The Queen's Journal, Volume 149, Issue 13

the Queen’s University

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journal

Vol. 149, Issue 13

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Friday, November 12, 2021

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Situated on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples.

Since 1873

PHOTO BY SPENCER HENDRICKSON

Student group alleges anti-Semitism at AMS-hosted event

On Nov. 9, the Social Issues Commission (SIC), Queen’s Committee Against Racial and Ethnic Discrimination (CARED), and Levana Gender Advocacy Centre held an event on navigating colonial institutions and intersectional student activism with guest speaker Ericka Hart.

Hart is a former adjunct professor at the Columbia School of Social Work. Queen’s Hillel claims Ericka Hart expressed anti-Semitic sentiments in a recent conference at Yale, “Three days ago or something, I just happen to see this news story in which [Hart] had

spoken at Yale Law and talked about diversity activism,” Rafi Matchen, Vice-President (Advocacy) for Hillel Queen’s, said in an interview with The Journal.

“Somebody asked [Hart], ‘it seems very conspicuous that you’ve left off anti-Semitism on the list’.”

Matchen alleged that Hart said anti-Semitism only extended to Black Jewish people.

According to what was reported from the event, Hart also allegedly insinuated statistics of hate crime on Jewish folks are inflated by the FBI. According to Matchen, such narratives trace back to old stereotypes of Jewish people controlling the media—building on claims that victimization of Jewish people is “exaggerated.”

While allegations of anti-Semitism against Hart only broke out a few days after the AMS set the event, Queen’s Hillel alerted the event organizers and expressed the importance of addressing concerns of anti-Semitism.

According to Matchen, what was discussed at the event was “broadly radical,” ranging from discussions on Israeli Apartheid and criticisms of the Israeli government.

“I think it has to be clear that you’re doing something like accusing Israel of genocide—that itself an antiSemitic thing to say,” Matchen said.

“Israel is important enough to the Jews and is central enough to the Jews and to Judaism—to say something that Israel is committing a genocide, that can’t not be anti-Semitic.”

Matchen added while respecting freedom of speech and academic freedom is important, there’s a fine line that shouldn’t be crossed.

“I would say this is firmly past that line,” Matchen said.

“This was somebody who was speaking to issues of inclusion, equity, and diversity, that’s not somebody who you want to be hearing this kind of thing from.”

Ideally, Matchen said the AMS should have cancelled the event.

“I think the right thing to do would have been to say, ‘we’ve heard from Hillel, and we just want to share what’s going on to avoid this issue.’”

The Journal reached out to AMS Commissioner of Social Issues, Samara Lijiam, to discuss Hart’s event.

“The discussion was about student activism and navigating

predominantly white institutions.

[Hart] is a professor and educator and has a lot of experience doing anti-colonial and anti-capitalist work in university settings,” Lijiam said in an interview with The Journal.

“Ericka shared her journey through advocacy, and how her journey through activism related to her personal journey and life.”

During the interview, Lijiam responded to concerns raised

by Queen’s Hillel. She said there was not enough time to address the issues they alleged.

“We did receive an email with concerns a day before the event, it was just too late and incredibly short notice for us to cancel the event,” Lijiam said.

“We definitely take these concerns seriously and are always open to feedback and what type of speakers students want to see from us.”

“We went through all of the information that was sent to us. [...] Comments were made very recently, and we booked the speaker months ago. So I don’t know if [allegations of anti-Semitism] were made when we had made the booking, although I do not want to speculate,” Lijiam said.

Lijiam said no apology would be issued by the AMS at this time.

“I feel bad. I don’t know that I apologize for booking Ericka Hart as a speaker, I think that we did the best that we could given the information at the time. Knowing the information [from Queen’s Hillel], I listened to what [Hart] said very carefully, and she didn’t say anything problematic,” Lijiam said.

“I feel that everything said at our event was incredibly appropriate.”

Lijiam says she wants to hear from those impacted

by Hart’s comments at the AMS event.

“If anybody has any issues with our event in particular, I want them to please reach out.

I am open to hearing from anyone who believes inappropriate comments were made,” Lijiam said.

Lijiam added that the SIC belongs to all student groups.

“Within the SIC, we represent such a large group of students, so it’s definitely important to work with and partner with all students. We are always open to working with every student group,” Lijiam said.

“We want to prioritize safety and inclusion while promoting dialogue.”

Queen’s alumnus reflects on Remembrance Day

Criticizing burnout culture in academia

Creative collaboration in Photography Union

Gaels react to OUA anti-racism report

‘Eternals’ brings new direction for Marvel

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Social Issues Commissioner is ‘open to feedback’ S ydney K o and A sbah A hmad Senior News Editor and Assistant News Editor This article includes descriptions of anti-Semitism and may be triggering for some readers. The Peer Support Centre offers drop-in services and empathetic peer-based support and is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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News

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NEWS Queen’s community reflects on 100th anniversary of poppies Joanne Archibald discuss significance of military history.

‘The Journal’ talks to Queen’s Alumnus on Remembrance Day Asbah Ahmad Assistant News Editor This Remembrance Day marks the 100th anniversary of the poppy being adopted as a symbol of remembrance in Canada. The Journal sat down with Joanne Archibald, ArtSci ’14 and PhD ‘25, who’s studying Canada’s role in military engagements and international political history.

For Archibald, studying military history and speaking about Remembrance Day is important because of her family connections.

“My grandfather served in the Second World War, and his brother died in the D-day invasion,” Archibald said.

“I think military history is a really important way for Canadians to learn about our shared international history, and the role we have played on an international stage, and how we can use lessons learned from military history to apply today,” Archibald said.

Archibald says it’s also important to recognize veteran’s issues and the impacts ve te ra n s fa c e to d ay after coming back from war.

“The field of medical military history is actually growing quite

PHOTO BY SPENCER HENDRICKSON

substantially. Hopefully we are moving in the right direction with care for veterans. Hopefully we can see what we have done in the past, what has worked, and what has not worked to provide the best support to service members and their families,” Archibald said.

Archibald added that along with WWI and WWII veterans, this year Canadians will also be focused on the impacts soldiers returning from Afghanistan are facing.

“This year especially, people will think about Afghanistan vets, given the situation that is unfolding there.” Archibald said.

“One of the criticisms of Remembrance Day is that people think about it as the First and

Friday, November 12, 2021 Second World War, and Korea vets and don’t really connect it to current serving members.”

Archibald also brought up the impact Indigenous soldiers played in the story of the Canadian military.

“We marked Indigenous Veterans’ Day recently. Also remembering that Indigenous veterans who served their country much like their compatriots did not receive the same welcome back into Canadian society,” she said.

“As we know Indigenous people in Canada were not treated respectfully […] What is important about remembering Indigenous veterans is remembering their excellent legacy, such as the Cree code talkers.”

Archibald said Canadians need to remember the horrors of war and the legacy of war itself.

“It is important to remember that these conflicts were horrible, and that many people died.

War is not something that we want to experience ourselves, and unfortunately we do still experience the horrors of war,” Archibald said.

“The significance of Remembrance Day is to understand the importance leading from these past conflicts, and re-dedicating ourselves to the ideals of peace and working together across national lines.”

Beverly Frid, MBA ‘84, has worked on going through archives and records to learn more about

Student alleges mistreatment by campus security Alex Wang, ArtSci ’22, was at Stauffer library finishing an assignment on the evening of Nov. 5. While working, Wang decided to momentarily pull his mask down to air it out. That’s when a security guard approached him.

Sydney Ko “You’re supposed to cover your Senior News Editor nose—I know that—but it hadn’t been for more than 30 seconds,” This article includes descriptions of Wang said in an interview with racism and may be triggering for The Journal. some readers. The Peer Support Wang said the security guard Centre offers drop-in services and told him in a stern voice that he empathetic peer-based support was being given a “last warning,” and is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. despite not having received any Online services can be accessed here. prior warning to wear a mask.

‘I thought I deserved at least one warning’

University to investigate matter.

Confused, Wang asked when his first warning was. “[The security guard] said, ‘I don’t care, get out’,” Wang said.

“I was embarrassed at this time because I looked around and everyone was looking over to my direction. I’m pretty sure people all the way across the library were looking.”

Eventually, security took Wang’s backpack, which was sitting on the table, and told him to leave.

“I didn’t do anything that warranted such a reaction. I thought I deserved at least one warning,” Wang said.

Feeling upset after his bag was taken, Wang asked the security guard if he was abusing his power.

He says the guard responded, “I am and I will […] I don’t like your looks.”

Looking back on the incident, Wang believed there was a chance the security guard was confusing him with another Asian student who may have been given a warning to wear their mask. While Wang understood the guard may have been having a “bad day,” he still felt unfairly targeted during the encounter based on his race.

Wang added that he saw the security guard multiple

PHOTO BY CURTIS HEINZL

Queen’s students who fought in the world wars.

“There is so much online in the archives, and you can get all of The Journals going back to the 1800s.

There is a whole section on world wars one and two, I also found a lot of information to find records on soldiers,” Frid said.

Frid was inspired to post details about her findings on soldiers to the Facebook group “Overheard at Queen’s.”

“I thought a lot of alumni and students are members in overheard, and people could view the posts,” Frid said.

“I was also fed up with students whining and complaining about lockdown and partying. A hundred years ago you guys would be in a ditch in France.”

Frid noted some soldiers who attended Queen’s eventually went on to fight in the world wars.

“George Richardson, the namesake for Richardson stadium, has such an interesting story.

When you read about him you realize what kind of person he was, and his strength of character,” Frid said.

“His post got the most traction on Overheard.”

Frid thinks all Queen’s students need to take time out of their day and think about the legacy of those that came before them.

“Think about it personally, these were guys and girls your age. These could have been your friends.”

times that night and alleged the guard gave only light warnings to his white peers.

“I could tell it was targeted because I saw him talking to other people […] mostly white people and he would just give them a light warning.”

“I wasn’t harassing the security guards. I wasn’t harassing other students. I’m not being a menace,” Wang said.

When asked what he hopes students will take away from his encounter with campus security, Wang said he didn’t want just an apology from Queen’s, but real change.

“I know that [Queen’s] contracts the security guards, but I think they should definitely run some form of formal training [on upholding health and safety regulations],” Wang said.

Wang believes the University should do better research on who they’re hiring and would appreciate if there were more people of colour on the security staff.

In an email sent to The Journal, Mark Erdman, manager of community relations and issues, said the University is committed to promoting a “respectful and inclusive environment.”

“The University takes these complaints very seriously, and we are looking into the matter,” Erdman wrote on behalf of the University.

Wang said he hopes his experience doesn’t “discourage” students from coming to Queen’s.

“I had a very good experience here, and I would really like it if this saw some form of resolution before I graduate,” Wang said.

“I’m just here like everyone else.

How about forget about my race, my gender, and my looks—I’m just a student.”

News

Friday, November 12, 2021

QUMSA advocates to preserve prayer spaces around campus Club seeks to protect prayer spaces during JDUC redevelopment Sam Goodale Staff Writer Amongst JDUC redevelopment plans, The Journal sat down with the Queen’s University Muslim Students Association (QUMSA) to discuss measures to ensure the preservation of prayer spaces in the building. QUMSA provides students with religious services, community events, and advocacy.

The MusAllah, currently located in JDUC room 232, is a dedicated Muslim prayer space. Hanya Kaoud, QUMSA president and ArtSci ’22, is currently leading the charge to preserve it.

The JDUC renovations, which were recently postponed until May 2022, are set to cost $62.3 million.

The brunt of the costs will be paid for through student fees.

“Prayer is vital to every practicing Muslim’s life,” Kaoud said in an interview with The Journal.

“Often between classes, Muslims will go complete one of their five mandatory prayers and head on immediately to their next class.

Having open access to open prayer spaces in the past has helped make that easier on us.”

According to Kaoud, QUMSA members, were told in their

communications with the AMS over the summer there won’t be a guaranteed prayer space post-renovations in the JDUC, despite promises made by Team RTZ during the May AMS Assembly.

“In the AMS Assembly in May, we were told that it would be a priority, and it’s something that would be guaranteed,” Kaoud said. “However, I’ve not seen any follow-up or documentation of such.”

With concerns of potentially losing prayer space in the JDUC, along with difficulties accessing existing prayer spaces, Kaoud and QUMSA have “been trying to facilitate the reopening of prayer spaces around campus in general.”

“We’re focused on what’s available now, which has been difficult, but in terms of the redevelopment plan, there hasn’t been much follow-up on that part,” Kaoud said.

QUMSA is in communication with administration to assist in the preservation of prayer spaces around campus. The club has been able to get Friday prayers up and running following their halt during COVID-19, but progress has been limited in facilities overlooked by the AMS. QUMSA has, however, received assistance from Queen’s administration.

“We are to get support from the Human Rights and Equity Office and the Faith and Spiritual unit, so I do want to say that there are

parts of the university that have been helpful in facilitating that,” Kaoud said.

“We’ve been able to communicate more and make more progress with those two offices […], but in terms of with the AMS, it’s a bit of a different situation.”

Although QUMSA has been in communication with the AMS regarding existing prayer spaces, it hasn’t been the club’s main focus.

“We’ve just been trying to get prayer spaces running this semester, so the JDUC spaces would be part of that, but it’s not something that we focus 80 per cent of our time on,” Kaoud said.

The AMS did not respond to The Journal’s request for comment in time for publication.

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OUSA announces OSAP clawbacks cancelled following student advocacy OSAP contributions returned to previous fiscal year amounts Cassidy McMackon Opinions Editor Following a six-month campaign, the Ontario University Student Alliance (OUSA) announced in a briefing on Nov. 10 the proposed $400 million reduction to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) has been ceased.

The provincial government announced in April 2021 it would claw back a $400 million expenditure to the OSAP program following an announcement

Federal government increased contribution to Canada Student Grant.

that the Canada Student Grant (CSG) announcement would double its investment towards provincial loan programs to assist post-secondary students impacted

by COVID-19.

In May, OUSA issued a letter to Ross Romano, then minister of colleges and universities, calling on the provincial government to reinvest in the OSAP program to “provide more direct support for students that need it the most.”

According to the OUSA briefing, “students will now be able to see the net benefit of the federal government’s increased contribution to the Canada Student Grant.”

PHOTO BY CURTIS HEINZL

Students subject to non-academic misconduct for misogynistic homecoming signs University commits to condemnation of sexist behaviour Rida Chaudhry Assistant News Editor Over Queen’s homecoming weekends, misogynistic signs were found posted in front of student houses. Amidst conversations of sexual violence on university campuses, the signage displayed was baffling to the Kingston and Queen’s community alike.

During October Senate, Principal Patrick Deane said signs were taken down immediately at the request of campus security. He added that students who put up signs would be dealt with under Queen’s sexual violence and assault policy.

“As conveyed by Principal Deane on October 18, 2021, the University will not tolerate acts of sexual harassment or violence, or sexist behaviour of any kind,” Mark Erdman, manager of community relations and issues, wrote in an email to The Journal on behalf of the University.

“The University can now confirm that a number of students have been referred to the Student Conduct Office and those cases are being reviewed. The process is a confidential one.”

Violations of the sexual violence and assault policy as well as instances of

non-academic misconduct are handled by the Student Conduct Office.

According to Erdman, the length of the non-academic misconduct process depends on the case, the people involved, and the timing of information received from community partners.

“The range of outcomes for each case are unique and proportional to the activity in question,” Erdman said.

“Some cases may be resolved in two to three weeks, while some may take a full academic term or longer.”

The Student Code of Conduct is based on a restorative framework, according to Erdman. Students involved will have a fair hearing by an unbiased decision maker following due process. Students will have the opportunity to defend the

case against them and have representation if they so choose.

“In regard to actions being taken by the AMS, the misogynistic signs were beyond a level 1 non-academic misconduct,” Maddie Zarb, director of communications for the AMS, wrote in an email to The Journal.

“The university is handling the matter and the AMS judicial affairs office is not involved.”

Misogynistic signs were found posted in front of student houses over Queen’s homecoming weekends.

PHOTO BY CURTIS HEINZL

Features

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Friday, November 12, 2021

FEATURES

‘This is an opportunity for us to be critical’: Policing beyond homecoming Students reflect on the role of Kingston law enforcement Alysha Mohaned Senior Lifestyle Editor

This article includes descriptions of violence and may be triggering for some readers. The Peer Support Centre offers drop-in services and empathetic peer-based support and is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

During the weekends of Oct. 16 and 23, interactions between Queen’s students and the Kingston police were intensely charged.

Many Queen’s students were shocked by the “over-policing” on both weekends, coupled with the University’s $350,000 payment to the City of Kingston to cover costs of pandemic enforcement. This has grounded advocacy efforts to redistribute the contribution to other social services.

On the flip side, Kingston Police Chief Antje McNeely described the behaviour of Queen’s students over Homecoming as “completely unacceptable” and “aggressive, volatile, and disrespectful” in a statement released on Oct 19.

Officers from Durham, Gananoque, the Greater Toronto Area, and the Ontario Provincial Police joined Kingston officers under the Mayor’s emergency order in response to gatherings.

Though COVID-19 restrictions made gatherings more complex, students’ frustration with policing during homecoming was not an isolated event.

Tensions between Queen’s students and the Kingston police have been historically charged—in many ways, the increased policing in October was part of an already fraught relationship.

‘Dehumanizing’ experiences on homecoming Emily* and her boyfriend Jacob* were detained by the police for six and nine hours respectively, on the weekend of Oct. 23.

“The experience was psychologically traumatizing,” said Jacob in an interview with The Journal. “It was dehumanizing.”

On A b e rd e e n , an altercation between one of Emily’s friends and a police officer led to her detainment.

After watching officers grab her friend and push him up against a police vehicle, Emily took out her phone to take pictures of the interaction.

“I pulled out my phone and started taking pictures, and I guess they didn’t like that,” Emily said.

“A police officer told me I needed to stop but I didn’t, and he grabbed me and put my hands behind my back against the police vehicle.”

Five students speak to the relationship between Queen’s and Kingston Police.

“

I started crying.

I told them I didn’t understand why this was happening, and they told me because I didn’t cooperate, I was going to jail” At that point, Emily said the officers demanded she disclose her name, address, and contact information while she was held against the SUV. “I was really scared,” Emily stated. “I started crying. I told them I didn’t understand why this was happening, and they told me because I didn’t cooperate, I was going to jail.”

Officers put Emily in handcuffs, replaced the handcuffs with twist ties, and put her in a detainment truck where she sat for an hour as the Police picked up other students.

Once at the Kingston Police station, Emily asked to call her parents and was denied.

She was held at the police station in a cell for six hours. The only reason Emily was released, she alleged, was because of a connection with one of the police officers.

“The only reason I was let out is because I have a friend who knows a cop at the station, and she asked for me to get let out,” Emily said.

“Without the connection, I know they would have held me for longer.”

Emily’s boyfriend, Jacob, didn’t have the same privilege of being connected to an officer.

After being placed in handcuffs on Aberdeen for being allegedly involved in an aggravated nuisance party, Jacob was injured by an officer.

“They threw me in cuffs and threw me in the back of a van,” Jacob said. “They slammed the door and it hit my head—I had a pretty bad cut on my ear that was bleeding and a bruise on my cheek.”

Jacob was placed in a cell with nine other individuals, where he experienced “disgusting” behaviour from law enforcement.

Though students in the cell needed medical attention, Jacob said officers didn’t respond to any requests for information or support.

I was banging on the “doors for hours and no

one came—it seemed like the officers were punishing us for things other people had done”

“There was a guy with bruises all over his chest who looked like he needed to be in the hospital, and another one who was throwing up for hours,” Jacob said.

“I was banging on the doors for hours and no one came—it seemed like the officers were punishing us for things other people had done.”

Throughout the experience,

Jacob said he felt as if the officers were attempting to prove a point by punishing students.

“I felt like they were playing mind games with us,” Jacob said.

“It felt like they were getting satisfaction from our pain—like it was enjoyable for them.”

Jacob was released after nine hours in custody at 1 a.m. on the morning of Oct. 24.

Impacts of increased policing on marginalized students Samara Lijam, ArtSci ’23, has been spearheading advocacy against the University’s $350,000 payment to the City of Kingston through her work as AMS Social Issues Commissioner.

The increased police “presence is something

that marginalized students feel deeply, but students in general are mistreated by the police, regardless of race” During Homecoming celebrations, the Social Issues Commission (SIC) posted resources on Instagram to inform students of their rights when dealing with the police.

“From the start, I was worried about over-policing during [Homecoming], and the rest of the AMS was as well,” Lijam said.

ILLUSTRATION BY SHELBY TALBOT

Features

Friday, November 12, 2021

“The increased police presence is something that marginalized students feel deeply, but students in general are mistreated by the police, regardless of race.”

Lijam agreed that homecoming celebrations presented a widespread safety issue for both students and the Kingston community, but said the police response was ineffective in protecting vulnerable students.

“Using the police as the primary response to [Homecoming] endangered marginalized students,” Lijam said.

“I think harm reduction measures like food trucks and water stations, along with campus security and student constables would have been best.”

Lijiam said the violent history of policing people of colour is important to consider when having conversations about how best to protect vulnerable students.

“

Any time we’re inviting a larger police presence in the university district, we’re putting marginalized students at risk”

“Any time we’re inviting a larger police presence in the university district, we’re putting marginalized students at risk,” Lijam said.

Responses from student leaders after the announcement of the $350,000 payment have focused on the lack of funding for social services at Queen’s compared to potential contributions in the Kingston police force.

“

There are so many resources that are underfunded at Queen’s—especially equity and mental health resources” “There are so many resources that are underfunded at Queen’s—especially equity and mental health resources,” Lijam said.

“We still have no Black

counsellor for Queen’s students to talk to, and our sexual violence resources are pretty slim and not varied or diverse.

This is money that could go towards [Sexual Assault Centre Kingston] or to lowering international students’ tuition—the Kingston police is the last place I feel needs the money.”

SIC is currently gathering support for a petition to “tell Kingston to use Queen’s funds for harm reduction measures instead of law enforcement,” which has now received over 1,500 signatures.

Advocacy around “[homecoming] from

students and residents happens once a year—we don’t want this to not be talked about until St. Patrick’s Day” On the petition page, Lijam points out that the police budget makes up almost 11 per cent of the Kingston city budget, compared to the 4.3 per cent allocated to housing and social services.

The SIC also launched an anonymous survey for students to discuss their experiences with the police.

“Advocacy around [homecoming] from students and residents happens once a year—we don’t want this to not be talked about until St. Patrick’s Day,” Lijam stated.

“We want to be able to have this data to further advocate for students and to cement that this happened.”

Policing in everyday student life The police presence in the student ghetto isn’t isolated to big events like Homecoming and St. Patrick’s Day. Many students g ra p p l e with n e g a t ive police interactions in their everyday lives.

“I had two major interactions with the Kingston Police in September this year,” Juan* wrote in a statement to The Journal.

“In both instances I was walking back from a party alone to go home. On both occasions I

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was randomly stopped on Earl Street and was asked where I was going and was asked to provide ID,” Juan said.

Though Juan explained to the police he was going home, the officers continued to question him until he asked if he was being detained.

“The officers did not believe I was going home and insisted I tell them where I was going. I asked if I was being detained—they responded with ‘no’ and I walked away.”

When discussing the relationship between students and police, Juan said Law enforcement t re a t s Q u e e n’ s student differently than the general Kingston community.

roofied, and at no point is the relationship ever formatted as mutual.”

DeFreitas said the turnover of Queen’s students creates a lack of accountability from both actors.

“One of the reasons the police are able to escape criticism is because of the turnover of students,” DeFreitas said.

“They’re able to use it to their advantage because they know in a few years, it’s going to be an entirely new crop of people who won’t know how to handle them.”

“ The police are significantly more rude,

me as a Queen’s student”

aggressive, and at times intimidating to students” “The police are significantly more rude, aggressive, and at times intimidating to students,” Juan said. “I think most students would agree that the student area in Kingston is extremely over-policed.”

Juan contrasted these interactions with the lack of response from the police when it comes to major security issues.

“To put this into perspective, there was a known sex offender roaming the student area for hours and was only caught when a student had to call police because they were in danger,” Juan said.

Sophie DeFreitas, ArtSci ’22, had another perspective on the relationship between students and police.

“The majority of Queen’s students are only in Kingston for four years,” DeFreitas said.

One of the reasons the “police are able to escape

criticism is because of the turnover of students”

“From first year, it’s drilled into you that the police are a threatening figure who will c o n s t a n t ly wa t c h you. We don’t talk about them as a protective force from being

Kingston police “areThea huge mystery to

In addition to the turnover, DeFreitas noted a lack of communication and knowledge between the police and Queen’s students.

“The Kingston police are a huge mystery to me as a Queen’s student,” DeFreitas said.

“There’s a disconnect between us, and I have no idea how they operate or allocate resources.

I do not feel comfortable enough to talk to them, and that’s not even considering the implication of how marginalized students feel.”

Mending a splintered relationship When it comes to mending the splintered relationship between students and the police, Jacob argues the first step is promoting accountability from both actors.

Students are open to “having a relationship with the police that works, but there’s no communication whatsoever”

“The issue is with the culture as a whole,” said Jacob.

“There are problems on both sides and a need for accountability from students and police officers. I feel like the cops used the bad actions of students to justify

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their own bad actions, which is a huge problem with policing in general.”

Ben Jeffries, ArtSci’ 23, feels Queen’s students are open to building a working relationship with law enforcement.

“Students are open to having a relationship with the police that works, but there’s no communication whatsoever,” Jeffries said.

“We have no idea how the University and the police communicate either.”

He offered that more open dialogue between Kingston Police and students may result in a less antagonistic relationship.

“Police presence is definitely necessary, but not to the extent that it was this year,” Jeffries said. “I feel like the police weren’t at [Homecoming] for the right reasons.”

DeFreitas said we must critique the current policing system in order to move forward.

“

The police chose this year to put on the biggest display of force possible, and I think we need to critique that.”

“Antagonism towards the police is at an all-time high and right now it’s really culturally relevant,” DeFreitas said.

“The police chose this year to put on the biggest display of force possible, and I think we need to critique that.”

Lijam had emphasized the importance of reflecting, critiquing, and crafting nuanced measures to best protect vulnerable students.

“This is an opportunity for us to be critical about which social services work,” Lijam said. “Let’s look at the way we solve problems and how these solutions can best protect students.”

The Journal reached out to Kingston Police for a statement but didn’t receive a response in time for publication. *Names changed for anonymity due to safety reasons.

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Editorials

EDITORIALS

Friday, November 12, 2021

The Journal’s Perspective

RBC doesn’t care about Indigenous reconciliation or the climate crisis. The money proves it.

ILLUSTRATION BY CLANNY MUGABE

The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) may claim to care about the climate crisis and Indigenous reconciliation, but the institution’s actions have proven performative—and the CEO seems dismissive of those RBC stands to harm.

On Nov. 5, the Queen’s Finance Association (QFA) hosted RBC’s CEO David McKay at an event on campus. Outside the event, a small group of protesters from Kingston Youth and Climate Action gathered to showcase their concerns with RBC’s financing of fossil fuels, particularly its support of the Coastal GasLink pipeline being built on Wet’suwet’en land.

In the last two weeks, protests have erupted across Canada demanding RBC be held accountable for its investments in oil and the controversial pipeline.

The Coastal GasLink natural gas

pipeline is set to cut through Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs’ land in Northern British Columbia—Gidimt’en clan territory—against their consent.

Some speculate that without RBC’s funding, the pipeline couldn’t be built.

The bank holds the financial power to make real change. RBC could choose to invest in a portfolio that backs solely sustainable and renewable energy and economies. Instead, the institution has chosen to turn a blind eye to the harm its investments are causing.

Last week, McKay told The Journal “[the pipeline] was approved by all 40 nations […] while there is only one dispute, it’s between the elders of one nation and the elected officials. So it has prior informed consent and approval under Canadian law.”

In fact, McKay said he’s “disappointed”

in Canadians protesting against the pipeline because he feels they’re uninformed on the issue.

If anyone is uniformed, it’s McKay. The protesters gathered outside of Grant Hall on Nov. 5 were calling attention to an important issue—to call them uninformed is ignorant and privileged.

Tokenizing the Indigenous nations which agreed to the Coastal GasLink pipeline to justify RBC’s investment disregards the many Indigenous folks—including those whose land is directly threatened by the project—who are vehemently against the project.

It’s also deeply insensitive towards the violence Wet’suwet’en land defenders have faced from the RCMP as they’ve stood their ground against the construction.

Furthermore, young people have reason to be concerned about the climate crisis—we’re the ones poised to inherit the environmental catastrophe. RBC may purport to care about the climate crisis, but it’s obvious from where it puts its money the institution’s priority is profits.

RBC boasts a modest $10-million pool of capital for investment in businesses “that tackle social and environmental challenges, while generating a financial return”. In turn, RBC is the world’s fifth biggest fossil fuel funder.

McKay, you aren’t fooling anyone—RBC’s commitments to the environment and reconciliation are performative at best and hugely disrespectful and damaging at worst.

—Journal Editorial Board

Burnout culture in academia is harmful—and it must be stopped Violetta Zeitlinger Fontana Crying, feeling numb, having too much going on, being behind in every class, not spending enough time with your friends, wanting to stay in bed all day—we all know the feeling. It’s burnout, and suddenly it’s the norm.

But burnout is dangerous, and it must stop.

The Mayo Clinic defines burnout as “a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.”

There are many implications of burnout, which include poorer physical and mental health, self-isolation, losing interest in previously enjoyable activities, and decreased school performance.

In academia—where burnout culture is particularly present—we may find ourselves praising students who don’t get enough sleep, have too much on their plate, or always take something on when asked, no matter how overwhelming.

We think we’re promoting signs of hard work and dedication, when we’re actually promoting burnout and all of its implications.

We need to stop measuring success by how burnt out or overwhelmed someone feels.

Getting four hours of sleep isn’t the goal. Being so busy you forget to eat isn’t the goal. Taking on extracurriculars to the point where your relationships are suffering isn’t the goal.

Damaging our mental and physical health for our grades shouldn’t be the goal. That

THE QUEEN’S JOURNAL Volume 149 Issue 13 www.queensjournal.ca @queensjournal Publishing since 1873

Editorial Board Editors in Chief

Aysha Tabassum Shelby Talbot

Production Manager

Violetta Zeitlinger Fontana

News Editor Assistant News Editors

Features Editors

Sydney Ko Asbah Ahmad Rida Chaudry Anne Fu Kirby Harris Julia Stratton

Editorials Editor Editorials Illustrator Opinions Editor

Anna Fouks Clanny Mugabe Cassidy McMackon

Arts Editor

Ben Wrixon

Assistant Arts Editor Sports Editor

Mackenzie Loveys Angus Merry

Assistant Sports Editor Lifestyle Editor

Natara Ng Alysha Mohamed

Assistant Lifestyle Editor Photo Editor

Madeleine McCormick Spencer Hendrickson

Assistant Photo Editor Video Editor

Curtis Heinzl Nathan Carter

Assistant Video Editor Copy Editors

Leah Smithson Martin Hayes Suzy Leinster

Graphics Editor

Dharmayu Desai

Podcast Coordinator BIPOC Advisory Board Members

Lauren Thomas Alysha Ahmad Anya D’Souza Yvonne Tan

Contributing Staff Contributors

Beth Dennis

Staff Writers

Jack Burnham Sophie Deasy Sam Goodale

Business Staff Business Manager Sales Representatives Fundraising Representative Social Media Coordinator

Yoli Wang Medhavi Maurya Will Stewart Riya Shah Francesca Lim

Want to contribute?

For information visit: www.queensjournal.ca/contribute or email the Editor in Chief at journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca Contributions from all members of the Queen’s and Kingston community are welcome. The Journal reserves the right to edit all submissions.

The Queen’s Journal is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University, Kingston.

Situated on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. The Journal’s Editorial Board acknowledges the traditional territories our newspaper is situated on have allowed us to pursue our mandate.

We recognize our responsibility to understand the truth of our history.

Editorial opinions expressed in The Journal are the sole responsibility of The Queen’s Journal Editorial Board, and are not necessarily those of the University, the AMS or their officers.

190 University Ave., Kingston, ON, K7L 3P4 Editorial Office: 613-533-2800 Business Office: 613-533-6711 Fax: 613-533-6728 Email: journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca Please address complaints and grievances to the Editor in Chief and/or Managing Editor.

PHOTO BY CURTIS HEINZL

isn’t ‘successful,’ it’s stupid.

By placing these unhealthy habits under the guise of hard work and dedication, burnout becomes the goal. We find ourselves encouraging a harmful narrative with long-term consequences.

When it comes to academia, burnout isn’t sustainable in the long run.

At first, it’s ‘gosh I really need this reading week,’ then it’s ‘I need it to be the weekend again,’ until one day you wake up exhausted, unable to be productive—sometimes unable to get out of bed.

Maybe you can push yourself through the week, the semester, the year, but most of us have many years of school ahead. If you’re hoping to pursue any type of graduate degree, you can’t stay burnt out for the next, two, five, 10 years of your life. You won’t make it.

In my experience, keeping myself busy

to the point where I can’t catch my breath is dangerous. I won’t survive in academia if I continue like this.

Knowing when to stop, when to say ‘no,’ is an essential quality.

I’ve learned sometimes it’s best to get an extra hour of sleep instead of an extra hour of sleep-deprived studying. I’ve learned when to say no if someone asks me for something outside of my job description—which I don’t have room for. I’ve learned that as cool as some extracurriculars sound, and as perfect I would be for some positions, sometimes I just can’t do everything.

Being smart and capable isn’t just about showing how far you can push yourself—it’s about knowing when to stop, too.

Violetta is a second-year Health Sciences student and The Journal’s Production Manager.

The Queen’s Journal is printed on a Goss Community press by by Metroland Media in Toronto, Ontario.

Contents © 2021 by The Queen’s Journal; all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of The Journal.

Opinions

Friday, November 12, 2021

queensjournal.ca

•7

OPINIONS Mental health support wait times are a crisis on campus In the aftermath of COVID-19, students need direct, accessible mental healthcare

PHOTO BY SPENCER HENDRICKSON

Beth believes universities need to help minimize wait times for mental healthcare.

Beth Dennis Contributor This article discusses eating disorders and may be triggering for some readers. The Canadian Mental Health Association Crisis Line can be reached at 1-800-875-6213.

Wait times to get help for mental health at Queen’s and university campuses across the country are simply unacceptable.

The past 18 months have been tough for all of us, to say the least.

COVID-19 has posed threats to not only our physical health but our mental health—partly from months on end of isolation.

Most of us were stuck at home by ourselves or with a few family members for months with very minimal social exposure.

mental health saw "itsMyworst days through

the pandemic. While I told myself 'you should feel grateful, so many others have it way worse than you. Doctors are dealing with bigger problems than you,' this only further stigmatized mental health struggles in my life

At first, we joked about going crazy, so we cooked sourdough and banana bread and took up new hobbies.

But after a while, the novelty wore off.

We didn’t know when the world was going to open back up, and we didn’t know when the pandemic would end. We couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it wasn’t easy to ask for help.

My mental health saw its worst days through the pandemic. While I told myself, “you should feel grateful, so many others have it way worse than you. Doctors are dealing with bigger problems than you,” this only further stigmatized mental health struggles in my life.

Although mental " healthcare is important

to most, the inconvenient truth is that it’s a choice we simply can’t afford to make Worse, if you overcome this stigma, seeking help from a mental health professional is made more difficult when students must wait weeks for an initial appointment.

A 2019 report found that, on average, university students in Canada must wait a month to receive mental health support—in some cases, this wait time can be up to three months long.

Once you get in, a therapist may not be available to see you on a weekly or biweekly basis because they need to get as many students in as they can.

The private sector—the

alternative to accessing mental problem could be for the Queen’s health supports on campus—is no First Aid Team to set up a mental better. Hour-long appointments health booth to educate students run as high as $120 and therapists on what to do when struggling readily available to students are with mental health. difficult to find.

A drop-in volunteer clinic For students experiencing to offer mental health “first mental health crises, this wait time aid” to students, where either can lead to greater devastation. local therapists donate a limited While I was fortunate enough amount of time or offer student to be financially supported by volunteers a free mental health my family when seeking out "first aid" course so they can help mental health support, the triage students needing help, could reality is most Queen’s students also work. can’t afford $120 per hour This local clinic could also offer on a weekly basis for free phone service for students to mental healthcare. call no matter if they are feeling Although mental healthcare sad or suicidal. If there’s serious is important, the inconvenient concern for alarm, they can get truth is that it’s a choice the student immediate help or we simply can’t afford be the listening ear they may to make. desperately need.

With more clubs and Triaging the most urgent cases organizations appearing on could also help minimize the risk university campuses, like Jack.org of suicide. and Bloom, students are becoming more educated on how to find mental health resources at their It’s important to school, but not much is being done decrease stigma around to reduce wait times and make mental illness, but we those resources more accessible.

"

If the best treatment "option is regular therapy sessions, perhaps Queen’s could offer a stipend for students who can’t afford private sector therapy themselves

A possible solution to this

must also call on our local, provincial, and federal government officials to get more professionals into our university towns

If the best treatment option is regular therapy sessions, perhaps Queen’s could offer a stipend for students who can’t afford private sector therapy themselves.

Without having mental health services readily available for

students at Queen’s with minimal wait times, more students will wait to speak up for help or won’t ask for help at all. This is concerning in the face of an increase in suicides.

Suicide is the leading cause of death for young people in Canada and with long wait times, the rates are rising in postsecondary student bodies across the country.

You can’t tell someone to wait a month to talk to someone when they feel the unbearable pain of a mental health crisis or suicidal thoughts.

It’s important to decrease stigma around mental illness, but we must also call on our local, provincial, and federal government officials to get more professionals into our university towns.

With mental illness rates on the rise due to COVID-19, students are going to hesitate asking for help knowing they won’t be able to speak to someone in the near future.

This is a personal issue. This is about our friends, siblings, children, and ourselves. This is directly affecting the ones we love and has already taken a toll on our mental health and suicide rates—and will continue to do so before a significant change is made.

This is unacceptable. It's literally life or death.

Beth Dennis is a second-year Health Sciences student.

To submit an opinion, contact journal_letters@ams.queensu.ca

Arts

8 • queensjournal.ca

ARTS

SUPPLIED BY DIANE SCHOEMPELEN

Schoemperlen is a well-established author.

Editor discusses ‘Best Canadian Stories 2021’ Former Queen’s Writer in Residence curated the anthology Ben Wrixon Senior Arts Editor On Oct. 19, Best Canadian Stories 2021 was published. It’s the 51st iteration in an annual anthology series of standout short stories by Canadian authors.

Some of the stories in the 2021 edition are from established authors whose works have

appeared in magazines or literary journals. Best Canadian Stories 2021 also features a few authors making their print publication debuts.

In an interview with The Journal, editor Diane Schoemperlen discussed how her writing journey ultimately led her to become the project curator. “[Being the editor] is not

something you can apply to do,” she said.

“It’s not an application process—[the publishers] pick who they want.”

Schoemperlen has published 14 books since 1984 and won the Governor General’s Award in 1998 for her collection of illustrated short stories, Forms of Devotion.

In 2007, the Writer’s Trust of

Friday, November 12, 2021 Canada honoured her with the Marian Engel Award for established female authors.

In 2012, Schoemperlen, a Kingston resident, served a term as “Writer in Residence” here at Queen’s by invitation of the Department of English.

She has fond memories of working with the Queen’s and broader Kingston communities.

“In the time I was there, I had people from the age of first-year students to people in their eighties coming in to talk with me,” she said.

“I didn’t expect there would [have] been that many people, but it was really great.”

As the editor of Best Canadian Stories 2021, Schoemperlen took on the responsibility of choosing which stories were best suited for the anthology.

“I had to read as many short stories written by Canadians in the year 2020 as I could,” she said.

“I did have a few people who submitted to me directly at my request because I knew what they had available to send me.

But mostly, the biggest thing I did in all of this was looking at close to a 1000 short stories

by Canadians—and then I had to choose.”

Narrowing down this extensive list to just 15 proved quite challenging.

“I discovered I don’t like having to cast judgement that way.

There were so many good stories; it was hard being so [judgemental] at the time.

I wish I could have said yes to everybody.”

Schoemperlen explained she didn’t make her selections based on a checklist.

“The stories that I chose were the ones that knocked my socks off, where I had an immediate reaction to the story,” she said.

“As I started to narrow it down, I realized the stories I was most impressed by were those that took risks in one way or another, whether it was voice, form, or the subject matter.”

While readers will surely be impressed by the featured stories, they may be surprised—or perhaps relieved—by the overall lack of COVID-related content.

“Most stories I was looking at were published in 2020, and because most literary journals only come out four times a year, there was a lag,” Schoemperlen explained.

“Most of the stories I read [and chose] were written before COVID.” Readers can still expect a wide variety of themes and topics.

Schoemperlen typically writes in the realm of realism, but many of the stories she chose are refreshing fantasy.

“Maybe it’s because I was reading all this during the pandemic, and reality was not at all—and still isn’t—what we used to think it was,” she said.

Best Canadian Stories 2021 can be purchased at Novel Idea and online through major book retailers like Indigo and Amazon.

Union Gallery launches student-led photography club Photography Union to be self-determined by participants Mackenzie Loveys Assisstant Arts Editor Union Gallery has introduced a new student-led club called Photography Union. The club hosted a meet-and-greet for those interested on Nov. 10 at Union Gallery, providing people an opportunity to connect with fellow photography enthusiasts.

The scheduled photo walk was meant to provide a casual setting for participants to take photos while forming friendships or networking with other creatives.

Alexander Rondeau, curatorial assistant at Union Gallery, spoke to The Journal in an interview about the launch of Photography Union.

“It came about very organically and serendipitously,” Rondeau said.

Several people had told Rondeau they wanted a student club or some photo-based programming on campus to develop their skills and be around like-minded individuals.

“I was like, ‘Wait a second. I’ve had this conversation with several folks this week, there’s obviously enough interest to get something started,’” Rondeau said.

The club was formed with Union Gallery staff members Seemil Chaudhry, Vincent Fitzgerald, Jung-Ah Kim, and Fatou Tounkara joining Rondeau in leadership roles. Students Chaudhry and Fitzgerald gave the club its name, tributing Union Gallery as the club’s current parent organization.

The club plans to host both structured

and unstructured workshops and socials with an emphasis on building a community of passionate people who support peer-to-peer learning.

Photography Union is free and accessible to all Queen’s students.

“Anyone who is interested in photography in any way, shape, or form, regardless of skill level, regardless of if they own a camera—as long as they’re a student at Queen’s, they’re more than welcome to come,” Rondeau said.

He said the club is also open to those looking to collaborate with people, even if it’s for projects like creative direction or making modeling portfolios.

“We’re really open to folks from all different skill levels coming in,” he said.

“I think [Photography Union] could be a great place to build networks, relationships, and friendships and strengthen everyone’s respective practices and [build] collaborative skills.”

Rondeau emphasized he hopes to keep the club self-determined and autonomous, with members guiding its operations.

“I thought it was really important to let [Photography Union] be whatever it needs to be for the participants, and to let the folks who want to be involved in the club decide what the club will be and how it’ll run,” he explained .

Rondeau is excited to see how the club evolves going forward.

“I assume in hopes that this will be around for a long time,” he said.

“I’m really excited to see how folks who want to participate shape [the club].”

New group encourages peer-to-peer learning.

SUPPLIED BY UNION GALLERY

Sports

Friday, November 12, 2021

queensjournal.ca

•9

SPORTS

Gaels defeat Ravens 41-14 in OUA quarterfinals Notching another win, Queen’s advances to the Eastern Conference finals against uOttawa on Saturday Jack Burnham Staff Writer The Queen’s Gaels defeated the Carleton Ravens on Saturday afternoon, 41-14.

With their victory at Richardson Stadium, the Gaels will advance to the Eastern Conference finals of the OUA playoffs, playing against the uOttawa Gee-Gees in Kingston on Nov. 13.

Even the November cold couldn’t blunt the momentum of the red-hot Gaels heading into last Saturday, which, apart from being their seventh consecutive win, was also their

first home playoff game in over a decade.

“The weather didn’t affect it, in terms of the temperature,” head coach Steve Snyder said in an interview with The Journal following the game.

“Our guys are certainly used to this. This is real f ootball season.”

The Gaels opened the scoring early, forcing the Ravens into a two-and-out on their first possession, before quarterback James Keenan rushed for 47 yards to enter the red zone and set up a short touchdown for fullback Konner Burtenshaw.

After the Ravens turned over the ball on downs nearly halfway through the quarter, Queen’s struck again, with kicker Nick Liberatore missing the long field goal but scoring a rouge.

Shortly after, Queen’s defensive team gave the Gaels’ offence an excellent field position as Walter Karabin and Van Wishart sacked Carleton quarterback Reid Vankoughnett, forcing the Ravens

to punt from deep in their own territory.

Regaining possession, the Queen’s run game proceeded to dominate, with a long carry by Rasheed Tucker setting up a short rushing touchdown for running back Anthony Soles.

The Gaels’ pressure on Vankoughnett didn’t let up to start the second quarter. Linebacker Gabriel Boucher intercepted Vankoughnett to give Queen’s possession on the Ravens’ 25-yard line. Shortly after, Tucker capitalized on the opportunity with another rushing touchdown.

After a truly bizarre sequence of events—Carleton’s punter bobbling a snap and attempting to pitch it to a teammate, who then fumbled—the Gaels recovered the ball with excellent field position and Tucker scored once more.

After that grievous error, however, the Carleton offence woke up. Vankoughnett proceeded to throw two long completions for a touchdown halfway through the quarter. In typical fashion,

Queen’s took their lick and responded with a tremendous drive. Starting in the shadow of their own goalposts, they slowly worked their way downfield on a series of designed runs and short passes which culminated in Keenan throwing another short pass to Rasheed Tucker for the touchdown— effectively ending the first half.

Vankoughnett came out in the third quarter eager to respond, throwing two long incompletions before catching a break as Queen’s fumbled on their own 29-yard line on the ensuing punt return.

In the following Carleton drive, the Gaels’ defence stood strong and prevented a score, regaining possession for the offence who were later forced to punt and back the Ravens up to their 43 yard-line.

Walter Karabin proved once more the difference-maker, sacking Vankoughnett in the backfield before Anthony Federico sacked him again on the Ravens’ next drive.

With the Ravens voluntarily

conceding a safety shortly after, the game was largely decided by the start of the fourth quarter.

Gaels’ kicker Nick Liberatore launched a short field goal after a long carry from Burke Derbyshire before Carleton scored a touchdown in the last two minutes to reach double digits—with a final score of 41-14 “It felt good. We felt like we needed to get out on them early,” Snyder said when asked his thoughts on the game.

“Our guys did a really good job […] We were just able to jump on them early and wear them down with the run game.”

Even with this victory, Snyder’s focus remains the same. When asked about his preparations against uOttawa, his message was unmistakable.

“The clock is ticking now.”

The Gaels will face off against the uOttawa Gee-Gees on Saturday at Richardson Stadium at 1:00 p.m.

‘What’s visible can really change the lens of racialized groups’ Coach Kwame Osei and Jaren Burke weigh in on the OUA anti-racism report Sydney Ko News Editor In early November, the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and the Indigeneity, Diaspora, Equity and Anti-racism (IDEA) in Sport Research Lab released their Anti-Racism Report to address racism in varsity sports.

This week, The Journal had the opportunity to sit down with men’s hockey’s Jaren Burke, ArtSci ’22, and the assistant coach of Queen’s Football Team, Kwame Osei, to discuss the implications of the report’s findings.

“[The report] means to me the steps are taken in terms of bringing the facts to the public,” Osei said in an interview with The Journal.

“There’s a lot of things that the general public doesn’t know […] it hasn’t been brought to the attention, so they haven’t looked at it or been aware of it, even thought it might have been right in front of their faces.”

The results from the report were provided through a questionnaire designed by the IDEAS lab. A total of 5,001 OUA members contributed to the questionnaire. The responses demonstrated disproportionate representation of white coaches and white administrators compared to white athletes.

According to Osei, most of the statistics from the report were “prior knowledge.” However, one thing that stood out to him was the

question of whether there is in fact racism in varsity sports.

“When you look at the stats of the people who did answer the question, they were not part of the racialized group—that definitely shows a lot of perspective,” Osei said.

According to Osei, representation matters the most when institutions discuss implementing changes to the status quo.

“What’s visible can really change the lens of the racialized group,” he said.

Applying a metaphor to the situation, Osei explained the way non-racialized OUA coaches and athletes conceive of their reality is similar to a fish not knowing that it lives in water—unless told otherwise, they’d never know the truth of their circumstances.

“And I say this, because for me growing up, as a young Black

athlete, I never saw people that look like me in positions of power within sport,” Osei said.

“I never had a Black head coach for the longest while, and that created the narrative, and the perception that Black males are Black athletes. We’re just supposed to stay in the athlete box.”

By observing his surrounding, Osei said it forms the narrative that Black athletes are “not capable” of rising above higher ranks in the field.

Osei added that such narrative changed for him when Gary Waterman became the head coach of St. Francis Xavier University’s football team. “[He] was a Black man who looked like me, a person that I could relate to, not just on TV, but somebody in my day-to-day life who I knew, understood my struggle,” Osei said.

“Representation really matters

and can pave the way for change,” he said. “Representation in the curriculum with limitation in sport— it all adds up.”

When asked how he would advocate for representation, Osei said advocating for inclusivity is equally as important.

“If we don’t have inclusion […] then there is no point in having diversity because it won’t be sustainable,” he said.

“The students that ended up coming to our schools or get recruited to our schools, they won’t stay because they won’t see themselves within the school culture—I believe that the decision makers that are part of the boards that select the athletic directors or coaches, there needs to be a diverse board,” Osei said.

Read the rest at queensjournal.ca/sports

Sports

10 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, November 12, 2021

Rowing finishes 2021 strong with seven medals at Nationals Queen’s men and women finish fourth overall, capture 4 silver and 3 bronze medals

Natara ng Assistant Sports Editor The rowing team returned from the Canadian University Rowing Championship with an impressive medal haul, one that reflected their 2021 campaign as a whole.

Crews from across the country gathered in Welland, Ont. for the National Championships on Nov. 6 and 7. Over the course of the weekend, Queen’s captured 7 medals—4 silver and 3 bronze—and in overall final point standings, the men and women both clinched fourth place.

Head coach Ra m i Maassarani sat down with The Journal to discuss the team’s strong performance and how it bodes for the future of the program. “[I’m] really happy with how the team performed, really proud The men’s 8+ crew, pictured of all of them. The results kind of exceeded our expectations,” he Vansgaard and Bianca Hill said. earned bronze in the women’s “This time, we really turned Lightweight 2X. around and went above and The women’s lightweight crew beyond in certain events.” of fifth-year Lucy Lu, first-year Fifth-year Gavin Stone and Isabelle Ngo, and second-years third-year Andrew Hubbard, Gillian Jansen, Jesse Stephenson, both won silver in their and Aliki Karanikas, captured respective races—the Men’s Open silver in the lightweight 4X. single and Men’s Lightweight In the Open eight (8+), both the single. men’s and women’s crews were Third-year Basil Jancso-Szabo on the podium with third place and second-year Robert Bryden finishes. It was the first time in 15 captured silver in the men’s years that Queen’s had medaled Open 2-, and third-years Danica in this event, and it was one of the

weekend’s special moments.

“Getting on the podium on the national level hasn’t happened in my time at Queen’s both as as an athlete and a coach,” Maassarani said. “So, very special to see that happen again.”

“With [the women’s Open eight] being the last race of the regatta, [it] was a perfect way to close off the season.”

Another standout race was the women’s lightweight 4X, where the young Queen’s crew beat out a very experienced UBC team to

he said. “That’s certainly special in its own way.”

Maassarani applauded the commitment and sacrifice of his athletes to turn it up a notch in the last two weeks of the season, rigorously preparing for the fiercer competition of the national stage.

“We do our final preparation and just do everything to the best of our ability so that we can find every last little bit of speed as possible going into the National Championships,” he said.

“A lot of those races did come down to tenths of a second […] so every single moment of preparation counts, and every single stroke counts in the lead up.”

For Maaassarani, the Gael’s performance proved the effectiveness of the program’s unique training approach—becoming SUPPLIED BY JOHN STEPHENSON technically proficient in smaller boats and translating this to the walk home with silver medals. bigger boats.

“That was fantastic to see “We’ve demonstrated that all their hard work paying off, the way we do things works. It’s considering how young of a crew different than other schools and they were,” Maassarani said. it’s not for everybody, but the type The team improved on their run of rowers we’re hoping to attract during the 2019 Championship, are taking notice.” where they came away with four When asked about where silver medals. For Maassarani, the program stands at the end that’s a sign the program is moving of his final season as head coach, in a positive direction.

Maassarani was optimistic.

“Everyone walked away from Handing over his duties to Katie the National Championship with Bruggeling next season, he’s medal […] I haven’t seen that assured the future bodes well for happen in my time coaching here,” the Gaels.

Men’s rugby drops OUA finals against Guelph Queen’s claims OUA silver after posting an undefeated season

Natara ng Assistant Sports Editor After residing at Queen’s for the past three years, the Turner Trophy is making its return to Guelph.

On Nov. 6, the Guelph Gryphons defeated the Gaels 37-26 in the 2021 men’s Rugby OUA Championship final.

The Gryphons were predicted to be the Gael’s toughest matchup of the season, and needless to say, they lived up to the expectation.

It was a bal my Saturday afternoon at Nixon Field—ideal conditions for the hotly-contested gold medal match. Busloads of Guelph fans occupied the stands and cheered along with the Queen’s faithful.

With both teams entering the final with an undefeated record, the matchup was an even contest on the sheets. On the field, it was a different story.

Guelph took a strong lead in the first half and Queen’s never caught up.

Queen’s opened the scoring with an intercepted try by third-year flanker William Matthews.

Alex Williamson of Guelph, answered moments later with a try from a hard-driven play that ensued after a Queen’s penalty.

The rest of the half was a

SUPPLIED BY ATHLETICS AND RECREATION

The Gryphons played a dominant game against the Gaels to secure the Championship.

defensive battle on both sides, but penalties taken by Queen’s gave Guelph more room to capitalize on their own momentum. A second try from Williamson gave Guelph the lead. Two more Guelph pushover tries—one scored by Evan Raymond, and the other by fullback Colin Lynch—brought the score to 22-7 by halftime.

In the second half, Guelph didn’t let up, either. They controlled their possessions, the Gaels on

their heels. Another try from Alex Williamson—his third of the game—stretched both the scoreboard and the odds of a successful Queen’s comeback.

Down four tries with less than 15 minutes to go, Queen’s finally began knocking on the door at Guelph’s try line. In a spirited effort, they pushed through the stout defense to score three late tries.

Unfortunately, the final whistle blow came before Queen’s was

able generate a true comeback, and the game ended with the Gryphons as the victors, 37-26.

“Guelph turned up and they were the better team on the day,” head coach, David Butcher, told The Journal after the medals were handed out.

“We took five pretty significant errors in the first half that were all on us. I’ve got no complaints about the final outcome.”

Both Guelph and Queen’s will

compete in the U Sports National Championships in Kingston from Nov. 24-28. Ahead of the tournament, Butcher is focused on eliminating the mistakes that proved costly this game.

“Nothing really much to change in terms of the way we want to play. It will purely just be trying to eliminate those errors that plagued us a little bit this year.”

Friday, November 12, 2021

LIFESTYLE

Lifestyle

Travis Scott should be held accountable for the Astroworld tragedy.

queensjournal.ca

ILLUSTRATION BY DHARMAYU DESAI

The Astroworld festival disaster is a cautionary tale Travis Scott should be held responsible for deaths Ben Wrixon Senior Arts Editor Nobody involved with the Astroworld festival disaster is innocent.

On Nov. 5 in Houston, Texas, tragedy struck at NRG Park when eight people were killed in a crowd surge during rapper Travis Scott’s performance. Many

more were injured, including a nine-year-old boy who’s in a coma after being trampled.

This iteration of the annual Astroworld festival—hosted and organized by Scott in partnership with Live Nation Entertainment—drew a crowd exceeding 50,000 people to see performances from many of hip hop’s biggest names.

Now, with the dust settled and lives lost, people are rightfully pointing fingers.

It starts with the venue’s security. Festival officials reportedly hired an independent company to handle security, but Houston police were also present.

Despite the officials being present,

several survivor accounts have detailed their inadequacy in the situation.

The situation is even more heartbreaking when considering the festival’s organizers were anticipating 70,000 people in a venue designed for 50,000 or fewer. They green lit the event despite having NRG Park, a venue suitable for 200,000, as an available alternative.

With lawsuits now mounting against him, Scott must also be held accountable for this avoidable tragedy, as part of the organizing team.

Scott is a multi-platinum selling artist with a history of chaotic live shows.

In 2015, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanour reckless conduct after encouraging attendees to climb over security barricades during his Lollapalooza performance. In 2017, he was arrested and charged with inciting a riot, disorderly conduct, and endangering the welfare of a minor following a show in Rogers, Arkansas.

Unfortunately, it seems Scott still hasn’t learned his lesson.

Those familiar with his music and persona know ‘raging’ is part of his appeal—fans attend his concerts hoping to get wild.

The problem is many others, especially children, know him simply as the rapper who appears

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in Fortnite or had a special meal at McDonald’s.

When people attend a rock or heavy metal show, they expect a certain level of roughness given the style of music and associated culture. Most people don’t bring children to standing-room-only hardcore shows because physical aggression is so prevalent.

Scott isn’t an underground metal artist—he’s a pop-culture phenomenon who routinely draws children and casual music fans to his shows.

With that in mind, Scott has a responsibility to keep his fans safe at his shows because many are unprepared for the environment he cultivates—he needs to understand doing virtual Fortnite events will attract vulnerable kids.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with aggressive music or shows. However, inviting casual fans to attend aggressive shows is inherently wrong, especially when they’re hosted by negligent performers at venues ill-prepared to handle large crowds.

Scott can’t be directly blamed for the deaths at his Astroworld festival, but he did miss several opportunities to help prevent them.

The negligence that allowed this tragedy to happen must be a wakeup call for music fans and festival goers.

Pay attention to your surroundings the next time you attend a concert. Take the crowd and security measures into consideration before getting too rowdy. Help people up if they fall and go into these types of events with escape plans in case of emergency.

The burden of safety shouldn’t land on concert attendees, but the Astroworld festival is unfortunate proof that artists and organizers are self-interested.

Hey Travis Scott: rodeos have rules for a reason.

'Eternals' breaks the Marvel mold The newest MCU movie isn’t for everyone—and that’s okay Kirby Harris Features Editor In 2008, Iron Man was released to rave reviews.

The movie was a surprise hit, subverting expectations of who a superhero was. Iron Man did what nobody thought was possible—it was the first superhero movie that was grounded in reality. The film sparked a superhero renaissance, and superheroes went from campy to cool in a matter of years.

Marvel used Iron Man to create a film franchise unlike any the world has ever seen. Using formulaic storylines, impressive special effects, and impeccable casting, Marvel made a cash cow incapable of failure.

Marvel’s Eternals is the 26th film and 29th project in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). It’s also the first to break the patterns the MCU has followed for over a decade.

It’s only the third MCU film

'Eternals' moves away from a decade-old pattern of storytelling.

with a non-white protagonist. It’s the fourth MCU film with a nonwhite director. It’s the first MCU film with a woman of colour as the protagonist, as well as the first with a woman of colour as the director.

It’s undeniable that Eternals is the most diverse MCU film to date.

However, its storytelling is what sets it apart.

Throughout the film, director Chloe Zhao jumps back and forth through thousands of years with an ensemble cast of ten

heroes, all with different goals.

There’s an overabundance of plot for just over two and a half hours, which both aids and hinders the film. For some viewers, it’s engaging. For others, the film may feel disjointed or confusing.

Eternals is ambitious enough that it’s bound to put some audiences off.

The film asks deep moral questions and makes no effort to provide an answer.

Audiences are meant to leave

ILLUSTRATION BY DHARMAYU DESAI

the theatre asking themselves whether we should interfere in the natural order of things and who has the right to be a god. These questions tease plotlines that will guide the MCU as it moves into a new era.

To some, Eternals might be hard to take seriously. After two Avengers movies brought together dozens of characters, it’s difficult to grapple with the idea that the Eternals were on Earth the whole time—not helping with any of the world-ending events that were

presented as the most important in the history of the universe.

Eternals goes back to Marvel’s comic book roots, where the universe is chalk-full of world-ending events, all happening at once. This kind of storytelling hasn’t been seen in cinema to this scale.

Some fans will always want Iron Man—a story with a simple structure and a charismatic lead that doesn’t require much from the audience. As the MCU reaches to the outskirts of Marvel’s catalogue of characters, not all fans will enjoy every MCU project going forward.

Despite mixed reviews, Eternals is by no means a failure for Marvel. The movie brought in over 70 million dollars on its opening weekend, the fourth-best debut since the beginning of the pandemic.

The MCU is changing, not only because it’s becoming more diverse, but because it’s left the bubble of a realistic Earth, based on human history. With Eternals, Marvel is sending fans a message: it’s time to say goodbye to the days of Iron Man. The MCU—or at least part of it—is about to get experimental.

Get with it or get off the spaceship.

Lifestyle

12 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, November 12, 2021

POSTSCRIPT

PHOTO BY SPENCER HENDRICKSON PHOTO BY SPENCER HENDRICKSON

Kirby reflects on overcoming anxiety about the world ending.

Letting go of my fears of the world ending I lost a year of my life to a fixation on doomsday Kirby Harris Features Editor I spent my childhood waiting for the world to end.

The idea that some big event could happen at any time and change my entire life was always in the back of my mind—and I had no say in the matter.

As I got older, I shoved my world-ending anxiety down as much as I could. I did my best to only panic in private because I didn’t want anyone to know what was going on in my head.

Years later, the consequences of not dealing with these feelings at a young age came back in full force.

When I was in Grade 11, my class spent an entire year studying the Cold War. At the same time, North Korea began actively testing bombs and missiles for the first time in years, and Donald Trump, a man who I perceived to be both mentally unstable and uncaring for human life, was elected president of the United States.

Instead of talking "about my anxiety, I

hid my panic while constantly feeding it in secret This sequence of events created a perfect storm for the anxiety I had shoved aside for years to consume my life. I had a new fixation: nuclear war.

War was a topical subject in 2016, which fueled my fears even more. Instead of talking about my anxiety, I hid my panic while constantly feeding it in secret. I read fearmongering articles and set Google Alerts for breaking news on nuclear weapons.

"

I was losing touch with reality, which was just as terrifying as the bomb.

I clung to the facts that brought me comfort.

One of these was that Nagasaki was not the original target for the second nuclear bomb dropped on Japan—the bomb was intended for Kokura but was diverted at the last moment because of inclement weather. I felt safe when the sky was overcast, telling myself that bombs don’t fall on rainy days.

Sunny days, however, were ruined.

I would look up and not see a sky but a fast-approaching mushroom cloud. When planes flew over my head, I braced myself.

I looked up, convinced this would be the plane carrying the bomb that would end 5,000 years of human civilization.

Going inside didn’t save me from my mind. I surveyed my surroundings in every room I entered, searching for cover. No matter where I went, I wasn’t safe.

I can see now that my thoughts were illogical. I was blinded not only by fears, but the arbitrary rules I had given to the war that was only happening inside my head.

I was losing touch with reality, which was just as terrifying as

the bombs. I worried I was crazy.

I worried that everyone else was crazy. I worried that the world was ending, and nobody was noticing but me.

I couldn’t hide my fears forever.

In April of 2017, the United States sent missiles to a Syrian airbase, and headlines teased the possibility of global war.

When the news of the airstrike broke, I couldn’t keep my anxiety in.

In panicked sobs, I let my parents into the overwhelming feelings that I had been pushing down for months.

Expressing my anxiety out loud felt like a colossal failure. However, letting my parents in was the turning point that would allow me to eventually get better.

Before that could happen, I had to learn a valuable lesson: things often get worse before they can get better. The week that followed my confession was the most painful of my life as my nightmares finally felt like they were being validated.

After keeping up appearances for so long, I let myself fall apart. I spent days pacing the sidewalk, looking up at a mushroom- cloud sky.

We talked about my anxiety and developed rational answers to my deepest fears.

I realized some of the worst people in history had access to a nuclear arsenal, and none of them ever chose to use them. I was reminded of a faith in humanity that I had forgotten I ever had.

I wasn’t sure I would ever fully recover. Months later, I re-downloaded Twitter, and even then, I would cover the trending topics with my hand so I wouldn’t have to look at them.

Coming back to myself wasn’t linear.

By the summer of 2017, I was doing better until Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un publicly argued over who had the bigger red button. In Orlando, Florida, I had a panic attack in a hotel bathroom and felt like I was back where I started.

"

This breakdown was a sign that what I was doing wasn’t working anymore—I still needed help.

With guidance from my doctor, I switched things up.

I went on medication and tried to live my life using what I had learned in therapy. Other things started to matter again, like dinners with my family and sleepovers with my friends.

As time went on, I became more present. My life started coming back to me.

By the time I graduated high school, I no longer had to leave the room if CNN was on. I wasn’t afraid

Coming back to myself wasn’t linear

When my class discussed the Cuban Missile Crisis, I left the room to wander the school hallways, blasting rock music in my headphones to try and drown out my thoughts. I deleted apps that sent me news notifications, turning away when I saw bright red because it looked like breaking news.

I was in a psychologist’s office within a week of the airstrike.

"

It was never my responsibility to end the possibility of World War III

of what newscasters had to say anymore. It wasn’t going to change the fact that in the morning, the sun would still rise, and the tide would still fall.

I can’t say nuclear war will never happen in my lifetime— that assumption would be naïve.

I have no control over if someone will one day decide to launch the bombs.

I know if I spend " my days waiting for a

doomsday that might never come, my whole life will pass by I have no control over what world leaders choose to do, so there’s no use on dwelling on it. I spent a year focused on the end of the world, and all that happened was I lost a year of my life.

The phrase “not my problem” has become my mantra for coping with my deepest fears. At first it felt selfish to remove myself from blame when thinking about the sad or scary parts of the world, but I learned I was never going to change the world if I was paralyzed by fear. It was never my responsibility to end the possibility of World War III. I still suffer from anxiety, and I will for the rest of my life. Some days I still look up at a blue sky and still see a mushroom cloud, but I know if I spend my days waiting for a doomsday that might never come, my whole life will pass by.

That’s not the life I want to live.

So instead, I’m not going to dwell on anything that simply isn’t my problem.