October 2021 (10-25-21) by College Heights Herald

Oct. 25-Nov. 14 2021

Volume 97, Issue 3

COLLEGE HEIGHTS

HERALD

Community connects through cultural, social activism

2021 Homecoming special section inside

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Oct. 25-Nov. 14, 2021

CITY OF BOWLING GREEN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

Clubs promote diversity, inclusion at WKU

FOR THE FOLLOWING PART-TIME POSITIONS

WKU community reflects on diversity, equity, inclusion efforts

4/5

LGBTQ+ community supported by Hilltopper Pride Network

Student leaders express the importance of political involvement

By Henri Aboah and Alexandria Anderson

By Madison Carter

• • • • • • •

Basketball Referee Basketball Scorekeepers Fitness Instructor Park Attendants Landscape Helper Volleyball Supervisor Laborers

• • • • • •

Greenskeeper Park Ranger Golf Shop Attendant Sub Fitness Instructor Police Cadet Recreation/Athletic Staff Assistants

Interested applicants can apply online at www.bgky.org/hr/jobs or at the Human Resources Department in City Hall, 1001 College St, Bowling Green. All qualified applicants will recieve consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability. The City of Bowling Green is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Drug-Free Workplace.

By Michael Dylan Payne

By Jacob Latimer

The hardest job she’ll ever love By Allie Hendricks

One woman finds sexual liberation through activism By Rose Donnelly

8/9 10/11

Fun Page

WKU esports athletes seeking recognition on the Hill

Overcoming it all: Clem Haskins shares experience of integrating WKU’s basketball program

Views from the Bottom of the Hill: This movement isn’t over

By Joseph Thompson III

By Kaden Gaylord-Day

COVER PHOTO BY JACOB LATIMER A speaker at an election day event at Circus Square Park on November 3, 2020 speaks out on her thoughts on the state of the country.

NEWS 3

Oct. 25-Nov. 14, 2021

Clubs promote diversity and inclusion at WKU By Henri Aboah and Alexandria Anderson

Cultural clubs and organizations centered around underrepresented groups provide students an opportunity to connect with their peers and allow for their voices to be heard on campus. The 2021 WKU Factbook defines underrepresented minority students as Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander or two or more races. These students made up 21.9% of first-time, first-year students in Fall 2020. The number of people in the United States who identify as LGBTQ+ rose from 4.5% in 2017 to 5.6% in 2021, according to a 2021 Gallup poll. The data also found that the majority of respondents identified as bisexual, and one in six adults in Generation Z consider themselves LGBTQ+.

Asian American Student Association

The Asian American Student Association is a group focused on giving a community and platform to Asian American students on campus, lending them the ability to share their voices and educate on Asian culture in the community. “So far this semester, our organization has celebrated cultural holidays like the Mid-Autumn Festival, participated in Bowling Green’s International Festival and sponsored food events like Hot-Pot night,” Noah Lyles, a junior Chinese and political science double major and president of the AASA, said. “In addition to these cultural events, we plan on hosting discussion nights where Asian students and friends can discuss relevant social issues as well as events that can educate WKU students on culturally Asian topics, like language nights and cultural showcases. Lyles said the AASA is planning multiple events in the future to raise

awareness about the Bowling Green Asian community. Lyles encouraged students to get involved in these events to broaden cultural awareness of the Asian community at WKU and in Bowling Green. He explained that any student can attend AASA meetings and events. Although the primary goal of the AASA is to give a platform to Asian American students, all students are welcome to be introduced to a different culture. The AASA is one of many organizations on campus that is important for creating a diverse and inclusive environment. The opportunities it offers are valuable to many students. “Our organization is largely a result of there being no formal platform or community for Asian students at WKU, until now,” Lyles said. “Especially in the wake of Stop Asian Hate and similar movements, it is more important than ever for Asian students at WKU to have a place where they feel comfortable to embrace, explore and share their cultural heritage and identity.” Lyles said the AASA’s primary goal is to represent the underrepresented and work towards the interests of Asian students at WKU. The AASA can be found on Instagram @wkuaasa.

Queer Student Union

The Queer Student Union is an organization focused on giving a safe space and platform to people in the LGBTQ+ community. Its goal is to provide students a place to comfortably experience their identities and find community with other students. “At the end of the day, we want queer people to have a space on campus,” Leslie Urbano, a sophomore political science major and president of the QSU, said. “We want a space where students are more inclined to be themselves and a place for them to feel comfortable. We have a weekly meeting every Wednesday and often

have guest speakers.” Urbano stressed that having this open and accepting space on campus is vital because some students might have not been given opportunities like this in the past. She also explained how the QSU matters within the WKU community as a place where students not only find acceptance but they can branch out into other accepting communities as well. “It’s really important to have an organization like QSU as like a jumping off point to find resources and to find that community space that you feel comfortable using,” Urbano said. “Because overall we have the QSU but if you’re part of the honors college there’s ‘Out in Honors’, if you identify as trans or nonbinary there’s ‘TNB’, but we’re like the starting-off point.” The WKU QSU can be found on Instagram @qsuwku.

HOLAS

The HOLAS is an organization that brings together Hispanic and Latin American communities. “HOLAS, the Hilltoppers Organization of Latin American Students, strives to represent all students who come from Latin American or Hispanic background,” Amanda Webb, Public Relations Chair, said. Webb mentioned that the organization is not exclusive and anyone can join. “HOLAS has brought me great friends, taught me lots about many different culture and has given [me] a community that feels like home,” Webb said. HOLAS does volunteer opportunities that give back to the community and holds cultural events that everyone can get involved in. “We promote diversity on campus and create a place to share our unique cultures and experiences with others.” HOLAS can be found on Instagram @wkuholas.

African Student Union

The African Student Union is an organization for African students to find a community at WKU. The ASU holds events to share information about what is happening in Africa as well as events to share African culture in the WKU community. “ASU is important because we celebrate and raise awareness of African culture on campus and around the city of Bowling Green,” Christian Koko, ASU president, said. Koko is a second year graduate student majoring in applied economics. Koko said the organization promotes unity among African students without discrimination of race, ethnicity, nationality or belief. For Koko, ASU has impacted him significantly because it helped facilitate his transition to the Hill from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “The WKU ASU has given me an opportunity to nurture and to mentor others in leadership,” Koko said. “WKU ASU, through the department [of ] Global Learning, has offered me an opportunity to discuss various issues of the continent and to raise awareness of African culture.” The ASU recently restarted after a year of being inactive and is still looking for new members. The organization is not limited to students from African descent but is open for any students interested in African culture. “We provide a home away from home for African students at WKU as well as supporting our enculturation at the university.” WKU ASU can be found on Instagram @wkuasu. News reporter Alexandria Anderson can be reached at alexandria.anderson337@topper.wku.edu. News reporter Henri Aboah can be reached at aronie.aboah179@topper. wku.edu.

4 NEWS

Oct. 25-Nov. 14, 2021

WKU community reflects on diversity, equity, inclusion efforts By Madison Carter

WKU, a predominantly white institution, has made efforts in recent years to improve diversity, equity and inclusion for its students, faculty and staff. While there is still work to be done, progress has been made. Molly Kerby, assistant provost for institutional effectiveness and co-chief diversity officer, founded the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workgroup with Michael P. Crowe in 2019. Kerby is responsible for academic affairs and Crowe is responsible for enrollment and student experience. According to Kerby, each college has their own representative in the workgroup and each representative has their own committee in their respective college. Kerby said that the purpose behind this was to ensure ideas from the workgroup were successfully implemented. Kerby said that she has seen smaller diversity committees forming in the Sociology Department and the Alumni Association since the workgroup formed Kerby has seen improvement

concerning diversity in the Student Government Association because of the student representation in the workgroup. Avery Wells is the student representative for the Committee for Diversity and Inclusion in SGA. “Having enough representatives everywhere is making a big difference,” Kerby said. Kerby said that retention rates for underrepresented minorities are going up and that she hopes that the efforts from the DEI Workgroup have contributed to that. According to the WKU website, the 2019-2020 academic year saw a retention rate of 73% for underrepresented minorities, 13.5% more than the previous year. Kerby said that the One WKU Campaign was formed in the summer of 2020 as a way to unite the WKU community as a single group working towards inclusivity and equality for all. Some of the specific initiatives One WKU has taken to improve DEI has been the reevaluation of the faculty hiring process to create a more diverse group of candidates as well

as providing bias training for hiring search committees, Kerby said. “If you're a person of color, you could very much get through here without seeing anyone like you,” Kerby said. “I think we need people in mentorship that look like us.” Fabián Álvarez, english professor, advisor of the Hispanic Organization of Latin American students and DEI Workgroup member, said that he has seen the HOLAS foster leadership and community among the students involved. “Truth be told, WKU has been lacking in supporting diversity and inclusion, and there's been a much more focused effort on the part of the university to reach out to communities of color and marginalized students,” Álvarez said. “There are more opportunities for scholarship and support for students who are in HOLAS and for students who are marginalized.” Kerby said that seeing people in positions of power of different races, sexual identities and gender identities shows students that they are represented and they also have the opportunity to be successful. Álvarez said that in his ten years as adviser of the HOLAS, he has seen the number of students involved grow and participation increase. Two of the major things that support students are access to resources and access to scholarships, Álvarez said. He feels that WKU should continue to offer more scholarships to diverse students so they have a greater opportunity to receive a higher education. Álvarez said that he encourages people to donate to the HOLAS scholarship in the Mahurin Honors College and minority scholarships in the English department. Juan Tomas, a junior majoring

in construction management, is the vice president of the HOLAS and a member of the Intercultural Student Engagement Center. Tomas said being a first generation student from a hispanic background made it hard for him to relate to the predominantly white population of students on campus. When he found the HOLAS, Tomas also found a community of people with a similar background that he could hang out and volunteer with. Tomas is a mentor to students in both the HOLAS and in ISEC. He said he is able to share different resources with students as well as build friendships with them. Tomas feels the university can do more to promote diversity by spotlighting organizations like ISEC and HOLAS to show other minorities that they have a community at WKU. He thinks the university has done well hiring diverse professors. He has noticed diverse professors in the Ogden College and thinks it is good for the university to seek professors from different backgrounds. Martha Sales, interim dean of students, executive director of WKU TRIO Programs and the WKU Intercultural Student Engagement Center, said that ISEC was created “to help students of color and LGBT students with college access and success.” A few of her main roles are to assist the university with recruiting, retaining and graduating students of color as well as pride center students. Sales said the ISEC Academy accepts a limited number of students each year, while the WKU Center for Academic Resources & Success is an ISEC program that accepts all students with need.

NEWS 5

Oct. 25-Nov. 14, 2021 STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

To Sales, the biggest impact these programs have made is keeping persistent retention and graduation rates of underrepresented students. “We provide not only academic support but also cultural competency, environmental, empowerment and social support for students of color,” Sales said. One ISEC effort that has made a big impact on students is the peer mentoring program. Sales said mentors are upperclassmen that assist incoming freshmen with navigating college and setting them on a path toward graduation. “Another benefit is that it’s a family,” Sales said. “A lot of students of color feel alone on campus, so I think it provides them a home away from home. It’s a safe environment.” The ISEC community holds each other accountable and supports one another, Sales said. “We care enough to correct our students when we see our students are not operating to their fullest potential,” Sales said. “You have someone other than administrators holding you accountable. Your peers hold you accountable and make sure you cross that graduation line together.” Sales has seen students step up and become more firm in their expectations for DEI and has witnessed faculty become more dedicated to the DEI effort.

She has also noticed faculty implementing diversity policies into the classroom and in WKU’s various colleges. Sales said that renaming Northeast Hall as Munday Hall after Margaret Munday, WKU’s first African American student, illustrates the growth in DEI administrative efforts at WKU. Troy D. Davis, a member of ISEC and SGA, said that he was introduced to ISEC at the Topper Orientation Program

and was encouraged to apply for the academy. Davis said ISEC Academy has given him and other students access to scholarships and opportunities to find financial aid. Davis said that ISEC has also provided him with a community. “The school does a good job making sure that when minority students come here they show them that there’s an avenue to get cultural identity and allow students to thrive,” Davis said. He noticed when he got to campus his freshman year the student population was primarily black and white. He learned that WKU was a predominantly white institution and that finding ISEC helped him foster a community of people that had a similar background as him. Davis sees WKU promoting DEI by giving students of color representation on campus and allowing them to create spaces for themselves. Davis said an example of this in SGA is allowing international students to elect a senator to represent them. When Davis joined Greek life, he was surprised to see that WKU had nine all-

black fraternities and sororities since it is a predominantly white institution. Davis said that it is good to see diversity in Greek life, and there is still action being done to unite the different councils. To Davis, WKU can improve DEI efforts by making sure the representation it seeks is actually what the university portrays to students when they get here. Davis said it is important for students to see professors that look like them and to see advertisements around campus that have diverse students. Davis said it is important for students to see diverse professors and faculty on campus because it tells students there are other people that know what you’ve been through and can understand the struggles you may be facing. “From my standpoint I haven’t had too many people of color as professors, which says to me that this is something that Western can improve on going forward,” Davis said. News reporter Madison Carter can be reached at madison.carter312@ topper.wku.edu.

6 NEWS

Oct. 25-Nov. 14, 2021

LGBTQ+ community supported by Hilltopper Pride Network By Michael Dylan Payne

The Hilltopper Pride Network serves the LGBTQ+ faculty and staff on campus. Patrick Collins, a meteorologist with the Kentucky Mesonet System and co-chair of the Hilltopper Pride Network, said the organization first made an appearance on campus nearly three decades ago as an underground group for LGBTQ+ members of the staff and faculty. “It was supposed to be kind of a hub for us to be able to connect, because there's not really a lot of support within Kentucky for the LGBT community,” Collins said. “It wasn't until about the mid-90s that it actually became more of an actual thing—and then within the last five or six years, it's actually became a more cohesive [organization].” The Hilltopper Pride Network

provides organizational support to the WKU Pride Center located in DSU, as well as a list of faculty and staff members who are allies of the WKU LGBTQ+ community—people that students and staff alike can reach out to for support, Collins said. “The organization is growing year by year, we started out back in the 90’s with maybe 10 or so faculty and staff,” Collins said. “It's exponentially grown in the last 15 to 20 years and I am extremely proud to be part of this.” WKU has gone from one small student-led support group to three thriving LGBTQ+ student groups on campus, the Queer Student Union, Out in Honors, and the Trans Non-Binary Club, something Collins believes the Hilltopper Pride Network contributed to. Molly Kerby, co-chief diversity officer for WKU and member of the Hilltopper Pride Network, said while

society has come a long way in recognizing the humanity of members of the LGBTQ+ community, bigotry still exists. “Students not only need the support of each other; they need faculty & staff support as well,” Kerby said via email. “I always tell students to find a faculty or staff member to be your ‘person,’ your ‘mentor,’ while you are here and to check in with them regularly.” The Hilltopper Pride Network tells WKU students and Bowling Green that the LGBTQ+ community is here, visible, and willing to help, Kerby said. “I grew up believing people who identified as gay or lesbian—not much talk of bisexual or transgender/ nonbinary when I was a kid—were an

abomination and there was something mentally ‘wrong’ with them,” Kerby said. “During pride month, I truly celebrate all the people who helped—and still help—to change that ideology.” Kerby said as Pride month wraps up, the importance of organizations that make people feel welcome and a part of the community at WKU cannot be understated “Having student and faculty groups on campus gives LGBTQ+ folks support and a sense that the university includes them,” Kerby said. “It sends a positive message of inclusion to people in our community.” Michael Dylan Payne can be reached at michael.payne993@topper. wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter @ mdpayne_.

Good money. Little time. Great cause.

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MICHAEL DYLAN PAYNE Patrick Collins, a meteorologist with the Kentucky Mesonet Center at WKU, at the Research and Development Center on Oct. 22, 2021. Collins is the co-chair of the Hilltopper Pride Network, an organization comprised of LGBTQ+ friendly staff and faculty members with the goal of helping WKU’s LGBTQ+ community.

State ID or DL | Proof of Social Security | Proof of Address 410 Old Morgantown Rd. Bowling Green, KY www.bplplasma.com

NEWS 7

Oct. 25-Nov. 14, 2021

Student leaders express the importance of political involvement By Jacob Latimer

College-age students have historically brought the lowest voter turnout to U.S. presidential elections. According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, half of the population aged 18-29 voted in the 2020 election, making it the highest year for voter turnout in that age group.

WKU Young Democrats

For Olivia Marshall, a senior political science major and president of the WKU Young Democrats, voting is the most effective way to be politically engaged. “Voting is the easiest way to get your voice heard and actively participate in citizenship,” Marshall said. “Legislation affects every single part of our lives, whether you know about it or you don’t.”

Marshall said keeping up with groups like the Student Government Association and the Board of Regents is important so that students can stay informed on what policies are being passed that directly affect them. “Bills that happen across the state that have to deal with budgeting may affect campus money,” Marshall said. Her involvement in the Young Democrats has helped her become more politically active and has opened doors for internships and opportunities to work on political campaigns. “By being able to be with a group of people who kind of have the same political views as you, you can then learn ways to get more engaged in local or state politics,” Marshall said. “It can help you fight for or against the bills that are happening.”

WKU College Republicans

Alex Rich, a junior political science major and chairman for the WKU College Republicans, said his involvement in the organization pushed him to be more politically involved. Rich said a political science course he took initially awoke his interest in becoming more active in local politics. “If I hadn’t taken that class, I wouldn’t be involved at all,” Rich said. “I think I wouldn’t have gotten some of the opportunities I’ve gotten, in terms of internships or job offers.” Rich recommends that even if a student doesn’t think they would have an interest in a political organization, they may find an opportunity from it. “At the very least, you open up multiple doors for yourself so you just have more choices,” Rich said. “I think that’s definitely been one of the benefits for me.”

Political division

ANNA LEACHMAN A voter fills out her ballot in the Warren Central High School gym on the afternoon of Nov. 3, 2020.

Both Rich and Marshall believe that the U.S. is politically divided. Marshall feels that the division she sees today began during the Ronald Reagan administration and was heightened significantly after the 2016 election. “Our government really was not set up in a way to have two major parties,” Marshall said. “The divide is also very much heightened by the media.” Rich feels that the best way for division to be eased in the U.S. is for people on every side of the political spectrum to have open, civil conversations and understand one another’s perspectives. He also feels that social media has increased political division.

“I’m not innocent of getting mad at stuff I’ve seen on social media,” Rich said. “But it definitely doesn’t help anything.”

Getting involved

Both the WKU College Republicans and Young Democrats bring in local politicians as guests to talk to their respective members and both organizations currently boast over 100 members. The College Republicans recently had Kelly Craft, a former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, speak at a meeting. Likewise, the Young Democrats recently welcomed William Compton, a U.S. congressional candidate, as a speaker at one of theirs. The College Republicans meet every other week on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in DSU. They typically set up tables weekly to spread the word about the organization. The Young Democrats’ next meeting will be on Tuesday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. in DSU 2123. They typically hold meetings bi-weekly. The Young Democrats also recently joined the College Democrats of Kentucky, which is a state-wide organization. The College Republicans can be found on Instagram @wkucrs and on Facebook at WKU College Republicans. The Young Democrats can be found on Instagram @youngdemswku and on Facebook at Western Kentucky University Young Democrats. Projects Editor Jacob Latimer can be reached at jacob.latimer745@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter @jacoblatimer_.

PHOTO

The Hardest Job she’ll ever love Words and photos by Allie Hendricks

athy Morgan teases her son, Junior Morgan, as they do a picture search game together, making bunny ears with her fingers behind his head. “I found the bunny!” she says. Junior laughs. “Ah, Mimi!” he says affectionately. Junior, 39, has Down syndrome and lives with his mom Cathy, 70, in the home she bought 30 years ago in Bowling Green. Cathy’s encouragement of Junior to help with laundry, cooking and other household chores has made him self-sufficient and their relationship symbiotic.

“[Junior’s] like, ‘If you help me, I’ll help you,’” Cathy says. When Cathy asks him if he wants to clean his room each Sunday, suggesting they could always do it later, Junior is easily on board to help. He seems to have inherited the sweetness his mother demonstrates. Cathy raised Junior as a single mom after divorcing his father two years into their marriage. She received some help from her first husband’s family, her oldest daughter from that marriage and a babysitter, but Cathy was the main caregiver for Junior. “The first ten years was like hair pulling. It was almost too much,” Cathy says. “But after he

got, like, 10, he calmed down. It wasn’t bad at all after that.” Junior can be left alone at home now when his mom goes out to clean houses during the day. Cathy didn’t know what Down syndrome was when Junior was diagnosed at two months old. The nurse suggested institutionalizing him, but Cathy rejected the idea. She started taking him to an early intervention program, where they helped him learn things such as walking, which he couldn’t do until he was 3. “I kinda knew it was not going to be the easiest job I ever had,” Cathy says. “But it’s gonna be the hardest job you’ll ever love.” STORY CONTINUES ON PAGE 9

Right: Cathy Morgan and Junior Morgan do a picture search game titled “Search for Santa” as a nightly activity together in their home in Bowling Green on Oct. 20, 2021. Cathy jokes with Junior as they search. “Why’d you look at me when I said to look for a cow?” Cathy says. They also play Yahtzee and Bingo together. Below: Junior Morgan works out in the 4:15 pm class at CrossFit Old School in Bowling Green on Oct. 21, 2021. He joked with the coach and encouraged the other people working out during the class. Junior has been coming to CrossFit every day except for Wednesday and Sunday for about 6 years. ‘“I love coming here,” Junior says. “I’m working hard.”

Oct. 25-Nov. 14, 2021

Above: Junior Morgan watches television while his mom Cathy Morgan makes tea in the kitchen on Oct. 20, 2021. When they don’t go out, their evenings are very relaxed with no strict plans as they spend time at home with their dogs Gabby, Missy, and Cody. Left: Junior Morgan practices guitar for about 45 minutes every night in his home in Bowling Green. He also attends a weekly lesson. Learning the chords helps Junior with memory and fine motor skills, and his mom hopes it will help him avoid getting dementia. “I think keeping him busy will prolong it,” Cathy says. According to the National Down Syndrome Society, about 30% of individuals with Down syndrome have dementia in their 50s.

In the past, Junior spent time in Best Buddies and programs at the Down Syndrome of South Central Kentucky Buddy House, but Cathy says he outgrew them. Cathy supports the things he is interested in, including guitar, crochet, and CrossFit. They also eat out together, frequently getting ice cream. “I always take him where he asks because I know he doesn’t have any other way to get

around,” Cathy says. “I love doing stuff with him.” Cathy wants to live with Junior for the rest of her life because of the good relationship they have. If Junior ever wants to move out, she says he’ll have to take her with him. “I’d say we pretty much are best friends,” Cathy says. “I’m thankful I got him.”

Oct. 25-Nov. 14, 2021

COMMENTARY 10

One woman finds sexual liberation through activism By Rose Donnelly

Print edition published monthly by WKU Student Publications at Western Kentucky University. First copy: free | Additional copies: $1

EDITORIAL BOARD Lily Burris Editor-in-chief Michael J. Collins Content manager Gabi Broekema Multimedia manager Jacob Latimer Projects editor Debra Murray Digital news editor

Anna Leachman Photo editor Robin Robinson Social media manager Megan Fisher Design editor Jake Moore Sports editor Shane Stryker Commentary editor

OTHER LEADERS AND ADVISERS Ashlyn Crawford Cherry Creative director Carrie Pratt Herald adviser

Chuck Clark Student Publications director Will Hoagland Advertising adviser

POLICIES

Opinions expressed in the College Heights Herald are those of student editors and journalists and do not necessarily represent the views of WKU. Student editors determine all news and editorial content, and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions.

Purity culture, sex, sexually transmitted illnesses and rape make people uncomfortable. Why? Vulnerability scares people. To be soft, to be seen as anything but stable is wrong in our society; pushing a correlation between transparency and weakness in this taboo feared world. Social media has spiraled a facade that if one is open and vulnerable with anything remotely sexual, they are seen as ‘too much’ or ‘being a slut.’ The only socially acceptable way to talk about sex is by objectifying and victimizing women. The moment an individual speaks casually about sex or their sexual trauma, they are deemed as being taboo. Sexual trauma shouldn’t be a hushed topic in today’s culture, but unfortunately it still is. People squirm and shift in their seats when confronted with the idea of people being open and safe enough to talk about sexual health and violence. Maggie Smith, a senior studying interdisciplinary early childhood education from Louisville, has made it her mission to dismantle the crippling stigmas with STIs and

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Courtesy of Maggie Smith

sexual violence. She described the purity protecting focus her private Christian school placed on young women instead of creating a safe space for their bodies. She was taught that her life was supposed to be dedicated to combatting sinful sexual acts. “I was taught that my body was a vessel for sin, essentially,” Smith said. “It’s like every day you have to work to deny yourself, to basically fight your sinful urges.” Being taught not to explore sexually or view yourself as a sexual being left Smith with a lot of things to unlearn about what her body means to her and society. She felt disconnected from herself after a lack of healthy sex education. “It doesn’t really set a good foundation to experience healthy sexual experiences or even any intimacy with anyone platonic. Otherwise if you don’t feel grounded, it’s just like you’re free falling.” Smith opened up about being raped her senior year of high school. The severity of that experience and the misleading information from her

absence of sex education caused her to deny the assault to herself until this year. “When I was raped, which I didn’t even consciously admit to myself until literally a few months ago, your subconscious basically short circuits,” Smith explained. “How am I supposed to heal from something that is not even comprehensible?” It is known that hypersexual behavior can be triggered from traumatic events. Smith struggled with navigating her trauma, repressing her mental health that inevitably caused hypersexual tendencies after being raped. “I ended up having a full actual sex addiction my sophomore year, which ended with me getting herpes.” The Mayo Clinic defines Genital Herpes Simplex type 1, commonly known as oral or genital herpes, as “cold sores or fever blisters around your mouth. HSV-1 is often spread through skin-to-skin contact, though it can be spread to your genital area during oral sex.” Smith recalls the gynecological visit, confirming HSV-1 the winter break of her sophomore year at WKU. “I remember laying there and my head just started ringing and I didn’t hear anything else [the gynecologist] said after that. I literally thought my life was over.” Knowing this would be a virus she would live with for the rest of her life, she began to investigate further about her prognosis. “I didn’t know anything about herpes,” Smith stated. “All I knew about STIs from my background was that they’re horrible diseases, and they’re disgusting and basically make you unlovable and unwantable.”

11 COMMENTARY

Oct. 25-Nov. 14, 2021

STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

Smith felt alone and uninformed about the illness she was now living with. She decided that the only way she could ease her mind and work towards reconnecting with her body was by research. “The only solution I could come up with in my head is just to heal myself with information and with knowledge and so I just started researching.” There is a notion, a connotation even, with sexually transmitted illnesses that they are dirty. Many people believe that having a sexually transmitted infection is something to be ashamed of. An individual is demoted as lesser or morally inferior if they contract one of these ‘dirty’ viruses. “Nobody thinks you’re morally incompetent if you get the flu, which nobody in the world thinks you’re morally competent to get herpes,” Smith explained. “Nobody thinks you’re morally incompetent for getting mono, which is a herpes virus, but if you get genital herpes suddenly that’s the one strain of herpes virus that means you’re less than everyone else.” In a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they estimate that one in five people in the United States has an STI. The mononucleosis virus, also known as mono, is caused by herpes and infects around 90% of Americans before the age of 35, estimated by the Cleveland Clinic. As she began to learn more about STIs, Smith took the famous quote by Sir Francis Bacon “knowledge is power” to heart. “Having the knowledge over those things, at least for me, is like having power over it.” Once she felt more comfortable, she began reaching out to her close friends, sexual partners and eventually her Instagram account about her new reality with herpes. She started using social media as a forum to teach and inform others about STIs.

“I didn’t immediately start posting openly on my social media. It was small steps for me, like it was telling a close friend that I have herpes, or it was disclosing to my first sexual partner that I had it.” Social media has helped Smith heal her trauma and challenge her perspective about herself as a sexual being. Sharing her sexual assault through an Instagram post, she began a journey to sexual liberation through vulnerability and knowledge. Smith remarks at the shame she felt, and many more survivors feel when faced with sexual violence. She remembers a feeling of hopelessness and uncertainty of her life after her rape; a reality too many survivors are unsure of how to handle. “We’re so bound by our shame that we don’t even help ourselves out of it.” By using Instagram as a platform to share her story and research backed information, Smith’s vulnerability allowed a space for others to have important and meaningful conversations about sex and sexual violence. She saw how all the things we think of as sacred, taboo or just unspeakable are entwined together in our world. “It all is connected - advocating for survivors, rape culture is connected to this STI stigma is connected to purity culture is connected to the patriarchal view; it’s all connected.” Building a community through hard and honest conversations has given Smith a profound, unwavering grit. Being unrepentant about her existence and the things that have molded her into the woman she is today is her fuel for continuing to advocate on social media. “That’s why I do the Instagram advocacy, because me being so open and loud about it publicly means that nobody can hurt me about it because I’m so proud, I’m confident about it. I don’t give a fuck.” If you are considering online activism, Smith advises that you should be secure enough in yourself

to not be torn down by the few people who won’t support everything you post or share. “You have to be secure enough in what you believe that you won’t be hurt by insignificant people saying insignificant things to you online.” Releasing burdening shame and guilt over actions that were not your fault to begin with is a difficult feat when society perpetuates the idea that one is lesser or broken if they have experienced violence in these contexts. She encourages you to be vulnerable with yourself first before you take steps to start advocating in any regard. Your mental health and wellbeing always come first in the fight to break stigmas about sexual trauma and STIs. “You have to overcome the hard thing; if you’re feeling shame, it goes for any kind of shame, but if we’re talking about sexual shame, usually that’s going to involve being vulnerable, even if it’s letting yourself be vulnerable with yourself like journaling your shame down.” Smith feels liberated with the community she has formed through

being unapologetic about her hardships as a woman affected by sexual trauma. She finally feels grounded in her body and spirit. The purity culture she grew up in has no hold on who she is today. Her advocacy and passion for helping others begin their journeys in regaining their sense of self and bodily autonomy is inspiring. The more we share our stories, the less power we give the people who abused us. No one should feel guilty for being the victim of assault. No one should feel guilty for having sexually transmitted illnesses. Smith believes there is nowhere for shame to hide if we stop letting it fester in darkness. “I think shame can’t exist like in the light of day.” Follow and support Maggie Smith on Instagram, @maggs.smith.

Commentary writer Rose Donnelly can be reached at rose.donnelly430@ topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter @RoseDonnelly_

Courtesy of Maggie Smith Maggie Smith opens up about her sexual trauma in a video published to her Instagram account on May 30, 2021.

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43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52

O I L S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

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6 2 9 8 7 1 4 5 3 7 1 4 9 5 3 6 2 8

Solution

6 2 9 7 5 5 6 9 7 6 8

Sudoku Solution

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SPORTS 13

Oct. 25-Nov. 14, 2021

WKU esports athletes seeking recognition on the Hill By Joseph Thompson III

Esports athletes face grueling schedules, strategizing sessions and must represent their school just like their collegiate athlete peers. Despite these similarities, the NCAA declined to include esports under its athletic umbrella back in 2019. Jessica Manrow, a graduate assistant for WKU’s varsity esports program, feels the team has done more than enough to earn that athletic respect. “They are representatives of the university and they are athletes,” Manrow said. “We are athletes. I think that it would be really nice if people within the program got that recognition.” The program was created in 2016 with the help of the Student Government Association. Former WKU President Gary Ransdell approved the SGA’s petition and the team was born. According to esports faculty advisor and program co-founder Patricia Todd, the program got its humble start inside a closet in the now-demolished Garrett Conference Center with just six players and one game, League of Legends. Despite a less-than-glamorous start, the program grew quickly. “We were happy when we got the computers and it was like a dream come true when we finally got jerseys,” Todd said. “We had t-shirts but we have been fighting for recognition in the university since 2016. I think this past year has been one of the first times that I felt like we had it.” Fast-forward to 2021, the team has grown exponentially. It now claims about 50 members, all of whom are on scholarship, competing across four different games and working with four coaches for each. League of Legends, Overwatch, Valorant and Rocket League make up the diverse selection of games the program competes in as a team. Gaming is a multi-billion dollar

business, and Todd believes there are plenty of employment opportunities in the field. Despite this, the roster as a whole feels that esports is not represented the same way as other major sports. “The challenge is, outside of the esports industry, not everybody understands what [esports] is,” Todd said. “They don’t understand what these guys do when they are playing in a tournament. They’re stressed as much as any athlete would be. The professional esports teams have conditioning coaches, they have psychologists, they have counselors. They have everything just as they would in a traditional athletic setting.” Ben Frivvell, the broadcaster for the program, feels esports is underrepresented despite the fact that games are accessible to anyone that has a computer or cell phone. Frivvell believes the viewership of major esport events indicates a shift in the entertainment market. Esport competitions routinely pull in massive amounts of viewers that rival professional sporting events. For instance, 43 million people tuned in to the 2016 League of Legends Championship. Only 31 million viewers watched game seven of that year’s NBA Finals. “The fact that these esports are getting double to triple the amount of viewers and almost more money than these big sporting events suggests [that] esports is the new wave of the future,” Frivvell said. With all this being said, a gamer can’t just put on a pair of headphones, grab a mouse and keyboard and start earning millions of dollars from playing video games. Scott Nelson, a coach for WKU’s Rocket League team, outlined that a key component in reaching a professional level of play in an esport is the sheer time commitment.

ALLIE HENDRICKS The coaches and advisor for the esports team at WKU are interviewed in their gaming room on the side of McCormack Hall. They’ve been given this space while the dorm building is being renovated.

“I think another big factor in reaching a competitive level in esports is the commitment that it takes,” Nelson said. “There’s a point, a skill cap, that you’ll reach playing casually. A lot of people don’t have the motivation to push higher.” Gaming is a non-contact sport and is very fast paced. Contrary to other D1 sports, esports athletes are not allowed to call timeouts. With this rule in place, they are constantly making adjustments, creating stressful situations for the players. Tucker Huddleston, a coach for WKU’s Valorant team, believes burnout is a challenge players face that casual fans may not expect. “There always comes that point where you’re down so much it’s just so easy to give up,” Huddleston said. “But you can’t, you have to just keep going. You have to keep communicating...It’s easy to stop talking and to shut down [and] just assume that it’s over, but a lot of the best victories come from when you shake those feelings off and make that comeback.” Gaming may not seem like a very stressful activity, but matches can become more heated than many people realize. WKU’s League of

Legends coach Garret Holley explained that keeping a level head is one of the most challenging aspects of esports. “It varies from esport to esport, but as far as the League of Legends team is concerned, we can’t call timeouts,” Holley said. “[In] football, you can get your three timeouts. Baseball, you have your time between innings. We are constantly working on audibles. It makes the situations a lot more fastpaced and a lot more stressful for the players… There’s a high level of stress that is maintained for long periods of time while competing.” WKU’s varsity esports team is at the forefront of trying to establish competitive gaming as a legitimate sport and is inclusive to everyone. Competitive gaming has fostered a community for those who don’t fit the typical athlete mold. “It’s something that, no matter who you are, where you come from, you can all play the same game and have a fun time enjoying [it] together,” Frivvel said.

Women’s basketball reporter Joseph Thompson can be reached at thompsonjoseph641@gmail.com.

14 SPORTS

Oct. 25-Nov. 14, 2021

Overcoming it all: Clem Haskins shares experience By Kaden Gaylord-Day

Two African American athletes joined the Western Kentucky basketball team in the fall of 1963 during the height of the civil rights movement. Their presence and success on the court helped kickstart change in American culture, society and history. These athletes were Clem Haskins and Dwight Smith. The duo became the first black athletes in the south to integrate college basketball in a time of widespread racial hatred and prejudice. Clem Haskins was born and raised in Campbellsville, Kentucky. The son of Charles and Lucy Haskins, he was their fifth out of 11 kids. Growing up on a farm, race wasn’t an issue like it was in town. His best friend, Dave Roberts, was white, and they were like brothers. They played together, ate together, and Roberts even taught him how to play basketball. At the age of 12, he experienced his

first encounter with racism. Haskins and Roberts went to town to watch a movie and sat together, thinking nothing of it. The usher made Haskins go upstairs to segregated seating and Roberts followed. The usher came back and made Roberts return downstairs, but the pair didn’t understand why. A few years later in 1961, when Haskins became the first African American to attend Taylor County High School, he realized why he received that kind of treatment. Haskins set a scoring record in his junior year of high school, putting up 55 points in Marrowbone, Kentucky. He was the only black person in the whole gym, a crowd of around 300 people. The hatred thrown at him motivated him to play at his best, to show that hate couldn’t stop him from being great. “They were waiting for me, and they were going to lynch me after the game,” Haskins said. “It was kind of a scary time… I would say that’s one of the nights I was scared the most.”

Being a basketball player wasn’t supposed to be part of the plan for Haskins growing up. His parents were sharecroppers with a mindset of working to provide for their family, not sports, but still supported their son all the way through. “My parents had a fourth and fifth grade education,” Haskins said. “Education wasn’t important to my parents, but they loved me as their son. They didn’t understand about college, they didn’t understand about sports. My dad never saw me play until I was a senior in high school. All my dad wanted me to do was get up and go to work. He didn’t care about sports, but he became a fan of mine after I came to Western. He came to most of the home games, and they supported me 100%.” Dwight Smith, Haskins’ WKU teammate and close friend, was a native of Princeton, Kentucky. He played basketball at Dotson High School and was valedictorian of his graduating class before making his way to the Hill. Both Haskins and Smith received numerous offers from different schools, including WKU, after being recruited by Hilltopper legend E.A. Diddle. Smith was the first of the two to commit to play on the Hill. Haskins originally committed to play for Louisville, but eventually changed his mind to become a Hilltopper and play

alongside Smith. “We kind of made a commitment to each other,” Haskins said. “We played in the Kentucky-Indiana all-star game. Dwight had already signed to Western and at that time I signed to go to Louisville. We were good friends, and we made a bond [that] we would go to Western together so that’s why I traded places, but I was recruited by Western [the whole time].” The Jim Crow-era south was a scary place to be, but when it came to living on campus, Haskins and Smith enjoyed a different experience. “All of the coaches were close, and they welcomed me… and the community accepted me as a black athlete,” Haskins said. “Of course, yes, we had problems when we left campus to go to other places, but here in Bowling Green, they treated me as another student and another person. We were respected. We had the respect of the administration, presidents, coaching staff, everyone we were involved with and that made it much easier for us.” The two put up historic numbers together. For his college career, Haskins averaged 22 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. He was a threetime Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year from 1965-67 and a FirstTeam All-American in 1967. His No. 22 Jersey was retired. Smith averaged 14.6 points and 11 rebounds per game

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SPORTS 15

Oct. 25-Nov. 14, 2021

of integrating WKU’s basketball program STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

and finished on WKU’s 1,000 points list before being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. The duo won back-to-back OVC tournament championships together while making a big splash in the NCAA tournament. In 1966, the Hilltoppers were just two points away from beating Michigan and playing the University of Kentucky in the Mideast regional final. Haskins broke his wrist in 1967, preventing him from playing like his usual self, but WKU still won the OVC. Both players finished their Hilltopper careers as members of the program’s 1,000 points club and made their way into the WKU Hall of Fame. Haskins was part of the inaugural class in 1992, and Smith was inducted shortly thereafter in 1995. Haskins and Smith were like family. They were each other’s support systems in a time when the world was against them. Then tragedy struck. On May 14, 1967, Smith was in a horrific car accident that cut his life short. “We became very close, like brothers. We were roommates. When he was killed… it was one of the saddest days of my life,” Haskins said. “It was a totally different world being a black athlete, playing in it, and being a black athlete at WKU. Because you look around and see no other black faces.” Being an African American in the 1960’s also meant you couldn’t eat in the same restaurants, stay at the same hotels, drink from the same water fountains and receive the same education as white Americans. But when it came to being on the road and traveling as a team, the WKU basketball program did not make Clem feel like he was alone. “I have to give my coach a lot of credit,” Haskins said. “I don’t think John Oldham got the credit he deserved for playing black athletes because I know he got hell [for it] and

was criticized for being associated with coaching black athletes.” Oldham took over the head coaching job from E.A. Diddle after he retired in 1964. “He did a wonderful job of protecting us and treating us like regular players,” Haskins said. “He treated us like his sons and embraced us at times that we needed to be embraced because he knew what we were going through. It was not easy walking across campus, walking downtown, and in the community and hearing things that you don’t want to hear at seventeen years of age.” As it’s written down in history, most players who integrated a sport, team or community had to deal with racism and prejudice from people within their own organizations. For Haskins, his teammates provided a sense of comfort in an uncomfortable and frightening situation. “All the players I played with embraced us and they would go to war for us if anybody said anything,” Haskins said. “They would be the first one to fight our battle for us. We had no problems in practice, it never became a black versus white thing.” In a time when activism was in the spotlight in the south, being one of the only black people on campus played a role in preventing Haskins and Smith from being voices for social change, something that black people get to be today. “We didn’t have any one individual in the community that was doing that, but if they had marches back then, would I have been marching? Probably so,” Haskins said. “I think it’s great for young people to speak up. They should have a right to do that and not be scrutinized for that and I support them for that.” Clem Haskins and Dwight Smith should be two names viewed in the same light as Jackie Robinson, Bill

Russell and any other athlete that broke barriers in sport. The WKU basketball program went through trials and tribulations so that we all could be a part of the progressive nation we are today. “Steve Cunningham, Vinton Pease, Wayne Chapman, Ralph Baker, Ray Rhorer, all the guys that played with me, I just want to thank all my teammates for supporting me through everything,” Haskins said.

In the face of adversity, racism and hatred, Clem Haskins and Dwight Smith set records and formed a brotherhood with white players in the south to show that love will always trump hate.

Men’s basketball reporter Kaden Gaylord-Day can be reached at kaden. gaylord559@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter @_KLG3.

Provided by WKU Athletics

Clem Haskins (22) takes a shot over a Loyala defender on March 7, 1966. Haskins was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year that season.

16 SPORTS

By Kaden Gaylord-Day

Oct. 25-Nov. 14, 2021

Views from the Bottom of the Hill: This movement isn’t over

light on the social injustices we face in this country. Last year, on Sept. 30, WKU Since then, what have they done? athletes held an event in support of If there’s been anything, I haven’t the Black Lives Matter movement. heard about it. This was after the football team I want to make it clear so there’s walked out of practice in protest no confusion: I am not calling out following the shooting of Jacob the athletes. I am calling out WKU Blake. and its athletic department. Both the media and WKU’s I used this quote in my piece athletics department were there last year and I will use it again. Two to capture the special event, as it days before the event, former WKU was the first time the official WKU linebacker Eli Brown tweeted, “For sports page, run by the Athletics the amount of BLACK ATHLETES Department, acknowledged the social that attend WKU, it feels like nothing injustices that had dominated the has been done to show that they care headlines throughout the summer. about equality [for real]. You can A week later, I wrote a column clearly tell this school cares more called “Don’t Let This Be ‘One and about the fans.” Done’” to say that this shouldn’t be He had a point, and many other the only time WKU Athletics shines a WKU athletes cosigned Brown’s

words with a like or retweet. Both the University of Louisville and University of Kentucky athletic departments have shown that they stand in solidarity with the athletes they have brought onto their campuses. Both schools put out multiple videos in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and held walks and marches to help people register to vote, with some athletes registering to vote themselves. Those are just a couple of ways WKU could help its athletes. If you want to show that these issues actually mean something to you, there are many organizations on campus to collaborate with that can help, such as the Black Student Leadership Conference, the

KEILEN FRAZIER WKU athletes Juwan Jones, Demetrius Cain and Taveion Hollingsworth lead protesters down Avenue of Champions during the Black Lives Matter protest organized by WKU Athletics on Sept. 30, 2020.

Intercultural Student Engagement Center Academy and the Student Equity Council. As I am writing this, it was brought to my attention that on Oct. 19, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee started a “Diversity & Inclusion” campaign for student athletes. This is definitely a good start and can turn into something great, but it took somebody involved with athletics to tell me about it as it was posted on an Instagram page with less than 150 followers when it should be on the main WKU Athletics page. This generation has become more and more involved in social justice issues, and it means something to them. If you want to keep attracting great athletes to this campus, you have to show that you support them in every aspect of life, not just on the field. Whether it’s coaches, S.I.D’s, Director of Athletes Todd Stewart or President Tim Caboni himself, do something that can continue to help make a difference in this community and these humans lives. Black Lives Matter isn’t a political issue or statement, it’s about our god-given human rights. The Black Lives Matter movement didn’t start in 2020 and it didn’t end in 2020 either. It’s been a fight for equality that’s been going on for a long time and it will continue for years to come. Don’t participate because it’s the trendy thing to do or because it’s good for publicity. Participate because you care about the lives of your predominantly black athletes.

Men’s basketball reporter Kaden Gaylord-Day can be reached at kaden.gaylord559@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter @_KLG3.