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Science & Technology

Dr. Jane Goodall discusses her transition from scientist to activist

by Kate Lord & Julia Briand on

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At the Young Women’s Veterinary Association International Conference on Sustainable Veterinary Practice on Oct. 6, the animal calls were so life-like there could have been a chimpanzee in the room.

“This is me, this is Jane, in chimpanzee language,” primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall said.

Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, is considered to be the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees. Awarded England’s highest honour, Dame of the British Empire, in 2004, Goodall has been the recipient of many prestigious awards over the years for her work on humanitarian and animal rights issues.

“I was born loving animals,” Goodall said. “[As a child] I determined I would grow up, move to Africa, live with wild animals, and write books about them. And everyone laughed at me [.…] The war was raging in Europe, we had very little money […] and I was just a girl, and girls didn’t do that sort of thing.”

In 1960, under the mentorship of famed paleontologist and anthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey, Goodall began her groundbreaking research on the behaviour of the chimpanzees at the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve in Tanzania.

“Nobody else had ever done anything like that [before],” Goodall said.

Goodall’s observations of the chimpanzees fishing termites out of mounds using sticks and other tools were revolutionary in that it forced a redefinition of the way scientists view animals.

“It was believed that there was a sharp line dividing us humans from the rest of the animal kingdom,” Goodall said. “Today, we know we are part of that animal kingdom, not separated from it.”

Goodall’s close analysis of the emotional relationship between offspring and their mothers, nurturing behaviour in both genders and territorial war between neighbouring chimp populations showed her the similarities between chimpanzee and human nature.

“Chimpanzees have their dark side […] and their loving side, too,” Goodall said.

Goodall eventually attended Cambridge University for her PhD, which she received in 1965. She was dismayed, however, to discover that the academic world rejected the idea of animal sentience. 

“They told me that I had done everything all wrong,” Goodall said. “I shouldn’t have given the chimpanzees names—they should have had numbers.”

It wasn’t until a conference on the study of chimpanzees in 1986 that Goodall was fully exposed to habitat deterioration and inhumane treatment of chimpanzees as a species across the world.

“Chimpanzees were dropping in numbers as a result of the bushmeat trade, commercial hunting, snaring, and the live animal trade,” Goodall said. “I went to that conference as a scientist […] and left as an activist.”

Goodall brought up a few topics relevant to her work as an environmental and animal activist. She described the horrible conditions of industrial farming in wealthy nations paired with the effects of a growing demand for meat.

“About 18 per cent of the greenhouse gases […] responsible for global warming and climate change come from intensive farming,” Goodall explained. “Forests are cut down to house the animals, huge amounts of fossil fuel are used to get the grain to the animals, and the meat to the table, and, of course, a huge amount of water is used to change vegetable protein to animal protein.”

Widespread cow farming and their feces add to the production of methane, which is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Despite the barrage of modern challenges, Goodall has hope—hope that by better understanding animals, better solutions will be made.

“Animals are indeed sentient,” Goodall said. “Together we can find ways of changing some of these unfortunate cruelties that go on in the world around us.”

Science & Technology

Origins of the Canadian accent: Canadian English and factors that contribute to linguistic change

by Andy Wang on

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Despite many linguistic similarities with our southern neighbour, the Canadian accent—or accents—can be as distinctive as our love of hockey, maple syrup, and good manners.

The origins of Canadian English can be traced back to the American Revolution in the late 18th century when roughly 45,000 Loyalists—American colonists still faithful to the British crown—resettled in modern day Ontario. This influx of native English speakers contributed to the majority of the modern Canadian accent, and explains why a standard Canadian accent is often similar to the English spoken in the midwestern United States.

The influx of Irish and Scottish immigrants to Canada in the late 19th century contributed to some of the regional differences in Canadian accents. English-speakers in the Maritime provinces tend to produce vowel sounds from the front of the mouth when pronouncing words such as car, hard, and bar—think Sean Connery.

English in Quebec, the only province where it is a minority language, also possesses some unique qualities that make it quite distinctive. For example, words with double r’s, such as marry and merry,are typically pronounced differently by Quebec anglophones than in any other region in Canada.

The evolution of language follows similar changes as the forces that shape biological, Darwinian evolution: Isolation, compartmentalization, and time mediate the distinction of language from accents, to dialects, to altogether different languages.

From the early post-American Revolution years until the early 20th century, trans-Atlantic communication required  the labourious exercise of handwriting letters. The rise of the digital era—from cell phones to mass media, Facebook, Instagram, and other forms of online communication—largely began to reverse the trend of English’s linguistic divergence.

“The interconnected nature of reality today can be seen in the homogeneity of the young generation,” Associate Professor of Linguistics Charles Boberg, an expert on Canadian English, said. “Everyone hears the same pop music, and watches the same shows. In the streets of London, you can sometimes hear young people speaking American slang.”

However, not all regional differences are declining. Languages, dialects, and accents provide speakers with an avenue to distinguish themselves from a homogenous blend of linguistic commonality.

“Accents and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling can be used as symbols of individuality and also as an avenue of social movement,” Boberg said. “The regions where we see language at its most malleable is in the middle class, which is logical considering this is the socioeconomic class associated with the most active upward mobility.”

There is also a gender dynamic at play: Women consistently outperform men in all areas of language. Studies have also found a correlation between gender and linguistic change. But, whether these observed correlations are caused by societal roles imposed on women or by the neurobiological differences between the sexes remains a topic of intense debate in sociolinguistic academia.

“The nature versus nurture debate definitely has a place in linguistics,” Boberg said. “Certainly there are factors in society which shape the difference between men and women. For the past century, that has been the chief focus of linguistics. But, recent genetic and prenatal studies have shown that perhaps some things are truly a result of purely biological differences.”

Canadian English has a decidedly unique history compared to its British and American counterparts, despite the fact that the trajectory of its evolution has been shaped by both. With regard to its future, one can only predict that Canadian English will continue to preserve a measure of its uniqueness.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Two Lovers and a Bear portrays explosive love affair against icy landscape

by Dylan Adamson on

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Writer-director Kim Nguyen has never been conservative in his creative choices. The Montreal-born, Concordia graduate’s recent films have taken him to shooting locations in Tunisia (La Cité) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (War Witch). Historical drama, horror, and magic realism are just a few of the genres Nguyen has dipped his toes into over the course of his diverse œvre. With his most recent film and fourth full length offering, Two Lovers and a Bear, Nguyen takes his versatile skill set as far north as possible.

The premise is somewhat familiar—two attractive, white heterosexual people fall in love while simultaneously fighting internal demons brought on by dark pasts; however, in the estranged setting, and with the help of some interesting narrative twists, Nguyen draws out new life and beauty in an otherwise traditional plot. The aforementioned heterosexual white couple is the pairing of Roman—an exemplary, volatile performance from Dane DeHaan—and Lucy—Tatiana Maslany of Orphan Black fame. Their mental anguish stems from the persistent memories of abuse at the hands of their fathers. 

The aptly named town of Apex, Nunavut—accessible only via plane—serves as an ideal destination for the two traumatized lovers to escape—as far removed from civilization and memory as possible. As the couple navigates through some seriously frightening screaming matches, Roman’s sporadic alcoholism, and the spectres of—mostly—Lucy’s past, it is made clear that, try as they might, they can never run from their painful memories. 

Nguyen furnishes this complicated romance with grandiose widescreen shots of the aurora borealis. The daunting expanse of the Arctic tundra particularly comes through in the overhead tracking shots of Roman and Lucy on an epic snowmobile journey. One feels the precariousness of life in conditions such as these. Negative forty-degree weather lurks outside every door, and in the background of every scene lies ice as far as the eye can see. The lovers’ explosive relationship is heightened by the innately tense nature of the land.

One particularly notable scene is the close-up of Lucy huddled in a makeshift igloo, breathing in and out rhythmically, intercut with a shot of a rock face surreally pulsing up and down, synchronized with the sound of her breath. The cold becomes a character in moments such as these; its constant threat feels inescapable. 

Shooting mostly outdoors in an expansive, flat landscape, Nguyen uses the relative smallness of the main characters to the advantage of the narrative. As they race further and further from the reaches of civilization, the Arctic feels uncaring, and their neverending quest away from their memories becomes futile. 

While the barren setting does put our characters in a unique position for self-exploration, the film’s representation of this locale is somewhat whitewashed. Despite the couple’s narrative placement within an Inuit community, local indigenous inhabitants of the land are limited to extra roles with little to no contribution to the story arc. The Inuit locals are portrayed merely as part of the landscape, which is disappointing considering that 84 per cent of Nunavut’s population is Inuit. A missed opportunity to bring attention to one of Canada’s most under-represented indigenous groups, Two Lovers and a Bear could certainly have benefited from a more honest and representative portrayal of life in Nunavut. 

Despite the flaws in Kim Nguyen’s Two Lovers and a Bear, the film manages to find beauty in its story of two lost souls searching for meaning at the edge of the world. The methods with which it explores the dark psyches of Roman and Lucy, and how they affect their unique relationship, are often captivating. Although occasionally melodramatic in their turbulent relationship, the couple’s actions never stretch beyond belief due to Nguyen’s thorough exploration of internalized abuse. What really separates Nguyen’s latest from like-minded romances is the way he uses his setting to compound the inner turmoil of his two main characters. While Two Lovers and a Bear unfortunately doesn’t tread much new ground, it’s gorgeous rendering of Nunavut makes this indie romance well worth the price of admission. 

Hockey, Private, Sports

McGill Tribune Sports Podcast: NHL Season Preview with Bob McKenzie

by Alex Sirois and Wasif Husain on

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Alex Sirois and Wasif Husain chat with TSN NHL insider Bob McKenzie to get you set for the upcoming 2016-17 season. They talk about the World Cup of Hockey and it's successes, then dive into the NHL prospect pool and how the Montreal Canadiens will bounce back this year. McKenzie then shares his thoughts on the Vancouver Canucks' upcoming season and on the Coyotes new management and scouting analytics. They discuss which Canadian team McKenzie thinks will finish last, his sleeper teams for this year, and his illustrious musical career at TSN.

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Montreal, News, Private

11th March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women draws hundreds

by Astha Agarwal on

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On Oct. 4, hundreds of Montrealers gathered to walk in solidarity at the 11th Annual March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. The march was hosted by Montreal’s Centre for Gender Advocacy in conjunction with its Missing Justice Collective. A total distance of 1.7 kilometres was covered, starting from  Place Émilie-Gamelin and walking along Rue St-Denis.

The event was held to bring awareness to the Canadian legacy of marginalization and violence towards indigenous women. A 2014 Royal Canadian Mounted Police report found that 1,181 indigenous women had been murdered or were considered missing from 1980 to 2012. The Native Women’s Association of Canada estimated this number to be about 4,000. In response, the Canadian government launched a two-year national inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls on Sept. 1.

Ellen Gabriel, a Mohawk activist and former president of the Quebec Native Women’s Association, expressed doubts over the effectiveness of the inquiry during a speech at the march.

“We need to remember that indigenous women have been asking for education, [and] sensitization at all levels of government, for many years [….]”  Gabriel said. “While the inquiry goes on, colonialism goes on. While colonialism goes on, violence goes on. We cannot wait for any more rhetoric, for any more pain to happen, because in the two years that the inquiry will be organizing itself, we will lose more sisters, we will lose more children to the welfare system.”

Virginia Wabano, a research officer for the Cree Health Board in Northern Quebec, attended the march while she was in the city working to open two womens’ shelters in the James Bay Territory.

“Today, I’m marching because my friend’s mother was murdered in 1991, and her case was reopened today,” Wabano said. “It brings hope. I want to join the many families here to show I’m here to support them as well and that there is still hope.”

Gabriel called for all Canadian politicians and citizens to be educated about violence towards indigenous women. She emphasized, however, that concrete actions will come only if  citizens demand change.

“If Canada is really sincere on reconciliation, then it must act within the school system, within the political system, within institutionalized systems, because the people must change their attitude. It’s not solely up to government,” Gabriel said. “[….You] as the constituents of these politicians that you elect into your parliaments, into your national assemblies […] you must demand the education and demand that the violence stop [….And you] must demand it now.”

According to Nakuset, executive director of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, the current focuses of the indigenous women’s movement is on activism to educate and raise awareness, along with applying for funding.

“The inquiry is not going to be over for another two years and nothing is actually going to happen until after then,” Nakuset said. “So we need to, as a community, create solutions [….] Money is something we are working on, but whether we get it or not is a different story.”

Stacey Gomez, action coordinator at the Centre for Gender Advocacy, encourages students to join the Missing Justice collective, which meets once a week to strategize and take meaningful action against violence towards indigenous peoples. In addition to holding teach-ins and participatory exercises for groups to discuss the community’s role in the indigenous movement, the collective has also participated in ground searches for missing women. Gomez stated that new members and input are always welcome at the collective.

“We’re always looking for people to do promotion, help with public education, and bring new ideas forward about how we can amplify the voices and asks of indigenous people,” Gomez said.

Anouska Ralph, a second-year student of First People’s Studies at Concordia who also attended the march, stated that  the role of foreign countries in prolonging violence against Canadian indigenous populations is also not acknowledged in international curriculums.

“I’m an English woman and I moved here two months ago,” Ralph said. “Back home [in England] we are not taught what we did here at all, it’s not in our history lessons. Being the people who did most of the damage, we should learn about this in school and we just don’t, so I feel like I have an obligation to be here and gain as much knowledge as I can.”

U2 Arts student Zoë Poole, who was marching for her second year in a row, felt the march has an important role in educating the public about violence toward indigenous women.

“Both times I found it an emotional yet empowering experience,” Poole said. “It amazes me that indigenous issues in Canada go so unreported that born-and-raised Canadians aren’t even aware of what occurs.”

Out on the Town, Student Life

Bartender Kevin Demers offers high concept cocktails in a relaxed environment at the Cold Room

by April Barrett on

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Down a twisting back alley on the corner of St-Amable and St-Vincent in the Old Port, there is an unmarked door. Above it hangs a blue ‘Sortie’ sign, and, next to it, a little doorbell. This is the entrance to the Cold Room bar, opened Sept. 24. Owner Kevin Demers calls the unmarked bar, “a full fledged speakeasy. You come in by the back, you leave by the front.” 

Demers has tried his hand at many trades, including professional hockey and film production, but he is first and foremost a veteran of the Montreal nightlife scene. Having worked for 12 years as a bartender at staple Montreal bars like Thursday’s, Rouge, Santos, and, most recently, Flyjin, Demers cultivated a deep respect for the art of mixology.

The inspiration behind the Cold Room’s drinks came from 19th century immigrants to Montreal, who pickled fruits and vegetables, and stored them in a basement ‘cold room.’ 

“Back in the 1800s, a lot of bars, before prohibition, were using shrubs, which is vinegar-based syrups, in their drinks,” Demers said. “Those syrups came from the European immigrants who wanted to preserve their fruits and vegetables longer. The vinegar takes out the flavours from the fruit being infused. You can create a super delicious, tart drink, sweetened by the alcohol.”

Demers’ drinks are high concept’cocktails, meaning that they evoke certain sensory memories. 

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“You’re coming for the cocktail experience [at the Cold Room],” Demers said. “You taste the drink and you’re like, ‘Oh my god that reminds of my childhood, or this dinner I once had.’ It’s [a cocktail] that brings you to another world.” 

Demers believes that imagination is one of the most important skills a bartender can possess. In 2015, Demers competed in GQ Magazine’s Most Inspired Bartender Competition in Las Vegas, where he crafted a drink inspired by his grandfather titled, ‘The Classic Gentleman.’ 

“[The Classic Gentleman] tasted like you were having a steak dinner with red wine. You had all the flavours pop in your mouth, in weird levels,” Demers explained. “The drink was based off the only dinner I had with my grandfather. [….] As a kid I just looked at him like, ‘Who is this rockstar?’”

Though removed from the cocktail scene, many see Montreal as a party city. The restaurant-turned-club, known as a ‘supper club, is a hallmark of the city’s nightlife. Spots like SuWu and Flyjin exemplify the supper club model. These venues are restaurants until 10 or 11 p.m., when the tables are pushed to the side, the club music turns on, and the crowd gets rowdy. Demers wanted Cold Room to be a departure from this trend.

“I’m tired of [the supper club scene], not that I don’t like it. But I want to work at a place that […] when you walk in [the Cold Room], you get this next level drink, and it’s like [going out for] dinner,” Demers said. “You’re going to want to spend your night here, it’s relaxed, you can actually talk to everybody.”

While Demers commends Montreal’s popular clubs for the success they’ve had with their model, he wants to offer a secret respite from the known Montreal party scene. 

Upon approaching the door of the Cold Room, the potential customer rings the doorbell, and is either let in, or not. The Cold Room’s entry-screening, combined with the secret address, conveys a certain air of exclusivity. As a brand new bar, Demers has struggled with marketing the unique concept. 

“It’s tough, us being hidden [….] How do you get people in here? How exclusive can you be? Montreal is just not that big,” Demers said. “If you start saying ‘you can’t come in,’ are you still going to have clients coming in?” 

Manager Daniel Boulianne explained that the Cold Room’s concealment will hopefully  grow a customer base that complements the intention of the bar as a relaxed, sit-down enivronment. 

“It’s really about knowing what people want, what they’re searching for [from their night],” Boulianne said. “Are they trying to get shitfaced? It’s all about looking at people at the door and trying to know what they are searching for.” 

As for their intended demographic, Demers and Boulianne are still feeling it out.

The one thing they are certain of is that the Cold Room caters to those who can appreciate the experience of a good cocktail. Boulianne stressed the importance of this experience, as one of the only cocktail bars in Montreal run entirely by bartenders.

“It is really about the craft,” Boulianne said. “It’s not about making money.” 

 

 

A previous version of this piece stated that Daniel Boulianne is co-owner of the Cold Room. In fact, Boulianne is bar manager.

Arts & Entertainment, Music, Private

Modern made vintage: A conversation with Adam Kubota of Postmodern Jukebox

by Demaris Oxman on

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As described in a 2015 interview with the group’s founder Scott Bradlee, the New York-based musical collective Postmodern Jukebox “puts pop music in a time machine.” Led by Scott Bradlee and joined by a host of talented performers, Postmodern Jukebox has gained popularity over the past few years by releasing weekly videos—their most popular has over 22 million views—in which they create vintage renditions of the same tunes heard on the radio. The Tribune sat down with Adam Kubota, longtime bassist with the group and old friend of Bradlee, to talk about the artistic process of turning pop songs into old-school jazz, soul, swing, and more.

Kubota and Bradlee met at the University of Hartford Hartt School, a performing arts conservatory in Connecticut. The pair started off playing at bars and small clubs in the early 2000s. 

“Back then, the gigs weren’t so glamorous,” Kubota said. “Sometimes we got paid in pizza.” 

Later on, Bradlee saw the advent of YouTube as a new medium to bring his ideas into the world, and Postmodern Jukebox was eventually born in 2011.

The gap between a Notorious B.I.G. hip-hop jam and a 1940s jazz number seems like a big leap to make, but for Postmodern Jukebox, that transition comes naturally. 

“We’re all students of jazz, and love all the old music art forms, so it was pretty logical to take that step,” Kubota said. 

The creative process starts with Bradlee’s ability to translate any song into a swing, jazz, or ragtime style. From there, it’s a collaboration with one of the many singers who work with the group—each of whom has a unique vocal approach. Often, Bradlee adds complexity to a simplistic pop song with more intricate harmonies.

 “Sometimes the best ones are the simple ones, and they just sort of write themselves,”  Kubota added. 

The group’s latest release, The Essentials, is comprised of songs considered most essential to the Postmodern Jukebox universe. The collection spans a wide range of songs and styles, from a New Orleans dirge rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep,” to a Motown version of Justin Bieber’s “Sorry.” The love group’s love for their work is clear in every video, as it is in Kubota’s words when he describes the album. 

“Every once in awhile, lightning strikes,” he says in reference to seemingly spontaneous moments of musical coherence. “The right performer, Scott’s arrangement, the right song, we capture the right vibe on the video, something really magical happens.”

The group’s work is inspired by a desire to bring the musical styles they love to a wider audience. Kubota hopes that those who enjoy the work of Postmodern Jukebox will dig deeper and find appreciation for the artists who inspired him, such as Duke Ellington and Miles Davis. 

“It’s getting attention for older, classic art forms, such as jazz, such as doo-wop, Motown, tap dance, swing dancing,” Kubota said. “It’s a hook to get people who just happen to be on YouTube or Facebook checking out videos, to get interested in that.”

Having found his own success through YouTube, Kubota advocates for social media as a means of artistic expression. 

“Give them some sort of visual image of who you are,” he advised student musicians. “It’s important to find your own voice, and to innovate.”

Indeed, Postmodern Jukebox can be considered a great musical innovator of the millennial generation, as they have found a way to pay tribute to the music of yesteryear while making it accessible to a younger crowd. With over two million YouTube subscribers and fans all over the world, it’s clear that their work is resonating with audiences. 

“We’re building audiences for these classic art forms for the future,” Kubota said. “To me, there’s no bigger honour than bringing people to the art forms that I love and enjoy.”

James Admin Building
McGill, News, SSMU

Board of Governors adjourns after interruption by Divest McGill

by Jenna Stanwood on

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On Oct. 6, the McGill Board of Governors (BoG) held its monthly meeting, during which they heard an update from Principal Suzanne Fortier on her recent activities and a presentation from the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) executives outlining information about their organization. The meeting was interrupted by members of Divest McGill, forcing an early adjournment.

Tuition deregulation

Fortier informed the board of her recent activities, which include her work on external relations and government lobbying. Fortier’s update included a discussion on her advocacy for tuition deregulation, which would allow McGill to keep funds from student tuition that currently are handed to the provincial government to be used in equalization payments across universities.

“When it comes to Canadian, non-Quebec residents […their] fees are higher and the [provincial government claims] a big portion of those fees and puts them into equalization [payments],” Fortier said. “When it comes to international students […the government] imposes significant fees, [then take those] fees and redistribute them in the system.”

Fortier has been lobbying the Quebec government to allow McGill to keep those extra fees from out-of-province and international students, and for universities across Quebec to determine for themselves how they will use these fees.

“When […an international student] pays $30,000 to come to McGill, let’s keep that money at McGill, because it’s very hard to explain to our students why the money they’re spending here is going somewhere else […],” Fortier said. “ Diminishing or decreasing the student to faculty ratios, more opportunities for our students to be involved in internships, better student services—whether its academic services or personal health […] this is what we would do with this money [….] My advice to the government is don’t adopt a one-size-fits-all approach and impose one model on all universities. The beauty of the Quebec system is we’re all different.”

SSMU presentation

SSMU President Ben Ger and Vice-President (VP) University Affairs Erin Sobat gave the board a presentation outlining basic information about SSMU. According to BoG Chair Stuart  Cobbett, the presentation was part of the board’s regular education agenda at each meeting.

“It has been our habit in meetings to have a presentation, typically it’s been on an academic subject […], but this time we thought it would be helpful to do this so you can hear from the students themselves,” Cobbett said.

The presentation, which outlined the composition and activities of SSMU, drew concerns by the board over equal gender representation on the council and in the executive.  Ger responded by discussing research the Society has started into equity in representation.

“On the executive level, there definitely is a problem with [equal gender representation], and that is going to be looked at in the equitable governance reform that we’re looking at right now,” Ger said. “[We’re] looking at the different ways that our government right now is accessible to different groups on campus.”

Interruption by Divest McGill

Members of Divest McGill disrupted the meeting to address the board, which prompted members to adjourn the meeting early. According to Jed Lenetsky, a member of Divest McGill who was also present at the meeting, the group had often interrupted BoG meetings, but this was the first time the board has adjourned in response.

“Divest McGill interrupting board meetings isn't something new […] we’ve been doing [it] for the past year, mainly due to the fact that the McGill [BoG] is largely inaccessible to the student body and in our dealings with the administration we have never really had the formal chance to talk to members of the [BoG],” Lenetsky said. “So we began using the open sessions of the [BoG] meetings to interact with those members [….What] was new was the fact that [the BoG] decided to adjourn the meeting once we started speaking. Normally what happens is we'll speak and they'll listen and then they'll just continue their meeting.”

The interruption was intended to bring events from the recent open forums on sustainability to the board’s attention.

“We were talking about the open forums on sustainability that occurred for the past couple of weeks  […],” Lenetsky said. “Throughout most of the summer, members of Divest McGill […] have been reaching out to the [BoG] in an effort to get them to attend. Only two members of the [BoG…] attended one of the sessions, so we thought it was important for members of the [BoG] to hear from the McGill community in person and hear what happened at these forum that they missed.”
According to Ger, the meeting continued after the adjournment in another location within the James Administration Building. At the continued session, the BoG discussed the disruption.

“The reconvened meeting went on to talk about the rest of the items on the public agenda […] but the large portion of the conversation was more so around the event that had just happened,” Ger said. “A lot of the […] governors were talking about how it was an escalation from last year that was noticed, and how we can maybe go about fixing those problems in the future to make sure there wasn't that level of interruption.”

Ger stated that changes can be made to the BoG structure that will allow for students to voice their concerns in a way that is constructive and non-obtrusive.

“I [suggested] that instead of looking into a way that we could stop people [interrupting…] what could work better is if we could have a question and answer period so people could come in at the end of an agenda [to] ask questions […],” Ger said. “[In] the end, the conclusion was that the nominating governance and ethics committee, which is a committee on the [BoG], would look into the board best practices.”

Ask Ainsley, Student Life

Ask Ainsley: How do I have an orgasm?

by Ainsley on

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Dear Ainsley,

I’m a cisgender, straight female and a first-year student at McGill. So far, I’m loving Rez, school, and all the friends I’m meeting, but there’s something that’s been bothering me. In high school, I briefly had a boyfriend, with whom I had sex. Since then, I’ve had a few one-night stands. My friends back home and I never really talked about sex, but my friends at McGill are much more open about it and are constantly talking about having orgasms. I’ve never had one myself, and I feel like something is wrong with me. It’s not that I don’t enjoy sex, because I do, but I never have felt that big moment that everyone talks about. Is it because I’m doing it wrong? Is it because the guys I’ve slept with haven’t been good at it? What can I do to help myself have an orgasm during sex?

Sincerely,

No ‘Oh’ (NO)

Dear NO,

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of people with vaginas can’t actually reach orgasm solely through vaginal penetration. In fact, only 25-33 per cent of all cisgender women can. It’s hard not to feel inadequate when both pornography and the media portray orgasms as not only common, but the ultimate goal of intercourse. Being unable to have an orgasm from sex is completely normal, and you shouldn’t feel badly about it. According to the famous sexologists William Masters and Virginia Johnson, clitoral orgasms are actually more intense than vaginal ones. But, if you’re not happy with your sex life, there are plenty of things you can do to try to change it.

First, if you don’t already, you could try masturbating. It’s hard for someone else to give you what you want if you don’t know what you like. You may also want to invest in some sex toys. Using a vibrator may help you orgasm more easily.

While knowing your body well is important, it’s also important to feel comfortable and assert yourself with your sexual partners.  It’s important to communicate your sexual desires to your partner, which can be daunting in both short and long-term relationships and comes with time and comfort as you and your partner grow closer. 

While it is often easier said than done, it is also key to remain relaxed during intercourse. It is common to feel self-conscious during sex, especially if you’re concerned about sounds, smells, and movements. If you are able to ignore some of these inhibitions, it will become easier to remain present and focused on pleasure during sex. 

While there is no set-in-stone guide to having an orgasm during sex, there are some common techniques that are worth keeping in mind. Repetitive stimulation of the clitoris during sex—either orally or manually—can be key to achieving an orgasm because clitoral orgasms are far more common than vaginal ones. For example, many women find that the angle achieved from being on top of their partner stimulates the clitoris moreso than other positions. Additionally, the human body contains far more pleasure centres than the vagina and clitoris; stimulating the nipples, ears, neck, or thighs often leads to greater arousal in the stages leading up to orgasm. For this reason, foreplay can be key to climaxing.

The best thing you can do is to spend time getting to know yourself and what turns you on. Try not to stress about climaxing and instead focus your time and energy on learning about your body, staying calm and focused during sex, and communicating your sexual desires with your partner. 

Best of luck!

Ainsley

Have a question for Ainsley? Submit a question anonymously here. 

Commentary, Opinion

From dank to dark: The power of the meme

by Evan Thomas on

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The Second Presidential Debate on Oct. 9 came and passed, delivering the onslaught of ridiculousness that the world was expecting. Unexpected, though, was the individual who truly stole the show—Illinois voter Kenneth Bone. Within seconds of addressing the candidates with his question, Bone’s face and iconic red sweater had been seen across the Twitterverse. While not everyone may have watched the debate—let alone questioned what went wrong to bring us to this deplorable state of American Presidential politics—many have seen the ensuing memes of Ken Bone.

Memes are quickly becoming one of the foremost means of cultural dissemination. They allow individuals to share complicated and enigmatic human emotions through a couple lines of text overlaid over a relatable gif or screen capture. They allow us to strike a deep connection with each other whilst sitting alone, staring at our Instagram feeds. Memes have the exceptional ability to deconstruct important events, ideas, and emotions into easily absorbable, bite-size pieces. Yet this repackaging of events short-circuits their meanings, removing the element of critical thought required from the consumer.

In many instances, they turn unpleasant topics—such as the current Presidential election—into light-hearted, mass-scale inside jokes. However, this reappropriation and reinterpretation of culture reveals the menacing power of memes. Just as memes are a product of society, they have a remarkable influence in shaping it. Memes—once harmless and inconsequential—have evolved to possess significant value in informing people of the news. Social media is no longer just a vain means of attaining peer acceptance and self-validation—it controls the media that we consume and interpret. As such, memes have significant cultural influence.

Just as memes are a product of society, they have a remarkable influence in shaping it.

Those skeptical of the relevance of memes in our offline lives need look no further than McGill itself. Just last week, internet trolls managed to mobilize thousands of Facebook users over a silverback gorilla that was shot in Ohio last May. Harambe took the campus by storm, with some opposing the supposed racism of the meme and taking issue with the fact that the McGill Harambe Candlelit Vigil event on Facebook had more people going than events such as the March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Sometimes what matters is not the content of a meme, but how people interpret and react to it.

It seems Harambe’s fifteen minutes of posthumous fame will finally elapse, and McGill will soon be ready to move on, with the closing of his Vigil this Friday. But, Harambe teaches us an important lesson: Memes may be ephemeral, trend-based entities, but they can have a significant effect on wider society.

Just like the moon and the Force, memes have a dark side. They are accessible and can be created by anyone, making them effective in promoting agendas. Memes have the ability to perpetuate not only falsities, but ignorance and hatred. For example, Pepe the Frog, a common meme of a lovably self-deprecating amphibian, was recently declared a hate symbol by the American Anti-Defamation League for his use in anti-semitic and white supremacist memes. Pepe originally represented nihilism and existential angst; however, his message was altered by white supremacists on the internet, portraying the frog gleefully engaging in racist activities. Pepe stands as proof that an otherwise unsuspecting meme can diffuse a substantive, sinister message, with great ability to influence its viewers.

Memes significantly affect our worldview, and perception of society; however, we shouldn’t allow the likes of Ken Bone, Harambe, and Pepe to shelter us from serious social and political issues. For better or for worse, memes are probably not going anywhere. In light of this, it’s important to realize the influence that memes have in the world outside of Instagram. They take the unpleasant aspects of life and make them comfortable, yet sometimes it’s only by facing these ugly truths that we can progress as a society. For all the effect that they have on us, at the end of the day, memes must be taken with a grain of salt.

Evan Thomas is a very tall U2 International Development Studies and History student. He doesn’t like being asked if he plays basketball, but enjoys playing basketball nonetheless.

 

 

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