April 2020
Ap r i l , vo l . 3 0 i s s u e 9
THE SEX & RELATIONSHIP ISSUE
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r a g u o C Van TEAM April 2020
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Anna Nelson
ADVERTISINGMANAGER Jessica Jones
WEB MANAGER Austin Cari
REPORTER Brody Voge
/TheVanCougar
@thevancougar @thevancougar
MANAGING EDITOR SOCIAL MEDIA Katherine O’Boyle MANAGER Brody Voge LAYOUT EDITOR REPORTER Henry Sissac Tessa Hensley COPY EDITOR REPORTER Aaron Hellerstein Olivia Eldredge COPY EDITOR Emily Baumann
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The VanCougar, a student-run newsmagazine, informs and engages the WSU Vancouver community while practicing the highest standards of timely, ethical journalism.
Corrections s r e t t e L to the editor The VanCougar welcomes letters and commentary from members of the WSU Vancouver community on current issues. Letters must include the author’s full name, contact information and WSU affiliation: year and major for students, department for faculty and staff, degree and year graduated for alumni. The VanCougar does not publish anonymous letters. Send letters and commentary to van.vc.editor@wsu.edu. Once received, letters become property of The VanCougar and are subject to editing for length, clarity and style.
The VanCougar is a source of honest, factual information. If you see an error, we want to address it. Please contact the editor-in-chief at van.vc.editor@wsu. edu for corrections.
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A grapefruit and banana suggestively displayed. (Anna Nelson/The VanCougar)
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QUEER AND TRANS Youth LEADERSHIP Summit
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sex back 6 Putting into sex education
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dating 8 How apps effect
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The worst April Fool's Day joke
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Special edition comic
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Cougar Bites: Foods to put you in the mood
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April 2020
Aaron Hellerstein | Copy Editor
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surging interest in social justice topics that were ignored in the past has emerged in the last 20 or so years. One of the topics surging interest is LGBTQ+ education, including the taboos that surround LGBTQ+ topics, particularly involving children, as these topics are viewed as “adult” or “inappropriate” by many. To combat lack of education among LGBTQ+ topics, events are rising up with the intent of educating and uplifting queer and transgender youth by highlighting LGBTQ+ culture and history. WSU Vancouver plans to hold the Queer & Trans Youth Leadership Summit, which has been postponed for safety concerns regarding COVID-19.
Queer and Trans Resource Coordinator and organizer of the event Abigail Soto said the event has exclusively been a recruitment effort for potential students in previous years. However, Soto and the other organizers are updating the event into an educational event that promotes resources for queer and trans students, while connecting them with recruiters from WSU Vancouver, Clark College and Lower Columbia College. Soto hopes the event will serve a bigger purpose than just college recruitment.
Soto explained the importance of the event for not only the youth in attendance, but the surrounding community.
“If they don’t see themselves represented, if they don’t know about themselves, their risk of suicide goes up. I’m worried about that. So I want us to provide that critical education,” Soto said.
While Washington is considered a liberal state, Clark County and surrounding areas have traditionally been split in voting conseravtive or liberal. This has led to a lack of LGBTQ+ education.
“We hope the outcome is an increased sense of capacity for leadership and activism for confronting today’s issues in Southwest Washington. We want to empower more queer and trans youth leaders to continue making it an increasingly welcoming area. … We want to increase education that is missing in this area,” Soto explained.
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“Everyone is part of history. I am who I am because of the people who came before me.” — Ace Schwarz
Battle Ground Public Schools completely eliminated their sex education, before creating a new program that students and parents are able to opt out of, that educates individuals on LGBTQ+ topics like sexual orientation and gender identity, according to The Columbian. Ace Schwarz, keynote speaker of the event, is a non-binary teacher in Maryland and the author of the blog, “Teaching Outside The Binary.” Schwarz plans to discuss queer and trans history at the event, leading the attendees in an interactive workshop that shows “epic and vibrant” images of LGBTQ+ resistance and asking the audience what stands out.
Schwarz said that this type of education is important because, without it, queer and trans youth may not have the knowledge to identify what they are feeling. “I spent a lot of time figuring out who I was. If I had the language, it would have saved me a great identity crisis in college,” Schwarz said. Schwarz explained that organizers hope students leave the event not only knowing about LGBTQ+ resistance, which is what most LGBTQ+ education discusses, but also knowing about events that include moments of queer and trans celebration.
“If they don’t see themselves represented, if they don’t know about themselves, their risk of suicide goes up. I’m worried about that. So I want us to provide that critical education.” — Abigail Soto
Schwarz emphasized that it is important to know the history of your community, the good and the bad. “Everyone is part of history. I am who I am because of the people who came before me,” Schwarz said.
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ex education, arguably an important part of curriculum, is regulated by state government. According to the Guttmacher Institute, only 29 states and the District of Columbia mandate sex education, 20 states and Washington D.C. require providing information on contraception, 28 states focus on abstinance in sex education and only 17 states mandate that sex education curriculum be medically accurate. Washington has been at the forefront of the battle for sex education in recent months, with Senate Bill 5395 mandating comprehensive sex education in the state. The bill has passed in both the House and the Senate, and is currently in the “governor acted,” part of the process. Unless Governor Jay Inslee vetoes the bill entirely, SB 5395 will become law. Sex education regularly sparks controversy among community members. Initiated under the Clinton presidency, students received federally-required curriculum recommending abstinence from any sexual conduct. Students were shown photos of sexually transmitted diseases and were told the best way to prevent these diseases, along with unwanted pregnancies, was by not having sex. According to Carol Siegel, an English and women’s studies professor, this abstinence only curriculum was, “one of the worst things to happen in American history.” “Numerous studies have shown that not only was it not effective, it was reverse effective. Pregnancy rates in teens went way up, sexually transmitted diseases went way up,” Siegel said. Siegel explained that abstinence sex education was deeply ingrained in racial stereotyping.
Carol Siegel talks about the need for sex education revision. (Photo courtesy of Carol Siegal)
“Almost all the images of people who did the wrong thing were people of color, almost all the pictures of people who did the right thing are white people,” Siegel said, adding that many scholars of color have written about this in academic journals.
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New Washington bill mandates sex education in public schools to be “comprehensive” and “medically accurate.”
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Putting the Sex Back into Sex Education
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In fall 2019, Battle Ground School District voted to strip all sex education, after community members explained their concerns regarding the curriculum. The Columbian reported many parents believed comprehensive sex education, which covers topics ranging from consent, gender and sexual orientation, “promoted promiscuity among teenage students” and “an LGBTQ+ agenda.” Siegel explained that without comprehensive sex education, students lack the resources to make informed decisions and can feel isolated because of natural sensations, such as arousal. This SB 5395 allows parents to opt their child out of sex education classes. According to Siegal, this new curriculum is similar to sex education receieved in Scandinavian countires, like Sweden, which she has researched and believes would be beneficial for Americans to adopt. With SB 5395, sex education will begin in elementary school, providing Kindergarteners through third-graders with, “instruction in social-emotional learning that is consistent with learning standards and benchmarks adopted by the office of the superintendent of public instruction under RCW 28A.300.478,” according to the bill. SB 5395 mandates that sex education curriculum in grades four through 12 must include: “The physiological, psychological, and sociological developmental processes experienced by an individual; (ii) The development of intrapersonal and interpersonal skills to communicate, respectfully and effectively, to reduce health risks, and choose healthy behaviors and relationships that are based on mutual respect and affection, and are free from violence, coercion, and intimidation; (iii) Health care and prevention resources; (iv) The development of meaningful relationships and avoidance of exploitative relationships; (v) Understanding the influences of family, peers, community, and the media throughout life on healthy sexual relationships; and (vi) Affirmative consent and recognizing and responding safely and effectively when violence, or a risk of violence, is or may be present with strategies that include bystander training,” according to the bill. The bill also requires all information given to students to be “medically and scientifically accurate.” “I think it’s important to tell young people that they’re going to have feelings, but they don’t have to act on them. We don’t always want to act on our feelings, but we need to be aware that they’re there, it helps us control our behavior if we know that they’re there,” Siegel said.
Brittany Nugent speaks about issues with sex education. (Photo courtey of Brittany Nugent)
Siegel believes this curriculum will help inform people that homosexuality is not something someone chooses. “People are gay or lesbian because that is the way their brains and bodies work,” Siegel said. Brittany Nugent, a junior integrated strategic communication major, said her sex education before college was vague. “My eyes were really opened up when I came to college, without something more in-depth, students are really left clueless and left to figure it out on their own,” Nugent said. The lack of dialogue, Nugent believes, forces students to look for alternative resources for information. Nugent recognized that growing up, there is a degree of pressure on both men and women to become sexually active. “I saw it from the outside, but I feel like a lot of the times, it’s just for validation or self-esteem, but I feel like as you get older, there is less of a need to seek that kind of validation,” Nugent said. Nugent explained that sex education in schools could combat social pressure by opening conversation about these topics. She said that more extensive sex education in public school would allow students to have healthier relationships and create the opportunity to have a dialogue in relationships where both partner’s needs and concerns are being met. Nugent explained that most people will choose to have sex at some point in their lives, but when they do, “they need to have the resources and knowledge to be safe,” Nugent said.
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SWIPING LEFT OR RIGHT ON DATING APPS Olivia Eldredge | Reporter
April 2020
Mobile apps are used by man to find quic k dates, hook y ups, acquire new friends and seek long-term rela tionships. Col lege students ofte n find succes s, or failure, with di fferent applic ations that are easily acce ssible with the touc h of a finge rtip. These new developments in technology le aves us wonde ring, how do da ting apps im pact the new-age dating scen e?
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Some of the most popular apps, according to Mashable, vary in use by a target dating pool and offer opportunities for finding, “the one,” through free or purchasable perks. Some popular apps include, Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, HER, Grindr and OkCupid, among many others. There are also online dating platforms, such as eHarmony or Match.com.
As for the cons, dating apps provide a wide-array of predicaments, and according to Rabby, it is easy to become socially disengaged.
The process is simple when using these platforms. Open the app or website, select personal attributions, gender preferences and simply say yes or no to potential matches appearing on screen. Mobile apps make the selection process swift, sometimes prompting the user to swipe left for rejection and right for interest. Once a match is mutually confirmed, the users are then allowed to message each other.
Shane Martin, a junior humanities major, described his experience with dating apps as convenient for meeting people in close proximity, but came with major limitations.
“The more alternatives you have to a relationship, the harder it is to focus on the person you should be focusing on. Having a distraction can be a harm to relationships,” Rabby said.
“I was trying to meet people outside of work. I was dating people that I had met in person, but there wasn’t much working out,” Martin said. “While there are positives, it's kind of like this disconnect, Michael Rabby, a digital technology getting to actually know someone.” and culture professor, explained that dating apps are a more convenient method for people to connect with each other in a simpler way and can bring like-minded people together who share interests. “I think it's made it easier for people to move beyond their immediate social networks, which is probably a good thing. So, meeting people is easier, and it's also a little less facethreatening, because rather in the olden days, you’d have to go up to people and say, ‘do you like me,’ and now you can do that kind of behindthe-scenes,” Rabby said. “If you think about the way we’re organized in society, where we're kind of stretched out for the most part, people drive instead of walk, you don’t have a lot of human contact. Dating apps are a great way to mitigate that.”
Shane Martin,
Junior Humanities major
(Olivia Eldredge/ The VanCougar)
Using dating apps and websites can involve trivial communication barriers. Martin explained that it was difficult to get to know someone over the use of technology, struggling to get a sense of someone's authentic personality. “There had been people that I had met, where I was like, ‘Oh I think we're getting along really well,’ and you meet them in-person where, ‘Oh I don’t really connect with you actually.’ It's really hard to gauge that,” Martin said.
Michael Rabby, DTC Professor
(Photo courtesy of Michael Rabby)
Maddie Baker, a junior integrated strategic communication major, is in the beginning stages of conducting dating app research in a quantitative research class. She elaborated on her personal interest in dating apps and their impact on relationships in today’s world.
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“Convenience is a big thing, we’re all college students, working parttime, we have internships, working 40, 60 hours. We don’t have time to go find somebody in a coffee shop, try to flirt with them, get rejected, and try again the next day. We don’t have any time for that, so that’s why I think dating apps have popped off, you’re able to make that connection and a lot of us feel like we're being our true selves online, so we're putting ourselves out there. Rejection might not hurt as much as meeting someone in person,” Baker said
Offering insight, her opinion of dating apps creates a “doubleedged sword” predicament. “Some of the pros, it's easier to connect with people a lot faster, and have the relationship style that you want. Obviously, if you use Tinder you can get a hookup pretty fast, if you use [another app] and you’re looking for something more serious, you might not get that right off the bat. The connections that you make with people depends. You can make friendships, Bumble has the friendship option, and even the professional option. But the cons are, the way people present themselves in the digital world,” Baker said. Rabby explained although catfishing is a popular thing of the past, it can still happen. He encouraged people to present their true selves online and be cautious when meeting matches in person. “It's important that people honestly represent themselves online. I think it's okay to have a flattering picture, I mean I recommend having a flattering picture, but it should not be something that is deceptive,” Rabby said. Baker added how the use of heavy photo filters can damage people’s first swipe-impressions. “Something that we're researching is, people use a lot of filtered or digitally enhanced photos. I personally am against it, that’s kind of part of the self-presentation. Even Snapchat filters, if I saw a Snapchat filter I swiped left or said no.
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Maddie Baker,
Junior Communications major (Olivia Eldredge/ The VanCougar)
I think you should use photos that aren’t digitally enhanced,” Baker said. An LGBTQ+ community member herself, Baker recommended a couple of apps to consider trying when seeking relationships. “I think for dating apps, I recommend especially for LGBTQ+ people, probably Bumble or Hinge,” Baker said. Considering WSU Vancouver is a commuter campus, hookup and dating culture on campus is different than most. Since people tend to leave campus once their classes are done, Baker explained dating apps can become a convenient option for those with busy schedules.
Rabby believes the future of dating apps is trending and on the upward. “I don’t think it's a fad, I don’t think it's going away anytime soon,” Rabby said. “This is the new medium, so as long as the technology is sort of like this, this is kind of what it’ll be, and then it might change.” Dating apps can offer convenience, but come with caveats of safety and authenticity concerns. Asecurelife. com offers safety tips for using dating apps, which first-timers and veterans alike could benefit from. Tips include avoiding apps that allow anyone to message you, providing your own transportation to in-person meetups, staying in public places and always telling a friend where you are going and what you are doing.
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SHARE FACTS ABOUT COVID-19 April 2020
Know the facts about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and help stop the spread of rumors. FACT
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Diseases can make anyone sick regardless of their race or ethnicity.
Fear and anxiety about COVID-19 can cause people to avoid or reject others even though they are not at risk for spreading the virus.
FACT
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For most people, the immediate risk of becoming seriously ill from the virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to be low.
Older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk for more serious complications from COVID-19.
There are simple things you can do to help keep yourself and others healthy.
FACT
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• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. • Stay home when you are sick. • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
You can help stop COVID-19 by knowing the signs and symptoms:
FACT
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FACT
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Someone who has completed quarantine or has been released from isolation does not pose a risk of infection to other people.
For up-to-date information, visit CDC’s coronavirus disease 2019 web page.
• Fever • Cough • Shortness of breath Seek medical advice if you • Develop symptoms AND • Have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or if you live in or have recently been in an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19.
CS 315446-A 03/16/2020
cdc.gov/COVID-19
OPINION April 2020
Don’t be a fool and joke about pregnancy Anna
Nelson
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Editor-In-Cheif
April Fool’s Day rolls around and you hear the oldest “prank” in the book: “I’m pregnant.” Maybe you’ve even been the perpetrator of this “prank” before. Well I’m here to tell you, find another prank, that one isn’t funny. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 10% of women from ages 15-44 in the U.S. have difficulty getting and/or staying pregnant. Additionally, about one in every five pregnancies will end in a miscarriage, usually in the first trimester, according to KidsHealth.org. April 23-29 is Infertility Awareness Week, so use the month of April to be especially sensitive to issues of infertility, instead of starting your month off by pulling a “prank” that could potentially hurt those who are suffering in silence. With 10% of women affected by infertility and 20% of pregnancies affected by a miscarriage, someone you know is likely wrestling with these issues. So even pulling the, “I’m pregnant,” April Fool’s Day joke in your close-knit friend group is risky. Be safe, and come up with a different prank that has no potential to harm those around you on ini ect p n o refl ar. a s g is i not Cou h t n : s ote doe e Va N s or’ and of Th t i Ed ce ws pie vie the
Bestlifeonline.com has a list of 30 harmless April Fool’s Day pranks that you can pull anywhere, without threatening anyone’s physical or emotional safety, which include bringing a Krispy Kreme doughnut box to work filled with vegetables, or replacing a friend’s deodorant with cream cheese. These pranks are much more creative than simply trying to convince someone you’re pregnant and minimize risk of harm.
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Emily Baumann | Copy Editor
Say someone has a crush on you. They relentlessly pursue you by following you, learning everything there is to know about you and then make a grand gesture without even knowing you. Sounds romantic, right? If you answered no, you are not alone. “Stalking for love” is a popular trope that can be seen in many romantic comedies including “Love Actually,” “You’ve got Mail,” “Fifty Shades of Grey” and more.
Image credit to respective movies. ("Fifty Shades of Grey," "You've Got Mail," "Love Actually," and "Twilight.")
Professor of women’s, gender and sexuality studies, Regina McMenomy, defines the idea of stalking for love and how it plays a significant role in film and TV. “Stalking for love is basically the idea that it’s romantic to be a creep. It’s a pretty pervasive idea that infiltrates a lot of our romantic comedies. A lot of narratives we have are about the ‘nice guy,’ who is like a friendly guy, as opposed to the bad guy. But [the nice guy] doesn’t always get the girl and so the way he works his way into ‘wooing’ her or winning her over is by watching her,” McMenomy explained. Freshman psychology major, Tessa Taylor, is a student in McMenomy’s women’s studies class where students analyze and discuss how the trope can affect someone’s idea of what love really means.
15 April 2020 April 2020 15 “People learn to interpret these things as pleasure. I think we have tons of that about sexuality. If a guy is constantly stalking you, following you, won’t leave you alone or hurting you physically … You’re supposed to think, just like we’re told in elementary school, that means he likes you. We’re told you should be proud and grateful that you’re getting all this male attention.” — Carol Siegel “Women who are in abusive relationships often suffer from Stockholm Syndrome. They begin to think that the abuser’s behavior is love because that’s what he says,” Siegel said. Highlighting specific movies including, “Twilight” and “Fifty Shades of Grey,” Siegal explained that these films reflect and even glamorize abusive relationships.
“It made me rethink modern things that are coming out because it’s a little more subtle, but it’s the same concept in a lot of our modern TV shows and movies. It’s not as obvious as standing outside with a sign serenading … But it made me think about how prevalent it is today,” Taylor said.
“People learn to interpret these things as pleasure. I think we have tons of that about sexuality. If a guy is constantly stalking you, following you, won’t leave you alone or hurting you physically … You’re supposed to think, just like we’re told in elementary school, that means he likes you. We’re told you should be proud and grateful that you’re getting all this male attention,” Siegel said.
Taylor commented on how the film and TV industry has made these characters appealing in romantic comedies and how we often turn a blind eye to the red flags they present.
McMenomy offered insight into how healthy relationships might be portrayed in the media.
“I think it’s the distorted idea of loyalty. The importance of loyalty in a relationship, because that’s essentially what [the stalker] is seeking. These [characters] are seeking someone who will always love them because they are so dedicated. But that isn’t really dedication, it’s obsession,” Taylor explained. Carol Siegel, professor of English and women’s, gender and sexuality studies, discussed how these movies and tropes can skew a woman’s idea of love at a young age. She also noted how individuals are often taught to ignore signs of mental and physical abuse and interpret them as love.
“I think the whole thing that we gloss over with so many of our narratives, is that you never have certainty. You never have a relationship that’s going to be what we’re trying to paint with romantic comedies. So, if we could get to a point where we want to see growth, support and equal connection, then perhaps we could get to a point where these narratives support us,” McMenomy said. Siegel emphasized that we should focus on platonic and unselfish love. “I think we need to focus on building these strong loving platonic relationships. Friendships, relationships with children, relations with pets, if you love animals, then animal companions. Those are the relationships that teach you what love is, what unselfish real love is,” Siegel said.
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Cougar Bites: Foods to put you in the mood
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Emily Baumann | Copy Editor
Can your performance in the kitchen be carried over to the bedroom? Food, like sex, produces dopamine in our bodies that increase happiness and well-being, so it’s no secret that these two are connected. These four foods, among others, could spice up your life inside and outside the kitchen. ry ssa n. e c e io n n duct inc, i a t z ro con rep as such , s d and ch , A on u ones en. o s m l e a riv m ls m d erals hor wo is a od ke i l l d n x , mi exua n an inine te blo ne. uts st se n s g e li a n thy boo ontai uce th m L-ar acilit ealth l a H He to s c prod bo lled lps f a he s nd ps o n t t c i a f o e, nd ch el g Alm ich h steron pou , whi ordin wh testo l com onds acc , as mica alm itals n e n i ge ch nd to fou w flo
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APRIL
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m a r k yo u r c a l e n da r . . .
For the month of April, stay home and stay healthy! Limit your risk of exposure, and potentially exposing others, to COVID-19 by practicing social distancing and only leaving your home for essentials. · WSU Vancouver spring semester events have been cancelled. · Resources for students: Students can pick up loaner laptops from the Library, and Office of Student Involvement Care Packages form noon to 2 p.m. during weekdays. It is suggested that you reach out to respective offices before travelling to campus. The Cougar Food Pantry will remain open. The Student Wellness Center will offer counseling services through Zoom, limited appointments are available. Tutoring resources, like those offered through the Quantitative Skills Center, will be available via Zoom. · Campus Conversation about COVID-19: Chancellor Mel Netzhammer will be addressing the WSU Vancouver community through a Zoom video conference from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 2. Students, staff, faculty and community members will be able to ask COVID-19 related questions using the chat feature. The VanCougar will keep providing our audiences with content online. Looks for updates on our social media and by visiting our website, thevancouger.com.
Flowers spring up in spring 2020 at WSU Vancouver. (Laura Dutelle/WSU Vancouver)
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