Empowering students to think critically and creatively since 1913
VOLUME 107 ISSUE 4 JANUARY 29, 2021
SOUTH PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL 1401 FREMONT AVE, SOUTH PASADENA, CA 91030
Vaccine distribution brings hope, frustration
STORY ZOE SCHLAAK ILLUSTRATION ALICIA ZHANG PHOTOS CONTRIBUTORS
finally I realized… there were no appointments available. It was pretty frustrating [because] my friends were getting appointments… and I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. So I tried the Dodger Stadium one and it took me about half a day but I was finally able to get an appointment for my husband and [myself].”
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ommunity members expressed relief and annoyance about vaccine distribution as South Pasadena approaches 1,200 coronavirus cases.
Health officials have urged community members to get the vaccine when they have the opportunity to do so, regardless of the unlikely side effects.
California organized the vaccine distribution into Phases 1A, 1B, 1C, and 2, and they are being administered at pharmacy chains, hospitals, and large-scale vaccination sites like the Forum and Dodger Stadium. The two vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, are distributed in two doses at least 21 and 28 days apart, respectively.
“I hope that people will trust the science and get the vaccine when they are able to,” Dr. Tina Yu, a local OB-GYN, said. “I had only injection site arm soreness. However, about 10 to 15 percent of people do have significant side effects from the vaccine 12 to 36 hours after receiving the shot, due to their immune response. People just need to be aware of that and be mentally prepared for it and take over the counter analgesics/ fever reducers as needed.”
Phase 1A, which consists of healthcare workers, is almost complete in L.A. County. Phase 1B, comprised of people over 65 and high-risk non-medical workers began its first tier in mid-January. Phase 1C — 50 to 64-year-olds, low-risk workers, and 16 to 49-year-olds with underlying health conditions — is expected to begin in the spring. The proposed but not approved Phase 2 is expected to begin in mid-May or early June and will include 16 to 49-year-olds with no high-risk medical conditions. Even though vaccination appointments have been available to seniors for over a week, many have expressed frustration with navigating the process. “When it was announced the fact that they were vaccinating people who were 65 and over, I started hunting for a vaccine in L.A. County,” senior resident Maria Morales said. “ I was using the L.A. County website, [but] when I got to the page where you can make an appointment, they wouldn’t tell you that no appointments were available; they would just kick you back to the beginning. So I kept on trying and trying, and
California currently ranks in the bottom 10 states for vaccine distribution due to a combination of factors, including lack of resources and insufficient staffing. South Pasadena’s coronavirus case record at the time of publication was 1,161, a threefold increase over the past two months. Thus, health officials urge residents to follow coronavirus safety regulations even as people begin to get vaccinated. “We need to continue the social distancing and health protocols,” Yu said. “It will be many months before the majority of people are vaccinated and we should do our best to minimize spread in the meantime. Even though the vaccine is 95 percent effective, you never know if you are part of that last 5 percent, so it is best to still be careful.” L.A. County’s vaccine supply is “extremely limited,” but appointments for those over 65 are periodically available, with the rest of Phase 1B starting in early February.
“COMING OUT”
ASTROLOGY
While an empowering experience for many, “coming out” has evolved into a homophobia-rooted requirement for the queer experience. Page 7
Astrologically significant events set to occur throughout 2021 allude to what this year might have in store politically, socially, and personally. Page 12
TIGERNEWSPAPER.COM
KELLY WU
Tiger profiles figure skating prodigy, SPHS senior Kelly Wu, who harnesses her natural talent and determination into selfexpression on the ice. Page 15
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TIGER JANUARY 29, 2021
NEWS
The Anti-Racism Committee fights for local change STORY HAELEE KIM PHOTO COURTESY OF WILL HOADLEY-BRILL Since its inception, the South Pasadena Anti-Racism Committee (ARC) has dedicated itself to dismantling racism within the city through grassroots organizing in government, education, public safety, and the arts. This past year, the ARC worked with Care First and Black Lives Matter (BLM) South Pasadena to host holiday donation drives for unhoused community members. Recent activities include the Yard Sign Project, where ARC members distributed special yard signs prior to Inauguration Day for community members to fill in the statement, “I Stand Against Racism Because…” Residents formed the ARC in June 2020 amidst national and local BLM protests in order to enact anti-racist change in South Pasadena. “Many of us, after the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, were galvanized to confront structural racism,” ARC founding member Phung Huynh said. “I’ve always known about South Pasadena’s racist past, and this felt like the perfect opportunity to confront it head-on.” The approximately 60-member organization fights against racism with a multi-pronged approach by dividing itself into four task forces, bringing together people with varied backgrounds and skills. “We all had different ways we wanted to attack [racism], but we found that the best way is to do it collaboratively. That’s the structure of the organization,” Huynh said. “It’s deeply listening to our members and community and working together — not being monolithic about it.” In the Education Task Force, Huynh works with groups like SPHS’ Anti-Bias Club to encourage inclusivity training on campus. The Storytelling Task Force compiled research on South Pasadena’s racist history for public viewing on the ARC’s website. The Political Action Task Force frequently submits public comments to the City Council, promoting transparent dialogue about local racism such as resident Richard Cheney illegally driving his truck onto the sidewalk to intimidate BLM protestors in October.
State restrictions postpone SPUSD TK-2 reopening L.A. County must halve its adjusted case rate for schools to reopen.
STORY KATIE HOHMAN PHOTOS COURTESY OF ABIGAIL SILVER
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he district has delayed its grades TK-2 return plan indefinitely after state officials released new restrictions on Thursday, Jan. 14 that prohibit L.A. County schools from reopening due to record coronavirus cases. SPUSD elementary schools had previously been approved to reopen in January, but must now wait until the county has been at or below 25 cases per 100,000 people per day for at least five consecutive days. Kindergarten students were expected to return back to in-person school with a hybrid model on Monday, Feb. 8, followed by first and second graders on Tuesday, Feb. 16. The new state restrictions superseded L.A. County’s waiver for SPUSD’s reopening, which the district initially sought with guidance from local health officials. “We know that children can transmit [COVID-19],” UCLA doctor Dr. Nava Yeganeh said. “However, we do know from other countries that many of the outbreaks are still driven by adults — an adult staff member bringing an outbreak into the classroom or to other members of the staff. So, the focus does really have to be on making sure adults are kept safe in the school environment.” Educators are in Phase 1B for receiving the vaccination, which is expected to begin in early February. During a School Board meeting before the state’s new restrictions, parents voiced their opinions on the reopening plans, with those in support of grades TK-2 returning to school sharing their concern about distance learning’s challenges for their young children. “We have students whose education development and health are suffering, despite teachers doing the best they can,” parent Lawrence Wingaurd said. “Taking the position to not reopen until the pandemic is lessened, eradicated, or until everyone is vaccinated is unrealistic and unwarranted by the science. We cannot continue to compromise our kids’ education and wellbeing.” Other community members urged the Board to push back the date, fearing that the teachers would be at risk. “Distance learning is by no means perfect, but it works,” Arroyo Vista pre-K teacher Julie Littlefield said. “My students are present every day and have been making tremendous progress. We sing, dance, socialize, and take breaks whenever necessary. Going back to school and then having to transition back to distance learning when we don’t have enough subs to cover sick teachers or have an outbreak will result in more learning lost.”
L.A. COUNTY APPROVED SPUSD’s TK-2 REOPENING in January after touring the three elementary schools, but new state restrictions halted that plan. Once the L.A. County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) approved SPUSD’s waiver in December, health officials visited all three elementary schools and authorized them for reopening. “[The LACDPH] had a lot of good things to say about everything that we had in place and they thought we did a really thorough job,” SPUSD nurse Abigail Silver said. “The bottom line is that when we are able to reopen [the LACDPH] and the schools have put really great measures in place to be safe for the students and the staff.” SPUSD elementary schools cannot reopen until L.A. County’s adjusted case rate drops from 48.2 to 25 per 100,000 people for at least five consecutive days.
The fourth task force is focused on Public Safety, advocating for implicit-bias training in the SPPD and for the next police chief to be a woman or person of color. Community members had criticized former Chief Joe Ortiz and his department for discrimination against marginalized groups.
Freshman bonding program aids transition to virtual high school
The group welcomes new members, and those interested in joining can do so on the ARC website. There are also weekly Welcome Mat Meetups where community members can learn more about the ARC and connect with other anti-racist residents.
Over 160 ninth graders attended the ASB Wellness Team’s first freshman bonding event on Thursday, Jan. 24, which debuted a larger program aimed to promote acceptance among students new to SPHS.
The ARC is collaborating with the non-profit Peace Over Violence to host an educational workshop on domestic violence on Thursday, Feb. 11.
The freshman split up into mentorship groups with two upperclassmen leaders, who will be part of the ninth graders’ high school support system, especially crucial with distance learning’s added stressors and isolation.
STORY LILIAN ZHU
“Being in a smaller group of freshmen in the same situation as me really helped me feel more support,” freshman Twyla Metcalfe said. “Navigating high school virtually can be really difficult but this event helped me learn more about my peers and helped me bond more with my counselor.” The school counselors and social worker Natasha Prime opened the event with an introduction explaining their positions at SPHS. Afterwards, students competed in get-to-know-you Kahoots about their counselor.
INTERACTIVE ANTI-RACIST LAWN SIGNS were distributed to the community by the ARC in time for Inauguration Day.
“We feel the need to create a balance for students which involves tending to social-emotional concerns that are equally as vital as academic needs,” counselor Tracy Ishimaru said. “Connection is important for the wellbeing of the students and to also know that there are people, adults and peers alike, who will help and support them at the school.”
The Wellness Team hopes to provide insight and resources for any academic, social-emotional, and career or college concerns they may have. “Even if the event was a bit rushed, we were able to cover all the topics and information we wanted to in this meeting,” senior and Wellness Team member Tonalli Garcia-Rodriguez said. “The freshmen were able to connect more with their counselors and group leaders. As the program progresses, they will feel more connected with SPHS and their peers, so that they have a strong support system to call upon.” In the second half of the event, freshmen bonded with their mentorship groups by playing online games and activities such as Skribbl.io, Among Us, and Hot Seat. The upperclassmen interaction with ninth graders was designed to mirror SPMS’ well-established Where Everyone Belongs (WEB) program. “I did WEB in eighth grade and remembered how fun it was to pass down knowledge I had acquired throughout middle school to the new sixth graders,” senior leader Amelia Jarolim said. “I hope that the bonding program helps the freshmen this year feel more comfortable reaching out if they ever need any help throughout their high school endeavors.” The freshman bonding program will continue for the remainder of the semester, as groups will meet monthly and cover different topics about navigating high school.
TIGER JANUARY 29, 2021
NEWS
3
SPHS data highlights racial inequities Black students’ suspension rate is over seven times that of white students’; community demands change. STORY SOFIA ALVA GRAPHICS CHARLOTTE COHEN
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he district’s annual School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) revealed evidence of racism and other inequities at SPHS. The data, which analyzes performance level across a variety of demographics, generated severe criticism from parents and students. The SPSA included data from the 2018-2019 school year, which showed that the suspension rate for English learners at the high school is 4.9 percent, while the suspension rate for all students is only 1.5 percent. “Obviously a BIPOC immigrant is going to be treated differently from somebody with no accent, or even a European immigrant,” sophomore Isu Park said. “When my mom first moved to the U.S. [in ninth grade], she knew very little English, was automatically put in the lowest classes, and was easily labeled a scapegoat in school classroom mishaps. This was multiple decades ago, but the narrative remains: English learners and having accents in general are racially discriminated against.” The data also highlighted discrimination against Black students. The number of Black students at SPHS has
The suspension rate for all students is 1.5% While the suspension rate for English learners is 4.9% Source: 2018-2019 SPHS School Plan for Student Achievement
declined from 32 to 25 over the last three years, compared to a decline in white students from 416 to 401. Meanwhile, the suspension rate for Black students is 7.1 percent, the highest out of any racial group, while the suspension rate for white students is only 1.0 percent. “Black students make up only 1.75 percent of the enrollment percentage, but have the highest suspension rate in the district,” Park said. “[Teachers] are selective about their discipline, even unintentionally, because of the deeply ingrained white supremacy, fragility, and bias that [exists] in our heads. What the school board needs to do is offer more comprehensive [anti-bias] teacher training that is not optional.” The structure of discipline at SPHS was also a topic of concern among students. “The idea of suspension does not make much sense to me to begin with,” senior Andrea Zarazua said. “How would taking a student out of school change their behavior in the future? There is no discussion about how or why the behavior was wrong and taking children out of the situation doesn’t necessarily promote self growth. Seeing as suspension is also subject to racial bias, there doesn’t seem to be much reason for suspending students at all, besides making sure colleges are notified that there has been misbehavior.” Based on the data, the district laid out four goals targeting specific student groups, including increasing students’ career and college readiness and narrowing the ELA and math achievement gaps for Latinx and disabled students. To ensure all students are career and college ready, SPUSD offers SAT/ACT prep courses and test fee waivers, and provides student-run Veritas Club after-school tutoring in almost every subject. In addition, they hope to provide opportunities for ninth grade multicultural ELA class teachers and other interested faculty to attend multicultural conferences, and mandate counselor attendance at university and college admission meetings. To narrow the ELA and math achievement gap, the district is working to better accommodate Title I students through after-school math tutoring, an information night for Title I parents, a specialized APEX program, and a
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Black students are suspended at a rate of 7.1% While white students are suspended at a rate of 1.0% Source: 2018-2019 SPHS School Plan for Student Achievement
commitment to expanding the use of the online article database Newsela district-wide. Some feel that more action must be taken to address SPHS’ inequities. After the Black Lives Matter protests last September, SPHS students have called for anti-racist reforms including the hire of more BIPOC teachers. “I grew up in a Mexican family and understand the struggle of parents having to make sacrifices so that their children can graduate high school,” junior Jade Harris said. “Free counseling and tutoring should be offered [but] I think in general SPHS needs to make a better effort to welcome students who don’t have the privilege of growing up in a nice neighborhood or have parents who graduated from college.” SPHS parents echoed the sentiment that further action is necessary to the wellbeing of BIPOC students. “While it is great to see the district addressing these inequalities, there is still more to be done,” parent Richard Wong said. “The fact is that discrimination at SPHS is a direct result of years of systemic racism. It will take time but I have faith that equity for all students can be achieved.”
For more coverage, visit the Tiger website at tigernewspaper.com!
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TIGER JANUARY 29, 2021
NEWS
Chronicling Local Water Journey STORY QUINN MANZO & GEORGIA PARSONS
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PAGE DESIGN CHARLOTTE COHEN & TERRY SONG
GRAPHICS TERRY SONG
here does South Pasadena’s water supply come from? Hint: It’s not the water tower. Tiger tackles this question and more in a spread detailing the precious resource’s journey to the city, its precarious situation in Southern California, and what the community is doing to protect it.
Route 1
Main San Gabriel Basin
Route 2
Efforts to conserve water ease local drought severity
Colorado River
L.A. County’s drought continues to force local public officials and community members to implement creative water conservation solutions. So far, the City of South Pasadena has passed laws to restrict individual water usage and many homeowners have invested in xeriscaping, or drought-friendly landscaping. The drought in California is critical: 100 percent of the state is abnormally dry and 40 percent of land is labeled as being in an extreme drought. L.A. County in particular has a drought that affects 95.6 percent of residents, including those in South Pasadena, which the Climate Prediction Center forecasts will stay at the same level for the next three months, as opposed to Northern California where the drought is slated to improve.
THE MAIN SAN GABRIEL GROUNDWATER BASIN, OR AZUSA BASIN, LIES UNDER MOST OF THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY AND SERVES OVER 1.5 MILLION RESIDENTS. 80 PERCENT OF SOUTH PASADENA’S WATER COMES FROM THIS BASIN.
Wilson Reservoir
South Pasadena has enacted a variety of guidelines and regulations about water conservation to address the region’s drought. There are watering restrictions, which state that homes with even and odd numbered addresses must water on different days of the week — no homeowners are permitted to water their lawns on Sundays. Residents are also warned not to water for longer than 15 minutes at a time. The City relies on these and other everyday conservation efforts by residents to combat its drought. “Tell family members that they don’t have to take a 10 or 15 minute shower,” Councilmember Michael Cacciotti said. “You can cut it in half to five minutes and be a little more conservative. Little things like that add up a lot… It’s tough, but it’s setting an example. I took out my grass years ago. I got drought-tolerant landscaping now so I don’t have to water anymore.”
SOUTH PASADENA ALSO RECEIVES WATER FROM THE COLORADO RIVER BY WAY OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT. THE COLORADO RIVER AQUEDUCT DELIVERS OVER 1 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER TO THE L.A. AREA.
L.A. Water District
The City created a financial incentive for residents to invest in drought-friendly landscaping, offering up to $600 per household. South Pasadena has also partnered with the Southern California Metropolitan Water District to offer rebates on indoor and outdoor appliances that reduce water consumption under its SoCalWaterSmart program. Although the net impact of these efforts is environmentally positive, water conservation has posed some financial challenges for local government.
WATER FROM THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY IS FILTERED THROUGH ONE OF EIGHT RECENTLY BUILT GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON TANKS AT THE WILSON RESERVOIR IN SAN GABRIEL. THE RESERVOIR, WHICH HOLDS 1.3 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER, WAS BUILT IN 1920 AND IS STILL OWNED AND OPERATED BY SOUTH PASADENA.
“In South Pasadena though, in the last several years, our water usage has gone down a little bit,” Cacciotti said. “It’s actually kind of hurting our [city revenue] because a lot of people have been conserving water and electricity, so the surcharge we get is a lot less. The Utilities Users Tax has gone down because more people are conserving electricity and water, which is great, but not good for the city’s budget.” California recovered from its worst drought in 1,200 years from 2012-2014 by reducing its water use by about 23.9 percent from 2013 to 2017. L.A. County’s drought went from being primarily classified as severe in 2017, to moderate in 2021. There is no available data specific to droughts or water supply in South Pasadena, but local leaders continue to urge community members to do their part to conserve water.
THE L.A. METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT FILTERS THE SURFACE WATER FROM THE COLORADO RIVER AND ADDS CHLORAMINES, A COMBINATION OF CHLORINE AND AMMONIA THAT PURIFIES THE WATER. SOUTH PASADENA RECEIVES APPROXIMATELY 20 PERCENT OF ITS WATER FROM THE L.A. METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT.
TIGER JANUARY 29, 2021
THEESTABLISHED TIGER 1913 CSPA CROWN FINALIST 2021 CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2019 CSPA CROWN AWARD 2018 CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2017 CSPA CROWN AWARD 2016 CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2015 CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2014 CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2013
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OPINION
STAFF EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CAT FLORES MANAGING EDITORS MATTHEW TSAI, Print CHRISTINE MAO, Online NEWS NOAH KUHN, Editor SOFIA ALVA, Associate OPINION AMBER CHEN, Editor SAM GROTENSTEIN, Associate FEATURE CLOE MAURER, Editor GEORGIA PARSONS, Associate SPORTS ELLIE CAMPBELL, Editor ZOE SCHLAAK, Associate DESIGN TALULLA CHOW, Editor MADDIE YOO, Editor CHARLOTTE COHEN, Associate TARRY SONG, Associate PHOTOGRAPHY ELLA JAYASEKERA, Editor SARAH LEE, Associate COPY ADAM KWOH, Editor LUYANG ZHANG, Editor SENIOR STAFF WRITER KIMBERLY HSUEH STAFF WRITERS KATHARINE FLORENCE, KATIE HOHMAN, HAELEE KIM, QUINN MANZO, KAHLEN MIAO, EDDIE ZHOU SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER OSCAR WALSH PHOTOGRAPHERS KATELYN HERNANDEZ, SEAN JIN, SOPHIE YEUNG SENIOR STAFF ILLUSTRATORS NICHOLAS FORMAN, DAVID SOHN ILLUSTRATOR ALICIA ZHANG VIDEOGRAPHER ALVARO RODRIGUEZ-CHAVEZ WEBMASTER JACKSON McLANE LILIAN ZHU, Associate FACULTY ADVISOR KAREN HAMES VOL. 107 NO. 4 DISTRIBUTED JANUARY 29, 2020.
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The power of social media when administration’s response isn’t enough This is the introduction of a four part opinion spread.
Content warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault and harassment that may be overwhelming or triggering for some readers. The #MeToo movement, founded by Tarana Burke in 2006, skyrocketed into mainstream conversation when the hashtag began trending on Twitter in 2017. It quickly became a public platform for survivors of sexual misconduct to speak out against their abusers, and many, often rich and reputable repeat offenders, have been exposed and defamed because of it. The movement’s core value of public transparency has inspired collective accounts such as @wewillnotbesilenced and @dearsouthpas, as well as individual accounts that focus on local, teen sexual violence cases. Yet, while stories that involve #MeToo are typically shared on Twitter with no specific target audience, these Instagram accounts have a target audience of peers. Moreover, the #MeToo movement largely involves legal adults exposing other legal adults, whereas these Instagram accounts typically involve minors exposing other minors, a circumstance that can bring rise to a whole set of legal issues distinct from adults.
When the process administration goes through to prevent sexual assault isn’t enough, it is the right of the student to share their story on any platform they see fit without repercussions at school. Social media, however, does not negate the need for a strong administration; the school needs to reform their policy to provide necessary support for survivors of sexual assault.
Tiger examines sexual misconduct on a schoolwide level, highlighting the unsatisfactory support from administration that has left students sharing their sexual violence stories through social media, and what the school can do better in terms of actions and accountability. Read more at tigernewspaper.com Distrust in administration fuels social media exposés The pros and cons of using social media as an outlet What needs to change about how SPHS approaches sexual assault and harassment Student testimonies
Boos & Bravos Tiger ’s cheers and jeers for the month of JANUARY BOOS BOO to the cold weather. I am losing so much UGG fluff as we speak. BOO to people who make fun of astrology. You literally think that the stock market is real. BOO to Tiger deadline for being on the night of a rhetorical analysis timed write.
BRAVOS BRAVO to Bernie Sanders - love u man <3 BRAVO to iReady. So glad I got to read the same passages for the third year in a row... BRAVO to the free SPHS merch. They’re nice, but not as nice as a Wellness Day would have been.
BOO to the Clintons. Society has moved past the need for the Clintons.
BRAVO to the seniors for making it through a semester of distance learning. Can’t wait to see everyone at virtual prom!
BOO to my dog peeing on the carpet during Spanish. Voy a matar my perro.
BRAVO to the Reddit gamerboys who made GameStop a Fortune 500 company. Now get a girlfriend.
TIGER
6 JANUARY 29, 2021
OPINION
Unhealthy relationships cannot be glorified The media romanticizes abuse by prioritizing aesthetic appeal over truthful portrayal. STORY GEORGIA PARSONS ILLUSTRATION DAVID SOHN
F
rom Jean-Jacques Annaud’s The Lover to Call Me by Your Name, movies portraying age-inappropriate relationships have become a staple in the film industry. Their visually appealing qualities often overshadow blatantly abusive power dynamics. Thus, these relationships become romanticized, which is especially harmful for young viewers who may get the idea that being in a relationship with an adult is normal. It isn’t. Because of the differences between movies and books, relationships need to be portrayed differently, but oftentimes in movies an author’s original intent becomes compromised for aesthetic purposes. A perfect example of a message lost in translation is Vladimir Nabokov’s story Lolita. Nabokov’s original intent was not to condone the relationship, but criticize the reader’s ability to judge the characters. Perhaps the most striking difference between Nabokov’s novel and Stanley Kubrick’s 1962 film is the portrayal of Dolores, Humbert’s 12-year-old love interest. In the book, Dolores is clearly a child, however in the movie, she is morphed into a blonde teenager wearing lingerie-esque clothing in numerous scenes. Dolores is painted as a seductress, and Humbert, a victim to her seduction. By attributing these qualities to Dolores and changing her age, Kubrick completely glosses over the fact that above all, Dolores was a child. So why are so many people still enamored by Lolita? Why does it appear on Pinterest boards or those music videos
with some Lana Del Rey song playing in the background? It’s because American culture has become obsessed with the idea of inappropriate relationships. The “you hurt the one you love” trope is so ingrained in American culture, a notion that films like Lolita perpetuate. Even Disney princess movies, often regarded as the ideal of relationships, romanticize abusive dynamics. In The Beauty and the Beast, the Beast imprisons and mistreats Belle, as she develops Stockholm syndrome — when victims bond with their captors — throughout the movie. Even in Aladdin, Aladdin lies about who he is to get closer to Princess Jasmine. These movies act as the foundation for the relationship expectations of so many people, so it makes sense why abuse and manipulation are romanticized, even if the original intent was not to portray them in that manner. The media needs to prioritize the portrayals of healthy relationships in order to change the culture surrounding them. Movies for children need to emphasize themes surrounding respect and consent so that children learn early on what is and isn’t healthy. Above all, movies and TV shows portraying unhealthy relationships cannot be one-sided. They need to show the effects and consequences on both parties. HBO’s Euphoria does a great job of handling these on-screen relationships. In the show, characters Nate and Maddy are in a clearly abusive relationship, and the negative effects of this relationship are shown. If the 1962 Lolita had been portrayed this way, clearly showing the negative impacts the relationship had on Dolores’ life, perhaps the message wouldn’t have gotten lost.
The process of military recruitment at high school is purposefully deceiving and must be reformed STORY HAELEE KIM ILLUSTRATION ALICIA ZHANG
allow children to kill other people, but won’t allow them to drink or smoke?
Military recruiting tables are a ubiquitous sight on high school campuses across the country. Since the No Child Left Behind Act was passed in 2001, high schools are obligated to allow the military just as much access to campuses as regular colleges. This can have detrimental effects due to the pivotal differences between college education and enlistment, and potential deployment.
There are also numerous privacy issues linked with military recruitment. The aforementioned No Child Left Behind Act compels public schools to send student directory information — names, addresses, and telephone numbers — of those in 11th and 12th grades to recruiters. Parents can individually opt their children out, but another loophole exists through the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery exam, where no such opportunity exists. The Department of Defense reports that this test is optional, but evidence shows that it is mandatory in some school districts.
Military recruitment, overall, disproportionately targets low-income communities and schools. There have been recorded instances where recruiters showed up ten times more often at a less affluent school compared to its wealthier counterpart nearby. College might not seem like a viable option to these students, who can then fall prey to recruiters who often don’t share the full breadth of risks and caveats associated with military service. By glamorizing the military experience, recruiters can then easily ensnare low-income students who could have otherwise been college-bound. Public health experts and pediatric researchers emphasize that brains are still developing during late adolescence (around ages 17 to 24), the prime demographic for recruiters. This ongoing maturation may impede rationality, which will follow them into military service: the youngest soldiers always exhibit increased chances and higher numbers of mental disorders and suicides. This whole situation is hypocritical; the government will
CAT’S PLANET CAT FLORES
Society needs to validate queer people Growing up, I didn’t see a lot of femme lesbian relationships in media, or at least not any that were realistic with depth and storyline. The only femmeon-femme action I witnessed was oversexualization in music videos when two hot girls made out. My idea of what a lesbian or queer person could be was so narrow because I was only fed one stereotypical version of gayness: Lesbians were girls who looked like boys. In
reality, lesbians are femme, masc, everything in between, both or neither — anything they want to be. I’ve come to learn this truth slowly over the years through lessons as a Planned Parenthood peer advocate, queer delegates caucus meetings in Youth and Government, and interactions with gay people both young and old. My understanding of what it means to be queer has expanded so much beyond what I could ever have imagined. I feel more free in my sexuality now than I ever have. But then I become too comfortable in my sexuality and I forget all of the things I haven’t learned to conquer yet: people’s stares when my girlfriend and i show each other affection, our relationship being sexualized by men, or the fact that some people don’t know we’re dating because it would be better not to tell them. When I receive this negative attention from people, I feel like I revert to the girl that was too afraid to act a certain way because I didn’t want people to think I was gay. I get overcome by this feeling that people in their heads are
At SPHS, the culture around military recruitment is simply tied with the unassuming presence of the pull-up bar. Few look behind the booths with any serious intent because most SPHS students are wealthy. Yet, this should not detract from the fact that military recruitment is a harmful practice. The pull-up bar itself is a pretense by the recruiters, minimizing the gravity of recruitment for the sake of appearances. The school should highlight alternatives to enlistment, like ROTC scholarships and military academies, as well as counter recruiters for organizations like the AmeriCorps and Peace Corps that offer similar benefits to military service. It is unlikely that military presence can be removed anytime soon, but in the meantime, schools have an obligation to take control. thinking, “Wow, these girls really have the audacity to be gay in public,” and I immediately feel outcasted and ashamed, as if I’m doing something inappropriate. It destroys my confidence and fills me with invalidation. I’m reminded that my relationship isn’t “the norm” and that I can’t be who I want without it being strange for other people. People in straight relationships have such an immense amount of privilege to be able to act however they want around their partners. No one has ever questioned the legitimacy of heterosexual attraction. Self-validation is truly the most important thing when it comes to accepting yourself as a queer individual. But no matter how much people preach that what others think doesn’t matter, public acceptance is extremely important. In the long run, it’s more damaging to only encourage people to focus on their own self-acceptance instead of working to change a culture that actively enforces homophobia and forces queer people to find validation in themselves.
TIGER JANUARY 29, 2021
OPINION
7
Normalcy should not be the expectation
Despite the apparent abnormality of the coronavirus pandemic, students continue to hold themselves to the expectations of in-person schooling, as curriculum has not accomadated these strenuous circumstances. Many glorify seamless academic adaptability to the detriment of their mental health.
STORY KAHLEN MIAO ILLUSTRATION DAVID SOHN
A
t the beginning of this month, I opened my report card to a mixture of shock and disappointment. I had ended the last semester with three B’s. Transitioning into my sophomore year was more difficult than I’d like to admit. I know for a fact that those three B’s on my report card — while objectively good grades — would not have been there in the absence of a pandemic. This situation’s tangible academic outcomes cannot simply be chalked up to a natural progression of difficulty between grades. While the concept of online learning theoretically seems easier for all — with less oversight for academic integrity, the assumed comfort of one’s living space, and close proximity to at-home resources — it isn’t.
The structure of distance learning from the last few months of my freshman year was what I had expected the current school model to be like: easier than inperson school. Admittedly, that relaxed spring workload was unrealistic and far from ideal given that students need to learn curriculum through interaction with their peers and teachers. But in restructuring distance learning for this school year, SPUSD has created a system with little regard for circumstances inflicted by the pandemic, perpetuating the expectation of seamless adaptability. These ideas create a toxic mindset for students, where they believe that their academic performance should be as good or better than their performance in in-person classes, which is not the case. Students should not be forced into believing that they must be comfortable with online learning simply because it is
“easier than in-person learning” when the two models are uncomparable. Students have already expressed their need for more mental health support from the district to no avail. Because students have been misled into a false sense of security by the school’s promise of adapting, it feels like students are being forced policies and concepts that only work in-person. Sitting at home and staring at a screen makes class feel too informal, to the point where it’s difficult to take it seriously. Isolation forbids many from interacting with their friends, a significant aspect of mental health. There can also be stress from toxic households and strained parental relationships, in which one cannot escape. The setting of Zoom classes without proper adjustments has made an attempt of normalcy feel nothing but abnormal. While it is impressive that so many students have been able to adapt to the pandemic lifestyle, this adaptive ability should not be expected from all. And oftentimes, it is the students themselves that maintain the expectation. The assumption that online classes are easier than in-person classes alienates students who aren’t able to adapt as well to distance learning, glorifying the way others have adapted to the situation, damaging students’ ability to learn. It’s difficult to forgive myself. I am disappointed to see those three B’s in my report card. But, I need to acknowledge that these expectations I have set for myself are unrealistic given the circumstances. As students, we need to lower our expectations and not hold ourselves to our regular standards because this is not a regular situation, and it would be ridiculous to compare the two.
‘Coming out’ should be on one’s own accord, not a societal expectation from the queer experience STORY QUINN MANZO ILLUSTRATION DAVID SOHN “Coming out” is the act of sharing one’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity, whether that means sharing it publicly on social media or gradually with loved ones. The action has become standard to the LGBTQ+ experience, but the same standard does not apply to straight, cisgendered people, as they are seen as the “default identity.” Coming out can be a wonderful thing. In the best cases, coming out can prompt narrow-minded individuals to educate themselves. Being “out” also opens one up to a vast and supportive community of shared experiences. However, the action of coming out finds its origins and implications in homophobia and its conditions contradict the individuality of queer people. Why do members of the LGBTQ+ community need to come out in the first place? The entrance ticket into the LGBTQ+ community is the declaration that one is abnormal, different from the default setting of straight and cisgendered. Furthermore, throughout the process of coming out, queer people are forced to uphold the stereotypes they may spend their entire lives trying to eradicate. Before they come out, a queer person must present themselves as “normal,” in other words, straight, in order to prevent suspicion, suggesting that queer people have definite behaviors and appearances. This obligation is especially understandable for those that fear serious violence and even death if people were to find out who they are. However, the issue with this standard is that it is expected that queer people behave this way in order to maintain the comfort of bigoted people. The LGBTQ+ community has become so accustomed to coming out and choosing a label as two of the
crucial steps of being a fulfilled queer person that there are negative sentiments against people in the community who have decided not to come out. If someone simply identifies as “queer,” not specifying if they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or pansexual, etc., a common assumption is that they have not yet developed a solidified identity or decided who they are. For some, that is the case, however, identifying as “queer” can also mean that one identifies with the non-heterosexual and/or cisgender spectrum. There is also a harmful assumption that those who have decided against coming out are cowardly or aren’t serious about their identity. One is valid with or without completing the act of coming out. Coming out is revered as an act of bravery because the world has not learned to accept queer people. Discrimination on the basis of sexuality and gender wasn’t deemed illegal in the United States until
1975. Today, queer and transgender individuals are criminalized in 87 countries. This doesn’t even begin to cover the issue of interpersonal homophobia and transphobia that is still life-threatening, with several violent hate crimes against queer people occuring each year. It is difficult to say when the world will outgrow this societal expectation for queer people to announce their sexuality or gender identity. It is possible that societies will not achieve complete acceptance until every single country decriminalizes queer, transgender, and nonbinary people. In that case, we still may have a really long time to go. Until then, one should respect others’ space and choices. The choice to come out will always be up to the individual, and whichever choice they made should not diminish their confidence, validity, and sense of self.
8
TIGER JANUARY 29, 2021
CHARTING THE FUTURE OF BIDEN’S A
Charting the Future of Biden’s Adm F
ollowing the 2020 election, Democrats now hold a government trifecta after taking control of the presidency and Senate, as well as marginally maintaining the House of Representatives. After Trump and the associated Republican-dominated Senate, many are counting on Joe Biden’s presidency to correct unpopular legislation originating from the Trump administration.
STORY KATHARINE FLORENCE, CAT FLORES, SAM GROTENSTEIN, ADAM KWOH, MATTHEW TSAI, & LUYANG ZHANG PAGE TALULLA CHOW & MADDIE YOO ILLUSTRATIONS NICHOLAS FORMAN
It seems as if Democrats have all their ducks in a row to fully bounce back from the Trump presidency, but realistically, this is not the landslide victory many make it out to be. Democrats hold a “majority” in the 50-50 split Senate merely because of Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie breaking vote. In addition, the Senate operates with the 60 vote requirement filibuster rule, meaning it takes 60 votes to end debate and bring legislation to the Senate floor for amendments and a final vote. It’s also important to note the fragility of holding a 50-seat “majority.” Under Barack Obama’s presidency in 2012, the Democrats held 57 Senate seats with two Independents for a total of 59 left-leaning votes. Ted Kennedy’s seizure and eventual death, Al Franken’s late seating, and a Republican filling Kennedy’s seat only proved this unreliability. In that time, the Democrats managed to gain full control of the Senate for only four months, in which they passed a Republican healthcare bill (Affordable Care Act). The Democrats’ diversity prevents it from becoming the strong united coalition that the Republican party, to its credit, is; their supposedly unobstructed path to victory is narrower than it appears. Still, Biden’s administration presses forward, hoping to reunite and rebuild a nation that currently sits in the middle of a pandemic, social unrest, and economic turmoil. Tiger examines the 46th president’s plans and students’ reactions to the prospects of a more progressive future.
Biden’s platform and plan The COVID-19 Crisis and Healthcare COVID-19 is the first major hurdle of the Biden presidency, and as the situation develops, it will almost certainly test his willingness to employ more progressive healthcare measures. Biden has already set out to combat COVID-19, and has been committed to listening to scientific consultation as far as coronavirus policy. This has manifested in a new federal mask mandate for government buildings, and Biden has promised stricter enforcement of curfews and extra precautions. Xavier Beccera is Biden’s active Secretary of Health and Human Services and will handle the vaccine distribution of over 200 million doses. Beccera, a former California attorney general and L.A. local, has advocated for a single-payer healthcare strategy in the past. This could put him at odds with Biden, who has suggested a more moderate approach. During the 2020 presidential race, President Biden remained mostly silent about his healthcare platform, but has implied that he will keep the current private healthcare infrastructure intact. In his eight years as vice president to Barack Obama, Biden helped pass the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, a platform that has been relatively unpopular across the political spectrum. This position will certainly be challenged over the next four years, and Democratic Representatives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Illhan Omar have already begun pressuring the president to take a more progressive stance.
The Environment With the scientific consensus that 2035 will serve as a climate change “point of no return,” the Biden administration’s handling of climate-related issues will be held under increased scrutiny. So far, Biden has already done more than former president Trump, re-entering the Paris Climate Accord as well as adopting a few vaguely progressive pieces of legislation with the aim of fighting climate change. As far as Biden’s cabinet, special attention will be placed on Michael Regan. Regan is looking to face a particularly uphill battle, as the Trump administration worked to effectively gut the EPA.
Systemic Racism and Police Violence Both Biden and Harris have been heavily criticized for their past stances on criminal justice, though both have taken slightly more progressive stands in the 2020 presidential race. Skepticism of Biden’s progressive promises has stemmed primarily from his past support of the 1994 Violent Crimes control act, “the crime bill,” which alloted upwards of $10 billion to local law enforcement agencies as well as expanding the scope of the federal death penalty. Criticism has also been leveled at Harris, a former California state prosecutor. Harris has defended her past actions — knowingly putting trans people into the wrong prisons, advocating for the death penalty in California, and denying parole to inmates despite others confessing to their initial crimes — as coming from a “tough on crime” era of Democrats.
Despite this, Biden’s 2020 criminal justice reform plan doubled back on a number of these past stances. The plan includes the abolition of private prisons, the rollback and eventual removal of the federal death penalty, and a decrease in funding for some major police departments.
LGBTQ+ Rights After calling the battle for LGBTQ+ equality the “civil rights issue of our time,” Biden has already overturned Trump’s ban on transgender military service. Biden has also supported the Equality Act, which if passed would outline anti-bias policies that would primarily affect housing and workplace environments. Moreover, Biden has claimed that he intends to eradicate the AIDS epidemic, though so far this attitude has not been reflected by policy.
TIGER JANUARY 29, 2021
ADMINISTRATION AND THE NATION
ministration and the Nation think that [Biden] will do a “ Igreat job preserving the status quo. He isn’t going to make the radical changes our country needs and people will be complacent with that.
”
Student perspectives The recent elections gave SPHS’ left-leaning population a burst of optimism at the end of an historically messy year. However, this relief was short-lived, as 2021’s terrorist attack on the Capitol, and inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, leaving students torn about the nation’s future. SPHS students predictably voted coronavirus as the most pressing issue in the United States. Following almost a year of former president Donald Trump contradicting CDC experts’ judgments and flipflopping on the effectiveness of masks, 80.9 percent of 141 surveyed students are somewhat or extremely optimistic about how the United States will handle the COVID-19 pandemic now that Biden is in command. “The most important issue is getting vaccines from the freezers [and] into people’s arms,” senior Russell Thomas said. “I’m tentatively optimistic that Biden’s administration can do this efficiently, but I think that most of the blame for the slow rollout lies... on the state and local governments. I hope the new [administration] can help provide strong leadership and specific guidance that will help streamline and speed up the vaccination process.” Along with one of the worst health crises in U.S. history, Biden also enters the White House during a critical four-year period for slowing climate change. SPHS students voted the environment as the second most important global issue. Compost Culture co-leader, junior Liam de Villa, recognizes its immediate dangers, while still remaining upbeat. “Biden should and has the ability to create more effective climate policy,” de Villa said. “I do think he might miss the opportunity and focus on corporate interest. However, I still feel optimistic[. . .] I hope he
can make an effort to further regulate corporations, although it may be in the disinterest of his donors and capitalist voters[. . .] Politicians can change and Biden may be on track to be a modern day [Franklin D. Roosevelt] or [Lyndon B. Johnson.] Hopefully he rides the progressive policy change, but only time will tell.” Students also await to see the continuation of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement that created countless organizations dedicated to combating racism across the nation. Now, they expect Biden’s administration to follow these groups’ lead and take steps to dismantle discrimination and bias. “There is an issue with police brutality in the United States and it felt as though the past administration glossed over it because they did not care,” junior Julie Frias, a secretary for the Latinx club, said. “[Now] there’s a feeling of hope that many have lost in the last few years. It is a big relief knowing the president and his administration care about their citizens and care about their citizens’ concerns.” BLM exacerbated the glaring misinformation, Trump’s fiery Twitter takes, and blatant media bias that has fostered an extreme political polarization and increased division in the nation at the worst time. Students hope that, like Biden emphasized in his inauguration speech, the new President’s administration will bring unity to the country. “As a more conservative individual at SPHS, I often feel extremely isolated from my peers. I am often grouped with right extremists who are actually terrorists rather than good people,” an anonymous junior said. “Because of Trump, being a Republican has brought shame and extreme criticism from others. I personally disagree with almost everything Trump stands for and is. . . I am hopeful for Biden because I think his main goal is to reunite the country rather than take advantage of his position to pursue only left views and values. I respect everyone’s opinions and I am always open to a civil discussion to elaborate, but I never feel like that is reciprocated towards me or other conservatives at SPHS.” Others fear that Biden’s attempts to unify the country are exactly what will prevent real progressive legislation from being passed and implemented. “Overall I’m pessimistic about [Biden.] He’s better than Trump, but Biden is just going back to the antiquated idea of ‘good enough’ neoliberalism that still throws the most needy people under the bus,” junior Leo Barrera said. “I think he will do a great job of preserving the status quo. He isn’t going to make the radical changes our country needs and people will be complacent with that.”
28%
FAR LEFT
36% LEFT-LEANING
26%
MODERATE
1%
FAR RIGHT
9
TIGER
10 JANUARY 29, 2021
FEATURE
Kim’s Convenience KIMBERLY HSUEH
Stop telling me that distance learning is easy The 2020 spring semester was an unexpected shift from in-person learning to online schooling, yet many of us managed a smooth transition. Nine months later, processing the normalization of school at home has proved to be more difficult than the initial transition. While experiencing the raging pandemic, political climate, and isolation, students are expected to show the same effort, attention, and efficiency seen in pre-COVID times. Now, on top of being stressed and anxious, we are overwhelmed, distracted, and thoroughly burnt-out.
Lana Del Rey’s love songs are glamorized national anthems The pop star sings about her new sense of self and a love affair with America. STORY GEORGIA PARSONS ILLUSTRATION NICHOLAS FORMAN
L
ana Del Rey is all about relationships; her dreamy vocals, visually enthralling music videos, and poignant lyricism explore the various aspects of a tumultuous love life and her connection to the American dream. Her newest album, Chemtrails Over the Country Club — set to be released on Mar. 19 — delves deeper into the complexities of her relationships with those she loves and her identity as an American. So far, Del Rey has released two singles from Chemtrails: the titular “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” and “Let Me Love You Like a Woman.” In “Let Me Love You Like a Woman,” Del Rey sings of running away to the countryside with her partner. The vocals are, as always, beautiful, though the repetition leaves the listener wanting for something more. Despite the initial dullness of the lyrics, the song acts as an easily-digestible introduction to the rest of the album. Throughout the album, Del Rey explores her newfound sense of self. It is obvious through her lyrics and the music video that Del Rey has matured both musically and as a person since her earlier albums. While songs from her earlier eras like “Ride” and “Diet Mountain Dew,” are expressions of Del Rey’s desperation and uncertainty in relationships, “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” is a love letter to her newfound sense of freedom and stability. Themes of self-reliance are stressed in both Del Rey’s lyrics and the almost cult-like wolf symbolism in the music video, which cuts from dreamlike 50s style scenes to clips of wolves and women with glowing eyes. This imagery could be a reference to her “wild side,” something she alludes to in the song, repeating the lyrics, “I’m not unhinged or unhappy, I’m just wild.” Although she has undoubtedly matured, Del Rey still holds on to a “wild side,” reminiscent of her teenage years and the Lizzy Grant era. Deeper, though, this imagery could also be a reference to her favorite book Women Who Run With the Wolves by
Clarissa Pinkola Estes. The book delves into the powerful force within women that is “filled with good instincts, passionate creativity, and ageless knowing.” Possibly the most notable — and the most scrutinized — of topics Del Rey delves into is her romantic relationships. Ultraviolence, her 2014 album, received especially harsh criticism for romanticizing abusive relationships. On the title track, she sings “he hit me and it felt like a kiss” and later goes on to call the relationship “a blessed union.” Lyrics like these are unhealthy for young audiences to listen to and Del Rey absolutely deserved criticism for the romanticization of abusive relationships, which is why it is so important to be a conscious and informed listener especially of her older work. Her newer work, though less overtly romanticizing, continues to explore unhealthy relationships. Del Rey’s work is frequently criticized for being profoundly antifeminist, with some critics even going so far as to say that her music is “a huge step back for women everywhere.” Female artists, especially prominent popstars, are expected to empower and uplift. Anything less than empowering would be anti-feminist. Lana Del Rey does not subscribe to this idea. Instead, she acknowledges the (occasionally unfortunate) complexities of being a woman in a heterosexual relationship. Del Rey’s relationship with America itself is equally as complex as the romantic relationships she sings about, specifically a fascination with 50s Americana. Chemtrails Over the Country Club plays with an interpretation of American identity, leaning heavily on patriotic motifs and 50s glamour. The album prior to Chemtrails is an homage to Norman Rockwell, a painter made famous for his depiction of a white-picket-fence (and equally white nuclear family) 1950s America. Even in “Ride,” a music video released for her 2012 album Paradise, featured Del Rey wrapped up in an American flag. She stated in that very music video that she “believe[d] in the country America used to be.” Her discography is nostalgic for a time when one was not expected to be politically aware. If time were turned back, the romanticizations of abuse that have styled her career might have been met with praise rather than ridicule.
First period: AP English Literature and Composition. I drag my feet to my desk, several feet away. While distant from my peers, the unforgiving camera, perpetually bad lighting, and close-up sea of faces flood me with self-consciousness. In my quiet house, my deteriorating social skills heighten my anxiety and lack of confidence. Mustering all the energy I have for the day, I stumble on my words and speak shakily into my microphone. By 10:00 a.m., I am mentally drained. My next two periods are AP Calculus AB and AP Biology. A wave of exhaustion washes over me, yet these two classes require my max level of concentration and attention. I straighten my posture and copy down lecture notes, but the foreign lack of classroom ambience, noise, and interactions forces me to lose focus; my mind is everywhere else. When I revisit my notes later that day, I stare at the words with no recollection of the lecture. Confusion, frustration, and ambivalence build up as I use hours after school to relearn the material. I search for practice sheets and helpful videos, transferring the information onto written sheets of paper, but my preparation is never enough. I see a gradual drop in my grades with every test. I put 100 percent of my effort and time into studying, but my results are neither what I expect nor what I want. I think back to in-person school: visiting teachers for questions; checking in with counselors, past teachers, and office staff; and laughing and struggling through assignments with my friends. Collectively, those small interactions made my life vibrant and were moments I looked forward to, despite the difficulty of school. I miss the presence of my community, and most importantly, I miss the productivity, efficiency, and inspiration that my community sparked within me. Now, as I struggle to perform at the same level, a level that is expected by my parents, teachers, and myself, I am confronting disappointment. I wish I had the answers to guide everyone out of their slumps, but I don’t. Though, I have realized one thing: I am not alone in this experience. We are all performing to the best of our ability, even if it doesn’t seem like enough. We are trying to adapt to circumstances we couldn’t have possibly planned for. Distance learning is difficult, so allow yourself some space and forgiveness.
TIGER JANUARY 29, 2021
FEATURE
11
Dave Rubin and the alt-right aesthetic STORY SAM GROTENSTEIN ILLUSTRATION TERRY SONG
I
n 2008, Dave Rubin released the first episode of Hot Gay Comics, a show designed to publicize queer members of the stand-up comedy world. Information on Hot Gay Comics is suprisingly hard to find with the exception of a single IMDB review giving the show 2/10 stars, citing that it was cringey, awkward, and had a bad host (Dave Rubin). After an uneventful eight-episode run, the show was canceled, living and dying in obscurity. Unfortunately, most people do not know Dave Rubin as the host of Hot Gay Comics. Rubin is now the host of The Rubin Report, a right-wing political commentary YouTube channel, which is a stark contrast to his humble beginnings as a stand-up comic. Rubin has been considered by many to be a part of the “Intellectual dark-web (IDW),” a subgroup of the alt-right that includes a number of notable members like Ben Shapiro, Steven Molyneux, and Dennis Prager, and has gained incredible traction by acting as a “gateway” to the MAGA movement. However, it is worth noting that Rubin has never recognized himself as a conservative, but rather a “classical liberal” or “anti-progressive.” Before Rubin fell in with the alt-right, The Rubin Report was originally hosted by The Young Turks, a Youtube channel dedicated to hosting a number of subsidiary channels focused on left-leaning political commentary and news. Rubin has cited a number of reasons for leaving the Turks, suggesting that they “got too political,” or even simply that he “woke up.” After parting ways with The Young Turks and taking a small portion of their audience with him, Rubin’s own channel started to gain traction with videos like “On Trump and The Muslim Ban with Glenn Beck.” Rubin continued making videos platforming a number of far right pundits, letting them make outrageous claims, while he occasionally nodded his head in agreement. Rubin found incredible success in this format, netting over 1.5 million subscribers and launching a merch store in which he sells shirts that read “classical liberal” for $25. The bizarre fact about Dave Rubin is just how uninspired his content is. This criticism is not unique to Rubin, and can be extended to just about all of the aforementioned “IDW.” The majority of these creators produce the same
type of content (political commentary), covering the same topics (whatever is trending on Twitter at time of release), and more importantly hosting the same set of guests (each other), which raises an interesting question about not just Dave Rubin, but the right wing political commentary sphere as a whole: What is the appeal? The answer to this question is fundamental to the type of content Rubin creates. While the story of Dave Rubin may read like that of an ambitious businessman lacking in moral convictions, it is actually a story of identity. Since the beginning of his career, Dave Rubin has never stopped trying to sell the world an identity. From Hot Gay Comics, a show for a gay audience, to his time with The Young Turks trying to market himself as an alternative to late-night TV, finally ending up just like everyone else in the IDW: with a merch store that sells overpriced t-shirts with political slogans on them. By this token, Rubin and the rest of the IDW has amassed an audience of individuals who can seek to define themselves only through their political identity, a group of impressionable viewers who care less about the actual politics and more about the aesthetic of the community. This is why Rubin can’t identify himself as a conservative, but rather an “anti-progressive” — the community he has formed has less to do with the actual politics he promotes and puts forward, and more on the aesthetic of existing in opposition to another set of ideas. This is to say that Rubin can only justify his existence by proving that the identity he is selling is not only important, but constantly under attack, and the only way you can help is by buying a shirt for $25. This critique can be extended to the alt-right movement as a whole. In a time where so many are under constant attack for their ethnic, cultural, and sexual identities, it can be incredibly difficult to feel like one doesn’t have an identity. Straight white men can’t “blame” their struggles on factors like race or sexual orientation, so they perform mental gymnastics to turn their privilege into something paradoxically isolating. This creates a space for people like Rubin to assure them that not only do they have identities, but identities that are oppressed and need defending. In an almost hegelian fashion, The Rubin Report and the alt-right as a whole are the antithesis to the synthesis that is progressive politics, and thus couldn’t exist without them.
2020 fashion in review: Looking to the avant garde STORY SAM GROTENSTEIN PHOTO SARAH LEE
Almost a year into quarantine, it is basically expected that everyone develop a hobby. For some it has been painting, for others gardening. But I have taken my own route, choosing to work on and improve the one thing that I hold closest to my heart: my wardrobe. Clearly, I am not alone in this pursuit, as despite a decrease in the number of people going outside, 2020 has not seen any complacency from the fashion community. The internet has given rise to a number of spaces for those with a passion for fashion to connect with their peers, so it seems only fitting to start with the work of a man who has gained an internet cult following that can be likened to the Manson family. This man is Rick Owens, American designer and head of his self-titled fashion line. Rick Owens is responsible for some of the most iconic (or infamous depending on which circles are consulted) pieces of clothing of the last few years including a number of fine leather jackets as well as Ramones, high top sneakers that have a silhouette strikingly similar to that of Converse, with the important distinction that Ramones retail for upwards of $1200. This is characteristic of the avant-garde fashion craze, which has started to gain more mainstream traction over the last year. Avante-garde is a term generally used to denote particularly innovative and boundarypushing designers and labels, and features designers like Carol Christian Poell, Maison Margiela, and the aforementioned Rick Owens. The two key issues with this movement stem from price and culture. It goes without saying that designer clothing isn’t cheap, but it is harder now than ever to financially follow fashion trends. This ties directly into the second problem, as the high cost of avante-garde fashion leads to a surrounding culture that is both elitist and obsessive.
DESIGNERS LIKE RICK OWENS, Maison Margiela, and Carol Christian Poell gained enormous popularity in 2020.
Just this last week, a Grailed (a popular website for reselling designer clothing) listing for a Maison Margiela egg carton was sold for over $500 within minutes. This is not to say that brands like Maison Margiela can’t exist without the mainstream fashion market, nor does it say that the quality and design of garments by these names are anything less than exquisite, but rather that
the culture has shifted the emphasis from the artistry of the garments (or egg cartons) themselves to the brand name on the tag. The last year has also seen the rise of vintage and specifically workwear clothing. There has been no shortage of media talking about the inherent problems with vintage culture, (e.g. people going into Goodwill and buying clothes en masse to turn over and sell for twice the price on Depop) but a number of these issues affect workwear culture as well. The traction behind brands like Carhartt have made finding a Carhartt jacket or work pants for under $200 on the internet nearly impossible, just so white kids can dress like they work a job that involves manual labor. Fashion trends don’t come out of a vacuum though, and the shift away from streetwear is one that has been long understood in the world of online fashion communities. Despite the irony that the majority of communities built around looking good exist online, fashion accounts on Instagram have seen immense success over the last year. “I’ve seen huge spikes in engagement and user interaction,” Daniel said (@wisconsindeathtrip), admin of the fashion meme-page cumdegarcons, “I’d say that people are hungrier than ever to belong to a community online. Discord is huge right now for fashion too.” Meme pages like Daniel’s have been vital in supporting the fashion community over this quarantine, and are responsible for introducing a number of people (myself included) to the world of fashion. These pages are generally built around ridiculing trends in the fashion world, and are a driving force in cementing trends. It’s beautiful that despite the feelings of isolation felt by almost everyone over the last year, communities like Daniel’s manage to support the weight of the fashion world. I take comfort in knowing that no matter how alone I might feel both physically and in my interests, there is a world of kind, accepting, and funny people out there who, just like me, want nothing more than to spend $500 on an egg carton.
TIGER
12 JANUARY 29, 2021
FEATURE
Consulting the cosmos: Astrology in 2021
STORY KATHARINE FLORENCE ILLUSTRATION ALICIA ZHANG
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his coming year holds a lot of potential in terms of astrology. The impactful Jupiter/Saturn conjunction — when two or more planets line up and exemplify the powers of the planets — in Aquarius last December has set up 2021 as the beginning of a new era. While Jupiter and Saturn meet every 20 years in the signs of the same element (water, earth, fire, air), every 200 years, they shift into a new element. After 200 years of meeting in earth signs, this alignment in Aquarius marks the entry into a 200-year emphasis on air sign energy, which has not occurred since 1623. Jupiter, the planet of growth, expansion, and prosperity, and Saturn, the planet of responsibility, maturity, and discipline together mark the tone of reality through the lens of air signs. This will be shown in things like ideological domination, spread of pandemics, data collection, and innovation.
2021 will bring revolution and a shift in the collective consciousness over the next year. Aquarius is the sign that represents the collective, progress, and humanitarian efforts. The world will hold this independent and intellectual Aquarian energy. People will rebel against old, outdated Saturnian forces. These Aquarian themes will continue to be highlighted profoundly until 2023. This conjunction also occurred at zero degrees. In astrology, a zero degree point symbolizes new beginnings. This transit lasts about one year, meaning it is one of the most defining astrological events of 2021. From 2020 to 2023, Saturn will be squaring the planet Uranus. A square is a 90 degree aspect that represents tension and challenge. Again, Saturn is the planet of responsibility, maturity, and discipline, whereas Uranus symbolizes rebellion, and innovation. This represents conservative ideologies coming up against progressive ideologies. Historically, Saturn/Uranus squares have coincided with struggles for the liberation of oppressed groups.
For example, this square occurred from 1929 to 1933, paralleling the stock market crash and the establishment of the Third Reich. Another Saturn/Uranus square dates from 1974 to 1978. During that time in Cambodia, Pol Pot led the Khmer Rouge in a revolution that killed millions. The last square before the one being lived through now happened between 1998 and 2001 which most infamously concluded with the attack on the New York City World Trade Center. To bring some good news, Venus, the planet of love, relationships, and aesthetics, as well as Mars, the planet of action, assertion, and sex, are no longer retrograde. Retrograde is an adjective, describing a period in which a planet is moving backward or in a direction opposite to that of the motions of other planets. In 2020, both Venus and Mars were retrograde. In 2021, the absence of these retrograded planets only means better days are ahead. These planets are also going to come together in Leo between June and July. This conjunction is a reunion of the feminine energy from Venus and masculine energy from Mars, encouraging harmonious relationships.
A Little Life is a testament to the strength of chosen family Brimming with trauma and pain, Jude’s story brings a heightened sense of sadness to the novel. Jude, who develops a disability in his youth after being in a car accident, must balance his personal life with his disability, which seems to mar every aspect of his life. With no family to support him and years of trauma he has yet to deal with, Jude seems to represent a life that no one wants to experience. A Little Life is anything but a lighthearted book. Each page seems to seep with the sorrow of an unfair world, and each man’s struggles serve to remind the reader that life is often cruel. The four men in the novel are rewarded brief moments of happiness, but the tragedy never truly or fully stops. Despite the sadness, the novel is also filled with so much hope and joy, as each man continues to be encouraged by the promise of a new day. They are anchored by the thought that, although life can seem like one painful road, tomorrow will always come and with it, a fresh start. It is much more beneficial to focus on those new moments than the old pain.
STORY KATIE HOHMAN ILLUSTRATION ALICIA ZHANG A Little Life is a 2015 contemporary fiction novel written by American author Hanya Yanagihara. It is a beautiful, if tragic, look into the lives of four young men: Jude, Malcolm, JB, and Willem, as they stumble through life and love in New York City. The novel, coming in at 814 pages, spans decades and follows the men from the end of graduate school to old age and the eventual end of their lives. It deals with issues surrounding race, sexuality, and class as the men struggle to find themselves while overcoming trauma. Each of the four main characters in A Little Life is profoundly complex, and the reader easily becomes invested in their stories as they grapple with the ups and downs of getting older. Their pain is both incredibly unique and utterly relatable, turning each conflict into a devastatingly personal heartbreak.
First, it’s the fact that JB feels like he doesn’t belong among the other immigrants in Brooklyn and he’s too American — too optimistic — to fit in. Then it’s Malcom’s feelings of incompetence at his architectural job and his desire to be young again. “[Malcolm] longed for the years when it was enough to simply be in his room with his hand moving over a piece of graph paper, before the years of decisions and identities, when his parents made his choices for him, and the only thing he had to concentrate on was the clean blade stroke of a line, the ruler’s perfect knife edge,” Yanagihara explains. Nowhere can Yanagihara’s expert control over information be seen more than with the character of Jude, who serves as the buoy that keeps the other men afloat. Out of the four main characters, Jude is the last one that the reader learns anything about and his story is the most heart-wrenching.
“Nothing hurts, nothing even threatens to hurt: his body is his again, something that will perform for him whatever he can imagine, without complaint or sabotage,” Yanagihara writes of Jude early in the novel. “He closes his eyes, not because he’s tired but because it is a perfect moment, and he knows how to enjoy them.” Despite the pain and suffering, Jude, Malcolm, JB, and Willem have each other, and it is that support that carries them forward. The four men truly love each other, making A Little Life the perfect testament to found family and the beauty that true friendship can bring.
A Little Life Author Genre
Hanya Yanagihara Contemporary fiction
Trigger warning for themes of self-harm, suicide, and sexual assault.
TIGER JANUARY 29, 2021
FEATURE
TAAGLAA:
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Reconnecting with Nature
TIGER’S AWESOME ADVENTURES IN THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA with a good book, nothing beats going with a group of friends. The mix of interesting company and winding paths makes it easy to get lost amid the trees and forget about the outside world for a couple of hours — and that is exactly what we did. It was only when we saw multiple students from SPHS (and someone I was convinced was Ms. Jaroch) that we were reminded we had school in two short days. While drifting through the gardens, we became more focused on our conversations. In the Japanese garden, we took turns describing our dream homes and how fun it would be to have a 1970s-style conversation pit. While walking through the desert garden, we searched for plant names that could double as an acceptable name for a child. I even challenged a koi fish (dubbed “Kyle” by Oscar) to a fight. The most difficult part of the visit was having to walk up the hill that connects the desert garden to the front of the Huntington. We found ourselves stopping to catch our breath and ended up laughing at how out of shape we are. Naturally, we didn’t learn from our mistake and decided to do a hike next.
STORY KATIE HOHMAN & QUINN MANZO PHOTOS OSCAR WALSH
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atie: New iPhones, Zoom meetings, social media — society has taken a deep dive into the digital world where, at every turn we take, we’re met with the vibrant screens and sonic whooshes. But, the digital world will never be as good as the real thing. This month, Oscar Walsh, Quinn Manzo, and I found ourselves at The Huntington Gardens and Sam Merill hiking trail. The first location we visited was The Huntington Gardens, located just 15 minutes from South Pasadena. The Huntington is currently reservation-only, so we nabbed our tickets as quickly as we could and ended up paying the $24 student fee. Although the cafes and art galleries are closed, all of the gardens are open to ticketholders, and we were excited to spend some time outside. As a former Huntington Art Gallery volunteer, I was even more eager to return to a place I hadn’t been since the start of quarantine. Immediately, we noticed how well-organized everything was. There were arrows laid out, ensuring that areas did not get too crowded and all bags were checked for food upon arrival. The gardens were expertly designed to feel like an escape, with each path smoothly guiding patrons from one terrain to the next. Despite walking in the wrong direction on multiple occasions, we eventually got the hang of the winding arrows and swiftly fell into step with each other. While I know that the Huntington can easily be enjoyed alone, as I have spent many afternoons there by myself
Quinn: In complete honesty, Katie and I had originally meant to visit the Echo Mountain trail. Oscar had gotten there first, and he messaged us that the trail was reservations-only; we did not have a reservation. We decided to meet at Echo Mountain anyways and figure it out from there. We did some quick research on nice trails nearby. Luckily for us, the Sam Merrill trail was nine minutes away.
the apocalypse and their favorite childhood shows that formed their personalities. The most striking aspect of this hiking trail is the effect it has on your short-term memory. When walking up the hill, you forget about the test you took yesterday and the assignment due tomorrow. Whether it was the breathtaking view or the lack of oxygen from walking uphill for the first time in months, I fell into a peaceful trance. The pandemic and distance learning has been months and months of nothing but conscious worrying, and this hike reminded me of the value of being present. The three of us stopped halfway up the path to face the view behind us. The view looked like the way it feels to stick your arm out the car window on the freeway. When visited on a cloudy day, thin ribbons of sunshine creep through the clouds to meet the water. The tops of the trees curve to lean on each other’s shoulders, and the rocks in the path below you form a mosaic. Overall, The Huntington Garden and the Sam Merrill trail are simply nice places to be. We encourage you to bring some loved ones to gawk at the beautiful flowers and vast landscapes. I even more so encourage you to bring someone you don’t know very well. Who knows? Maybe you both will like conversation pits and have the same plan if the apocalypse comes.
The Sam Merril trail wasn’t even our second, third, or fourth choice. It was a pathway we happened to come across amidst frustration and guilt over insufficient planning. That being said, our expectations for the experience were pretty much underground. The trail looked quaint and unintimidating. After giving the hiking trail a chance, I urge you not to make the same mistake I did and make a snap judgment about this location. We had two options: walk one concrete road or one of many dirt roads branching off of it, and although Oscar insisted on choosing one of the dirt pathways, Katie and I argued against it. We did not have the same Boy Scout directional instincts and feared getting lost. We compromised by taking a short dirt pathway that eventually leads back to the main path. We continued to discuss the topics brought up at the Huntington and Katie and Oscar relentlessly shamed me for putting goat cheese on pizza (while you’re here, I recommend trying that as well). The trail was the perfect location for getting to know new friends, offering a silent setting to talk over and a beautiful scene to pause and stare at every sentence or two. I learned a lot of interesting facts about Katie and Oscar. If you ask me what their middle names are, I will stare at you blankly, but I could go on for hours about how they would handle
FRESH AIR AND GOOD COMPANY were perfect antidotes for stress and anxiety.
Tiger’s Podcast! Nightmare on Mission Street Hosted by Cloe Maurer and Amber Chen @nightmareonmission Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
New episodes every Tuesday at 5pm
Nightmare on Mission Street is a podcast about current events and personal perspectives. This podcast only represents the views of the hosts and any guests. It does not necessarily represent the views of the SPHS staff, student body, faculty, administration, or Tiger Newspaper.
TIGER
14 JANUARY 29, 2021
SPORTS
SPORTS Athletes share their COVID-19 recovery processes STORY EDDIE ZHOU PHOTO ELLA JAYASEKERA
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outh Pasadena has surpassed 1,100 coronavirus cases and SPHS’ socially-distanced athletic practices have been shut down multiple times due to positive tests. With coronavirus becoming more and more of a common occurrence, Tiger spoke with student-athletes who had the virus to understand the physical tolls and the recovery processes. After enduring a 17-day sickness period, junior swimmer Sophia Davison found it most challenging transitioning back into her day to day routine during recovery, let alone more concentrated physical activity again. “The recovery process was hard for me. Just getting my breathing back to normal was a struggle and it was hard to get in shape after being out for so long,” Davison said. Senior track sprinter and jumper Camdon Park experienced similar difficulties ramping up his workout regime after recovering from COVID-19. As soon as he cleared his quarantine, he jumped back into sprinting and jumping exercises but found himself having trouble returning to the levels of fitness he had enjoyed before. “The fatigue, when you have it, you get extremely tired and you have no energy to do anything...I was extremely gassed and out of shape when just doing warmups,” Park said. “Usually after a workout, I wouldn’t be that tired, but after having COVID-19, it really took a toll on me.” Cole Stirling, a fellow senior on both the football and baseball team, feels lucky that his experience and recovery
from the virus was a relatively smooth experience. Stirling experienced mild cold-like symptoms, but like many minors who have contracted the virus, he quickly recovered after his positive test. “I feel very fortunate that my symptoms were mild and that I do not have any lingering effects,” Stirling said. “My entire family tested positive at the same time, which actually was better for us, [considering] that we had it together and didn’t have to quarantine from one another.” During their recovery, Stirling and Park made sure to increase intake of vitamin C and D while also ensuring that they were properly hydrated and rested. Stirling alleviated the boredom he experienced during quarantine by doing light workouts in his home gym while Park did his best to stay in shape through basic bodyweight exercises. Davison also began to go on daily runs and improve her physical fitness but stressed the importance of recovering at her own pace. “Take your time going back into things because being healthy and mentally healthy are a lot more important than getting back into a sport,” Davison said. Although it took a couple of weeks for Stirling to fully regain his taste and smell, he is grateful to be back to playing the sports he enjoys. He hopes that other recovering athletes have a similarly fortunate experience and urges them to take good care of their bodies. “My best advice is to listen to your body and not try to push yourself to do things that you are not ready for,” Stirling said. “If you need rest, then rest.”
AFTER QUICKLY BOUNCING BACK FROM THE CORONAVIRUS, studentathletes like senior track sprinter Camdon Park (above) expressed concern over the difficulties of returning to their preCOVID-19 stamina levels. Returning to their sports may be the number one priority for many athletes, but through their experiences, Davison, Park, and Stirling stress the importance of a proper recovery. Whether it means taking extra vitamins or simply resting, athletes must understand the necessity of treating one’s body with care, especially while recovering from COVID-19.
Sports opinion - Athleticism, not appearance: The subtle sexualization of female athletes
STORY KAHLEN MIAO ILLUSTRATION DAVID SOHN In a report published by the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, female cheerleaders ranked second in receiving catastrophic injuries from their sport. Yet, despite its difficulty and risk, cheerleading is widely perceived as trivial and mockable. Cheerleading is a female dominated sport; about 97 percent of cheerleaders are women. Much like other sports, it requires hours of practice and dedication to perfect. Despite this, cheerleading is often boiled down by the public to the stereotypes of dumb girls in too-short skirts mindlessly waving pom poms. This public mindset towards the sport is evidence of the fact cheerleaders are appreciated more for their sex appeal, rather than their athletic ability. This issue in cheerleading is representative of a larger issue in women’s sports: oversexualization. Oversexualization is the excessive attribution of sex to a certain subject. The sexual objectification of women
contributes to harmful gender stereotypes and feeds into the belief that women are worth no more than their body. Oversexualization manifests in glaring problems and social subtleties: when women are dressed in revealing clothing for purposes other than aerobic ability; when women aren’t given proper recognition; when women are given roles tantamount to “male accessories.” Mainstream sexualization has even breached the walls of schools. SPHS’ pep team is rarely taken seriously by the student body, despite their dedication and hard work. At assemblies, the team becomes subject to sexist appraisal and mockery. This lack of recognition extends farther to the structure of SPHS’ pep program itself. Pep is not recognized as its own independent sport and therefore isn’t able to officially compete with other teams. Cheerleading at SPHS has conformed to the stereotype: women overwhelmingly cheering on the boys’ sports — fueling the damaging “women serve men’’ attitude. The oversexualization of female athletes is especially apparent through their revealing uniforms that have unfairly justified aerobic foundation. For example at SPHS, the girls volleyball team consists of tight tops and “booty shorts,” while the boys team is allowed to wear
baggy shirts and shorts. The girls’ tennis uniform also contrasts the boys’ with tank tops and uncomfortablyrevealing short skirts rather than loose shirts and shorts. These revealing clothes are rooted in gaining the male gaze and attention. It’s often about how men want to see women: in tight clothing with maximum bare skin. Cheerleaders were brought on to draw in viewers. Now it implies that people won’t watch women play sports unless they’re sexy. Women don’t get viewership on athletic ability alone they always have to compensate with appearance. “Being able to play in what makes you comfortable and confident can really make a difference in the way you play,” junior golfer Maya Turun said. However, if they prefer to do so, it is okay for women to dress in sexy and more revealing clothing when they play sports. Female athletes should not be limited to the type of clothes they choose to wear while exercising and should not have to fall under the pressure that they must dress a certain way to participate in a sport. Women shouldn’t have to feel pressure to be sexualized in order to receive recognition for their athletic ability.
TIGER JANUARY 29, 2021
15
Kelly Wu: Figure skating with fearlessness STORY SOFIA ALVA PHOTO COURTESY OF KELLY WU
outlet to channel her talent while also having a positive impact on her body image.
enior Kelly Wu didn’t think much of it. Falling was normal, so she brushed it off and continued to skate. It wasn’t until a couple hours later when Wu saw a deep, bloody cut on her bottom. She was quickly rushed into emergency surgery, but never once was Wu fazed. Only a few months later, Wu was back at the site of her dangerous injury — the ice rink — and she continued figure skating like she never fell.
“Skating has helped me realize [that] I am a unique skater,” Wu said. “Skaters often are better in different aspects, and I have always been complimented on the height and size of my jumps. This has made me more thankful for what my body can do for me and helps me understand how much more our bodies are than just an object or image.”
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Born on ice, Wu started skating at 3 years old, an activity her family had enjoyed for many years. Watching her family skate, while she was lifted on the shoulders of the rink workers, Wu fell in love with the sport. Quickly moving from group to private lessons allowed Wu to hone in and focus on her skating skills. As she continued to practice and train four to five days a week, Wu began competing on a synchronized figure skating team. There she was able to experience a team dynamic, which was new to her as figure skating is usually viewed as an individual sport. Wu has experienced many ups and downs throughout her skating career, navigating injuries and taking time off from the sport. When she began to skate consistently, Wu often became irritated when experiencing common injuries like ankle twisting and other general pain. The intense and demanding training took a toll on her body and in sixth grade, a hip injury caused her to stop skating for a few months, a major shift from the rigorous routine she was used to. “I became extremely frustrated with myself and with the fact that I wasn’t progressing with skating,” Wu said. “I came close to quitting when no physical therapist or sports medicine doctor could diagnose [my injury].” Wu has been able to explore the art of self expression through skating as well. This has given her a creative
Wu’s years of experience in skating has given her the opportunity to learn not only more about herself, but how she fits into the dynamic of a team. Competing alongside her teammates showed Wu the beauty of community and having a support system behind the scenes in a sport that can feel lonely at times. “I have known most of the rink staff and coaches pretty much since I was born,” Wu said. “In times of isolation from hardship or insecurity, I’m able to find a sense of homeliness with closer people like my coaches. However the rink staff, other coaches, and other skaters whom you’re usually friends with are also people you can talk to when you’re warming up or tying skates. Interactions with them seem small and insignificant, but they’re supportive [whether it be] saying, ‘Good job,’ after you land a jump or run through your program, or sympathizing with pain and aches.” After high school, Wu hopes to continue skating by taking on a mentorship role as a coach. Her experiences in group lessons as a child have made her eager to contribute and give back in the same way. “I have become a group lesson coach, and plan to apply to become a skating judge and private coach as a part-time job in the future,” Wu said. “Skating has provided me with many unforgettable experiences that I cherish. I hope to stay in the figure skating community and introduce my future family and friends to such a fun sport.”
ALTHOUGH FIGURE SKATING IS USUALLY PERFORMED AS A SOLO SPORT, there is a great amount of support behind the scenes. The encouragment Wu recieves from her peers is what leads her to skate with courage.
Students weigh safety concerns over passion to play STORY ZOE SCHLAAK ILLUSTRATION NICHOLAS FORMAN Public high schools, like SPHS, adapted to outdoor, distance training in order to follow protocols, but due to L.A.’s surge of cases, all practices have been postponed. Numerous SPHS athletes normally split time between high school athletics and an elite sports club. Like everything else, these sports clubs shut down at the beginning of lockdown but in recent months have begun opening with protocols to ensure safety of their athletes. Returning to in-person practice presents its own set of conflicts — the desire to continue playing their favored sport and the danger of exposing themselves to coronavirus. This often leaves students with a difficult choice between continuing their passion or prioritizing their safety. Along with the health risks, athletes are also faced with different training circumstances that could affect their athletic development and their possible future in that sport. For outdoor clubs, like soccer, many have capitalized off of Zoom and held virtual practices to keep their athletes in shape during lockdown periods. “My coach started communicating with us more and we started having three Zoom practices that we did in our backyard every week and a workout he sent us,” SPHS junior and L.A. Surf Club athlete Sadie Abelson said. Now the L.A. Surf Club holds in-person practices with strict protocols. The club requires temperature checks before every practice and masks are kept on throughout the entirety of play. Bags are also lined up six feet apart to prevent contact when players rest or get a drink of water. Their coach also manages possible symptoms through a scheduling app that requires daily health checks. Senior Anthony Felix currently plays club at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center and his club also shut down completely until mid-August. The athletes have begun training and need to wait outside in distanced bubbles to get their temperature checked before entering the facility. In the pool, only three people are allowed in each swimming lane. “So when you think about it, when you are swimming in a lane with three people like that, you are never going to touch the other person because you are continuously swimming,” Felix said. “We have been doing a really good job making sure everyone stays safe and follows protocol.”
Volleyball clubs, like San Gabriel Elite Volleyball Club, are currently training indoors while following regulations. Some of the precautions include no visitors allowed inside the gyms and to ensure social distancing there are six foot markers placed on the floors.
“I saw when they posted a picture day, it was large groups of girls together, like whole teams together...I have only seen one or two people this past quarantine, maybe a total of three people, so I’m not very comfortable going to facilities.”
“We haven’t been able to play other people and other teams and I’d say considering COVID I’m super lucky to play under any circumstances. Although it is a bummer that we can’t play normally because of COVID. I’m super happy that I get to get out of the house and see my friends and get some exercise,” freshman volleyball athlete Helena Foord said.
Molina’s sports club continues to train indoors and despite their precautionary measures to ensure athletes safety, there have been confirmed positive cases from athletes within her club and she feels that it would be very dangerous to risk infection considering her social circumstances at the moment.
Although many athletes continue to train with their club, some no longer feel comfortable, especially for sport that require indoor use. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable joining back club right now, my club in particular,” junior club volleyball athlete Samantha Molina said.
“I would feel awful giving [coronavirus] to my family,” Molina said. “I also work at Teamorrow too so if I worked without knowing that I had it, I would have spread it to all my coworkers, and not to mention the public I serve all the time. ” SPHS facilities will remain closed until at least Tuesday, Feb. 2, while sports clubs continue training.
TIGER
16 JANUARY 29, 2021
SPORTS
Students brace for possible cancellation of sports Brady Nakamura said. “A lot of [long distance runners] have been clinging to the fact that there might still be CIF, but that’s starting to look unrealistic. It’s just really unfortunate because we’ve been training hard since May of last year.” The cancellation is particularly devastating for spring sports athletes, as it means that they will have had nearly two full seasons of sports go to waste. “I’m very disappointed,” junior swimmer William Kan said. “Being stuck inside, I was looking forward to competing again, especially since most of last season was cancelled. Plus, it’s another year of varsity that will go to waste, which I’m worried might affect my recruitment chances in the future.” Other athletes vented their frustrations at the consecutive cancellations, with some believing that a safe return to competition is feasible.
SPHS ATHLETES EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT over another potential cancellation of athletics as coronavirus continues to devestate Los Angeles County. STORY EDDIE ZHOU PHOTO SARAH LEE
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he possibility that SPHS athletes will have a season for their respective sports continues to dwindle, as COVID-19 cases continue to mount in both Los Angeles County and the rest of the state. With the recent cancellation of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) fall sports championships and playoffs, SPHS athletes are bracing for the Rio Hondo League to likely follow suit. While the cancellation will affect SPHS athletes of all grade levels, it will have a considerable impact on seniors, whose lack of a proper ending to their high school career has many feeling unfulfilled and disappointed.
“I am really sad that volleyball and all the other sports will not be getting a season this year, especially since this is the last year for seniors to play with their teammates and in front of their classmates,” senior volleyball player Lindsey Hirano said. “This year we have such a strong group of girls with so much talent, and I truly believe that we could have gone all the way with this team if we got a season this year.”
“Obviously our team is frustrated,” junior golf captain Andrew Kowal said. “I feel like golf is a sport that could easily be played safely. We only were able to have two matches last season so it is really unfortunate.” Although most athletes shared similar feelings of disappointment and frustration at the news, the cancellation would quell some doubts and fears that others had regarding the health implications of playing sports during a pandemic.
Many other athletes share a similar sentiment as Hirano, as they find it difficult to see their team’s potential wasted by the cancellation.
“As much as I would love to be back on the field, I was also worried to go back to playing soccer,” junior soccer player Ava Dunville said. “Because of COVID-19 and the current state L.A. is in, I was honestly scared. I know some participants and their families haven’t all been handling COVID-19 the same way, and because of that, I would feel at risk playing beside them, which is unfortunate as I know we all want to be back playing.”
“The cancellation really stinks because we have a strong group of seniors this year, and without a season they wont have an opportunity to shine,” junior track athlete
As the pandemic rages on into its second year, student athletes wait for a season that will allow them opportunity to continue play.
AFTER 14 MONTHS OF CONSTRUCTION, the long-awaited renovation to the SPHS gym and athletics area is almost complete. Although the students and staff will only be able to utilize certain outdoor aspects of the newly refurbished facilities, athletes are excitedly anticipating the future use of the indoor equipment.
SPHS gym and athletic facilities near finalization STORY LILIAN ZHU PHOTOS SEAN JIN The new athletic facilities’ construction is one step closer to completion. The entire project totalled 13.5 million dollars, covering landscaping, a new field house, reflooring of the gym, and more. The remodeling project started in November 2019 and was projected to finish in August 2020. However, the coronavirus outbreak postponed the finish date due to lockdown periods as well as slowed production of building materials from manufacturing plants. Despite these conflicts, construction was 95 percent completed at the start of the 2021. The final step in the project consists of finishing the interior of the gym. SPHS athletic director Anthony Chan is looking to decorate the newly renovated weight room with student-submitted motivational quotes.
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New aspects of the facility include a renovated gym: The iconic black and orange walls as well as the murals that covered the interior walls remain the same, but now shine with a new coat of paint. However, the floors and basketball hoops were replaced. The girls locker room was refurbished while the boys locker room was expanded, taking the place of the training room, which was relocated inside the field house. “I’m excited to break the new gym in,” junior volleyball player Abbey Garner said. “I feel like more people will want to come support us with the nice updates.” In place of the previous visitor bleachers, a new field house was added. The field house is complete with a storage, media, and training room. The training room consists of new treatment tables, ice baths as well as washer and dryer, a trainer office, and cycling machine. Grandstand bleachers now exist behind the field house facing the football field, emulating the old visitor stands.
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The new leveled out space next to Diamond Avenue was replaced with four exterior tennis and two exterior basketball courts, alongside the addition of batting cages. The parking lot on the south side of the facility was repaved as well and new fencing is in place. There has also been additions in landscaping with newly planted trees and plants to occupy the space. “I’m looking forward to the weightroom itself. We’ve had to move the weights out onto the track in some cases, which has been difficult and is a time killer,” senior cross country runner Patrick Latting said. “I think the weightroom will help teams get more consistent and better training.” Although the interior of the gym will not be utilized by students until the SPHS athletic department fully reopen, socially-distanced sports training will be able to use the outdoor facilities when athletics resume on Tuesday, Feb. 2.
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