Your Magazine Volume 13 Issue 3: May 2020

YOUR MAG

VOLUME 13 | ISSUE 3 | MAY 2020

CONTENTS ROMANCE

EDITORIAL STYLE

EDITORIAL LIVING

EDITORIAL ARTS & ENTERTAIMENT

SENIOR SHOOT YOUR THINGS Y.MP3 ARTIST STATEMENT

3 5 7 9 11 21 23 25 27 29 37 39 41 43 45 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 66 67

BRIDGING THE GAP MY FIRST CIS BOYFRIEND HIS FAMILY IS MY FAMILY, TOO SEX, LOVE, & TOYS HEAD IN THE CLOUDS THE EVOLUTION OF THE CORSET IN DEFENSE OF THE RUNWAY TO YOUR MOTHER WESTERN FASHION RIDES INTO MAINSTREAM BACKYARD: SUMMBER BARBECUE COOKOUT! MIND THE GAP MENTALITY AND MANIFESTATION THE ART OF TAKING PLEASURE TRAPPED BEHIND THE REGISTER VACANT SPACES BACHELORETTE OR BEAUTY INFLUENCER THE PROBLEM WITH DIVERSITY IN PUBLISHING MUSICIANS SUPPORTING POLITICANS TIK TOK AND INDIE ARTISTS YM CLASS OF 2020 EMILIE KRONE AND ABIGAIL NOYES LEE ANN JASTILLANA ONE-HIT WONDERS BEN TUROK

YMEMERSON.COM | INSTAGRAM: @YOUR.MAG | TWITTER: @YOURMAGEMERSON

1 | YOURMAG

YOUR Mag VOLUME 13 | ISSUE 3 | M AY 20 20

EMILIE KRONE

LILY WALSH

ABIGAIL NOYES

MADISON DOUGLAS

LILLIAN COHEN

TATIANA GUEL

ANDY CAIRA

MARIANNA POLETTI

OLIVIA CIGLIANO

EMILY KING

ISABELLE BRAUN

PALLAS HAYES

AMANDA HAMPTON

YELIZAVETA ROGULINA

TALIA SMITH

NATASHA ARNOWITZ

LEE ANN JASTILLANA

ELOISA DE FARIAS

TIFFANY CARBON

LAUREN DILLOW

ALLISON HUGHES

RANA SAIFI

JESS FERGUSON

ALLISON DUGGAN

KATIE POWERS

ELLA WANG

JULIE GIFFIN

TIANNA LOVERDE

Editor In Chief

Managing Editor

Romance Editor

Style Editor

Assistant Style Editor

A&E Editor

Assistant A&E Editor

Living Editor

Web Director

Assistant Web Director

Co-Copy Chief

Co-Copy Chief

Head Proofreader

Marketing Coordinator

EDITOR’S letter

Co-Creative Director

Co-Creative Director

Co-Head Designer

Co-Head Designer

Photo Director

Assistant Photo Director

Art Director

Assistant Art Director

Editorial Director

Style Director

Talent Manager

Co-Event Coordinator

Co-Event Coordinator

YMTV Director

LEA GURVAL

Assistant Marketing Coordinator

COPY EDITORS: ALLISON CARAVELLA, CHARLOTTE DRUMMOND, ALEXIS GARCIA-RUIZ, KAITLYN HACKETT, CATE HAYES, KATE HEALY, REBECCA LETTS, ANDREA MENDEZ, NATALIE MICHAUD, MADELYN MULREANEY, AMAYA SEGUNDO, TIVARA TANUDJAJA SOCIAL MEDIA: ALLISON DUGGAN, SEOYEON LEE, ELLA WANG DESIGN: SEREN CHO, ANA HEIN, ILEANA PEREZ, GUO YU PROOFREADERS: CHARLOTTE DRUMMOND, KATE HEALY, REBECCA

W

hat a semester it has been! From leaving campus to moving classes online to being confined to our homes, these past few months have been filled with more “what-ifs” than we could ever have imagined.

Needless to say, putting a magazine together hasn’t necessarily been on the forefront of everyone’s minds.

But against all odds, we’ve made it work.

I want to use this space to send a massive thank you to everyone who helped make the May issue happen.

With all our original editorial ideas rendered useless, we really had to put our heads together to make this work. Even with everything going on, and with the added difficulty of communicating across time zones, our e-board members were able to produce incredible editorial shoots by themselves from home, and I couldn’t be more proud of the results. Combined with an array of fresh and gripping articles, these contributions make for one of our finest issues yet.

I can’t say this was the way I expected my final issue as Editor in Chief to come together, but I am beyond pleased by the results. I think you’ll see from this issue that this magazine is being left in the most capable of hands, and I can’t wait to pick up the October issue in the fall and see what next semester’s e-board creates.

Thank you again to everyone who helped make this happen. I feel truly grateful to be a part of such a creative, resilient team. Being a part of Your Magazine has been an incredibly impactful part of my final semester of college.

Stay safe, everyone, and don’t forget to keep creating.

With love and gratitude,

LETTS, MADELYN MULREANEY, MARYCATHERINE NEAL

Emilie YOURMAG | 2

“T

he orgasm gap” is a newly coined term for a decades-old concept. It refers to the disparity in orgasms between men and women. Within the orgasm gap, there are subcategories of comparison: men and women in heterosexual encounters, women in lesbian or straight encounters, and women alone versus with a partner." Through exploring orgasm success within these groupings, the nuance of the orgasm gap becomes clearer: orgasm inequality overwhelmingly impacts women.

Women achieve climax less regularly than men do during heterosexual encounters. In one study examining about 800 college undergrads, researchers discovered a 52 percent orgasm gap between men and women. However, this study did not ask participants for the context of the sex, and that is where another deviation occurs: committed relationships compared to casual sex. Data published in The American Sociological Review indicates that women have more satisfying sexual encounters while in relationships.

The orgasm gap then narrows further among homosexual and bisexual people. Research suggests lesbian women have significantly more orgasms than straight women; however, the orgasm rate does not vary significantly with sexual orientation in men.

In his book The Social Organization of Sexuality, Edward O. Laumann found that orgasms carried a success rate of 95 percent for heterosexual men, 89 percent for gay men, and 88 percent for bisexual men, suggesting that the orgasm gap disproportionately affects women.

Additionally, women often have more orgasms when masturbating than when engaging in sex with a partner. Less than 10 percent of women reliably orgasm from penetration alone, most requiring clitoral stimulation. Both suggest that orgasm inequality originates from the cultural ignorance of the clitoris, in tandem with the significant societal emphasis on penetrative sex.

Generally, sexual education curriculums fail to focus on pleasure. Many sex-ed curriculums even seek to limit sexual practices. There are 37 states that require educators to teach information on abstinence, a birth control method that often becomes the focus of these educational efforts. While pregnancy prevention is an important component of sexual education, focusing exclusively on contraception disregards another important aspect of sex: pleasure.

“If you’re talking about sexual pleasure, and you ask what the female equivalent of the penis is, most people will say ‘vagina,’” says Amy G. 3 | ROMANCE

Miron, sexuality and relationships professor at the Community College of Baltimore County. “But the vagina isn’t the equivalent of the penis—our equivalent for pleasure is the clitoris.”

In not focusing on pleasure, the majority of sexed curriculums focus on internal anatomy and largely ignore the clitoris. This is incredibly problematic because the more accurate infor mation about genitalia a partner has, the higher the likelihood that their partner will orgasm.

“In my opinion, what we need is more people talking about comprehensive sexuality education and talking about the nature and stimulation required for the experience of orgasm, and how it differs between individuals,” Miron says.

Most sex-ed curriculums also fail to stress the importance of communication, a key component in comprehensive consent. In failing to teach about external anatomy, pleasure, or healthy forms of communication in sex education, young minds are heavily influenced by media images. For this very reason, many experts believe that pornography has become the new sex-ed. Unfortunately, porn (as well as mainstream media) regularly portrays women as orgasming from penetration and penetration alone, emphasizing the gap even more.

“Male orgasms are more visible,” Nancy Allen, Emerson College professor of sexual health says.

“They can be more readily and easily shown on screen, compared to female orgasms, which, outside of a small percent of women who can ejaculate, are internal.”

In such a visual medium, it can be hard to play up the pleasure of all stars equally, Allen says.

The presentation of men is just more outwardly expressive. “But then it’s also important to consider, who is the porn developed by and for?” she says.

The overwhelming majority of pornographic content is created for and by men, so there is an obvious emphasis not only the male orgasm, but on male orgasm signifying the conclusion of sexual intercourse.

This on-screen representation (or lackthereof) may be foundational in how someone conceptualizes their gendered expectations during sex.

Hallie Mattia, a nurse-midwife at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, incorporates conversations about sex, consent, and pleasure into routine visits with patients. She says that teenagers and young adults are increasingly willing to engage in discussions about their sex lives; however, during these talks, Mattia reports hearing a staggering amount of misinformation.

Bridging the gap WRITTEN BY GABRIELLE MARTIN

PHOTOGRAPHED BY EMILY KING

“These conversations have a lot to do with what my patients don’t know. Many of them have had no sex-ed beyond the basic mechanics of penisin-vagina sex,” Mattia says. Unfortunately, this kind of sex education is penetrative-focused while simultaneously enforcing heteronormativity and devaluing the experience of pleasure for gender nonconforming bodies.

So how do we even attempt to minimize the orgasm gap when the very concepts that construct it are ingrained from our earliest understandings of sex? Orgasm inequality results from what we are taught and what we aren’t. Communication is key, but it’s just not happening: pleasure is devalued in conversations surrounding sex. And if talking about pleasure is taboo, then forget orgasms for women!

However, pleasure should not be limited to just orgasming. It must exist in our vocabulary as extending beyond the mechanics of penetrative sex. To bridge the gap, we need to strive not only for comprehensivity, but inclusivity. Reducing orgasm inequality rates is about the accessibility of pleasure beyond the mechanics of penetrative sex. It’s about having the resources to reshape the standard and to strive toward mutual pleasure; it’s about the accessibility of safe spaces where people can have an open dialogue about what makes them feel good. We need comprehensive sexuality education, which means understanding the individualized nature and simulation necessary for the experience of orgasm is different in every individual. Bridging the gap is as much about orgasm equality as it is pleasure equity. YM ROMANCE | 4

My first Cis boyfriend WRITTEN BY ANDY CAIRA ART BY FRANCESCA POLISTINA

I

am short for a man: 5 feet, 4 inches. Puberty never hit me in the right ways. At least, not in the ways I wished it would. I am scared of my curves and my narrow face. They make me look like a woman.

When I go out, I pick clothes that hide my form: loosefitting slacks and a green flannel shirt, unbuttoned.

When I go out, I constantly wonder what people are paying attention to. I get cat-called by men on the street and hit on by men at bars and stores. The other day, an older man referred to me as "baby" and said I have beautiful eyes. Every day, their words and stares cut me down much more than they used to. I feel violated like women do every day.

But I also feel violated as a man who clearly doesn’t look the part.

The idea of dating a cis person, specifically a cis man, makes me nervous. How would they see me?

Am I seen as a kinky fantasy? Am I an exception to a rule? Do they only see me as a trans person? A woman?

A man? The process of explaining myself to so many people while dating is tiring. I don’t want to be forced to explain my deepest thoughts on my identity.

I just want to be accepted and loved.

Trans people understand my experiences to an extent, as many of us have similar ones. Most of my current friends identify as trans, and all of my exes do as well. It’s easier and more comfortable for me to be around other trans people. I have to do a lot less explaining.

That’s why, when I first started dating a cis man, I was nervous and scared to be in a committed relationship. Now, we have been dating for more than two years. Griffin is tall and thin. He has the biggest smile and the kindest eyes. His hands and feet are much larger than mine, but we can wear the same pants.

Griffin is also my biggest advocate, from the little things like calling me handsome to the larger things like defending me to family and strangers. He always makes me feel safe in situations where I have previously felt unsafe, such as on public transportation.

A home, to me, is a sanctuary. It is a place where I am protected. My apartment walls are plastered with art by trans artists and prints that illustrate people like me. A screenprint hangs above my bed that reads “GOD IS TRANS” in gold letters. In my home, I don’t have to wear baggy clothes to feel comfortable.

I can be fully naked—boobs and all—and still feel like a man. At home, I am the most like myself.

Letting someone into a space of such security and comfort requires a lot of time, patience, and trust.

I was lucky to find someone who wanted to put in that time and patience. And I am lucky that Griffin has taught me a lot about healthy relationships and the

importance of communication. He has taught me that I don’t need to demand respect to deserve it. Not once has he ever misgendered me.

We are sitting in his mother’s kitchen, talking about his grandparents. I get it, grandparents are tough. Sometimes it doesn’t click right away. I haven’t even talked about it much with my grandparents.

But the truth is, if people don’t use my pronouns or refuse to learn how to, then I don’t want to be around them. It’s not my responsibility to teach everyone how to respect me.

“If she can’t handle being around that, then she doesn’t have to go,” Griffin’s mother’s boyfriend says, misgendering me in the process.

But family is family, and I want to spend time with my partner’s family because they are great people.

And they are so important to him. I want to celebrate New Year s and play g ames with his dad and grandparents. I want to cook and play poker with his mom. But I also want to do that while feeling like me.

Griffin knows how much I have to defend myself at work, in class, and at my family’s house. He takes it upon himself to defend me in his home.

When I leave the room to use the bathroom or when he takes his mother to work, he has that conversation. The one that goes, “It’s your job to make my boyfriend feel welcome in your home and out of it.” The one that goes “correct yourself next time” or “I will correct you in front of him next time.” He knows I stress out when it’s talked about in front of me. I don’t want to defend myself or be the point of conflict. Every day, I feel as though I am a point of conflict.

My identity is not an argument.

Everyone is learning, so being able to trust and care about your partner’s experiences is important.

For two years, Griffin and I have grown into people who prioritize comfort and communication in our relationship. I don’t assume he understands how I experience the world as a trans person, and he doesn’t assume he gets it.

Even when we are alone in our queen-sized bed, he will ask me about myself. He asks about what words he should use to talk about me—like boyfriend, partner, and handsome. During sex, he asks what I like and how he can make me feel comfortable.

Genuine concern and care about in both public and extremely intimate moments has helped us learn to care for each other more deeply and meaningfully.

I always thought that being in a relationship with me was too hard or required too much work for cis people. But the truth is, all relationships are hard and require work. It just depends on whether or not you trust each other to work hard together. YM ROMANCE | 6

E

very Sunday was a family day in the Rosales household. We woke up at 10:00 a.m., ate breakfast together, and went to mass. We debated about which restaurant to go to for lunch and rushed to make it to the movies. I had to let all of that go when I moved over 8,000 miles away from home for college. Here in Boston, I’ve purposefully scheduled myself to work on Sundays to keep myself busy, trying to avoid feeling sad for missing memories like those. But I never expected that I would find another family here as well: my boyfriend’s.

Over the last three years, I had adjusted to my family-less Sundays. It became routine. But when religious holidays came around, I found myself having a particularly emotional day. I was dating my coworker Johnny at the time, and after I went to Easter Sunday mass without my family, Johnny called me to check in on how I was feeling.

I definitely wasn’t happy. I missed my family.

I was alone all day that Sunday until Johnny invited me to his family’s holiday dinner. We had only been dating for about a month. It was probably too soon, but I said yes anyway.

I was overwhelmed by the amount of excitement and love that Johnny’s family had for me. I was the first girl he had ever brought home for Easter Sunday dinner. Nobody told me how big Italian families were, so I was surprised by the fact that I not only met Johnny’s parents and siblings, but his grandma, aunts, uncles, and cousins, too. Within five minutes of meeting everyone, I had to excuse myself. I was overwhelmed by the love and care they expressed toward each other and me. I cried on Johnny’s chest.

That night, I laughed as his family searched frantically for the wine bottle opener because they insisted that there should always be a bottle of red and white wine open on the dinner table. I learned more quirks about them and settled into family traditions. It was the start of many more family gatherings to come.

At first, I was apprehensive of growing closer to my boyfriend’s family. I’ve never been close to a

7 | ROMANCE

significant other’s family before. But Johnny’s mother reminded me of my own mom. Whenever she called to check in on him, she would ask about me, too. I was always amused by how different Johnny’s father was to mine. My father was always very serious, but Johnny’s father was lighthearted and goofy. When I talked to Johnny’s grandmother, I felt a similar warm feeling that I did talking with my own late grandmother.

Last fall, we visited Johnny’s grandmother after baking apple crisps.

Johnny’s family has invited me to Memorial Day cookouts, birthday lunches, and even their Fourth of July family vacation in New Hampshire. They showed me insight into the true New England lifestyle, filled with lobster and clambakes. I introduced them to my favorite Filipino beer—Red Horse—and my favorite Filipino snacks—sapin-sapin, a layered glutinous rice and coconut dessert, and suman, rice cakes cooked in coconut milk and wrapped in banana leaves.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to a last-minute Sunday dinner with Johnny’s family. We went to All Seasons Table, an Asian restaurant in Malden, Massachusetts. I was excited to order authentic Asian dishes, but was worried that they wouldn’t be as open to my choices. Everyone ordered dishes to share for the table. I suggested crispy peking duck, roti, and soft shell crab roll. I was surprised that everyone was willing to try them. Johnny’s mother even came back for seconds for the roti dipped in curry.

Growing up in a Filipino family, I never imagined calling a group of Italian-Americans from Medford, Massachusetts. my family. I was always the only non-white person there, but they never let me feel out of place. Johnny’s mother gave me pajamas for Christmas, a family tradition, and I invited his parents to my graduation.

It’s been a blessing to have my boyfriend’s family so close by, especially since my own family is so far away. I love my family, and I know they care about me, but they’re not really close by and able to be here for me. It’s nice to know I have a second family in Boston. YM

WRITTEN BY MELISSA ROSALES ART BY YELIZAVETA ROGULINA

Sex, LOVE,

& TOYS

WRITTEN BY MARIANNA POLETTI REYES

ART BY LILLIAN COHEN

S

ex is an act of pleasure. It’s personal and incredibly intimate, whether you share it with someone or not. It shouldn’t feel wrong to enhance the experience with sex toys.

In the past few years, sex has become increasingly normalized as a topic of mainstream conversation. People are choosing to be more open about sexual pleasure with themselves and their partners; however, sex toys aren’t always in the picture. A common misconception around sex toys is that they’re purely used for masturbation, but that’s not necessarily the case.

There’s a lot of stigma and misinformation surrounding sex toys and pleasure within partnered relationships. It’s seen as a weakness or an obstacle of sex, rather than a popular pleasure enhancer. Sex toys in partner play are proven to increase pleasure and communication, which lead to a better sex life and often result in a better relationship.

Sex toys are a game-changer when it comes to partner play. They not only allow for personal exploration of pleasure and body, but they also allow your partner to gain that knowledge. It creates a line of honest communication that helps the relationship grow stronger through natural, intimate connection and mature conversation. A huge aspect of intimate communication revolves around power dynamics while under the sheets.

Who will take the lead? What do you like? What does your partner like?

Sex toys allow for an additional, deeper discussion to take place: what it’s like to give directions, please your partner, listen to each other, and take direction.

Sex is complicated. There’s no “one-and-done” routine. It’s a balance of situation and satisfaction.

Buying any type of sex toy can lead to greater communication between partners, built by an entirely new set of questions. It’s not a natural part of someone’s body, but a product. There are so many different types of sex toys and accessories. If you’re purchasing one with your partner, you have to be open in talking about what you want and what you don't want. It is difficult to get comfortable enough with your partner to tell them intimate details about your pleasure. The idea of using sex toys helps ease into that experience. Research has shown that 51 percent of those who bought sex toys frequently talk about sex, whereas only 28 percent of those who have not bought a sex toy could attest to the same.

Purchasing sex toys has become easier over the years. Because of the reclaiming of sexuality in today’s world, the sex toy market has grown much larger, found in both individual in-store locations and online.

Who’s to say your relationship has to run without outside help? It might feel intimidating to connect with the right toy, but using a sex toy during partner play will help to increase your level of trust and communication, grow your relationship, and explore your own sexual pleasures and fantasies.

The bedroom scene will never be the same again. YM

YOURMAG | 10

DIRECTED, PHOTOGRAPHED, AND MODELED BY YELIZAVETA ROGULINA ART BY YELIZAVETA ROGULINA

Crocs and Pearls: The Evolution What’s of the corset in Your Treasure Trunk?

WRITTEN BY OLIVIA CIGLIANO

PHOTOGRAPHED BY OLIVIA CIGLIANO

WRITTEN BY OLIVIA CIGLIANO PHOTOGRAPHED BY PALLAS HAYES

C

orset tops are in—and have been since the end of 2019. Sported by celebrities like Bella and Gigi Hadid, Lizzo, Nor mani, and Hailey Bieber, the garment that was once an oppressive restriction is now a modern reclamation for all women to embrace.

Both runway seasons of Fall/Winter 2019 and Spring/Summer 2020 featured corsets, from the likes of Prada, Sacai, Vera Wang, Laquan Smith, Dior Haute Couture, Burberry, Miu Miu, Chloé, Thom Browne, and seemingly everyone else.

Moda Operandi’s Report for SS20 predicts that “romantic femininity is going to take on a more refined moder n aesthetic,” placing particular emphasis on “corsetry, sweetheart shapes, and exposed necklines.”

The trend has since trickled down into the fast fashion dimension in the form of boned tank tops, visible underwire, entirely elastic bodices, and laced-up waistlines. Even thrifters and Depop users are enjoying the corset’s renaissance from the ‘80s and ‘90s as they cycle back to vintage shops. Thanks to this fashion resurgence, everyone’s waists will be snatched!

Let’s face it, the corset is fun. It’s hot. But it also has a rich history of body shaming, strict gendering, and classism that is worth acknowledging.

The first recorded corset was made in Crete, Greece, where both men and women wore fitted belts that shaped the torso, as a small waist was a universally desirable trait. They even went as far as wearing tight girdles throughout childhood to constrict their waists as they grew.

F lashforward to France during the 1400s, where the cotte (“on the rib”)—a tight fitting bust that tightened with front or back laces—was born.

Charles VII’s mistress Agnès Sorel once wore a gown that exposed her breasts in the French court, starting a French trend of low-cut bodices and backless dresses.

“Thick waists” were banned in court by French aristocrat Catherine de Medici, creating the notion that a woman’s body shape signified her class and beauty. We have her to thank for the unrealistic beauty standards that haunt all of us.

Soonafter, Elizabeth I debuted what’s now known as the “Elizabethan Corset,” inspired by the English “Tudor Corset” structured with stiff iron covers.

As the French, Germans, and Italians preferred the look of wider hips, Elizabeth’s style used whale bone lining that better accentuated the waist.

Corsets in the 1700s became especially restrictive and tightlacing. The tightening of the torso was

so intense that women’s shoulder blades touched, which became popular as a means to force erect posture. The particular shape is known as the “S-Curve”’ or “pouter pigeon” posture. It kept the head up, chest out, stomach in, and back arched, aiming to round and amplify the breasts and butt.

Of course, this raised serious health issues among young women, but it still carried on through the beginnings of the 20th century.

Corsets were essentially a beauty tool that created an artificial shape to adhere to fickle beauty trends and the male gaze. It’s the ultimate symbol of the hyper sexualization and objectification of women. The roaring ‘20s favored a boyish frame, and corset designs aimed to slim the hips and thighs as much as possible. Throughout modern history, the “ideal body” constantly fluctuated between tubular and hourglass shapes, and still does to this day (think: “heroine chic” of the 90s vs. double-c “slim thicc” of the 2010s).

The Age of Enlightenment from the 17th to 19th centuries brought an end to constriction. Intellectuals began questioning the corset, realizing its artifice, censorship, and deformation. This led designers like Paul Poiret and Coco Chanel to embrace a new, liberating silhouette.

Bodyshaping was still popular, however, and softer, stretchier girdles emerged as a successor to shapewear. This allowed women to choose from the variety that silhouettes introduced in fashion, while still being able to manipulate their form.

It wasn’t until designers like Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gualtier, and Thierry Mugler resurrected the corset in the ‘70s through the ‘90s that the garment became repopularized, but as a counterculture.

No longer was the structured bodice an expectation forced onto women by society, but but an aesthetic chosen by women. It was a symbol of sexual empowerment, making visible a garment that was once meant to be hidden.

Today, the sentiment of the corset manifests into a few different lanes of fashion, including shapewear, waist trainers, fetish-adjacent styling, stage costume, or the casual corset-style top women wear today.

The style that once bound young women to rigid rules of beauty, class, and worth evolved into an extraordinary symbol of feminism where women and designers reclaimed the oppressor. The corset now symbolizes sexual expression, personal autonomy, and an important cultural liberation. YM STYLE | 22

T

In Defense of the runway

he curtains drop to reveal a hazy, revolving glass case. Inside, models are getting buttoned up, tucked in, and styled. Makeup artists are making finishing touches. When ready, a model moves to a corner of the moving case and stands like a motionless mannequin, save for the occasional blink.

To the runway show, one of the fashion industry’s most definitive elements, Gucci’s latest production feels like both a love letter and a death threat.

Instagram and the smartphone revolutionized the way we market and consume fashion. With technological innovations constantly forcing marketing platforms and social models into arbitrariness, it seemed like the traditional fashion show was on death row. If not marketing, what was the runway’s purpose?

Historically, runway shows solely intended to showcase couturiers’ designs to wealthy clients.

Designers in the early 1900s employed women to wear their clothing in public to attract photographers and media attention. Later, the runway format rose at the beginning of the 20th century when designers swapped out mannequins for models and private shows for the elite. The shows began entirely as marketing vehicles cast by expressionless models sauntering around salons to the sound of only swishing fabric.

The 1960s saw a complete turn of the traditional fashion show format with the decline of couture and the increasing popularity of ready-to-wear clothing.

The presentations focused more on celebrating youth culture and taking advantage of mass consumerism instead of appealing to the media and wealthy buyers.

The 1960s and 1970s created the modern platform that we’re familiar with today.

The avant-garde theatrical production peaked in the ‘90s, and Alexander McQueen was its king. In one McQueen show, robotic arms spray-painted model Shalom Harlow’s white dress as she spun around on a turntable. In another show, models were placed on a giant chessboard, playing out an entire game.

McQueen’s shows were an amalgamation of his artistic vision, and not only were audiences drawn to the clothing, but they were also drawn to an even wider concept.

Theatrical, over-the-top fashion shows are still in vogue, and it is often these ostentatious sets 23 | STYLE

and unconventional performances that land media attention. Sure, a beautiful Saint Laurent collection will garner buzz, but a Saint Laurent show with models walking on water? We love to see it.

Although some moder n runway elements attack its traditional intentions, it is the same art and innovation that will continue to keep it alive. Karl Lagerfeld was known for his grandiose show sets during his time at Chanel, transporting his audiences to a French country house, a forest in autumn, and a cliff edge near a waterfall. Dior designer Kim Jones continuously ups the ante with giant robot sculptures.

In 2018, Dolce and Gabbana used drones to carry handbags down the runway for their Fall/Winter 2018 show. In 2019, Dior models stood on a moving conveyor belt. With models walking on water, sand, fire, and, now, moving conveyor belts, it’s clear that creative directors continue to strive for the eccentric runway.

The Internet has become our all-access pass to high fashion. We can now livestream shows, browse collections online, and have garments shipped to us from the comfort of our homes. Instagram influencers let us in on the behind-the-scenes of fashion week, and we can shop the designer clothes they advertise.

Designer fashion continues to move online, as with most industries.

At its core, the runway is essential to fashion, but it has moved far away from being just a marketing effort. The runway has become an art, a performance; the designer, an artist. The runway emulates an experience and is the heightened representation of a designer’s vision. The fact that McQueen sometimes spent more money on the production than the clothing collection attests to the importance of the runway show.

Even with models standing frozen on conveyor belts or handbags fluttering in on drones, the main purpose of the runway preserves itself. Fashion shows are put on to show garments in motion: to appreciate the flow of fabric, the painstaking detail of design, and the elegance and confidence of a model’s walk. The runway is here to stay, dreaming up the world of the fabulous modern woman who walks sandy beaches while wearing Chanel. YM

WRITTEN BY LEE ANN JASTILLANA ART BY ELIZABETH APPLE WRITTEN BY RONALD CRIVELLO-KAHIHIKOLO PHOTOGRAPHED BY LETAO CHEN

To Your mother A

big problem I’ve found while shopping with my mother is not necessarily that we have different tastes, but that we're from different generations. It’s odd that sometimes 30 years seems like a lifetime ago in the world of fashion. My mother lived through ‘70s bell bottoms, ‘80s color-blocked track jackets, and ‘90s Doc Martens. Old relics of them still hang in our storage closets; my sister and I will pick through them when inspiration hits. None of those trends are new. In fact, they lack the cultural resonance they did in their original years, creating a disconnect of time through fashion.

My mother never wears white after Labor Day. She always wears at least partial stockings, even with dress pants. Even though she dressed more casually when she was younger, she comes from a time when professionalism was the norm. With age, she has matured. This can be complicated when she helps me shop, but she has become more accepting of my love of "winter whites" and crop tops over the years. The real issue is when the mirror turns the other way around.

No one wants to feel older. Youth is associated with fun, fitness, and cool. As is the case with many parents, they want to stay youthful and relevant as time goes on, adapting to new trends and technologies the best they can. And yet, because they grew up before us, a list of preconceptions comes with them.

In the past decades, hemlines have been used as a way to shame women and their bodies, placing the blame of the male gaze on women. It disgraced any display of sexuality and asserted the message of “purity” on women, arresting their sexuality and giving its ownership to others. But this isn’t the reason why your mom doesn’t want to wear shorts.

As people get older, their body often looks unfamiliar to themselves compared to their younger selves. That’s an issue that my mom deals with—her hair, body, and life goals changed since she was younger. It’s a body image issue, not a feminist one. That’s definitely more personal. So, in the meantime, help your mom feel her best. Try suggesting a flowing, knee-length skirt with heels or wide-leg jeans and pants.

They’ll help her stay on-trend while feeling comfortable. They’ll

WRITTEN BY LILLIAN COHEN PHOTOGRAPHED BY EMILY KING

elongate her legs and make her feel more confident in her body.

After some convincing, those have actually become two of my mother’s favorite staples, reminiscing about how she used to wear them when she was younger. She actually bought a few new pairs of pants. And funnily enough, my favorite pants that I wear all the time are from Dressbarn, one of her favorite mom stores.

My mother came from the era that began the fable of the “little black dress.” While the story has inspired numerous generations to believe that black is slimming and dressy, sometimes a closet needs some color. It’s easy for older generations to slip into black because it’s familiar. It was regarded as the solution to all fashion questions. And while that still reigns true, colors have also been having a moment.

Try out some colorful frocks. Color-blocking is back in style, but so are floral prints. My mother has always been skeptical about mixing patterns, but it’s a good, modern wardrobe addition. It’s those old fashion “rules” that are the hardest to break. We’ll be going through the same thing in 30 years with our own kids, confused at how crop tops and low-rise jeans are back in style. Only Britney Spears could ever pull that off.

There’s no need to trash a perfectly good closet.

The problem is that to her, they’re just clothes, things to look okay enough to go outside. But “okay” should not be the ideal. While jeans and a T-shirt are great, they’re not the be-all, end-all. However, the same outfit with a trendy, patterned blazer (that she probably already owns) is totally chic. It’s just as comfortable and will probably boost her confidence because of how fresh and youthful she looks.

By teaching your mom a few fashion tricks that people are using in everyday looks, she has the capacity to learn more and experiment. There’s no need to hold her hand.

She knew how to style herself before you were born! And yet, we all need a refresher as time goes on, kids jump around the house like madmen, and jobs stretch on for years.

Sometimes we all need a reminder to take care of ourselves and expand our confidence. YM

WRITTEN BY ELOISA DE FARIAS ART BY YELIZAVETA ROGULINA

WESTERN FASHION RIDEs iNTO MAINSTREAM

W

estern-inspired clothing has been riding its way into everyday looks as well as onto high-fashion runways. Staple pieces such as fringed jackets, cowboy boots, and bandanas have all made appearances in mainstream fashion in the past year.

The western fashion trend is nothing new; it takes inspiration from the clothing worn in the 19th century Wild West era and has been a phenomenon since. These styles were popularized by celebrities like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers in the ‘40s and ‘50s, as they sported western wear on the stage and influenced mainstream fashion to carry these looks. Recently, there has been a resurgence of these kinds of looks, and, similar to its initial popularization in the ‘40s and ‘50s, it’s yet again influenced by celebrities and the media.

Country-inspired artists have been influential in the outbreak of western fashion in recent years. Kacey Musgraves, Lil Nas X, and Orville Peck are all responsible for bringing these cowboyinspired looks to mainstream clothing stores. What is unique about these varying artists is that, although they are all country-inspired, they are also influenced by pop music and more mainstream energy.

This platform allows them to influence the fashion world because, unlike artists who only sing country and dress western because of where they come from, these are artists who have an influence on pop culture and use western wear to promote their brand.

The western wear explosion came shortly after Lil Nas X released his rap-country fusion song “Old Town Road” in 2019. As this song became a viral phenomenon and blew up in the media, so did the fashion aspect. Fringe, bell bottoms, and cowboy hats all quickly became popular items and staples in the latest fashion trends. In similar ways, Kacey Musgraves and Orville Peck brought their own twists on country music and resurfaced older western wear in modern fashion.

This hype was not only popularized through musical artists, but also other forms of media. A clear influencer was the movie A Star is Born, released in 2018. The movie features actors Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, who are major celebrities with a hefty amount of influence. The movie is a love story that had great success, and with this came the western wear shown throughout the movie.

That Halloween, many people dressed in cowboy hats and other cowboy-inspired items to emulate looks from the film. It has everything to do with who popularized the trend, being that country singers have always worn western-inspired clothing but have not made a dent in the fashion world any time recently.

The media has a great effect on how things are popularized, and this is no different in the resurgence of western wear. Only time will tell how much longer low-waisted jeans and flannels will be considered fashionable, but until then, it’s all fair game.YM

STYLE | 28

d r a y ck

a B

summer barbecue cookout !

directed and photographed by Eloisa de Farias and Julia Smith

modeled by Elena de Farias !

MIND THE GAP WRITTEN BY KATHERINE SILVA ART BY NATASHA ARNOWITZ

37 | LIVING

I

n a few short months, I will be a rising senior, which puts me a year away from being sent off with a cap and gown. Paired with a kiss and a hug, I will be off into what everyone calls ‘the real world.’ Until then, I’m stuck in the itchy limbo of child and adulthood: too young to be taken seriously, but old enough to have freeforming and elaborate thoughts. As a result, I’ve often noticed an unmendable gap between myself and the older generation—especially with my parents.

Upon arriving at a family dinner a few weeks ago, I was expecting a pleasant reunion filled with new stories, laughter, and slightly overcooked pasta. Though all of these hopes were made true, the mood promptly changed with the mention of politics. The air in our throats thickened with pride and opinions, and it then became a game of who could resist the first cheap shot.

My two brothers and I took an adamant liberal stance, while my stepdad took a passionate, and arguably unproductive, conservative stance. Disagreeing is an intrinsic part of human nature, so why did I end up excusing myself from the table halfway through dinner?

My stepdad was quick to make the first jab.

It was the way he went about disagreeing that upset me, which unfortunately aligns with the way most older folks go about having a political discussion. There was rarely any wiggle room to counter or share our points, and when there was, it was immediately shot down with an aggressive remark or derogatory comment. Either we didn’t have the proper experience to be arguing about such things, or we were “privileged shits” abusing the system. I can’t help but look to two things for blame: familial relationships and the age gap.

Sadly, the comfort of loved ones allows us to hurt each other sometimes. The walls are thinner among family, and for good reason: you share nearly everything, which can be endearing but dangerous.

When opinions clash, we know what comments are going to hurt a little more, and regardless of whether or not the point gets across, it’s easy to get personal.

Though it stung when my stepdad, with red sauce flying out of his mouth, called us “ignorant children who don’t know the first thing about the welfare system,” I can’t entirely blame him.

Politics can be a passionate subject, especially when discussed among people with passionate relationships.

That being said, that comment was irrelevant to the issue at hand, and it served more as an insult rather than a political point. And, I can assure you, I am not entirely an ignorant child when it comes to politics.

This brings me to the second problem: the age gap. Yes, from time to time, I can find common ground with my parents and other family members—maybe through a song, movie, or our family dog that hiccups when she drinks water too fast—and it’s usually a lovely, shared experience. With that being said, it’s the disconnects that hit harder because they usually have to do with fundamental beliefs that are very difficult to change. In my experience, our differences are highlighted when faced with issues on race, religion, love, or all ideological concepts regarding the way life should be lived. These differences can be so major that they just can’t be ignored, thus sparking heated debates.

Ultimately, the age gap and closeness influence each other perpetually. When you’re different from someone, you can’t help but argue. And when you’re fundamentally different from a family member, you argue, but with more emotionally-driven vigor.

The key here is taking a deep breath and sitting back down at the table. Although it sucks to be written off as a child, you know it’s the adult in you that comes back to listen—not to spit gasoline onto the family fire, but to respect and celebrate the array of perspectives the people in your life bring to the table.

That dinner was the first time in months someone had disagreed with my beliefs. We are so lucky here at Emerson to be surrounded by like-minded and open people. But, at the end of the day, our college is a bubble that shields us from the complex and conflicting ideologies of the world. I am fairly certain that my parents and I will continue to disagree on many extremely important things, but I am now more confident in my approach. By listening, asking questions, and arguing with intention, I can not only deflect the family insults and personally-driven jabs, but make a better name for the generation of not-so-ignorant children. YM

LIVING | 38

T

he human brain has been evolving for centuries, making the mind the most powerful asset of our species. Beyond just mental cognition, the brain is strong in the sense that it can make us believe in things that haven’t come true yet.

Think about the “fake it 'til you make it” mindset and how people believe that acting like you can do something can lead to your ability to do it. This very mindset is why people say that just believing you can do something is half the battle itself.

In some spiritual communities, this mindset is linked to manifesting—a process of visualizing what you want in order to make it become a reality.

The law of attraction, widely known as the belief that positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences into a person’s life, is another philosophical system people refer to when trying to bring certain energies into their lives. When people manifest, it can often become part of their daily meditation. They sit down to clear their mind, only thinking about an image or feeling of what they want from their day. By visualizing these desires, then affir ming and recognizing them as real, they can bring their desires to fruition through manifesting.

This may all sound a bit too magical, but there are real psychological links to manifestation.

Sometimes, believing in something really does make it happen—but not all on its own. According to Norman Vincent Peale’s book The Power of Positive Thinking , assuming control over your reality works because a person’s confidence in their abilities is strengthened by an internal belief that they can achieve a goal. If someone wants to finish a project by a deadline, putting mindful energy toward that intention and taking time to visualize and recognize it as feasible will already begin the process that leads to success. Now, as the person begins to work toward their goal, they’ll have more confidence that it will be completed. Therefore, when the project is finished in time, the manifesting will have worked and intention will be reality.

Laura Justen, a local small business owner in Boston and self-described witch, manifests daily.

She manifests to help her business of selling handmade jewelry and candles, and also to achieve personal goals. Manifesting works for her because

39 | LIVING

having faith that something can happen makes it into a realistic goal in her mind. For skeptics of manifesting, Justen explains that there’s a level of the placebo effect to it. “It comes from the intention of saying, ‘I am doing this thing for this reason, and so it shall be.’ It’s all about having confidence in yourself, which can be really hard sometimes.”

This ties into the “fake it 'til you make it” mentality. The psychology behind this mindset is the same as the psychology behind manifesting, both being drawn from a root of confidence and action toward an intention. When manifesting a good day, or a positive interaction with someone, keeping the very thought of that in your psychology behind manifesting will still have an effect. Saying, “I will have a good day” already gives you a more positive outlook.

“When I first heard about manifestation I was a bit skeptical,” says Patty Tamayo, a freshman political communications student at Emerson College. “I had heard about the law of attraction, but I still was unconvinced because I’ve thought of things I want before and haven’t gotten them. Then I heard the best way to manifest is to think about one thing you really want, and then realize that what you want is the feeling you’re going to get from that thing. Don’t get too attached to a certain outcome. That’s how I’ve done it and it’s worked.”

Tamayo gives the example of wanting a million dollars. She says to think about how getting a million dollars feels, focusing on being economically stable and able to buy anything. Instead of saying "I want a million dollars," focus on the feeling of stability and confidence that a million dollars brings.

Tamayo says she used manifestation to get housing at Emerson. As an international student who was accepted into the college later than most of her peers, she didn’t know if she would have on-campus housing. Though this was distressing, Tamayo believed she would get whatever was best for her, and the next day she got an email saying she was placed in a dorm.

“The Universe doesn’t want you to be so attached to a certain thing,” Tamayo says. “It just wants you to flow with it, but using your feelings and general concepts about what you want can make it bring you good things.” YM

WRITTEN BY IZZY SAMI PHOTOGRAPHED BY EMILY KING

Mentality and Manifestation

THE ART OF TAKING PLEASURE WRITTEN BY MEREDITH STISSER PHOTOGRAPHED BY ELEANOR HILTY

P

leasure feels like a dirty word. Too often, the language of “pleasure” becomes one of sex—consistently associated with eroticism.

When I hear “pleasure,” I think of an orgasm, not a walk by the water’s edge or the smell of fresh-cut flowers. But pleasure is not a dirty word, and treating it as such erases the importance of prioritizing and integrating pleasure into your day-to-day life.

The human experience is a hodgepodge of sorrows and joys, daily obligations coupled with mind-blowing encounters, relationships that drain you bone dry, and connections that fill your cup until it spills over the edge with love and gratitude. This collection of moments becomes a unique and irreplicable aspect of human life. To have the fondest reflection on your life, I invite you to experiment with the art of taking pleasure.

In this moment, you take time out from your day to read a compilation of words and ideas from a stranger, and you do your part to feel pocket-sized sparks of pleasure. Every high we chase, every party we attend, every soup we slurp—all manifestations of the human predisposition to seek pleasure. Of course, there is pleasure in sex and intimacy—some of the rarest and most explosive pleasures—but consider this a reclamation of the opportunities for pleasure that exist at every turn. A call to reintegrate pleasure into all that you do, and to revel in the moments in which you feel it.

To seek pleasure begins with infusing it into your routine. Instead of rushing to get a coffee and chugging it to expedite the caffeine rush you need to get through the day, enjoy the way it tastes. Find comfort in the warmth of the mug it comes in. Smile at the person who hands it to you. Notice if this cup tastes a bit different than yesterday’s.

When you take a shower, restore yourself. Feel the water run over your skin, and shampoo like you care. Fill your bathroom with products that make you happy—the kind that are good for the earth and your skin.

Curate the places you live in. Surround yourself with colors and art, and fall in love with the way your space reflects light.

Have a piece of cake at midnight and listen to songs that move you because it feels good. Most importantly, understand that not everything needs to serve a purpose. We are allowed to slow down, and I implore you to do so.

Consider this an invitation to resignation and patience. Pleasure does not mean earth-shattering climax, nor is pleasure synonymous with being lazy or unmotivated. A life that emphasizes pleasure is one that takes the unremarkable and peppers in a little joie de vivre. In your bustling youth and through your sage years, do not forget to prioritize the notes of your days that make you feel true pleasure. We have the power to fill our days with joy. This is the art of taking pleasure.YM

LIVING | 42

WRITTEN BY MARYCATHERINE NEAL PHOTOGRAPHED BY EMILY KING

T

he first time I was hit on, I was 16. I was working my first job at Randolph Market, my family’s grocery store in Virginia, when an older-looking man walked in the front doors and made eye contact with me. I smiled, as I did to all customers, and greeted him. “Good morning! How are you?” He didn’t respond. Instead, he continued to stare at me as he made his way into the store and disappeared into the aisles.

About five minutes later, he slowly walked to my register and plopped his groceries down on the conveyor belt. I greeted him again, then started to scan his belongings. He then leaned over so he was inches from my face and said, “What time do you get off ?

I want to take you back to my place for dinner.”

His breath smelled like cigarette smoke and garlic.

I looked up at him and tried to remain calm. I didn’t want to make a scene because I didn’t know what he was capable of, and I was the only cashier on duty.

So, I laughed and said no as politely as I could.

But he persisted.

He must have asked me back to his place 10 times.

He stayed in my line long after I was done bagging his items, giving him change, and handing him the receipt. But where could I go? I was the only employee in the front, so leaving my station could lead to someone stealing money from the drawers, or Jimmy, the delivery man, not getting paid for restocking our breads, bagels, and donuts. I was trapped under this man’s beady gaze—heart racing, armpits sweating, and hands shaking uncontrollably.

Eventually, he left. I waited for the other cashier to return from the bathroom, then ran to the back of the store. I locked myself in the bathroom and let the tears fall. I never expected to feel so unsafe in the grocery store that I basically grew up in. I dreaded going back to work for a while, but I luckily never saw that man again.

That was the first time I felt trapped by a man harassing me in the workplace. My father, the owner of Randolph Market, was always ready to listen to his employees’ concerns, but the issue still lay in the hands of these types of customers. Over winter break, I experienced one of my co-workers being

43 | LIVING

hit on by a cop who was known for harrassing every single underage girl in the store.

Historically, he starts by asking for the young, pretty cashier’s name. Then, he asks for her age and laughs when she replies with anything under 18.

When he leaves, he typically says, “You’re too young for me, but you’re beautiful.”

I will personally admit I was flattered the first time he complimented me, but he just kept doing it. He must have asked me how old I was four or five times within the same month—all while in his police uniform.

Over winter break of 2019, I witnessed him talking to another cashier named Kyra. When he came through the line, she flashed me a look when he did exactly what I said he would: name, age, and a creepy compliment to finish it off. After he left, we talked to another manager, Destiny, who was studying to be a social worker. She said he had done the same thing to her before, but that we couldn’t deny him from coming in unless he assaulted someone.

This news was disappointing to me, especially since he had made us feel unsafe with his words alone. That night, Kyra, Destiny, and I walked to our cars together to make sure we arrived safely— and avoided any creepy cops.

Today, I work at a Life Alive Organic Cafe in Boston. I was pleasantly surprised when we covered sexual harassment during the job’s orientation course, and I was assured that it would not be tolerated from customers and employees alike. I was even more surprised when I went through an entire month of working without being hit on. I was hopeful that the gross, creepy men who made me feel unsafe in Virginia did not exist in Boston.

But, unfortunately, they do.

Going to work should not be something we dread as professional women. Coming up to ask me for my name, my number, my life story, or commenting on my appearance are all inappropriate and disrespectful of my time, work, and hard-earned money. Instead of being creepy, try respecting me, my personal space, and my workplace by holding your tongue, placing your order, and enjoying the rest of your day. YM

TRAPPED BEHIND THE REGISTER

VACANT SPACES

WRITTEN BY AUDREY JABER PHOTOGRAPHED BY ELAINE TANTRA

BACHELORETTE OR BEAUTY INFLUENCER?

T

hough the purpose of the television show T he Bachelor is to find love and ultimately get engaged, in recent years it has become clear that the women are in search of something else: influencer status.

On the show, which has had 24 seasons, one man attempts to find his future wife by simultaneously dating about 30 women over the course of two months.

The women are narrowed down weekly, and in the final episode, the bachelor proposes to one woman.

The average age of a contestant in the most recent season was 25. In the last two seasons, the final two girls were both only 23. Even before going on the show, many recent contestants have had jobs such as models, fashion bloggers, content creators, or pageant queens. So, it makes sense that they’re searching for fame and popularity instead of a husband.

As soon as contestants get off the show, their follower counts skyrocket. Most gain a few hundred thousand followers, but some get millions. Hannah Brown started as a contestant on The Bachelor, became the next bachelorette, and later won Dancing with the Stars. She has 2.6 million followers on Instagram.

Former Bachelor contestant, Cassie Randolf has 1.7 million Instagram followers.

While this increase in followers may just be a byproduct of appearing on national television, many former contestants take advantage of this newfound fame by partnering with popular brands, making podcasts, and even starting their own companies.

Former Bachelorette star JoJo Fletcher has 2.2 million Instagram followers and uses her platform to promote her CNBC show Cash Pad, her online clothing store, and numerous paid partnerships with brands from Estée Lauder to Charmin.

Caelynn Miller-Keyes appeared on season 23 of The Bachelor and later went on the spinoff show Bachelor in Paradise. Her Instagram, which has 1.5 million followers, is filled with sponsored posts and promo codes. She had her own collection with the clothing brand Boohoo and recently started a YouTube channel documenting the elaborate brand trips that she attends. But, while the show gives these women a platform to share their lives, they don’t actually have any expertise. They gained

popularity by—hopefully—being themselves and searching for love. So, do viewers actually care what they have to promote?

Political communications major Jess Cunha ‘21 has been watching The Bachelor for over nine years and admits to being influenced by the contestants on the show. Cunha follows several of them on Instagram and has even bought a product from a contestant.

Alexis Waters was on The Bachelor in 2017. She now has 373,000 Instagram followers and a brand called Hoop Nation by Alexis, which sells hoop earrings. Last year, after seeing an Instagram post from Waters, Cunha bought a pair.

Journalism major Alessandra Guarneri ‘21 is also an avid viewer, but she actually follows the men more than the women. Guarneri points out that the girls are not the only ones who go on the show looking to become influencers. “We have even seen men trying to promote their cologne and liquor businesses,” she says.

Guarneri listens to former bachelor Nick Viall’s podcast, The Viall Files, which is the 53rd most popular Society & Culture Apple Podcast in the U.S. She also follows former bachelor Colton Underwood and has even met him. “I once purchased a meet-andgreet for Colton Underwood that came with a fitness class that he led in New Jersey,” Guarneri says.

Underwood has 2 million Instagram followers.

It’s clear that those who go on the show are able to gain some form of influence among dedicated viewers; however, while the show reaches 6 million people every season, no former contestant has ever reached 3 million followers on a single platform.

Many people simply watch the show and end it there.

Not everyone cares about keeping up with the lives of the contestants afterwards.

In the end, around 30 contestants appear on the show every season, but only one person actually finds love and gets the final rose. So, it makes sense that those who go on the show are also hoping for exposure and a new profession as a social media influencer.

Many viewers love to keep up with the contestants who won their hearts, and social media is the perfect way to do so. However, the hope is that contestants go on the show to find love with the benefit of followers, and not the other way around. YM ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 54

O

n January 21, it seemed all that anyone talked about in the publishing industry was American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins. It was in the New York Times; Publishers Weekly; and every author, editor, and reader’s Twitter feeds. It boiled down to one question: why can publishing not get it right when it comes to diversity?

The novel, acquired for seven figures by Flatiron Books, built hype as its release date neared. But from a small library in Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border, people expressed concern. Kate Horan, the director of the McAllen Public Library, received an early copy of the novel for a partnership with Oprah’s Book Club, according to The New York Times article “‘American Dirt’ Is Proof the Publishing Industry Is Broken.”

Upon reading the novel, Horan claimed that since the author is not Mexican and has never visited Mexico, migrant culture is not the story she should be telling.

In a rare move, Horan sent the book back, saying she wouldn’t be partaking in the program this year.

Following its release, more and more people flagged the novel as phony, capitalizing on a culture that wasn’t Cummins’s to talk about. Flatiron then canceled the book tour and apologized for its false advertising.

They used a false markup cover in its promo, but worse than that described her husband as an immigrant to add integrity to the story without mentioning that he immigrated from Ireland, not Mexico.

Then the questions began cropping up: how did such a mishap ever get a green light in the first place?

Who allowed for such tone-deaf writing to be put out, marketed as the opposite?

Just weeks later, the conversation still circling the internet, publishers put out new covers on classics, with Barnes & Noble featuring black characters on the front, despite the written characters clearly being white and—many times—racist.

This series of tone-deaf missteps participating in false advertising and race-baiting leads to a larger issue within the publishing industry. In a self-report survey done by Lee & Low Books about diversity within publishing, the statistics came back pretty predictably: 76 percent of the industry is white and 81 percent is straight. Furthermore, transgender people make up less than 1 percent of the industry.

When each manuscript must be chosen, edited,

55 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

and produced by publishers—who are essentially gatekeepers in the process—there becomes an obvious problem with which steps the industry makes in terms of diversity. If the people who decide which stories live and die are all straight, white, and cisgender, they are unlikely to catch cultural misrepresentations or fairly select and edit manuscripts.

Now, the solution to this is not simple. To hire more diverse people is to assume that once they get those jobs, the environment and the system exists in such a way that they feel compelled to stay. Discrimination is systemic, and often, even if publishers were to hire people of color or queer people, the system works against them in ways that make it uncomfortable or miserable to stay.

I asked Emerson’s Undergraduate Students for Publishing’s spring 2020 authors, Andi Smith, and Ximena Delgado, about this issue.

Smith, who is publishing a historical fiction book entitled A Biography of An Unknown Soldier, argues that the entire problem is “a real catch-22.”

For marginalized identities to “become literary, they must be presented as literature, but they won’t, because people don’t see them as that yet,” she says.

Delgado, who authentically represents her Mexican identity in her novel Para Curarte, talks about the misrepresentation of Mexican identity: “We don’t wear ponchos and Mariachi hats every day, we don’t travel through the states on a donkey’s back, we don’t celebrate Cinco de Mayo,” she says.

“We are also not the rapists, murders, drug mules that a lot of Americans associate us with [...] yes, there is violence, same like in many other countries, but there is also so much beauty.”

However, Delgado’s specific call to action does not just involve publishers and authors. Publishing is a business, and Delgado says, “If readers were to demand more diversity and inclusion, then publishers would be forced to publish all these different types of stories...”

The problem with diversity in publishing cannot be fixed overnight; entire systems are not dismantled in a day. Thus, as the industry changes slowly, it is even more important for readers to step into their role, which is somewhat simple: demand diversity and buy diverse books. YM

THE PROBLEM WITH DIVERSITY IN PUBLISHING

WRITTEN BY ANDREW TAETS ART BY MADELYN MULREANEY

MUSICIANS SUPPORTING POLITICIANS WRITTEN BY MOLLY GOODRICH ART BY ELEANOR HILTY

57 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A

s the 2020 Democratic nomination trudges on, many celebrities are coming out to endorse their favorite candidate. Others stay silent. After the 2016 election, many faced criticism for not doing enough to promote voting, especially for the younger demographic. However, it seems as though this time around, people with a voice are now using it whenever they can. While celebrity endorsements are certainly nothing new, we ask ourselves about the morality of celebrities endorsing specific politicians and even specific parties when they have young, impressionable fans. Should celebrities use their voice to tell people who to vote for, or should they stick to simply telling people to vote, regardless of the candidate?

As of right now, Bernie Sanders has over 100 celebrity endorsements, from musicians like Ariana Grande and Vampire Weekend to models and media personalities such as Hailey Bieber and Emily Ratajkowski. Sanders’ public support is vast and diverse, with some of the most prominent names in the entertainment business publicly showing their support in one way or another.

The support ranges wildly, from both large proclamations to small, almost insignificant mentions.

Hailey Bieber, for example, told Elle in February she would vote for Bernie, but has yet to mention any further endorsements on social media, allowing her comments to stay under the radar. Vampire Weekend, on the other hand, played at Bernie’s charity concert in February, making their support for the presidential hopeful known. Fans of Bieber might not know how she stands politically unless they were to deep dive, whereas a simple Google search of Vampire Weekend will show you all you need to know about their current political beliefs.

Izzy Hessler ‘22, an avid Elizabeth Warren supporter before she dropped out of the election in March, expressed how necessary endorsements are.

“I think it’s really helpful that celebrities are using their platforms to endorse progressive candidates, Warren has had a good number of these, and the campaign takes the time to make graphics with their endorsement quotes, which is really cool.”

For many Emerson students, getting a progressive candidate in office is the ideal situation, and if that means the endorsement of Bernie through

an Instagram photo from Ariana Grande, then that is okay with them.

One name who has been particularly vocal about politics recently is Taylor Swift, who broke her political silence in 2018 after publicly endorsing Phil Bredesen for the Tennessee U.S Senate seat.

While also encouraging her millions of fans to register to vote, Swift began to vocally make her political opinions clear, despite being close-lipped about it for the past 10 years. Swift continued to voice her concer ns over politics, publicly slamming Donald Trump and eventually creating a petition for the Equality Act, which protects LGBTQ+ rights from discrimination in places of work, schools, and homes.

Despite these grand political gestures, Swift’s voice has been notably absent during the primaries.

Assuming she will endorse and publicly support whoever wins the Democratic nomination, it makes sense that she wouldn’t want to endorse a candidate too early on in the race. If that’s the case, though, should every entertainer with a large audience avoid putting all their eggs in one basket?

While this political action was inspiring to many, others don’t necessarily think that celebrities have to be a major influence in politics, as that is not what they came into the industry to do.

“As much as people hope they use their platform for change, because of the power and influence that celebrities have in this generation, I think it is important for them to use that platform, but they’re not necessarily qualified to represent politics,” Laura Phillips ‘22 said.

Of course, there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to how involved, or uninvolved, entertainers should be when it comes to politics. As far as serious issues such as voting for presidential candidates, it’s important for these celebrities to have a grasp on the influence they have. Vampire Weekend might not have a fan base the size of Taylor Swift’s, but Ariana Grande does, and her casual Instagram photo with Bernie could sway the opinions of millions.

As we all head to the polls this November, it will be interesting to see how many young voters will be impacted by whoever’s in the Billboard charts, or if the celebrity endorsement is just another thought that will go in one ear and out the other. YM

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 58

WRITTEN BY MADISON GOLDBERG

I

ART BY REBEKAH CZUKOSKI

had just come home for Thanksgiving break—as per usual, my 16-yearold sister gave me her high school life debriefing. Her style changed— black winged eyeliner, an ear cuff, Doc Martens, all the hallmarks of the teenage “edgy phase.” She said, “You should listen to these songs. I found them on TikTok!” And the rest was history.

TikTok, a popular video-sharing app, took over the world, with over 150 countries participating worldwide. As someone from the earlier years of Generation Z, my friends and I refer to it as “the next generation’s Vine.”

Like Vine, TikTok promotes short and often funny videos on a social networking platform. One thing that TikTok has that Vine didn’t is music—and it’s usually not mainstream. Almost all of my sister’s song recommendations definitely fall into the indie genre of music, with some leaning into pop or rock. Her Spotify playlist includes songs by Girl in Red, Clairo, Cuco, Beach Bunny, Wallows, Cage the Elephant, Dayglow, Mac DeMarco, and more. But “indie” music is a phenomenon often concentrated within a specific community—often young, alternative, artsy college-kid crowds.

So, why is it now so mainstream that young high schoolers and even middle schoolers are listening to it?

“This genre is a very self-expressive style of music, and TikTok is filled with the self-expressive, so the people who make TikToks would probably listen to indie/alternative, and then use the music in their videos, allowing their audience to discover the song,” TikTok user Jackson Gordon ‘22 says. “There is a desire for individuality and being a trendsetter, so people try to find independent artists that not many people listen to and put their audience on to them.” In an era of sameness crafted in part by social media, TikTok challenges the notion of fitting in.

This newfound popularity of the genre is tied to the songs’ lyric and sonic compositions. The indie-pop sub-genre appeals to teens as it’s often upbeat, perfect sing-along lyrics that are moody and youthful at the same time.

All of this is layered over electric guitar riffs and a beat, and you’ve created the perfect, modern music concoction. A scene that was primarily niche now has a vast audience, a lot of it thanks to TikTok. “The style is reaching a more mainstream audience because the normal genres in the industry are becoming saturated,” says Thomas Chadwick ‘22, VMA major and musician of local indie band Sunsetta. “TikTok has a massive role in deciding which songs blow up. My friend went to a Spotify convention, and they said that if a song isn’t on TikTok, it’s most likely never going to get attention from major labels.”

The genre is contributing to a social shift among the latter half of Gen Z—one in which the “quirky” and offbeat are now acceptable, and even trendy. So the next time you are scrolling through TikTok, pay attention to those songs that get stuck in your head—you may be supporting a new artist on the rise. YM

59 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TIK TOK AND INDIE ARTISTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 60

MANAGING EDITOR

ABIGAIL NOYES

ART DIRECTOR

YELIZAVETA ROGULINA

MARKETING ASSISTANT

LEA GURVAL

EDITOR IN CHIEF

EMILIE KRONE

STYLE EDITOR

ANDY CAIRA

MARKETING COORDINATOR

JULIE GIFFIN

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

MADISON DOUGLAS

A&E EDITOR

ISABELLE BRAUN

WEB DIRECTOR

LEE ANN JASTILLANA

Y S o E u N r I O m R a S g

YOUR T WITH EDITOR IN CHIEF EMILIE KRONE SIGNED COPY OF THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES I have never cried over a celebrity crush, but I did cry when I got my copy of The Secret Life of Bees signed by the author, Sue Monk Kidd. It was the first “adult book” I read back in sixth grade, and once I read it, I knew I needed to grow up to write something that made people feel as much as that book made me feel. I still owe this book so much for teaching me what beautiful writing is and showing me the power of female-centric literature. Ten years later, it’s still one of the primary reference points for all my own writing.

HOOPS I own a lot of big, elaborate earrings, but my hoops are probably the ones I wear most frequently. At the summer camp I work at, it’s actually a joke that no one can recognize me without my hoops on.

Even on days when I can’t muster the energy to put on makeup or a pair of jeans, I have to pop my hoops in to really feel like myself.

At this point, they almost feel like a part of my ears.

MY SCRUNCHIE COLLECTION I love strategically color-matching my accessories to my outfit, so for me, scrunchies are always a go-to. As of now, I think I own around 30 of them. I have holographic scrunchies, velvet ones, striped ones — you name it! If there’s not already one or two in my hair, you can count on me having a spare scrunchie around my wrist. When I travel, even if it’s just for a day or two, I bring my giant Ziploc bag of scrunchies along. They’re as much of a necessity to me as my toothbrush.

63 | YOURMAG

THINGS ART BY YELIZAVETA ROGULINA

WITH MANAGING EDITOR ABIGAIL NOYES OVERSIZED BLAZER After years of buying, thrifting, and receiving hand-me-down blazers, I have yet to have an internship where business attire was the norm. Looking for an opportunity to wear these pieces that made me feel powerful and professional, I began incorporating them into my everyday wardrobe. I find that my blazers can dress up a casual outfit, or even add a bit of ‘80s flair if I style it properly.

TAPESTRY - CAROLE KING Carole King’s brilliance is no secret; Tapestry is one of the bestselling albums of all time, but it holds a special place in my life.

I listen to it nearly every morning to start my day. The songs simultaneously feel incredibly familiar and uniquely inspiring with every listen. It’s one of my favorite albums to do homework to, sing along in the car to, and share with my best friends.

Some of history’s best songs were written by King, and Tapestry is a personal reflection of her talent.

SIGNATURE PLAYING CARDS My oldest and fondest family memories take place around the table with a deck of cards. Playing cards is one of my favorite ways to pass time, get to know others, and exercise my competitiveness. I’m always sure to have a deck of cards on me—I keep a deck in every bag I carry—because you never know when you’re going to need to pass the time or keep people entertained.

This particular deck was gifted to me by one of my best friends on my 21st birthday. I love the gold embellishments and celestial theme; they feel almost like a good luck charm!

YOURMAG | 64

YOUR THINGS

WITH WEB DIRECTOR LEE ANN JASTILLANA MY MOM’S VINTAGE BURBERRY SHIRT Definitely a go-to for when I’m not sure what to wear out. The shirt is super comfortable and versatile—I wear it throughout the winter and even in the summer! This shirt has definitely seen me through a lot of my confidence peaks, and though I generally feel at my best with a new outfit, this is one wardrobe piece I feel good wearing over and over again. Most importantly, it’s a little part of my mom that I am able to have with me.

GUESS BY MARCIANO PERFUME I honestly would not be who I am today without this perfume.

One spritz and suddenly a sis has got an attitude. I stole my first bottle from my mom back in my senior year of highschool, and I’ve been religiously using it since! I especially love how the scent has become extremely nostalgic for me and reminds me of home and my early days in college.

GLOSSIER LIP BALM Okay, I know this probably isn’t anything revolutionary as everyone’s been obsessed with this lip balm for a good three or four years now, but honestly, it’s for a good reason. I love this lip balm (particularly the coconut flavored one because I am obsessed with coconut), and it has gotten me through the driest winter days I’ve ever seen. I also love putting a little bit of it on my cuticles after a manicure. Thinking back to the free lip balms from the health center I hoarded, I can’t believe I’ve ever lived differently.

65 | YOURMAG

Y.MP3 ONE-HIT WONDERS

WHAT’S UP?—4 NON BLONDES TAKE ON ME—A-HA I MELT WITH YOU—MODERN ENGLISH BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S—DEEP BLUE SOMETHING TORN—NATALIE IMBRUGLIA SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW—GOTYE BULLETPROOF—LA ROUX COME ON EILEEN—DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT—KING HARVEST BAD DAY—DANIEL POWTER FUNKYTOWN—LIPPS INC. SWEET DREAMS—EURYTHMICS MAMBO NO. 5—LOU BEGA AMERICAN BOY—ESTELLE SHAKE IT—METRO STATION TAINTED LOVE—SOFT CELL VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR—THE BUGGLES CRUSH—DAVID ARCHULETA

YOURMAG | 66

Describe your work in one sentence.

I want to make things that are beautiful and full.

How and when did you get into photography?

I think it’s probably because I didn’t like to be in pictures. I remember wanting to use my parent’s digital camera when I was really young, maybe seven or eight.

Then feeling validated by that and doing it more often.

What inspires you?

When I was younger, I really just made things because I felt like I could get attention, and that was something that took a long time to realize. We humans are innately driven by desire and only by questioning our motives can we understand them.

I want to make things now because they help me understand myself and the world.

To make is inherently a selfish act. You put your creative endeavor ahead of needs that many would consider more important. But we are all conditioned to be selfish, to value things that don’t really consist of importance to the broader world. I think I will forever be inspired by the endless discovery we are granted. I am always trying to learn more about the things I value and think through why I value them.

Being able to ask questions is one of our most valuable assets. We have an entire social order that we are expected to uphold, and things people make are often part of that. Although these things can still be of value I’m not sure I’d like mine to reside in that social order. It’s something I’m still figuring out. But the joy of being a thinking sentient being who can communicate with others is, to me, questioning those beliefs that encourage us to behave this way. It is one of many reasons I am so interested in documentary filmmaking and taking photographs; being able to question our systems and discover how these principles are upheld through the people around us. A camera can observe these things, and a maker can determine how they might be related. Right now, I am inspired by our dedication to the internet and what the implications of that are. How it is changing our beliefs, our culture, our interactions, and our world. I am dedicating a lot of time to thinking about how to properly investigate that. I am also spending a lot of time on Twitter, which is unrelated.

Why photography and film?

It is hard to find a way to document our world in a more removed way than making images. We bring in our own sense of where to put the camera, what to cut, and when to record, but capturing how I see and presenting it in a way that feels like others can appreciate it and make their own judgements is important to me. I’m working to get over my fear of showing anyone what I write, because I think I like that too.

Maybe this is the first step.

I have done that a couple times since, and it is now one of my absolute favorite things to do. It is just so different than looking at work online. I also try to watch a film every day. Film history is the most interesting subject to me because I truly don’t think any art form can reflect on the world as thoroughly as film does.

What is one of your favorite photos you’ve taken? What makes it special to you?

I have a panorama that I took on a trip to the Utah desert two winters ago. I made a really big print of it and gave it to my parents. I feel like it’s the only thing I have made that I look at and can’t believe how beautiful it is. I also like looking at it because I think it is better than the art we have in our house that they paid for.

Understanding these mediums is really important to me and has immensely helped me to understand my own images and processes. It’s very rare that an artist purely comes from outside of our systems, and I think acknowledging that to use to your advantage is important. Few people possess that kind of natural sensibility and that’s perfectly ok because when they come into the picture it is important for many other reasons. It’s also important to recognize that these things take a lot of time, whereas making is something you can do almost any time, now that we are almost always carrying a camera. So people should definitely prioritize that. But nothing has resonated with me more than Corita Kent’s rules (introduced to me by my sister), and most important of all her last rule, “there should be new rules next week.”

What advice would you give new photographers?

I feel like people always say that you should keep making, and while I totally agree, I think what has helped me most is studying every photographer and filmmaker I can. Last summer, I spent a day in a library that had a ton of photo books and just spent the whole day looking through them. I learned so much.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Anywhere I can continue to make these things and feel like they matter. I also see myself looking at this interview and thinking how wrong I was about everything I said.

Where can readers see more of your work?

The images I have chosen to publish here are iPhone photographs I have taken in the last two years. My other work is available on benturok.com and benturok on instagram. DM me if you want the Letterboxd @.

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