3/22/2022

TUESDAY

Tuesday, March 22, 2022 VOLUME 111 ISSUE 23

www.UniversityStar.com

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911

Star Snaps: South

by Southwest

Student-led campaign creates inclusive space in menstrual health and hygiene

Opinion: Success should not be measured by constant productivity

Bobcats begin Sun Belt play with a sweep over A-State

SEE PAGE 3

SEE PAGE 5

SEE PAGE 6

SEE PAGE 7

STUDENT ART

Transcend to celebrate Trans Day of Visibility with virtual art show

By Sarah Hernandez Life and Arts Editor

starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

In celebration of Trans Day of Visibility, transgender and nonbinary students at Texas State are using art to express themselves and exhibit what it means to be trans. Despite recent anti-trans legislation across the country, the organization's members are hoping to see the beauty of their community shine through at its second annual Trans Day of Visibility Art Show on March 31.

Founded in 2014, Transcend was the first transgender-specific organization at a public Texas university. Its members and officers are dedicated to cultivating a community for transgender and nonbinary students and their allies at Texas State.

Sean Haynes, Transcend's vice president of outreach, said it can be difficult and lonely as a transgender person to connect with people who relate to their journey, which is why Transcend seeks to serve as a safe haven on campus.

"In Transcend, we kind of have that space where it's like, you know, no matter what the world is throwing at you right now or like how you might have to present and stuff, your name is your name, your pronouns are your pronouns and like, we just accept that and we want to embrace that," Haynes, a biological anthropology graduate student, said.

SERVICE

Students experience Louisiana culture, community during Bobcat Break

By Madelyn Weirich Asstistant News Editor starasstnews@txstate.edu

"The Hopeful Captive," 2020, a digital painting by Sean Haynes for the 2021 Transcend Trans Day of Visibility Art Show.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRANSCEND

The group is one of several organizations dedicated to creating close-knit communities for LGBTQ+ students at Texas State. While it has collaborated with organizations like Queer Cats and Bobcat PRIDE for meetings and socials in the past, Haynes said it is important for Transcend

to have events such as the annual Transgender Day of Visibility Art Showcase to acknowledge and celebrate different trans experiences.

"It's about, you know, just celebrating what it means to be trans, what trans people are doing SEE STUDENT ART PAGE 4

SXSW attendees pose in front of the carousel, Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at the Superheroes & Superstars Experience.

PHOTO BY CASSIE BUTTERFIELD

Over spring break, students participated in Bobcat Break, a program organized by Texas State's Service and Leadership Institute that gave students the the opportunity to complete service projects in Louisiana and learn about the state's culture and history.

The trip lasted March 13-16, involving a 10-hour bus ride and three-day stay in Louisiana. While the majority of the program involved helping out communities in New Orleans, students also stopped in neighboring towns, such as Lafayette and

SEE SERVICE PAGE 2

An audience member sings along to Black Lips performing, Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Idle Hands in Austin. The outdoor venue was packed to the fullest due to SXSW and St. Patrick's Day crowds.

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

Fieh vocalist Sofie Tollefsbøl dances during their set at SXSW, Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Brush Square Park. Fieh is a funky neo-soul 7-piece band from Norway who have just recently released its sophomore album.

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

Gunna performs for a large crowd at SXSW, Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Waterloo Park. The rapper is signed to Young Thug's label, who later came out and performed with him.

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

2 | Tuesday, March 22, 2022 Arthur Fairchild News Editor starnews@txstate.edu

The University Star

NEWS FROM FRONT SERVICE

Trinity Building 203 Pleasant St. San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245 - 3487

Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Brianna Benitez stareditor@txstate.edu News Editor: Arthur Fairchild starnews@txstate.edu Asstistant New Editor: Madelyn Weirich starasstnews@txstate.edu Life & Arts Editor: Sarah Hernandez starlifeandarts@txstate.edu Opinion Editor: Dillon Strine staropinion@txstate.edu Design Editor: Viviana Faz stardesign@txstate.edu Multimedia Editor: Natalie Ryan starmultimedia@txstate.edu Asstistant Multimedia Editor: Vanessa Buentello starasstmmedia@txstate.edu Engagement Editor: Meadow Chase starengagement@txstate.edu Podcast Editor: Carly Koon starpodcast@txstate.edu

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Full-Time Staff Director: Laura Krantz, laurakrantz@txstate.edu

About Us History: The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Tuesday of the spring and fall and once a month in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 3,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels HeraldZeitung.

Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, March 22, 2022. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor-in-chief.

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Exercise and sports science sophomore Zoe Cruz puts up book shelves, Tuesday, March 15, 2022, in Nunez Community College Library.

PHOTO BY VIVIANA FAZ

Chalmette. Bobcat Break was cancelled last year due to COVID-19, but the program has been around since before 2014. In the future, students hope to expand to other locations as well.

This year, students were divided into three groups and traveled to different locations around New Orleans for service projects. Some helped move desks from old offices into classrooms, others painted bleachers and doors at a local baseball field and most students helped with renovations at a library in Nunez Community College.

Students woke up at 6 a.m. each morning to begin their day. After a freshly cooked breakfast, they would divide into groups and head out to complete a project in the community together. The groups worked until 4 p.m. with a lunch break around noon and then headed back to camp for about an hour of free time before dinner. By 10 p.m., everyone was in bed.

Zoe Cruz, an exercise and sports science sophomore, recalls the bonding that took place over the shared excitement of a new environment.

"You know how they have like those core memories, like in 'Inside Out'?

That's one of them for me," Cruz said.

"Honestly, everyone on the trip, I'm happy that I can call them my friends now."

Cruz's group spent most of its time at the library, organizing books and replacing old shelves. The experience opened Cruz's eyes to how intricate and important a librarian's job is, along with how much help even smaller tasks can be to those who need it.

"I was organizing the box of books, and I thought like 'oh, like this doesn't do anything,' but it does because, you don't know when someone's gonna get to it. It could be like five months later, you know?" Cruz said. "[The head librarian] even told me that like, what we did in the span of six hours of helping out in that college, in that library, is what takes them to finish in five months."

As the head librarian at Nunez, Katelyn Baroody described the time she spent working with the students as a glimpse into the library's future of bustling activity and passion for work.

"It was nice to see the space full of people who are excited about the changes that are happening," Baroody said. "Because this space is kind of under construction right now and in transition, it's not one that is used by our students a lot, so it kind of gave me a vision for what it could be with people working and, you know, just getting excited about the materials that we have."

The library is in the process of creating a culinary library and research center through its partnership with the Southern Food and Beverages Museum in New Orleans. Once completed, the library will contain thousands of cookbooks and menus, along with papers and artifacts belonging to famous chefs. To Baroody, this will be a great way to preserve some of the rich culture found in Louisiana.

"Anybody who's visited southern Louisiana can sort of attest to the fact that it's very unique, whether it's the food, the architecture [or] the

Psychology sophomore Cailey Chilek sorts museum cookbooks, Tuesday, March 15, 2022, in

Nunez Community College Library.

PHOTO BY VIVIANA FAZ

YOU KNOW HOW THEY HAVE LIKE THOSE CORE MEMORIES, LIKE IN 'INSIDE OUT'? THAT'S ONE OF THEM FOR ME . . .

HONESTLY, EVERYONE ON THE TRIP, I'M HAPPY THAT I CAN CALL THEM MY FRIENDS NOW."

-ZOE CRUZ, EXERCISE SPORTS SCIENCE SOPHOMORE customs," Baroody said. "The work that the students are doing is really important in that aspect because the Culinary Research Center is going to help continue to sort of tell those stories and really influence future generations of researchers and cooks."

Kelsey Burdick, a digital media junior, considered the ability to experience Louisiana's culture first-hand as one of the most impactful aspects of the trip.

Burdick enjoyed learning about the different traditions and ways of life in the cities she visited.

"As a younger, getting-educated generation, we often say that we're trying to experience other cultures, but we don't really physically go to see them," Burdick said. "So, it was just a nice way to comfortably, like, go experience another culture but still have the support system of the school and other students."

Burdick was most struck by how tight knit the community in New Orleans was, especially when it came to rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. To locals, Katrina is known as the hurricane

that wiped out the infrastructure of New Orleans. While other hurricanes have happened since then, none have had such a widespread impact.

"The people who were able to stay just put everything into rebuilding and like, filling those gaps," Burdick said. "So, like, people would open stores because there wasn't a store like that in the area, and people needed things like the barbershops, so the community would really step up to try to rebalance, like what was taken away from them."

Due to Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, many families were displaced, including Camp Director Walt Schroyer. He, alongside his wife Maylou, and his 11-month-old dog, worked to make sure all of the guests felt welcome through telling stories, waking up before everyone to make breakfast and being present with the campers.

"He turned [being displaced] into a positive by, like, really putting himself out there to support the community and support the people who are coming to help the community," Burdick said.

Schroyer and his family showed the students an example of the dedication and grit communities in Louisiana embodied in order to overcome the difficulties of Hurricane Katrina.

According to Burdick and Cruz, this attitude of strength and togetherness is a large part of Louisiana culture.

Overall, the students treasured the experience and the friendships they formed both with locals and other students. Like many of the friends she made along the way, Cruz plans to return each year of her college career.

"I would highly recommend doing this or at least trying," Cruz said. "You never know when you get to travel somewhere. Again, you might as well take the opportunity, and it might change your perspective on how you can help, like, a community that's like really far, like thousands of miles away from you."

Bobcat Break was organized by Texas State's Service and Leadership Institute.

For more opportunities to get involved in leadership opportunities at Texas State, visit https://studentinvolvement.txstate. edu/sli/

The University Star

MULTIMEDIA

(Left to right) cast members of "Cha Cha Real Smooth," Cooper Raiff, Vanessa Burghardt and Dakota Johnson talk during a Q&A, Friday, March 18, 2022, at the Paramount Theatre.

PHOTO BY CASSIE BUTTERFIELD

Tuesday, March 22, 2022 | 3 Natalie Ryan Multimedia Editor starmultimedia@txstate.edu

Cast members of the hit television show "The Boys," Chace Crawford (left), Jessie Usher and Jensen Ackles talk about the new season, Saturday, March 12, 2022, at the Austin Convention Center.

PHOTO BY CASSIE BUTTERFIELD

We Don't Ride Llamas vocalist Max Mitchell performs with her siblings at SXSW, Saturday,

Dusty Lee of the Wanderers sings during their set, Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Lustre Pearl in

March 19, 2022, at Austin Convention Center. The Austin-based band has a wide range of

Austin, Texas.

PHOTO BY STEVEN PHIPPS

influences, including Of Monsters and Men and Lenny Kravitz.

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

4 | Tuesday, March 22, 2022 Sarah Hernandez Life & Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

The University Star

LIFE AND ARTS

FROM FRONT STUDENT ART in life and just like, different lived experiences and talking about how many different walks of life people in the trans community come from," Haynes said.

"It's a way to showcase oftentimes very personal and like, sometimes very vulnerable pieces of where a lot of this art comes from, and to celebrate that vulnerability through visibility and stuff like that."

March 31 marks Transgender Day of Visibility internationally. The day is dedicated to recognizing the accomplishments of the trans community as well as to bringing awareness to the struggles the trans community faces.

Jessica Soukup is the vice board chair for the Transgender Education Network of Texas and has been the faculty advisor of Transcend for six years, acting as a resource to the students who plan and organize the event. She said from the outside looking into the art showcase, she is proud that Transcend members have created a space in which trans and nonbinary students can share their stories. "[Transgender Day of Visibility] was formed originally, because of an understanding that people who had met someone who's trans, were significantly more likely to support trans rights. And so trans visibility was designed to give people an opportunity to meet out trans people who wanted to share their stories. And so, this is a perfect event," Soukup said.

This is the second year the Trans Day of Visibility art showcase is shared online for last year, the pandemic caused the event's planners to move the gallery submissions to a dedicated Instagram account, @transcendtdov. Submissions to the showcase have included drawings, paintings, digital art, poems and short stories. Haynes said this year's art show will also be displayed on the same Instagram page since it makes art more accessible to those who want to see it.

Raymond Ortega, a studio art alumnus who was a member of Transcend throughout his four years at Texas State and served as the organization's president his senior year, submitted works from his senior thesis to the art show. In an exploration of his own feelings about gender and queer sexuality, his collection of drawings implied sensuality and sexuality but denied the viewer a full picture of what was happening.

He said the organization's decision to commemorate the day with an art show was made because members believed in leaving it up to individuals to show their

[TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY] WAS FORMED ORIGINALLY, BECAUSE OF AN UNDERSTANDING THAT PEOPLE WHO HAD MET SOMEONE WHO’S TRANS, WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO SUPPORT TRANS RIGHTS. AND SO TRANS VISIBILITY WAS DESIGNED TO GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET OUT TRANS PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO SHARE THEIR STORIES. AND SO, THIS IS A PERFECT EVENT.”

-JESSICA SOUKUP, TRANSCEND FACULTY ADVISOR vulnerability. He appreciated being able to step out of the sometimes stifling environment of his art studies and freely express himself by submitting his work to the showcase where it could also reach a larger audience.

"It was just really cool to be exhibiting my art in a space where I wasn't just like, the one like trans

person, like talking about my own experiences, but I was surrounded by other trans creatives and we were all like talking about our own similar experiences that way," Ortega said. "And there's never this expectation that you need to be even an art major like me. Like, literally anyone can submit, or as long as you make something that you are passionate about, and you think reflects your identity, that's always welcome."

As someone who served in a Transcend officer position and was heavily involved in planning the art showcase, Ortega said the hard work was always rewarding because they got to facilitate conversations and acknowledge the nuances that make everyone unique despite being connected by a common experience.

"If we wouldn't have done it, no one else would have done it," Ortega said. "It has the intended effect of like, the actual holiday of like, you know, we're trying to be more visible and sort of be like, 'hey, we're here,' in order to be able to talk about issues that we face and stuff ... and it brings a lot of joy but there's also the reason for that is so that we can talk about these hard issues that normally people wouldn't want to talk about."

Through the Transgender Day of Visibility Art Showcase and by continuing its mission of building a family for transgender and nonbinary students at Texas State, Transcend members hope to uplift their peers and open a supportive environment in which people can be themselves. "[Trans Day of Visibility is about] celebrating that kind of act of defiance of what it means to be trans and to uplift the lives of trans people while we're still here," Haynes said. "And to remind people that, you know, we are here, we are visible. We're in your community.

You might not see us every day, you might not know that, you know, we're in your classes, we're in your work and stuff like that. We're here, our lives matter."

For more information on Transcend, visit its Instagram or Twitter @transcendtxst. Visual, written, audio and multimedia art submissions for the Transgender Day of Visibility Art Show can be submitted to transgender@ txstate.edu or through Google Form.

Tuesday, March 22, 2022 | 5

The University Star

LIFE AND ARTS

Sarah Hernandez Life & Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

FORYOU CAMPAIGN

Student-led campaign creates inclusive space in menstrual health and hygiene

By ForYou Campaign Group, Guest Writer ForYou, a campaign within Texas State's public relations capstone class, aims to educate the student body on what a healthy period looks like as well as dispel the common myths and misconceptions that can create harmful or unfounded beliefs surrounding menstruation.

The campaign's main components include awareness, education, inclusivity and advocacy in an effort to promote range in menstrual discourse.

With each one being an integral part in measuring the success, the five Texas State seniors that created this campaign knew their foundation needed to stand on inclusivity and erase the taboo that crosses generational lines.

“It’s time to make an uncomfortable conversation comfortable,” Alexandria Blott, founder and team lead of the ForYou campaign, said. “Menstruation happens to almost everyone with a uterus, so why should we hide behind euphemisms and shame? A healthy period is a normal period, and we’re here to include everyone in that conversation – not just the people who society thinks should fit an outdated idea of who should have a menstrual cycle.”

For nonbinary people and transgender men, having a period can not only cause physical distress on the body from the cycle itself but can also create emotional and mental turmoil that agitates the gender dysphoria they could be already experiencing.

On the Texas State campus, the lack of accessibility to menstrual products and gender-neutral bathrooms only adds to the already difficult experience of having a menstrual cycle for these communities.

“Having a period as a transmasc is hard enough to process on its own, but the lack of representation makes my experience even more uncomfortable,” Jo Ingraham, a clinical laboratory science senior, said. “Everything is so geared toward cisgender women – terminology, packaging, product placement – that my identity is almost completely disconnected with what I’m having to do just to have a clean cycle.”

While Texas State Student Government passed a Menstrual Health Initiative that brought free menstrual products to six buildings throughout the Texas State campus, product placement and accessibility create a rift between idea and execution.

“I think it’s great that there are free products on campus,” Ingraham said.

“But from what I’ve seen they’re only in women’s bathrooms which completely cut nonbinary people and transmascs

Members of the ForYou campaign pose for a photo in front of the One of a Kind art mural.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MORGAN TAYLOR

out of having access to them without compromising our feelings of identity.

There’s no discussion of what would be the most beneficial for every community because the language involving periods is typically surrounded by cisgender women.”

Despite having this initiative, bathrooms that held these products were still hard to find and very isolated from where they were placed. After recognizing this to be a problem, the ForYou team conducted its own experiment where each member went into buildings across campus to see if any menstrual products were provided in the bathrooms.

All bathrooms on every floor in over six buildings surrounding Old Main were scoured to see if there was not only access to the menstrual products but also gender-neutral bathrooms.

The search came to be quite disheartening for the five members as only a handful of buildings had the rare

menstrual product station and outside of that, the lack of gender-neutral bathrooms felt like a blow to multiple communities.

“We decided to go in blind to try and find these stations to mimic what our fellow Bobcats would typically do when in need of period products,” said ForYou team member and graphic designer Olivia Wainwright. “Every one of us who’s had a period has experienced an emergency where we didn’t have any menstrual products when we’ve needed it, and it’s important for everyone to have easy access to menstrual products provided to them on campus. The initiative is so important, but an entire section of campus that populates half of the majors is without unless a random organization decides to sponsor a random bathroom.”

To give an idea of the lack of locations for gender-neutral bathrooms, the closest one when on the fourth floor of Centennial is located on the fourth

floor of Lampasas – two buildings away. While there are 18 gender-neutral bathrooms across Texas State's campus, some buildings have two such as Alkek Library and the Student Health Center, leaving the majority of the buildings without.

The ForYou team wants to tackle this problem that over half of the student body population faces by advocating for the university to put menstrual health hygiene and product stations in every building on campus – outside of a gender-specific bathroom.

“The uncomfortable truth is that you have to actively change your behavior and be aware of your actions that aren’t inclusive,” Ingraham said. “Include communities outside of the status quo in conversations that affect the masses.”

A petition has been created by the campaign to push for this initiative to be implemented with over 50 signatures in the three weeks it’s been active.

With the foundation of the ForYou campaign being based on inclusivity, it not only pushes for inclusive language and actions regarding who has a period, but what healthy and “normal” look like for people who have one.

Myths and misconceptions dominate the menstrual discourse and fuel the unfounded beliefs that could potentially harm those seeking ways to navigate a menstrual cycle and what a healthy one is supposed to resemble. While it is due to a lack of education, a massive portion of this also correlates to the taboo surrounding a period and who is supposed to know about it.

“Menstruation is something that not a lot of people talk about in public,” said ForYou team member and logistics expert Morgan Taylor. “It’s one of those ‘I only talk to my close friends and my doctor about’ kind of topics and that needs to change. We should be proud and open to talk about such a natural thing.”

The ForYou team has created an education and awareness portion of its campaign that can be found within The University Star over the next three weeks which will feature expert and relational interviews that inform, educate and bridges the gap of the isolating feelings people who have periods experience.

“It’s an exciting time for our team to be a part of something we consider so important,” Blott said. “Preventative care is healthcare and having menstrual products available to everyone is part of that. Inclusive language and actions are only the beginning of what we plan on doing as a team, so just imagine the impact we could have as a university – the possibilities are endless.”

COMIC BY MADISON WARE

6 | Tuesday, March 22, 2022 Dillon Strine Opinion Editor staropinion@txstate.edu

The University Star

OPINIONS

Opinions in The University Star are not necessarily those of our entire publication, Texas State University’s administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Student Publications Board.

PRODUCTIVITY

Success should not be measured by constant productivity

By Kadence Cobb Opinion Contributor

It is easy to become comfortable in the state of overworking yourself.

With the fast-paced society we live in, productivity has been prioritized in order to achieve success. However, the issue arises whenever one’s worth is placed solely upon the level of productivity.

A study by Stanford University, revealed productivity levels declined when someone worked over 50 hours a week. In addition, the study showed that individuals who worked 55 hours a week got the same amount of work done as those working 70 hours. The increase in the amount of actual time spent working did not result in a higher payoff.

The saying “work smarter, not harder” directly applies in this scenario. The act of remaining productive for longer periods of time was not beneficial, and in fact, these individuals wasted their time.

Instead of working longer hours, they could have been using their time with friends and family or spent time enjoying a hobby. However, these individuals worked for extensive amounts of time when it was not necessary for the amount of work accomplished.

Spending time with families aids in creating a stronger emotional bond between children and their parents, strengthens communication levels and tends to increase the child's performance in school.

This can be applied to students who are forcing themselves to always remain productive. It is important to recognize success is not solely based on how much you accomplish at a time. Students that never allow themselves to take time off may be at risk of the burnout that accompanies over workers.

Job burnout is “a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and

ILLUSTRATION BY DILLON STRINE

loss of personal identity.” Oftentimes, students face burnout whenever they experience ongoing stress and frustration especially when they do not have time to relax. It is important for students to acknowledge that their success is not determined by the number of tasks completed.

Students like Addison Hobbs, an English freshman, have felt intense pressure to remain productive in order to have a successful career.

“I have always felt that productivity was essential in order to be successful later in life. It has always allowed me to maintain good grades and learn better time management skills," Hobbs said.

Productivity can be beneficial in moderation, but the problem arises when success is found in overworking oneself. It is crucial to understand the negative impacts that this kind of pressure can place on individuals.

Overworking has been directly linked to depression and anxiety. It has impacted the quality of sleep, leading to higher rates of disease and lower immunity levels. Furthermore,

overworking has been associated with the inability to properly eat and drink.

This could lead to severe dehydration and hypoglycemia.

All of this unnecessary stress caused by excessive productivity is negatively impacting both the physical and mental health of individuals. By taking a step back to re-center your mind and realize task completion is not a direct indication of success levels, the negative impacts of overworking can be limited.

One of the most successful men in the world, Bill Gates, wrote in his blog describing his appreciation toward meditation. After co-founding Microsoft, he claimed that meditation was a great exercise to improve his focus and used it to help him pay attention to his thoughts and distance himself from them.

Meditation has helped increase one’s self-awareness, relieve stress, increase creativity and reduced negative emotions. Taking 10 minutes out of your day a few times every week can help tremendously with the stress that accompanies the busy schedules

of students. There are other activities that can help alleviate stress, such as decreasing time spent on social media, exercising, engaging with others and maintaining good nutrition.

Students are expected to keep up with workloads for multiple classes, which can be very stressful in itself. Also, students may have jobs, families to take care of and relationships to maintain. With the busy lives of students, students may easily fall into a cycle of overworking themselves. It is important to realize that productivity should not be the sole factor that indicates one’s success.

Instead, success should be found in personal growth and contentedness.

- Kadence Cobb is a journalism freshman The University Star welcomes Letters to the Editor from its readers. All submissions are reviewed and considered by the Editor-in-Chief and Opinion Editor for publication. Not all letters are guaranteed for publication.

ENTITLEMENT

NFL protects abuser, again

By Xavier Zamarron Opinion Contributor

Content warning: This column includes discussion of domestic and sexual abuse.

Talent always wins. That’s been the rule in the NFL for as long as anyone can remember.

Countless times abusers in the NFL have been given second chances all because they play well and help produce wins. "It’s a business,” people say as if that gives any justification to signing a sexual harasser, an abuser, or someone with questionable character.

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson appears to be the latest example of the NFL’s willingness to put morals on the back burner. On March 11, a grand jury chose not to indict Watson on criminal charges after he was at the center of an investigation involving lawsuits filed by 22 different women who accused him of harassment and sexual abuse. Watson will likely only face civil repercussions, meaning no jail time.

What that means for NFL teams is that he can play.

Prior to the lawsuits, Watson was considered one of the best young quarterbacks in the league. After great frustration with the Houston Texans organization, Watson asked for a trade around the start of the 2021 season. The market for the 26-year-old pro bowl quarterback appeared robust, any team in the league would want such a young star.

Soon after though, Watson was accused of sexual harassment by one woman, and then another, and then another, eventually reaching the total tally of 22. His future in the league was murky, which would make one assume his trade value had gone down. In a sense it did. No team actually traded for Watson up until the decision but reported talks and rumors remained

consistent throughout the entire saga.

The clarification of Watson's playing status led to a disturbingly rapid revival of interest, ultimately resulting in a deal.

On March 18, Watson was traded to the Cleveland Browns where he then signed a new five-year contract worth $230 million. His actions were never the problem, only his availability. That’s the bottom line in the NFL: Can you play and are you good? As long as the answer to both of those questions is yes, there will always be a spot for you.

While it was suspected a suspension was coming for Watson, the fact that Cleveland chose to trade for and give a raise to the quarterback suggests that whatever suspension is coming won’t be too harsh. This isn't much of a surprise at all given the NFL has been inconsistent and extremely forgiving when it comes to punishing players for these kinds of actions.

The modern NFL’s response to sexual harassment and domestic violence really starts with Ray Rice. Rice was a former running back for the Baltimore Ravens and was suspended for just two games back in 2014, after allegedly punching his wife in an elevator. After video of the incident was released, Rice was suspended indefinitely. Sure, in the end, justice might’ve been served, but it took video evidence for it to happen. Once people could see the kind of atrocity committed and not just hear about it, that’s when the NFL had a problem.

However, things have seemingly gotten even more relaxed since then.

Kareem Hunt was a former running back for the Kansas City Chiefs who was released from the team after a video of him pushing and kicking a woman at a hotel in Cleveland was leaked.

Ironically, the Cleveland Browns signed Hunt that offseason, even prior to the league's decision on what punishment it would lay down. In the end, Hunt was suspended for just eight games, even with the video.

ILLUSTRATION BY BRIANNA BENITEZ

Tyreek Hill is one of the NFL’s most electric athletes, but he also has one of the darkest pasts. Hill was arrested on Dec. 12, 2014, after he allegedly punched his then-pregnant girlfriend, Crystal Espinal, in the face and stomach.

Hill’s draft stock fell, but he was still given a shot and has since become one of the league’s biggest stars. Hill was given a second chance and the people who gave it to him likely said something along the lines of “people change.” Well, that’s not always the case.

On March 5, 2019, Hill was named in a police report as a person involved in a child abuse case. The case was closed just days after, but later, a leaked audio recording featured Hill and Espinal arguing about how their son got a broken arm. Espinal accused Hill of breaking the child’s arm and repeatedly questioned him about it, but Hill simply denied it. Kansas City suspended Hill from the team during the offseason, but the NFL decided in July 2019 not to officially suspend Hill for any games.

He missed no time.

The NFL’s leniency with sexual

harassment and domestic violence only becomes more appalling when you realize it is fully capable of laying down harsher punishments for seemingly smaller infractions. Calvin Ridley is a wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons who stepped away from the team for much of the 2021 season due to mental health issues.

While away from the team, Ridley allegedly placed about $1,500 in bets on NFL games, which is against league rules. As a result, the NFL suspended Ridley for an entire year. Apparently betting on sports games is far more serious than abusing women and children, at least according to the NFL. That’s all led to where we are now with Watson. Despite being accused of harassment and sexual assault from 22 women, Watson will still get his second chance. Teams never stopped talking about him, fans on social media never stopped fantasizing about him and the women he hurt never stopped being disrespected. It's a damning decision that reeks of injustice, and the stench only grows worse as the NFL continues to give abusers chance after chance.

Men cannot keep getting away with literal crimes simply because of how fast they are or how well they throw a football. While people may change, redemption must be earned, not simply handed to someone. The NFL has a massive platform and undoubtedly influences our culture. If we see men being properly punished at that level, the highest level, it will certainly have a trickle-down effect.

- Xavier Zamarron is a mass communication and journalism junior The University Star welcomes Letters to the Editor from its readers. All submissions are reviewed and considered by the Editor-in-Chief and Opinion Editor for publication. Not all letters are guaranteed for publication.

Tuesday, March 22, 2022 | 5

The University Star

SPORTS BASEBALL

Bobcats begin Sun Belt play with a sweep over A-State

By Kyle Owen Sports Contributor Texas State baseball (18-3, 3-0) swept the Arkansas State Red Wolves (4-13, 0-3) this weekend in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The Bobcats completed the three-game sweep to win its Sun Belt Conference opener and their fifth series win this season.

The Bobcats, prior to facing the Red Wolves, won a mid-week contest against the Prairie View A&M Panthers, 8-2, at home – moving to 4-1 in midweek contests. In the first weekend of Sun Belt Conference play, the Bobcats began 3-0 – all three games in nail-biter fashion.

The Bobcats came into the weekend ranked as high as No. 15 in the College Baseball Newspaper poll. While the ‘Cats are confident in the way they’ve played in the past month, the team knows they can’t stop playing their best game.

“In years past when we have started to get some outside recognition, that’s when things have taken a turn for us,” senior outfielder John Wuthrich said.

“So, learning from that and realizing that it’s still about us; staying on each other, encouraging each other and playing for each other – we’ll be in a good place.”

In game one, it seemed the Bobcats had forgotten who they were, giving up six runs in the bottom of the first.

The maroon and gold had a seemingly insurmountable trial ahead of them.

The Bobcats trailed until the top of the seventh, putting up a six-spot, and would never look back.

After being down in the top of the seventh, 3-7, the Bobcats scored 10 unanswered runs – taking game one from A-State, 13-7, in both squads’ Sun Belt Conference opener. The Bobcats plated 13 runs on 12 hits while committing three errors. The Red Wolves are able to get seven runs on five hits, committing five errors.

Junior pitcher Triston Dixon threw five scoreless innings to pick up the win.

Friday night starter, senior pitcher Zeke Wood, gave up four hits and seven runs – only one of them being earned.

Seven Bobcats plated runs in

Texas State sophomore pitcher Levi Wells (25) pitches the ball to a Jaguar batter during a game against Southern University, Saturday, March 12, 2022, at Bobcat Ballpark. The Bobcats won the series 3-0.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

Texas State sophomore catcher August Ramirez (18) tosses the ball to his teammates during the pregame warmup of the first game against UT Austin, Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at Bobcat Ballpark. The Bobcats tied the series 1-1.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

Friday’s contest, senior infielder Justin Thompson touched home four times in just five at-bats.

Saturday night would see 17 fewer runs than Friday’s contest as the Bobcats outlasted the pitching duel, 2-1, clinching the series win against A-State.

Saturday starter for the Bobcats, senior pitcher Levi Wells, snagged the

win on 5.2 innings pitched, giving up one run and four hits, striking out six.

Bobcat pitchers Matthew Nicholas, Carson Keithley and Tristan Stivors held the Red Wolves scoreless through the final 3.1 innings.

Taking the loss for A-State was senior pitcher Will Nash, who gave up the only two runs against his team in the top of

the third inning.

Senior infielder Dalton Shuffield brought around senior outfielder Isaiah Ortega-Jones with a double. After Thompson was walked on the next atbat, senior designated hitter Wesley Faison knocked a single up the middle to bring Shuffield home for the second and final run of the game for the Bobcats.

The third game of the series wouldn’t come easy for the Bobcats either as they trailed, 4-2, until the bottom of the eighth. The Bobcats would be able to grab the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth to sweep the Red Wolves, winning game three, 5-4.

In the first three innings, six runs were scored – A-State on top, 4-2. After the explosive start, in innings four through seven, both teams combined for three hits until the top of the eighth when the Bobcats rallied back.

The rally for the Bobcats began with a single from freshman infielder Daylan Pena who was brought around with a one-out home run to tie the game from Shuffield in the top of the eighth. It wouldn’t be until the next inning that the Bobcats took the lead when OrtegaJones doubled down the left-field line to score senior infielder Cameron Gibbons and ultimately won the game. Batting in three runs for the Bobcats, Shuffield also grabbed a pair of hits, tying Pena and sophomore catcher August Ramirez for the team high.

Stivors grabbed his second win of the year, completing the game on two scoreless innings for the Bobcats as the hitters rallied back from their two-run deficit. The Bobcats saw sophomore pitcher Cameron Bush throw three scoreless innings after Sunday starter Tony Robie gave up four runs in the first three innings.

After completing their third series sweep on the season over the Arkansas State Red Wolves, the Bobcats will remain on the road for one more game.

No. 9 Texas State faces the University of Incarnate Word (9-8) at 6:30 p.m. on March 22 at Sullivan Field in San Antonio.

Spring break sports recap

Texas State fifth year Hana Kvapilova returns the ball to her Gonzaga opponent during a tennis

Texas State sophomore Mae McCutcheon waits for a service from her Gonzaga opponent during

match, Saturday, March, 12, 2022, at Bobcat Tennis Complex. The Bobcats won 4-3.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

a tennis match, Saturday, March, 12, 2022, at Bobcat Tennis Complex. The Bobcats won 4-3.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

Texas State sophomore pitcher Jessica Mullins (4) pitches the ball to an Appalachian State batter, Texas State senior outfielder Kylie George (1) slides into home base as graduate student infielder Dani Elder (2) cheers her on during a game against Appalachian, Saturday, March 12, 2022, Saturday, March 12, 2022, at Bobcat Softball Field. The Bobcats lost the series 2-1.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

at Bobcat Softball Field. The Bobcats lost the series 2-1.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

8 | Tuesday, March 22, 2022

The University Star