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Issue 6 | Style | May 2022
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MUSIC NEWS MUSIC
Keen for a getaway that won't break the bank? The AUTSA Lodge at Tongariro National Park is available at rock bottom prices for AUT students. Rent the entire place from just $155 (off peak) - it sleeps up to 12 people, so you could pay as little as $13 each a night!
Book your getaway now!
www.autsa.org.nz/the-lodge
CO-EDITORS Nam Woon Kim & Sam Clark ASSOCIATE EDITOR Vivien Whyte
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From the Editor
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Introducing Charlie, Debate’s new Graphic Designer
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New Student-led Journal Helping AUT Postgrads Find Their Publishing Feet
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Living Costs Increase Not Enough, Says NZUSA Upon Student Wellbeing Inquiry
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Free Speech Union Event a Bust
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Fat and In Fashion
FEATURE WRITER Petra Shotwell LIFESTYLE AND CULTURE WRITER Briar Pomana CHIEF NEWS REPORTER Justin Hu NEWS WRITER David Williams CONTRIBUTORS Liam Hansen, Mila van der Plas, Alana McConnell, Bee Kyle, Melody Li ILLUSTRATOR Yi Jong SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Zainab Mustafa GRAPHIC DESIGNER Charlie Ratahi McFarland ADVERTISING Jesse Jones jesse.jones@autsa.org.nz PRINTER Nicholson Print Solutions
DISCLAIMER Material contained in this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AUTSA, its advertisers, contributors, Nicholson Print Solutions or its subsidiaries. This publication is entitled to the full protection given by the Copyright Act 1994 (“the Act”) to the holders of the copyright, being AUT STUDENT ASSOCIATION (“AUTSA”). Reproduction, storage or display of any part of this publication by any process, electronic or otherwise (except for the educational purposes specified in the Act) without express permission is a break of the copyright of the publisher and will be prosecuted accordingly. Inquiries seeking permission to reproduce should be addressed to AUTSA. Debate is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA).
Follow Debate! debatemag.com debate_mag autsadebate debate@autsa.org.nz
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A Love Letter to Character Creation in Games
You Are What You Wear
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Cop or Drop: What To Add To Your University Wardrobe
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What’s On
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Gig Guide
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A Postgrad Survival Guide
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Giveaways
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Girl, Is It Time to Axe the Girl Code?
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Puzzles
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Art by Shin @rabbitwrist
ISSUE 6
Kia ora e te whānau My favourite walk is still closed. Partially anyway. It’s been about four years now if the dates on my Google Photos are any indication. Kauri dieback, the nemesis of many a bush. It probably wouldn’t crack any ‘Best of Aotearoa’ lists, but it used to be my oasis. I hadn’t really thought about it until last week when I rode the bus into town on a newly opened busway. At least with construction I know things will be done some day. I’m no good with indefinite closures. It’s easier to forget. The bridge had looked completed for a while now, but as my friends working in Waka Kotahi remind me, there’s more to it than that. If you bus in from the top of the North Shore you’ll know which one I’m talking about. The view isn’t so different from there. Maybe it’s because I always sit on the bottom floor of the bus. Countless songs and hours have been spent on this route. Now that I’ll no longer be working with Debate, I wonder what this commute will mean for me next. It’s bittersweet leaving something you love. At the same time, I know it’s in good hands - AUT graduate and student hands even! You’ll meet your new editor in the next issue, or sooner if you hit him up with a pitch or idea, which you definitely should. It’s getting cold. It’s getting busy. The end of semester is approaching, so take extra care of yourself where you can. Showing up for others is important, but as The Sopranos said - “be a better friend to yourself”. Before I sign off, here’s one, or two or three, last songs for the road - a slice of winter to keep you frosty. Unison - Björk Whogives - Knxwledge Archangel - Burial Come Thru for U - DJ Seinfeld Sparkle - Camp Lo Do For Love - 2Pac Ngā manaakitanga Nam 4
Introducing Charlie, Debate’s new Graphic Designer From kōwhaiwhai patterns to Aldous Harding, Charlie shares with Debate everything we wanted to know, and more! Nam: Nō hea koe?
Charlie: Nō Tāmaki Makaurau ahau. Ko Ngāpuhi te iwi.
What did you study?
I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in Graphic Design, and I've recently received a certificate in Raranga Toi.
Was the goal always to be a designer?
I wanted to be an astronaut for most of my childhood, be amongst the stars.
That’s awesome! Was there anything that swept that dream away?
I realised I was bad at science. I think I dropped science as soon as I could and picked up art, design and media studies.
Is there a specific part of doing design work that speaks to you the most?
I'm studying whakairo (wood carving), and learning about kōwhaiwhai patterns. Recently, I’ve been thinking about design in a decolonising way; I've had a very Western design education. That's kind of speaking to me a lot at the moment, how / can these intertwine? Thinking about what defines graphic design and challenging the 'rules'.
With gigs picking up again, got any tickets already booked for anything?
Big Thief at the Powerstation! Looking forward to going back to that venue.
Any specific mems from the Powerstation?
I used to live like four doors down from it so it kind of became a bittersweet time. There’s my memories of attending and then memories of trying to get home and there being a crowd of drunk 18 year olds on a post-concert high looking for a place to piss…
I’m going to put you on the spot here a bit - what is your dream festival lineup for this coming summer?
Great question. To open the festival I'd have Roy Ayers to sing ‘Everybody Loves The Sunshine’, to get into the mood. I'd have my Australasian sister love of Aldous Harding, Julia Jacklin, Bic Runga, Courtney Bennett. Followed up by Anika Moa just to sing her version of ‘Purea Nei’. Then Marlon Williams to steal my heart once again with his hoiho song. I was lucky enough to watch him perform it last year at The Hollywood - it was amazing. A shitty version exists on the internet for those who don't know. Next is Dido to sing [her album] Life for Rent start to finish, while I call my mum to tell her I love her. Shintaro Sakamoto as the sun is setting - a prelude to the evening lineup. Then Ms. Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Solange next, before closing the show with a Lizzo and Harry Styles collab. I just need to see Harry Styles sing 'You better come get your man, I think he wanna be way more than friends'.
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New Student-led Journal Helping AUT Postgrads Find Their Publishing Feet By Justin Hu (he/him) A first-of-its-kind, student-run journal has launched its inaugural issue at AUT and is on the lookout for new submissions from postgrad students. The first issue of Rangahau Aranga: AUT Graduate Review, was posted online just before the mid-semester break, with over 40 abstracts sourced from the Graduate Research School’s 2021 student research symposium.
While other student-led journals exist around the country, Hayes says Rangahu Aranga is unique as it’s multidisciplinary.
Speaking to Debate, AUT library's scholarly communications team leader Luqman Hayes says the initiative is intended to be studentled, after being conceived in late 2020.
“We're encouraging people to submit creative pieces as well as academic ones. And even when it comes to the academic pieces, we could be talking about abstracts, or summaries of your research so far,” he says.
“Through my work, I've been very conscious of the fact that postgrad, don't have many outlets for their initial research publication,” he says.
“But with this publication — you'll get a citation and a DOI, which is an electronic link for perpetuity, so that your work is recorded. You can also add it to your CV and your academic profile.”
Hayes says there aren’t many places where students can get their work off the ground, as academia is a highly competitive area to start a career.
Making a submission to the new journal is free and submissions are uploaded on a rolling basis. Lyon says she hoped the inaugural issue would be the start of a project that saw ongoing initiative from students.
“We thought - we have the systems (Tuwhera) already in place for supporting open access publications, so why not set one up with support of the postgrads.” he says. Hayes says he had been advising the students on the journal’s editorial team alongside other library, faculty, and graduate research school staff. Rangahau Aranga is a collaboration between the AUT library’s Tuwhera and AUTSA. The journal’s first managing editor, Eliza Lyon, says the journal was a good starting point for students in the vast publishing world. Lyon is also AUTSA’s student representative coordinator.
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“The key part of the kaupapa is that it's emerging researchers. So students that are wanting to get a place on the starting rung… It's giving them those skills to make the whole publishing world seem a little bit less intimidating and daunting.” She says.
“I hope that eventually we'll get to a point where they can keep rolling in, the word gets out, people come to us, they ask about the process, and I guess they take the initiative.” She says the process of getting the project up and running had been a “humbling” one. “I think it's definitely been quite insightful — because when you're in uni and you see the PDF, you read it, and you don't know about the process that goes on behind that. Seeing that, for me, I guess expanded my scope. I think it’s quite humbling as well, reading all the different abstracts and seeing the sheer range of research.”
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Hayes says the project kicked into high-gear this year as the editorial team of 11 student volunteers compiled and formatted abstracts. While the publication isn’t looking for new editors, they are on the lookout for an artist or graphic designer to help spruce up the journal’s look. Meanwhile, editorial team member Hazel Abraham says it was an opportunity that postgrads should take up. Abraham had been a postgraduate candidate with Te Ipukarea Research Institute, and had worked on an abstract published in Rangahau Aranga on the impact that intergenerational cultural trauma has on Māori students. “Don't be afraid, you don't need to know everything. That's what ako is — you’ve got your tuakana, the people who are more experienced,” she says. Abraham says this is the first time she's been published, so students shouldn't be scared to put their work out there. "You don't have to know everything. The most important thing is to put your hand up and give it a go." she says.
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Living Costs Increase Not Enough, Says NZUSA Upon Student Wellbeing Inquiry By David Williams (he/him)
An inquiry into student wellbeing, led by the Green Party and NZUSA, will look into housing and rising living costs. AUTSA President Sara Youssef welcomes the announcement of a Green Party and NZUSA inquiry into student wellbeing, saying it was important for them to put their name to this initiative. “Students are vulnerable. Everybody around me is vulnerable. So I think the fact that there is an inquiry is absolutely amazing.” Youssef says wellbeing is important to her. “When wellbeing is mentioned, it hits home.” She says there will always be a demand for wellbeing help, especially now post-Covid-19. “We’ve been disconnected for so long, and now we’re coming back to campus, we’re trying to bridge that connection.” Green Party mental health spokesperson and Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick launched the inquiry in early April. She wants to use survey data to identify where students might need the most help. Swarbrick says students are currently living in substandard and unhealthy housing while struggling to overcome rising living costs. “This isn’t the pathway out of poverty it’s sold as; for many, it is literally working and studying poverty.” Students saw an increase in student allowance and student living costs by $25 a week on April 1 this year. The government estimates this increase will ease the financial pressure for more than 100,000 students. However, many say that is not enough. NZUSA President Andrew Lessells says the government is completely disconnected from the lives of students if all they can do is offer them an extra $25 a week. “These students have lost jobs because of Covid, are taking on crippling debt just to keep a roof over their heads.” AUTSA Wellbeing Officer Tanvi Narayan thinks the survey will help find what is missing in terms of financial wellbeing. “As many of us are aware, some students have left studies to support families due to financial difficulties and some mature students have come back to increase their qualifications to get a better financial stability for future jobs.” The Green Party and NZUSA will also be working alongside Te Mana Ākonga, Tauira Pasifika, and the National Disabled Students’ Association. The presidents of those associations say the inquiry is needed. Kyla Campbell-Kamariera, Te Mana Ākonga Tumuaki, says this inquiry will be a great opportunity to collect data that highlights the diverse realities of tauira Māori. “To litigate student wellbeing experiences over and over again with no meaningful transformation is getting tiring and boring. We’re ready to see some change.” National Disabled Students’ Association President Alice Mander wants disabled students to be part of the conversation. “We know that disabled students face material hardship at greater rates than nondisabled students, and also face inequities and barriers in the tertiary education system itself. The support is simply not there for our students,” says Mander.
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Free Speech Union Event A Bust By David Williams (he/him)
A controversial Free Speech Union event, that was intended to be held at AUT's City campus last month, was cancelled after the university said room bookings had been made incorrectly. The event “Feminism, advocacy, and free speech: University lecture with Daphna Whitmore” was scheduled to take place in late April at City campus, according to the Free Speech Union’s Facebook advertising for the event. However, AUT decided to cancel the group’s room booking for the event the week before. The vice-chancellor justified the cancellation saying, “We examined the nature of the booking and felt it was not suitable. It was not actually a union meeting, but being pitched as a lecture.” FSU Chief Executive Jonathan Ayling insists the event was a union meeting with a guest speaker, and, under the Employment Relations Act, they are entitled to hold a meeting. The Free Speech Union calls themselves an organisation who are “concerned with on-going threats to free speech and the exchange of ideas.” It is incorporated as a trade union. Thus, according to the ERA, the FSU must allow every union member to attend at least two union meetings in each calendar year. The event was cancelled to members of the public, but FSU members decided to meet at AUT anyway, saying the event was open to AUT staff members. On the day, the gathering appeared to attract under a dozen people. In a video posted to the Facebook event page, the scheduled speaker Daphna Whitmore said it was “ironic” that an event talking about cancellation was cancelled. Whitmore is associated with the group Speak Up for Women who have courted controversy surrounding their views on trans* issues. A billboard put up by the group in Wellington in July last year defining a woman as “adult human female” was taken down 24 hours later. Free Speech Union say they will continue to work on rescheduling the event.
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Fat and In Fashion WORDS | Briar Pomana (she/her)
Throughout history, humans have deemed various shapes and sizes trendy. We assign hotness levels based on whatever vibe we’re going for that century. Of course, year in and year out we play into this silly little game of cat and mouse. We dress it up as anything other than fatphobia and call it a day. Like Miley said: “There’s always gonna be another mountain and we’re always gonna wanna make it move”. In this case the mountain is fat, disabled, queer people of colour. Maybe that isn’t the intended meaning for her song ‘The Climb’ but it’s a good analogy. When we think of fatness, it’s probably not some glorious person draped in hand-beaded crystals lounging on a velvet sofa being hand fed grapes. Fatness and fashion (although increasingly more visible than before) is still relegated to the losers table. Those further across the fat spectrum are historically shunned from society and when it comes to clothing, must opt for custom pieces that are often extremely inaccessible. Colonialism affects us in many different ways; it is so ingrained into society that we often don’t realise its true breadth. Although prominent in fashion, fatphobia can be seen everywhere. It stems from colonial violence and we need to treat it as such. Last year, I was cleaning out my room and as all twenty-somethings do, we fiddle with the random shit we find while sitting on the floor because our beds have become junk piles. Whilst in this state, I found an old journal from when I was eight years old - I know this because I always date my journal entries, even now. Inside were a few shit scribbles, a couple of poorly scrapbooked collages, some handwriting exercises, and right smack bang in the middle was a detailed plan to lose weight for the upcoming summer. I think I actually did a dramatic slam close of the book and threw it across the room. I then soon found a picture from 2008, funnily enough during the summer when my friends and I would go for swims in each other's Warehouse inflatable pools. It was a strange silence that I sat in, scanning my eyes back and forth between the photo and my wanna-be-skinny oath.
That same week, I was on my way to university and had thrown on a podcast by Australian influencer Flex Mami. In the episode, she recalls similar childhood memories - writing out ‘fitness plans’ and even fantasising about taking a sword to her tummy fat and cutting it all off. Although it sounds ridiculous, slicing off body fat is a dream lots of little girls have. Even Lizzo talks about it, which when you think about it, is absolutely insane. The idea that children would rather hack away at their bodies than be fat is incredibly despairing. To dig a little deeper into what being a fat child was like, I can’t escape the abhorrent sexualisation that happens to fat children of colour, specifically little black and brown girls. I went to a predominantly Māori and Pākehā school in rural New Zealand. My circle of mates were mostly little white girls, which in itself caused a LOT of emotional damage. From a young age I was a lot more lumpy than them in all the ways you can imagine. I pretty much had the same body as their older sisters who were in high school at the time. I was wearing bras way before any of them and was acutely aware of how my body would look when I ran, jumped or did anything at all. My uniform fit weirdly because it was made for children, not teens going through early-onset puberty. I ended up having to dress like a middle-aged woman named Leonie, because the only clothes I could fit were from the pinnacle of small town fashion - Posite Plus. The way clothes fit fat people is a mere afterthought for most brands and fashion houses. In 2018, execs from Victoria's Secret were questioned about the exclusion of trans and plus-size people in their campaigns. In response, they said fat bodies did not feed into the brand’s fantasy - which has historically been skinny, white, cis women. Try as they might, the fashion industry still can’t shake the inherent fatphobia and prejudice against the majority of the world’s bodies.
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"Once I started to focus on making custom garments for fat bodies, constantly looking at fat bodies and figuring out how to adapt the beauty of fabric to fat bodies; I realised I couldn’t do it unless I found fat bodies beautiful.”
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Infamy Apparel is a South-Auckland-based Pasifika, queer, and fat fashion house. Amy Lautogo is the designer and creative director behind the brand. Using her passion for fashion (a wee Bratz reference for the baddies), Amy weaves together the minority communities she exists in to form insane exhibitions of fatness, pride and couture. Infamy Apparel gives a gown and a stage to those overlooked by fashion, both figuratively and physically. In an interview upon her arrival to the Pacific Fusion Fashion stage in 2019, Amy said “Fat people have been so used to living in the ‘other’ space or the fringes of this industry. I wasn’t always able to articulate these concepts, but it’s always been my goal to elevate my community who are in the margins.” What sets Infamy Apparel apart is the extra extra extra extravaganza of it all. The brand never does anything half-assed and that is apparent in all the work that has been produced and celebrated. Where else in this country can you find hand-sequined bodices or metre-long trains all customised especially for fat, queer bodies? What Infamy does well to remind us is that sexiness and fatness can coincide - contrary to popular belief. In an interview with Ensemble, Amy explores the ways being fat and crafting beautiful things for fat bodies influenced how she viewed fatness: “Doing my work with Infamy Apparel, I started looking at myself as an intersectional being." She said, "Once I started to focus on making custom garments for fat bodies, constantly looking at fat bodies and figuring out how to adapt the beauty of fabric to fat bodies, I realised I couldn’t do it unless I found fat bodies beautiful.”
What Infamy does well to remind us is that sexiness and fatness can coincide - contrary to popular belief. In the era of TikTok, much work has been done online to normalise the fat body, but as we see fat fashion become more mainstream, we must continue to prioritise the voices and perspectives of the minorities within this community. Already I feel there is an oversaturation of white cis women occupying the conversation and we musn’t diminish what was started and driven primarily by queer, disabled people of colour. There is a lot of work to be done and we’ve only just started. If you’re wondering how you can join the conversation - begin with how you talk to yourself. Truly understand what makes your body yours and others theirs. Like Amy says, we are intersectional beings; we need to let go of harmful ideas about beauty that no longer serve us at all. To be fat and in fashion is to be fabulous.
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A Love Letter to Character Creation In Games WORDS | Liam Hansen (he/him) ILLUSTRATION | Yi Jong (she/they)
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An avatar customisation screen is the best way to start a game. No lore cutscenes, no jumping straight into action, just a generic-looking white dude that I can absolutely fucking destroy. It’s Christmas morning 2009 and my little hands are glued to our brand new Wii remote. The rest of the family surrounds me, bored and annoyed that I’d spent an hour flicking between different nose shapes. Hell if I care, I’m in the zone. My mind is connected to the screen and my eyes are wide open (as well as my mouth probably, because I was stupid and gross). The Mii Maker was probably the first experience with video games I ever had. When I eventually finished my barely accurate self-portrait, all I wanted to do was create another one. And another one. And another after that. An avatar customisation screen is the best way to start a game. No lore cutscenes, no jumping straight into action, just a generic-looking white dude that I can absolutely fucking destroy. Take a look at some of the greatest games ever made: Skyrim, Minecraft, Skate It for the Nintendo Wii, these games have earned themselves legend status and it’s no coincidence that they all feature avatar creators. I love every second of it. You’re immersed in another world, where you control every aspect of these freaks’ appearances and abilities. For example, in Skyrim I can be a strong, manly man of a Nord warrior, or a High Elf mage who was meant to do a sorcerer playthrough but gave up halfway. I can even be a stealthy smooth Khajiit and plead that nobody calls me a furry … What a world! I know these avatar creation screens seem like they should be annoying and tedious. So, if you are an uncreative swine, or prefer playing the actual game, then you better sit the fuck down and listen - because I’m about to talk about The Science Of Creativity (according to the first Google search result): Firstly, every good idea has stemmed from someone else's good idea.¹ I mention this because game designers create toolkits when they build character creation systems. They give you the resources so you can create, or rather, curate your own character. You can mix and match which hair colour they have, the depth of their cheekbones, whether or not they look like >:-) or [=^\. The difficult part has been taken out, and you get to reap the rewards.
Your brain has a lot of weird squishy shit going on that releases chemicals when being stimulated, like the medial prefrontal cortex, which is basically your head's reward centre. When you’re being creative, blood rushes to that area and makes it release serotonin or something of the sort. It feels great - you’re placed into a flow state after your brain has been active for so long. So, when you start playing the game, you’re ready to explore a brand new world with a character you made yourself (with a bit of help from some funky game designers). Game artists and developers work so hard to create these immersive experiences and it continues to get overlooked by the public and the suits of the games industry. Unfortunately, game development is becoming more and more fucked due to two issues plaguing the industry. Firstly, the crunch crisis. This is where employees are made to work extremely hard to finish the game. Studios are known for union busting, and overworking their employees so much that they made a name for it - “stress casualty” - borderline killing their employees by overworking them.² The second issue is microtransactions. Yes, having to pay for DLCs is annoying and dumb, but the problem lies with how every aspect of video games is monetised by studios. This makes game assets less accessible and devalues the hours of work that goes into them. Even if they are bought, it only lines shareholders' pockets. This makes me worry for the future of the games industry, but also creative work in general. It’s becoming increasingly more sketchy through the dystopian development of NFTs and the shift of independent artists becoming “content creators”. What was once fun and harmless is now being milked for all it’s worth. I love creating stupid little guys in games, and I hope to God we don’t lose it because the industry is hellbent on monetising absolutely everything.
1 https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/01/11/795010044/feeling-artsy-heres-how-making-art-helps-your-brain 2 https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2021/03/24/crunch-laws/ 16
You Are What
You Wear
By Vivien Whyte (she/her)
I sat down with AUT fashion students Celia Thomson and Shereen Chia to talk about their grad collections, style, sustainable fashion and consumerism. How has fashion school changed how you see the industry? Shereen: Since entering fashion school, I’ve realised that the industry isn’t for me. I want to create on my own terms but there are a lot of things in the industry that don’t allow me to follow my values. It’s shown me there are so many gaps and just how difficult it is to achieve sustainability. It’s hard knowing you’re producing things and they’re probably going to end up wasted. But it’s just the reality of clothing and how fast the industry is - things lose their value so quickly. We live in a society where people don’t value their clothing anymore. Celia: I chose fashion because I hated going shopping and all the options that were available. It was hard finding clothes that I really liked.
There are bad things about the industry, but I’ve always known I’ve wanted to be here. There are so many avenues you can take and so many jobs that you wouldn’t even know about. Through fashion school, I just realised how hard it is [to be sustainable]. But, there’s a lot of opportunity here too. Part of the reason I chose it is because there’s so much to change and I don’t want to avoid that. I want to be involved in it. Tell us about your grad collections… Celia: I think I’m going to do a capsule wardrobe where everything inside is multi-functional, styleable [with everything else], inclusive and unisex. My whole thing is about comfort, durability and function. I think that if you have those three elements you create pieces that actually do what they’re supposed to. And I want to make comfortable clothing that also looks good and stylish. 17
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Comfort and versatility are very important to me. If I don’t take notice of what I’m wearing because it’s comfortable and easy, then I have a better day. Plus, things should be able to be worn differently and throughout seasons so that you can get more looks out of one piece.
On sustainability:
Fast fashion is missing its durability, which makes you treat it as a commodity. Nowadays we just have so many options, so we buy more and throw out more. But you have to remember that everything you buy has an afterlife. Nothing can just vanish.
Nowadays we just have so many options, so we buy more and throw out more. But you have to remember that everything you buy has an afterlife. Nothing can just vanish.
- Celia
Some other people might be making things that are more artistic – but to me, what is beautiful is craft and the way a piece makes you feel. Shereen: I’m basing my collection on my mum who was a child growing up in Soviet Russia. I already had the intention for this collection to be very nostalgic, and by using my mother and my childhood photos as inspiration, it brings a part of my history with me to the present. I never got to experience my Russian roots because I grew up here. I want to go back to my roots and embrace more about my culture - learn about the craft and the kind of practices they had based on the lives that they lived at the time. A lot of it is informed by stories from my grandma and my mum. Even original pieces from my great-grandma are going to influence me throughout my collection. Through fashion school, I’ve discovered that I like to do things that are fiddly with my hands. My collection is based on artisanal clothing – the intention is that they’re special ‘one of one’ pieces that I’ve crafted and put a lot of time and effort into. For my mum, everything was used intentionally. The quality of things was better and people looked after them – so they lasted a lot longer. It’s about looking after the things you have already, continuing altering them and mending them so they can keep having a function and a purpose in your life. Things were used to their fullest extent. You’d wear a piece forever, and once you’re done with it, your sibling would wear it. Once it falls apart it’s a T-shirt and then it’s a singlet. And once it’s not a singlet anymore it’s a rag. There was no such thing as wasting things – which I really like.
Things were used to their fullest extent. You’d wear a piece forever, and once you’re done with it, your sibling would wear it. Once it falls apart it’s a T-shirt and then it’s a singlet. And once it’s not a singlet anymore it’s a rag. There was no such thing as wasting things – which I really like.
- Shereen
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Celia: We’ve had the pressure to be very different and to make things that are grand, artistic, alternative and avant-garde. Which is awesome – but in reality, if I’m not going to wear a piece, or imagine someone else wearing it three times a week, then I don’t want to produce it.
We’ve had the pressure to be very different and to make things that are grand, artistic, alternative and avantgarde. Which is awesome – but in reality, if I’m not going to wear a piece, or imagine someone else wearing it three times a week, then I don’t want to produce it. - Shereen There are 5 billion trillion things in the whole world and that really scares me. Personally, I hate the fact that even when we practise things, we create stuff that goes straight to the landfill. The amount of waste we produce constantly as tiny little fashion students is so daunting. Shereen: The industry is too fast. There used to be two or four seasons a year. But now, because of how incredible the trend predicting software is there’s just too much. It needs to slow down. If you’re not a fashion design student or you don’t care about clothing you’re not going to know what it actually takes to make clothing, or how bad it actually is when you’re buying something for $10. But when you see how long it takes for us to draft a pattern, stitch a toile – and do it over and over before the final thing – you would understand the value of a piece.
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We should all take time to consider further what we’re buying and take our time to make decisions… Avoid buyer's remorse by sleeping on it. Things like that should inform our buying instead of how it’s going to make you look.
- Celia
Plus, we’re not really told about the implications of our consumption. If someone buys a $15 thing from Shein they don’t understand. If they did, they’d feel guilty about what they’re doing by supporting a company like that. They use really poor labour, poor conditions, poor materials and then when you wash it, it just creates microplastics.
Fashion, generally, is about selling you something. For example, Abercrombie & Fitch and Calvin Klein – they sell you sex, youth, and being hot and rich. They make you want to be part of it, by getting their T-shirt, with their branding.
I think we should ask ourselves: ‘Do I really love this?’ and ‘How long will I love this?’ We should think about the quality and where it actually came from. Who made it and are they being treated fairly? Are they getting harmed? There’s a lot of things that go into clothing that we don’t see or know about.
Shereen: One thing I do like about the industry is the direction we’re going. I like the trend right now of doing stuff yourself and supporting small businesses. Plus, meeting Lela Jacobs last year helped me realise there is a way to make things and also have a good sustainable practice. She’s a very lowkey New Zealand designer who works predominantly by herself, has her own store and just distributes locally. She exclusively uses NZ fibres and I respect that so much. It made me realise that I could also do really small scale stuff.
On finding your style and consumerism: Shereen: Fashion is a reflection of your own identity and expression. But it’s so difficult to harness that because of trends, media and human nature. We always want what we can’t have - even subconsciously. Sometimes the quality or design of the clothing isn’t necessarily the problem. It’s the way people feel about themselves because that influences you to buy. That influences what you consume. Under capitalism, the consumerism that we participate in often feeds our egos. It’s not just ‘Oh, I think this is cute and it represents me’. Often we are buying into trends and fashion because we want people to perceive us in a certain type of way. Celia: But that’s not really our fault either. Socially, we’re structured to want things and constantly want things because the world is constantly selling us products.
What do you see for the future?
A last message: Celia: We should all take time to consider further what we’re buying and take our time to make decisions… Avoid buyer’s remorse by sleeping on it. Things like that should inform our buying instead of how it’s going to make you look. Shereen: Before I studied fashion or studied soft tech I didn’t know about clothes in this type of way. I never looked at care labels or anything. But the care label tells you everything. What it’s made of, where it’s from and how to look after it. I never used to look at them until I learnt about them at uni and the importance of them, the amount of information you can get from them and how that can inform your consumption. 19
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Cop or Drop:
STYLE
What To Add To Your University Wardrobe WORDS | Mila van der Plas ILLUSTRATIONS | Melody Li
DICKIES 874: (COP)
CARGO PANTS: (MAYBE) It is no secret that cargos are in right now, from the Miami Vice pants to the parachute-style cargo. No matter your gender or style, cargos are super flattering and I have been wearing them for years. I do, however, see them as more of a trend than a timeless piece, and can envision them losing their popularity as everyday wear. Unless you are seriously in love with them (regardless of if they were out of style), I would not recommend buying a pair.
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Another pant trend going around is the Dickies 874s. The rolled down Dickies microtrend is something we’ve all seen, and if it is something you are into, feel free to join. One thing that separates this microtrend from the rest is that once it dies, you are left with a pair of super high-quality work pants you can roll back up. Also, they are available in lots of colours, so that is a plus! These are a cop for me and I think we will be seeing a lot more of them around campus this coming season.
AIRPOD MAX: (DROP) There is nothing better than a good pair of headphones for university, and the Airpod Max has recently emerged as one of the most popular fashion accessories. Even though they look incredible, this one is still a hard drop given the price and quality. The best bet if you are still interested in buying into this trend is to get a pair of Bose or Sony headphones half price as they still look cool, have noise-cancelling, and are much higher quality than the AirPod Max.
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Microtrends vs. Timeless pieces: We’re all well aware of how microtrends are yassified and how short-lived fashion is these days. It is extremely harmful for the environment for us to constantly cycle through trends, so it is essential to invest in pieces for our wardrobe that are timeless and essential. Here are some tips on how to look stylish around campus, including what trends you should ‘cop or drop’.
CROCHET: (DROP) Fun fact: Unlike knitting, true crochet can never be achieved with a machine, and therefore this trend needs to be dropped. Faster changing trends means that producers are under pressure to manufacture clothes more rapidly, which leads to greater exploitation of workers and even worse working conditions. Imitations exist, but real crochet can only be made by hand. So, don't buy into this trend unless we, or someone we know, is hand making the items.
DJERF AVENUE: (MAYBE) Djerf Avenue has also become known as a trendy store recently. Although, the production behind each garment is much more ethical than what we are used to within our chain stores, each collection is generally very basic. If you are just interested in them for the trend alone, you can find much of the core collection at op shops and on Trade Me for over 80% cheaper, which I recommend looking into before investing in the Djerf Avenue brand. Nevertheless, if you are searching for a higher-quality piece that will last, this trend is a worthwhile investment since it is ethically produced and manufactured, as well as timeless.
STATEMENT SCARFS: (COP)
FAUX LEATHER JACKET (COP)
You can instantly improve any outfit with a great scarf. Buying a timeless accessory is one of the simplest ways to switch out your wardrobe as it is cheap and can completely transform the clothes that you already own. If the Acne chequered scarf is out of your budget, there are many dupes and ways to find something similar for less.
Leather jackets are timeless pieces in a university wardrobe, and it is imperative to invest in a high quality one that will last for years to come. If you want to make the trend more unique to you - check out Facebook Marketplace, Trade Me, or op shops before buying from Glassons or other chain stores. 21
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What's On
Auckland Festival of Photography
The Other Crate Record Fair
Where? Citywide
Where? AllPress Studio, 8 Drake, Street, Freemans Bay
When? May-June
When? 9am-1pm 21 May
What? Held in Tāmaki Makaurau every year, this festival takes place across the city's galleries and public spaces. Highlights: Submerged Portraits - Gideon Mendel. Queen’s Wharf Rock ‘n Roll Marae - Powertool Records in New Lynn. New Lynn Library. Cost? Free
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What? A curated record fair - hosted by local DJs, collectors and crate diggers. New & used vinyl. Funk, soul, jazz, world, hip-hop, rock, house, reggae/dub. Wheelchair accessible. Cost? Free
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Stories About My Body Where? Basement Theatre When? 17-21 May What? A new solo work by Morgana O’Reilly. “Tales of foot fetish parties in NYC, diary entries from '98, boobs, birth and trying to like my chins." 60 Minutes. TW: Nudity, themes of body dysmorphia and eating disorders. Cost? $18 Student
Architecture & Design Film Festival Where? Rialto Cinemas When? Now till 25 May What? Featuring: Architect of Brutal Poetry - The work and life of legendary Brazilian architect, Han Broos. Maija Isola, Master of Colour and Form - Creator of ‘Unikko’ floral fabric pattern - exploring her life through letters to friends and family. Mau - A feature-length documentary detailing the unlikely rise to fame of visionary, Bruce Mau. Cost? $17.50 Student
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* MAY + JUNE 2022
g e d i i G u G
Dirty Pixels Where? The Wine Cellar When? Sat, May 21st Cost? $15
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Thursdays I'm In Love Ft. P.H.F, Babyteeth and BUB Where? The Tuning Fork When? Thursday, May 26th Cost? $10
* TĀMAKI MAKAURAU - AKL
Yoko-Zuna plays Daft Punk Where? Ponsonby Social Club When? Thursday, May 26th Cost? $17
Daily J & Mini Simmons
Delaney Davidson
Chelsea Wolfe
Where? Whammy Bar When? Friday, May 27th Cost? Free with Facebook RSVP
Where? The Wine Cellar When? Sunday, May 29th Cost? $50
Where? Powerstation When? Friday, June 10th Cost? $65
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A Postgrad Survival Guide By Bee Kyle Hi! My name is Bee and I’m a postgrad student here at AUT. I’m studying a Master of Science (Research), majoring in Marine Biology (rounds two’s but that’s a story for another day). This is my third year as a postgrad and my sixth year of university altogether - so today I want to share my opinion on it! Duh. Is postgraduate study right for you? This is a question I wish someone, literally anyone (hello?) had asked me. I did my due diligence as an undergraduate student and googled “Postgrad AUT”. I found out all about what a master's and PhD involved, both at AUT and other New Zealand and Australian (long story) universities. I’d like to inform you that it is not all rainbows and butterflies and it is VERY, I REPEAT, VERY, different to undergraduate study. So, if you’re like me, bright eyed and rosy cheeked, thinking about the next step and wondering “is postgraduate study for me?” then I certainly hope some of the difficulties I’ve experienced can help you make that hellish decision. A thesis is one super, ultra, mega large assignment and it truly feels like it will never end. Up until recently I still felt as though I wasn’t achieving a damn thing - it feels like you’re doing all this work and getting nowhere. It can feel overwhelming and never ending! Bee’s Solution: Set yourself up with a thesis template! That way, when you’ve written your introduction, your literature review and your methods, it’s all in one document and you can keep track of your progress. This sounds self-explanatory, but every postgrad will tell you it’s not! You’ll have a million different Word documents, with your introduction scattered throughout. There’s AMAZING Word templates available online. As well as a thesis template, create yourself a Gantt chart with an official timeline and dates to adhere to (don’t worry if they don’t go to plan, they’ll still help keep you on track). Your call has gone to voicemail, please leave a message after the tone. Um, hello…supervisor? Bee’s Solution: Girl, your supervisor is far too busy to pick up the phone and tell you what to do next. Get yourself a good co-supervisor! If you are in for the long-haul with master's or PhD, find a postdoc student who has the time to co-supervise and can answer any immediate questions you may have to help you along the way. Get to know the people in similar research to you too, or if you’re in a group, get to know your people. It’s ok to ask people around you for help and it’s totally ok to not know what you’re doing! Motivation, don’t know her. Bee’s Solution: I swear we met once, right? It can be so difficult to find the motivation to keep going when you’re working on a thesis or a large assignment. Researcher Bee found that there are supposedly eight different motivation styles and we all fit into one. They are: Physiological, Achievement, Attitude, Learning, Incentive, Fear, Power, and Social Motivation. Essentially, find what motivates you. Are you someone who likes to feel a sense of achievement (deadlines, due dates for parts of your thesis), or are you someone who needs rewards for motivation? (A chocolate bar after 500 words, or drinks with a friend upon completion.) Find ways to keep yourself motivated and your headspace functioning.
Postgraduate Survival Guide 1. See a therapist. I couldn’t recommend seeing a therapist enough. AUT has incredible counselling services which are accessible to anyone at AUT. It can be challenging doing a higher level of study, and having someone to talk through the challenges with makes life so much easier. 2. Consider whether postgraduate study will help with your career goals or direction. Some professions don’t require you to have postgraduate study. Consider whether it is something you need for your chosen path. 3. Find a supervisor who matches your needs and expectations. It’s important for your supervisor to specialise in the same field as you, but it’s also important that they match your needs. This can be emotional support, more in-depth help or independence. Whatever you need from a supervisor, make sure they can give that to you. 4. Remember who you are. Honestly, sometimes I forget I’m a real human being with friends, a family, a boyfriend and HOBBIES (I swear I left these things somewhere). Don’t forget who you are. Make time for yourself, the things you love and the people in your life. 5. Keep your supervisors’ comments when they make comments on your thesis or Word documents. It’s annoying having all the comments and words everywhere, especially if you’re a tidy person like me. But, it’s handy to see your progress and look over previous changes. 6. COMFORT IS KEY. Having a comfortable space to work is so important. Make sure you have a good workspace with a suitable chair and desk. It’s so difficult to work when you’re not comfortable. 7. ALWAYS put yourself first. You are number one. And so is your mental health.
In conclusion, postgraduate study is not for everyone! If you’ve read this through and thought as much, it’s ok! Postgraduate study is difficult as heck, and to be honest it might not be for me either, but I’ve found ways to mould it, shape it and make it work. I hope this article has shed some light on postgrad life, so everything goes a bit more smoothly (if that’s what you want!) 25
Giveaways We thought for our style issue we would show some aroha to our readers by giving away 2 x $50 gift cards for our favourite local clothing stores - Crushes and Checks! If you don’t already know, these are two Karangahape Road institutions, stocking high-quality garments made to last. To enter: tell us what your favourite item of clothing in your wardrobe is and why. DM us @debate_mag! Spend it wisely… or don’t!
$50 Crushes Gift Card
$50 Checks Gift Card
Want to see your work in Debate? Whether it’s hard-hitting journalism, or some good old shitposting you want to share, come hit us up.
KŌRERO MAI, KŌRERO ATU, MAURI TŪ, MAURI ORA
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Get in touch at debate@autsa.org.nz
Girl, is it time to axe the
Girl Code? WORDS | Alana McConnell (she/her) ILLUSTRATION | Yi Jong (she/they)
The concept of girl code, or the counterpart “bros before hoes”, has been tossed around from our school days and permeates our adult relationships today. I had enthusiastically believed that the girl code was a feminist duty, creating loyalty and sisterhood amongst female friends. But the more I navigate the complexities of dating, relationships, and the ins and outs of friendships, I’ve started to question the concept of girl code. What does girl code even mean? Is it worth sticking to? Or is it heteronormative, reductionistic and outdated? This is my case for why our girl code memberships may need to be revoked, and why maybe Gretchen Wieners isn’t right about “the rules of feminism”. My musings on girl code were inspired by a recent experience I had, which resulted in a falling out with someone I had considered to be a friend. We had gone to a gig together and I had talked to a boy that my friend had been talking to earlier in the evening. When we talked about it in the morning, and I attempted to rebuild what had been damaged in the previous night, I realised that “girl code” stops the conversation short and doesn’t honour or pay justice to resolving a relationship rupture. It also made me question just how culpable I was, and whether my actions turned me into an unfeminist, snakey, “guy's girl”. Something that I was admittedly quite afraid of being labelled as. My friend told me that she would never do that to someone, and that, for her, if her friend is talking to a boy, then he is automatically off limits for everyone else. Instead of being able to have an open discussion about our different perspectives, one small moment was able to derail a friendship that clearly didn’t have strong foundations.
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My first qualm with the concept of girl code is that it is nearly impossible to define. Because these rules are unwritten, every single girl will have a different idea of what constitutes this code, and this results in conflicts, disagreements, and in extreme cases, permanent ruptures in relationships. These unwritten and unspoken rules that exist within groups of girls are also usually centered around heterosexual dating. For some, the girl code can be as strict as “if I talk to a boy at a party, he is completely off limits to all of my friends”. For someone else, it could be as broad as “I would expect my friends not to date my ex-boyfriend”. You never sit down and spell the code out; the only time this code usually comes up in conversation is if it’s been broken. Rules that fall into the girl code can be undeniably positive, such as rescuing a girl at the bar from the unwelcome advances from a man or making sure your friend gets home safely after a night out. I would argue those simply fall under common human decency and care. Girl code can be extremely unreasonable to some, like blindly siding with your friend after a breakup even though they may have been the one in the wrong. Or the strange idea that a bridesmaid can’t look “better” than a bride, with the bridesmaids intentionally being given ugly and unflattering dresses. Women are seen as each other's competition under the guise of sisterhood.
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With girl code, it is assumed that everyone has the exact same morals as you, which is simply inaccurate, and even verges on being self-centred. All of us have different ways of existing in the world, we all have different boundaries, thresholds, and no-gos. Ideally, you would surround yourself with friends who are on the same wavelength as you when it comes to moral codes and values, but that’s not realistic, and often you only notice these differences after the friendship has already been established.
Girl code encourages women to dampen their desires or feelings with the main priority to stick to the code. It also removes agency from all parties, while focusing solely on one-size-fitsall heterosexual relationships. Journalist Moya Lothian-McLean describes it as “a fuzzy set of indeterminate rules that are used by women to police other women’s behaviour.” Girl code is used as a justification to write a friend off instead of trying to understand how the rupture has appeared, and why the lack of communication has caused the breakdown of the relationship. Is the extreme reaction from a friend actually caused by a bruised ego, old feelings of insecurity bubbling up, or the unpleasant experience of rejection?
Though girl code exists under the guise of being “feminist” and pro-woman, it actually puts all of the onus on the woman in the equation. Guided by girl code, if your friend ends up talking to a guy that you “claimed” at a party, then that would be justification to place all the blame on her, without consideration that two people are operating in the scenario. Don’t get me wrong, I love to see women supporting one another. I love when women expose cheating boyfriends on Instagram - it holds disrespectful partners accountable and is the right thing to do. I also believe that above all else, we need to be treating everyone how we ourselves would like to be treated. In my situation, I would understand my friend’s reaction if the boy in question had been an ex, or someone she had had a crush on for months. But this was a stranger who she had met that night. There were no prior emotions attached, but in the aftermath I felt like I had committed a crime comparable to hooking up with her ex in front of her face.
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When I realised I upset my friend, which was not my intention at all, I took her aside and we talked about it. I apologised in the aftermath and tried to hear her perspective, but I was also aware that I didn’t want to take an exorbitant amount of accountability to the extent I was feeling awful about myself. In trying to find that balance, that is when I began to rethink the concept of girl code. According to Olive Pometsey, “gendered etiquette rules such as girl code and ‘bros before hoes’ only perpetuate the idea that men and women are constantly at odds with each other, when really we should just be focused on doing the right thing”. Being able to have open, non-defensive, non-judgemental and empathetic conversations within friendships are vital, and should be highly prioritised over staunchly aligning with the outdated and short-sighted “girl code”.
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