the power of their sexuality, and that we are comfortable with sharing it. Celebrities like Miley Cyrus have embraced their sexuality, and are not afraid to flaunt it and show it off to the world. Embracing a feminine sexuality is the ultimate power one could possibly have.
Women can have sex as much as they want, and with however many people they want. The fact that we are women doesn’t make us any less able than a man in embracing our sexuality. Men get congratulated for sleeping with tons of girls, and we get shamed and bullied. Who you have sex with doesn’t limit who you are. Celebrate your sexuality, because you are a better person when you do.
Embrace your sexuality Lauren Macfarlane Staff Writer Have you ever felt embarrassed or ashamed about your sexuality? As students we struggle with many things, but sexuality is one that is rarely discussed. It is hard for us,
Yes means yes and no means no. The importance of consent
Josh Adesina Opinion Editor Consent is a subject that has been receiving a lot of attention for a variety of reasons, most of which have not been positive. People seem to have a lot of different opinions about consent. Regardless, there is one thing that we should all understand about it: respect. You have to respect the requests of your partner. There have been too many cases involving sexual violence on university campuses. Even if it was only one case that was published in the media, that should be all we need to understand how real sexual violence is. Unfortunately, there are a lot of students that have not been properly informed about consent. Nonetheless, we should all share the responsibility of enlightening misguided people that feel it is okay to mistreat their sexual partner. Not too long ago, I was one of those people that didn’t quite
understand what consent really meant. My perspective of consent was hindered by religion and old ways of thinking. Society had taught me that males have superiority over females, and that women in turn owe men their bodies. A lot of these ideologies are backed by religious and cultural principles. This indoctrinated way of thinking has historically led to a lot of unfortunate events involving women being sexually assaulted. Honestly, rape is evil and to stop it from happening, we need to pay more attention to consent. An example of sexual assault would be the 2014 incident that allegedly occurred between two members of the University of Ottawa’s hockey team and a woman in Thunder Bay, according to CBC. The claims made by the university are disturbing to the point that the hockey team was suspended for a year. What happened at UO is just an example of the non-consensual acts that take place behind closed doors. Don’t forget about the case involving the Dalhousie dentistry students who had a Facebook group containing derogatory com-
ments towards women, some of which involved plans to sexually assault them, according to Global News. We can put a stop to these tragic events by talking about the importance of consent. The funny thing is that when we hear of cases like these, a lot of people think, “she was probably asking for it,” or “she shouldn’t lead guys on to think that way.” This is very wrong. A woman does not owe
her body to any man, under any circumstance. You can be married, engaged or just a casual partner. A woman is under no obligation to give her body up to anyone, especially against her will. The same goes for males and their bodies. Do your part today and spread awareness about the importance of consent. Let’s help put an end to misogyny and sexual violence.
Respect the requests of your partner and spread awareness about consent today. Sai Gnanaharan/ The Sputnik