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Boomerang March 2020

Emancipation at UCU? It’s about time! by Rosa Soeterbroek

Five for the men, zero for the women. That’s the current tally for deanship at University College Utrecht. Is it time for a change at this progressive liberal arts college?

Illustration © Doenja van der Veen

The head of this liberal arts college is a man, Dean Prof. dr. James Kennedy. His management team consists, including himself, of two men and one woman, with the reverse among the heads of department. Pretty equal it seems, as interim Head of Social Sciences, dr. Christel Lutz, agrees. “It’s no longer that extraordinary for women to become bette---r-represented in higher positions of leadership at UCU.” Times have changed since 2003, when Lutz started working at UCU. A year into her teaching career in Utrecht, Lutz became a fellow and she was only one of two women who were awarded this title. “To congratulate us, we were all given a tie,” she says incredulously. Since then, four male deans have come and gone, with the first foreign dean instated in 2015. The status quo of gender representation at the college “has not changed as much as I may have liked.” Since its founding in 1998, the college has been under the leadership of only white men. UCU falls short in diverse leadership. Lutz: “I find this problematic.” Arjen Vredenberg, head of the Science Department, is enthusiastic for change. “I would applaud it if we had a female dean or dean from another gender.”

" To congratulate us, we were all given a tie" The institution of UCU falls under the Utrecht University regulations, whose organisation has made gradual progress in levelling the gender ratio among its academic staff. Their Taskforce for Diversity and Inclusion, planned to finish in 2020, has set up a threefold plan to counter the strong gender imbalance in the academic field. Even though the head of Utrecht University is also male, positions held by women are increasing, according to a Taskforce publication of 2019. The history of male leadership at the

university is not mentioned. Comparing UCU to similar institutions in the Netherlands, it is clear UCU is falling behind. Of the nine UC’s in the Netherlands, including the Utrecht institution, five have male deans. Leiden and Tilburg have a female dean, and Twente has a vacancy for the position. Since January, EUC in Rotterdam has been led by a female dean as well. In other words, two-thirds of the liberal arts college deanships are held by men in the Netherlands before 2020. LUC has the most ‘emancipated’ management team of all, with women gracing the three highest positions at the college. “Leiden, Twente

International Women's Day Doe-Het-Zelf Voor Vrouwen Feminism Activism

and Tilburg are younger colleges,” notes Arjen. He continues by mentioning that Utrecht, like other older UC’s have been founded in a more traditional time. This begs the question; do more established colleges have a stronger old boys’ network in place? Overall, organisational and academic jobs are shared quite equally by men and women at the various university colleges in this country. In Utrecht, establishing equal representation remains difficult. “Whenever committees are appointed, it is often the case that, looking at the list of people selected for that committee, they are all male,” says Lutz. u This article continues on page 3

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WOMEN'S MONTH SPREAD

International Women’s Day; why Celebrating in 2020 is as Important as Ever by Ella-Mae O’Sullivan The 8th of March 2020 marks the 43rd anniversary since the United Nations General Assembly officially declared International Women’s Day an annual observance. This is a day dedicated to championing female achievement, standing up against the societal standards that push women down and continuing the fight for gender equality; but it is also, inevitably, a day filled with controversy, complaint and criticism. As we embark further into a new decade of the 21st century, many people are questioning why, at this point in time, women still feel that ‘a day for themselves’ is required. Surely we have already achieved the equality we need in this day and age, right? Wrong. It’s true that some astounding and well needed advancements have been made, but to say that this progress then dismisses the underlying issue at hand would be a great and ignorant error of judgement.

Illustration © Sofie Ryan

For instance, a world where more girls are attending school than ever before still sees 39,000 young girls become child brides daily. A world where the rate of mothers dying in childbirth has narrowed by 52% is also one where women in EU countries earn an average of 15% less per hour compared to their male counterparts. In a world where more women seem to be speaking out about abuse than ever before, one in five women will still experience sexual assault in their lifetime. So yes, progress has been made, but this world - our world

- still has a long way to go. Unfortunately, uttering the words ‘International Women’s Day’ is almost certain to garner one particular line of response. “Surely having a day only dedicated to women is sexist and unequal in itself?” the fragile male cries, “but what about international men's day?” First of all, a day dedicated to men’s rights is already in place and falls on the 19th of November (or, arguably, every day of the year), but more importantly, why is it that the celebration of one group must mean the denouncement of another? Why is it that we automatically associate lifting women up as an attempt to push others down? International Women’s Day is not about trying to glorify the rights of women over men, or the rights of anyone over anyone for that matter. It is not a day that women use as an excuse to complain about ‘insignificant issues’ or ‘petty problems.’ It is not trying to vilify or belittle men from having any concerns of their own; because there are most certainly many of these that need attention too. What it is is a day for showcasing how far women have come whilst making it clear how far we have left to go, and then demanding a way to get there. All in all, having a day dedicated to gender inequality is crucial for raising awareness and drawing attention to the cause. If nothing is done off the back of it then what is the point? A day like this is so important for bringing people together for a crucial cause, but it is only as effective as the change that it then catalyses. So yes, we need posters, but we also need petitions, people, and perseverance, because in 2020, this is not just a women’s problem, it is a world problem; so help to create a world solution.

The Boomerang | March 2020

Dearest Campus, I am really struggling to summarise and articulate everything that has happened in the last weeks and how I am feeling about it. To paint a picture for those who have left campus and for those who may be reading this from the post-apocalyptic future; I haven’t left my unit in three days except for being let out for my evening walk like a dog. From my balcony, the only movement I see is food delivery motorbikes and streams of people dragging their suitcases off campus. Bikes are being sold for as little as 30eu and people are leaving piles of food behind in their evacuated units. I am absolutely not exaggerating to make this sound more apocalyptic than it is; it is only March and already 2020 has hit us with a pandemic. It is extremely disconcerting not knowing when and how this will end; to be worrying not only for your own health but for that of your friends and of every single person you may have been in contact with; to know that you should be on lockdown, socially isolating yourself, when it is times like these that we need support and solidarity more than ever. It is sad to know that my last semester will be spent in online classes, trying to overcome the lagging Skype screens in order to have those meaningful discussions that UCU is known for; that each time I want to soak in some sun on the quad, it won’t bring the same sort of peace it used to, because I will feel guilty for breaking quarantine; that I have already had my last study session in Voltaire without even stopping to appreciate that padded panic room one last time. And, as selfish as this sounds even from my pedestal of privilege, it seems unfair that the world works in such ways that the class of 2020 is graduating into such a shitshow of a world, a world I really couldn’t have imagined being more of a shitshow than it already was - but, hey, the world works in mysterious ways? I can’t wait to hear the ending of this particular Who Dunnit. Clearly, I am also struggling to see the silver linings; I just typed ‘shitshow’ twice (thrice) and it wasn’t followed by any feel-good sarcasm. That being said, I do believe that we need to try to come together as a community now more than ever, even from the far corners of the world to which we have spread. Even from social isolation (I shit you not, I just almost typed ‘solitary confinement’…), solidarity is so incredibly important right now. Check on your friends and family, video chat them and recommend movies and shows, make your musically challenged friends playlists, don’t buy more food and supplies than you actually need… you can find the rest of this motivational list on any given Instagram post on your feed right now. I am proud of UCU already; Facebook groups like PandemiCo (ha ha) for those that are still on campus and need support, and NOS in English, where UCU students are translating important news broadcasts into English so that internationals on campus can learn of the latest piece of advice Mark Rutte is so kindly gracing us with. We do not know how long this will continue. We do not know when things will go back to normal; and that is maybe the scariest part. So I suggest we create a new ‘normal’, a way in which we can still inhabit UCU without actually being here, a way that those of us still in Utrecht can continue feeling safe and comfortable on this little campus of ours, and a way that we can continue embodying everything that we hold important while under these strange and unprecedented restrictions. I won’t pretend like I have some sort of Grand Plan to accomplish this (I haven’t even started planning my thesis), but in order to keep some sort of sanity in this shitshow world, I urge us all to come together as UCUers do time and time again and support one another. As for this edition of the Boomerang, we wanted to honour Women’s Month, as a way of celebrating, uplifting and supporting women. As with almost all aspects of the daily lives we were used to, it feels slightly arbitrary and strange to be continuing with this edition, business as usual, in the wake of the last few days. I was a little worried that this edition, one that means a lot to me, would get swept under the rug by our friend Miss Rona. However, I hope it can be the other way around; I hope you can enjoy this celebration of women as a break from the anxiety we are all feeling right now, as an oasis from the stress. We will be publishing this online, too, for all of those who are home but miss this little campus of ours. And, lastly, the Boomerang will be continuing as normal - as normal as possible - for as long as this pandemic allows us to. We hope to keep providing you with a little bit of the old normal, while we all transition into the new normal. Yours always, Saskia Vrensen Editor-in-Chief

A University College Student Association Magazine

WOMEN'S MONTH SPREAD

This is a continuation of page 1

History of Deans at UCU: Hans Adriaansens Willem Albert Wagenaar Hans van Himbergen Rob van der Vaart James Kennedy (current) Reflecting on the status of diversity at UCU, the changes made must be acknowledged. “The current leadership is better at that than the ones in the past,” Lutz comments. The Utrecht liberal arts college is not a lost cause. Three years ago the first female director of education was appointed

and the 2004 imbalance in fellow titleship has been fixed. Colleagues help each other out and are motivated to establish diversity at the workplace, according to Lutz. The teaching staff at this college make up a considerable part of life at UCU. Roughly 60% of the UCU academic staff is male, a ratio which differs between its three departments. In the Social Sciences Department, there is a near 50/50 ratio of men and women. Yet in the Science Department, with eight men and two women, it is a different situation. “We are a small department, just 10 people, so it’s hard to apply statistics here,” Arjen Vredenberg, head of Science, rightfully points out. The turnover of the academic staff is low at UCU, teachers stay on for a long time. As such, the staff ratio over time is rather uncontrolled.

In this student city, the vast majority of students is female, which is especially apparent on its international campus. According to the task force data, the ratio of women at Utrecht University is high among first year students. Further down the line, women are decreasingly represented in academic and organisational staff. This reflects an imbalance between those studying at this institution and the ones leading it. The trend of male leadership is one that belongs in the past. Looking at efforts made by new university colleges and task forces, and the experiences of teachers and students, the message is clear. The time has come for a woman to ascend the throne as dean of UCU.

On Why I Think it’s my God-Given Right to Say that UCU Boys are Bad in Bed by Gina Meimann First of all, my most sincere apology to those expecting an in-depth synthesis of months of field work conducted by various girls on campus to come to the ultimate conclusion of whether our homogenous group of straight white boys is just blessed with zero sexual prowess. Alternatively, inspired by this recently quite juicy topic of conversation, I shall just explain to you why I think it is absolutely 100% valid to say that UCU boys suck in bed in a text that screams ‘written by an anthropology major’ with every single word. This is going to be one hell of a stretch – but hear me out. There’s this theory on Dutch national identities, that they revolve around one central paradox – that of a static identity of progressivism. “Hey, we are super progressive,” the Dutch say. “We accepted the gays super quickly”, they add. “Thus, we cannot be racist or problematic at all, we’re the progressive ones. Zwarte Piet? Who is she?” Maybe you recognise this. Maybe we are all too used to living in this culture of pseudo-progressiveness. Maybe this can help explain the issue I have with UCU boys.

And I think that it’s time, even though it deeply hurts our UCU identity of being the wokest of them all, to admit that every single one of us, in some way or another, is sexist, racist, classist, homophobic and all of the things we so desperately don’t want to be. Getting rid of preconceptions needs near-constant

Don’t get me wrong, it makes me happy that more and more boys will openly identify as feminists. But this does nothing but prove my

insanely low standards. Yes, boys now understand to ask whether you want a cup of tea – but I have rarely encountered boys who, in practice, reflect on their behavior and execute it accordingly. There are still boys who ask, “hey do you want to have sex with me?” but are then still patting themselves on the back for this as they start their fifth attempt of the night to convince you to do anal. The main issue for me is how much confidence some boys have in the woke feminist ally medals that don't shine nearly as bright in practice; that there is a double standard between the value we place on our sexual pleasure. As much as you love to make it a problem of other, less woke boys, it’s a problem of all boys. Yes, that includes you too, Chad.

Illustration © Jarne van der Poel

UCU boys are UCU students. UCU students are inherently progressive. We are, as the cool kids nowadays might say, super woke and all that. For some reason, we somehow have the audacity to think that decades upon decades of racism, sexism and classism have simply gone past us, just because we once watched Hasan Minhaj, opened some Karl Marx book we only kind of understood and god beware - maybe even listened to a woman once or twice.

reflection and ongoing adaptation. As a girl myself, I’ll be the first to admit that I still hold countless deeply sexist beliefs; I connect shame and disgust to female genitalia, catch myself looking down on girls who differ from my idea of being a woman and have definitely found myself uselessly competing for male attention against other girls. As embarrassing as it is to admit, it’s really necessary to. Because taking Gender and Sexuality does not cure you from this. Being intellectually aware of issues women face does not make the more deep-rooted problems disappear from your consciousness. Carrying a “females are strong as hell” tote bag doesn’t. Wearing nail polish as a boy looks hot, but doesn’t either.

The Boomerang | March 2020

WOMEN'S MONTH SPREAD

Doe-Het-Zelf Voor Vrouwen: A Review by Saskia Vrensen It had been a few sleeps since International Women’s Day, and I was feeling empowered and confident, sitting in Coffee Company and motivated to study (mostly so that I didn’t look lazy in front of all of these strangers, about whom’s opinions I care much more than those from campus). As I waited for my coffee, and before I actually started to work, I decided to peruse the sweet little take-one-leave-one library spread out in front of me. A glossy, hardcover beauty caught my eye: Doe-Het-Zelf Voor Vrouwen, which translates to Do It Yourself For Women. At first glance, that message is actually quite empowering; we can do it ourselves, ladies! And on closer inspection, I was thrilled at what I discovered within those soft, soft sheets of paper. I am ashamed to say that, on this day, I did not respect the second half of the take-oneleave-one library’s instructions; I slipped the book slyly into my bag, chugged my coffee, and raced home as fast as my Swapfiets would take me. I just could not wait to sink my dainty, feminine teeth into this literary masterpiece. And

let me tell you, ladies; we can learn so, so much from our pals over at DIY voor vrouwen. Now, I don’t know about you, but the only household chores I am any good at are (in no particular order): sewing, knitting, doing the dishes, dusting, feather dusting, mopping, vacuuming, cooking, folding clothes, washing clothes, cleaning, tidying, rearranging, ironing, watering the flowers, breastfeeding, changing nappies, cooking and cooking*. Oh, and carrying the emotional baggage of every man in my life upstairs and putting it softly to bed each night. But, gee WHIZZ, did I learn a lot from this lovely book, and now I can add to my repertoire of household chores all those that have been left undone because I do not have a man in my life… Now, I can be an all powerful, capable-of-anything, woman who can also do men’s chores!!! A quick preview of the quality insights you will receive if you somehow manage to get to the front of the line to borrow this book; an in-depth guide to making ‘creative wall designs’, about 20

pages that are just photos of women putting up wallpaper, another 5 pages explaining how to hang up a painting, with step-by-step illustrations and a woman looking dangerously happy holding a power drill, a whole page simply titled ‘don’t be anxious about electricity’ and, last but not least, a series of photos explaining (I shit you not) how to hit a nail into the wall. Like I said, ladies, form an orderly queue. You’ll all get a chance to learn these skills and so many more. I may even start teaching classes, however there’s a man I know that can definitely teach you better than I can. *In all seriousness, everyone who knows me knows that I do literally none of these chores. Even more ironically, I actually learned quite a lot from this book, because I also cannot do any of those chores. That being said, I felt like a belittled piece of mysoginised shit after reading the page on how to stick posters on the wall, so I slammed the book shut again, and will be returning it to Coffee Company as soon as I can.

Contraception Takes Two to Tango by Julie Clar

Last April, a male birth control pill passed the first round of clinical testing at the University of Washington. The plot twist is that the release of this pill has been right around the corner for decades. Ever since the 1970s, researchers have been trying to offer men an active role in their reproductive health that goes beyond the use of condoms.

contains modified testosterone which mimics testosterone throughout the body, but is not concentrated enough in the testes to support sperm production. During the trials, participants’ testosterone levels dropped to “castrate levels,” which ensures a low fertility rate, without exhibiting symptoms of low-testosterone.

On the one hand, the female contraceptive pill aims at preventing ovulation, or the discharge of mature eggs from the ovaries, that would otherwise enable fertilization. It does so usually through the combination of estrogen and progestin, which essentially mimic hormone levels after fertilization. This “tricks” the body into thinking it is pregnant and as such, it does not prepare for an eventual fertilization.

Despite its promising potential, researchers estimate that it will take a decade or longer to make this pill available. Why is it taking so long to reach consumers? The male contraceptive pill has prompted little pharmaceutical interest, which has in turn led to a lack of marketing investment. Over the years, trials have been cut short as researchers had to rely on ever scarcer charitable and academic funding.

The challenge of creating a hormonal pill for men, on the other hand, revolves around preserving their erections and their sex drive, both of which work hand-in-hand with testosterone. The male contraceptive pill therefore

But the issue is deeper than money. Several studies have revealed that men would refuse to take a birth control pill due to potential side-effects. These include headaches, mild erectile dysfunction, reduced libido, fatigue,

and weight gain. Similarly, potential side-effects of the female birth control pill include mood swings, weight fluctuations, decreased immune system while more serious side-effects include a heightened risk of blood clotting, cervical, and breast cancer. For women, choosing the pill as a contraceptive method is a decision that is rarely taken lightly due to the variety of effects it can have on their body and behaviour. Nonetheless, societal expectations dictate that women should take the pill. Are men ready to share the burden and accountability of contraception despite not facing the physical risk of pregnancy? Achieving the commercial release of the male birth control pill is essentially a feminist struggle or — for those who dislike such labels (and prefer definitions) — one that aims to establish gender equality. There is no doubt that the female pill has, to a certain extent, empowered women throughout the world to take ownership of their sexuality, but now it is time to empower men to do the same.

A University College Student Association Magazine

WOMEN'S MONTH SPREAD

We’re Here, We’re Queer, but Where are We? by Doenja van der Veen The LGBT community has a visibility issue. In general, male perspectives are relatively prominent, and this holds true in queer spaces too. Within queer solidarity, the perspective of women (and nonbinary people) is unique, as the intersection between gender and sexual identity can create new problems. Yet it is also something that queer women are reclaiming and embracing. So, how does this appear at UCU? Surely at our liberal snowflake, female dominated PC campus (being sarcastic if that wasn’t clear), queer women must have no problems! For Women’s Month, I talked to a few queer peeps (thanks especially to PrideCo for helping out) in the hopes of gaining some fresh perspectives on the visibility of queer women at UCU.

However, other people noted that UCU’s appearance is more open than its reality. While there was a great turnout at the drag night event itself, the posters for it were being ripped down. The queer community may be opening up, but the rest of the campus is not. Of the four people I interviewed for this piece, all but one wanted to remain anonymous. This was a personal choice, but may have other implications about our environment. Those that I spoke to felt that their identity as queer women was not being taken seriously. They mentioned that people, especially men, mostly focus on sexual aspects, even asking for advice in some cases. Additionally it is more normalised to “act gay” between girls, and thus affection is often mistaken as friendliness. It even extends as far as it not being considered “cheating” when girls in straight relationships have sex with other girls. This was especially true for those who identified as bisexual. Since it is an “in-between identity”, if they were dating a male, they were immediately grouped as straight again and vice versa. Although this may

Just Four Fun Movies*

seem purely anecdotal, all the people I talked to mentioned similar issues. Lastly, it was noted that there is a lot of openness about sexual identity, but less so about gender identity. Even within safe spaces like PrideCo. “The queer community on campus is here and is queer – when it comes to sexuality. Gender – not so much”. Of course, the fact that I’m even writing this, that we have a queer alliance and many wonderful people who were willing to speak to me about this is fantastic. It is important to appreciate the community we have, whilst acknowledging that there could be some shifts in attitude.

*oh yeah, they’re all directed by women

by Emma Kuijpers Because I love procrastinating, I have decided to make a list of four movies that I think are fun, and that I would recommend you to watch the next time you want to procrastinate. 1.

Little Women – Greta Gerwig

Let’s start this list off with the movie that inspired it. Little Women is an adaptation of a book that came out over 150 years ago. The story is that of four sisters, Jo, May, Amy and Beth, growing up in America in the time of the Civil War. What makes this movie powerful, though, is that it never feels like it is set in the past. Sure, they wear costumes, but the story is so masterfully constructed that it never feels like they are saying: “look at how hard life was back then” but instead: “Look at how relevant their problems still are today, and this was 150 years ago, what the fuck?” The struggles that these four women face all feel incredibly real and relevant to being a woman, or even being a human, today. Growing up, choosing a career, maybe starting a family or feeling the pressure to find love have become timeless problems. I highly recommend this movie to anyone. It looks amazing, the acting is amazing, it’s funny, sad, and just all around a good movie. Also, props to them for finally making me ship Laurie and Amy.

The Sky is Pink - Shonali Bose

This one is a recommendation from one of my best friends. In this movie, a daughter tells the story of her parents, how they met, their marriage, but most importantly how they dealt with their terminally ill daughter. Seeing how a loving relationship can crumble under the pressure of such a tragedy and constantly being unsure if they are making the right decisions and sacrifices, makes this an intense but enjoyable movie. Even though it is about such a dark subject, it is also about how much people want to be loved, and that makes it (at least me) happy. 3.

Kapsalon Romy – Mischa Kamp

This movie also belongs to the I-cried-my-eyesout-in-the-movie-theater- club. This is about Romy, a 10-year-old girl who, after her parents’ divorce has to spend her afternoons with her estranged grandmother in her hair salon. Both of them do not want to be around each other. But of course, they discover that they can learn a whole lot from each other and grow closer. The story then turns around when the grandmother is diagnosed with dementia. Romy’s journey of accepting that her loved one is fading away is both heartwarming and empowering. I recom-

mend this one if you want to cry but feel good about it. 4.

Clueless - Amy Heckerling

I’m sure that everyone knows this movie but let me just talk about it again. Because this is a perfect example of a classic story being told in a pop-culture way and still somehow working. Clueless is a rendition of Jane Austin’s Emma, a book I love for reasons that have nothing to do with the name. It sets the story in the cringey but wholesome 90’s teen era. Cher, a 15-year-old girl, thinks she is the shit because she successfully matched two lonely teachers together. She becomes completely overconfident and decides to take Tai under her wing to “do something good for someone else” but when *gasp* Tai becomes more popular than Cher, shit hits the fan. Now, this movie is in no way completely perfect. There can be many things said about how the multiple “oof” moments where it's pretty non-PC, or just plain creepy (*cough* ex- step brother love interest *cough*) but in spite of this it’s also really funny, has great 90’s fashion and in the end makes you happy. And is that not a good enough reason to watch a movie?

Illustration © Doenja van der Veen

First off, what is the queer community at UCU like? The head of PrideCo, Swasthika Anand, noted that it isn’t quite as visible compared to other universities. An anonymous student said, “Until Swas and the rest of team organized drag night a few weeks ago, there weren’t any queer-focused events in the campus bar”. Cis-and heteronormative events are hard to relate to, especially for someone who might be unsure of their gender identity. Although the queer community is not actively suppressed, it is also not very prominent. However, this is changing. PrideCo tries to reiterate the positive aspects, and encourage visibility, rather than only focusing on the obstacles. Some students

claim that UCU has been a relatively accepting space for them, especially within their own circles.

WOMEN'S MONTH SPREAD

The Boomerang | March 2020

Women Should Not Have To Save The World by Mathilde Panis-Jones

Women will not save the world. Or perhaps, they shouldn’t have to. You’ve probably seen the slogan “Women Will Save The World” before - it’s everywhere, from mugs, to t-shirts, to cardboard signs held up high at the Women’s March. For men and women alike, it might feel like an encouraging, even inspirational provocation for hard work and excellence. To me, it sounds like another task women must take up, as centuries of men have been unable to do so. As the world is finally awaking to the reality of our climate emergency, we’ve slowly (but surely) begun to recognise the power of collective action in order to save our great, green planet. We’ve also become more aware of global humanitarian issues, with 2020 marking the ninth year anniversary of the war in Syria, and the fifth in Yemen. Clearly, we understand that inequality is at the heart of many of the gravest issues facing the global community, including development, climate, and peace. Our future magic solution, you might ask? Putting more women in power. Progressive discourse, and mainstream left wing media often promote the idea that women's empowerment and leadership will lead to a safer, more prosperous world - whether it be coming from the mouths of our politics professors, President Obama, or actual published research. Good. I’ll be the first to say that I would love to see more women like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,

Katrin Jakobsdottir, Jacinda Ardern, and Ilhan Omar in powerful offices across the world. But that’s not the point I’m trying to make: what I’m saying is that, by making these assertions, we are unapologetically instrumenting and reinforcing essentialist views of women - views that portray women as solely capable of care, views that are socially constructed, views that depict women as nurturers, caregivers, and collaborators because of “their inherent biological nature”. These are not dreadful depictions of women - in fact, they are quite praiseful - the issue I maintain with this representation of women in power is that it propagates a monolithic, and ultimately precarious understanding of women’s capabilities. In the end, while attempting to promote emancipation, liberation, and progress; instrumentalist claims that women will "save" the world are damaging. In this reality, women are encouraged to put their private sphere issues aside in the name of a more prosperous world, planet, and people. And that’s fair enough: what is the point, existentially, in caring about private sphere issues, such as rape culture, or domestic violence, or the income gap, if there is no planet to live on? But there is a point: world issues feel like an injustice to everyone, but to women in particular. We did not create them, we did not ask for things to be this way. Take climate change, for example. We’ve all been encouraged to change our behaviours in the name of more mindful, responsible, “green”

Feminism Activism So I’m sitting in my room, having the time of my life sucking really hard at CS:GO, when I’m asked if I wanted to write something for March’s edition of the Boomerang. Having ‘thoughts’, I decided on a very firm: Why not?

Illustration © Amu Endo

Not only does this month ask us to get to know the experiences of women that have fought for our right to education, to own property, have bodily autonomy, and generally be perceived as persons by society, this month also requires us to recognise that collective discursive practice continues to be our personal tool in dismantling

attitudes and actions. Whether you’ve stopped eating meat, or taking flights - you’re probably aware of what is going on. Until very recently, I had merrily accepted the idea that we were all being green together. I’m not so sure that is actually the case - there is no denying the existence of an eco gender gap. Not only because women are more powerful consumers than men, but because we are still disproportionately responsible for the domestic sphere, it seems as if the responsibility for green behaviour falls in large part on women, as yet another marker of ideal womanhood. From reusable pads and menstrual cups, to women’s magazine articles exploring travellers’ guilt, the phenomenon of eco-anxiety, and, obviously, a sustainable beauty glossary deciphering the differences between natural, organic, clean and vegan products on our bathroom shelves: green products are overwhelmingly marketed to and bought by women. We’ve also been encouraged to start cherishing our plastic free periods, as we should be having less children, something that has been our sole defining role for the past millenniums. While this might come off as an unproductive radical feminist rant, it is important to take note of the dynamics of social change we encourage - whether seemingly positive or not. We must become conscious of our choice of words, and recognise that even within encouragement, there can be exhaustion.

by Emma van Schie

structural discrimination. Let’s get one thing straight before I continue. When I discuss the category of Feminism, I want to be on the same page as you, dear reader. I don’t intend to straw-man feminist theory, and I hope you don’t either. Yes, men and women have it shitty in their own way, but there are few groups that have been historically as systematically discriminated against as the category of women. So here’s a quick list of a few women that inspire me, and I think deserve a quick google: Sojourner Truth, Andrea Jenkins, Emma Goldman, Leymah Gbowee, Silvia Rivera. It has always been the women and their struggle that have made the difference; liberatory practice. (But, to be fair, if you don’t believe in any of the above, why are you reading a(ny) piece written by a woman in the first place? While I have you here, though, have you read The Handmaid’s Tale? (Hint: it’s about the present and it explores how both men and women suffer under Patriarchy – get a reading club going, it’s really something.))

Nobody should be forced to take up a role simply because of what hormones flow through their bodies, and what bits are (or aren’t) dangling between their legs. Although one could argue that any direct discrimination is eradicated by the mantra of equal opportunity, reality maintains that the fight is far from over. Not only does indirect structural and cultural discrimination persist, many of those that have fought for us (especially many trans women and women of colour) still do not enjoy the same privileges that most of us do. True feminist liberation comes not from the white cis-hetero professors in their ivory towers theorizing how to live, but from the personal -- what it feels like to struggle as women. This is what I believe all of us (female, male, and genders trans or non-trans) can take something from. To continue to fight, we need to conceptualise that theory that creates its own praxis, from our own experience. So I assign this as our homework this month: reach out and try to listen, really listen, to the women in your life: mothers, sisters, friends. Listen to what their experience as women has taught them, and can teach all of us to create your own feminist beliefs from these lessons. Create your own liberatory practice.

A University College Student Association Magazine

WOMEN'S MONTH SPREAD

Weinstein Sentenced to 23 Years: Back to Square One? by Marielotte van Ballegooijen Six women, who had testified against Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein, hold each other in the front row of the Manhattan state courtroom, some of them in tears, whilst Weinstein is sentenced to 23 years in prison. Convicted of two accounts of sexual crimes the lengthy sentence could very well mean that the 67-year-old will spend the rest of his life in prison. The conviction came on Wednesday, 11th of March, nearly three years after the Hollywood mogul was first officially accused of sexual harassment in a lengthy story by the New York Times detailing decades of misconduct. Actresses such as Ashely Judd and Rose McGowan were some of the first Silence Breakers to come forward. The reporters of the story, Jody Kantor and Megan Twohey, sat near the front of the court as Weinstein was rolled into the room in a wheelchair the day of the conviction. “I feel remorse for this situation, I feel it deeply in my heart, (…) I am trying to be a better person.” Minutes before the conviction Weinstein addressed Judge James Burke in a 10-minute ramble stating he was “totally confused” about what had happened to him. The Judge and Jury, however, did not seem convinced by his regret, sentencing Weinstein to 23 years in prison for third-degree rape of actress Jessica Mann in 2013 and first-degree criminal sexual act on production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006. Despite this victory for the Silence Breakers, the Hollywood mogul was not convicted of the most serious charges, namely two counts of predatory sexual assault and first-degree rape. If he had been found guilty of these former charges Weinstein could have been sentenced to life in prison.

Upon first hearing about the sentencing, I was surprised. Although happy and relieved, the sentence seemed high for the sexual crimes he was found guilty of – especially in the context of the United States. For example, in the Brock Turner case from 2015, the Stanford swimmer was convicted of raping Chanel Miller at a university party for which the accused only received 6 months in prison. The worst part? Turner ended up only serving 90 days due to good behaviour. The more I spoke to people around me the more I realised I was not alone in thinking the sentence was surprising. Although most people thought Weinstein would be convicted, the consensus was that he would receive a maximum of 10 years. Even criminal lawyers, such as Natacha Harlequin, said she thought it was incredibly high. “From a personal standpoint, I fully stand with the women who have come forward during the #MeToo movement and am delighted with the sentence. From a lawyer’s perspective, I think it’s absurd.” Like Harlequin, I wonder whether the 23 year-long sentence will do more harm than good. Whilst Weinstein's sentence could set an unexpected precedent, it is more likely to further divide the already polarised debate surrounding the #MeToo movement. Since the start of the movement, in November 2017, it has been characterised by two opposing views: people who celebrate the Silence Breakers and others who doubt them. The harm in the highness of Weinstein’s sentence is that it runs the risk of further alienating people who are part of the latter. The sentence could be seen as ‘proof’ of how extreme or deranged the movement has become.

Weinstein’s defence lawyers have already called to appeal his conviction, hoping that the Court of Appeal will see the “unfair and unjust manner in which this trial has proceeded”. His lawyers have called the sentence “obscene” and “cowardly” but say they have “tremendous confidence in the appeals court”. The polarisation between standpoints with regards to the #MeToo movement will only increase if the sentence is appealed and the case is dragged on longer; especially because Weinstein and his lawyers will say the Judge and the Jury caved to political pressure. The silver lining is that the allegations, that sparked the #MeToo movement, send a strong message to anyone who has ever dealt with unwanted sexual advances – stating that the criminal justice system believes their experiences. The conviction also sends a reaffirming message to Weinstein’s victims who through their testimonies were able to bring down the Hollywood Titan. Now, I would like to celebrate the 87 women who have accused Weinstein of anything from sexual harassment to criminal behaviour. I celebrate the Silence Breakers, the Time's Up wave and the #MeToo movement. In Miller’s book Know My Name, where Chanel Miller breaks her anonymity, which she held during her trial against Brock Turner, she writes: “I became the lady with the blue hair, the one with the nose ring. I was sixty-two, I was Latina, I was a man with a beard. How do you come after me, when it is all of us?” So, as Weinstein’s appeal becomes known and his sentence questioned, I continue to celebrate all of us.

Comic © Anna Tchitcherine

The Boomerang | March 2020

WOMEN'S MONTH SPREAD

Agony Aunt Yo, I think I really like this guy but I’m not sure if he is gay or into me? How can I check this without making a fool of myself? Please help before I do something stupid. Dear Anon, There are definitely more indirect ways to go about finding out someone’s sexual orientation. This might be dropping subtle comments, like how hot some celebrity guy is, and then seeing their reaction, or talking about an issue you had with your ex and asking them if they had to deal with the same thing with theirs (then hoping they drop that ex’s gender.) Of course, you can also go to third parties, asking their friends or unitmates if they have any idea. To be honest with you though, I think that the best way to handle this kind of situation is just to be upfront. Now I’m not saying that you should charge up and kiss them on the spot to see what happens, but if you’re in a situation that allows for it, sometimes just asking (in an appropriate way) can be the best solution. As for them being into you, one test that I swear by is eye contact. This may sound weird but trust me; if you find yourself always making eye contact with him, or that when you do, it’s more than just a one second awkward glance, I am willing to bet money that this interest is not just a one-sided affair.

Wassup, My 13 year old cousin has recently been posting some troubling photos of herself on Instagram. Nothing explicit, just posing in a way that resembles Instagram influencers. I get where this is coming from and I don't blame her, I’m just worried because I see that this is growing into something that could be damaging for her self-image and mental health as I have gone through something similar. How can I help her without sounding like an annoying adult? xxx Dear Anon, This is a tricky one because if she is doing it, then it is very likely that all of her friends are too, so in her eyes, these kinds of posts are probably what is normal. Hopefully, because you are her cousin and at university, she is less likely to see you as the patronising family member and more as someone who she can relate to, which might make her more likely to listen. Try to talk to her from a place of experience rather than judgement. Instead of telling her what she is doing wrong, maybe start with what you did wrong in the past, even casually joking about how you are embarrassed about what you posted and regret it now. Instead of seeming like an attack on her, the conversation will hopefully seem like a piece of laid-back advice from her older and more experienced cousin.

Finding Femininity by Swasthika Anand

“How I occupy space in the world” is how I understand gender. I remember my high school psychology teacher explaining to me that kids feel their gender identity innately, as early as three years old. However, not all of us are so fortunate. My journey has been nineteen years long, and this is that story. I grew up in a household with two men, who often will admit themselves that they can be the epitome of toxic masculinity, and almost always no women. I began to pick up many of my gender cues from these two men, my dad, and my brother. The way I portrayed my gender was never similar to that of my friends who belonged to the binary. I never really thought about my gender identity until I became a teenager, and all of a sudden, it felt like everyone around me began to impose the stereotypical female gender role onto me. I pushed back as hard as I could, but at some point, I decided to put on a facade because I was beginning to grow tired. Going to college, and embracing my queer identity more than ever before opened up a world of possibilities. My queerness gave me the space to express myself however I wanted to, in any situation. While I was still questioning what box I fit into, I at least did not have the added pain of pretending to fit into a box I felt like I didn’t belong in. The agency felt like a breath of fresh air. During this period, I began diving deeper into queer culture. And as I moved more in-depth, I noticed a pattern. I identified

with, and admired the exaggerated femininity that people with very different bodies fully embraced. For the first time, I did not feel forced to participate in being feminine; instead, I felt naturally drawn to it, as it pointed out to me all the things I found beautiful. It felt like I was finding home. I began replicating all that I was comfortable with, and eventually, I reached a place where I could say that I no longer questioned what box I fit into. I felt like a woman, a woman that owned it all from her anger to her unbearable joy; a woman who reclaimed her gendered body with its tiger stripes, back rolls, and all. Throughout this experience, the most important thing that kept me going was knowing that I was not on this journey alone. Hearing the experiences of others and having my process acknowledged made me feel validated. This is why I wanted to share my story- so you could feel validated too. Somewhere along the way, a friend, Willemijn, said, “ I did not choose to be a physical entity. If I am going to have to be something, I might as well slap some glitter on it”. This encouraged me to be whoever I wanted to be while I was figuring out what would make me comfortable in my skin, and maybe it will help you too. Some may find that a label gives them power. But you, dear reader, you do not owe it yourself, or the world to label yourself if you do not want to. This process may be long and draining, but it is exclusively yours and oh, so beautiful.

The Reality of Sexual Assault on College Campuses by Rafaella Karadsheh

About 20% of women on college campuses in the United States experience a form of sexual assault during their time in college. Does the number sound low to you? If 100 women were in a lecture, 20 of them would have been assaulted. Still low? How about 1 in every 5 women? Statistics aside, there is a haunting reality that sexual assault is increasingly common on college campuses, and nothing is being done about it. In my (short) time on exchange in California, I have heard some stories that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. In the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), two attempted assaults, two uses of date rape drugs, and a rape occurred within the span of just over 23 days in October of 2019. There have been no reported repercussions, except for the removal of the individual accused of two attempted assaults. Across the country, Harvard University had a total of 83 forcible sex offences between 2010 and 2012. And those are only the reported cases. The American Civil Liberties Union has estimated that roughly 95% of campus rapes go unreported,

meaning those numbers could be even higher. The prevalence of sexual assault on campus has unfortunately caused it to be normalised. Fraternities now give consent workshops for all of their pledges (the group of students rushing for a fraternity) to teach them how to behave around women, often using similes like making a hot dog. According to some friends, the whole lecture seemed odd. In attempt to open a discussion using a more lighthearted anecdote, it seems that the seriousness and weight of this issue was lost. This probably explains why a few weeks later, a pledge was kicked out of a fraternity for assaulting a female student. It is time for a (very) long overdue discussion on sexual assault that is raw and unfiltered. It is time that we talk about the things that make us feel uncomfortable. It is time that we step out of our comfortable bubbles and face reality. Because as long as we continue to whisper about these crimes being committed, we continue to excuse every perpetrator’s behaviour.

A University College Student Association Magazine

CULTURE

Important Opinions on Important Movies by Sam de Visser Some of you may remember that a very, very long time ago, I used to be part of ScreenCo (and actually co-founded it-not a flex). During that time, I had two very specific movies in mind that I wanted to use ScreenCo to show the UCU community: Who Killed Captain Alex?, which I’ll definitely be writing a column on at a later point in time, and Come and See (Elem Klimov, 1985). As someone who doesn’t like war movies, or hopelessly sad movies, I still think Come and See is one of the greatest and most important films ever made. And I think that’s all because it directly messes with something I consider essential to any good story: hope. Generally, stories need a little bit of hope. No matter how bleak a movie seems to be, we as viewers need to have something positive to hang onto, or we’re not going to keep watching. I also think it’s realistic for a movie to contain this spark of hope: human beings have this strange gift of being able to hang onto a little happiness even if there really shouldn’t be any. That might be why Come and See so completely devastated me: this is one of the only films that

I’ve seen that does not contain any hope, and it’s beyond effective. Come and See takes place in 1943 in Nazi-occupied Belarus and follows Florya, a thirteen-year old boy who happily joins the Soviet partisan army to fight the Germans. What follows is a never-ending nightmare, a two-anda-half-hour fever dream in which director Elem Klimov uses both hyperrealism (all the costumes worn were real, all the bullets shot were real) and surrealism (Nazis eating fresh lobster as a village burns in mid-Belarus, our protagonist almost drowning in impossibly thick mud) to get his point across. Florya is dragged from one hellish situation to another, with all hope constantly being ripped away from him. The film almost never detracts from Florya's perspective: there are many, many extreme close-ups of his facial expressions in this film, more and more haunting as his ghastly face processes more and more trauma. The few times the camera does detract from Florya, by nature we as viewers expect a shift in the mood:

why else would we move away from the horrors that our main character is witnessing if all we’re going to see is more horror? But even when the camera isn’t on Florya, there is terror, death and despair. There is an incredibly uncomfortable scene near the end of the film that is agonising to watch, as the camera refuses to move away from the horrific display that is unfolding in front of it - a scene that never seems to end. None of this sounds appealing in any way, I realise that. But Come and See is a film that is astonishingly dense in its storytelling, one of the most effective anti-war films ever made. It is a war movie after the war has already passed, painting a picture of an occupied landscape where scattered groups of Nazis wreak havoc, and eerily beautiful forests and fields house nothing but death. This is not a fun film to watch, but the story that is being told is important, and the lack of hope makes it all the more realistic. Come and See is a film in which you pity the survivors, not the dead. It will leave you utterly depressed, but also utterly impressed by the incredible power of what a camera can do.

Stan’s Sad Boi Songs :(

No More Women in Music! by Stanley Ward For my column this issue, I was at a bit of a loss with what to write about. I’m tired of the ‘What it’s like to be a Woman in music’ angle, as are many female musicians. Haim are even calling their upcoming third record ‘Women in Music Pt.III.’ It’s a reductive label, which arguably reduces the work of female musicians and lumps them all together based on their gender. Not to say that those who identify as women can’t write about their experience as women, as they absolutely can. It’s just that the mainstream music press often still sticks to this reductive, and frankly boring narrative, of asking female musicians what it’s like to be a woman in the music business instead of asking about their fucking art. However, Women’s month is important, and I still wanted my column to support the dismantling of the patriarchy, so I thought why not just ask some actual women to recommend some music that’s important to them. Enjoy. Vanessa Morgan - Gloria: In Excelsis Deo by Patti Smith Gloria is the first Patti song I ever heard as a young girl and subsequently made me feel like a kickass woman like herself. Gloria is a pretty blatantly sacrilegious fuck you in the form of a

three- cord song. Originally by Van Morrison, Patti made it good and christened herself the ‘Godmother of Punk Rock’ - what is not to love!? It’s either that or Typical Girls written by Viv Albertine as a part of the Slits, who’s my other hero. I’m a sucker for empowering female punk anthems. Noor Van Asseldonk Chen - Reality Check (feat. Akenya & Eryn Allen Kane) by Noname

is three-fold. First of all, the premise of the song is amazing. Isobel is born in a forest, when nature forged a deal to raise wonderful hell like her (like her). She is also very truly in love with herself, not in any kind of narcissistic way, but in a matter-of-fact and complete way. Secondly, the photoshoot by Andrea Giacobbe that accompanies this song is fantastic. I want all of us to take on this energy as much as we can this month. Lastly, the sound of the song itself is so weird, fun, and vibrant, a strange mix of trip-hop beats and a lavish orchestra that occasionally explodes. It really feels like a “fuck you” to indulge in.

It’s about uncertainty, opportunities, self-affirmation, and the production is what I imagine growing into yourself would sound like. Telefone is probably one of my favourite albums Aysu Amaha Öztürk - Wuthering of all time anyways, but Reality Check really Heights by Kate Bush stands out. Kate Bush, this crazy beautiful woman, Cara Mayer - Isobel by Björk released Wuthering Heights as her debut single. She became the first female artist to achieve a When I received Stan’s text, the question that UK number one with a self-written song and the sprang to mind was not which song to choose, song is about Wuthering Heights, the book by but which Björk song to choose. In rapid succes- Brontë. I hate that book but love this song, so sion, I vowed to absolutely not choose anything I would listen to it when I had to read the sickby Björk, so I could avoid my own inevitable ening book in English class. She is also fucking cliché. Unfortunately, here I am choosing one weird and I dig that. anyways. My choice is “Isobel”, and my reason

10 WORLD

The Boomerang | March 2020

Silveira Linings Identity Identification by Julia Silveira

The other day, my unit mate told me that he thinks most girls on campus don’t have a personality. Naturally, this caused hurt, anger, and a little bit of an identity crisis. But then I thought – what does ‘having a personality’ even mean? And now you’re probably thinking ‘she’s about to get all whiny and talk about how she does have a personality, and her unit mate just happens to hate women.’ Well, you are mistaken; I want to talk about identity. A large part of what makes up our ‘identity’ stems from our roots – where we come from, the place we feel like we belong. This is where I get stuck. On paper, I am from Brazil. Both of my parents are Brazilian, and most of my family is still in the country. Nevertheless, I only lived there for 8 years of my life and don’t go back that often anymore because plane tickets are pricey (and we should all be staying home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus). I also have Portuguese nationality, but have lived in the Netherlands for most of my life. For some reason though, I don’t feel Portuguese either, and I haven’t fully integrated into Dutch culture. I don’t really feel a strong sense of attachment to these countries, nor do I feel like I completely belong to any of them. I know I’m not Dutch enough for the Dutch, nor am I Portuguese

enough (I can’t even do a Portuguese accent). I find myself desperately clinging to my Brazilian roots, but somehow still feel like a bit of an outsider. Sometimes I catch myself casually putting on what I think sounds a little like a Brazilian/ Latin-American accent when I speak English. I’m not sure why I do it. I think this is the way my subconscious has found to stay close to my roots, and prove to the outside world that they actually make up part of who I am (or maybe I actually do have a bit of an accent and just notice it more sometimes?). I also find that I am very interested in all things Latin-America related – I’ve written papers on Brazil for many of my classes, and find myself incredibly drawn to Latin American or even just Portuguese or Spanish speaking people. I think this is partially because of the importance we place on having an identity. Being Brazilian will always be a defining factor of who I am, while many other aspects of my identity are dynamic. Things like my interests, hobbies (honestly I’m not even sure what ‘hobbies’ are? Like sports and stuff? I don’t really do sports, does this mean I don’t have

hobbies?), future goals and aspirations in life are constantly changing, so don’t have the power to define me indefinitely. I was talking to a friend of mine about this last month when she visited and she basically said that she thinks we’re the first generation of ‘citizens of the world’, who have been in international schools most of their lives, and may not necessarily feel a strong sense of attachment to any specific place. She said that in a few years (maybe decades I don’t know), she thought the whole world would be like us. I’m not so sure about this or what it would mean. The only reason I have been able to become a ‘citizen of the world’ is through the privilege that I have. Despite this, I still cling to my Brazilian roots, often putting myself in a position where I feel like I can speak for Brazilian people (and more specifically, women) even though I can’t really relate to most of them at all. I feel like I am a walking product of Western colonialism, because if anything, I am more Western than Brazilian, and in clinging to my Brazilian roots, and aiming to fix whatever is ‘wrong’ with Brazil, I am doing nothing but imposing my elitist world views. Maybe I should not be placing so much importance on my nationality, trying to find out who I am and what my ‘purpose’ in life is. I feel like there is no point in obsessing over any of this, and I should take life as it comes, focussing on whatever opportunity is present, and making whatever decision I think is right at the time. I don’t really know. This is a puzzle I haven’t been able to solve.

Daniel’s Delectable Discussions by Daniel Kamenkovitch Personality and individuality in social communication is dying – and social media is the executioner. Apps for everything, no calling, no personal interface. People would rather text each other instead of quickly calling, or simply dropping by randomly. Even more, the ringing of the doorbell is nowadays associated with frowning and doubt instead of a smile and sparkling curiosity. Romantic goodbyes when departing to different countries or even continents are a thing of the past; people text each other as soon as they are in the plane, bus or train. Hugs of farewell lose their value. Their magic. Of course, we won a lot through the developments of technology – it is a miracle that I can speak with my friend from California in real-time without the constraints of space limiting us. But for what cost? Look around you. Was it too much?

A University College Student Association Magazine

WORLD

The Dark Side of Costa Rica in front of his 13-year-old son. The attacks on Rivera and Mainor Ortiz took place less than a year after Sergio Rojas Ortiz, an internationally well-known land and human rights defender of the Bribri, 59, was shot dead on March 18th, 2019 after having been harassed, assaulted and threatened for years due to his work. Ironically, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights had issued precautionary measures in 2015, urging Costa Rican authorities to protect the lives of the Bribri and Brörán people, and the three indigenous men mentioned previously “received” these safety measures when they were attacked. In addition, to this day, the cases of Mainor Ortiz and Sergio Rojas remain unsolved.

On the 24th of February, Jehry Rivera, 45 years old, an indigenous right and land activist who belonged to the indigenous Brörán community in Térraba, was shot and killed by someone in an armed mob. Authorities had been warned before by human rights groups about non-indigenous people violently confronting Brörán families who were trying to reclaim land. According to the National Front of Indigenous Peoples (FRENAPI), two days before the attack, groups of landowners had come to Térraba to intimidate and attack indigenous people participating in territorial recoveries.

So, what is the context of this violence, and why is it escalating?

by Anna Dekker

The eight indigenous ethnic groups in Costa Rica (around 2.4% of the population) were appointed 24 legally recognized indigenous territories in the 1977 Indigenous Act. These territories are exclusively for communities with historical ties to the land. Families who settled on one of these indigenous territories before 1977 are entitled to compensation and relocation by the government, whereas families who settled on these areas after this Act have no right to either. The problem is that this law has never been implemented, so the land was never returned to the indigenous people. Recently, the Bribri and Brörán people have been reclaiming some of their ancestral land through (unauthorized) non-violent occupations, with some success. This has led to tensions, because non-indigenous families and farmers claim their property and inheritance rights are being violated. The complex situation calls for governmental interference, and many believe that not enough is being done. There is, however, some hope. In March 2018, 24 states approved the first environmental human rights treaty for Latin America and the Caribbean, known as the Escazú Agreement. The treaty aims to ensure access to information, citizen participation and access to justice in environmental matters, and specifically addresses environmental human rights defenders. In Costa Rica, the Legislative Assembly approved the agreement on the 13th of February and it is now awaiting definitive approval. It is a step in the right direction towards better protection of people like Jehry Rivera and Sergio Rojas.

The killing of Jehry Rivera does not stand on its own. Two weeks before Rivera was killed, Mainor Ortiz Delgado, 29, a leader of the Bribri indigenous community in the nearby Salitre, was shot in the leg

4 Months Later: Smoke and the Coronavirus by Morris Chou

It is a gut wrenching feeling to see a place you called home for 3 years descend into a boiling pot of hate. Black words like “if we burn you burn with us” were easily found accompanying students as they rushed to class. 2019 was a dark year for Hong Kong as the year was dominated by the protest movement that gripped the city. Now, with the Coronavirus, the situation will surely get worse before recovering.

Most recently at a memorial vigil for the university student who died last November,

conflicts between the police and journalists have resulted in The News Executives’ Association and the Hong Kong Journalists’ Association publicly demanding an answer from the government. Carrie Lam and the police later apologized. Nonetheless, tensions still remain high and the city is still divided. It has been observed that some shops refuse to serve “Mandarin speakers” out of fear for the spread of the contagion. Although the dust has settled, smoke is still clearly on the horizon. Hong Kong’s trials are still not over. Yet beneath the fear and the hate, I found laughter even jokes during the most violent of times last November. When confronting a neighbor about an odd gasoline smell in the bathrooms, it turned out the source of the smell was his attempts at washing tear gas from his clothes. Similarly, there was also fear as he lied about the origins of the scent when confronted for the first time. It was obvious that he did not want me to know he took part in the protest. Nevertheless, it is

undeniable to witness the spark and the commitment within the protesters, that they would set aside their comforts and differences to walk on the streets, knowing that clouds of tear gas would shortly greet them. Although the protest did not achieve the goals it set out, for me it is far from a futile movement led by naïve youths, nor should it be remembered as such. Carrie Lam remained in office and the actions of the police were not investigated. Yet, the people of Hong Kong managed to bring a city of 8 million to a standstill and people halfway around the world are writing articles about it. As they rightfully should. In the Taiwanese presidential elections that followed the protests closely, it was the Democratic Progressive Party who claimed victory with overwhelming margins under its call for vigilance in guarding the democratic order of the island. The tale of Hong Kong’s protests is far from over and its impacts are far from certain. Therefore, it is with a fearful yet cheerful heart that I hope Hong Kong’s faith in democracy may live on.

The prevailing image of Costa Rica is that of a green and peaceful country, making it a popular spot for eco-tourists. Relative to other countries in the area, it is indeed safe and peaceful. As tourism is one of the country’s main sources of income, it is understandable that this image is something the country wishes to uphold. Not surprisingly, most people are not aware of another side of Costa Rica; a side of racism, discrimination and violence. Latin America is seen as the most dangerous continent in the world for people who defend land rights and natural resources, and indigenous communities are often the victims. Costa Rica is not an exception when it comes to this.

12 QUARANTINE QUERIES

The Boomerang | March 2020

What is the re a u o y y a w t s e d ir we killing time?

d poke tattoos' 'Getting stick an – Annabelle

“Yesterday we took turns slapping each other in the face to feel alive” – TJ and Julian

FaceTiming my ex -Mathilde

atisfyer” "Using the Sa – Gin

“I watched all of Twilight” – Marta

“Scrolling through TikTok for 3 hours straight” – Vicky

nd ion a ” t c fi n an ectio ion f irect dow refl D e n in ting O my w lla e “Wri ing with a f – Ra danc

urs of played 15 ho s” y “Anne and I the past 3 da Minecraft in – Otto

ty of the gh the entire u ro th t n e " “W s since 1998 ASC archive – Aysu

Boomerang uses wind energy printers The Boomerang is a periodical newspaper. It comes out eight times a year.