September 12, 2022 (Volume 143, Issue 2)

THE VARSITY The University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880

September 12, 2022

Vol. CXLIII, No. 2

Rising rents, rising woes Landlords exploit students’ housing needs and unfamiliarity with rental laws Article on page 6

News

News

Comment

Arts

UTSU hosts Student Commons opening ceremony

UTSU reduces size of board from 44 to 12, establishes Senate

Reviewing sexual health service accessibility at U of T

Is your language your identity?

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THE VARSITY THE VARSITY DIVERSIONS The Weekly Crossword

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Corrections: In last week's issue of The Varsity, a News article titled "U of T’s net income increased by 65 per cent during pandemic year" incorrectly attributed U of T’s investment income statistics to Statistics Canada. In fact, the figures are from U of T’s 2021 financial report.

Programming Lessons $15/hr Python C Java JavaScript Machine Learning 416-785-5115 students@cstutoring.com

thevarsity.ca/section/news

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

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How is U of T responding to the Queen’s death?

Flags lowered to half-mast, bells at Soldier’s Tower tolled in tribute Jadine Ngan Editor-in-Chief

On September 8, all three U of T campuses lowered flags to half-mast to mourn Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away earlier that day. The next day, the carillon bells at Soldier’s Tower tolled 96 times at noon — once for each year of the late Queen’s life. A large crowd of community members, some dressed in black, gathered to observe the tribute.

“The University of Toronto community joins all Canadians in mourning the loss of our Sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” wrote U of T President Meric Gertler in a September 8 statement.

U of T’s flags will remain lowered to halfmast until the Queen’s state funeral on Monday, September 19.

According to an announcement from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada will observe a national day of mourning for its late head of state. Canada is one of 15 countries that has

the British monarch as its head of state.

Regarding the impact of Trudeau’s announcement on U of T and other campus operations, a U of T spokesperson wrote, “We will wait to hear further details about what a national day of mourning will entail for Canadians.”

Gertler added, “The U of T community benefits greatly from the contributions of the many students, faculty, librarians, staff and alumni who come from or reside in our fellow Commonwealth countries.” Of the world’s 195 countries, 56 remain a part of the Commonwealth today, including Canada.

According to U of T’s Facts & Figures for 2021, four commonwealth countries — India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Bangladesh — are among the top 15 countries of origin for international undergraduate and graduate students. In 2020–2021, international student fees accounted for around 40 per cent of U of T’s total revenue.

Gertler further wrote in his September 8

statement, “Before she acceded to the Throne, in an address to the young people of her future realms and territories, she promised that her whole life would be devoted to the service of her people. She fulfilled that promise with unparalleled grace and dignity, and in so doing set a magnificent example for us all.”

Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the British throne in 1952, which made her the longestserving monarch in British history. While many are grieving her death, others are drawing attention to the complicated colonial legacy she left behind.

In response to Gertler’s statement praising Queen Elizabeth II, Girish Daswani, an associate professor of anthropology at UTSC, tweeted, “I do not condone the offensive and objectionable message posted by UofT’s President.”

Daswani explained that, while free expression is valuable in higher education, the statement “[does] not represent the values of millions of colonized peoples nor the standards of discourse we seek to foster.”

Daswani had attempted to mirror his tweet to a statement by Carnegie Mellon University, which condemned Uju Anya — a professor in Carnegie Mellon’s Department of Modern Languages — for a viral tweet wishing “excruciating” pain on the Queen. As Anya later explained, the Queen “supervised a government that sponsored the [Nigerian] genocide that massacred and displaced half [her] family.” In an email, Daswani told The Varsity that while he had adapted Carnegie Mellon’s words, “I made them mine and they certainly ring true for me.”

The late Queen visited U of T several times throughout her reign. She most recently interacted with U of T students at the 2002 Festival of Ontario at the Canadian National Exhibition, where she stopped by the U of T Blue Sky Solar Racing Team’s display. She also maintained close ties with Vincent Massey, founder of Massey College and U of T chancellor from 1947–1953.

— ­W ith files from Angad Deol.

Students attend U of T’s orientation.

ALANA BOISVERT/THEVARSITY

U of T tri-campus orientations return to in-person for first time since 2019 Tri-Campus Parade cancelled Alana Boisvert, Lexey Burns, Mekhi Quarshie Varsity Contributors

For the first time since 2019, all three U of T campuses held in-person orientations to welcome incoming first-year students. This comes after U of T removed all mask and physical distancing requirements over the summer. Masks are now encouraged by the university in places where it is difficult to social distance and the university remains a “mask-friendly environment.”

UTSG events The University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) hosted its in-person orientation on September 6–7, which featured events like the Loud Luxury concert and the Clubs Fair.

The Tri-Campus Parade is one of the only events that includes students from all three campuses and is an excuse for students to show their school spirit.

On September 6, the UTSU also announced that the tri-campus parade, which was scheduled for September 7, was cancelled because of staffing issues with the Toronto Police Services.

Despite the cancellation of the Tri-Campus Parade, students were still able to participate in a “Cheer-Off” on the Varsity Field.

Throughout the two days food trucks were present and UTSU sponsors, including Rexall and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), were handing out merchandise.

UTSU Vice President, Student Life Elizabeth Shechtman confirmed in a statement that the estimated attendance for the Student Commons grand opening was over 1,500 students, while the Loud Luxury concert drew 2,000, the Cheer off received over 8,000, and the Clubs Fair saw over 10,000 students.

“There were only four main events, as we did not want to plan more to interfere with other smaller orientation plans,” she wrote.

UTM events The University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) held their orientation, called VENTURE 22, from September 4–9.

Events included a sex ed disco consent workshop, a glow-in-the-dark-themed pub night, an outdoor movie night, and a carnival.

Nikayla Maraj — a life science student and attendee at the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) orientation — told The Varsity, “I liked seeing all the ‘froshies’ together on the first day and I had a ton of fun at pub night and the paint party… more fun than my prom.” The foam and paint party was an outdoor, pub-like event where students were covered in foam and paint.

Karen Li, another attendee, went to all of the UTMSU’s events. “I feel like the funnest [sic] part of the event is probably the foam party because there’s a lot of people.”

Li also commented on the tri-campus parade

cancellation: “I didn’t quite like how they made this decision [to cancel], because… a lot of people [were] really excited.”

Some students were forced to choose between events that were happening simultaneously. The UTMSU held an escape room at the same time as the foam and paint party. Meaghan Foster, a life science student said, “I really liked the escape room but I regret not going to the foam party.”

UTSC events The Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) hosted its student frosh event REVIVAL from August 30 to September 1. The union lined up a variety of events, including a street fest and a DJ party.

“REVIVAL symbolizes the rebirth and the reconstruction of a brand new year,” said Alyssia Fernandes, the SCSU’s vice-president campus life, in an interview with The Varsity. She believes that orientation events are a way of bringing back UTSC traditions after the COVID-19 pandemic. The name also takes inspiration from the hardships students must overcome in order to succeed.

Fernandes shared that the event was well received, with 800 students in attendance.

Still, Fernandes explained that ensuring student attendance for the event was one of the main concerns the union had throughout the planning process. “COVID cases were on the rise again… [and] there’s a bunch of other health concerns. So, it was a little bit difficult trying to figure out what frosh

would look like without the amount of students that we intended.”

In an attempt to alleviate attendance concerns and to safeguard against the potential of worsening public health concerns, the SCSU incorporated hybrid and fully online options into the planning process.

While the union was ultimately able to host the event in person, Fernandes believes that the SCSU was successful in creating a safe environment with regard to public health. “We are taking the appropriate measures, everyone’s going to be wearing masks, there’s hand sanitizer… and most of the events are outside,” Fernandes said of the orientation.

Students in attendance expressed happiness with the in-person event.

Shahmeer, a business management student, said,“[I liked] the street fest last night, I liked all the events here, and the free ice cream. Who’s complaining about free ice cream?”

Dujanah, a computer science student, said, “Personally, I don’t think that [the] university has done enough for us to make friends. So, you can only make friends if you’re social.” She appreciated the SCSU events because they allowed students to interact in person.

Dujanah added that she was still concerned about COVID-19 safety, but explained that “it doesn’t come to mind as often as it did… three years ago.”

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THE VARSITY

NEWS

Pending September AGM adoption, UTSU restructures board Number of board members will drop from 44 to 12, among other bylaw amendments Syeda Maheen Zulfiqar News Editor

At its fifth Board of Directors (BOD) meeting on August 28 and 29, the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) approved extensive revisions to its bylaws. As part of the revisions, the UTSU reduced its number of board seats and introduced the Senate, a new governing body responsible for informing the board on UTSU’s constituency and division related issues.

Other revisions pertain to the requirements for executive and board nominations, quorum rules, and the proxy system of voting.

At the meeting, Vice-President Operations Dermot O’Halloran gave a presentation on the union’s financial statements from the first quarter and approved a motion to hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 29.

Board structure and the Senate The UTSU currently has a board structure composed of 44 seats, which include members of the union’s executive committee and representatives from various undergraduate divisions and constituencies. The executive committee is composed of the president and five vice-presidents.

As per the approved revisions to the union’s bylaws, the board will be composed of 12 directors, two of which shall be the president and the vicepresident operations.

Candidates for board elections will no longer need to represent a particular constituency or division within the union’s membership in order to run.

Instead, all members of the union — students at UTSG who pay the UTSU membership fees as part of their tuition — will be eligible to run in general elections.

“The essential push here is to [separate] the fiduciary assembly and the representative assembly,” explained President Omar Gharbiyeh. According to him, the fiduciary assembly must represent the interests of the UTSU, while the representative assembly represents the interests of individual divisions or constituencies that fall within UTSU membership.

Gharbiyeh asserted that electing board members on the basis of the division or constituency to which they belong contributes to a “tension” between the interests of the union and a board mem-

ber’s other representative obligations.

“The constituency system for the board right now often has [board members] splitting their fiduciary responsibility, especially if they’re being appointed from a student society, for example, between the interests of a separate organization and the UTSU,” explained O’Halloran.

“Ultimately, the people in the BOD need to be accountable solely to the fiduciary responsibility, [of the UTSU],” continued Gharbiyeh.

The revised board structure means that board members will no longer be elected to ensure the representation of constituencies within the union’s membership. Instead, the revised bylaws will establish the Senate to fulfill the union’s responsibility to ensure the representation of constituencies.

O’Halloran said, “[The Senate will be] a representative body of the university campus that provides resolutions and advice to the [board] on campus and constituency issues, [while] the board itself is appointed at large from the broader membership.”

The senate will be composed of three representatives from each of the seven colleges and representatives from various other divisions and constituencies within UTSU membership.

Officers Under the current bylaws, the UTSU’s officers are designated the members of the executive committee.

Under the revisions approved at the BOD meeting, there will only be two elected officers — the president and vice-president operations — and one officer appointed by the executive committee.

The appointed officer will serve as the chief administrative officer of the UTSU. Through their position, the appointed officer will also act as a liaison between the union’s staff and the executive committee, and will be responsible for managing the union’s day-to-day funds.

Quorum and election nominations In order to begin regular board meetings — meetings that the union must hold on a monthly basis — a meeting must achieve quorum. The UTSU’s current bylaws require a quorum of 15 board members for meetings in the summer and 20 board members for meetings during the fall and winter semesters.

Throughout the summer, the union has en-

countered difficulties in achieving quorum for its regular meetings. Its fifth BOD meeting, originally scheduled for August 28, had to be adjourned and reconvened the following day due to lost quorum. The reconvened meeting on August 29 also suffered minor delays because the meeting did not achieve quorum immediately.

To alleviate problems of establishing quorum, the board’s approved revisions stipulate that a majority of board members shall constitute a quorum. The revisions do not specify a minimum number of board members required to achieve quorum.

The board also approved revisions to the requirements for board and executive election nominations. Currently, to be nominated for an executive position, a prospective candidate must acquire at least 50 signatures from members of the union, and prospective candidates for board membership must acquire at least 20 signatures.

As per the revised bylaws, all prospective candidates will have to collect at least 25 signatures from members of the union.

In response to concerns from a board member on the reduction of signatures required for executive nomination, Gharbiyeh explained that requiring fewer signatures for executive nominations enables the nomination of more individuals, thereby increasing the total number of available candidates for UTSU members to choose from.

Proxy voting Additionally, the revised bylaws remove the system of proxy voting from membership meetings.

Under the current bylaws, members of the union are allowed to proxy their vote, wherein another member can vote in their place at membership meetings. A member of the union is allowed to carry no more than 10 proxy votes.

O’Halloran said that the removal of the proxy system is important for a number of reasons.

Firstly, O’Halloran said that the proxy system is very difficult to organize and there have been many concerns regarding accurately counting proxy votes in the past.

Moreover, O’Halloran pointed to the worry that the proxy system was not being used appropriately: “Someone proxying their vote to someone would indicate how that person should vote, but that [would not always be] honoured.”

O’Halloran also cautioned that the proxy system may engender anti-democratic effects in the union’s governance. He suggested that, hypothetically, it would have been possible for the union’s executive committee to collude and manipulate each of their own 10 proxy votes to achieve a particular result. “The most organized and most informed people typically in the organization just by virtue of their position… could collect the maximum number of proxies,” said O’Halloran.

Following the approval of the revisions, Gharbiyeh was content with the changes. He noted that, while the union undertook a revision of the bylaws due to issues with quorum, the revision process sought to correct broader inefficiencies within the bylaws as well: “We did decide to do a sweeping change because frankly, the bylaws that we were working with were incoherent, redundant, and self contradictory.”

Although the board has approved the bylaws, they will not come into effect until the UTSU membership at the AGM has adopted them.

Other updates At the meeting, O’Halloran also presented the union’s first quarter financial statements to the board. The first quarter covers the union’s spending and revenue from the months of May to July.

According to the presentation, the union spent $422,000 during the first quarter.

O’Halloran explained, “We typically receive our fees and installments from [U of T] in the fall and the winter. So predictably, we haven’t really gotten a lot of money [in the summer].”

The board also approved changes to clubs’ fall funding. O’Halloran and Elizabeth Shechtman, vice-president student life, said that the union severely underutilized clubs funding last year and is currently working on establishing a better system for clubs’ fund allocation.

The union plans on establishing a system wherein it is able to supervise clubs’ finances and monitor the funding clubs receive from the UTSU. This system, however, will not be in effect until the winter semester.

In the meantime, the board approved a system for the fall semester that requires clubs to present proof of expense in order to receive reimbursement from the UTSU. The system will operate on a rolling, per-activity basis.

UTSU hosts official opening ceremony for Student Commons during orientation

UTSU president discusses plans for cafe, textbook exchange library

Jessie Schwalb Associate News Editor

On September 6, the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) hosted an official opening ceremony for the Student Commons. The event marks the culmination of a 15-year effort by the UTSU in creating a student centre on the St. George campus.

In 2007, UTSU members approved a levy to fund the creation of a student centre at UTSG, the only U of T campus without a student centre. The levy went into effect in 2008 and helped supply the $24.5 million necessary to convert the former John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design building into the Student Commons. The union and the university chose Superkül, an architecture firm, to design the renovation and construction, which began in 2016.

Initially anticipated to open in 2017, the project suffered numerous delays and financial setbacks.

In 2017, the UTSU announced a projected deficit of $800,000 for the construction of the Student Commons.

The union encountered various other challenges throughout the construction process, including the presence of asbestos — a carcinogen once commonly used in building insulation — in the building.

The use of asbestos in major renovations and construction has been banned in Canada since April 2016, and handling it requires special procedures.

In October 2021, with renovations ongoing, the

UTSU opened the Student Commons at quarter capacity to provide more study and leisure spaces for students.

The opening ceremony Although the Commons has been open for much of the previous school year, the UTSU hosted a grand opening of the Commons as part of its 2022 orientation.

The event began with U of T President Meric Gertler taking part in a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Additionally, there was a photobooth and a number of tables from event sponsors. Students collected stamps that would allow them to win prizes.

The event also sought to honour the work of past UTSU presidents — some of whom were present at the ribbon cutting ceremony — who had helped plan the Student Commons during their terms.

Students who attended the grand opening expressed excitement about the event, as well as the space itself. “[The event] is a pleasant surprise,” said Hannah Catherine, a second-year student.

When asked whether she would use the Commons in the future, another student answered positively: “It’s on campus and it’s something different from a library, so maybe I can come and study or hang out with friends and chill. I think it's a pretty nice place with enough sunshine.”

UTSU president Omar Gharbiyeh also ex-

pressed joy at seeing the project come to fruition.

“I see a huge amount of potential for this space,” he said in an interview with The Varsity.

Gharbiyeh also said that he has inherited all of the previous UTSU presidents’ hard work: “The fact that I get to actually begin my term with it open is really an immense privilege.”

Additional plans The Commons houses the UTSU Food Bank, the Bikechain bike repair shop, study spaces, lockers for rental, and places for students to eat. Although the building contains all the amenities that the UTSU had committed to, Gharbiyeh stressed that the Commons remains a work in progress.

“I hope to have, by the beginning of winter semester, what I called in my platform a mutual aid textbook library,” said Gharbiyeh. “So basically, give a textbook, take a textbook, because textbooks are a huge expense for students.”

Other plans include a cafe, with kitchen renovations scheduled to finish in November; student submitted art exhibitions; and a recreation room on the fifth floor.

“What makes this building unique is that it’s the cumulative effort of a lot of students over close to a decade, and they’ll continue to grow just based on what students identify as their priorities,” said Gharbiyeh.

“The [UTSU’s] motto is ‘For students, by students’ and that is really what [the Commons] is,” concluded Gharbiyeh.

President Meric Gertler at the Student Commons ribbon cutting ceremony JESSIE SCHWALB/THEVARSITY

thevarsity.ca/section/news

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

UTSU cancels Tri-Campus Parade Staffing issues with Toronto Police Services to blame Lexey Burns Deputy News Editor

On September 6, the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) announced in an Instagram post that it had cancelled the Tri-Campus Parade scheduled for September 7. In the post, the union explained that the cancellation was the result of “staffing issues with Toronto Police Services.”

“We are very sad [that] we will not get to celebrate with our fellow peers at the other campuses, but [we] hope to work on coming together again this year,” the post read.

After two years of virtual and hybrid orientations, the U of T community highly anticipated the return of the Tri-Campus Parade. Students expressed their disappointment on social media, leaving dozens of comments under the union’s Instagram post.

In a statement to The Varsity, UTSU Vice-

Students at Innis College’s orientation in 2018.

SHANNA HUNTER/THEVARSITY

President, Student Life Elizabeth Shechtman expanded on the safety concerns that led to the cancellation.

Shechtman wrote, “Police are a key part of this parade for safety measures. It is impossible to have over 8,000 students walking on the streets of downtown Toronto without any safety precautions and the support of [the]... Toronto Police Ser-

vices.”

Despite acknowledging the union’s efforts and planning for the parade, Shechtman explained that the cancellation was something that “had to be done.” The parade required a specific number of police officers present at the event in order to ensure the safety of attendees.

“Due to [the staffing issues], cancelling was the only option,” wrote Shechtman.

“Thankfully, we had new events that we introduced this year such as the Loud Luxury concert and the student commons grand opening that hopefully made up for it,” she wrote.

The UTSU does not have any plans to postpone the parade. Instead, Shechtman affirmed that the union will ensure that the parade is planned effectively for next year.

The Varsity has reached out to Toronto Police Services for comment.

Victoria College awards honorary doctorate to former Ontario Premier Bob Rae Rae serves as Canadian Ambassador to UN, was named a Companion of Order of Canada Lucas Sousa Varsity Contributor

In a ceremony on September 6, Victoria College awarded an honourary doctorate to Bob Rae, Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), for his service to Canada domestically and internationally.

In a September 1 press release, President and Vice-Chancellor of Victoria College Rhonda McEwen expanded on the college’s decision to award Rae a doctorate. McEwen explained that Rae “exemplifies the intellectual rigour and passion for shaping [the] world” that Victoria College strives for.

McEwen added, “In conferring an [honourary doctorate], we recognize Mr. Rae’s exemplary service to community and extraordinary commitment to social justice and education.”

In a written statement to The Varsity, Rae

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wrote, “[Receiving the honourary doctorate] is especially meaningful to me because of my time in the VicOne program as the Ann and David Wilson Professor of Public Policy… I thank Victoria University for the great honor bestowed on me.”

Rae graduated from University College in 1969 with a degree in modern history. He was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship — a scholarship for exemplary international students — from the University of Oxford, where he completed a master of philosophy in 1971.

Rae returned to U of T in 1977 and obtained a law degree from the Faculty of Law. After completing his studies, Rae transitioned to a career in politics. He was elected to provincial and federal parliaments 11 times between 1978 and 2013. He served as the premier of Ontario from 1990 to 1995 and as the interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2011 to 2013.

In 2013, Rae stepped away from politics and

announced that he would be serving as the lead negotiator for the Matawa First Nations Tribal Council — a council of nine First Nations located in northern Ontario — in their negotiations with the province of Ontario over the Ring of Fire area.

The Ring of Fire is a region in northern Ontario rich in mineral deposits.

While the province and mining companies have been planning to exploit the region’s resources since the initial discovery of the deposits in 2007, various First Nations in the region have concerns regarding mining in the region. Some Nations support the prospects of additional jobs and development in the area through mining, but others worry about environmental consequences that the mining project may have on the peatlands, the terrestrial ecosystem that makes up the Ring of Fire. While the exact implications of mining in the peatlands are not yet known — as studies assessing the effects of mining on the land are still underway — the Nations suggest that mining on the land is likely to disturb the peatlands.

Rae has advocated for funding from the provincial government to address the social and

economic concerns of the First Nations in the region.

In 2013, Rae also began working in academia.

Rae spent time as an instructor and fellow at U of T’s Faculty of Law and taught at Victoria College.

In 2017, Rae returned to politics in a diplomatic role. The government of Canada appointed Rae as the Special Envoy to Myanmar to advise the Canadian government on the Rohingya crisis. Since 2017, the Myanmar military has been involved in the deaths and displacement of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, an ethnic minority in Myanmar. As the Special Envoy, Rae wrote a report outlining the context of the crisis in order to help inform Canada’s approach.

In 2020, the government of Canada appointed Rae as the Canadian Ambassador to the UN. Through this role, Rae has called for action to investigate the Uyghur genocide in China and has remained vocal about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Apart from the honourary doctorate that Victoria College granted him, Rae was named a Companion of the Order of Canada — the highest civilian award in Canada, which is presented to individuals who have undertaken exemplary service for Canada and humanity — and a Member of the Order of Ontario, the highest civilian award for service to the province.

Construction beginning on College Street on September 12 Plans to improve safety conditions for pedestrians, cyclists

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ning to coordinate the construction with other construction projects on campus.

Planned improvements include replacing aging streetcar tracks from Bathurst Street to Bay Street and upgrading existing bike lanes to separated cycle tracks.

The City also intends to improve pedestrian safety at various locations.

Specifically, the construction will involve extending the curbs at Lippincott Street, Manning Avenue, Euclid Avenue, Augusta Avenue, and Palmerston Avenue. These extensions will improve pedestrian safety by shortening the street crossing distance and improving sight

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As of September 12, the City of Toronto is beginning construction on College Street, between Manning Avenue and Bay Street, to replace TTC tracks. The City has noted that completing this project in 2022 will allow better coordination for the completion of various other construction projects it has planned throughout the city. Additionally, the project presents an opportunity to make various other improvements on College Street, including for pedestrian safety.

In a statement to The Varsity, a spokesperson for the City of Toronto wrote, “For [U of T] students, the main impacts will be that cyclists will need to either share travel lanes (where possible), or dismount and use the sidewalk.”

The City will close off traffic on College Street east of Spadina Avenue, and reduce traffic to one lane west of Spadina Avenue. Meanwhile, the 506/306 Carlton streetcar will be diverted both ways around the construction zone and replacement buses will run through the construction zone. As construction continues and

the distance between two active construction zones east and west of Spadina Avenue increases, TTC customers will need to walk to Dundas Street to access services.

However, College Street will remain open to pedestrians and dismounted cyclists.

North-south travel on Bathurst Street, Spadina Avenue, Avenue Road, and Bay Street will not be impacted.

The City spokesperson wrote, “This major construction project bundles a number of construction needs into one project to minimize overall disruption to the traveling public by completing all of the work in one coordinated project.”

The spokesperson added that the City had consulted U of T in the early stages of plan-

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Caroline Bellamy Design Editor

lines for drivers. They will also slow the turning speed of drivers and provide more space for pedestrians.

The project will also raise crossings at Brunswick Avenue, Bellevue Avenue, Major Street, and Robert Street. The City hopes that the raised crossings will encourage drivers to slow down and yield to pedestrians.

Additionally, the City will install tactile warning indicators at all intersections from Manning Street to Bay Street. These indicators will be detectable underfoot, and are designed to make people with vision impairments aware of their proximity to moving vehicles.

In addition to these pedestrian improvements, the City plans on increasing the number of bicycle parking spaces and installing physically separated cycle tracks in order to improve safety conditions for cyclists.

The City will also improve the growing conditions for existing trees with the expansion of tree pits.

The Varsity has reached out to the City of Toronto to get information about the cost of the project and the noise levels.

Business & Labour

September 12, 2022 thevarsity.ca/section/business biz@thevarsity.ca

How students are navigating Toronto’s brutal rental market As UTSG invites students back to Toronto this fall, the housing market is less welcoming

Settling for longer commutes There is a tradeoff between distance from campus and affordability, and the housing and rental markets are forcing students to settle for longer commutes to campus in exchange for affordable rent.

Angelina Zahajko is a third-year student majoring in ethics, society and law and urban studies. “My apartment that was on Bay and St. Joseph, right off campus, it was $1,900 a month split between two people,” she said in an interview with The Varsity. “The unit now goes for $3,000.”

Bidding wars and upfront payments Even if students find a rental unit they can afford, they have to race to get their bids in before someone else snaps the place up. John Chakkour, a second-year math specialist, would enquire about countless listings online, only to find again and again that they were no longer available. Mika Kwiecinski, a fourth-year philosophy specialist, had a similar experience.

“Everyone got their papers in fast. If [the CAROLINE BELLAMY/THEVARSITY

Anyone who has had to find off-campus housing in Toronto this year knows that the rental market is treating students brutally. As housing becomes increasingly expensive and landlords resort to unfair practices such as demanding upfront rent payments, students are now being forced to decide between affordability and convenience.

Average rent in the city increased by 24 per cent this year, according to a report by rentals.ca. The lifting of the rental freeze at the end of 2021 is one of the factors attributing to this. The Government of Ontario originally passed this legislation in 2020 to freeze rents at 2020 levels as a form of pandemic relief for renters.

Higher interest rates are also dissuading wouldbe home-buyers from buying houses, forcing them to stay in the rental market. The increased demand for rentals has only added to the usual spike in demand as students also look for places to stay in downtown Toronto for the school year.

In order to stay within her budget, Zahajko moved to a place that is a 30-minute walk away from campus. Affordability trumped convenience, even though she would have liked to live close to campus.

Rafeed Khan, who is in his final year at U of T majoring in immunology and microbiology, also relates to the struggle of a longer commute and is worried about the impact it may have on his academic performance. “A 45-minute commute — so an hour and a half out of your day — would impact my studies a lot. By the time I’m back from all my classes and commuting, I’d be more tired than if I lived close by,” he said in an interview with The Varsity.

Students are struggling to navigate the Toronto rental market.

Georgia Kelly Varsity Contributor

response to the listing] is not [within] a day, I would just assume we don't have the place,” he said in an interview with The Varsity.

In this economy, students are not ideal tenants for landlords, given the lack of assurance they can provide before finalizing a lease. Students seeking rentals from outside of Toronto have been facing additional challenges, such as being asked for upfront rent payments. Amy Zhang, a fourth-year philosophy specialist, noted that landlords would demand up to a full year’s rent upfront because she was coming in from out of town. Legally, landlords can only request a deposit worth up to one rental period, like one month or one week.

Likewise, Khan was at home in Winnipeg while he was searching, and experienced similar demands. He added that, in his experience, many landlords would even refuse to go forward with the lease altogether if they could not meet in person first.

Eventually, Khan put down four months’ rent upfront for the place he signed. “We had to sit down and look at how much money we had saved and how much money we were going to be earning throughout the year, and make a plan. Four months of rent in downtown Toronto is going to make a dent in anyone's bank account,” he said in an interview with The Varsity.

Some students also resorted to working with real-estate brokers and using online sources such as Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji. Khan grew tired of sending out dozens of messages every day

Explainer: U of T’s trade Labour is the backbone of U of T — here are the organizations that support it Zen Nguyen Varsity Contributor

Labour is indispensable for the continued operation of the University of Toronto. From carpenters and locksmiths to postdoctoral fellows and library workers, over 20,000 employees contribute their labour to the university’s functioning. These workers are represented by trade unions.

A union is an association of workers that engages with employers in discussions of payment and working conditions, usually to reach a contract or a ‘collective agreement.’ When employees in a workplace establish and legally register such an organization, they are ‘unionized,’ and would then have the right to collectively bargain, or negotiate, the terms of their work with their employer. The idea is that there is strength in numbers; collectively, employees may be less vulnerable to an imbalanced power dynamic between an individual worker and an employer.

What do trade unions do?

The goal of a union is to represent, protect, and advance the interests of its members, mainly through achieving a favourable contract that includes factors such as pay, benefits, working conditions, and more. For this reason, a union may have smaller branches or ‘locals’ that represent workers in a specific workplace or area, and directly take part in collective bargaining for

that workplace.

Unions also engage in industrial actions like walk-outs, strikes, or other forms of work stoppage in order to secure their demands. One instance of a strike at U of T happened in 2015, when a number of union members, mostly teaching assistants (TAs), rejected a tentative collective agreement.

There are many unions in Canada, such as the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), United Steelworkers (USW), and the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. Unions can connect and cooperate on a national and international level to advocate for workers’ interests.

U of T’s trade unions Within a union’s local, there may also be different bargaining units — more specific groupings of workers that bargain together for a collective agreement that applies to them. For example, while USW Local 1998 represents administrative and technical workers at U of T, it has a separate bargaining unit for casual employees, Victoria University employees, residence dons, and staff-appointed employees.

According to U of T, there are currently 10 unions representing workers at the university, with 25 bargaining units in total. However, some recent collective agreements such as that of CUPE unit 6 have not been updated on the university website listing staff bargaining units.

CUPE is the largest union at U of T, spanning 10 bargaining units and five locals — CUPE

3902, 3261, 1230, 2484, 3907 — and representing more than 9,500 U of T workers in total.

It represents a variety of employees from daycare workers, library workers, and hospitality workers to postdoctoral fellows.

CUPE 3902 is the largest local, and represents contract academic workers like sessional lecturers, music instructors, TAs, invigilators, and so on. The local’s roots can be traced back to 1973, when a group of seven TAs formed a union with the help of volunteers and the Graduate Students’ Union. That group became the first legally recognized trade union for TAs in North America, and later went on to become the Canadian Union of Educational Workers, expanding to several other locals in other uni-

without success. He tried to work through a real estate broker, giving him a basic set of criteria and a maximum budget. “The majority of the listings we got, especially towards the end, were all listings that were much higher than that price [we listed as a criterion],” he explained.

Scam or not a scam Kwiecinski and Zahajko also tried working with brokers, and ended up abandoning them in favour of cheaper deals on platforms like Kijiji and Facebook.

In the end, Khan, Kwiecinski, and Zahajko all signed on places they found on Facebook Marketplace.

Unfortunately, platforms like Facebook, Craigslist, and Kijiji are conducive to scams. Desperation among renters, especially students, has given way to an “unprecedented number” of rental scams in Canada this year, according to a report by liv. rent. Students who are unable to attend in-person apartment viewings must be especially careful; in an interview with the Toronto Star, a liv.rent spokesperson warns that landlords may take advantage of students’ lack of options and unfamiliarity with local laws.

The Varsity reached out to U of T Housing Services for advice on how struggling students should go about navigating the rental market. In an email response, Housing Services advised that struggling students look to U of T’s Roommate Finder program, where students with existing leases look to rent out spare rooms. The program asks the user to share some personal information, and then matches them up with potential roommates.

Housing Services also suggested the Canada Homeshare program, which matches student renters with seniors who have spare bedrooms. Finally, they noted that students can apply for bursaries and other grants in the case of serious financial need.

versities before merging with CUPE to become CUPE 3902.

In terms of membership numbers, USW 1998 is second only to CUPE at U of T, and represents more than 8,000 university employees. Its members include lifeguards, residence dons, Standardized Patients, and more. Notably, last year, USW organized a collective bargaining campaign accompanied by the video “Precarity U” and the song “Bills to Pay,” which resulted in two paid sick days for its casual members.

Although the University of Toronto Faculty Association is not a trade union, and university faculties and librarians are not unionized, it deserves a mention since the association performs similar representative and collective bargaining functions. These bargaining powers include the setting of wages, workload, benefit and pension terms, and some career policies.

JESSICA LAM/THEVARSITY

Comment

September 12, 2022 thevarsity.ca/section/comment comment@thevarsity.ca

Opinion: It’s time to reject the dominant narratives about the humanities The humanities needs to be comfortable asserting its dominance to address modern issues Tony Xun Varsity Contributor

It’s time to face the harsh truth: the field of humanities is in a slump, and I say this out of a place of love and concern.

Whether or not they want to admit it, the humanities knows it’s facing a tough battle. For the last few years at least, the liberal arts have been associated with poor employment prospects and head-in-the-clouds naiveté over shrewd financial realism.

We owe this current predicament to a variety of culprits. Decades of breakneck technological advancement have highlighted the predominance of scientific inventions in a modern, industrial society. This has led to the glorification of STEM fields such as engineering, medicine, and computer science.

What’s more is that academia itself has become dominated by an increasingly competitive, resource-scarce environment. University departments compete with each other for funding and prestige, and within themselves for tenure and recognition.

Concerned parents and students anxiously make decisions about their futures. Though their judgements are sometimes motivated by economic concerns and sometimes by social prestige, they’re usually a combination of both.

In the end, if the humanities wants to climb out of the hole it finds itself in, then it must assert its dominance, adapt to the modern world, and address the issues of our technological age on their own terms.

Just how much of a slump are the humanities in?

An article in The Atlantic argued that in the aftermath of the 2008 recession in the US, humanities enrolment numbers crashed as concerned parents and teenagers flocked to STEM fields instead. According to the United States Department of Education, history and English enrolments have fallen to just over half of their pre2008 peaks, with other fields seeing similarly dramatic declines. Despite economic recovery since the 2008 recession, the dropoff in enrolment has only become steeper since 2013.

What’s worse is that pandemic-era economic instability might herald even lower humanities enrolment figures in the coming years.

Although these numbers come from American universities, the phenomenon of lower enrolment in humanities programs isn’t uniquely American.

In 2020, 12 per cent of all undergraduate degrees awarded at U of T were in the humanities — this marks a decrease from the 17 per cent in 2008.

The decrease in the number of students choosing to study the humanities is usually attributed to the fact that the humanities, or at least

its pursuit in higher education institutions, have come to be perceived as somehow less than STEM fields.

Parents of teens across Canada pridefully boast that their child is going to study computer science, chemical engineering, or microbiology.

On the other hand, I’ve noticed that it’s all too common for friends, classmates, and family to ask a prospective classics, philosophy, or history student like myself, “what are you going to do with that degree?”

What do advocates of the humanities have to say?

Advocates for the humanities retort that the arts have plenty of intrinsic value. They say that the humanities teaches you how to think and how to be human, and that the arts make life beautiful.

The advocates are right, of course. Not only does the study of Percy Shelley, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Sappho impart critical thinking, analytical writing, and effective communication skills, but they give us a roadmap of where we’ve come from. The arts illuminate the mysteries of human nature, contextualizing and informing the wonders of scientific discoveries and technologies.

Any scholar of the humanities can eagerly provide all these reasons and more in support of their relevance. Much to the chagrin of scholars, comparisons of the humanities with STEM subjects and other more supposedly worthy fields dominate the popular consciousness. In our modern digital age, the humanities are regularly viewed as simple matters of opinion, or little more than a pleasant pastime for elites with too much time on their hands. A gifted mathematician or a doctor is unanimously subject to praise and admiration. A brilliant historian is little more than an obscure, dusty scholar — certainly not a role model for children.

English and gender studies majors occupy the lowest rungs of the prestige hierarchy; they are reduced to objects of ridicule and the butt of jokes. Compared to the hard sciences, the humanities are routinely derided as elementary, foolish, and unimportant. In short, the humanities retains little prestige in a world where productivity and scientific advancement are king.

What can be done?

Intellectuals and academics have proposed numerous solutions to restore the humanities to its rightful place. Some believe that recognition and relevance just requires that the humanities become more scientific, turning to increasingly quantitative methodology, as if showing off a little more statistical analysis might redirect public opinion.

Others argue that arts education has become somehow too easy or insufficiently competitive to be taken seriously. Others still argue that the humanities needs to revert to a heavily fictionalized nostalgic past, arguing the arts had once been driven by a rigorous study of Latin, the classics, and a proper study of Bloom’s The Western Canon. These voices echo traditionalist conservatives who call for a recoronation of “great thinkers of the past,” arguing that modern academia has become soft, progressive, and relativist at the expense of worthwhile instruction.

These attitudes are all wrong-headed. Instead of constantly and obsessively comparing the humanities to STEM achievements, the humanities needs to become comfortable asserting its relevance on its own terms.

For starters, capable and relevant humanities must modernize by taking on interdisciplinary challenges in our world of unprecedented interconnectivity. U of T has already taken some steps: our philosophy department offers a bioethics program, where students tackle the moral questions of the latest cutting-edge biomedical research.

Just as importantly, the humanities must remember its past while moving into the demands of the future. The literature of the future will not be limited to books and plays, but will include the ranks of great video games, comics, and interactive experiences. Our most celebrated philosophical orientations need to account for the technological breakthroughs of genetics, the dilemmas of modern politics, and psychology’s forays into the mysteries of the human mind.

The critical and creative ways that social issues such as feminism and systemic racism are addressed in great novels need to ad-

dressed in our modern world.

However, the most integral component to modernizing the humanities is improving the way that the humanities are taught. Instead of pushing to make the humanities harder or restore a mythologized past, the humanities needs to empower those experts who know best how to teach: professors. Teaching needs to be liberated from its labyrinth of restrictions and bureaucracy. Professors need to be enabled to impart their teachings how they know best, instead of being forced into an endless competition on the staircases of university rankings or the ladders of careerism.

Departments need to exercise fewer bureaucratic controls limiting what and how professors can teach, while universities need to remove from academia the ever-present threat of death by a thousand budget cuts. But most importantly, the rest of us need to stop worshipping the rigor, competition, and prestige that is all too common among STEM fields. Instead, we need to take a step back and let humanities professors do what they do best. Only then can the humanities truly be prioritized once again.

Tony Xun is a fourth-year student at New College studying political science, international relations, and history.

JESSICA LAM/THEVARSITY

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THE VARSITY

comment@thevarsity.ca

COMMENT

Opinion: Sex, health, and everything in between Breaking down barriers to sexual health services at U of T is more important than ever Isabella Liu Varsity Contributor

On May 2, 2022, newsite Politico published a dreadful leak: the Supreme Court of the United States was planning to overturn the long contested landmark case, Roe v Wade. Nearly a month and a half later, on June 24, the case made headlines once more when Roe v Wade was officially overturned. This marked the end of an era in which reproductive rights were protected across the US. So, regardless of whether you live in the US or Canada, discussing sexual health has never been more important. The Canadian healthcare system and the Health and Wellness Centre at U of T need to ensure access to sexual health services such as sexual health education, contraceptives, and abortion services.

How accessible are sexual health services across Toronto?

We often underestimate the true impact of sexual health services and don’t realize just how important it is to have access to them. Having health clinics at the ready is a necessity that the healthcare system needs to work harder to ensure.

Across Toronto, there are various sexual health services available. The Toronto Central Healthline’s Sexual Health and Reproductive Health Services alone contains a vast database of well known and reputable clinics around the GTA. The database contains comprehensive lists of clinics offering various sexual health services, including various types of contraceptives, abortions, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and treatment.

However, there are a fair share of holes in the system too. Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights’ 2019 study found that no clinic in

Canada offered abortion services for people more than 23 weeks and six days into their pregnancies, regardless of circumstance.

It’s also incredibly difficult to access abortion past 20 weeks. In Canada, only three legitimate locations offer post-20 week gestation abortions. People often have to travel to the US for pregnancy termination beyond 23 weeks. Not only is this option extremely costly and time consuming, but it is also now in jeopardy due to Roe v Wade overturning.

There are also physical and financial barriers to accessing these services. In a report published

by Canadians for Choice in 2006, geography heavily matters in determining one’s ability to re-

ceive sexual health services.

Canadians living in rural areas often must travel to great lengths to find help. This geographic inaccessibility disproportionately affects people who cannot take time off work and incurs extra costs of transportation on top of an already expensive bill. The city of Toronto must take into consideration that there needs to be safe, quality, and easily accessible clinics for people. After all, an ineffective service is no better than a nonexistent service.

What about at U of T? Here at U of T, things are a little bit more in reach.

The U of T Health and Wellness Centre’s sexual

health services cover most necessities; the centre offers a wide range of contraceptives like birth control pills and even IUD insertion.

But the Health and Wellness Centre still lacks some necessities — most notably, abortion services. This gap means many students must trek outside of campus and into the city for these services, where all of the previously mentioned barriers come into play.

Maintaining good sexual health helps each and every person also maintain good physical and mental health.

Not having adequate and readily available sexual health services places a strain on people’s daily lives that may interfere with school and work. As such, advocating for improved sexual health services in Toronto is for the betterment of everyone’s lives — including U of T students.

However, it should also be noted that sexual health isn’t just about abortion or pregnancy. It is also about maintaining one’s body, mind, and emotions. It is being educated on how bodies work. There is an inherent importance to respecting our own bodies, and ensuring others respect them too. Having these resources available to people in need at any time ensures that everyone has full autonomy over their bodies and their sexual health. That’s why these services are so important — not just in Toronto, but everywhere.

Isabella Liu is a second-year student at Victoria College studying international relations, public policy and environmental studies. She is an associate comment editor at The Varsity.

We often underestimate the true impact of sexual health services and don’t realize just how important it is to have access to them.

BRYAN CALABRO/CC WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; NATHAN CHAN/THEVARSITY

Opinion: UTSG needs to stop “tiptoeing around” and offer a journalism major The study of journalism is integral to our modern digital society Eleanor Park Associate Comment Editor

When students enroll in a university with such a rich history and large size as U of T, the sheer number of academic opportunities can be overwhelming.

With the school’s program of study system that gives students the liberty to pursue a variety of specialist, major, and minor combinations among more than 340 programs from the Faculty of Arts and Science at UTSG alone, undergraduate students are rarely concerned about any academic deficiencies.

However, if the objective of U of T’s vast array of academic programs is to ensure that students can receive a comprehensive education, then UTSG is missing an integral major: journalism.

You may be thinking, “Well, isn’t journalism dead?” I am well aware that, relative to Canada’s total population, there has been a decrease in the size of the journalism workforce over the years.

After all, in 2017, 0.06 per cent of the Canadian population were working journalists; a marked decrease from the 0.08 per cent in 1987.

However, a more nuanced approach is necessary to understand those numbers. As the internet rapidly became the most popular medium of accessing media, there may have been a decrease in the number of journalists working for traditional news firms in permanent positions, but there has also been a gradual increase in the number of journalists working as freelancers. Thus, the more precise question that should be asked is not if journalism is dead, but rather what journalism has become and why we still need journalists.

Journalism is an integral area of study because

Journalism is an integral area of study because it offers both a practical and theoretical lens toward academia.

SHANNA HUNTER/THEVARSITY

it offers both a practical and theoretical lens toward academia. Students studying journalism today should not be limited to learning just the mechanics of writing, but rather, they should also be learning what journalism means in our modern digital age.

Journalism programs should leave students with increased literacy skills in media, as well as a better understanding of the sociological spheres that are covered by journalistic reporting.

Journalism is a program that can be combined with numerous other fields of study. Many universities with prominent journalism programs — such as New York University — even require their students to take on other areas of study in addition to

their journalism major.

At UTSC, students have the freedom to pursue either a Specialist (Joint) Program in Journalism or a Major Program in Media, Journalism and Digital Cultures. By enrolling in the Specialist (Joint) Program, students also qualify for Centennial College’s Ontario Graduate Certificate in Contemporary Journalism, which provides students professional opportunities while in pursuit of their degree. Those who find greater interest in critical analysis of journalism rather than a professional career in the field are encouraged to enroll in the Major Program in Media, Journalism and Digital Cultures.

Because UTSC’s journalism programs hold in-

credible academic value, students of UTSG should be provided the equal opportunity to pursue a program of their interest without having to compromise their decision to live and study in downtown Toronto.

According to Janna Abbas and Rion Levy, the Editors-in-Chief of The Strand, UTSG has a myriad of programs that are “tip-toeing around journalism.” In an interview with The Varsity, Abbas and Levy noted that it strikes them as baffling for U of T to offer programs in English, book and media studies, writing and rhetoric, and literature and critical theory while excluding the study of journalism.

By leading The Strand, Abbas and Levy have come to understand the necessity of journalism and the study of it: “student journalism creates and circulates dialogue about campus (and offcampus) life[,] helping us stay connected within the much larger and more confusing world around us.”

By reading the stirring written works published in The Strand, students learn to both critically analyze and identify with the lived experiences of their fellow students. Thus, through journalism, conversations are instigated and students learn to find their place in modern society.

In the end, the central rationale behind a journalism program at UTSG is to create students who can question and dissent. The more we evolve into a data-driven society where a single truth seemingly cancels out any possibility of others, the more we need students to study journalism and form their conscience on us, our society, and our place within.

Eleanor Park is a second-year student at Trinity College studying English and religion. She is an associate comment editor at The Varsity.

thevarsity.ca/section/comment

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

Opinion: U of T must increase awareness of sexual violence issues and resources Education needs to be at the core of a consentforward and sexual harassment-free campus Rion Levy Varsity Contributor

Every three years, U of T reviews its Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment. After a nearly six-month-long consultation and review period, cochairs Linda Johnston — dean of the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing — and Allison Burgess — director of the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office — completed their report and delivered 12 recommendations with subsequent action items.

In October 2021, U of T accepted all 12 recommendations in its response to the review’s final report, which also addressed steps U of T plans to take or has already begun implementing The recommendations outlined in the report address five areas of concern. The first addresses U of T’s culture: how the university can increase education about consent, sexual violence, and harassment. It recommends promoting resources offered by the Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre (SVPSC) and formalizing informal supports for survivors of sexual assault. The second centres on offering more dedicated and timely support to survivors, and the third on addressing power dynamics within academia.

The last two concern transparency; the Report urges U of T to increase its transparency and communication regarding sexual harassment and violence, both across campus and with external institutions. The reviewers claim that, when implemented, these recommendations and their action items should reduce the culture of sexual violence and sexual harassment on campus and increase survivors’ access to resources.

However, the low awareness of the resources that are available across U of T prevents many U of T student survivors from accessing the services they need. For U of T to actually provide more support to survivors of sexual violence, it needs to

prioritize the recommendations that focus on both educating students on the services and support available to them and reducing the rape culture at U of T. Why should U of T focus on increasing awareness of resources available?

According to research from the Prevention, Empowerment, Advocacy, Response, for Survivors (PEARS) Project, U of T students are generally unaware of the SVPSC’s existence, let alone what services and supports they can reach at the

centre. Thus, increasing the number of dedicated, trained personnel to work within and outside the SVPSC will improve the experience of those who access the centre, but it won’t inherently draw survivorsv and their support systems to the centre.

Ultimately, this won’t help student survivors access the services they need.

This same issue applies to the Student’s Guide to the Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment. Although revising the Student’s Guide to the Policy will improve students’ understanding of the policy, it serves no benefit to the student population if they are generally unaware of the guide’s existence.

So, what can be done?

Although the first three recommendations urge U of T to address sexual violence and harrassment, recommendations four through six may be the key to actually supporting survivors and systemically

Bring your ideas to our pitch meeting on Tuesday, September 13, happening on Zoom from 6:00–8:00 pm. Or email your ideas to features@thevarsity.ca by September 20.

reducing the rape culture observed at U of T. Summarized, recommendations four through six call on the university to increase community-wide training and student-focused education on sexual violence and harassment, healthy relationships and consent, as well as awareness of the SVPSC, their services, and their resources.

If U of T implements these recommendations effectively and universally, the university community may become a safer, consent-informed space.

The Report addresses students’ lack of education on sexual relationships and consent practices, while communicating participant concerns about the efficacy of mass-mandatory training.

Whether community members are well-versed

9

dow, U of T could design and implement a comprehensive and nuanced education plan in various pockets of its community.

For example, college and faculty unions could offer their own education plans with the support of dedicated consent and sexual violence educators, which would not only routinely educate students in an effective way, but would also continue to foster a sense of community within divisions of the university. U of T and the SVPSC could also continue to offer various topical lectures and workshops that the community can opt in to and have it count toward their routine education.

These are two small examples of how education could look on a grand scale without adopting the drudgery of traditional mass-mandatory training.

No matter what it looks like, there is no question that U of T needs to implement universal education if it is to address sexual violence and harassment on campus.

Rion Levy is a third-year literature and critical theory student at Victoria College. He is the co-editor-inchief of The Strand.

i n consent practices; have received some training in sexual harassment prevention, intervention, and survivor support; or are completely new to these ideas, regular university-wide training ought to be the standard.

The discussion on community-wide training prompts the question: how would students know about the Student’s Guide and SVPSC if they were never informed? Also, how could we expect faculty, staff, and librarians to support their peers and students who disclose an incident of sexual assault when they themselves are unaware of the resources and training available to guide them?

These issues that arise from the Report could be addressed through an effective education plan.

The campus-wide education of all community members may appear redundant, ineffective, or dull, but it doesn’t have to be. Rather than hosting mass seminars or workshops that community members have to complete within a certain win-

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence or harassment at U of T: • Visit safety.utoronto.ca for a list of safety resources.

• Visit svpscentre.utoronto.ca for information, contact details, and hours of operation for the tri-campus Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre. Centre staff can be reached by phone at 416-978-2266 or by email at svpscentre@utoronto.ca.

• Call Campus Safety Special Constable Service to make a report at 416-978-2222 (for U of T St. George and U of T Scarborough) or 905-569-4333 (for U of T Mississauga) • Call the Women’s College Hospital Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Care Centre at 416-323-6040 • Call the Scarborough Grace Sexual Assault Care Centre at 416-495-2555 • Call the Assaulted Women’s Helpline at 866-863-0511 Students are generally unaware that the SVPSC exists, let alone what services and supports they can reach at the centre.

JADINE NGAN/THEVARSITY

10

THE VARSITY

FEATURES

Words:

Too few, then too many

How advances in reading and writing changed humanity

Angel Hsieh Varsity Staff

I used to compete with newspapers for my mother's attention when I was little. I couldn't understand the charm of writing — that is, until I learned how to read.

From the Narnia chronicles to Charles Dickens, I matured with the books I read.

My perspective of the world expanded from realms of fantasy to real-world issues. But, as I broadened my scope of reading, I realized how digital media forces us to re-evaluate the social impact of published writings.

In this feature, I explore some of the issues associated with journalism and digital media, the outlets responsible for passing the weight of words to the public. I hope that what I found can create conversations about how writing shapes the world as we know it.

From the very beginning Words are a currency for preserving the collective memory of humanity. The exercise of writing — whether it be scratches on papyrus paper or typing with keyboards — has evolved alongside human civilizations globally. At U of T, the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library and the Robertson Davies Library have collections of some of the earliest

known human writing: clay tablets from the Babylonians, the oldest of which date back to 1,789 BCE. The tablets’ cuneiform script — a wedged-shaped writing style that resulted from pressing a stylus into clay — laid the groundwork for a writing system. Cuneiform was first invented to record Sumerian, but survived beyond the era when Sumerian was the main language of learning in the Middle East. Cuneiform evolved into the writing system for other spoken languages in the region, such as Akkadian, Elamite, and Hittite.

Although cuneiform was eventually replaced by alphabetic writing in the first century AD, its significance as the first true writing system is undeniable.

To learn more about ancient writings, I spoke with Professor Alan Galey, director of the Collaborative Specialization in Book History & Print Culture, a graduate program at U of T. Galey encouraged me to look beyond “Western forms of writing” since history has traditionally been understood from an imperialist lens, which has distorted the public understanding of book history.

Galey also mentioned that Indigenous forms of writing were not widely recognized by academic scholars until recently. In Onondaga and Haudenosaunee cultures, the Wampum belt — woven from strings of white

and purple shell beads — is used for recording details of important functions, such as large council meetings. The initial strings on woven Wampum belts are meant to record an agreement reached at a particular meeting.

Through hand weaving, the Wampum belt lengthens to follow-up on the subsequent development of the first agreement. Hence, it is seen as a living record of the Onondaga and Haudenosaunee “living history.”

After the fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century, monasteries hid medieval books from barbarians’ assaults and chaos. Hence, the publishing and preservation of books fell into the hands of monks. Until the invention of the printing press around 800 AD, people around the world carried out bookmaking entirely by hand. Later, in the fifteenth century, Johannes Gutenberg established a distribution network for books that allowed writings to reach a wider audience and powered the spread of scientific findings and data.

Political polarization in Canada Exploring how writing has evolved throughout human history inspires me to ponder how words change humanity — for better or worse.

Modern-day presses, whether they produce books or newspapers, continue to resist attempts to censor ideas contrary to mainstream discourse, which supports those in power.

I interviewed Eric Merkley, an assistant professor at U of T’s Department of Political Science. Merkley highlighted trends in Canadians’ news consumption, mentioning that Canadians “prefer [to read] news content that aligns with their political beliefs.”

A likely source of Canadians’ feelings is the phenomenon of political polarization, which happens when people stick to distinct ideological extremes, as opposed to having moderate views. Political polarization can lead to affective polarization, which is when

Our trust in journalism is fast dwindling these differences in views lead to people disliking and distrusting those on the other end of the political spectrum.

However, if you’re labelling those who disagree with your political takes as “un-Canadian” to win an argument, this undermines the value of democracy. The us-versus-them divide could create an atmosphere that is conducive to radicalization, therefore drawing society closer toward politically motivated violence. In contrast, having dialogues to resolve disagreements across partisans promotes mutual respect and stability.

When we migrate these political dialogues to online platforms, we turn political polarization digital. In 2014, Anatoliy Gruzd and Jeffrey Roy — professors at Toronto Metropolitan University and Dalhousie University, respectively — published a study that investigated the influence of Twitter on Canadians. Results showed that around 47 per cent of messages exchanged between left- and right-leaning supporters were either negative or hostile.

The cross-ideological discourse that the study observed acknowledges that party supporters are aware of opposing viewpoints on Twitter. But, in the case of nonpartisan citizens, the links to news articles and websites found in short tweets could facilitate additional learning. Open access to online cross-partisan exchanges may better prepare people to make informed decisions about which party to support.

Although the usage of social media or on-

features@thevarsity.ca line news outlets could lessen the impact of selective exposure, we must be wary of the abundant amount of online content we’re exposed to that could be inauthentic and inaccurate. Keep in mind that contemporary journalism is accountable for transforming complex political happenings into news stories that are comprehensible to the public.

What is true journalism?

To learn more about the impact that social media has on public discourse, I reached out to Jeffery Dvorkin, a senior fellow at Massey College, who is the former Managing Editor and Chief Journalist for CBC Radio.

Dvorkin clarified the distinction between evidence-based and opinion journalism. He said that the former informs its audience of current events as transparently as possible through sources, while the aim of the latter is to persuade, which entails disclosing to the audience that these commentaries are based on facts. Opinion journalism justifies the establishment of editorial pages for the publishers to express their points of view. To address other opinions in the publication, an op-ed — opposite the editorial page — is dedicated to publishing opinions by individuals based on those individuals’ interpretation of facts.

Dvorkin said that subjective and objective opinions are equally important in newsroom productions — this caught me off guard.

Dvorkin’s remark revolutionized how I personally perceive the role of journalism: “[If] journalism is only going to be neutral, then

that’s not journalism [but] stenography.”

I have somehow always thought of journalism as a method of delivering information.

After speaking to Dvorkin, I came to appreciate how analysis and interpretation in news reporting are indispensable elements of journalism.

Be critical, not cynical Our trust in journalism is fast dwindling. This is a consequence of the massive digitalization of information consumed by the general public.

Journalists used to be gatekeepers that intercepted and decided which threads of discussion to report on, further investigate, or reject. With newspapers and broadcasting companies increasingly relying on the internet, few to no barriers exist when it comes to sharing information. To entice audiences to

keep reading, some professionals choose to report in the format of ‘infotainment,’ which is integrating more popular cultural elements into formal reports. The rise of infotainment is the root cause of the increasing elements of sensationalism in news stories that are selected for their entertainment value instead of their relevance to the wider public.

When interpreting media, another unexpected source of confusion is our social circles — which oftentime include our families. I am not making a case against dad jokes and mom memes; instead, I urge you to pay attention to the social media posts that loved ones share. When others repost content that your loved ones have shared, their body will release endorphins, which initiates a behavioural reaction that makes them prone to continue to post. As these posts reach more people in their network, this cycle repeats itself.

The most sensible way to prevent these mistakes from affecting you is to detect confirmation bias — this means noticing how your existing beliefs could make you ignorant of inconsistent information. We must identify sources of information that are most likely to comfort or enlighten our loved ones’ political affiliations. Furthermore, we must be critical of institutions or media organizations that the shared content originated from.

When we try to resolve complicated situations via simple solutions, we are prone to make errors. As Dvorkin said, we can verify the

dog journalism — in which journalists fact check and interview public figures to increase accountability — thrive over mainstream media. Whether watchdog journalism is enough to reverse the trend of decreasing readership and restore public trust in mainstream news still remains unanswered.

A great challenge in journalism is making the public feel connected to news organizations. Dvorkin recounted when public editors were hired by the news media industry in the early 2000s. The main responsibilities of public editors entailed managing audience engagement. Public editors may have also defended news organizations when widespread criticism did not align with facts or context based on their previous journalistic foundations.

The Varsity hires a public editor to maintain its integrity and relevance to the U of T community. However, affordability may be why some media organizations do not hire a public editor; many organizations may encounter financial difficulties, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

What to do without The quality of newsroom production is unavoidably dependent on budget and funding.

Media organizations are troubled by insufficient funding, yet excessive influence from shareholders may jeopardize the integrity of their news reporting.

Financial stress in the limited budget for foreign news could lead to a “what are we willing to do without” approach to writing and broadcasting stories. Only large amalgamations of business entities or government funding have pockets deep enough to cover the cost of investing in information gathering. For example, there is little direct on-the-ground reporting on conflicts in Afghanistan due to expensive war insurance for reporters.

To fill this gap in reported content, journalists turn to either opinionated journalism or local news — this means weather, traffic, and crime. This practice blurs the distinction of opinion stories from firsthand news reporting.

As defined by the New York Times, primary news should not involve any levels of analysis. When newsrooms over-rely on the “lowhanging fruit of local news,” as Dvorkin put it, to sustain cheap operations, they sacrifice in-depth coverage of world events.

Many news organizations are trying to get rid of high-paid senior staff in exchange for young journalists. The attempt to cut down labour costs triggers a growing preference for newsrooms to deliver news in digital format. There are large media companies acquiring smaller online news outlets, which means analysis of currents may be

homogenized in essence but packaged differently.

As this trend unfolds, the development of public media literacy is more important than ever. Merkley said that media literacy “means educating people on the norms… in mainstream journalism and how to spot lowcredibility or hyper partisan news.” Besides verifying the background of sources which supply the information, the trustworthiness of news organizations hinges on contextualizing that information.

The spread of literacy and public education gave us the power of writing The non-duality of writing I realize that the act of writing is neither inherently good nor bad. Most people associate self-censorship with infringement of the freedom of speech. I, too, initially posed interview questions with the assumed toxic nature of censorship.

Galey noted that the practice of editing and revising in publishing bridges the gap of understanding between readers and writers.

The aim of editing in journalism is to ensure accuracy instead of suppressing the writer’s voice. Freedom of speech is in no way compromised by fact-checking or verification; rather, revisions enhance the accountability of shared information.

Just like how artists interpret a piece of art, humans give political and economic significance to reading and writing. Writing can cause seismic divides in society, but it can also unite countless people through their shared feelings. From the ink of ballpoint pens to fingers dancing on keyboard floors, the spread of literacy and public education gave us the power of writing. When wielding it, we must keep reminding ourselves to express our ideas with accountability and originality. I truly believe that we can change the world for the better — one word at a time.

credibility of a source by finding out “who’s behind [publishing the information], how to get in touch, ways to file complaints, and [the publication’s source of] funding.” These are the basic elements of a credible source.

Strengthening public accountability In the age of social media, news reaches a much wider audience than in times before the internet. This larger audience means that readers may point out errors or miss elements in every published news story. This pressure forces news organizations to directly respond to online criticism in a timely manner. Dvorkin calls this the “democratization of media” in his recent book Trusting the News in a Digital Age: Toward a “New” News Literacy.

Bloggers and podcasters are the main pillar in the so-called non-professional “citizen journalism.” However, the presence of online influencers makes watch-

JESSICA LAM/THE VARSITY

Arts & Culture

September 12, 2022 thevarsity.ca/section/arts-and-culture arts@thevarsity.ca FIONA TUNG/THEVARSITY

TIFF 2022: Back to normal in a pandemic-altered film landscape The festival's line up features both big players and hidden gems Will Gotlib Varsity Contributor

After a couple of turbulent years, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is back to a scale and format comparable to its pre-pandemic glory.

From September 8–18, hundreds of films will be screened and Toronto will momentarily feel like the centre of the arts and entertainment world.

However, moviegoing has changed significantly since lockdowns began in early 2020. People need more motivation to actually go out and see a movie at a theatre, as streaming services are creeping into industry leadership. 2022 has had some inspiringly well-performing films: Top Gun: Maverick broke records and Everything Everywhere All At Once was a major hit. But it remains to be seen whether movies without near-hyperbolic positive word of mouth can flourish in a ‘post-pandemic’ landscape.

This is a big question for TIFF, whose big-ticket items are usually those destined for awards and critical acclaim and not general appeal or box office success. The lineup this year is pretty strong and diverse. The absence of many headliners of other fall film festivals — such as White Noise, Bones and All, and Tár — is explained away by a couple of exclusive premieres: Glass Onion, the sequel to 2019’s Knives Out; and, surprisingly, Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans. Not to mention features like The Whale, starring an apparently awards-deserving Brendan Fraser; Sarah Polley’s heavily lauded Women Talking; and Palme d’Or-winning social satire Triangle of Sadness.

Moreover, the slate this year was announced in a drawn-out, piecemeal fashion, seemingly emphasizing each big premiere individually as much as possible to build public engagement and enthusiasm. Glass Onion is the film festival equivalent of a blockbuster, and they’re also finding new veins to tap; an event featuring Taylor Swift was announced more recently, and now all of the ticket portals are plastered with notices that it’s firmly sold out.

Purchasing tickets has been difficult in general.

A friend of mine, who is a seasoned TIFF attendee and a bottomless well of film festival knowledge, said that this year’s buying process was “frustrating” and the ticket services in place are disappointingly obtuse and prone to failure.

The pricing scheme is confusing too — online listings showing that tickets are $19 like in previous years, but when you actually buy them through Ticketmaster most showtimes are a minimum of $30 per ticket. Weekday screenings starting before 5:00 pm are very cheap, though, at only $11 for those under 25 — less than most normal movie tickets — and $19 for those over 25.

If you’ve got an open mind and propensity for more uncertainty, the Under-25 Festival Rush Pass is a great opportunity. When a showtime is drawing near, some members of its rush line have the chance to be admitted into vacant seats. The pass is going for a measly $29; using it, you can access as many rush-eligible screenings as you want. If you go to even one film with it, it’ll pay for itself.

Digital screenings are also sticking around in

a limited capacity this year, giving everybody a chance to watch a portion of this year’s selection from home. Like last year, digital screenings are extremely cost-effective because many people can watch through one ticket.

There is, however, a renewed emphasis on physical attendance this year. Most films are exclusive to the theatre, as was the case before 2020. The set of active theatres is always changing, but this year, events are focused around the TIFF Lightbox on King Street. “Festival street,” a strip of celebratory performances and screenings, was present for the first weekend, and throughout the week there will be free musical performances and outdoor screenings of movies including The Mummy (1999) and West Side Story (2021). Promotional booths have filled up a stretch of King Street, which are fun to explore even if many are just selling fancy overpriced beverages.

At this point, the festival is already well underway and a lot of the biggest screenings are sold out.

But a major element of film festival attendance is discovering movies that you otherwise might never have crossed paths with. Here are some recommendations!

How to Blow Up a Pipeline is an environmentally-motivated thriller about a crew of young activists on a mission to sabotage a Texas oil pipeline.

With the bleak state of climate change, this seems like a rare film that might have an interesting and worthwhile perspective. It draws from the Platform programme, which showcases new and rising filmmakers, but was selected by Peter Kuplowsky, U of T alum and coordinator of TIFF’s Midnight Madness screenings, so it’s reasonable to expect something more than a sober drama.

Devotion leans more mainstream: a Korean War naval aviation movie with rising stars Jonathon Majors — from Da 5 Bloods and Loki — and Glen Powell — Top Gun: Maverick. Majors plays Jesse Brown, the US Navy’s first Black aviator. Apart from his intense dedication — or perhaps devotion — to his dangerous job, he also faces the prejudice of a newly desegregated military. Devotion looks substantial and spectacular. Every showing is also in IMAX, which is always pleasant.

At the time of this writing all of these films have tickets still available. TIFF is a Toronto staple and a great way to start the new academic year with energy! Stay safe and go see some movies this week!

In translation: Fluency as cultural connection How losing my grasp on my first language brought forth an identity crisis JESSICA LAM/THEVARSITY

Jwan Omer Varsity Contributor

I was in the car after I had just landed from a 12hour flight from Toronto, with the grimy air clinging to me like saran wrap. There had been an issue at baggage claim and I had waited three hours for my bags to appear. But I was finally back in Sudan, my home — the sun was shining, the AC in the car was blasting, and I was with my mother and sister. It was only when I started telling my mother about my flight — that is, complaining about the fact that I had been seated right by the bathrooms — that my sister piped up from the backseat: “Your Arabic sounds so weird now!”

Over the next few days, the comment would be voiced by various members of my immediate and extended family. A lot of the instances were comical, others not so much. It took me a couple of days to realize the problem. I was thinking in English. So, many of the errors I was making were a result of me literally translating from English to Arabic, which produced awkward and stunted sentences. The realization brought forth a crisis.

I learned English growing up. My parents rightfully concluded that being fluent would give me better opportunities in an increasingly globalized world. Learning English was never a challenge, since I started doing so when I was four, and I was also exposed to the language through western media. I learned Arabic simultaneously and always prided myself in the fact that I was fluent in both.

But Arabic remained special in my heart of hearts. It was the language in which I thought and the one I used to communicate with my family and other Sudanese people. Due to my journalist father, I grew up surrounded by journalists,

writers, and poets, all of whom have shaped my taste in books to this day. And they all wrote in Arabic.

All of this changed when I moved to Toronto in 2019. Suddenly, English was everywhere, not only in an academic setting — something that I was used to — but also in the most mundane of errands. And slowly, without me even realizing it, my grasp on Arabic began to fade.

First language attrition, though understudied, is a term that linguists use to denote a loss of fluency in a previously acquired language that is not a result of physical injury. It is common in immigrants, especially those who immigrate at a young age without having mastered large aspects of their first language. My mistake was thinking, hoping, that 19 years in my home country would somehow exempt me from this.

This might seem like an overreaction on my part — surely my language attrition was reversible. Surely I was exaggerating, and spending the summer back home would bring back my proficiency in Arabic. Otherwise, I would have to ad-

mit that the loss of thinking in my mother tongue felt huge. Like the ultimate form of assimilation.

And indeed, living so far away from where I had spent the vast majority of my life made me feel like I was disconnected from a vast consciousness to which everyone that I loved seemed to still have an attachment. Even though the thread of proximity was severed, the loss of Arabic felt much more substantial.

The loss was so strong in part because of my understanding of linguistic determinism. The theory proposes that the language one speaks can dictate their thoughts and even what concepts they can grasp. In retrospect, the suggestion that you can determine how a person thinks is, to say the least, problematic. But to my uneducated mind, the theory only cemented the irrational fear that I was losing something innate, that somehow the past version of myself that was fluent in Arabic was literally able to connect with my culture and understand things that the current me could not.

The connection that I was losing was not just cultural but also political. In 2019, a few weeks

before I moved to Toronto, the Sudanese people ousted a 30-year dictatorship after much strife and bloodshed — it felt like a new dawn was rising in Sudan. Everything from the news and interviews, to the rhythmic chants at protests, and to the Whatsapp groups’ half-baked analyses was in Arabic. Losing my fluency in Arabic didn’t just feel like losing the past but also the future.

It only takes some research, however, to find out that most linguists do not believe in such an extreme form of the theory of linguistic determinism.

I began to realize that I was trying to solve a communal problem in an individualistic way. The solution to my feeling of disconnect wasn’t something that I could only work on internally, and such a narrow approach was something that would have confused my family. If I wanted to feel connected to my community, to my past, and cultural future, I simply had to reach out to those in my community — to those who had an idea of what I was going through.

I was approaching a problem concerning my sense of disconnect with a method that did not prioritize reconnecting. Obsessing over retaining my fluency so I could maintain cultural connectedness while not seeking new community ties was akin to spell checking a text that I was never actually going to send. Being Sudanese was not just about speaking Arabic — since many Sudanese people do not actually speak Arabic as a first language — but I still staked so much of my heritage on it. I thought that if I could relearn the language then maybe I could relearn the culture — it was perhaps to feel like I could control the alienation I was experiencing.

But in reality, I was only further distancing myself from a culture and community that would find my solution reductive. It was the height of irony.

thevarsity.ca/section/arts-and-culture

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

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Children of stress: Academic expectations from the immigrant sacrifice Grappling with the second-generation student’s inheritance George Yonemori Varsity Contributor

“I only live to repay my debt to my parents for raising me.”

These words crackled out of my phone speaker halfway through my first semester at UTSC. For me, 2021 had been another formative year lost to the COVID-19 pandemic — the year I graduated high school via live stream and began university via Zoom call. Drowning in stress from the seemingly endless essays and readings that an English degree required, I called a close high school buddy, wanting to hear something that would make deadlines and grades meaningful. Instead, he said that.

Compared to my friend, I was doing university on easy mode. My English program doesn’t require a minimum average, so everything is essentially pass/fail. His ultra-competitive statistics program turned grades into gospel.

Also, no sleep until tomorrow arrives.

We’re both second-generation immigrants from Agincourt, a predominantly Asian immigrant community in Scarborough. My dad is Egyptian and my mom is Chinese — I’m a racial Rorschach test. My friend is fully Chinese.

We know the stereotypes about Asian parents — fiercely pushing their kids to their maximum potential through rigorous after-school math, science, and music programs. And that roadmap usually includes a STEM degree from U of T. Return on investment My mom has made the same sacrifices as the countless immigrants, sacrifices that have brought me to where I am today. She came to a new country and learned the language, only

to listen to neighbours say she should return If you can’t relate, good for you. But maybe to “where she belongs.” She worked a job for you are a second-generation immigrant, and which she was overqualified because her edu- my mom’s story reminds you of your parents’ cation didn’t cut it in Canada. And after each experiences. Maybe your parents have high long work day, she returned to her cramped academic expectations. Maybe you underapartment to prepare to do it all over again. stand why immigrant parents look to their chilYet, with bright eyes and an open mind, she dren to validate every sacrifice and why they not only survived, but thrived. Here, I am reap- want a high return for their high investment, ing the benefits of her sacrifice, writing this hence the stereotype of high-expectation piece for a U of T publication in a basement Asian parents. as big, if not bigger, than her first apartment.

You also can’t ignore the discrimination Rat race many immigrants experience — something Immigrants pass their competitive and hardnever quite forgiven nor forgotten. Every little working spirit on to their kids, who pass it comment from a co-worker or sideways glance on to other kids, creating a very competitive from the police adds up. How many immigrant environment. Yes, some competition drives parents have dreams left unfulfilled because innovation. Still, when academic competition they could not attend medical school while is based on numbers, not knowledge, there is surviving a new country? Immigrant parents unnecessary stress during an innately stressful want their children to have every advanperiod in life. tage possible to level the playing field Western culture’s obsession with mabecause their nature as outsiders is terialism and status affects seen as a critical disadvantage. everyone, but secondI expressed this experience generation students in a poem I wrote, titled feel more pressured “Racial Nomad”: “Wake to achieve high staup at the crack of tus and wealth dawn to tug on the because our great chain for forparents could tune and fame / And not.

STEM when your back is degrees are broken, and still perceived to no one can net high salaries, pronounce so parents push your name their kids to study / You’ll be within those fields, glad / Beregardless of the cause you got child’s own wishes to give your kids someor passions. thing you never had.”

Parents want their kids TROY LAWRENCE/THEVARSITY

to reach their fullest potential because they love them, but I look around my campus and wonder where that love is. Why is there a mental health crisis at this gluttonously wealthy, world-renowned school? Surrounded by a thick haze of hustle culture and brutal competition, I wonder how many people at this school relate to my friend but stay silent. How many students are pushing themselves to study something they are not passionate about for extrinsic reasons? Critically, how do we absolve ourselves of our inheritance?

Remembering the individual My mom used to be like the immigrant parent stereotypes before she saw how much of a toll it took on my mental well-being. Instead of pushing me harder in academics while comparing me to other kids, she let me find my own passions. And then she celebrated my individuality as a writer. Now, I work as a ghostwriter, copywriter, and spoken word artist at the healthiest, happiest point of my life.

“If you’re not happy and healthy, you’re not successful,” my mom often says.

I appreciate her sacrifices as an immigrant by being happy and healthy, which are her expectations. To anyone at this school feeling burdened with validating your immigrant parents’ sacrifices, please remember your individuality. Find an intrinsic reason to live. Consider that life is too short to be burnt out and miserable, especially if you spend it fulfilling someone else’s dreams.

Thank you for everything you did to bring me to this point. I love you, Mama.

George Yonemori is a second-year student studying English at UTSC.

The open secret of Hart House’s second-floor lunch spot Gallery Grill wasn’t exactly what I expected — but maybe that was on me Sarah Artemia Kronenfeld Managing Editor, Internal

When I first heard about a secret brunch place in the middle of Hart House, I had a fairly specific picture in my mind. I thought of breakfast food — high in carbs and protein, quick, and probably fairly cheap. I pictured a student-run stop filled with friends taking a break from classes or studying after a midterm.

Gallery Grill is none of those things.

To be fair to the Grill, it doesn’t actually advertise itself as a “secret brunch place” — that was my own misconception at work. The restaurant’s website bills it as a lunch spot, featuring “inventive cuisine served with sophistication.” It does feel like a secret, which is impressive given that it’s located right across the hall from the Hart House library.

When I went to the Gallery Grill in June for a gay brunch with an old friend, I had taken a quick look at the website to double-check the location and make a reservation, which I learned was apparently necessary. Other than that, I was basically going in blind, which was probably a bad idea.

From the moment our waiter came over to ask if we preferred still or sparkling water, I realized I was out of my depth. We were seated in the lounge amid a few other scattered tables, a case of half a dozen museum-quality classic viols, and some armchairs arranged around an up-to-date copy of the Toronto Star. As I stared down at our six dollar focaccia, I couldn’t help but wonder — what had I stumbled into?

The answer, it turns out, is a bit of a long story.

The space where Gallery Grill sits today was originally designed in the early twentieth century as a place for faculty to dine. In 1995, after an electrical fire prompted Hart House to renovate this faculty dine-in lounge, Gallery Grill opened in its stead as

Gallery Grill is located on Hart House’s second floor.

COURTESY OF HART HOUSE

a specialty à la carte restaurant to both faculty and students. It’s still most often frequented by professors, but Jerry Horton, its long-time manager, tells me that it’s also the site of a number of business lunches and alumni visits.

One group conspicuously absent from the restaurant, however, was students. This probably shouldn’t have been a surprise, given the price point of the restaurant. Not only do main courses range from about $20–30, but the portions are a little small, indicating that you’re supposed to get an appetizer alongside them. It feels like it’s designed to be a kind of three-course dining experience that most students aren’t usually looking for.

The current staff of Gallery Grill have been looking to make the restaurant more student-friendly, though. “At the end of the day, this is all for the students,” said Marco Tucci, Hart House’s executive chef and culinary operations manager, in an interview with The Varsity. Although Tucci’s been working at Hart House for most of the last 23 years, he’s new to Gallery Grill, and he’s noticed a discon-

nect between the restaurant and the U of T student community. He noted that if no one tells you about it, then you won’t know it exists.

The people at Gallery Grill have been brainstorming ways to fix that disconnect. The management team has been looking into whether the restaurant can start accepting meal plan dollars. At the same time, Tucci has been trying to change up the menu to include foods that might appeal more to students.

Tucci added that it’s also easy to try out new menu items. He tries to keep the menus at Hart House and at the Grill fairly simple — mostly based on foods that he’s enjoyed throughout his life — but he’s also always willing to try new ingredients and methods of cooking. If he likes them, he often incorporates them into his menus. Lately, he’s been trying to incorporate more vegetarian and vegan fare into everything put out by Hart House, from the Grill to catered events to the five-dollar lunches offered monthly in the Great Hall.

Personally, I really enjoyed the food — it was all

flavoured well, in ways I wouldn’t necessarily think to try. They had a gingery pear juice that tasted enough like my absolute favourite kind of pie, which almost justified paying six dollars for juice. We tried their maple syrup gelato, which seems to be a fixture on their menu — and I can see why, because it disappeared very fast.

I could spend more time talking about the food — I took notes on everything we tried; however, they’re a little incomprehensible, because I was definitely more interested in eating it.

Coming out of the restaurant, though, there were many other things occupying my mind. Gallery Grill seems a bit incongruous — everything about it made me feel like I’d just walked into an expensive Yorkville dining experience that someone teleported into an old lecture hall. Gallery Grill’s not the kind of place I would ever expect to meet a fellow student in, and I could barely believe I was still on campus — but, from the blazoned plates to the caricatures of 1920s professors on the stained glass windows, it still felt distinctly U of T. In some ways, Gallery Grill’s enigmaticness aligns it more with U of T than anything else. It’s exclusive. It’s expensive. It’s confusing to navigate.

Its history is longer and more ‘storied’ than I would have ever thought. I’ve talked to plenty of people who genuinely seem to care about innovating and making the place better than they found it, but it’s still kind of inaccessible to students.

Maybe Gallery Grill is the most U of T phenomenon that could happen in Hart House. Or maybe I’m reading too much into it and it’s just an upscale restaurant in a bit of an odd place. Either way, I had a fun time, and I’m glad I went — but I don’t know if I’ll be heading back anytime soon.

Gallery Grill will re-open for the fall starting September 12.

14

THE VARSITY

arts@thevarsity.ca

ARTS & CULTURE

Queen Goneril deepens the nuances of the work on which it’s based.

DAHLIA KATZ/THEVARSITY

Soulpepper’s thrilling six-hour King Lear double bill If you’re 25 or younger, you can see King Lear and new prequel Queen Goneril for free Liam Donovan Varsity Contributor

King Lear is having a bit of a moment. At the beginning of the pandemic, the claim that Shakespeare wrote the play in quarantine gained traction online; this March, campus theatre group Trinity College Dramatic Society aired a digital production of King Lear; and this summer, popular British playwright Tim Crouch premiered a fantastic new virtual reality infused riff on it, Truth’s A Dog Must to Kennel, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Now, one of Toronto’s largest theatre companies, Soulpepper, is getting in on the action.

Until the first weekend of October, the company is presenting two King Lear-related productions in repertory: King Lear and a new prequel about Lear’s eldest daughter, Queen Goneril, by Erin Shields. In King Lear, Goneril is essentially a villain; Queen Goneril is her origin story. King Lear runs three hours and 45 minutes with two intermissions, and Goneril runs two hours and 40 minutes with one intermission. Together, it’s a nearly six-and-a-half hour theatrical experience. And there are free tickets for people 25 and under.

Since Soulpepper often works with the same designers, a lot of their shows share an aesthetic. I’d describe it as “realism with fancy transitions”: all the scenes are performed realistically, on fairly detailed sets; then, when it’s time to transition between scenes, the actors slowly change the set while creative sound, lighting, and projection design keep the audience entertained. This aesthetic is not inherently problematic, but if the scenes are not executed perfectly, the transitions can end up being the most engaging part of the show.

If nothing else exciting were happening, this is the aesthetic to which Queen Goneril, directed by Weyni Mengesha, and King Lear, directed

by Kim Collier with assistant direction by U of T alum Will Dao, would default. But lots of other exciting things happen.

For instance, monologues. Like most Shakespeare plays, King Lear is littered with monologues addressed to the audience. Even if a scene is being treated realistically, when an actor begins one, they must acknowledge the audience’s presence and break all pretences of realism. They are moments of pure theatricality. In King Lear, the characters with the most monologues are probably Lear and Edmund, played by Tom McCamus and Jonathon Young, respectively. McCamus and Young navigate their characters expertly, developing a connection with the audience so intimate that we begin to feel like all their lines are addressed to us, monologue or not.

For Queen Goneril, Shields gives the monologues to the women. As you’d expect, Goneril — played by Virgilia Griffith — and her sisters have plenty, but so do the female side characters. In a highlight moment, even Lear’s maid, played by Nancy Palk, gets the chance to tell us about her secret habit of digging through “kingly excrement” for swallowed treasures. It’s fairly rare to see monologues like this in a contemporary play, so this is a welcome move from Shields.

Another exciting element is the storm that takes up most of King Lear’s second half. To render it, set designer Ken Mackenzie switches out the more realistic sets of the play’s first half for a mostly empty stage; in the distance, sound designer Thomas Ryder Payne conjures boom-

ing thunder, and lighting designer Kimberly Purtell, who is a U of T alum, invokes flashing lightning.

The second act feels especially void: much of the action takes place on a black tarp at the front of the stage; Lear sits shirtless in this abstract space, playing with his shoe, staring at us, smiling and giggling; he’s a baby again, we’re all babies again, we are nowhere and everywhere and nothing else matters but this irreducibly theatrical moment. It’s thrilling.

As King Lear races towards its tragic end, it stops mattering where we are. Lear’s mind deteriorates and the world around him blurs into an abstract haze.

Not so in Queen Goneril. While, like Lear, Goneril and her sisters venture into a storm to scream at the gods, the sisters’ story does not ultimately devolve into abstraction. After their emotional night in the storm, the women return home, and the subsequent final scene is twenty minutes of cold, brutal realism. It has none of the theatrical excitement of the storm. At the preview performance of Queen Goneril that I saw, this frustrated me. The storm was formally interesting, and I wanted more of that theatrical fun. When I went back to see the show again, though, I realized I’d missed the point entirely.

Goneril doesn’t get the fun ending. She doesn’t get catharsis. Hers is a tragedy of mundanity, not of dynamism.

And as Goneril boredly waits, the men play.

Goneril warns her sister Regan, played by Vanessa Sears, that “men are unpredictable when they’re drunk.” In that case, then, men are always unpredictable, because, in Queen Goneril and King Lear, the men drink constantly. Lear’s right-hand man, Gloucester, played by Oliver

Dennis, brings Lear fancy wine to taste before noon; hunting trips are a chance to drink and gossip; and the men’s raucous parties leave Lear blackout drunk, clamouring for motherly love. This continues deep into the third act of King Lear: as Gloucester roams around the storm, blinded, he has nothing left. Nothing, anyway, but a bottle of liquor. It’s a rich visual motif.

But perhaps the greatest boon of the double bill: it’s a fascinating actorly showcase. McCamus is brilliant in King Lear, but, in Queen Goneril, his subtle explorations of the early cracks in Lear’s foundation are just as good. Similarly, while Griffith is unstoppable in Queen Goneril, King Lear is where all that backstory pays off: hers must be one of the most layered ‘Gonerils’ ever seen. And all the actors have thought through their characters just as deeply. You could watch any of the group scenes ten times over and still find new dynamics at play.

My nitpicks mostly regard temporal settings.

While the mix of contemporary and period sets work for King Lear because it’s an old play from a distant culture and we can relish in that friction, it makes less sense for Queen Goneril. When the show asks us to judge the morality of social customs like arranged marriage, it becomes confusing: by what values should we judge these characters? In the culture of Queen Goneril, how are these customs usually navigated? There’s not enough social context to be sure.

But this is vital theatre. Queen Goneril seems destined to become a theatre school staple, and King Lear marks a triumphant return to Soulpepper’s classical roots. The reason the company gets over a million dollars in annual public funding is to do work like this.

Science

September 12, 2022 thevarsity.ca/section/science science@thevarsity.ca

One small step: Everything you need to know about Artemis I NASA’s mission sets the stage for potential lunar travel Sky Kapoor Science Editor

When the Artemis I mission launches and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket finally takes off from the Kennedy Space Center, it will set in motion an approximately three-week mission aimed at furthering human progress toward exploring space.

The NASA mission, originally planned to launch on August 29, will be an unmanned flight that tests technology that may eventually take us to the moon. If all goes well, the Orion spacecraft will go further past the moon than any other spacecraft intended for humans, including Apollo 13.

Artemis I is the first in a three-part series of lunar missions COURTESY OF STEVEN SEIPEL/NASA

Mission goals The main goal of this mission is to test the SLS rocket, as well as other pieces of technology that will hopefully be used in future space missions.

The Orion spacecraft will travel close to the lunar surface and then propel itself into a multiple day orbit of the moon in order to collect data.

Furthermore, the Orion spacecraft will require adequate protection from the potential dangers that come with reentering Earth’s atmosphere — including the capsule heating up past 2,700 degrees Celsius — as well as the protocol for retrieval post-landing. The spacecraft will be thoroughly inspected when it comes back to Earth in order to evaluate how it has performed.

Artemis I is the first step in what will hopefully be a three-part mission. If all goes to plan, then Arte-

mis II and III will follow suit, with hopes of landing astronauts on the moon by 2026. The goals for these future missions will include exploration of the Moon’s south pole. NASA has located over a dozen sites that may be suitable landing areas for these missions.

The rocket According to former acting NASA administrator, Steve Jurczyk, the SLS rocket is the most powerful rocket NASA has built to date. The rocket will help send the Orion capsule, which is designed as a prototype for a possible “home away from home” for future astronauts and space travellers, into space.

Jurczyk’s claims are no joke — the rocket will be filled with over 500,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen to fuel its four engines. Together with the SLS’ rocket boosters, this will provide an estimated 8.8 million pounds of thrust. This type of power is what will allow the rocket to travel as fast and far as scientists hope — at speeds of almost 40 thousand kilometres per hour.

Faux-astronauts?

No humans will ride onboard for the first Artemis mission. Instead, three manikin passengers will be aboard the Orion capsule, two of which will serve to research the unique effects of radiation on women’s bodies during lunar flight. The materials that make up these two manikins are designed, among other things, to mimic the soft tissues of

human beings.

To test zero-gravity conditions, a Snoopy doll will also ride along. Without astronauts, Snoopy will serve as an visual indicator of when the Orion spacecraft has reached weightlessness. This isn’t Snoopy’s first time in space, either; his first flight was back in 1990 during the STS-32 mission! Several other toys — including a Shaun the Sheep puppet and four LEGO minifigures — will join the crew in hopes of getting young students interested in astronomy.

The launch As you may know, the first launch attempt was initially scheduled for August 29, but a problem with engine temperatures halted its journey. One of the four rocket engines failed to reach the right temperature range for liftoff, but NASA engineers were quickly on it and are looking for additional information about the problem. Another launch scheduled for September 3 was also scrubbed due to a fuel leak. The rocket won’t launch until everything is just right — meaning that takeoff could potentially take longer than expected.

Since most of us won’t be able to watch the eventual launch in person, the Artemis Real-Time Orbit Website (AROW) will allow space enthusiasts to engage with the mission and watch its updates in real time. Even if you only catch a glimpse of the mission launch, you’ll be witnessing an incredible piece of scientific history — one that may open new doors for astronomy and physics.

Your mental health is your physical health Mental health is a vital part of a holistic medical system Sahir Dhalla Varsity Contributor

It’s common to think of mental health as separate from physical health.

When you mention that you’re going to the doctor, no one bats an eye. You might even feel comfortable disclosing this information. Talking about psychotherapy, on the other hand, still feels like an uncomfortable topic to many, with mental health care heavily stigmatized in today’s society.

This distinction between mental and physical health is very recent in medical history. Most ancient and traditional medicine addressed the mind alongside the body, although not always by that name. Older medical frameworks like traditional Chinese medicine and the humours system link both physical and mental ailments to a common cause. Regardless of the terms used, many traditional treatments aimed to heal you psychologically to fix physical ailments.

Modern Western medicine, however, tends to focus more on the exterior, which results in people telling those with mental disorders to ‘suck it up’ and deal with their issues, rather than seeking out the proper care and support they need.

Your mind is your brain The mind is a set of functions and processes that make up your conscious experience of the world. It is the seemingly non-physical thing that the physical workings of the brain give rise to, allowing you to have cognition and consciousness.

But as non-physical as a construct like the mind seems, it is rooted in and affected by physical changes. For example, high levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin may give rise to feelings of happiness. Cortisol — a hormone that is released in stressful situations — can have a large effect on stress and anxiety.

When neurons fire in our brain, we are given the ability to think, reason, feel, experience, and so much more. Considering how inextricably linked our mental world is to our physical world, it is irrational to believe that our mental health is separate from our physical health.

One common way the intersection of mental and physical health affects us is how exercise and physical activity improve our mental health.

There’s a reason that doctors may prescribe exercise to individuals who feel more depressed or anxious.

At a chemical level, physical activity causes your body to release endorphins and serotonin, which have a positive impact on our mood and

math courses.

What’s less well-known is that this works the other way around as well; mental activity and care can improve your physical health.

well-being. More indirectly, though, being outside increases our bodies’ access to sunlight, fresh air, and natural sounds.

Research shows that exercise in the morning also improves some aspects of academic performance. Studies show that those who ate breakfast and exercised before school were more attentive and retained more information in

JESSICA LAM/THEVARSITY

Mentally healthy individuals get less sick Research shows that having some mental disorders can be attributed to greater risks to your physical health. This suggests that looking after

your mental health may improve your physical health.

One profound example of this is loneliness and social contact. We feel lonely when we have less social contact and connectedness than we need and desire. This threshold is dif-

ferent for everyone. While we may consider loneliness to just be a mental health concern, it has intense physical impacts too. Loneliness leads to increased stress-like symptoms, which facilitate the release of more cortisol and noradrenaline — a precursor to adrenaline — than a healthy brain is used to. Increases in these neurotransmitters let the body and brain know that something — a stressor — is messing up the system.

Over the pandemic, for example, I found myself incredibly lethargic, far more than I had been over the past few years. As soon as I was able to return to my regular social life, my physical and mental well-being improved in a number of ways. I was able to work on projects more and got tired less. I found myself less plagued by panic attacks and had better control of my depressive symptoms. Despite always being an introvert, loneliness was having more profound impacts on me than I ever realized.

With long-term stressors, the brain physically changes; areas responsible for memory like the hippocampus shrink, while other parts like the amygdala increase in activity. These changes result in shorter working memory and increased irritability and anxiety, as well as make a person more prone to stress in the future.

In other words, mental health concerns change your brain in drastic and distinctly measurable ways.

That’s why we need to start focusing on mental health not just as a luxury, but as an essential part of a holistic medical system. While traditional medicine may use terms that seem metaphysical, like souls or energy, their teachings often correlate to ideas in modern neuroscience that we can further explore while researching mental health treatments.

As we learn more about the brain and our body’s nervous system, it’s becoming increasingly clear just how much of our physical health is reliant on our mental and emotional stability.

Western medicine is great at treating the symptoms of mental issues — but often falls short of addressing the causes themselves.

16

THE VARSITY

science@thevarsity.ca

SCIENCE

Opinion: Open access is not open Solution requires systemic reform in science communication open-access publishing among senior scientists.

At this point, science literature must venture to construct a new publishing model to increase the transparency and affordability of scientific writings.

Angel Hsieh Varsity Staff

There are many unresolved issues in mainstream commercial science publishing that prompt researchers and their affiliated institutions to take matters into their own hands. In early 2019, the Elsevier-owned Journal of Informetrics saw mass resignation from all of its editorial board, who then migrated to MIT press to spearhead an openaccess (OA) journal called Quantitative Science Studies.

At face value, open-access publishing seems like a promising approach to improve the accessibility of science literature. The global demand to make results of publicly funded research available to the public renders open access even more appealing, so is open-access publishing the ultimate solution for broadening scientific communication?

The scientist incarnation of Robinson Crusoe Scholars from institutions without bulk subscriptions to academic journals are turning to Sci-Hub, the world’s largest collection of pirated science publications, which was created by Alexandra Elbakyan. Despite its illicit nature, Sci-Hub perfectly demonstrates how a colossal open-access research library operates. Article requests from scholars drive its growing catalogue — 25 per cent of these scholars are from some of the wealthiest countries in the world.

The convenience of accessing open-access science literature for free comes at a cost to the authors themselves. In the case of open-access journals, researchers are required to pay Article Processing Charges (APCs) for publishing their accepted work. Furthermore, as an unnamed senior researcher from North America included in a recent study points out, open access may disadvantage authors in institutions lacking in resources.

In many instances, researchers cannot access or download their own work or that of their colleagues due to paywall restrictions. The lack of

DIANA PHAM/THEVARSITY

accessibility and control over one’s own copyright material and how it is disseminated is a predicament reminiscent of the reason why Taylor Swift decided to claim ownership for her music by rerecording her old albums.

The status quo in scientific publishing The expense of publication fundings is simply transferred from bundle subscription fees to APCs, while mega-publishers’ incomes steadily increase year by year. Elsevier is the largest scientific publisher that regularly puts out hundreds of thousand articles through the 3,000 affiliated journals. In the year 2021 alone, Elsevier reported a seven per cent growth, earning billions of dollars for its Dutch parent company.

A featured piece in Vox shockingly revealed that Elsevier’s recent business growth is increasingly dependent on generating reports using its data-mining analytics. How can we allow these

publishers to perpetuate existing hierarchies in science communication?

The shifts to broaden readership of science literature do not come without challenges. In the medical and health sciences, an author’s choice of which journal to publish in depends on evaluation of the journal’s prestige and the quality of peer review services offered. Within the domain of open access publishing, there are so-called predatory journals, which charge publication manuscripts and fees without offering editorial services.

A study done in 2020 by Swanberg et al. found that of the surveyed university and medical school faculty members, only 60 per cent were able to independently flag a predatory journal. This phenomenon added an extra layer of distrust onto the credentials of other open-access journals.

As seniority often dictates the amount of research funding and resources, there is an undercurrent pushing back against the propagation of

Restructuring scientific publications’ workflow Lastly, I would like to humbly propose a revised open-access model that could resolve current issues of contention in scientific publishing. One reason for the popularity of Sci-Hub is that it serves as a one-stop outlet for academic journals and other forms of scholarly materials. Given the scale of operations of science publishers, there is a possibility of merging eligible science journals into one large web collection. All the science publications in such a database must be categorized according to the level of comprehension of its readership.

A merit system would maintain the integrity of the peer-review process and generate enough resources for other editorial services. Researchers who do not have the funds to pay for publication fees can earn points for peer reviewing content suited to their academic credentials. The identity and qualifications of every person involved in this endeavour must be verified to ensure the scientific accuracy of the final publications.

Besides undertaking a massive merger of science publishing, there needs to be a well rounded governing body, watchdog committee, and experts across all domains. These units should operate under the principle of transparency, meaning any documents, written recordings of proceedings, analytics, and financial summary must be available for public viewing in a timely manner.

I firmly believe in the strength and influence of open collaboration among individuals external and internal to the scientific community. Collective efforts must not be amiss in restructuring and uniting the current open access and commercial publishing model for greater transparency, involvement, and access to scientific literature.

The meaty truth about plant-based alternatives Plant-based alternatives may not provide the same level of nutrition as animal products Harsimran Kaur Garcha Varsity Contributor

With the rapidly growing population of our planet, providing sufficient protein in our diets without jeopardizing the ecosystem has become a challenge. The Food and Agriculture Organization predicts that the demand for meat will increase by 73 per cent by 2050.

As concerns about climate change and human health increase, diets such as veganism and reducetarianism — reduced amount of meat consumption — have become increasingly popular. Vegans abstain from eating or using animal products. Those that find veganism challenging may opt for a reducetarian diet.

The Reducetarian Foundation aims to encourage folks to reduce the amount of meat, dairy, and eggs they consume without becoming fully vegetarian or vegan. Individuals can take a pledge at reducetarian.org to eat less meat for 30 days.

In the era of veganism and reduction-based diets, companies such as Beyond Meat and JUST Egg have emerged to provide plantbased alternatives for protein. The plant-based food company Gardein has also introduced plant-based “f’sh fillets,” “b’ef tips,” “chick’n,” and “turk’y.”

There is a wide range of ingredients in Beyond Meat products, but the source of protein in their products is pea protein, faba bean protein, rice protein, and mung bean protein.

JUST Egg also uses mung bean as a protein source, while Gardein uses a combination of soy protein, wheat, and pea protein.

The structure of plant-based proteins Plant-based alternatives are often perceived as healthier because they are lower in unhealthy fats and cholesterol while containing high protein levels. An added advantage is that plantbased alternatives also have a lower environmental impact compared to meat.

Some plant-based alternatives successfully mimic the texture of meat, which can help those transitioning to plant-based diets. Animal-based meat is more fibrous, though. However, a method known as texturization can be used to change plant protein from a globular shape to a more fibrous structure.

To understand the process of texturization, we can break it down into a series of simpler processes. Proteins are made up of smaller units called peptides, which are sequences of amino acids. When heat is applied, the globular shape of plant proteins will unfold into a more linear shape — a process known as denaturation. The protein is chopped into smaller peptides which are reoriented to face the same way, and a cooling process allows new bonds to form between these reoriented peptides.

Does plant-based really mean healthier?

Although plant proteins can mimic the texture of meat, plant proteins do show lower digestibility compared to animal protein. A study by the American Chemical Society compared a meat alternative made of soy protein with chicken breast. The researchers introduced the peptides to cells that behave like our digestive cells and monitored how many pep-

Plant-based alternatives have gained popularity in recent years.

CAROLINE BELLAMY/THEVARSITY

tides crossed the cell membrane and entered the cells.

The study confirmed that the meat alternative was similar in texture to the chicken breast, likely because the peptides aligned correctly during texturization. The researchers reported that peptides from the chicken breast moved into the cells faster than the meat alternative.

Chicken breast breaks down into a higher number of smaller peptides after digestion, which have an easier time crossing into the cell. Meat alternatives also had a lower amount of the essential amino acids compared to chicken breast, which affects the overall nutrition value of meat alternatives.

The nutritional value we assign to a food is based on the types of amino acids that make

up the proteins that the food contains. It is necessary to include essential amino acids in our diets, because the human body does not make them. The more essential amino acids in our foods, the higher the nutritional value.

Additionally, meat alternatives are less digestible compared to animal products. A possible improvement could be found in new methods that involve the 3D printing of plant-protein raw material. This method allows researchers to customize the product’s protein content, and research is currently being conducted with soy protein. This method offers hope for the improvement of plant-based proteins, but we still have a long way to go. For now, try some natural plant protein sources such as tofu, lentils, and beans.

thevarsity.ca/section/science

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

17

VINCENT GT QUACH/THEVARSITY

Lo-fi and new-age music as a balm for the brain Why modern “chill” music is therapeutic but isn’t therapy Khaleda Khan Varsity Staff

Depending on how you define it, music has existed long before humans and will probably continue to exist long after. Once we began to differentiate between sound and music, we attached ourselves to it, going as far as to give ourselves an identity through music and a time and community to belong to.

In an interview with The Varsity, linguistics professor Marcel Danesi said that every century or so there is a new musical ‘era’ with a distinct aesthetic stance and political undertones — for example, the Jazz Age in the 1920s — so belonging to a time is to associate oneself with an era’s aesthetic. To me, the general “aesthetic” encompasses various interpretations of art, including progressions in technology, beauty norms, major art movements, and more.

Right now, we live in a time where so many fragments of music and cultures have become accessible, so it’s difficult to name the era we’re currently in. Danesi says that today’s musical aesthetic has diffused in the digital age. “There [are] too many fragments in cyberspace that cannot coalesce into a homogenous, or at least an identifiable movement, in the arts or anywhere else.”

One new genre with an important place in modern music is ‘new-age’ music, a genre that is difficult to categorize. Lately, this music seems to have blurred lines, but the purpose is clear — to bring a peaceful, stimulating vibe to your daily activities.

Trends in study and focus music have gained more importance in recent years. Classical music has always been the traditional study music, but today’s trends in lo-fi, study ASMRs and

binaural beats have gained popularity, too. But to what extent is new-age music the ideal study buddy?

Modern instrumental music is therapeutic but not therapy Music therapy is a formal discipline that has methods to treat various mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and more. These treatments must be guided by a music therapist. Lo-fi music, ASMR, and binaural beats can have therapeutic benefits for their listeners, but should not be considered therapy in and of itself.

The modern instrumental ‘chill’ genre is especially efficient in easing and relieving the mind of any tension and stress. This genre of music may set an ideal ambient background for the listener to be alone with their thoughts.

Ying Li, a third-year history student, says the magic of the lo-fi genre is the element of everyday sounds. “You would at times even hear distant laughing, you would hear distant rain, and maybe paper tearing now and then… as if you’re in somebody’s life, kind of like how they do in ASMR videos,” Li said in an interview with The Varsity.

Li compares the conventions of study music with classical music and lo-fi. “Similar to the progression of a story, [classical songs] have a climax. But the thing about lo-fi is that it doesn’t have any of that… it’s very calm because everyday life doesn’t always have the traditional storyline of a beginning, middle, and ending,” she said.

Sometimes musical trends package old charm reproduced with new technology, like lofi. Lo-fi, short for ‘low-fidelity’ music, is a subgenre bundled with technological differences

wrapped in old-fashioned charm and aesthetics. This music adopts sound recordings with technical imperfections — like disc scratches, hums and background noises — in a consistent tempo and with a steady beat.

ASMR — short for autonomous sensory meridian response — videos are soothing videos for anxiety, sleep, or focus. Sometimes they are centred around an aesthetic like study or sleep.

Binaural beats are transmitted to both ears and used to enhance focus memory, as well as for meditation.

New-age music provides comfortable, soothing background music for your activities — whether you are sleeping, studying, reading, gaming, or generally vibing.

Modern focus music is a one-size-fits-all genre Some YouTube channels promote their videos with concentration benefits, but others give versatile playlists to chill, study, work, or sleep to.

How does modern music suit all these activities even though they are different from each other?

It all boils down to individual preference. Assistant Professor Amy Clements-Cortes from the Faculty of Music said in an interview with The Varsity that there isn’t one type of music that will accomplish all those things, but there are qualities of music that make it more relaxing. “If you want it to help you fall asleep or feel less stressed, music that is [repetitive], that’s very predictable, that doesn’t have big changes in dynamics — that helps create more relaxation in general.”

She also explains how our brain is entrained by the beat of the music we hear. While sleeping you would want a slow brain wave but when you are studying, you might want a little higher,

more active beat to be attentive.

So if new-age music is meant to soothe you, how does the brain pay attention to music while paying attention to your work? Professor Clements-Cortes said that “some people are very good at having music in the background because it helps with their spatial awareness and it helps them to focus. [For] other people, it garners too much of their attention [so] they can’t focus.”

You choose what music stimulates you and what music eases your brain. Music playlists work the same way — playlists don’t make you focus, but improve your experience of the environment you’re in.

Generally, background music is a secondary focus on the brain because it acts passively. So the effects depend mostly on the genre used to focus. Whether for study, sleep, or to vibe, newage music is unique for its ambient functions.

Li describes how the little details in lo-fi are healing: “If there’s no sound around me, I tend to get depressed… [and] I will feel really lonely.

So… having lo-fi music in the background… makes me feel not alone.”

“Lo-fi sometimes tells a story, expresses an emotion… [and] allows me to choose to either engage in a story, or to be in the moment, because [of] the ambience, the beats, [and] the tempo,” she said.

We’ve seen this love for ambient sounds everywhere: howling winds, whistling birds, rustling leaves, rain, water brooks, and much more. When closely examined, this music is just a form of beauty that exists only in perception.

Otherwise, it’s just made of sounds that already existed long before we claimed them for ourselves.

Sports

September 12, 2022 thevarsity.ca/section/sports sports@thevarsity.ca

Adam Williams’ keys to succeed Running back discusses the drive and dedication of the Varsity Blues football squad Victoria Paulus Varsity Contributor

As the school year begins and the weather grows colder, it is arguably everyone’s favourite time of the year: football season! After recovering from last year’s playoff loss, the Varsity Blues Men's Football team are in full go-mode as they prepare for the 2022 season.

In a recent interview with The Varsity, Adam Williams, the running back for the team, opened up about his years on the squad and the journey his team has had.

As a first year in 2018, Williams played eight games and led the team in both carries and yards for one touchdown. Unfortunately, the team did not win any games that season. He explained that the team took their losing streak from that season as motivation to train harder and to focus on one game at a time in the following season, in which they won two regular season games.

During the 2019 season, Williams led the team again in carries and placed second in running yards. Despite the hard losses in their previous seasons, the Blues did not let the disappointing results tear them down. Instead, they remained focused. Williams defines the build up to their 2021 season as “building blocks,” because each season they persevered and improved as one.

When asked how it felt to be a part of the first team that made it to playoffs since 1995, Williams emphasized that it was the first playoffs for everyone on that team, which made the experience even more rewarding.

“It felt really good because in my first year, we didn’t win any games; my second year, we only won two games; and my third year, we made it to [the] playoffs,” he said. “It was nice to be a part of the team that worked so hard to get here.”

In the 2021 quarter finals, the Varsity Blues had a tough loss of 17-27 against Ottawa Gee-Gees.

Early on in the first quarter, the Gee-Gees went up 3–0 with a field goal, before scoring the first touchdown of the match in the second quarter.

The Blues then scored a field goal, which left the score at 10–3 entering into halftime.

The second half of the match was an intense battle, and the Blues kept the score close until early on in the last quarter, when the Gee-Gees went up 27–11. At the end of the fourth quarter, the Blues scored one more touchdown, leaving the final score at 27–17.

Although the 2021 quarter finals did not go as planned, the Blues showed their opponents, their fans, and themselves that they are a powerhouse who will give it their best shot every single time.

“Being in the playoffs was the first time for everyone on the team,” William said. “It was really just a taste of what we want.”

When asked about this upcoming season and making playoffs, Williams said, “I’m confident that my team will play to the best of our abilities and if we do that consistently, we shouldn’t have a problem.”

In the 2022 Ontario University Athletics football fan polls, the Varsity Blues were ranked ninth out of the 11 teams. “Being ranked ninth is too low for us, but I’m sure we’ll exceed those expectations.”

“I’ll take my squad over anyone”: Adam Williams.

SEYRAN MAMMADOV/THEVARSITY

Williams assures the fans that they can expect the team to “play well, give 100 per cent effort, and play like [they] know how to play,” before adding, “hopefully [this] translates into games.”

Williams is now in his fifth year at U of T, and shared some of his own personal goals for this season. He said, “I just want to do whatever I can to help my team and not really focus on stats.”

“It’s important to take it play by play and trust that our hard work gets us where we want to be,” he says. “And really, just play my best.”

As the start of the 2022 season kicks off, Williams explained the difference between last year’s team and this year’s team. “For starters, this year’s team is a lot younger than last year’s. Most of the older guys graduated, so we’ve had a lot of younger talent join us this year. We’re also a lot hungrier than we were last year and can handle a lot more.”

The above claim was evident at the home opener game, where the Varsity Blues beat the

Carleton Ravens 28–13. The stadium was packed with over 4000 fans and being in the crowd was ecstatic; there was a constant roar of cheer and overwhelming support from all corners of the stadium.

The Blues came out with a fiery energy from the time they stepped foot on the field and carried that energy with them until the end of the match.

According to the Varsity Blues Game Recap, the Blues went into halftime 1–0 but had “outgained Carleton 289 yards to 32, and had 17 first downs compared to the Raven's two.” However, the Blues did not stop here.

Although the Ravens took a quick lead at the start of the second half, it was not long until Blues took back the game. Quick offensive plays, connecting passes, and smart defensive lines put the Blues up by 15 at the end of the half, giving them the well-deserved win.

Football season has started, the fans are excited, and the team is ready.

Shifting the status quo: University of Toronto Women in Sport U of T’s Women in Sport club works to advocate for and support our university’s women athletes Chloe MacVicar Varsity Contributor

As a woman in sport, I’m unfortunately familiar with the challenges that come with being a woman athlete. There are certain issues you learn to endure — fewer advertisements for your games, stricter dress codes, or being seen as less capable than your male colleagues. At all levels of sport, there exist constraints on the success of women. The athletic world is one which fails to adequately prioritize and recognize its womanidentifying athletes, but here at U of T, the Women in Sport club is working to change these patterns.

In 2020, Lauren Dundee — a fourth-year student and member of the Varsity Blues women’s water polo team — founded the U of T’s Women in Sport club (UTWS) with the intent to provide a platform that recognizes and celebrates the achievement of our university’s woman athletes.

The UTWS fosters a sense of belonging for the athletically minded members of the U of T community who compete in or work in sport, and I joined the UTWS as a club member because I understood the importance of the club’s impact.

Now, I’m part of the executive team, acting as the Director of Social Media — and as part of the club’s leadership, I’m proud to say I work alongside a brilliant group of women who all share a passion for advocating for our university’s women in sport.

The club’s major focus centers around providing its members with a space to meet like-minded people, share experiences, celebrate achievements, and access resources and opportunities to facilitate academic, athletic, and professional success. The UTWS draws athletes from multiple different sports, from curling to water polo, resulting in a supportive community that allows athletes to connect with individuals from other sports.

Speaking as both a member and club exec, I can honestly say that, without the UTWS, I wouldn’t have been able to make as many connections with women on other teams. Everyone who attends club events has a similar love and understanding of sport, making it easy to form friendships. Knowing that I’m part of a group that was created specifically to celebrate U of T’s women in sport is empowering and encouraging, and it’s clear that all the club members and executives feel the same.

One of the reasons I appreciate the UTWS most is due to the club’s guest speaker events. In the past two years, the UTWS has brought in guest speakers to discuss some of the most common challenges faced by women in sport. I’ve found that there’s often a stigma surrounding certain issues, making it hard to talk openly. However, the guest speakers hosted by the club bring these issues to light in ways that make conversation easy.

In November 2020, Katherine Tamminen — an associate professor of sport psychology at the faculty of kinesiology and physical education — spoke about stress and coping strategies for woman student-athletes, a talk which gave those in attendance the opportunity to discuss their past experiences dealing with stress. More recently, Katie Jessop — a registered dietician and U of T alumn, presented a talk titled “Fuelling your body: A focus on sport performance and disordered eating,” which provided club members with strategies to maintain a healthy and balanced relationship with food. Hearing from more experienced women helped me understand that the struggles I’ve faced as a woman in sport are not insignificant — and navigating these with others who face similar difficulties is a practical way to approach such problems.

Many of the guest speaker events focus on helping club members understand how to navigate the

The Women in Sports club looks to expand its outreach this year.

CHLOE MACVICAR/THEVARSITY

challenges of sport. However, other events allow U of T athletes to connect with professional athletes. In the 2020–2021 school year, I was able to attend two events hosted by the UTWS, during which we met online with two Tokyo Olympians: Jillian Weir, a Canadian Olympic hammer thrower, and Kylie Masse, a four-time Olympic medalist and U of T alumna. During these talks we had the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the obstacles these women had to overcome throughout their career in sport, and being able to directly speak with such accomplished women was truly incredible. I remember walking away from those conversations with a much greater appreciation for the dedication and passion it takes to have such a successful career in sport, yet, at the same time, surprised at how similar many of their stories were to mine.

Throughout the summer, the UTWS executive board has been working behind the scenes to prepare for the upcoming year. Posting on social media platforms, reaching out to potential guest speakers, and creating a network of team representatives takes time and effort, but the more I talk to those on the exec team, the more it’s clear that all UTWS executives just want the club and

its members to succeed as much as possible. For the 2022–2023 year, the club is planning more guest speaker events, a networking and careers night, and to work with a Toronto community group to make an impact on the wider community. As long as there are women in sport at U of T, the UTWS team will be working to support them.

There’s no one ‘right’ way to approach the challenge of being a woman in sport, and no two sports face the same challenges. But while there are differences between sports, this doesn’t prevent community. To me, the most meaningful aspect of the UTWS is knowing that there is a group of individuals who understand your struggles and will celebrate your successes. All women in sport are capable and talented, and deserve to compete in an environment designed for them to excel.

The University of Toronto Women in Sport club will continue to advocate for U of T’s woman athletes, and provide a community conducive to success. To Lauren — the UTWS’ president — to the rest of the executive team, and to all of the club members: remember that your work makes a difference, and all U of T’s women in sport benefit from such a diligent and dedicated community. So thank you!

thevarsity.ca/section/sports

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022 19

Welding steel and pumping iron From welding to weightlifting, Byron looks to make an impact on the Toronto fitness community Jesse McDougall Varsity Contributor

Before bodybuilding, Toronto-based Byron Fulkerth’s job was pretty lame. He was a welder working long and repetitive hours on the vast prairie. Today, though, he’s a fitness trainer in Toronto with an enormous social media following and a passion for competing at dog shows. How did this all change?

The Varsity sat down with Byron Fulkerth to figure out just that.

The story begins in Innisfree, Alberta, where Fulkerth grew up in a rodeo family. But in his teens, Fulkerth discovered a different kind of passion: bodybuilding.

“Fitness for me really allowed me to find some self acceptance. I was able to challenge myself physically and set goals,” he said. “Growing up gay in Alberta was not in my control… I lost a lot of friends coming out of the closet, but discipline in the gym was truly in my control.”

Fulkerth discovered workout programs in magazines and, later, p90x fitness DVDs that helped him develop strong habits. “It’s just about sticking to [the] plan and holding consistency… 90 days was enough for you to see a significant improvement,” Fulkerth said. “It was something that I couldn’t steal, I couldn’t buy, I couldn’t borrow from anybody. I had to earn it.”

After graduating from school in a class of only eight students, Fulkerth wanted to expand his view of the world. As it turned out, the television personality Oprah Winfrey gave him some life-changing advice.

“Oprah Winfrey was on every day at four o'clock… on one of my four channels at the time,” said Fulkerth. “She talked about vision boards and visualization and, you can see it, you can achieve it.”

Soon, Fulkerth was busy cutting up Men’s Health

magazine, searching for images of fitness and strength that he wanted to embody.

“I literally would just take my face, and I’d cut my face out of the school photo and [glue] it on a Men’s Health physique,” he said. “I still have that with me now.” Youthful Fulkerth looks quite out of place on the chiseled pecs and biceps of the magazine model, but today, he doesn’t need to use scissors and tape. Oprah’s plan worked, as you can see.

After school, Fulkerth didn’t immediately become a personal trainer. He started a bachelor of science degree at MacEwan University but soon dropped out because of a paralyzing fear of debt.

“I took a different route and I went to trade school, something that I could make money while getting my education at the same time,” he said. Fulkerth welded “mindlessly” on lonely 12 hour shifts until, at last, “our economy had come to a screeching halt.”

Unable to earn a living in welding, Fulkerth turned his attention to his passion, and with his previous training experience, he became Darby Training Systems certified as a fitness professional. Then began the slow process of building clientele.

During his private training sessions, he made sure to be his best self, making people feel confident and welcome no matter their athleticism.

“When you are engaged with a client or with people, you have to be on, you have to be able to bring your best foot forward to each session, because you might be that person’s only 160 minute encounter of the day,” said Fulkerth.

He also thinks that, although the media is doing a better job today, bodybuilding can feel heteronormative to many queer athletes. Major progress was made by Bob Paris back in 1989. Paris was a champion body builder who came out as gay in the Iron Man and, coincidentally, appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Paris says that in that decade, he quickly lost 80 per cent of his sponsor-

ships and endorsements — nevertheless paving the way for queer athletes around the world.

“Your vibe kind of attracts your tribe,” said Fulkerth. At this point in his career, he said, “I do get a lot of clients who feel more comfortable working with a gay guy.”

Given his love of competition and his drive to train, you may not be surprised to learn that Fulkerth and his Portuguese Water Dog, Clark, hold major national dog show titles in Canada and the US. “I’ve been to shows in all different parts of North America. The people are just the same… You have those people who are super intense, don’t talk to anyone else. The people who are yelling at their dogs, the other people who show up late… Even the cattiness that you see in that show is so spot on.”

Despite the whimsical appearance of dog show competitions, Fulkerth has formed a deep bond with Clark in their years of training. “He does core work and balance work,” he said. “It’s a huge part of my life, our world pretty much revolves around him.”

From his beginnings in Innisfree to his stint as a welder to his current career exercising and helping

others do the same, Fulkerth’s life has changed dramatically in the last decade. He currently feels passionate and fulfilled by his occupation, a lesson that matters to him.

“I just happened to stumble upon something that could create a lot of passion,” he says. “If you are enjoying the process, it’s not work at all.”

Patience and trust are his main messages for those seeking a new path. Maybe Fulkerth’s success is a testament to bodybuilding, an endorsement of p90x, or the benefits of some canine magic found in the Westminster Kennel Club.

What one can say is that Oprah’s visualization trick seems to have worked.

Recently, Fulkerth was shocked when — in addition to his 122,000 Instagram followers — Men’s Health magazine followed his fitness page. He described the recognition as a “pretty neat and surreal experience,” which sounds to me like an understatement.

You, too, can follow Byron Fulkerth online @Byronful on Instagram, and check out the collaborations he does with his sponsors LuluLemon, Cellucor Supplements, and Tonic Performance.

COURTESY OF BYRON FULKERTH; JESSICA LAM/THEVARSITY

Playing soccer in style: Which Premier League team has the best kit?

Every team has released their new kit — let’s see how good, or bad, some of them are diately reminds fans of Eric Cantona. Yet why go for black stripes on a red and white kit?

West Ham sticks by their trusty claret and blue colours for their kit but has added something cool and unique on the shoulder. I’m not entirely sure what it is, but it looks good.

The Hammers have stuck to their strengths and added something fresh as well.

Kunal Dadlani Associate Sports Editor

A new Premier League season means new kits!

I’ve placed each team’s home kits into eight tiers, going from worst to best.

JESSICA LAM/THEVARSITY

Tier eight: Burn it Only one team belongs here — Leicester City.

The collar is oversized, and it doesn’t even go all the way down the neckline. Also, why are the logos gold? Why add a third colour? Horrible.

Tier seven: Dull This Wolverhampton Wanderers kit looks nearly identical to last season’s kit and is just as dull. The second team here is Aston Villa. Nothing is appealing here either — simply boring.

Tier six: Bad sponsor Everton’s sponsor is oversized, in a goofy font, and has a “.com” — that should be banned.

For Chelsea, the sponsor is big and just obnoxious — a number on both the back and front doesn’t look slick. It’s a shame, considering I liked the collar.

For Newcastle, the blue colouring of the sponsor doesn’t match the blue on the team’s logo and looks out of place next to their classic black and white stripes.

Tier five: They tried?

Both Brighton and Bournemouth go bold here and ditch their stripes, but it’s a mixed bag. Brighton’s kit now has two white stripes surrounded by a block of blue — in short, there’s now a giant white “H.” Bournemouth has gone for more of a zig-zag pattern, but it doesn’t look very clean.

Crystal Palace has made their red and blue stripes more scribbly. It looks a bit messy, but I actually like it. Yet, the kit is identical to the 2021– 2022 away kit for the Croatian team Hadjuk Split.

Is it plagiarism if they were both produced by Macron?

ed kits that all look similar. Suspiciously, they were all made by adidas. They’re generic, but that’s not bad. Additionally, Fulham does have a nice burgundy wave pattern on the cuffs and collar, and Arsenal has a nice lightning bolt pattern on their collar that I love.

Tier four: Decent Tottenham Hotspurs have questionably decided to display their sponsor in red, the colour of their North London rivals. The centred logo doesn’t look nice either, given the irregular shape of Tottenham’s logo. The rest of the kit is plain.

This Liverpool kit also looks too conventional — they need something. Minimalism does make it somewhat unique, so it’s not horrible.

Fulham, Leeds United, and Arsenal have creat-

Tier three: The shoulders!

Southampton has abandoned their traditional red and white stripes and gone for a giant central block of red over a white background. It’s a nice variation, especially with the centring of the logo, although the arrows on the shoulders shouldn’t be there.

Manchester United have produced a kit that’s reminiscent of their glorious past. The collar, with a neat triangular design and crested logo, imme-

Tier two: Brentford Brentford has a tier for themselves because they haven’t changed their kit, to reduce the team’s environmental impact and also save fans’ money.

The jersey features a generic stripe, a star that looks like it’s made out of hair, and a disgusting sponsorship logo. The kit on its own wouldn’t rank this high, but their decision and the motivation to keep their kit are admirable enough to propel them upwards.

Tier one: Potential classics Nottingham Forest is in the Premier League for the first time in my lifetime and they arrive in style.

There is no sponsor, so it’s immediately unique.

The sleeves and collar have a subtle pattern and a shade of red darker than the rest of the kit that looks great.

Lastly, my favourite kit is Manchester City’s.

There isn’t anything here I dislike. The burgundy on the collar and sleeves is great and so is the centre of the logo. Part of its greatness also comes from how good this team is. Most kits become memorable because of the players wearing them, and with players like Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland wearing it, this Manchester City kit is clearly destined for success. Good job, Puma!

And here, eight tiers later, I’m done.

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SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

THE VARSITY Open House

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