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Soccer, Sports

US Soccer board under fire for sexist comments

by Kaja Surborg on

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Court filings in the United States Women’s National soccer team (USWNT)’s lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) have put the federation under intense scrutiny and caused its president, Carlos Cordeiro, to resign on March 12.

“The overall soccer playing ability at the senior men’s national team level is materially influenced by the level of certain physical attributes, such as speed and strength, required for the job,” the filing from USSF read.

The comments, which are clearly sexist, are part of a longer legal battle between the USWNT and USSF. After the USWNT won the FIFA Women’s World Cup in July 2015, USSF brought a legal disagreement to a federal court in February 2016. The federation claimed that a memorandum of understanding could replace a collective bargaining agreement with the USWNT Players Association (USWNTPA), and a federal court ruled in their favour in June 2016. In March 2016, five USWNT players filed an official complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) under the Equal Pay Act. The USWNTPA signed a new collective bargaining agreement with USSF in 2017, but in February 2019, the five players who had filed the EEOC complaint received a notice of their right to sue USSF for wage discrimination. 

On March 8––International Women’s Day–– 28 players filed a lawsuit against USSF under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, alleging gender-based discrimination in favour of their counterparts on the men’s national team. The players seek equal pay, as well as $66 million in backpay. Prior to the trial, scheduled to begin on May 5, each party submitted court filings, those of which submitted by the USSF have received ample and deserved criticism. 

The arguments made by the USSF in their filings have received widespread criticism on social media for their claims that the women have a lesser ability to play soccer because of physical attributes such as speed and strength. This argument represents an incredibly essentialist view of sex and gender that inherently enforces an already pervasive exclusion of transgender and intersex athletes in sports. South African middle distance runner and two-time Olympic gold medalist Caster Semenya was recently barred from participating in the 800 metre unless she took hormone suppressant medication to lower her testosterone levels, a decision since struck down by a Swiss Court. Nevertheless, and even though these decisions are being made in different sports and by different governing bodies, they demonstrate the widespread culture of sexism and transphobia that exists in athletics. Women are told that they are not as good as men because they lack certain physical traits, and therefore they deserve to be paid less. And when they do possess those traits, they are told that they cannot compete. 

USSF also argued that women’s soccer at the international level is less developed, making for a more shallow competition pool relative to the men’s game. Assuming that this is true, this assertion ignores the fact that women’s soccer was purposefully underdeveloped and stalled for the majority of the 20th century. Many players who represent their countries at international competitions are still forced to work other jobs to make a living, creating an environment where they cannot train full-time and develop to their full potential as athletes. The only way to create a deeper competition pool is to pay women’s teams fair wages and provide the necessary resources for the development of the game. The USSF has an opportunity to lead by example, but they are choosing instead to continue enforcing wage discrimination policies. 

On March 11, Cordeiro issued an apology, which expressed remorse regarding statements made in the court filings and has since stepped down from his position. This apology only came after a public statement was released by USSF’s largest corporate sponsor, Coca-Cola, condemning the statements and suggesting that motivations behind the apology remain insincere. 

The USSF intended to absolve themselves of blame for not offering equal pay to their women’s team with these court filings; however, all these statements did was highlight widespread problems that exist within USSF and across governing bodies in sports. 

Off the Board, Opinion

The top of the photo chain

by Sarah Ford, Multimedia Editor on

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With my hands trembling and heart pounding, I locked eyes with a large, female raccoon. My hands clutched my camera as I slowly worked up the courage to snap a picture. I was too close; the raccoon hissed at the sound of the shutter, and I ran into my house convinced that she might be chasing me. This less-than-ideal moment resulted in an image that transformed an annoyed raccoon into a calm, majestic creature slinking across a branch. Suddenly, I was hooked on the power of photography.

This encounter took place when I was 13-years-old, and since then, I have learned a lot about wildlife photography, including how to maintain a respectful distance from my subjects. With varying degrees of skill, I have photographed just about every creature I could find, from ants in my backyard to bears in Banff National Park. What photography has taught me, above all, is that all animals are worthy of a close-up.

I have yet to come across an animal that I do not consider beautiful, as my camera has revealed to me the subtle beauty in all creatures. Grasshoppers and spiders invite the gaze into the tiny, intricate world of twigs and leaves. Toads in swampy waters appear as relaxed and thoughtful creatures bathing in a serene sea. Snakes reveal their skin shielded with scales and their gem-like eyes.

Though these animals each present such unique beauty, some of them are often considered gross, creepy, or a nuisance. When considering the magnificence of the animal kingdom, reptiles, insects, and arachnids are not likely to come to mind. A recent study sought to find which animals people in Western countries consider the most charismatic. Large mammals such as lions, tigers, and elephants dominated the list, and the adjectives like ‘impressive’ and ‘beautiful’ were most often attributed to these popular animals.

This preference for ‘charismatic megafauna’ is present in conservationism as well, with the animals that are considered the most adorable, like koalas and panda bears, tending to receive the most funding and extensive research, while other animals like reptiles and amphibians are often left forgotten. While big mammals may hold great importance, there are plenty of other smaller creatures that hold equal, or greater, ecological value, even if they are not always thought to be as photogenic. For instance, insects like wasps and spiders are crucial to nutrient cycling, pollination, the maintenance of soil, and controlling or sustaining other animal populations. Nevertheless, animals continue to be subjected to a hierarchy of sympathetic value that translates into monetary valuations of their worth.

Some studies suggest this preference even presents issues for those much-loved large mammals. One study in France showed that the number of tigers people saw in advertising and other media in one year surpassed the amount of actual tigers in all of West Africa. These images can create a false illusion of strength in numbers. This virtual abundance may result in less public appreciation for the dire circumstances these animals are in, even while conservation research and action is underway.

When I started wildlife photography, I found myself succumbing to this hierarchy, and wishing my backyard looked more like a vast savannah crawling with zebras and lions. However, out of my desperation to find wildlife in the suburbs of the West Island, I have gained an appreciation for the undervalued creatures that exist in our everyday lives. Now, I more consciously attempt to counteract this hierarchy with the photos I take, spending as many hours getting the right focus on common wasps in my backyard as stalking bald eagles on nature reserves. The camera allows me to reveal the charisma possessed by under-appreciated species.

The images I create allow me to recognize the beauty and importance of all animals with which I cross paths, and to share these moments with others. All parts of the natural world play a crucial role in the ecosystem and deserve protection, sympathy, and appreciation. By reframing the way we value appearance in the natural world, we can take a moment to appreciate the undervalued wildlife we encounter in our daily lives.

NCAA
Sports

Supporting student athletes through COVID-19

by Ender McDuff on

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Sporting events around the world have been halted due to the spread of COVID-19. Among North America’s major leagues, the NBA was the first to suspend its season on March 12 when Utah Jazz centre Rudy Gobert tested positive for the virus. Since then, nearly every professional sports league has suspended competitive play in an effort to limit the spread of the virus. The current situation is difficult for fans, athletes, and arena employees alike. Student athletes’ future careers and playing opportunities, however, will also feel the impacts of these disruptions. 

Cancellations of league and playoff competition are adversely affecting student athletes in all spring and many winter sports. The most prominent example among these is the cancellation of March Madness, the annual NCAA Division 1 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. This is concerning for student athletes who aspire to play professionally following the school year’s end. While certain star athletes have been on scouts’ radars since high school, many depend on the tournament to make a name for themselves. 

This concern is even more acute for spring sport athletes—including those in baseball, beach volleyball, and tennis—who will likely lose their entire season and potentially an opportunity to play professionally. For both winter and spring sports, these issues may be compounded further by the cancellation of scouting tournaments that provide student athletes with an additional platform to meet with scouts. 

These consequences have been felt by student athletes at McGill, too. The Martlet hockey team was prepared to compete in the National Championships from March 13 to 15, before the tournament was cancelled on March 12. Senior athletes at Canadian universities may be especially vulnerable, as many of them look to European professional leagues to continue their careers. However, as Europe is currently the epicentre of the pandemic, many of McGill’s own athletes may lose opportunities to reach overseas scouts. 

In acknowledging these concerns, the NCAA has announced that all players in spring sports will be granted an extra year of eligibility. While this policy is a step in the right direction, it fails to support winter athletes who are also affected by the pandemic. Moreover, this policy does not address the tremendous opportunity cost student athletes face when being asked to return for an additional season. The financial burdens of being a student athlete are immense, and for many, these costs may prohibit their return to school and competition. As student athletes are unpaid, remaining for another year of eligibility when they had hoped to already be earning money may not be financially viable for many. The long-term consequences of this policy may also prove disastrous because there will be fewer roster spots opening for incoming freshmen, should seniors return for their additional year of eligibility.

U SPORTS in Canada is lagging even further behind, having not yet announced any policies to support student athletes, despite cancelling the hockey and volleyball National Championships. 

Given these concerns, there is a great deal more that both collegiate and professional leagues must do to support student athletes. First among these is to provide financial assistance to student athletes in order to offset the opportunity cost of the lost season. This can be done by adjusting scholarship eligibility to ensure student athletes are supported both now and in the upcoming season.

Furthermore, the NCAA must extend additional eligibility to affected winter athletes, and U SPORTS should follow suit. Professional leagues also need to reschedule scouting events in order to offset the lost league play, which may necessitate professional leagues delaying summertime drafts until later in the year. Lastly, universities should provide more roster spots for freshmen to redshirt in the upcoming year to ensure that the next group of young talent is not indirectly affected. 

The NCAA and U SPORTS made the right decision to cancel league and tournament play in the face of the growing pandemic. However, in the coming weeks and months, both collegiate and professional leagues must take additional steps to ensure that student athletes are adequately supported in continuing their athletic careers. 

Hockey, Martlets, Sports

Martlet Hockey season recap

by Shaun Lalani on

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The 2019-20 season was a resounding success for the McGill Women’s Hockey team, as the Martlets clinched their 15th RSEQ championship en-route to a second successive U Sports National Championships qualification. Despite a rocky start to the season, the Martlets’ confidence grew game after game, and they finished their 2019-20 campaign 23–12–0. The team’s success largely came down to the players’ ability to execute on both ends of the ice.  Fourth-year forward Lea Dumais and fourth-year centre Jade Downie-Landry spearheaded a well-oiled Martlet offence that outscored opponents 115–62 on the season. On defence, fourth-year goaltender Tricia Deguire and fourth-year defence Kate Devries each had phenomenal seasons, blocking several of the league’s best offences. Deguire was particularly impressive, finishing the season with league bests in shutouts (5) and goals-against-average (1.67). The four players all ended their campaigns as honourees of the RSEQ first and second All-Star teams. Additionally, captain Emilia Cotter, who also serves as the co-president of the McGill Varsity Council, was awarded with the league’s Leadership & Community Service Award for her excellent work ethic and guidance on and off the ice. 

The Martlet’s came into the 2019-20 campaign looking to right the wrongs of two prior heart-breaking finals losses against the Université de Montréal (UdeM) Carabins and the Guelph University Gryphons in last year’s RSEQ and U Sport postseasons, respectively. Things did not go exactly as planned, however, when the team suffered a 2–1 OT defeat in their very first game of the season against arch-rivals Concordia Stingers. The struggles continued as the Martlets dropped two more games to the Stingers, finishing the fall semester with an overall record of 4–6–0. 

Once play resumed in January, McGill faced-off against a familiar foe in the form of the Carabins in what would be their third of seven meetings this season. The game was a spectacle from start to finish: With an inspired performance, the team overcame a two goal deficit to push the game into double overtime where third-year forward Kellyane Lecours scored to secure a decisive, season-altering victory. The return to form helped McGill go 7–3–0 for the remainder of the season, securing a second place finish behind division leaders Concordia. Martlet Head Coach Peter Smith was full of praise for the explosive Lecours. 

“Kellyane had a very challenging academic course-load in the first semester, and I think that it affected her play,” Smith said in an interview with McGill Athletics. “But she trained hard over the holiday break and [was] ready to go. She looked really good out there.” 

McGill’s playoff opener positioned the team as favourites against the Ottawa Gee-Gees. The Martlets did not disappoint, making quick work of their opponents to clinch the series in two games and set up a grudge match against the UdeM Carabins, last year’s RSEQ champions. The first game of the series was dominated by Downie-Landry, with the playoff point-leader netting a scintillating hattrick to rout the Carabins 4–2. Victory in their sights, the Martlets came out roaring in the second game of the series, scoring four more goals to firmly establish their status as Quebec’s best. The goals came from third-year forward Stephanie Desjardins, Lecours, Downie-Landry, and, in what would be her final game for the team, captain Emilia Cotter. 

The Martlets unfortunately were unable to take their six game winning streak to the U Sports Nationals because the tournament was cancelled amidst developing concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the early end to their season, Smith expressed great pleasure at the season’s outcome. 

“The Martlets hockey program is a process from start to finish, and you can’t evaluate our team after a slow start from September to October,” Smith said. “You need to evaluate us for the progress we make over the course of the year. We have such a hard-working group and now that we’ve gotten to this time of year, our hard work is paying off. I’m happy for the players, they’ve played well, worked hard and won the RSEQ championship.”

Arts & Entertainment, Internet

The vloggers of McGill University

by Vanessa Barron on

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Since the dawn of YouTube in 2006, viewers have seen mankind at its best and its worst; our most epic moments and our cringiest compilations archived indefinitely for all to see. The medium of the vlog—a portmanteau of ‘video blog’—is relatively new, but has had a large influence on internet culture. Within the category exists the college vlog subgenre, and within that subgenre is the McGill vlog. Current upper-year students might remember searching for dorm tour videos as a rising freshman and, instead, finding residence hall lip-sync challenges from 2012. Today, a similar YouTube search yields hundreds of results from current students covering campus tours, residence reviews, personal vlogs, and Q&As for new students. Vlogs are proving to be one of the most useful resources for prospective students looking for realistic, up-to-date advice about the university experience. Although the niche is small, McGill’s vloggers demonstrate the importance of authenticity and connectivity in the age of online videos.

Alena Russell, U1 Arts, started her channel under the pseudonym Alena McKenzie in her last year of high school, initially as a makeup channel and later transitioning to more of a lifestyle channel after she saw a lack of quality content available for prospective McGill students.

“Around the time I started to get accepted into universities, I was trying to find YouTube videos [about life at McGill] and there’s like, three outdated videos,” Russell said. “I’m from a really small town on the west coast […] [I didn’t know anyone] from my state going here. So I [wanted to] record my whole university process […] for fun but also for people from places and situations similar to mine.”

Russell noted that videos made by McGill’s official YouTube were often outdated and lacked warmth and authenticity. These videos often do not seem credible because the viewer knows that they are viewing an advertisement framing McGill’s campus in its best light. McGill vloggers offer their personal experience and perspective as a guideline for prospective students. While they are still helping to sell a product, intentionally or not, these videos democratize the campus tour. Particularly, such videos help prospective international students decide on where to commit their time and money for the next four years. The success of college vlogs demonstrates why influencer culture remains prevalent on sites like YouTube—it’s much easier to believe a person than an institution.

Connections between the creator and the viewer is an important element of any YouTube channel. Inara Qamar, U1 Arts, has been vlogging for over a year now on two channels, inara.q and Inara & Jaydon, and her link with her audience makes her feel as if she were talking to friends rather than a camera on a tripod. In addition to her visually informative McGill vlogs, she also engages directly with her audience in the comment section.

“I do receive a lot of questions about McGill in general,” Qamar said. “I know that university websites can often be daunting, so I reply [to viewers’ comments] with useful links that take people directly to the information they’re searching for.”

As a current first-year student, Audrey Rhéaume, U0 Arts, recently went through the  university admissions process, relying on these vlogs to give her a sense of what life was really like on campus. She toured McGill before, but had planned to commute daily to campus until she saw Russell’s Upper Residence vlogs. 

“I knew that I wanted my first year to look like what I saw in her vlogs,” Rhéaume said. “I chose to live in Upper [Residence] because of her videos.”

In general, YouTube viewers often look for authenticity in video content, particularly in  vlogs made by-and-for the average person. If vloggers fail to establish a sense of realness—for example, James Charles’s infamous apology video in which he struggled to convey a convincingly sad performance—viewers lose respect and interest. Vloggers can establish authenticity through stylistic elements as well as content matter. Qamar’s vlogging style uses mostly unedited footage to give an unscripted, realistic feel. Russell, on the other hand, tends to incorporate footage of her friends and surroundings, using voiceover when necessary. These videos often depict their subject matter, be it McGill-related or otherwise, at its best, most exciting moments. There also exists, however, an ample amount of vlogs from students detailing their negative experiences at McGill. 

“As much as I remember watching videos where people seemed happy here, I also remember seeing a few videos of people who decided to transfer or were simply finding it difficult to keep up [with] this environment,” Rhéaume said. “I think that those [videos] are the most beneficial for incoming students because they can get a look into what it’s really like to be a student at McGill.”

Vlogging, as a medium, is difficult to adapt to; there is an inherent discomfort in talking into a camera, as Qamar and Russell both noticed at first. With practice comes comfort, but making videos requires a basic knowledge of video production. Thankfully, YouTube provides all the tools to learn how to effectively produce videos, from starting a channel to editing and camera tutorials. In the long-standing tradition of how-to guides from strangers on YouTube, the McGill vloggers show that the platform can provide you with practical information on anything—from producing a video to experiencing a campus online. 

While Russsell and Qamar started their channels to record their university experience, they both plan to continue their channel after graduation, branching out to more diverse topics to satisfy their growing followings. While the ‘McGill vlogger’ niche can only be occupied for so long, the ever-changing landscape of campus, residences, and atmosphere indicates that these vlogs might be in demand for a while. Furthermore, the administration finally seems to be catching on to the vlogging trend, too: Recently, Russell was approached to produce a video in collaboration with the McGill Alumni Association. Although the McGill vlogs have a limited audience, they represent a larger culture of vlogging that is changing the way that we narrate our stories and inform ourselves in the age of the Internet.

podcasts
Sports

Podcasts to fill the sports void

by Adam Burton on

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The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has resulted in the mass shutdown of professional and collegiate sports, leaving fans scrambling to adjust to the disruption in the annual sports cycle. While leagues are doing the right thing to minimize the spread of the virus, the suspensions have left fans with a void in their entertainment options. It can be hard to know where to turn for alternatives, but The McGill Tribune has a solution. 

Podcasts are a fantastic way to satisfy the hunger for sports. With a huge boom in the variety of content available, it is easier than ever to find a podcast suited to your specific taste. So, without further ado, here is the Tribune’s guide to sports podcasts. Keep doing what you’re doing, get your earbuds, and get listening.

The Bill Simmons Podcast

In perhaps the most followed sports and culture podcast, former sports columnist Bill Simmons hosts a wide variety of guests including Kevin Durant, Barack Obama, and his friends from college. Simmons’ colloquial, jaunty style makes sports analysis fun, while his wide range of guests helps contextualize seemingly insignificant sports events in the broader cultural sphere. Simmons knows how to rope you in and make you feel like you’re caught up on everything, from the latest NBA trade deadline speculations to Oscar nomination snubs. In addition to his own podcast, Bill Simmons’s company The Ringer hosts nearly a dozen podcasts covering everything from statistical sports analysis to impressively in-depth movie and television lore. 

First Take

Who doesn’t enjoy the constantly spewing fire-hose that is Stephen A. Smith’s opinions on any, and all sports? If you thought his TV presence was over the top, you are in for a treat with his daily podcast episodes. Smith isn’t afraid to share his spicy, albeit sometimes uninformed, takes. He is unabashedly pro-New York and isn’t afraid to argue with his co-hosts Max Kellerman and Molly Qerim. If you’re looking to relieve stress by listening to someone with stress levels that top the charts, this is the show for you.

Only A Game (NPR)

Host Bill Littlefield offers a more nuanced, episodic take on sports. This weekly podcast delves into historical oddities, athletes’ personal lives, and niche sports like pickleball or the stair race up the Empire State Building. The mellow, sophisticated aura of the podcast is more akin to public radio programming like This American Life or the Moth Radio Hour. Pair your Bluetooth, get ready to learn and listen to the soft, warm tones of Bill Littlefield’s voice.

The Real Science of Sport Podcast

Sports is a constantly evolving discipline: With ongoing improvements in technology, dieting, training, and statistics, it is fascinating to see all the work that goes into allowing athletes to perform their best. Sports science professor Ross Tucker does just that in this weekly podcast, breaking down topics as intricate as revolutionary running shoe design technology to the reasons that Eliud Kipchoge was able to break the two hour mark for the marathon. Listening to this podcast not only helps you understand the intricacies of athletics, but also helps you better analyze your own performance in relation to physical ability and mental resilience. 

30 for 30

Conceived in 2009 by ESPN, 30 for 30 has pioneered the sports documentary genre, combining in-depth coverage of athlete profiles with investigative journalism. Their relatively recent audio adaptation is no different, and certainly is not lacking in originality. While an episode is produced only every month or so, it makes up for the infrequent releases with its impressively high quality. Topics include the birth of the Madden NFL video game series and the history of the Yankees-Red Socks Rivalry. 

covid-19 illustration
McGill, News

Experts encourage students not to panic in wake of COVID-19 crisis

by Tasmin Chu on

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Despite the ongoing global COVID-19 crisis, McGill experts are advising students to remain calm. About one million students and educators have been affected by the two-week closure of Quebec’s CEGEPs, secondary schools, and universities, leaving many wondering as to the possible extent of the crisis’s disruptions to their daily lives. 

Epidemiologist Dr. Raymond Tellier, a professor at McGill’s Department of Medicine, was a member of the research team that identified the SARS Outbreak in 2003. Tellier explained why it is important to stay calm during the current epidemic. 

“I don’t think panic helps anything,” Tellier said. “Going berserk about [the pandemic] is not going to help us. This is a difficult situation that we need to face. But there are ways to deal with that. Social distancing, all the measures that we’re seeing [….] The [crisis] will actually pass, provided that we do things that stop the chain of transmission.”

On March 11, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic; province-wide school closures followed soon after, on March 13. Josie Grundy, U0 Arts, explained that McGill’s announcement that classes were cancelled came as a relief after hours of uncertainty. 

“It’s been intense wondering what’s happening next, just always looking out for the next email,” Grundy said. “But now that we know what’s going on, at least for the next two weeks, […] I can’t really worry beyond that.” 

Tellier explained that while they may have caught some students off guard, the provincial measures to prevent the virus from spreading are likely to pay dividends later.

“There are those that say ‘Well, this is a fairly strong reaction given that we have only a small number of cases [in Quebec],’” Tellier said. “But the thing is that […] we know that these measures of containment are much more efficient if you take them early rather than taking them late.”

Shelves in grocery stores such as Provigo are empty, and some shops are seeing a spike in demand for toilet paper. According to Samuel Veissière, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry, it is important to bear in mind that humans are evolutionarily predisposed to fear. 

“The spread of a novel coronavirus for which people have not yet acquired immunity certainly requires planning and action,” Veissière wrote in an email to //The McGill Tribune//. “When one compares the [number of infections and deaths] to well-known seasonal viruses like influenza, […] the public’s response and that of officials in many [countries] seems disproportionate. [One] evolutionary factor is the well-documented negativity bias. The human mind is obsessed with potential threats.”

Some communities, particularly the Chinese and broader East Asian community, have been particularly affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Montreal’s Chinatown has seen a steep decline in business, and a hooded individual recently attacked several sacred lion dog statues with a sledge hammer at the Quan Am Buddhist temple. Two other temples have been attacked since.

Experts like Sandra Hyde, an associate professor of anthropology at McGill, are linking the outbreak of COVID-19 to a rise in xenophobia. According to Hyde, part of the issue is the rapid pace of information. She claimed that every epidemic is accompanied by a parallel ‘infodemic’ of speculation and misunderstanding.

“[Infodemic means] misreading, misunderstanding, and a lot of misguided speculation and guesswork about this new disease’s parameters,” Hyde wrote in an email to the ///Tribune./// “I think since Wuhan was the epicentre, there are xenophobes that label the epidemic as [the] Chinese or Wuhan virus. But all epidemics know no borders and COVID-19 is no different.”

Veissière also believed that there was a social cost to unchecked alarmism. He classified the current response to COVID-19 as a moral panic, a phenomenon that occurs when a public response is significantly out of proportion to a perceived threat. According to Veissière, xenophobia and prejudice often draw on a contagion model of foreign infectious agents. He believed that the current COVID-19 outbreak is liable to heighten fears of being contaminated by marginalized groups, especially groups seen as carrying the disease.

“In times of epidemics, seasonal and otherwise, avoiding large crowds and maintaining good hygiene is obviously advantageous for people with compromised immune systems,” Veissière wrote. “Excessive fear, isolation, and discrimination, however, are terrible for our democratic societies, our economies, our mental health, and our well-being more generally. These irrational fears must be countered with love, care, and compassion.”

Arts & Entertainment, Music

In conversation with: Northern Gloom

by Kate Addison on

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With over four decades having passed since the heyday of bands like the Ramones and the Sex Pistols, the return of punk music and its anti-establishment message is long overdue. Enter Northern Gloom, an emerging Pennsylvanian post-punk band with the ambitious goal of revolutionizing punk music while inspiring social change. 

Guitarist and vocalist Micheal James Stipe, drummer Brian Doherty, and bassist Cory Paternoster make up the self-described power trio that is Northern Gloom. While the three only began to play together in 2018, Stipe and Doherty have collaborated on various musical projects on and off for the past 10 years. With the addition of Paternoster on bass, the band finally solidified and began to create music with the common goal of transforming punk and creating social commentary through their music.

The name ‘Northern Gloom’ is a reference to two 1980s rock bands, Killing Joke and Joy Division, from which the trio draws inspiration for their sound. 

“Killing Joke is from Nottingham, which is more southern, and Joy division is from Manchester, which is in the North,” Stipe said. “When [the two] would tour together they would say ‘southern stomp and northern gloom’.”

The band relates this sense of gloom to their roots in the heavily industrialized areas of   the northeastern US. 

 “We’re from Harrisburg, a huge industrial pass-through,” Stipe said. “So […] every green space there’s been [in the city] as I’ve grown up, they’ve filled it with apartments or some shit like that, or a new factory.” 

This spirit of defiance towards big industry or government is a theme prevalent throughout the three songs Northen Gloom released this January. The EP, This isn’t a Revival, It’s a Revolution!, is a preview of the band’s upcoming album titled Watch … There it Goes set for release in full on July 3. With simple guitar riffs and Doherty’s drums-only rhythm section, Northern Gloom’s first album is unquestionably reminiscent of more classic punk. 

“Post-punk had a kind of a second movement in the early 2000s, bands like Interpol or the Killers, we like that stuff but I don’t really want to associate with that type of music,”  Stipe said. “It’s more on the [pop] side and less on the social-commentary side, which is more what we’re about.” 

For Northern Gloom, the anarchist connection to punk music is a central theme the band hopes to convey in this preliminary collection of songs. 

“I had this [“This isn’t a Revival, It’s a Revolution”] in my head […] because I think the original post-punkers were revolutionaries because they were speaking truth to power back in the late seventies,” Stipe said. “I want us to be here to carry on that message.” 

With songs such as “Onward,” Northern Gloom undoubtedly calls for anti-establishment action in times of political turmoil.

“The lyrical content is about how the few can screw things up for the many […] I’m very anti-politician because I think they’re all, for lack of better terms, full of shit,” Stipe said. “You know [in] America, we’re forced to deal with two political parties […] and the people are what’s most important and I think we get completely ignored. So basically the music is a call to people to question [what they are told], and not to just swallow what they’re being fed.” 

While upcoming tour dates may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Northern Gloom is scheduled to perform with McGill’s Nervous Nancy at Barfly on April 4.

Out on the Town, Student Life

Chowing down at Chez Mein

by Catherine Morrison on

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Tucked in between Prince-Arthur and Pins on Saint-Laurent Boulevard lies a little piece of heaven called Chez Mein, better known in the neighbourhood as 2chow. While their menu offers a wide array of items from spring rolls, to fried shrimp, to dumplings, the restaurant is most famous for their delicious $2 chow mein noodles. 

Serving stir-fried noodles with either hot peanut butter or teriyaki sauce on a styrofoam plate, Chez Mein manages to make this simple snack feel like a fancy meal. While Chez Mein is open every day from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., the bulk of their customers visit the restaurant on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights after a night of partying on Saint-Laurent. 

Recognized by distinguished culture magazines CULT MTL and Montreall.com as a late-night snack staple, Chez Mein advertises their restaurant with the ‘drunchies’ in mind. 

“Come and eat some delicious fried noodles!” Chez Mein’s first Facebook post read in 2011. “Only two bucks to satisfy your drunk desire!*”

Back in 2011, a small sushi shop, Resto Asahi, was Chez Mein’s main competitor for the title of ‘cheapest late-night meal’, when they were two doors north of them. However, following Resto Asahi’s closure, Chez Mein eventually took over their Saint-Laurent location, and they have been there ever since.

A small, undecorated restaurant filled with only a few tables and chairs, Chez Mein has proven that fancier is not always better. With a little cooking area by the entrance, Chez Mein offers window service when the weather is nice. Its cheap prices and an atmosphere resembling street food vendors in Asia, has made Chez Mein a simple yet iconic location for both McGill students and students in the greater Montreal area. 

For many McGill students, Chez Mein’s cheap chow mein has shaped their university experience. 

“Some of my purest moments of joy have happened at Chez Mein,” Lily McRae, U2 Arts, said. “It’s what taught me what “no frills” means in a Yelp review. It’s also where I learned that peanut sauce is literally just peanut butter, opening me to new types of cooking.”

Moriah Diamond, U3 Arts, finds that the restaurant’s friendly staff, including the owner Mr. Mike Cohen, is key to Chez Mein’s charm.

“I love 2chow,” Diamond said. “Last week, I gave [Mr. Cohen] 10 dollars because he always gives me an extra large order of noodles with four spring rolls for two dollars. He’s the best.” 

One of the most exciting, and potentially nerve-wracking, parts of the Chez Mein experience is that you never know who you will run into. Briaela Shimansky, U2 Arts, described how Chez Mein has often served as a strange yet familiar meeting spot for the student community. 

“Once I was craving noodles, so I drove all the way from the West Island to Chez Mein at midnight,” Shimansky said. “I was sober, alone, and wearing pyjamas. I ended up running into a bunch of people from high school, a girl that was mean to me, my ex, and a guy [whom] I recently ghosted. It was still worth it.” 

Not only does Chez Mein hold a place in the hearts of McGill students, it has been a staple for many people around the island. The restaurant’s status as a long-standing and beloved place in the community for years is highlighted in an 11-minute video made by former Concordia student Sarah Barrable-Tishauer entitled “$2CHOWMEIN”. The video depicts the ins and outs of running this popular late-night restaurant on Saint-Laurent. More importantly, the documentary explores the legendary story behind the restaurant’s famous peanut butter sauce, thanks to an interview with the owner himself.

“We used to make peanut butter dumplings,” Cohen said. “[It] was a mistake. We put the peanut butter sauce on the dumpling, and then we put some on the noodles. And it just so happened that they liked it.” 

Whether you’re into peanut butter or teriyaki, Chez Mein has a little something for everyone. If you’re nice, the staff might even throw in an extra spring roll in your order for you.

*Translated from Chinese

McGill, News

Exploring women’s health in McGill’s first annual Women’s Week

by Jackie Lee on

More in McGill:

McGill’s first annual Women’s Week took place March 9-13 following International Women’s Day on March 8. Over 30 clubs and services on campus planned events featuring discussions and film screenings, as well as an Athena-themed party, to celebrate and educate on topics relating to gender equity.    

A panel dedicated to women’s health on March 10 featured a series of speakers who explored the lived experiences of women and femme-identitfied people in a medical and health context. The event was organized by McGill Students for Think Pink and Medical Herstory. 

The first speaker, Patricia Kearns, is a member of Breast Cancer Action Quebec (ACSQC), a women-directed non-profit advocacy group committed to the prevention and reduction of breast cancer. One of ACSQC’s primary objectives includes the amendment of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) to reduce carcinogenic substances allowed for use in cosmetics and other personal care items. Some studies have suggested that phthalates, a common ingredient in consumer products, may be present in sufficient quantities to disrupt the endocrine system and cause cancer, though research has shown mixed results. 

“We are aware that [Canada] has one of the weakest legislations in the world around toxic ingredients,” Kearns said. “We have been fighting for a long time to get [CEPA] reformed.” 

When considering how CEPA can be improved, Kearns suggested looking to the European Union as a model for successful regulations, citing France as an example.

“Europe is so far advanced compared to Canada,” Kearns said. “They have looked at these classes of chemicals for a long time and they have banned them. [Here,] there’s just not the political will [to update regulations]. [The European Union also] has a program called REACH [that does] a lot of great work on chemical management.” 

While Kearns emphasized cancer prevention, she also stressed the importance of educating not only each other but specifically government officials on cosmetics’ possibly carcinogenic substances in an effort to enact regulation change on a federal level. Although she acknowledges that there has been a shift in the cultural mindset toward ingredient transparency, Kearns also argued that consumers should not have to be dependent on hand-made products and personal incentive in order to stay healthy.  

“[Making do-it-yourself products is like] an enactment of the precautionary principle on an individual level,” Kearns said. “But we also need to advocate for [stricter regulations] on a societal level so that the push comes to change our legislation. [We shouldn’t] have to become expert consumers and chemical detectives.” 

The second speaker was Caitlin Wei, who spoke about her breast cancer story and the financial barriers that many patients face in the US regarding proper healthcare. She also brought up the nuances of reconstruction surgery after traumatic chemotherapy treatments. 

Following Wei’s remarks, two students read short stories about their experiences with the Canadian healthcare system. The first speaker expressed the discomfort they felt disclosing their sexual history and dealing with heteronormative expectations in a pelvic exam, while the second described her negative experiences regarding gender and language bias in a Montreal hospital. 

Finally, after the panel, audience member Melissa Kuch (U3 Arts) shared her story of being diagnosed with a rare type of cancer, usually only present in males, which she felt generated biases from doctors relating to her age and gender.

“There was this expectation that you’re young and you’re going to be fine, so I didn’t really get a lot of answers [when I had questions],” Kuch said. “[In addition], the discourse that [doctors] used and the language they used was always in relation to the male counterpart.” 

Following the Quebec government’s directives announced on March 12 in response to coronavirus concerns, gatherings of more than 250 people were forbidden, so events scheduled for Women’s Week on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 were cancelled.

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