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The virtual realm can’t save us

by Abby McCormick on

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Where do you go when you need help? When there are those moments in the semester too overwhelming to handle, to process, to sit still? When assignments pile up and you’re wading through homesickness, isolation, or low self-esteem? What if you’ve been struggling with your mental health? I don’t ask these questions to scare you away. I ask them because when we talk about mental health, we’re often not talking about the solutions, the compromises we make to ourselves, or the parts of ourselves that require gentleness and care.

Nearly fifty-seven per cent of McGill students who identify as disabled report having a mental health disorder. Late-night McLennan sessions are the norm, and the Wellness Hub’s record-long wait times persist. The mental health crisis at McGill is severe and growing. 

Founded in 2019, McGill’s Student Wellness Hub aims to provide students with free access to counsellors, nurses, doctors, psychologists, and other health care practitioners. However, the Wellness Hub has been continually plagued by staff shortages and long wait times that have left it unequipped to deal with students’ demands for mental health services. Manystaff move between volunteering for the students and working for the province’s health care system. When Quebec is unprepared to care for mental illness, on top of ingrained medical racism and sexism rampant in the health care system, the people who require treatment the most just have to wait, unserved and unseen.

In the wake of the Wellness Hub’s shortcomings and COVID-19 lockdowns that redirected the labour of medical workers, many students have turned to a more accessible alternative: Online therapy. With a plethora of apps from BetterHelp to Calmerry to Talkspace that offer mental health support at your fingertips, it is easy to understand why students are opting for these digital services. 

Online therapy comes in a variety of forms, mainly asynchronous text therapy and synchronous talk therapy via phone or video call. Since the start of the pandemic, therapists have been increasingly offering telehealth to their patients to reduce health risks. Therapy and self-help apps have become increasingly popular for many stakeholders—those seeking care, therapists in need of work, and corporations or institutions with employees or students demanding greater access to health care. The global mental health apps market size was valued at $5.6 billion CAD in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 16.5 per cent from 2022 to 2030.

Apps like BetterHelp match users with a therapist based on their profiles and offer live video call sessions. In these meetings, they often incorporate techniques used in in-person sessions, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which focuses on recognizing and reframing one’s unhealthy thinking patterns, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which prompts one to embrace their thoughts and feelings instead of feeling guilty about them. In implementing these changes, the return to in-person post-pandemic may be seamless or potentially unneeded. Other platforms, like Brightside, offer asynchronous text therapy options, where users can text the licensed counsellor that they are matched with when they are struggling. While users may find challenges in communicating their needs through writing, the time it takes to text may allow them to clarify their thoughts and better express their needs. Clients have space beyond a weekly one-hour limit to share their struggles, which might facilitate more effective treatment. 

This trend has travelled to the campus. Colleges and universities across North America have taken advantage of online mental health treatment by providing students with free access to therapy apps. For instance, as part of their pledge to achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion in education, the University of Kentucky began a partnership with Talkspace this year to offer its 30,437 students free counselling services.  

These apps also specifically target big clients like corporate workplaces and higher education institutions, marketing themselves as the key to higher employee productivity. But this raises the question of whether companies might rely on virtual mental health services instead of creating proper, non-exploitative working conditions. 

At McGill, the Student Wellness Hub provides students with access to Therapy Assisted Online (TAO), a self-directed platform that combines educational materials for mental health and professional development. The service is available to anyone but especially targets higher education, employers, and health care organizations.

Released in 2015, Maple, one of the Student Wellness Hub’s partners, aims to connect its users to a licensed physician within minutes. Users are prompted to enter their symptoms and they are then paired with a physician with whom they can chat via text or video call, and receive a diagnosis or prescription. This platform makes it easier for students to receive a diagnosis, which are often difficult to acquire, especially if an in-person visit to the Hub is not possible. 

One of the Hub’s other partners, keep.meSAFE, provides 24/7 access to professional counsellors whom students can contact via phone or chat. The platform has also partnered with other Canadian universities including the University of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University, and the University of Guelph. 

Both the Wellness Hub and keep.meSAFE, however, only offer multi-session support with an assigned counsellor in the short term. Self-guided platforms like TAO are best used as mere ​​complementary efforts to talk therapy, which experts recommend as a first-line treatment for intense cases of mental illness. And you can’t forget the potential for these services to contribute to the underfunding and privatizing of health care and take the pressure off the federal and provincial governments to provide comprehensive mental health care for all.

As a result, students who require more personalized long-term treatment, but are deterred by high expenses, insurance concerns, or the difficulty of finding the right therapist, may turn to therapy apps that advertise themselves as the solution to all barriers to access. BetterHelp’s stated mission is: “Making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient—so anyone who struggles with life’s challenges can get help, anytime and anywhere.”

This was the case for Jordan*, who experienced an “all-time low” shortly after beginning their studies at McGill. Jordan’s feelings of isolation and academic stress initially led them to seek help at the Wellness Hub.

“I was told that they had an opening in two months, but I was like ‘What do you mean? I’m in a crisis situation right now. I need someone right now,’” Jordan said in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

After being deterred by these lengthy wait times, Jordan turned to BetterHelp as a means of finding a therapist. They purchased their monthly plan for $340 per month, which granted them access to a phone call once per week with a licensed counsellor. 

“I gained a lot from it,” Jordan said of their BetterHelp experience. “It was nice to talk to someone who would listen to me and agree with everything I said, but push me.”

Martin Drapeau, a clinical psychologist and professor of educational and clinical psychology and psychiatry at McGill, sees online therapy as one of the positives to have come out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s become a ‘mainstream’ practice that continues to be used at rates that are significantly higher than pre-pandemic,” Drapeau wrote in an email to the Tribune. “It is simply more convenient for most people, clinicians included, [and] now that it has become mainstream, clinicians are getting better and better at delivering online therapy.”

Nate Fuks, director of the Virginia I. Douglas Centre for Clinical Psychology and assistant professor of clinical psychology at McGill, cites fewer financial barriers as a key advantage to telehealth and therapy apps.

“Some online mental health platforms make therapy more accessible financially, which is an important consideration for students—students have limited financial resources and therapy can be really expensive these days,” Fuks wrote in an email to the Tribune.

Jordan’s experience with BetterHealth did not, however, meet their expectations when it came to financial accessibility.

“At the end of the day, it’s still a business. It’s not cheap and it’s not accessible to everyone, which is kind of what was advertised,” Jordan said.

Since the platform was not financially sustainable over time, Jordan opted to stop using the platform once their mental health crisis subsided.

Though online therapy may be effective for some patients, Drapeau highlights that, for those suffering from certain mental health disorders, in-person treatment is preferred.

“[Online therapy is] not recommended […] for anxiety disorders that require exposure, [like] social anxiety and phobias,” Drapeau wrote. “It is also not recommended for children, individuals who have ADHD, [or those who] have a possibility of suicidal ideation, although adjustments can be made.” 

Fuks points out that face-to-face interactions are often key to cultivating a safe space for people to open up about their mental health struggles.

“In person, therapy usually happens in the therapist’s office, which often becomes a space psychologically associated with safety and security—necessary variables to make the therapy work,” Fuks added. “A lot of clients, as well as practitioners, find establishing a good working therapeutic alliance easier in person than online.”

For students living in communal settings, in particular, Fuks explains that difficulty in finding a private space for virtual therapy sessions can be a barrier to making the most of mental health care.

“Sometimes it is challenging for clients to find a private soundproof space where they can speak freely, without the fear of being overheard by their roommates or family members,” Fuks said. “This negatively impacts clients’ ability to feel safe to speak freely about any subject in their lives, which is central to productive work in therapy.”

Despite advertising themselves as a universalizing service, therapy apps exclude those who do not have access to a private space, a stable internet connection, and a laptop or phone. 

Many have also critiqued therapy apps’ lack of guaranteed protection for their users’ personal health data. A 2020 investigation from Jezebel found that BetterHelp information was being shared with Facebook, including metadata of messages between patients and therapists. 

Drapeau believes that these safety concerns could be alleviated with proper governmental regulations regarding patient data safety.

“There are guidelines for online practice. When these are followed, online therapy is perfectly safe,” he explained.

While Jordan benefitted from BetterHelp, they echo Drapeau and Fuks’ preference for in-person therapy—an experience that they had prior to moving to Montreal.

“In person, you can’t really hide behind the screen,” Jordan told the Tribune. “It pushes people to share more quickly, [whereas] online really depends more on your willingness to share.”

Limited in the number and diversity of its own counsellors, McGill’s Wellness Hub relies on outsourcing students to their virtual telehealth partners—Maple, keep.meSAFE, and TAO—when they cannot meet the needs of different student communities. The Hub website, for instance, directs students seeking a Black or Indigenous counsellor or a counsellor of colour to keep.meSAFE. 

Minority groups, including racialized, disabled, low-income, and 2SLGBTQIA+ students, already disproportionately face structural barriers to receiving mental health care. McGill should not be able to offload the responsibility of providing care specific to the trauma and mental health experiences of such students through telehealth partnerships. McGill should, instead, focus on providing specific and comprehensive care in any commitment to combating anti-Black racism and redressing settler colonialism.

For Jordan, reaching out for help was a struggle in itself against the heavy stigmatization of therapy. 

“More so in the Black community, people don’t really do therapy. I really had to push for it with my family,” Jordan explained. “I do recommend it, but there are still these cultural barriers.”

The Hub remains an important stakeholder in improving mental health on campus. Dr. Vera Morono, Director of the Student Wellness Hub, cites greater flexibility as a key reason for the Hub’s continued use of online care. 

“Virtual therapy offers a flexibility that increases accessibility for many users by allowing for shorter appointments, reducing physical barriers, more adaptable schedules, etc.,” Morono wrote in an email to the Tribune.  “That flexibility is further enhanced with supplementary apps and services like keep.meSAFE, which offer expanded and vetted care options such as 24/7 support, care providers in multiple languages, self-guided care, and more.”

The long-term effects of shifting therapy into the virtual realm are still unclear. As virtual services are integrated into university infrastructures, it is important to remember that third-party apps and services are fundamentally businesses seeking to profit off of students’ demands for mental health resources. They are not accessible or effective models of care for everyone and should not be the be-all and end-all solution to McGill’s mental health crisis. 

While online therapy apps do increase access to therapy in many ways, more investment must be directed toward the root causes of the rise of mental health problems on campus: McGill’s hustle culture, rising tuition costs, food insecurity, and an ableist post-pandemic climate, among others. We shouldn’t just digitize what we should transform. 

* Jordan’s name has been changed to preserve their anonymity.

McGill, News

“No TERFs on our turf”: Students rally against talk platforming anti-trans organization

by Madison Edward-Wright on

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Content warning: Mention of racist and transphobic violence

In the early afternoon of Jan. 10, McGill students and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community packed into Chancellor Day Hall to protest “The Sex vs. Gender (Identity) Debate in the United Kingdom and the Divorce of LGB from T,” a talk by Robert Wintemute hosted that day by the Faculty of Law’s Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism (CHRLP). 

Wintemute, a human rights lawyer and professor at King’s College London, is a trustee of the LGB Alliance, an anti-trans lobbying organization and charity in the U.K. that aims to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people while simultaneously recognizing sex solely as a binary. 

Trans activist Celeste Trianon, along with members of Trans Patient Union and RadLaw McGill—all of whom organized the protest—filed through the entrance of Chancellor Day Hall 20 minutes before the talk was slated to begin, carrying bullhorns and banners, chanting “LGB with a T.” Students and 2SLGBTQIA+ community members gathered around the organizers to show solidarity and joined in the chanting, quieting only to let Trianon speak.

“McGill’s Faculty of Law, by actively giving a platform to anti-trans lawyer Robert Wintemute, is directly contributing to the same rollback of human rights that have been plaguing our world as of late,” Trianon said in their opening remarks. “The sheer irony in platforming him through the [CHRLP] cannot be overstated. Trans rights cannot, can never be, separated from gay or lesbian rights and they are not at odds with the rights of children or women.” 

As Trianon continued, protesters cheered and jeered, interjecting by calling “shame” on the CHRLP, Robert Leckey—the Dean of the Faculty of Law—and McGill. By 1 p.m., protestors were blocking the doors to the room where Wintemute was supposed to give his talk with banners, and 20 minutes later, protest organizers announced that the talk was cancelled. Wintemute and Leckey were still inside. 

Some trans activists in attendance, including Bee Bergeron, U1 Arts, were disappointed that they had to spend a Tuesday afternoon fighting for their rights rather than attending class. 

“I thought university would be a welcoming space for me. I thought I would be able to just focus on my studies without worrying about [my rights],” Bergeron said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “Ta yeule, TERF [shut up, TERF].”

Bergeron added that Wintemute should “stop trying to insert [himself] in university affairs, stop trying to legitimize bullshit. It is so unfair to trans people, especially trans women of colour because they kickstarted the whole movement and now [he is] backstabbing them.”

Trans women of colour such as Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, were prominent figures in the gay rights movement in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s, and were some of the strongest voices at key events like the Stonewall uprising. Despite the crucial role trans women of colour have played in securing LGBTQ+ rights, 57 trans women and non-binary folks of colour  were killed in the United States in 2021 alone.

After Wintemute’s talk was cancelled, protestors took up the chants “no TERFs on our turf” and “TERFs go home.” They directed calls at supporters of Wintemute who stood outside the event space—one woman was seen sporting an “I love JK” t-shirt, referring to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling who has repeatedly made transphobic comments on Twitter.

Police were also on the scene. Two officers entered Chancellor Day Hall as the protest reached its peak to ensure no violence broke out. The officers did not stay for more than a few minutes, after which they remained in their patrol car outside. They were not present when protestors threw baking flour at Wintemute.

In an interview with the Tribune after their speech, Trianon denounced McGill and the CHRLP for justifying their decision to host Wintemute with arguments about preserving and pursuing academic freedom.

“Academic freedom, like freedom of speech, is not hate speech. There is a difference between pure attacks on people’s dignity and academic freedom as we know it,” Trianon said. “This is an event designed specifically to attack the trans community, there is no other way to put it [….] When you tolerate intolerance, your ability to tolerate gets stripped away, so why should we tolerate intolerance to trans people?”

The protest received support from organizations like the Concordia Student Union, Social Work Student Association (McGill), Sex and Self, Black Students’ Network McGill, Project 10, Midnight Kitchen, and many more. More than 500 individuals have also signed an open letter penned by Trianon, RadLaw McGill, and Queer McGill criticizing McGill and demanding accountability for hosting the talk.

In the days following the protest, Dean Leckey sent an email to law students claiming their actions on Tuesday “far exceeded the generous ambit of peaceful protest.” He asked students to reflect on the consequences of their behaviour and the kind of environment created for future “guests.” 

The “Sex vs. Gender (Identity) Debate” was not the first time Leckey has worked with Wintemute. In September 2013, the Montreal Gazette published a piece co-authored by the two titled, “Quebec should be as tolerant of religious diversity as it has been of sexual orientation.” Wintemute is also a McGill graduate—he earned a law degree from McGill in 1982.

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) addressed the undergraduate student body, and trans students in particular, on Jan. 12 in an email that denounced the CHRLP for welcoming Wintemute. Val Masny, SSMU vice-president External Affairs, reiterated SSMU’s statement in an email to the Tribune, adding that students should contact them to discuss action against transphobia at McGill. 

“It’s important for me to emphasize all the work that was done by Queer McGill, the Trans Patient Union, RadLaw, as well as other groups, and students around this issue,” Masny wrote. “In a couple of days, I’ve seen a community come together and demand better from their university. The struggle is not over. The trans community at McGill has been asking the university for better services for years, and now they are also asking for accountability.” 

On Jan. 16, Queer McGill published a letter signed by the organizers of the Jan. 10 protest detailing demands they have for the CHRLP, McGill, and the Faculty of Law. The four demands are offer an official, public apology for welcoming Wintemute, host a community consultation with an audience that reflects the trans community at McGill, investigate why Wintemute was approved to speak at the university, and make donations to the Trans ID Legal Clinic. The letter concludes by warning McGill, the CHRLP, and the Faculty of Law that if a response is not received by Jan. 26, the signatories will mobilize till the demands are met. 

The day Wintemute was scheduled to speak at McGill, the LGB Alliance filed an official complaint with the United Nations against Victor Madrigal-Borloz, the current UN independent expert on sexual orientation and gender identity. The complaint alleges that Madrigal-Borloz is in violation of his mandate because he supports legislation that requires the implementation of gender self-ID practices.

Students who wish to change their gender marker on Minerva can visit the Legal Information Clinic at McGill. Those wishing to report instances of discrimination can contact the SSMU University Affairs executive team or the PGSS University Affair Officer. Trans and non-binary students seeking support should contact Project 10, Queer McGill, or the Trans Patient Union.

A previous version of this article stated that Queer McGill organized the protest. In fact, RadLaw McGill and the Trans Patient Union organized the protest, and Queer McGill only helped advertise it. The Tribune regrets this error.

McGill, News

Faculty of Law event to host speaker with ties to anti-trans organization

by Shani Laskin on

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McGill’s Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism (CHRLP), housed by the Faculty of Law, is hosting Robert Wintemute for a talk titled “The Sex vs. Gender (Identity) Debate In the United Kingdom and the Divorce of LGB from T” at 1 p.m. on Jan. 10. CHRLP’s decision to welcome Wintemute prompted outcry from several groups at McGill, including RadLaw McGill and Queer McGill, for his association with a trans-exclusionary advocacy organization. The student groups, along with trans activist Celeste Trianon, are staging a protest at 12:40 p.m. on Jan. 10 in room 16 of Old Chancellor Day Hall, where the “Sex vs. Gender (Identity) Debate” will take place.

Wintemute, who graduated from the Faculty of Law in 1982 and is currently a professor of human rights law at King’s College London, is a trustee of the LGB Alliance—an organization based in the United Kingdom that advocates for the rights of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people only. LGB Alliance is widely regarded as an anti-trans hate group because it only recognizes sex as a binary, invalidating the identities of transgender and non-binary people. The LGB Alliance has also lobbied to exclude transgender people from legislation that would shield them from conversion therapy in the U.K.

In an interview with The McGill Tribune, Trianon, a law student at Université de Montréal, reflected on the interconnectedness of gender, sexuality, and human rights issues. 

“What the LGB Alliance does is try to divide and conquer the trans community by attempting to ‘drop the T’ or otherwise remove trans people from the picture,” Trianon said. “We cannot separate trans rights from women’s rights, from gay and lesbian rights—everything’s interconnected. And oftentimes, it is people who are most marginalized or touched by the most intersections that are hurt.”

According to CHRPL co-director Frédéric Mégret, the Centre was approached by Wintemute to host his presentation. Mégret added that the Centre recognizes the concerns that students and other community members have with platforming the LGB Alliance, but ultimately stressed that the Centre is dedicated to upholding academic freedom.

“We are mindful that this is a very problematic organization in many ways,” Mégret said in an interview with the Tribune. “We are also keen on hosting difficult conversations—the Centre has in the past and we think that the ethos of human rights is that ideas have to be voiced and refuted [….] We invite people whose views we occasionally strongly disagree with. The question is whether there’s space for a conversation.”

While not advertised on the event’s web page, Professor Darren Rosenblum will be present to provide a rebuttal to Wintemute, according to Mégret. Yet, several groups at McGill, including RadLaw McGill, Queer McGill, and  Black Students’ Network McGill, have spoken out against CHRLP’s decision to platform Wintemute and the LGB Alliance’s values in the first place. 

The Trans Patient Union (TPU), a coalition of Queer McGill and the Union for Gender Empowerment, condemned CHRPL’s response, which the union finds to be insufficient. 

“How are trans and nonbinary people meant to feel that they belong at McGill when its administration makes it clear that our right to legal protection is up for debate?” Jacob Williams, a TPU representative, said in a statement to the Tribune. “The debate sends the message that rejecting trans protections in law is a position worth considering.”

Williams stressed that the Centre’s choice to platform Wintemute is indicative of McGill’s approach to equity at an institutional level. To support trans students, the organization recommends that community members and leaders centre the experiences of marginalized folks at McGill.

“Don’t let McGill’s branding as ‘inclusive,’ ‘equitable,’ and ‘diverse’ obscure the actual experiences of trans people among other minorities at McGill,” Williams said. “When it comes to ‘equity,’ McGill is all bark and no bite. So until we see the results we need, students need to call out McGill’s supposed commitment to ‘equity’ for what it really is: A corporation’s shallow, self-interested marketing strategy that occasionally delivers crumbs.” 

For those seeking support, the Trans Patient Union is an advocacy and mutual aid collective by and for trans and nonbinary patients at McGill and can be reached on Instagram. @transpatients. 

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

1899 is a brilliant mosaic in nine different languages

by Courtney Squires on

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1899 is a multi-everything show: Multilingual, multicultural, multigenerational, and with multiple plotlines. Even the most intuitive of viewers are guaranteed to be thrown by one of the plot twists—because spoiler alert, there are multiple! 

The eight-episode Netflix series, released on Nov. 17, follows passengers on a cross-Atlantic naval voyage thrown into a series of progressively alarming situations after discovering a thought-to-be-sunken steamship. The mystery-thriller attempts to fill the shoes of Dark (2017)—the previous show written by series creators Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar—packing 1899 with action, mystery, and disorientation. But though 1899 bears many thematic and visual similarities to Dark, it is entirely unique. Though oh-so-slightly predictable at times, 1899 is a delightfully eerie and puzzling series, providing a perfect form of escapism for the upcoming months of dropping temperatures. 

A television show is only as great as its actors, and 1899’s cast is stuffed with dystopian television veterans, such as Emily Beecham (Into the Badlands), Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen (The Rain), Miguel Bernardeau (Elite), Mathilde Ollivier (Overlord), and even Andreas Pietschmann, who plays a peripheral protagonist in Dark. With actors that rule this genre, it’s not surprising that the performances are stellar, something best proven through the characters’ abilities to emotionally connect despite the language barriers. 1899 is a multilingual show where each actor speaks their native language.  Aside from being historically authentic, this adds to the chaos of the plot as the characters must communicate despite the constant dialectal disconnect. Though there are options for audio dubs, for the most immersive experience, the creators recommend watching the show in the original mix of languages, which includes English, Hindi, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Polish, Danish, and Swedish. 

As an avid fan of Dark—and by extension, Friese and bo Odar—I find it difficult to be truly unbiased. 1899  cultivates the ambiance of a hauntingly disjointed steamship: Nothing seems to make sense, nobody understands each other, and everyone has something to hide. This is no doubt a show to watch with all the lights off, perhaps by candlelight if you want to delve into the authentic nineteenth-century experience. The soundtrack seamlessly supplements the show’s preternatural vibe—curated by Ben Frost, it features tracks by Hozier, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, and even Cher. 1899 mesmerizes viewers with its top-notch colour-grading and atmospheric visuals. How can you make a tiny room on a steamship or an imminently aflame house seem appealing? 1899 constructs this appeal, with each and every one of the sets distinct and terrifyingly alluring. 

One of the most appealing characteristics of Friese and bo Odar’s works is that there’s no spoon-feeding. The characters do not impart any wisdom or answers but instead are at the mercy of the narrative just as much as the viewers. We are equally shocked at the sudden appearance of a missing steamship, a blue-eyed child, or an anachronistic flashlight (in the nineteenth century?!). Because of this, 1899 is a show meant to be experienced rather than understood. There are so many intersecting storylines, and if 1899 is anything similar to Dark, any loose ends will probably remain unresolved until least expected. 


Unfortunately, Netflix has cancelled any future seasons of 1899. With the creators’ renowned knack for intricately planned plotlines and secrets, as well as their consistent reliance on the triquetra (a triangular figure composed of three interlaced arcs) as a defining symbol of the series, viewers will be left with many unanswered questions. Despite the show remaining on the top 10 lists for weeks, Netflix attributed the cancellation to insufficient popularity. So, with the number of laughingly awful series that Netflix is churning out, this cancellation shows the streaming platform is favouring profits over substance. Not the best indication for television in 2023…thanks, Netflix.

Out on the Town, Student Life

Micro restaurant Vivace makes you feel at home

by Harry North on

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Let me introduce a new term to your gourmet palate: Micro restaurant. As in, a restaurant the size of a stamp, with only a handful of tables, owned and run by the chef. Unlike larger restaurants, micro restaurants allow chefs to try out new recipes in a more intimate, interactive setting. It’s like dining in a chef’s living room. 

Vivace is a new micro restaurant on the corner of des Pins and Coloniale, which Chef Maurin Arellano opened last summer, replacing the Colombian joint, Mr. Empanada. Arellano sources fresh ingredients from local farms and prepares a different menu every week, cooking in an open-planned kitchen just metres away from her guests. The result? A restaurant that’s poised to thrive in Montreal’s hip Plateau.   

I drop by the day before to book a table. Almost straight away, I’m admiring the vibrant-orange mural outside, designed by local community artists. The winking beetroot above the door with fire splintering out of its head is quite the head-turner, as is the corn with legs. The road work on des Pins is also finally finished. Only took them two years. 

(Trip Advisor)

Inside, a cozy, square room with a rustic, light-blue counter and a busy, compact kitchen greets you. Two long unpretentious tables, with booths and short wooden stools, hug the corner. Artwork and postcard-sized drawings dot the walls, but utensils, like plates and cutlery stacked on the counter, and pots and pans dangling from a wall hook, serve as modest decorations, too. Then there’s this extra-large, white fridge that sits haughtily behind the counter covered in enough hippie stickers to beguile a Concordia art student for a week.   

Chef Arellano, a 40-something woman originally from Mexico but who moved to Canada over 20 years ago, leaves the pretentious chef’s coat for the pretenders, dressed in an unassuming grey t-shirt and a pinstripe apron. She’s cooking for a lone gentleman in his late forties, commanding the kitchen with a humble but self-assured swagger. 

After a few pleasantries, I ask hesitantly, “Do you have a table at 7:45 p.m. tomorrow?” 

“Yep,” Arellano replies. “What’s the name?” 

I don’t know what comes over me, but in the spur of the moment, I book under a fake name. 

“James,” I assert, flinching slightly.

It sounds ridiculous. It is ridiculous. It’s the sort of thing Americans would do. I mean, who do I think I am? A spy? James Bond? Well, not exactly. The name is James, though. James North. 

The next day, Allegra, my dining companion for the evening, and I arrive at 7:45 p.m. A couple is sitting by the window table, so we sit at the other table along the wall. 

The menu, written in chalk on the wall, consists of a soup, three mains, and a dessert. Arellano tells me there’s no particular food genre—rather, it’s seasonal and changes every week according to the farm’s produce. She also serves local wines and beers. 

In larger restaurants, chefs typically prepare your meal behind closed doors, so there’s no telling what happens. Service is also compartmentalized, with each employee doing a different role, whether it’s hosting, bussing, or taking orders. Not here. Maurin is your server-chef-owner and prepares your meal from two metres away—you can even hear the chopping. 

To start, we share the vegetable chowder, which is well-seasoned, sweet, and earthy, like a forester’s zest for life. The roasted chicken with arugula pesto, potatoes, broccoli, and a slice of toasted artisan bread comes as a main. A seriously good dish. Tender, fibrous chicken, kicking with zip from the pesto, and juicy, like a good gossip session with the girlies. 

Allegra gets the gnocchi, which she enjoys, and for dessert, we share the wheat-based fruit tart, which could do with a sauce or sorbet to ease the graininess. I’m a white bread eater, you see. 

The pleasure at Vivace doesn’t end once you’ve finished your meal; the intimate setting serves as an affable place to continue chatting, perhaps with a glass of wine, too. Pricewise, $6 for the soup and $5 for the dessert is reasonable. $25 for the mains stretches it for students, but it’s better value for those who love food and are looking for a down-to-earth, informal setting. It really is like going to your friend’s house for dinner.   

Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Vivace Restaurant

101 Avenue des Pins, Montréal, H2W 1N8

Dine in only, no delivery 

What the score means: Scores are out of five stars. 

Five stars: Best thing since sliced bread. 

Four stars: Excellent

Three stars: Jolly good.

Two stars: Probably won’t return. 

One star: Starbucks Coffee.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Coping with the Netflix-ification of a classic: ‘Wednesday’

by Alice Kreinin on

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How does a piece of media become a classic?  Time is certainly a factor. Whether it’s a book, movie, or a particularly captivating ensemble, classics remain relevant and hold up through changing cultural landscapes. One such enchanting “classic” emerged between the pages of The New Yorker in 1938 with the publication of The Addams Family, a series of cartoons created by Charles Addams. These cartoons, and the uncanny family featured within them, have since undergone countless iterations, from TV shows to films to a Broadway musical. And on Nov. 23, Tim Burton’s Wednesday was released on Netflix, offering a dubious addition to the Addams Family collection.

It places Wednesday in a modern setting, uniting old and new characters alike. It’s packed with references to older adaptations of The Addams Family—like the iconic double-snap of The Addams Family theme song—but doesn’t shy away from uncharted territory, either. 

Unlike previous variations, this adaptation centres around the Addams clan’s oldest daughter, Wednesday (Jenna Ortega). The show takes place at Nevermore, a boarding school established for “outcasts,” as the show dubs students with strange or supernatural abilities. Sent by her parents, Wednesday navigates the new school while developing dangerous and unpredictable psychic powers. Ultimately, she is sucked into a sinister mystery at the heart of Nevermore in a slightly tired storyline. 

The new directions that the show takes may be entertaining, but they undermine the Addams Family’s trademark charm;Wednesday instills the Addams Family with an awareness of their own peculiarity. They are self-identified “outcasts” which, in many ways, erases the whimsy that made their previous iterations compelling, existing as nutty anomalies in our regular world. Wednesday shatters the old paradigm with a plot centred on the conflict between “outcasts” and “normies,” or, non-magical humans, creating a structured plot at the cost of demystifying the characters to set up social groups for easy storytelling. While this is a good way to appeal to the show’s younger target audience, it’s ultimately disingenuous to core qualities of the source material.

But where Wednesday subverts hallmarks of the Addams Family, it adds nuance to Wednesday’s character. Her previous iterations didn’t need to face significant character progression—she remained static as a reliable comedic background figure. Wednesday imbues her with a distinct character arc that uncovers a darker side to her personality, although it’s not an entirely successful evolution. Lazy attempts to make her relatable bring about the Netflix-ification of Wednesday Addams, plagued by a love triangle and I don’t want to turn out like you! parental conflicts. The show’s attempts to humanize Wednesday with played-out cliches offer no intrigue. Ortega’s impressive performance partially redeems this, capturing Wednesday’s deadpan nihilism and staying true to classic depictions of Wednesday while bringing about new iconic moments—notably, the dance sequence that has recently taken over TikTok. Even in the midst of mediocre writing, Ortega’s performance is consistently captivating and her co-stars pale in comparison.

Admittedly, I dreaded the release of Wednesday. In my eyes, Wednesday Addams is perfect the way she is. That is to say, the way she was in the early 90s films directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. Since the series is so well-loved and established in popular culture, any creative liberties taken by the creators of Wednesday would have almost inevitably faced criticism. Readaptations tend to alienate die-hard fans of the source material, but sometimes they are what continuously breathe life into a story. While I consider the Sonnenfeld films to be classics, others might say that the true classic Addams Family is the animated TV series of the 70s or the sitcom of the 60s. 

Wednesday does many things wrong, but it is nonetheless a fun addition to the Addams Family canon. The show marks the timelessness of Charles Addams’ invention and paves the way for future retellings that may also, someday, be upheld as classics. It hasn’t besmirched Wednesday Addams; instead, it’s kept her cold, black heart beating.

Sports, Varsity Round UP

Varsity Report Card: Fall 2022

by Sepideh Afshar, Tillie Burlock, Sarah Farnand on

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Men’s Baseball (21–8): A

After two years of cancelled seasons and uncertainty, the McGill men’s baseball team is finally back, and they did not disappoint. With a roster mainly composed of players in their first year of eligibility, no one quite knew what this season would hold for the Redbirds. Concerns that the team would be unable to keep up with those who played in 2021 arose after the team dropped three straight games in early September. But the Redbirds refused to let that define their season, winning 13 of their next 14. The remarkable record carried over to the Quebec semi-finals where they silenced the Université de Montréal in a double-header before facing off against Concordia (12–10) in the final. The Stingers were no match for the Redbirds as McGill swept the best-of-three series to win the Quebec championship. The impressive season was highlighted by breakout stars all around the diamond. Starting pitcher Arthur “Cinch” Smith went 4–0, leading the team with 30 innings pitched. On the other side of the ball, Jett Jarvis and Chris Bodine carried the team’s offence, slashing .377/.448/.481 and .421/.515/.491 respectively. Overall, the championship, combined with a number of impressive individual seasons, earns the Redbirds’ baseball team an A from us. 

Men’s Lacrosse (8–5): A-

What can we say about the men’s lacrosse team? Records were broken, history was made, and fans were more than entertained. After dropping their season opener to the Trent Excalibur (11–1), the Redbirds went on to win their next four games, averaging a goal differential of over five. The team defeated Queen’s (7–4) in a sudden-death playoff game to advance to the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) Baggataway Cup Championship Tournament. After defeating Western (10–2) in a remarkable comeback victory in the quarter-finals, McGill faced off against the top-seeded Trent in the semis. Missing their leading scorer Cameron McGinnis due to injury, the Redbirds fell to the Excalibur for the third time this season. Despite a disappointing final outcome, the Redbirds’ first year back after two lost seasons due to the pandemic was marked by impressive individual performances. On Oct. 28,  McGinnis scored eight goals, breaking the McGill record for goals in a single game. With two multi-goal games in the playoffs and four in the regular season, Isaiah Cree was named to the Baggataway Cup All-Tournament team. Samuel Macdonald was selected as the team’s lone CUFLA East All-Star, with honourable mentions Chris Parkinson and Logan Glick. With eight graduating seniors, the team is bound to look different but hopefully, the incoming rookies will avenge the ‘Birds next season. 

Men’s Rugby (10–2):  A+ 

The 2022-2023 season marked a historic one for Redbirds rugby. The team not only attended Nationals for the second time in the rugby program’s 150 years of existence, but came home with silver medals for the first time. Their 48-5 defeat by the University of British Columbia (10–3) marked their second loss in a strong and exciting season. Fourth-year Zachary Auger was named player of the game for McGill. Meanwhile, three Redbirds were named All-Tournament first-team All-Stars: Fourth-year captain Monty Weatherall, third-year Brad Hunger, and third-year Alexander Armstrong. This comes after these same players, along with three others—Alexandre Laurendeau (also named rookie of the year), Owen Cumming, and Gaspard Poiré—were named RSEQ All-Stars after the RSEQ final. The Nationals final play marked an emotional last game for over a dozen seniors on the team. Redbirds rugby was phenomenal this year, setting an example for varsity athletes both on and off the field while giving fans something to cheer about all season long. For both their play and their overall impact on the McGill community and beyond, with activities such as teaching coding at an elementary school, we award men’s rugby the coveted A+. 

Cross Country: Martlets B+/ Redbirds A-

With the women only having enough runners to score as a team in one meet this season, grading the team as a whole is quite difficult. However, Sophie Courville and Ann-Rebecca Drolet stood out on the Martlets’ side as both runners qualified for U Sports Nationals and earned RSEQ all-star status. Second-year Sophie Rashid-Cocker also put up some impressive races throughout the season, finishing second for the Martlets at the McGill Open and placing fourth overall at the Sherbrooke Invitational. While the team is small, they are mighty, and for that The McGill Tribune gives the Martlets Cross Country team a valiant B+.

While the men’s team consistently had enough runners to score, they lacked depth for much of the season. When three of the top runners were taken out of the equation, as was the case at the Rouge et Or Interlocking Meet, the team was no longer competitive. However, four runners earned RSEQ All-Star honours, there were several strong team finishes throughout the season, and an impressive end to the season at Nationals. Therefore, the Redbirds score slightly higher than the Martlets with an A- overall.

Women’s Soccer (7–6–3:) B

With a record just a lick above .500, the Martlets soccer team had a very average season earning them a very average B. There was little to complain about early on as the Martlets opened their preseason with a win over the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) defending champions, Acadia University. With rookie Sophie Guilmette, a transfer student from the NCAA Division I Vanderbilt, between the pipes, all signs pointed to a promising year for the Martlets. After dropping their first RSEQ regular season game to UQÀM, the Martlets bounced back and forth between wins and losses. The squad finally strung together back-to-back wins in late September but was unable to maintain the pace, finishing off the month with a draw. The Martlets headed into the RSEQ semifinals against Laval (10–1–3) with a 2–2–2 record in October. Despite falling 1-0 to the Rouge et Or, many individual Martlets had standout showings. Midfielder Mara Bouchard was named to the RSEQ All-Star first team and U Sports All-Canadian second team, while defender Stephanie Hill was given the RSEQ second-team All-Star honours. As for the rookies, midfielder Chloe Renaud made the U Sports National All-Rookie team, the RSEQ second team, and the RSEQ All-Rookie team alongside defender Giselle De Leon.  

Men’s Football (1–7): D

For Redbirds’ football, D stands for do not disturb. As in, do not disturb their two consecutive years of ending the season with a 1–7 record. Keeping in this tradition, we, at The McGill Tribune, also do not want to disturb the D grade they got in last year’s Varsity Report Card. Between their home opener and the end of the season, their only win was a 50-36 finish against Sherbrooke. Despite the team’s overall performance, four stand-out players received All-Star honours from RSEQ: Second-year offensive line Zachary Aboud, third-year receiver Darius Simmons, and first-year defensive back Benjamin Labrosse, first-year quarterback Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald. We look forward to seeing how this team evolves considering their impressive young players like Regimbald, who was named RSEQ most outstanding rookie and RSEQ offensive rookie of the year. As the third-ever McGill player to win the Peter Gorman Trophy, Regimbald has left fans excited for the team’s future. Until then, we wish them a terrific off-season and hope the Redbirds football squad is not getting too comfortable in their current funk. 

Arts & Entertainment

The McGill Tribune presents: THE BEST AND WORST OF 2022

by Ella Buckingham, Suzanna Graham, Charlotte Hayes, Dana Prather, Yash Zodgekar on

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BEST OF

Albums

Mitski, Laurel Hell – Ella Buckingham

(albumism.com)

Japanese-American singer-songwriter Mitski’s sixth studio album, Laurel Hell, comes off the back of her three-year hiatus and is an artful collection of head-bopping pop numbers and slow, narrative ballads. Though veering more toward the mainstream than her previous albums, throughout this record, Mitski tackles her discomfort with her role as an indie-rock icon and the hardships of staying true to oneself in the music industry. Despite critiques that Mitski has become a “mainstream sellout” with her turn to conventional sounds such as bright 80s pop beats, Laurel Hell manages to wow with tracks such as “Heat Lightning” and still impresses self-proclaimed cool kids everywhere.

Kendrick Lamar, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers – Yash Zodgekar

(latentsrecords.com)

Kendrick Lamar’s latest release finds him at his most confessional, reflecting on themes like fatherhood, sexual addiction, and celebrity worship through the lens of his experiences in therapy. The result is a record of great emotional poignance, once again demonstrating Lamar’s remarkable poetic skill. Sonically, the 18 tracks presented are remarkably diverse, melding jazz samples, trap beats, and orchestral arrangements, sounding like no one else in the process. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers is an essential record for any hip-hop fan this year. 

Harry Styles, Harry’s House – Dana Prather

(russelredrecords.ca)

The May release of Harry Styles’ Harry’s House kicked off a summer of supreme new music, taking listeners on a leisurely stroll through the pop star’s daydreams and reflections on love. Standout track “Late Night Talking” infuses its 80s-inspired beat with the singer’s characteristic charm, while the woefully-neglected B-side, “Satellite,” supplies some of the album’s best sonic moments. While the lyrics can leave something to be desired (looking at you, “Cinema”), the former One Direction star’s much-anticipated third solo album provided enough blissful beats to keep us moving and grooving all year long. 

Beyoncé, Renaissance – Suzanna Graham

(nme.com)

Queen Bey reaffirmed her reign on the music industry with her chart-topping seventh studio album Renaissance. The album revives a disco era, encouraging uninhibited sweaty dance party vibes that the Bey-hive was missing during the height of the pandemic. Beyoncé strives for the future, especially in “Alien Superstar,” a utopian track that mixes poetry and singing while oozing confidence. Beyoncé’s bops are better than ever with her raspy vocals, club beats, and self-love lyrics. 

Films 

Everything Everywhere All at Once – Dana Prather

(imdb.com)

Both a fan-favourite and critical darling, A24’s Everything Everywhere All At Once is a rare piece of media that everyone seems to agree on: This film is a messy, mind-bending masterpiece. Written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (collectively, ‘Daniels’), the film blends sci-fi, action, comedy, and domestic drama to offer a fresh take on the multiverse concept. In a career-best performance, Michelle Yeoh portrays an immigrant mother attempting to do her family business’ taxes while battling bizarre, otherworldly enemies. Everything Everywhere All At Once will make you laugh, cry, and philosophize––sometimes all at once––for its entire 140-minute runtime.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On – Yash Zodgekar

(cinecenta.com)

Dean Fleischer Camp’s directorial debut tells the story of Marcel (Jenny Slate), an anthropomorphic one-inch-tall shell. When filmmaker Dean discovers Marcel, who has innocuously been looking after his grandmother in an empty Airbnb, he becomes an internet sensation and must confront the wonders and woes of the vast outer world. Presented in a mockumentary format that deftly combines animation and live action, the film is characterized by its whimsicality and tenderness, conveying much about the human condition from the unique outsider perspective of its premise. 

Triangle of Sadness – Suzanna Graham

(vanyaland.com)

Ruben Östlund’s film Triangle of Sadness, Cannes’s 2022 Palme d’Or winner, could have been rightfully named The White Floatus. Sigh in frustration at the ultimate will-they-won’t-they (break up) influencer couple Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean), who would rather continuously bicker about who paid on a previous date than enjoy their free tropical vacation. Of course, with the perpetually drunk Captain Thomas (Woody Harrelson) at the helm—who always slays in his chaotic roles—it’s no surprise that the cruise gets derailed. So sit back, relax, and get ready to use your promotional barf bag. 

Top Gun: Maverick – Charlotte Hayes

(menshealth.com)

Tom Cruise is back, reprising one of his most iconic roles in this summer’s Top Gun: Maverick. Set 30 years after the original film, the film follows Maverick as he is called back to his alma mater to train a whole new generation of elite fighter pilots. Although returning cast members Cruise and Val Kilmer give commendable performances, the next class of Top Gun pilots, including Glen Powell, Monica Barbaro, and Miles Teller, outshine them in their breakthrough performances. With action-packed training montages, motorcycle rides, and musical callbacks (shout out to Kenny Loggins), the movie walks the line perfectly between nostalgia and a new era. 

TV Shows

The White Lotus (Season 2) – Charlotte Hayes

(forbes.com)

Bodies are in the water and theWhite Lotus has opened its doors again—but this time in Sicily! The HBO critical darling is back for its second season with an almost brand-new cast (except for Emmy winner and pop culture icon Jennifer Coolidge) and a gorgeous new locale. Once again, creator Mike White wrote a season with the same electric energy as reality TV while simultaneously delivering some of the most interesting class commentary currently on television. The White Lotus delivers an edgier take on the format we came to know and love last season.

The Bear – Ella Buckingham

(thekitchn.com)

In a lead role that is casting Shameless’ Jeremy Allen White to new celebrity heights, the dramedy The Bear revolves around a young chef (White) who, in the wake of his brother’s death, leaves the coveted world of fine dining to rescue his family’s Italian beef sandwich shop. Raw, sarcastic, and nail-biting at moments, this series takes an unabashed look at the reality of the restaurant business and the struggle to stay afloat—both financially and emotionally—amidst the devastation of loss. 

Stranger Things (Season 4)- Yash Zodgekar

(netflix.com)

Stranger Things’ fourth season elevates the show to another scale, boasting gorgeous special effects, feature-length episodes, and settings from California to Russia. What makes this season the best yet are the human relationships at its centre. Showrunners the Duffer Brothers also use Vecna, a new villain with a more complex and nuanced backstory than those of previous seasons, as a means to delve deeper into the nuances of their young protagonists, exploring more mature themes as they enter high school. Season five cannot come soon enough! 

Wednesday – Suzanna Graham

(menshealth.com)

Funny, fierce, and a little freaky, Wednesday puts a new spin on the whimsical Addams Family, in which the titular daughter, Wednesday (Jenna Ortega), joins Nevermore Academy to hopefully fit in with her fellow outcasts. The show subverts the expected family-oriented plot, allowing Ortega to shine as a surprisingly complex angsty teen who somehow smiles more than she blinks. With plot lines involving American witch-trial lore and bug-eyed serial killing monsters, Wednesday is Netflix’s newest binge-able hit. And for enjoyers of the iconic movie Addams Family Values, make sure to catch Christina Ricci’s whimsical cameo as Mrs. Thornhill.

WORST OF

Albums 

Machine Gun Kelly, mainstream sellout – Ella Buckingham

(loudwire.com)

The McGill Tribune’s Worst Album of 2022 by a whopping 32 per cent vote (oof), this 16-track album by Machine Gun Kelly was unfortunately released 20 years too late. Heavily inspired by early 2000s pop-punk beats and tackling all subjects from sex to drugs to war, this collection is reminiscent of a pissed-off Avril Lavigne, but in a disingenuous, lacklustre way (his track “emo girl (feat. WILLOW)” and “Sk8er Boi” are just a touch too similar). If you’re looking for mindless cliched bangers, however, or want to time-travel back to the release of Mean Girls, then this album fulfills that role scrumptiously.

Films 

Don’t Worry Darling – Charlotte Hayes

(people.com)

Don’t Worry Darling was one of 2022’s most highly anticipated films but somehow also its biggest flop. With a star-studded cast, high-concept script, and broad anticipation for Olivia Wilde’s sophomore directorial effort, it felt like a surefire recipe for success. Instead, the film delivered some half-baked insights on second-wave feminism packaged in a blatant ripoff of the Stepford Wives. The most interesting thing about this movie was its absolutely chaotic press junket, but even the endless tabloid fodder couldn’t save this trainwreck. 

TV Shows 

Dahmer – Dana Prather

(bbc.com)

In an age where true crime documentaries, movies, and podcasts have gained rapid but questionable popularity, it’s no surprise that Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story has been a commercial success with mixed critical reception. Indeed, the Netflix limited series, which presents a dramatic retelling of the life and crimes of the infamous serial killer, garnered an astounding 192.6 million watches in its first week alone. Still, it’s important to recognize the very real danger posed by shows like Dahmer: They romanticize abhorrent criminals and retraumatize the families and friends of real-life victims.  

Arts & Entertainment, Books

“There’s Nothing More Queer than Nature”: A Q&A with Ann-Marie MacDonald

by Chloe Sproule on

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Spoilers ahead for Fayne

Award-winning playwright, novelist, actress, and broadcaster Ann-Marie MacDonald has written her “youngest and most joyful” novel to date. Fayne is set in 19th-century Britain and yet entirely modern in feel. The book is a sprawling, ornately detailed, and genre-defying epic that follows the precocious Charlotte Bell as she grows up on a vast, secluded estate on the borderland moors. Her doting father’s will to keep her isolated from society, owing to her mysterious ‘condition,’ wars with her insatiable curiosity. 

The McGill Tribune had the chance to speak with MacDonald about her new novel. A condensed version of our conversation follows:

CS: Fayne is an unapologetically long book [736 pages]. What is the magic of a long book for you?

AMM: Well, I prefer the term big. And I love this saying that’s going around: ‘I love big books and I cannot lie’ [….] So with regard to writing a big book, I write the kind of thing that I love, and I know that readers love to get immersed in a long story.

CS: It’s a defiant choice in a media scene that’s dominated by small bites. Do you think we still have the attention span for them?

AMM: This idea that younger people don’t have an attention span, I think it’s ridiculous. I don’t buy it [….] Yes, we can bemoan the kind of attention that’s being fractured and starved and yet lured over and over again in an addictive framework, but it isn’t new [….] It seems like every decade or so, someone announces the death of the book. It’s never true [….] People love stories.

CS: Fayne is full of characters that are both familiar and not. Can you explain the choice to employ ‘tropes’? What do they help you to achieve?

AMM: For me, as a writer, I go: Oh! Here’s my toy box full of literary devices, what could be more fun? It’s the absolute delicious delight of the Victorian novel, that’s what sustains me. And there’s that familiarity, which is so inviting […] and then within that I can introduce all kinds of unnerving and unfamiliar things [….] There’s nothing like a period piece to tell a very contemporary story.

CS: You manage a very faithful rendering of Charlotte’s intersex identity and avoid exoticizing it. What was it like to write from her perspective?

AMM: The late Victorian time is one of extreme categorization, not unlike our own world where divisions among beliefs and identities are becoming so narrow. So it was crucial to say that Charlotte is normal, it’s the world that has a problem [….] I do immersive research and the history of women and gender and bodily non-conforming people in the medical gaze is something that’s very, very important to me. But the spark comes from within me as knowing from a very young age that I was wrong in the world. And the idea of looking through the eyes of somebody who’s born with an intersex trait has been quite compelling to me for a very long time [….] It’s not an exotic quality. That’s why I’ve decided not to treat it as a “spoiler”. That’s just who she is, that’s her body. That’s normal. It’s the world that has a problem and is going to make it a problem for her.

CS: Threaded throughout Fayne are these symbols of ambiguity. Why was it important to engage in the marginal and nameless?

AMM: Because there’s nothing more queer than nature. Nature flourishes at the margins, it favours blurred lines [….] It is wonderful to put names to the world, but if the goal of naming is just to catch things, pin them, and stick a name on them, then you’re killing everything you’re naming.

Ann-Marie MacDonald is first and foremost an entertainer and her loyalties lie with her readers. In her own words: “I just wrote a big book. If you start reading it, you might wanna get lost in the journey.”

Fayne is available in bookstores in print and in audio-book form, read by the author.

Sports

Growing into the Red Jersey

by Sepideh Afshar, Philippe Haddad on

More in Sports:

Canadian university athletes’ collegiate careers are short. Under current U Sport eligibility rules, athletes are restricted to only five years of eligibility, providing a challenging timeline for those looking to make an impact on their programs. Individuals are given a year—including the off-season—to take on the mantle of captain or president, to either reform or reinforce structure and values within their teams. The McGill Tribune sat down with Martlets rugby captain Davine Yang, Redbirds hockey captain Taylor Ford, and Redbirds rugby co-president Owen Cumming to discuss their paths to leadership in their respective programs.

For some, such as Ford and Cumming, leadership opportunities came early, as seen through their respective histories within the Halifax Mooseheads and the Shawnigan Lake School rugby program. Others, such as Yang,  gradually ascended to their leadership positions due to their experience and seniority.

“I kind of just stepped into it,” Yang told the Tribune. “As the years progressed and everyone else became my rookie […] it kind of transitioned [from] being the baby of the team to being the one that has been around the longest and so everyone kind of looks to you to troubleshoot.”

Becoming the team troubleshooter comes with many challenges—both expected and unexpected. Cumming detailed that the COVID-19 pandemic was a major obstacle to organizing Redbirds rugby, with teammates spread out across the globe. Even outside of navigating a global pandemic, leaders are often faced with the burden of making a direct impact on their programs. Yang recounted the pressure she felt to reform the team this season.

“[With] every captain, there’s pressure to do well,” she admitted. “I think the pressure that I felt was on me this year was to try to start turning us around.”

Yang, Cumming, and Ford all expressed feeling privileged to take on leadership roles. However, in challenging circumstances, like those detailed above, they all emphasized that support from those around them was paramount for growing into their current positions.

“My captain at the time took me under his wing and we had good discussions about what it is to be a leader,” Ford explained. “I do have to give a lot of credit to my past leaders and guys I’ve looked up to [….] It’s definitely kind of like a trickle-down effect  from leader to leader.”

“My biggest struggle was learning how to do what’s best for the group and not what I think was best for the group,” Cumming said, emphasizing the importance of his peers and co-president Peter Demers. “When I thought that something went well in my head, [I would use] guys in our leadership group as a sounding board.”

One cannot discuss any team sport without talking about culture. A team goes beyond a group of people who play the same sport; it’s about a community that supports and aims to better its members. This takes on a variety of forms: Giving back to the sport, competing against like-minded opponents, focusing on core values, or just pure love of the game. All of these and more are considered by leaders striving to unite their teams.  

“You don’t necessarily need to always get along,” Ford said. “But as long as there’s respect towards each other, that’s when everybody can start going in the same direction.”

“I came into this year hoping that we could reset the culture,” Yang stressed about her aspirations to inspire her team. “Getting players to be less extrinsically motivated, to be more intrinsically motivated, to […] be better than their past selves.”

“It’s thinking about the players that wore the jersey before you, the players that will wear it out for you, and what you can do to move the needle during your time wearing it,” said Cumming. “It’s less what sets the player apart and more what the player wants to offer. I think that that’s what matters.”

“Culture” and “leadership” are often used as buzzwords in sports, but their real-life manifestations instill pride in all members of a program. It is critical that varsity leaders build on the foundations of the strong culture established before them, or work to develop one themselves, because the impact of a strong leader reverberates far beyond their eight-month term. It doesn’t necessarily take having a leader to buy into a culture, but it takes leadership to provide a culture that matters to its members.

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