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Arts & Entertainment, Pop Rhetoric

‘Degrassi’ keeps it real, for better or worse

by Michelle Siegel on

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If something happened at your high school, it probably also happened on Degrassi. Although the show’s “classic” era ended with Degrassi High in 1992, the Next Generation series surpassed it both in length and popularity. This was largely due to the show’s memorable cast: Toronto rapper Drake and actress Nina Dobrev both appeared as main cast members before finding considerable fame elsewhere. Most of the actors were the same age as their characters, bringing an authenticity to their onscreen awkwardness and growth. However, it is clear that many of the actors were relatively inexperienced, with scenes bringing the audience to tears from ridiculing laughter rather than powerful performances.

The long-running teen drama franchise, set and produced in and around Toronto, began with The Kids of Degrassi Street, which ran from 1979 to 1982. Its successor, Degrassi Junior High, began airing in 1987 and was directly followed by Degrassi High in 1989. The series officially concluded in 1992 and wasn’t revived until 2001, when Degrassi: The Next Generation premiered. The show was briefly continued as Degrassi: Next Class on Netflix from 2016-2017, with a new reboot of the show set to hit HBO Max in 2023. With the next iteration of the franchise imminent, it’s worthwhile to examine the impact that the show had on the television industry and beyond. 

Degrassi: The Next Generation stood apart from other teen shows for its procedural format and more grounded approach to portraying teenagers. By depicting nuanced emotional conflicts and social situations, Degrassi solidified its reputation as a show that wasn’t afraid to touch on darker or more controversial subjects. While Dawson’s Creek and other American shows featured older actors with exaggerated plots and questionable realism, Degrassi: The Next Generation was entertaining without needing excessive stylization. 

When I first encountered the show, it seemed drastically different than anything I’d seen before, especially since it was airing on TeenNick, the teen-aimed, mature Nickelodeon programming block that I never actually felt cool enough to watch. Degrassi: The Next Generation began airing music video promos in season 10, establishing the sustained appeal of the franchise and enticing new viewers. Several episodes of Degrassi: The Next Generation generated major attention for how they handled mature subject matters: “Accidents Will Happen” from season three, for instance, focussed on Manny (Cassie Steele) having an abortion after getting pregnant at the age of 14. American network The N refused to air the episodes, which only became available in the United States in 2006, two years after their initial release in Canada. While the U.S. clung to shiny, happy-go-lucky teen programming, Canada wasn’t afraid to tell it like it was. In season 10, Adam Torres (Jordan Todosey) was introduced, becoming one of the first transgender characters on scripted Canadian television. Degrassi High: School’s Out!, a television film that served as the finale for Degrassi High, even featured the first use of the word “fuck” on Canadian primetime television. 

Degrassi has always been relatively self-contained, which has led to the creation of many memes and jokes in the years since it went off-air. Despite the questionable fashion, gritty acting, and excessive school bands on the shows over the years, the series’ realism has allowed it to endure longer than other teen-oriented shows such as Riverdale. While the lengthy duration of The Next Generation forced certain plots to get recycled—like teen pregnancy, car crashes, makeovers, and fights—they never became trivialized or glamourized. Unlike other soulless reboots, reviving Degrassi feels loyal to the trajectory of the franchise. The show’s theme song rings true: Whatever it takes, Degrassi will make it through. 

Arts & Entertainment, Pop Rhetoric

Where do I begin: NFTs

by Charlotte Hayes on

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Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are the new year’s craziest phenomenon and strangest mystery. Following in the footsteps of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency investments, these tokenized digital commodities have taken the internet by storm. NFTs allow collectors to own original pieces of artwork in the digital form. What started as a way for artists to sell the rights to their work has evolved into a bustling marketplace for status symbols and Twitter profile pictures. The question remains: Are NFTs the next evolution of art dealerships or nothing more than a passing collection craze?

An object or asset is fungible if its owner can trade it for another object of equal value, such as money or Air Miles. Both physical and digital assets can be fungible. In art markets, collectors buy and sell paintings, sculptures, and other artifacts, but do not exchange or trade them. Art is therefore non-fungible; NFTs bring this phenomenon onto the internet. An NFT is a digital “token,” or object, that can only be purchased with cryptocurrency. Whereas bitcoin or other forms of crypto are fungible, NFTs are publicly verifiable assets authenticated on the blockchain. When an NFT is designated as a token on the blockchain, it can be sold like a tangible piece of artwork. In other words, NFTs are the digital public ledger of cryptocurrency. What sets NFTs apart from other forms of digital art ownership or copyright is the tokenization of each asset. This helps prevent fraud by publicly publishing the ownership of these commodities.

On the one hand, NFTs allow artists to profit from the sales of one-of-a-kind digital works, including paintings, videos, and music—much like painters do with physical pieces.  However, tech millionaires, hip-hop artists, and other celebrities have latched onto NFTs as the newest way to gaudily display their wealth. For example, popular digital artist Bored Ape Yacht Club has garnered over $1 billion in sales since its May 2021 launch, selling unique cartoons of apes valued as high as $3.4 million. Although some artists treat NFTs as another way to financially thrive off of selling their creations, others do very little in the way of fostering creativity, favouring profit. NFTs differ from other art purchasing sites, such as Etsy, in that the buyer doesn’t just own a copy of the digital art, but the rights to that particular digital image. Many NFTs posted to digital marketplaces like OpenSea are frauds, simply screen captures of an image with no accompanying proof of ownership. Social media users and celebrities alike have flocked to Bored Ape Yacht Club, displaying their NFTs as social media profile pictures. Recently, Twitter began a pilot program allowing users to upload not just a photo, but the verified copy of an NFT to set as their profile picture on Twitter, which will appear as a hexagonal icon to indicate its authenticity. Instead of having the owner of an entity simply screengrab the image of the digital token and upload it to their profile, they would be able to upload the token onto Twitter and prove their ownership of the NFT.

Theoretically, NFTs seem like a fair way to give artists the privilege to distribute content online in a profitable, trustworthy way. However, due to the common lack of originality and authenticity in the art, as well as the abrupt spike in interest, NFTs resemble more of a fad rather than industry-altering technology. Relying solely on consumer-generated excitement and often lacking the depth or complexity that grants artistic works their timelessness, NFTs possess little long-term value. Instead, they offer the possibility of exorbitantly displaying wealth as one would with streetwear or excessive jewelry—only online. At the end of the day, many NFT sales are less about art quality and more about brand names and showing off one’s money.

Student Life

Know your neighbourhood: The hidden histories of Montreal boroughs

by Wendy Zhao, Holly Wethey on

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Living in Montreal is exciting––discovering each of the city’s neighbourhoods is like peeling back another layer of a metropolitan onion. And while there are over 180 000 students in Montreal, amidst our own categorizations of the city’s various boroughs––e.g. art girls with stick and poke tattoos live in the Plateau, frat boys reside in Milton Park––it can be easy to forget that beneath each of these areas lies a rich history, one that has existed long before the arrival of students. The McGill Tribune sheds light on some of the communities and histories that continue to make Montreal neighbourhoods what they are today.

  1. Plateau

The borough that we know today as the Plateau dates back to the late 18th century, when it was made up mostly of farmland. Eventually, in 1845, village-style homes began to appear, followed by duplexes and triplexes. The Plateau, however, only got its name in the 1930s: Some claim it came from a local newspaper referring to the broad terrace at the base of Mont-Royal, others claim it was a bus-driver stopping at a school called “Le Plateau” who would shout out the name upon arrival. While students see the area as an artsy place to live, the Plateau has been home to different populations for years. Among these are a Jewish community, French immigrants, and a large Portuguese population who arrived in the 1950s. 

  1. Mile-End

Just north of the Plateau lies the Mile End, a neighbourhood that is home to the iconic Jean Talon Market, Fairmount Bagel, and Cafe Olimpico—known for its signature affogato. This borough also includes “Little Italy,” or Piccola Italia in Italian, which received its name from a wave of Italian immigration in the early 20th century. Those in the neighbourhood can pay a visit to Parc Dante, which has an open-air cinema in the summer, or try one of the many pizza restaurants in the neighbourhood. In addition to Italian immigrants, the Mile End is home to a large Jewish population and was once Montreal’s most Jewish neighbourhood. There is also a Greek community who arrived after World War II and settled around Park Avenue, resulting in the area being called “Little Athens,” though many Greek residents have now moved away, along with many others who cannot afford the rising rent prices in the area. 

  1. Milton Park

Milton Park has seen a radical transformation from its initial formation at the turn of century as a neighbourhood for wealthier families. As its iconic Victorian row houses were transformed into apartments, the city-central, low-rent housing attracted a cosmopolitan community, including McGill students and professors as well as immigrant families. In the 1960s, the quarter became home to a bustling local arts and counterculture scene: Big names in the era’s rock, folk, and jazz scenes graced venues, cafes, and record stores on Park Ave and Milton Street, including singer-songwriters Joni Mitchell and Muddy Waters. However, many of these beloved local gathering spots were only open for a few years, soon subject to increasing gentrification. In 1968, residents formed the Milton-Parc Citizens Committee to resist real-estate developers plotting to turn most of the neighborhood’s historic buildings into high-rise condos and commercial units. Through community demonstration, activists successfully gained a land trust and would go on to establish the largest cooperative housing project in North America.  

  1. Quartier des Spectacles

In 1865, the Gesù theatre, the neighbourhood’s first cultural organization, opened its doors. Other theatres followed, opening alongside cabarets and jazz clubs. During the American Prohibition era, Montreal, now famous for its nightlife and vibrancy, became a cultural hot spot. In the coming years, professional theatre grew in popularity, along with the construction of the metro system, thrusting Montreal into a modern era. Eventually, Complexe Desjardins opened, and the area saw a rise in commercial activity. Quartier de Spectacles is also known as the Latin Quarter, a name which, unlike Little Italy and Little Athens, was inspired by the Quartier Latin in Paris. 

Science & Technology

How gene mutations affect vitamin B12 deficiency

by Maiuri Maheswaran on

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In recent years, vitamin supplements have become all the rage, with an increasing number of supplements claiming to clear your skin, promote hair growth, and even increase your IQ. Unrealistic advertisements aside, vitamins are in fact quite important. Our bodies need vitamins in small amounts to be able to grow and function properly. 

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is important for maintaining the body’s metabolism, forming red blood cells, and ensuring the proper functioning of the brain. Because the human body cannot make vitamin B12 on its own, we depend on foods, mainly animal products, to get this particular nutrient. Certain non-animal products, such as nutritional yeast and soy milk, have been fortified with vitamin B12. However, people who follow a plant-based diet are recommended to take vitamin B12 supplements to prevent cobalamin deficiency, which is characterized by feelings of weakness, tingling, smooth tongue, anemia, and sometimes memory loss. 

While such a deficiency can be reversed by vitamin B12 supplements, there are individuals for whom cobalamin supplementation is insufficient. These individuals have mutations in the genes that code for the proteins that help the body absorb or transport vitamin B12. There are currently 12 gene mutations that can lead to these inborn vitamin B12 diseases. However, the role of these genes is not well defined and thus are being studied by many researchers—one of whom is Dr. David Rosenblatt, a senior scientist in the Child Health and Human Development program at the MUHC Research Institute who has been treating patients with vitamin B12 deficiencies for over three decades. 

Rosenblatt and researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine recently published a study in Nature Communications that found that the most common type of vitamin B12 deficiency disease, clbC, is caused by a mutation in the gene Mmachc. clbC is a multisystem disease that appears in utero and can lead to growth restriction and intractable epilepsy. The Mmachc gene codes for a protein that binds cobalamin when it enters the cell. However, mutations in two other genes, Ronin and Hcfc1, also cause clbC-like disease, but with more severe symptoms. 

“The common clbC has more than 1,000 patients described from around the world,” Rosenblatt wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “For the rare forms that are modeled in this paper, there is only one Ronin patient and less than 20 Hcfc1 patients.”

The goal of the paper was to characterize the cobalamin disorders these gene mutations cause in greater detail by studying the function of Ronin and Hcfc1. To do this, the researchers studied the disease in a mouse model afflicted by the same gene mutations. The mice showed symptoms that are typically associated with vitamin B12 deficiency, including brain abnormalities and cardiac defects. However, the researchers also saw symptoms that were atypical of vitamin deficiency, such as craniofacial dysmorphia, or abnormal growth of the brain and facial features. This sign is typically seen in patients that have ribosomopathies—disorders where the ribosomes, the tiny machines of the cell that make proteins, are non-functional. 

To verify whether the craniofacial dysmorphia observed in the mice was a result of ribosomopathies, the authors examined protein expression in the mice. They observed that in the mice with both mutations, there was a decrease in the number of ribosomes, indicating ribosomopathy. These results show that the vitamin B12 deficiencies are much more complex than previously thought. 

“I think that there is still a great deal more that needs to be learned about the basic mechanisms in these diseases,” Rosenblatt wrote. “Knowing more about mechanisms can sometimes lead to targets for therapy.” 

Though it is too early to search for a cure, such studies are nevertheless a vital stepping stone toward understanding vitamin B12 deficiency diseases. 

Out on the Town, Student Life

A guide to Montreal apartment hunting

by Abby McCormick on

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With the winter semester well underway, McGill students are beginning to ask themselves the all-important question: Where will I live next year? For many, the mere thought of delving into apartment hunting amid the return to hybrid learning is anxiety-inducing, to say the least. The range of different neighbourhoods, roommates, floorplans, and price ranges can seem both endless and daunting. However, The McGill Tribune’s foolproof tips will help get you on track to finding the right apartment at the right price.

1. Deciding on your must-haves

The first step in finding your dream apartment is identifying what you’re looking for. Start by making a list of your “must-haves” and your “nice-to-haves”. For instance, if you are an avid baker, a spacious kitchen with sufficient counter space might be one of your must-haves. In particular, consider what amenities you wish to have included, the type of appliances, furniture, natural light, transit access, as well as the location of the apartment. This list will come in handy when visiting apartments and making your final decision.

2. Budget, budget, budget

Before even beginning the search, it is critical to determine your budget range. Studio and one-bedroom apartments tend to have the highest rent per person, so you might consider living with roommates to offset costs. Generally, the higher your number of roommates, the lower your rent will be. However, communal living may not be suited for everyone. Before rushing into a decision, reflect on whether you would be comfortable sharing your space with others or making compromises. Stay realistic about what you can afford to spend on rent while still having room for other expenses, such as wifi and utilities if not included. Compare your findings with the average rent prices of each neighbourhood to glean a greater perspective, and try to find lease transfer agreements for below-market prices; apartment swapping guarantees that the previous rent does not increase between tenants. 

3. Finding roommates

Not only does living with roommates help you save money on rent, but it’s also a great way to socialize and feel more a part of McGill’s student community. For those who are interested in living with one or several roommates, consider how well your day-to-day routines align. Is your potential roommate a night owl, while you need to get up before sunrise for swim practice? Do they like to party, while you prefer to stay in? How do your cleaning preferences mesh? Asking questions like these prior to choosing a roommate is key to preventing future conflicts. Though it may be tempting, remember that your best friend isn’t necessarily the best roommate for you—it’s more important to live with someone whose values and lifestyles match up with yours. For those in search of roommates outside of their immediate social circles, McGill’s Off-campus Housing Facebook group and the International Roommates in Montreal Facebook group are great resources. 

4. Searching for an apartment

Now that you have identified precisely what you are looking for, it’s time to get started with the apartment hunt! Online search engines Padmapper and Zumper are great starting points, allowing users to tailor listings by desired location, number of bedrooms, and various amenities. Refer back to your list of must-haves, as well as your number of roommates to browse listings suited to your needs. You might even surprise yourself by finding a listing you love on Craigslist or Kijiji. McGill’s Off-campus Housing Facebook group also has a variety of apartments for rent, primarily located in either Milton Park or the Plateau—the two most common neighbourhoods for McGill students due to their proximity to campus. Alternatively, you could go for a walk in the neighbourhoods that you are interested in, taking notes of places with “for rent” signs. For those new to Montreal, this is also a great way to get a feel for different neighbourhoods.

5. Making the decision

Once you have found some listings that interest you, make a list of your top few apartments. These can be places that either best suit your needs or merely speak to your design style. To start the process of renting an apartment, contact the landlord, agent, or tenant to set up visits, either in person or virtually. Touring apartments wherever possible is essential, as you may notice flaws that the listing’s photos omitted; maybe there isn’t as much lighting as you thought there would be, or the kitchen is a lot smaller than anticipated. After having seen your top choices, refer back to your must-haves and nice-to-haves. This should help you to eliminate apartments that don’t sufficiently meet your criteria. Before signing any documents, make sure to be aware of your tenant rights to avoid entering into an unlawful agreement. 

Remember, apartment hunting is tough, especially as a student. You may not find the “perfect” apartment right away, but don’t overlook the power of adding your own personal belongings, decor, and memories. Try to imagine the full potential of the space; it might only feel like home after some time settling in. 

Chill Thrills, Student Life

Sustainable projects for staying at home

by Jackie Lee on

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The end of January: Add/drop is over, winter break is but an amorphous memory, and outside is really, really cold. Instead of venturing into the frigid outdoors, try your hand at some sustainable projects to distract yourself from the gloom of 5 p.m. sunsets—all without ratcheting up your screen time or purchasing superfluous materials. 

Grow microgreens

Microgreens—nutrient-dense seedlings of plants or herbs—are often touted as exclusive to fine-dining menus or superfood listicles. But fear not: They are easy to grow at home. An ideal project for students who lack the time or resources necessary to garden, microgreens can inject some green into your home and diet during the bleak midwinter. Once packed with soil, the individual cups of an egg carton make snug homes for pre-soaked seeds. After three-ish weeks, simply harvest the newly grown shoots and start again. While at first you might baffle your roommates as your makeshift planters hoard sunny windowsill real estate, you’ll impress them with a dinner garnished with home-grown produce. 

Fold origami 

Don’t let the scribbled coursework of semesters past haunt you. Instead of chucking your old notes, try folding the scrap paper into creative creatures or bewildering beasts—origami dragons, anyone? Beginners can start with simpler patterns like cranes and stars, and eventually graduate to succulents, elephants or lanterns; the list goes on. Instructions-wise, YouTube is your friend: Video tutorials show each fold in 3D, and are often easier to follow than written steps. Once you’ve got the hang of the basics, the world is your (origami) oyster. Keep your hands busy while binging Netflix or rewatching lectures by folding butterflies or sparrows, which, when hung from a window frame, cast pretty, swaying shadows during golden hour. You could even try assembling a chess set with recycled cardstock as the board and tiny shapes as the pieces. 

Pen a letter (or many)

Tearing open an envelope to receive a thoughtful, heartfelt letter is a unique joy, a gift mutual to the writer and the receiver. Short notes can be just as novel as a dozen pages: Your family or friends will appreciate receiving a freshly stamped letter in the mail, even if it’s only a few lines. To save on expensive stationary, fold your own envelope from recycled paper, and hand-deliver your letters on campus or to their apartment. Severing an old greeting card in half yields a makeshift postcard from the front image while preserving the original message on the other. Tuck this, along with other goodies like tea bags, stickers, or even some origami, into a decorated envelope to add an extra-special touch. 

Reuse kitchen scraps

It can be difficult to conjure the hopeful optimism of spring, with all its burgeoning flower buds and delicate petrichor, during the current sub-zero temperatures. But you can summon the season early with some easy projects. Prepare for your balcony garden by planting bulbs indoors now so they are ready to transfer outside after the first thaw. For something more immediately gratifying, save the bottoms of green onions and place them in a shallow glass, making sure to submerge the roots in water. The onion will regrow quickly—just trim the tops and add to your meals. Turn a sprouted potato into a stamp by cutting it half and carving a simple design. Triage your houseplants to determine if they are nutrient deficient: If the soil lacks calcium, add crushed eggshells;  if it lacks nitrogen, add old coffee grounds or steeped tea. Just remember to carefully monitor the soil’s pH to ensure the plant thrives.

Build a birdfeeder

Help out your friendly feathered neighbours by providing them with high-calorie foods. Try crafting a bird feeder from recycled materials such as plastic bottles or hoary wooden spoons. Buy a brick of suet—rendered fat, essentially—and hang it in a suet feeder. You can make your own by melting leftover meat drippings with other ingredients like peanut butter, seeds, and dried berries. Pour the mixture into a muffin tray or container, place a loop of twine on the top, and pop it in the freezer to solidify. Hang the loops of twine on your balcony or in a tree and wait for hungry birds to flock. And if the squirrels end up devouring it first, well—they’re hungry too!

McGill, News, SSMU

SSMU hosts virtual Activities Night, student groups cite low engagement

by Anoushka Oke on

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The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) hosted its Winter Activities Night on Jan. 17 and Jan. 18. During the Fall Activities Night, the virtual hosting platform Gather.Town crashed almost immediately after it failed to accommodate the high volume of participants attempting to join the event. To prevent another malfunction, SSMU partnered with another platform called TriplePlay, hoping for a smoother virtual experience. 

Attendees had the option to choose between different categories of clubs, including charity and environment, athletics and recreational sports, political and social activism, and more. Once clicked, each link directed the attendees to TriplePlay. From there, they could drop into virtual “rooms” wherein club representatives were waiting. Students could choose which room to enter and could bounce between rooms at their discretion.

Karla Heisele Cubilla, SSMU vice-president Student Life, was responsible for organizing the event. Heisele Cubilla told The McGill Tribune that there were 131 groups present and  597 web log-ins on Jan. 24, and 112 groups and 597 web log-ins on Jan. 25.

Though the event was originally supposed to be held in a hybrid format, government directives forbidding most in-person school events forced organizers to hold it entirely online. According to Heisele Cubilla, the responsibility to plan the event was compounded by the pressure to find a new platform that would work better than Gather.Town. Nonetheless, Heisele Cubilla believes that the event was largely successful.

“It’s a huge project, Activities Night, but this year it’s virtual, so the main hope is to get the word out,” Heisele Cubilla said. “It is the winter semester, so we expect less attendance, but we still wanted to encourage students to come. And virtual events are not usually very successful, but we’ve been very lucky at SSMU to have a big attendance.”

While many clubs and services looked forward to Activities Night to reach new students, many representatives, like HeForShe president and co-founder Aakshi Puri, acknowledged that in-person Activities Nights allowed for more dynamic interaction than a virtual version could.

“Activities Night is a great way to reach out to as many diverse groups of people as possible,” Puri wrote to the Tribune. “This was especially true when it was held in person in previous years, which would allow us to have open discussions about gender inequality, particularly with those who aren’t typically involved in the feminist movement.”

Many clubs, however, reported relatively low attendance rates to their booths. Puri estimated that about 10 people showed up to the HeForShe booth throughout the two-day event. Socialist Fightback Club president Lucas Marques told the Tribune that a total of six people attended the club’s virtual booth. This low turnout, Marques argues,  is a testament to a persistent issue within SSMU that runs much deeper than just Activities Night.

“I think this [problem] even goes into stuff like elections,” Marques said. “This is a reflection on the student union itself, certainly not the students, and I think that it’s because SSMU doesn’t present a fighting leadership, so students don’t actually look up to it as something that will fight for them.”

Some clubs, including Socialist Fightback often elect to host their own events to draw in members because they are not confident that participating in Activities Night will expand their membership. 

“Last semester we hosted two events, and 90 people showed up to both,” Marques said. “We find that [independent events are] better for growing membership as opposed to Activities Night. Obviously we would never discard any avenue for people to be interested, so we do partake in Activities Night, even if it is not the most efficient.”

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

‘Too Hot to Handle’ season three enforces unhealthy sexual values

by Anna Berglas, Contributor on

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The Netflix series Too Hot to Handle’s season three presents an even hotter, more dramatic mess than its previous seasons of scandal. The dating show brings 10 horny young adult participants on an erotic vacation, only to enforce sexual abstinence after the 12-hour mark. The show documents the contestants as they struggle to choose between winning the $200,000 prize money or giving into their sexual urges—and they often choose wrong. At best, Too Hot to Handle is unbelievable, and at worst, it’s exploitative. 

According to Deadline, Too Hot to Handle’s viewership decreased after the release of its second season, dropping from 51 million households to 29 million. This lapse in popularity may explain some of the show’s changes—for instance, a flash announcement revealing that money lost by rule-breaking can be won back by good behavior, and the surprise of some participants returning to the show even after being kicked off. Each episode is a rollercoaster with no clear destination, as viewers buckle in for a dizzying experience.

To criticize Too Hot to Handle for its absurdity would be superfluous; the show makes no effort to hide its selling points of voyeurism and drama-laden guilty-pleasure watching. There are many sexually suggestive scenes, often brought out by producer manipulation through sensual workshops like body painting.

But what does go beyond the garish is how Too Hot to Handle fetishizes its representations of queer relations. When Izzy and Georgia inaugurate the contest’s first rule-breaking with some kissing, the narrator phrases the act as an attention-seeking grab rather than portraying it as having any legitimate intimacy or emotional connection. The kiss is followed by a cringey montage of the male contestants voicing their appreciation at the idea of sapphic sexual acts. The gender binary is still rigidly enforced: Men pursue the women and manipulate their male competitors. The kiss shared between Izzy and Georgia is never acknowledged as part of the romantic conquests.

Though previous seasons have featured competitors open to polyamorous relations, this season’s participants act jealous and competitive toward one another, lending the episodes an air of toxicity. Viewers aren’t meant to sympathize with the contestants’ plights of sexless vacation; rather, the show’s selective editing and snarky narrator portrays them as entitled and arrogant. Edited and manipulated to showcase the worst of these contestants, the show makes naturally dislikeable personalities even more unsavoury.

This season stigmatizes sex even more than previous iterations. According to the rule-enforcer character, Lana, sexual acts are a barrier for emotional connection. Too Hot to Handle enforces heteronormativity and traditionalism by offering contestants as an example of what not to be, setting them up as detestable through edited interview clips and explicit narration mockery. The show delights in personal misery, preaching “deep emotional connection” to the contestants, who are simply not looking for that type of relationship. Given that the premise of the show is to lure in people interested in a month of sexual flings, the narrator’s demeaning attitude does not take into consideration the lack of interest participants have in long-term romance.

It is not unusual for viewers to detest the young singles as they prioritize immediate sexual gratification over financial success while manipulating those around them. However, the season’s drama-obsessed, insincere contestants are a regression from the show’s previous portrayals of individuals who were sex-positive. Still, the real blame lies with the show’s producers, as they manipulate and exploit the contestants to manufacture punchlines rather than meaningfully considering diverse forms of attraction.

Science & Technology

ROAAr symposium delves into the complicated relationships between scientists

by Madison Edward-Wright on

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The science behind friendship and how it develops between people has been a longstanding object of study. However, much less research has looked into the friendships between scientists themselves. The Rare & Special Collections, Osler, Art, and Archives (ROAAr) branch of the McGill Library held a symposium on Jan. 20 to explore exactly that. 

Stopes and Hewitt: A correspondence for the ages

Laura Jean Cameron, professor of Geography and Planning at Queen’s University, first met Ingrid Birker, manager of the Public Program at McGill’s Redpath Museum, when she reached out to her in hopes of gaining access to part of the Redpath’s fossil collection. Cameron had requested access to some Fern Ledges fossils housed at Redpath. These fossils had a history: They were important items in the friendship between Charles Gordon Hewitt, an entomologist, and Marie Stopes, a palaeobotanist and suffragette. 

Hewitt was first Stopes’ student at the University of Manchester, where in 1904 he attended her lectures on palaeobotany, the study of fossilized plants. When Hewitt moved to Canada in 1909 to become dominion entomologist, he and Stopes continued to communicate through letters. The two connected over the newly emerging field of ecology, but their friendship also inspired many of Stopes’ feminist writings. 

“The success of their friendship was […] one of the important contributions she may have wished to make for science,” Cameron said during her presentation. “In her writing on behalf of women’s suffrage […] Stopes expressed her belief that a friendship of equality between men and women was not only possible, but was an evolutionary imperative.” 

While Birker and Cameron acknowledged the other friendships that Stopes and Hewitt had with problematic figures in Canada such as Duncan Campbell Scott, the notorious deputy superintendent general of Indian affairs, and Helen MacMurchy, a staunch promoter of eugenics, the presenters glossed over Stopes’ involvement in the eugenics movement. Stopes was a vigorous supporter of birth control and family planning, but primarily because she believed these to be key tools in the practice of eugenics—which, for her, meant selective breeding to preserve the white race. 

Penfield and Cone: Advancement of science but the end of a friendship

Borrowing from his research for a larger exposé published by The Globe and Mail, journalist Eric Andrew-Gee examined the once prosperous, but ultimately volatile friendship between Wilder Penfield and William Cone. 

Penfield and Cone began working together at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital in 1924, where Penfield practiced surgery, primarily on the brain. When Penfield moved to Montreal in 1928 after being recruited by McGill University, he invited Cone to join him. The pair would eventually found the Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital (MNI) in 1934. 

“[Penfield and Cone] led a team together that made groundbreaking discoveries about memory, pleasure, anxiety, and learning,” Andrew-Gee explained. “They worked together in ‘double-harness,’ as they both liked to say, for 35 years.”

The friendship devolved, however, as Cone’s skills as a surgeon and dedication to the field of medicine surpassed Penfield’s, causing Penfield to grow jealous. Even worse, in 1953, Penfield was chosen over Cone for the directorship of the institute.

“By the 1950s, there were two camps at the [MNI],” Andrew-Gee said. “Cone’s people focussed on spinal surgery [while][…] Penfield’s focus[sed] on epilepsy.” 

Cone became extremely depressed not long after these events and eventually died by suicide in 1959, which greatly upset Penfield. Despite the tragic ending, Andrew-Gee concluded his talk by acknowledging the instrumental role friendship played in the lives of the two men and their scientific developments.

“Cone and Penfield had a deeply loving friendship, and together, sitting and talking over a microscope or the head of a patient, they helped give birth to the romantic mathematics of neuroscience,” Andrew-Gee said.

Science & Technology

A mother’s fight to bring an understanding of autism outside of the clinic

by Zoe Karkossa on

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From last century’s fears surrounding poor parenting to modern vaccine hesitancy, persistent misconceptions about the causes of autism have often resulted in the developmental condition being wrongfully associated with moral panic. During a recent talk hosted by McGill’s Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry for the Culture, Mind and Brain Program’s Speaker Series, Marga Vicedo, an associate professor at the University of Toronto studying the history of science, highlighted the story of one mother determined to understand her daughter’s experience with autism. 

Clara Park gave birth to Jessica, her third child, on July 20, 1958. After three years, Park realized that her daughter was different from the rest of her siblings. Seemingly uninterested in other children, Jessica was instead fascinated by numbers, art, and the aurora borealis.

As a stay-at-home mother, Park spent a great deal of time carefully observing her daughter and figuring out how to best support her, and was disappointed when her findings were dismissed by the child development experts she consulted. At the time, psychoanalysis would have interpreted  Park’s efforts to understand her daughter as evidence of refrigerator motherhood—an offensive term used to describe detached, uncaring mothers of autistic children.

“Rejecting the separation of thinking and feeling, Park aimed to show that objectivity and reason are not incompatible with love, and can be a valuable part of mothering,” Vicedo said. “[And] further, that intelligent love could be also a way to reach reliable knowledge.”

Despite the initial opposition, Park remained convinced that her efforts were not at odds with her mothering. She found fellowship in her beliefs through a correspondence with Bernard Rimland, a researcher who attributed autism to organic causes, and her collaboration with Marie Battle Singer, a psychoanalyst and fellow innovative thinker.

Contemporary clinical methods to treat autism were underdeveloped and prevalent therapies, including Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), were often criticized as cruel and ineffective. Park reworked such programs by identifying useful principles and tailoring them to the domestic sphere in a pragmatic way. Inspired by certain elements of ABA, Park collaborated with her daughter to develop a practical system for behaviour modification. Incorporating Jessica’s love for numbers, Park and Jessica assigned points to specific behaviours and tracked them using a golf counter.

“Jessica set her goals, chose her rewards, and agreed to the penalties,” Vicedo said. “Their program did not try to eliminate autistic behaviour such as rocking or flapping, but focussed on behaviour that Jessica said she wanted to change, because they made her feel anxious or interfered with other things she wanted to do.”

Park’s impact extended far beyond her household. She presented her knowledge in ///The Siege///, the most comprehensive account of raising an autistic child at the time and an invaluable resource to parents and therapists. She also brought together a large circle of mothers of autistic children who supported each other and corresponded at length.

This vibrant community met regularly at conferences and shared their experiences with each other, discovering important insights along the way. The children were also invited to speak at the gatherings to share their stories and perspectives once they were old enough.

Park was a dedicated proponent of the value of maternal insight and the fight against mother-blaming. She recognized the value of what she called the “deep knowledge of the child in context,” which refers to personalized catering to a child’s needs using observation of children in a wide variety of situations and a full understanding of their history. To Park, this lived maternal experience was a unique tool that did not undermine clinical methods, but complemented them.

“Park was not only questioning widespread notions of good mothering, but also challenging a central tenet in scientific epistemology,” Vicedo said.

Park harnessed both her love and her will in order to better understand her daughter. Her work remains a significant achievement that is deeply relevant to the current era of misinformation surrounding autism. Jessica has grown to be an accomplished artist.

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