THE

Mount Allison’s

February 14, 2013

ARGOSY Independent Student Newspaper

Stimulating reading since 1872 Vol. 142 Iss. 16

The Love
Issue
NEWS February 14, 2013 argosy@mta.ca
A THE RGOSY
w w w. a r g o s y. c a
Students elect new MASU Executive
Independent Student Newspaper of
Mount Allison University
Thursday February 14, 2013
volume 142 issue 16
Published since 1875 Circulation 1,800
62 York Street
W. McCain Student Centre
Mount Allison University
Sackville, New Brunswick
E4L 1E2

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ISSN 0837-1024
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editorialstaff
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF NEWS EDITOR
Carly Levy Emily James
­­­
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR SCI/ TECH EDITOR
Ian Malcolm Madison Downe
­­­
FEATURES EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR
Ryan Burnham Rob Murray
­­­ ­­­
OP/ED EDITOR HUMOUR EDITOR
John Trafford Lisa Theriault
­­­ ­­­
ARTS/LIT EDITOR ONLINE EDITOR
Bhreagh Macdonald Charlotte Henderson (Clockwise from top) O’Rourke, Smith, Webster, and Harley will take office May 1 2013. (Kory d’Entremont/Argosy)
productionstaff
PRODUCTION MANAGER PHOTO MANAGER
VP External race the additional 495 transfer votes, and won the MASU members also voted on two
Anna Robertson Lea Foy election with 89.1% of total votes in favour. referenda: the first question, which asked
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
only close contest The Presidential campaign was also Union members if they supported lowering
Julie Whitenect Kory D’Entremont contentious, but for different reasons. Initially, the quorum for MASU meetings from twenty-
Richard Kent both O’Rourke, Spoken Word Director at five per cent to ten percent of membership,
COPY EDITORS ILLUSTRATORS
Kyra Jones, Claire Molgat Laurin Sally Hill & Katrina Political Beat Writer CHMA and former Residence Councillor, was defeated with 53.9 per cent of votes in
& Ben Dunfield Zidichouski and Alex Whynot, President of Mt. A’s favour and 25.8 per cent abstaining. MASU

writingstaff The members of the Mount Allison Students’

Health Care Outreach group, campaigned,
but Whynot withdrew his candidacy on
President Pat Joyce pushed for the referendum
in Council, telling Councillors that MASU’s
NEWS WRITER ENTERTAINMENT Union (MASU) have spoken: following a two January 29. A sharper distinction between the current members’ meeting quorums are
Gavin Rea WRITER week campaign period, Melissa O’Rourke, candidates was visible in this race: O’Rourke’s disproportionately high, compared to other
Kent Blenkhorn
POLITICAL BEAT Ryan Harley, Ian Smith, and Heather campaign focused on MASU’s internal student unions. Joyce also mentioned that the
WRITER SPORTS WRITER Webster will take office May 1 as the new governance, while Whynot’s campaign focused 25 per cent quorum requirement for members
Richard Kent Wray Perkin
President; Vice-President, Academic Affairs; on students’ mental well-being and MASU’s meetings would create logistical problems
FEATURES WRITER SCI/TECH WRITER Vice-President, External Affairs; and Vice- accessibility for students. Despite Whynot’s if such a meeting was held, as most venues
Jessie Byrne
President, Campus Life of MASU, respectively. withdrawal, O’Rourke polled with the lowest on campus cannot accommodate nearly 600
ARTS WRITER The elections took place last week on February percentage of votes in favour for any candidate, students. The second question, which passed
John Fraser
6 and 7, and results were announced via at 68.7 per cent. The Presidential ballot also with 77.4 per cent support, asked members if
operationsstaff email February 8. Concurrently, MASU saw the highest turnout, with 1220 votes they supported giving Council the authority
members voted on two referenda questions, cast, representing 45.9 per cent of possible to amend errors in MASU’s constitution
BUSINESS MANAGER ADVERTISING MANAGER
Megan Downing Elise Dolinsky dealing with meeting quorum rules and the voters. O’Rourke was nevertheless pleased to by unanimous consent. Referenda held by
requirements for constitutional revision. have been awarded the Presidential mandate MASU require a two-thirds majority to pass.
OFFICE MANAGER
Mitali Sharan The closest race was for Vice-President, for next year: “I’m really, really excited,” Voter turnout was lower than it had been in
External Affairs—the only contest to feature she told The Argosy in an interview. “I think comparable MASU elections over the past few
supportstaff two candidates on the ballot. Current Social that already we’ve got this teamwork that’s years, ranging from the 45.9 percent of possible
IT MANAGER CIRCULATIONS Science Senator and Vice-President, External starting to get established,” she elaborated. voters who cast ballots for the President and
Nigameash Harihar Kent Blenkhorn Affairs elect Smith faced off against former Facing no challengers, Harley, an incumbent Vice-President, Academic Affairs portfolios,
Social Science Senator Natalie Brunet. The two-term Student Arts Senator, was elected to down to 39.6 per cent on the referenda. A
contributors External Affairs candidates ran on platforms the Vice-President, Academic Affairs portfolio report circulated to Councillors Tuesday by
Norman Nehmetallah, John
Perkin, Erin Burnham, Taylor that addressed the need to improve students’ with 87.0 per cent of votes in favour, with 1193 Vice-President, Communications Ariel Yip
Losier, Alex Francheville,
Shawn Seeley, Ciera De
knowledge of local housing options and renters’ ballots cast. Harley’s campaign centred on hypothesized about the low turnout. “Voter
Silva, Amy Wallace, Daniel rights, student transportation needs, and two pledges: working with the University to turnout, unfortunately, was lower than
Marcotte, Melissa Meade, Ju- finding a workable provincial student lobbying streamline the approval process for intensive previous years, with the main assumption
lia Kay, Kevin Levangie, Ian
Chew, Andy Schweiz, Justin alternative to the New Brunswick Student courses offered during Mt. A’s Week of being the limited competition between
Thomas, Caroline Duda, Alliance. While Smith polled 587 votes to Independent Study and drafting a Charter candidates this year,” Yip wrote in the report.
Kylie de Chastelain, Caroline
Whidden Brunet’s 558 on the first ballot, he narrowly of Students’ Rights to clarify the academic The hiring process is underway for the
missed the required majority of 607 votes to relationship between students and the University. remaining two positions on the MASU executive,
publicationboard win on the first ballot. However, since MASU Webster also ran unopposed. Running on a Vice-President, Finance and Operations,
utilizes a preferential balloting system— platform consisting on improved health services, and Vice-President, Communications. A
Helen Pridmore (Chair), Marilyn Walker,
Dan Legere, Filip Jaworski which drops the least popular candidate each the continuation of the Security project, and third round of elections will be held later in
round until one candidate has achieved a integrating residences more fully with MASU, the semester to elect six Student Senators
INSIDE majority—Smith was able to accumulate an Webster garnered 86.5 per cent of the vote. and the Board of Regents Representative.
News 2-3 disclaimers
The Argosy is the official independent student journal of news, opinion, and the arts, written, edited and funded by the students of Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. The opinions expressed herein do not
Ship’s Log 4 necessarily represent those of the Argosy’s staff or its Board of Directors. The Argosy is published weekly throughout the academic year by Argosy Publications Inc.
Opinions 5-6 Student contribution in the form of letters, articles, photography, graphic design and comics are welcome. The Argosy reserves the right to edit or refuse all materials deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise unfit for
Science 7 print, as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. Articles or other contributions can be sent to argosy@mta.ca in microsoft word format, or directly to a section editor. The Argosy will print unsolicited materials at its own discretion.
Features 8-11 Letters to the editor must be signed, though names may be withheld at the sender’s request and at the Argosy’s discretion. Anonymous letters will not be printed.
Centrefold 12-13 complaints
Arts & Literature 14-15 Comments , concerns, or complaints about the Argosy’s content or operations should be first sent to the Editor in Chief at the address above. If the Editor-in-Chief is unable to resolve a complaint, it may be taken to the

Entertainment 17-18 Argosy Publications, Inc. Board of Directors. The chairs of the Board of Directors can be reached at the address above.

Sports 19-21 copyright

Humour 22-23 All materials appearing in the Argosy bear the copyright of Argosy Publications, Inc. Material cannot be reprinted without the consent of the Editor- in-Chief.
The Argosy www.argosy.ca
CIDA suspends funding
Cuts based on
anti-gay views
Richard Kent
Political Beat Writer
The Canadian Press reported that
as of February 9, the Canadian
International Development
Agency (CIDA) has suspended
its funding to Crossroads
Christian Communications, an
evangelical organization engaged
in international development
Katrina Zidichouski projects in Uganda, over its views
Caroline Whidden on homosexuality. This event was
complicated by the relationship
between the governments of Canada
Boy Scouts delay decision and Uganda, which has been strained
after Foreign Affairs Minister John
The Boy Scouts of America delayed a May vote on whether to end a Baird publicly denounced Ugandan
longstanding controversial national restriction on gay participants. The board efforts to make homosexuality
members of the 103-year-old organization, deeply divided over the issue, were punishable by the death penalty, and
expected to vote on the matter last week. Delaying the vote provides more time is the latest in a string of problems
for both sides to express their concerns. Just last year, the Boy Scouts upheld for Julian Fantino and CIDA.
the ban amid heavy criticism from gay rights groups. Even if the vote in May International Cooperation
dismantles the national ban, local chapters are still able to ban gay participants. Minister Julian Fantino, the minister
responsible for CIDA, tweeted
Sunday that he had suspended
German education minister resigns funding to the evangelical group,
pending a review by government
Germany’s education minister Annette Schavan resigned Saturday after a officials. Fantino tweeted twice
university decided to withdraw her doctorate upon the discovery that
she plagiarized parts of her thesis. The circumstances are unfortunate for
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government as it prepares for elections in the
fall of this year. Duesseldorf ’s Heinrich Heine University decided to revoke Pill that makes you stay in love
Schavan’s doctorate following a review of her 1980 thesis on the formation
of conscience. Although Schavan denies having either copied or deceived in
her dissertation, her decision to resign stemmed from her consideration of
the political consequences and her desire to avoid strain on the government.
Canadian suspected in Bulgaria bombing
Bulgaria’s Interior Minister revealed persuasive evidence last week that
Hezbollah was behind a deadly 2012 bombing in Bulgaria, and that a
Canadian citizen played a key role. The alleged Canadian came to Canada
at the age of eight, became a citizen about three or four years later, and
then returned to Lebanon at the age of twelve. Canadian Immigration
Minister Jason Kenney has triggered public debate on what it means to
be a Canadian citizen as a private members bill has resurfaced that would
strip the citizenship of anyone who has committed an act of terrorism.
The love pill that makes your brain think you are in love and helps you stay in love. (Lea Foy/Argosy)
India’s Kumbh Mela festival
The love pill
On Sunday, more than 30 million people bathed in the intersection of
India’s Ganges and Yamuna rivers, marking the most auspicious bathing could hold
day during the Kumbh Mela festival. This event is known as the biggest
human gathering on Earth. Hindus believe a festival bathe at Sangam, couples together
where the rivers meet, cleanses the sins and helps bring salvation. Up to
100 million pilgrims are expected to bathe in the holy waters in January Gavin Rea
and February during the fifty-five-day Kumbh Mela, which is held every twelve News Writer
years.This occasion is also a Maha Kumbh Mela,which occurs only every 144 years.
In the age of modern medicine, we
British sugar giant caught in tax scandal have become accustomed to mood-
altering drugs. For example, doctors
Over the weekend, a year-long investigation revealed that one of Britain’s usually prescribe anti-depressants
biggest multinationals, whose brands include Silver Spoon sugar, Twinings tea to the victims of mental illness to
and Kingsmill bread, has avoided paying millions of pounds of tax to Zambia. correct the chemical imbalances
The corporation, Zambia Sugar, contributed virtually no corporation tax to of neurotransmitters in the brain.
the Zambian state between 2007 and 2012, and none at all during two of those But have you ever wondered what
years. During this time, it paid less than 0.5 per cent of its 123-million-dollar aspects of our mood we might
pre-tax profits in corporation tax. The company benefits from generous capital be able to control in the future?
allowance and tax-relief schemes in Zambia, but it also funnels about a third In a recent article in the
of its pre-tax profits to sister companies in tax havens like Ireland, Mauritius, Huffington Post, Oxford researchers
and the Netherlands. It is estimated that the tax haven transactions of this one stated that we will soon be able to
corporation deprived Zambia of a sum fourteen times larger than the UK aid create a pill that promotes human
provided to the country to combat widespread malnutrition and food insecurity. attraction through neurochemicals.
In their paper, “Neuroenhancement
of Love and Marriage: the
Chemicals Between Us,” researchers
Julian Savulescu and Anders
Sandberg claim that the secret to
a stable relationship can be found
on the subject. “We strongly
oppose criminalization [sic] of
homosexuality & violence due to
sexual orientation. CIDA funds
projects based on merit,” Fantino
tweeted. Fantino’s tweet was in
response to Crossroads Christian
Communications’s hostile positions
regarding non-heterosexual relations,
which were, until recently, available
on the organization’s website.
The Canadian Press report
quotes an anti-gay passage, which
equates various types of sexual
deviance with “perversion” and
“sexual sins.” The article, which
was picked up by several Canadian
news agencies, states that the list
was removed shortly following
the Canadian Press’s inquiry.
According to Crossroads
Christian Communications’ website,
its development project in Uganda
consists of digging and repairing wells
and providing access to latrines. The
website states that “to date, five new
wells have been dug, twenty-seven
boreholes have been repaired along
with the construction of seventeen
pit latrines for proper sanitation
practices.” The project page thanks
CIDA for its financial support of
the project and quotes Fantino’s
predecessor, former International
Cooperation Minister Bev Oda.
in “chemical modulators” that
will be able to increase perceived
attractiveness and reduce adultery.
“About two in every five marriages
will end in divorce,” reported
Savulescu and Sandberg. “Most
marriage breakups occur between
five and nine years.” Unsurprisingly,
divorce rates peak among younger
couples and decline with age.
Savulescu and Sandberg believes the
love pill will hold marriages together.
Its potential ingredients
currently include:
Pheromones, which are odorless
chemicals that cause attraction
between two people. There is still
a fair amount of dispute about
how effective pheromones are,
but pheromones have been sold in
perfumes for years. (The chemicals
were originally discovered in insects.
They are the reason why an ant can
find its way to a piece of food and
then back to the nest.) Potentially,
this could increase the initial
attraction in a budding romance.
Oxytocin and Vasopressin,
chemicals that promote physical
bonding. Studies have supported
the claim that both oxytocin and
vasopressin are released during
NEWS 3
“This project will benefit over
500,000 people and improve their
health and well-being by reducing
their risks of death and disease
caused by water-borne illness.”
Now, Fantino has suspended
further financial support for the
organization beyond the 544,813
dollars that CIDA has already
provided. It is unclear how long
CIDA’s review of Crossroads
Christian Communications will take.
CIDA has faced numerous
problems over the past year: Oda
resigned in July 2012 amid concerns
that she had misspent taxpayer
money; more recently, Fantino has
faced criticism for shifting CIDA’s
focus toward partnerships with
the private sector—rather than
traditional non-profit partners. In
January, Fantino signed and posted
two letters on CIDA’s official
government website advising New
Democratic Party Members of
Parliament that their advice on
foreign aid was unwelcome and
telling the Liberal Party of Canada
that its record in international
development was poor. The letters
attracted negative attention
because government departments
are precluded from engaging in
partisan activity by government rules
concerning bureaucratic neutrality.
the early stages of a relationship. If
taken in a pill, the chemicals could
promote bonding between couples.
Testosterone, which increases
one’s sex drive, and possibly increases
waning libido in a longer relationship.
Cor t icot roph in-Relea sing
Hormone (CRH), though it has
been known to cause depression
and anxiety, also induces a fear of
separation. Not the best way to
go about it, but possibly necessary
in an extra-strength dose.
Entactogens are another potential
ingredient. These are usually found
in MDMA. According to Savulescu
and Sandberg entactogens “create
the feeling of openness and the
desire for emotional closeness,”
which could possibly increase
connection and social interaction.
Savulescu and Sandberg
stated that “Studies have shown
that female desire for sexual
intimacy decreases as a
relationship continues, while the
male desire appears constant.
Conversely, desire for
tenderness declines in men and
rises in women. Sexual activity
The Ship’s L g
An Argosy run down of coming events in Sackville
Thursday Sunday
Sexual Health Awareness Week Badminton Mounties host CCAA Qualifying Chamionships
February 14, 10:00 am February 17, 9:00 am
WMSC 1st floor McCormack Gymnasium

The Sweetest Little Thing Hockey Mounties host SMU

February 14, 7:30 pm February 17, 2:00 pm
Owens Art Gallery Tantramar Veteran’s Memorial Civic Centre

The Vagina Monologues Basketball Mounties (women and men) host STU
February 14-16 8:00 pm February 17, 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm
The Wu Center McCormack Gymnasium

From Baroque to Britten Workshop

Friday February 17, 3:00 pm an 18, 8:00pm
Brunton Auditorium
Demystifying the Teaching Portfolio: A Three-Part Series
February 15, 2:30 pm
AVDX 120 VESPERS
February 17, 6:00 pm
University Chapel
Campbell Verduyn Flag Celebration
February 15, 2:30 pm
Athletics Centre - Pool Area Next Week
Windsor Theatre Presents: An Evening of One-Acts Crake Doctoral Fellow in Classics Lecture
February 15, 8:00 pm; 16 2:00pm and 8:00 pm February 19, 4:30 pm
Con Hall Owens Art Gallery

Faculty Recital Collegium Musicum

February 15, 8:00 pm February 20, 4:00 pm
University Chapel University Chapel

Sexual Health Awareness Week Omar Khadr, Oh Canada!

February 15, 11:30 am February 20, 7:00 pm
TBA Owens Art Gallery

Saturday
Badminton Mounties host
ACAA Championships
February 16, 12:00 pm
McCormack Gymnasium

Hockey Mounties host

StFX
February 16, 2:00 pm
Tantramar Civic Centre

IDLE NO MORE: From

Environmental Issues to
Aboriginal Rights panel
February 15, 6:00 pm
Crabtree M14

MtA Volleyball Mounties

vs Holland College
February 16, 7:30 pm
McCormack Gymnasium

Single Reed Student

Recital
February 16, 8:00 pm
Brunton Auditorium
The Argosy www.argosy.ca
Love someone, not a body
This Valentine’s
Day, let’s all be
comfortable in
our own skin
John Trafford
Opinions Editor
What will you be dreaming of
this Valentine’s Day? Perhaps the
seductive model on the front cover of
this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit
edition? How about Ryan Gosling’s
chiselled six pack? Unfortunately,
many of us concentrate on all the
wrong things when we think about
love and what it entails. Obsession
with body image has tarnished how
we think about love and relationships.
It’s time that we stop placing such
undue attention on body image as it
applies to how we think about love.
It’s what’s inside that matters.
Normally I hate using cliché
statements like that one but in this
case I’ll make an exception. My father
once imparted some wisdom on me
when he and I were discussing a girl
I thought I really liked when I was
in High School. My father asked me
when I think about her if I actually
think about her or if I think about
having sex with her. It then occurred
to me that I wasn’t really attracted to
this person but only to her body. And
after a bit of thinking I concluded
that I had never really been attracted
to this person. Had that relationship
been built simply on the fact of
mutual, physical attraction it would
have been a hollow one indeed.
Preoccupation with the perceived
physical attraction of this person
It’s only awkward if you make it
Honesty and
acknowledging
the past can go a
long way
John Trafford
Opinions Editor
Picture this. It’s a perfectly good
Friday night and you’re enjoying
yourself with some friends at Ducky’s
or one of Sackville’s other fine
drinking establishments. Suddenly
you see the worst thing possible: Your
ex or that person you had awkward
pillow talk with after a one night
stand. The first reaction among many
of us (myself included) would be to
‘play it cool’, turn and lean toward
your friends, all while pretending
as if the two of you didn’t just make
mutual eye contact. Yup, we’ve all
done it. And it’s something that none
of us should have to go through. In
reality, social situations like the one
described above are only awkward if
the parties involved make it awkward.
You have control on whether or not
People aren’t defined by their bodies (Kory d’Entremont/Argosy)
blinded me to the fact that we really
had nothing in common. When you
think your attracted to someone ask
yourself if you’re attracted to the
person or to their body. If it is the latter
you should do some re-evaluating
on whether or not you want to be
in a relationship with that person.
At this point many of you might be
thinking “hell yeah, real women have
curves!” Thinking like this is missing
the point. Real men don’t have six
packs or a beer belly and real women
don’t have curves or DD breasts.
People are people independent of
their bodily appearance. We need to
move beyond the notion that a body,
in whatever form it may take, equates
beauty. To say that real women have
curves alienates all those women out
there who are naturally quite thin.
And to say that real men have six packs
alienates the men who can’t conform
to the standards set by GQ magazine.
awkwardness defines your relationship
with those in your past love life.
First, don’t create a situation that
could later turn into an awkward
encounter at Ducky’s. In my
experience the biggest mistake that
later came back to bite me in the ass
was a lack of honest communication
on my part. It was never my intention
to lead this person on but that was
precisely what I did with a woman
in my past because, quite frankly, I
was too scared to be truthful with
her. I really had no desire to be
in a lasting relationship with this
person and if I had of been upfront
and honest about that I could have
avoided some seriously awkward
moments. Whatever you’re feeling
just let the person know. More
often than not, awkwardness has its
roots in a lack of communication.
Okay, so maybe you’re past the
point where you can avoid creating
awkwardness with a former lover.
If that is the case you can certainly
avoid making it any worse. Next
time you see this person out, how
about instead of awkwardly staring
into your beer why not say hello. I
mean, both of you are aware of the
awkwardness and sometimes it only
takes acknowledging the person to
I am certainly no expert when comes
to the intricacies of love but what I
do know is that how a person looks
should be low on the list of things
that brings two people together in a
romantic way. Love someone for who
they are and not for how they look.
So what should you take out of all
this? On Valentine’s Day this year if
you feel unappreciated don’t think
that somehow your body image is
lacking. What really matters cannot
be expressed by how you or anybody
else physically looks. A person is
not their body; there are many more
things that determine who somebody
is. Be comfortable in your own body
because your body is not you: it is
the shell that carries your personality
and all that really makes you the
individual you are. True love has got
very little to do with how somebody
looks and this is something that we
might forget on Valentine’s Day.
relax the situation. You don’t need to
dive into an hour long conversation
about how you’re sorry that things
ended the way they did, all that is
necessary is too stop pretending
the person isn’t there and that
your past history with them never
happened. Wouldn’t you appreciate
it if someone you shared intimacy
with didn’t act as if they forgot
about the whole experience? I think
most of us would. Just acknowledge
their presence, contrary to popular
belief horrible awkwardness won’t
ensue. This is much preferable
to blatantly ignoring someone.
Awkwardness is something we
don’t have to be a slave to. It is in
our power to act like mature, adults
and recognize those we’ve shared
intimacy with in the past. Don’t
expect awkwardness to disappear
with one ‘hello’ but over time not
ignoring someone can really pay off.
Ignoring a problem never helps find
a solution to that problem just like
ignoring someone never helps dispel
awkwardness. Sometimes an awkward
situation is unavoidable but things
don’t always have to be awkward.
So next time you’re at Ducky’s and
your heart skips a beat because you
see your ex, instead of ignoring them
OPINIONS
The sex trade:
patriarchy and
dominance
Kevin Levangie
Opinions Columnist
While the sex trade may not actually
be “the world’s oldest profession,” it
has long been a part of the darker
side of civilization. Arguments
about prostitution legalization or
decriminalization end up framed in
a similar way to drug legalization
and decriminalization. The issue
tends to boil down to the notion
that sex between two consenting
adults should not be regulated, or a
“lesser of two evils” argument on the
side of legalization, and the assertion
that prostitution is fundamentally
exploitative on the other. The
term “sex worker” encompasses
a number of possible jobs, from
pornographic actors, to erotic
dancers, to prostitutes. These roles
can be fulfilled by men and woman
alike; however, most of the people
exploited and abused in the sex
industry are women from minority
and marginalized groups. I would
argue that the two most compelling
arguments against legalization are
the idea that selling sex necessitates
the commoditization and
objectification of the person being
approached, and that prostitution is
rarely, if ever, actually the product of
a person’s free choice. Prostitution
generally consists of nothing less
than the male dominance of a
woman. It is not an emotionally
or psychologically healthy sexual
relationship in which two people
engage in mutually pleasurable
sexual behavior; but instead a client
paying for sex, given the way he or
she wants, with no consideration
for the wellbeing or pleasure of
the woman who is subject to this
act of patriarchal dominance. It
is a reproduction of the idea of
ownership of a person, or of a person’s
will. Symbolically, it asserts that the
woman is a commodity for which one
pays and rewarded with gratification
however the client wants. This
objectification not only causes huge
harm to the sex worker involved,
but also to the cultural perspective
on gender inequality as a whole.
An anti-prostitution feminist
argument is that the money
in a prostitution transaction is
exceptionally coercive. Women who
lack the funds to provide even the
basic necessities for themselves or
their families are essentially forced
into prostitution, as they are unable
to find other avenues to provide
income. Women from marginalized
groups are overrepresented in
prostitution, suggesting that most
people with other options will take
them over prostitution. Another
concern is literal physical coercion
of human traffickers and pimps over
sex workers, particularly women
and children. Under the threat of
physical violence, many people
are forced into prostitution and
left with no other options but to
continue working in the sex industry.
The lesser of two evils argument
also has its merits. The assertion that
legalization does not mean approval
is an important one. Unfortunately,
it is unlikely that any change in law,
whether relaxation or legalization,
will end prostitution. As long as there
are desperate, poor, and marginalized
people, there will be people who work
in the sex industry. The legalization
arguments suggest that regulation of
sex workers takes them out from the
dark underside of society, and gives
them a chance for collective action,
better health care, the prevention of
abuse, and the overall minimization
of harm for all those involved.
Another issue with the sex trade
is the huge social stigma suffered by
its workers. Moral panics about the
presence of sex workers in society
do a disservice to all involved. By
further marginalizing these at
risk people, we are providing no
recourse for them to move into
a healthier and less exploitative
means of gathering a living.
Overall, I would self-describe as
a reluctant supporter of legalization.
The need to address the root causes
of sexual exploitation is necessary in
conjunction with the minimization of
harm for those involved. Addressing
social inequality, and trying to
undo the oppressive patriarchy
inherent in the current system is
the best way to ensure that no one
has to sell themselves to survive.
6 OPINIONS
Dear Editor,
Give mental health the attention it deserves
What do we do with the elephant
now? It was high time that we, as a
community, acknowledged mental
illness and started to work to end
the stigma surrounding it. That’s
why January 31 was so crucial;
approximately 200 students packed
themselves into Tweedie Hall for
an evening of open conversation
about mental illness and to hear
about the Elephant in the Room
campaign launched by Change
Your Mind Mount Allison.
The Elephant in the Room
campaign aims to create an
atmosphere in which mental illness
can be spoken about without fear of
stigmatization. A person who fears
being stigmatized because of mental
illness fears being told that they
are dangerous, unable to do certain
things being told that they are “just
lazy”, or that they need to “perk
up”. People struggling with mental
illness report that the stigma is just
as bad as the effects of the illness
itself. And truly, it breaks my heart
that as a society we have constructed
something that could be just as
difficult to deal with as OCD, Bi-
polar disorder, depression, anxiety,
There is more to women than their vaginas
Editor’s Note: This is an abridged
version of a longer letter. Look
for part two in the Feb 21 issue
and find the full version online at
argosy.ca
What follows is something that I’ve
thinking about for quite some time.
For the past three years, I have
helped to direct the Mount Allison
production of The Vagina Monologues.
I’ve had the honour and privilege of
working with incredible, talented
people--courageous, vulnerable,
open, generous women and men. I’ve
directed three different monologues,
and watched each incarnation of
the show shine as a testament to
the worth, the creativity, and the
capacity for community that theatre
creates. And with the enthusiasm of
the Mount Allison and the Sackville
communities, the Wu Centre has
been packed whole year after year
after year. Together, we’ve created the
kind of atmosphere that first shocks,
then delights the audience. We make
a space where questions that are all
too often tucked away at the back
of the societal mind are celebrated
on stage under the brightest lights.
Together, each year, we open up.
And yet--something bothers me.
I always know that working
on the Monologues as a male,
and as someone who identifies as
heterosexually masculine, would
have risks; any guy who has sat
Don’t have a Valentine this year? Why not make the Opinions section your
Valentine! Argosy contributor meetings are every Thursday at 5:30 on the
third floor of the WMSC
body image issues, and the list goes on.
Clearly, this stigma is unfounded.
I am a student who struggles with
depression and anxiety. I have a 3.7
average. I am a Residence Assistant.
People tell me I am a good friend.
I think I have some pretty sweet
dance moves (ask me to show you
the Badger-Unicorn sometime).
Though my mental illness certainly
has an impact on who I am, it does
not define who I am. After the
Elephant in the Room Launch,
which I MC’d, I was overjoyed by the
number of students who approached
me to say that they too had a mental
illness. Students who I know to be
friendly, motivated, and successful.
That “me too” moment is something
I adore, and one of the reasons we must
continue the conversation that started
on the 31. There is no reason for people
struggling with mental illness to feel
alone; not when so many students are
going through the same thing. There
is no reason for students to feel like
they could not possibly be understood;
through conversation and the sharing
of experiences anyone can come to have
an idea as to what living with a mental
illness is like. There is no reason for
and watched as the audience around
him starts to chant CUNT suddenly
understands that he far, far outside any
familiar territory. There are things--
experiences, perspectives, biological
facts--that are the absolute terra
incognita for the male psyche, laid
bare. Dangerous, volatile ground.
But I did it: the women around me
in that group were so welcoming
and open and generous and willing
to hear me out that I felt barriers
breaking down, both within myself
and in the way the play was perceived.
It became a safe place for us all to be
vulnerable in front of the questions,
the horrible truths, and the liberating
fact of sexuality. Still, each time I put
on my red bow tie and find my seat
among the directors in the audience, I
felt a twinge. Something bothers me
about the play, its text, its perception,
in a way no production can change.
These are things that bother
me as a heterosexual male; as an
academic; as a poet; and as someone
who has, for his whole life, identified
as a feminist in the broadest, most
inclusive sense of the term--the kind
of feminism which, to paraphrase my
great-grandmother Thérèse Casgrain,
is at its core a humanist enterprise.
It bothers me that that the
Monologues do such a fantastic,
important, necessary job at bringing
to light some of the most terrible,
reprehensible, and horrifying acts
students to feel hopeless: people live
contently with mental illnesses every
day and those stories must be shared.
The idea behind The Elephant in
the Room is communication. That’s
what the elephant represents: a safe
space to talk. If you see the elephant
displayed by someone on campus that
means that you can talk to them about
any mental illness you or someone
you care for may be struggling with.
Likewise, if you choose to display
the elephant that means that you are
someone who is committed to being a
stigma-free, supportive friend to those
who may be in need. I don’t think its
fair to expect these conversations to
be perfect; as a society we don’t know
how to talk about mental health, and
thus there will surely be bumps in the
road. If mistakes get made, apologies
must be given, and the conversation
should continue. What is important
is that we are trying to have the
conversation; what is important is the
openness to having that conversation.
So what happens next? We talk.
We chatter up a storm. Change
Your Mind Mount Alison intends
to facilitate some of that, but really
the conversation is in the hands of
perpetrated on women in human
society--but do it in such a way
that seems to deny that there exist
positive sexual experiences, some
of them between women and men.
It bothers me that the only positive
sexual experience with a man involves
a lover whose obsession is to spend
his time staring into the female
character’s vagina – a practice which,
I think, isn’t necessarily the norm for
many women and men, and may not
even be defined as a positive one.
It bothers me that said man
considers the woman’s vagina as ‘who
[she] really is’, as though identity
and intimacy were irrevocably
seated in the vagina – even though
not all women have vaginas.
It bothers me that the only healing,
non-repressive sexual experiences
undergone by the girls and women
in the play are either masturbation
of a little girl by an older woman,
or sadomasochistic power play by
a professional, paid sex worker.
It bothers me that all the other
men in the play’s text are either
adulterers, judgemental jerks,
pedophiles, or rapists, and that they
are collapsed into metonyms for the
penis--’his spiky sharpness’, et. al.
It bothers me that the woman in
the Vagina Workshop reiterates to one
of the participants that her clitoris is
‘the essence of her’, implying that the
absolute and exclusive seat of identity
February 14, 2013
the community. As compassionate
human beings, we need to do away
with the stigma we associate with
mental illness. As members of a
community, we need support those
among us who are suffering. As a
university, we need to figure out
support students struggling in an
academic environment. These are
conversations that have no doubt
already started. They must continue.
And, Mount A, I’m so honoured
to be having them with you.
If you would like more
information about the campaign or
Change Your Mind Mount Allison,
please feel free to contact Laura
Gibbon at lagibbon@mta.ca or find
us on Facebook. As always, if you or
someone you know needs support
please reach out to the Wellness
Centre by email at counsellor@mta.
ca or by phone at 506-364-2163.
Becca Johnston
is a) in the body and b) sexual.
It bothers me, finally, that the play
itself has gone largely unrevised,
unreworked, and unedited since
it was first written in 1996--even
though we know the discussion can
be broader than the text allows it to be.
Year after year, it becomes
more and more difficult for me to
direct the monologues with those
frustrations in mind, however
already subversive my presence may
be. And it becomes particularly
difficult to watch the show as a male
who considers himself a feminist,
who tries to understand and be
aware of patriarchal oppression, who
is sickened by acts perpetrated on
women because they are women--
whatever definition the term finds--
because so much of its message to me,
as a man, seems to be that, regardless
of what I want to do to help the cause,
I have no place in this discourse.
Men have no voice in the Vagina
Monologues, save for the one
recounted by women. They may not
need to have one in this context.
But I worry about what that says
to men who may be coming to
see the Monologues for the first
time, and may not necessarily have
given much thought to the kinds
of messages the play might have.
Bernad Soubry
argosy@mta.ca
Love is all
around us
An entire issue
of The Argosy
dedicated to all
things love and
sex
Carly Levy
Editor-in-Chief
Many of us have come to the
realization that Valentine’s Day is
an invented holiday meant to make
people spend money on things they
don’t really need. While it seems
that a lot of people are just zombie
consumers who think expressing
love means shelling out extra dough
or making elaborate plans to impress
a significant other, or lover that you
wish was more, Valentine’s Day gets
such a bad rep because of all the
people who buy into that. Then there
are all those people who think they
need to be in love to celebrate it,
come on take your best friend on a
date. You two probably need to catch
up anyway what with our degrees
sucking up every minute of our lives.
Every year on V-day I get valentines
from my mother, grandparents and
aunts. I always loved giving them to
my classmates in elementary school
too. It wasn’t about tacky teddy
bears, roses, or shiny things, I just
felt so special dumping my valentines
deposit box on my desk and looking
at the scrawled names to see who
got Disney Princess and who got
Power Ranger emblazoned cards. I
still get that feeling now, I wear red
on the fourteenth and I like to make
homemade cards that I know will
make someone feel loved. No matter
how much you may hate V-day you
can’t deny that special feeling that
comes when you receive a card shaped
like a heart that says you’re beautiful.
I think there’s something really
sweet about a designated day that
celebrates love in all its forms not just
the passionate love shared between
partners but also the love you have
for your parents, grandparents, other
close family members and friends.
That’s what this very special issue of
The Argosy is all about. With our issue
coming out exactly on V-Day how
could we pass up the opportunity to
have our first ever Love/Sex/Lust
Issue. Inside our pages this week
you will find articles about human
interaction, love, sex, sexuality body
image and gender issues. I hope that
reading these remind you of all the
important relationships you have
in your life (including the one you
have with yourself ) and inspires you
to let all those people know how
much you appreciate them with a
gesture no matter how big or small,
cheap or expensive that may be.
The Argosy www.argosy.ca
Female scientists get their due
Recognition in
science still a
battle for women
Madison Downe
Science Editor
Many readers will be familiar with Jane
Goodall and her work with primates,
and maybe Marie Curie, winner of
Nobel Prizes in both Chemistry and
Physics; the first woman to win that
award. But after just a few names,
even the highly informed individuals
often run out of great female scientists
to praise along side the great male
scientific leaders. That is not to say that
they do not exist, but rather female
scientists have struggled for education,
opportunity and recognition
with varying degrees of success.
Emmy Noether was one of the great
mathematical minds of the Victorian
era, revolutionizing abstract algebra and
theoretical physics and was considered
one of the greatest mathematicians in
history by people like Albert Einstein.
Despite these significant contributions
she was only permitted to teach during
New fail-safe male birth control
Birth control shot for men claims complete effectiveness for ten years.(Kory d’Entremont/Argosy)
Vasalgel could
protect men
from unplanned
parenthood
John Fraser
Arts & Literature Writer
If you’re like many guys in their early
twenties, then kids are not an option.
Sure, someday having kids sounds like
a wonderful idea, it just doesn’t seem
to co-exist in the world of pre-exam
all-nighters, keggers and Kraft dinner
for every meal of the day. Raising a
child is a huge responsibility that most
young men are not ready for. While
most women solve this problem by
going on a birth control of some
type to protect against the possibility
of children, men are left leaving the
fate of their reproductive security
in a thin, latex barrier: the condom.
However, recent studies in India may
provide a new option for men looking
to break free from the condom, and
still avoid impregnating their partner.
While condoms are an effective
her lifetime as an unpaid lecturer,
often under a male pseudonym,
limited in her career by her gender.
Grace Hopper was a pioneer in
computer programming, developing
the first compiler for a computer
programming language and coining
the phrase ‘debugging’, while at
the same time serving as a Rear
Admiral in the United States Navy.
Physicist Lise Meitner discovered
nuclear fission and although she
co-authored nearly all the relevant
work with colleague Otto Hahn, he
was given the Nobel Prize for the
work. Meitner generally considered
one of the Nobel committee’s
most glaring omissions of women’s
scientific achievement. The element
Meitnerium, number 109 on the
periodic table, is named after Meitner.
This is unfortunately not all in the
past as Meitner’s story was nearly
repeated with Jocelyn Bell Burnell in
the latter half of the twentieth century.
One of the most well respected
physicists in Britain, Jocelyn Bell
Burnell discovered the first pulsar but
her male colleague and her doctorate
supervisor won the Nobel Prize in
1974 for the achievement while
Burnell was snubbed. Her career
barrier against pregnancy, they are
far from perfect. If you want evidence
of this, realize that there are people
whose existence they owe to condoms
not properly doing their job. They
can break, tear, and slip off. Coupled
with female birth control and effective
use, they reduce the risk of pregnancy
to a near impossibility. However,
as your parents may have told you,
nothing is 100 per cent and the risk
of pregnancy is still present. Meet a
new player to the game: male birth
control. This new birth control, being
developed in Indian laboratories, is
claimed to be 100 per cent safe and
effective. That’s right, 100 percent
effective, which is a claim no other
contraceptive can make, except that
high school war cry of abstinence.
So what is it and how does it work?
Luckily for the gents, it is a one time
procedure that claims to work for up
to ten years, and is easily reversible
at any point before this. It is less
complicated than remembering to
take a pill everyday, but the procedure
does not sound like a walk in the park.
First the penis is numbed, and then a
shot is administered (let that thought
sink in: a needle into your penis) that
injects a compound known as Vasalgel
into the vas deferens. When a man
perfectly encapsulates the bias towards
male achievement in the sciences
in the modern era. Burnell became
the first female president of the
Institute of Physics and has continued
to achieve excellence physics.
Names that rarely surface in the
media include Fabiola Gianotti who,
in 2009 took the lead of the team of
physicists operating the Large Hadron
Collider at Cern. This may be just
as much due to the lack of science
coverage in the media as it is lack of
recognition of female scientists. But
the average person may be hard pressed
to name a single female physicists
while names like Stephen Hawking
may spring to mind more easily.
Neother, Hopper, Meitner, and
Burnell are just a few examples of
female scientists who ought to be just
as well known as their more prominent
male scientific counterparts. This
did not occur in the past but history
can restore some of the balance with
recognition and the understanding
that the fight for female recognition
in science is far from over. Ideally
the true mark of gender equality
will be when women in prominent
science roles are no longer considered
noteworthy but self-evident.
ejaculates, the sperm travels up the
vas deferens, meets the Vasalgel and is
broken apart. So even if a man were
to go completely without protection
and ejaculate directly into a women, he
would only expel destroyed sperm, thus
eliminating the chance of pregnancy.
Despite the small miracle this seems
to be, there has been skepticism raised
about its claim for effectiveness. As
the drug is currently in clinical trials in
India, and will probably not be ready
to market in North America until
2015, some sources are concerned that
the claim for a decade of protection
may be exaggerated. Others worry that
the gel may not be so effective after
time, and that some sperm (out of the
millions upon millions) may survive
the gel. By far the largest concern
however, is the rise in STIs that this
might create. With teens having more
and more unprotected sex as a result
of this new project, STIs have the
potential to increase dramatically.
As it stands the only effective
method against spreading STIs is
your friend the condom, a female
diaphragm or abstinence of course.
Until the male birth control hits the
market, it would be best gentlemen
if you stuck with one of those three.
SCIENCE
Sex myths debunked
Shawn Seeley
You grew up with your body, and you know it well: you know how it
works, what makes it feel good, and how to protect it. At this point, you
know everything… don’t you? With Valentine’s Day approaching, romance
and sex are high on the to-do list for many. In the spirit of being sex
positive, let’s take a few moments to review some of the more dominant
myths surrounding sexuality and the health issues accompanying it.
Sexually Transmitted Infections are totally preventable and totally curable.
Young adults in university and college have the highest rates of sexually
transmitted infections out of any age demographic. In surveys, university
students have overwhelmingly revealed that the number one reason they
avoid STI testing is a fear of being positive for any of the conditions. While
hormonal contraceptives do not reduce the transmission rates of STIs,
condoms can greatly decrease the likelihood of contracting an infection.
Although they aren’t perfect, condoms should be your first line of defense.
If someone refuses to use a condom during sex, they obviously don’t want
to have sex with you that badly and, at best, have no regard for their own
health, much less yours. As a caveat, some STIs, such as pubic lice and
HPV, can be contracted despite the use of condoms. There is no cure for
many STIs, particularly the more serious ones, such as herpes, HPV, HIV,
and Hepatitis. Your best bet is to use a condom – they aren’t 100 per
cent effective, but their efficacy is greatly improved when the directions
on the package are followed. There IS a wrong way to use a condom.
Sexuality is completely a choice… or is it completely biological?
Your state of being heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual, pansexual or anything
else is determined neither by choice or biology in isolation. Some evidence
suggests that the environment is important, while other evidence has found
anatomical, genetic, hormonal and structural brain differences between the
various sexualities. The bottom line is: whether it was the environment, your
genes, or an active choice on your part, your sexuality is your own and all
sexualities are equal. The causal source is irrelevant and diverts attention
from the crucial fact that we are all equal and worthy of love and respect.
Genital structure is important for sexual pleasure. It’s not. Many
females feel that their labia are too large, or not ‘properly pigmented’. To
assume that your vulva isn’t beautiful as it is based on what is shown in
porn is as flawed as males believing their penis is small, compared to what
they see in porn. While we’re on the subject, average penis size is much
smaller than what most men believe it is, and there’s tons of variability
in shape and girth. For any kind of sexual activity (oral, vaginal, or anal),
there’s only so much space to accommodate a penis. It really is a matter
of how you use your vagina or your penis, and not what its appearance is.
The clitoris and the prostate are secondary to the vagina and the penis.
This is a really upsetting myth, because the clitoris is a source of immense
pleasure for many women that is frequently ignored by their partners.
The clitoris extends well inside the body, diverging into two halves that
wrap around and extend behind the vagina. The internal clitoris can be
stimulated by massaging the G-spot inside the vagina, and some researchers
suggest that anal penetration will stimulate the lowest portion of the
internal clitoris. The lack of understanding about the clitoris is mirrored
by an aversion to prostate stimulation in men. Massage or stimulation of
the prostate can result in intense pleasure, but many heterosexual men are
afraid of being stigmatized as ‘gay’ for enjoying or desiring it. Here’s a hint,
folks: if it’s between a female and a male, it really just can’t be homosexual.
There are infinite myths about human sexuality that pop culture frequently
embraces, and here we’ve touched on just a few. Be your own advocate this
Valentine’s Day: make good choices, stay safe, and above all else, have tons of fun!
Write for Science!
Contributors meetings every
Thursday at 5:30pm
Argosy office, 3rd floor
Wallace McCain Student Centre
FEATURES
Abstinence
At university there may seem to be
an underlying pressure to conform,
and to let loose, experimenting
with everyone and everything.
Men are typically celebrated for
the number of notches on their
bedpost, while women need to
keep their exploits to a minimum
for fear of being unfairly branded
a slut. Because I care, about each
and every one of you, I am here to
inform you that abstinence is just as
socially acceptable as an alternative,
for those who don’t want to wade
into the world of sex just yet. To
begin, you don’t need to justify your
decision to anybody, be it religious,
moral, or otherwise. Remember!
You decide when it is that you want
to become sexually active. Whether
your decision is based around faith,
religion, or your own personal
philosophy, I commend you for
your decision to remain abstinent
in what often times can seem like
a sex-crazed world; especially if you
are a male where the gender ratio
at this school is ever in your favour.
It makes you ladies look good too!
There is nothing better looking than
a strong, independent, confident
woman who knows what she wants
out of life. Choosing to wait for
the right guy or gal can be very
rewarding, if it’s your goal, stick to it!
While it should never be the
primary reason for avoiding sexual
encounters, there are plenty of
health and circumstantial reasons to
avoid having intercourse. Pregnancy
for example: we’ll assume that most
of you reading this are between the
ages of eighteen and twenty-four,
attending our beloved University,
and so broke that your diet consists
of minute rice and instant noodles.
In case you were unaware, babies
cannot survive on that diet, and to
be quite frank it’s impressive that
Plenty of other ways to have fun. (Kory d’Entremont/The Argosy)
Write for the Sex Bomb!
you have managed to make it this far.
Pregnancy is one thing, STIs are
another: Herpes and AIDS and
Chlamydia, oh my! Now there are
many different sexually transmitted
infections out there, but to prevent
unnecessary therapy we’ll only talk
about one. As a result of living in
New Brunswick, we’ll discuss a
disease that is rapidly on the rise
throughout the region. Chlamydia
effects one in ten females and
one in twenty males. The infected
can expect an unusual discharge,
pain during sex, and a burning
sensation while urinating. Similar to
unplanned pregnancy, the best way
to avoid this is to abstain, though
condom use is always recommended
if you’re engaging in intercourse
for these reasons, and more.
Avoiding sex doesn’t mean
you need to have an aversion to
relationships, as long as you are clear
with the one you are in a relationship
with, you can date without the
pressure of having sex until you feel
that you are ready. During this time
you have plenty of opportunities
to get to know your prospective
partner, and depending on your
definition of sex, there are some
other sexual options available to you.
Sex is a lot of fun, but sometimes
it can obscure the forest for the
trees. Choosing to remain abstinent
can put things into perspective
in a time when everyone else
is stressing over their sex lives.
Sexual activity can be a wonderful
experience, but should only occur
when both partners are ready. You
need to be emotionally and physically
ready for intercourse, as well as
being educated on having safe sex.
A fulfilling sex life does not mean a
life full of sex, go at your own pace,
and jump in when you feel ready!
Chivalry in the modern world
Let’s all be a
little more
gallant
Ryan Burnham
Features Editor
There is little that is permanent
in the tradition of courtship and
romance between men, women, and
one-another. The variance between
cultures and eras paints a picture
of ever shifting taboos and degrees
of acceptability. In our own time,
the ever-more-equal culture we
enjoy certainly decrees hesitation
towards more traditional methods
for wooing the persons who catch
our eye. This shift in thinking is a
step in the right direction, but there
is still something to be said for a dash
of chivalry in our day-to-day lives:
taking the best elements of those
noble and lofty ideals and applying
them wholesale, regardless of gender.
To be a noble knight in the
medieval ages was to subscribe to
the virtues espoused by the chivalric
code. These were the principles which
a man was expected to follow if he
was to do his duty to his country and
his God. Rarely were men so good
as to stand equals to the paragons
of chivalric merit: Saladin, Richard
the Lionheart, or the fictional
Sir Gawain. Rather, it was more
common for knights to be boorish
and base, human though they were.
The Chivalric ethos was born
from a military tradition where
Wonderful world of aphrodisiacs
A pick-me-up for
your sex life
Norman Nehmetallah
Features Contributor
Couples and hopeful singles alike
may have noticed with some dismay
that Valentine’s Day this year falls
on a Thursday, predictably in the
midst of the midterm season. It
may be difficult to convince others,
or even yourself, to partake in some
Valentine’s canoodling when the only
blood coursing to be contemplated
is in the study of the circulatory
system, and the only sexy whisper
is in stuttered Spanish off of a cue-
card. However, while academic
pursuits may be at the root of this
issue, they may also provide the
answers: aphrodisiac foods. The
Oxford American Dictionary defines
aphrodisiacs as any food, drink, or
drug that stimulates sexual desire.
However, the word ‘stimulates’
is somewhat misleading, as the
aphrodisiac must not enhance sexual
desire, but conjure it from nowhere.
This desire is ultimately chemical
in both males and females, with
testosterone being one of the primary
culprits. Therefore, aphrodisiacs tend
to be food that is high in testosterone,
or a part of an animal that is
historically thought to be quite virile.
February 14, 2013 argosy@mta.ca
decency, religiosity, and valour were Chivalry in the nineteenth and
prized above all else. The romantic twentieth century accrued a new
element existed only in the ritual meaning- a gentlemanly code of
of courtly love, secret displays of conduct, the rules for any respectable
affection among the medieval man to follow. Rather than fighting
nobility. Instead, the primary role to the death, the civil knight of virtue
of this righteous path was t o throws his coat upon the puddle to
ensure that knights preserve the dignity of his partner’s
would strike away shoes. Rosy and quixotic, the
cowardice, and conception of gallantry in the twenty-
be benevolent in first century is, as the march
victory. Respectable towards sexual equality
virtues, spoken progresses, innately dated.
of but absent in Many of those
practice, climbed chivalric
onto a romantic charges
pedestal over p r o v e
the centuries. a r c h a i c
Applicable remnants to
only to those be discarded,
exalted few, but it leaves us
the grandeur with some scraps, those
of the romantic virtues we
chivalric code could all benefit from.
experienced We could all do
a shift when more to emulate the
it was largely co- values entrenched in
opted by fiction, the romantic graciousness
and evolved of the chivalric code, to be
into a romantic concept. more courteous and more
However, the depictions magnanimous. Regardless
of courtly love do seem a bit fun. of sex or preference, contemporary
Though a relic of the past, mired chivalric values can be entrenched
in less than splendid or antiquated in the universality of platonic love.
undertones, some of the cornerstones Whether or not you find yourself
of the courtly romance - the wooing, alone this Valentines Day, hold open
the adventure, and the secrecy - all doors, offer a welcoming smile to
reoccur in romantic plots again and friends and strangers alike, and, hell,
again. They are tenets that can be even throw your coat over a puddle
easily re-appropriated and applied if the moment strikes you. It’s these
to a more current understanding of little things that matter, to be good-
courtship. That is to say, the damsel in natured men and women, to be good
distress can be male, or further still, people in the twenty-first century.
there need not be any distress at all.
While most researchers do admit that testosterone/estrogenic compounds;
certain chemicals in foods contribute sweet basil leaves, aniseed, cardamom,
to increased blood flow in the most chocolate, chilli peppers, honey, garlic,
fun parts of our bodies, or catalyze oysters, and pine nuts are among the
the release of certain hormones, most popular of these aphrodisiacs.
they are not entirely sure about Despite the many accounts given
the extent of this effect. With the over the course of history by those
obligatory word of scientific caution who have believed that these powerful
aside, let’s dive genitals first into aphrodisiacs can elicit sexual desire in
the nebulous world of aphrodisiacs! anyone, including the unwilling, there
Most purported aphrodisiac foods is resounding disagreement with this
fall into two distinct claim by both scientists and the
camps: those that are aforementioned unwilling. So,
phallic or testicular while sprinkling sweet
in appearance, basil leaves and erecting
and those of a display of carefully
which contain arranged bananas and
chemicals that avocados in the
either enhance middle of the
circulation or library’s lust-
enhance pleasure. appropriate
The first camp is red floor
mostly cultural, might not
including a get you
predictable m u c h
list of items be yond
such as bananas, laughter and
avocados, carrots, shame, that’s
cucumbers, and figs no reason not to
(which are thought to resemble introduce aphrodisiacs
female sex organs when halved). into your Valentine’s Day plans. As
While it might seem juvenile to think long as there is already a basis for sexual
that just laying eyes on a banana attraction, aphrodisiacs may be just the
will enflame the passions, dozens of thing to stoke the fire, and get you and
cultures swear by the efficiency of your partner away from the textbooks.
this method. On the other side of
things, there are the foods that yield
scents or chemicals that increase
circulation, or have a wealth of
Graphics by Ian Malcom
The Argosy www.argosy.ca
Mount A’s culture of hook-ups
A less traditional
version of
normal
Jessie Byrne
Features Writer
We, as Mount Allison students, know
all too well how small this school
really is. Everyone knows everything
about everyone. And so, it’s hardly a
surprise that after the weekend ends,
students are abuzz with the drama
that took place, who got “totally
wasted” and particularly, who hooked
up with who. “Hooking up” is a phrase
that is used so often today, we barely
even stop to think of what it means.
Which is intentional. The phrase
itself is supposed to be vague, because
it means something different to
everyone. While some people might
regard a simple make-out session as
hooking up, others see hooking up
as nothing less than sex. Regardless
of what you think it means, one
can’t deny that it’s one of the most
prevalent aspects of university life.
It seems that traditional dating has
taken a back seat to this more non-
committal, alcohol-fuelled culture.
Indeed, by fourth-year, seventy
two per cent of students will have
had at least one hook-up, with the
average amount being ten for men
and seven for girls. In fact, many
relationships start out as a hook-
up. This doesn’t seem surprising
considering that ninety per cent of
Canada-wide student housing is
now co-ed, as opposed to the more
old-fashioned same-sex houses.
But what do students really think
of this culture? Do they like the
idea of casual sex with a stranger,
or do they go along with the trend
reluctantly? The Argosy interviewed
four Mt. A students to get a better
idea: two female and two male
students had varying feelings
towards hooking-up across the board.
When asked how they defined
hooking up, all of the students
agreed that you couldn’t just
assume that there is one definition.
“I think anything more than
making out can be considered a
If you’re sneaking out early, make sure to remember your pants. (Kory d’Entremont/Argosy)
hook-up,” said one of the female
students, “some people think that
it’s just a pub make-out though.”
Both male students agreed.
“If someone says ‘I hooked up
with someone’, I have to ask what
that means,” one commented.
Both groups also agreed on
whom this trend is more oriented
towards. They said that at Mt. A
vit seems like hooking up is more
about what guys demand from girls.
“I just feel like because the ratio
is so skewed here, it seems like
the girls are fighting for guys, and
they feel like they have to do stuff
for guys in order to lure them in,”
said one of the female students.
“I think it should be fair,” one male
student added, “although, just because
there are fewer guys here, doesn’t
necessarily mean that they’re going to
hook up every time they go out. I feel
like since there are fewer guys to pick
from, you really have to stand out.”
Despite this, both of the women
felt that they personally don’t
necessarily have to “put out” in order
to get a guy’s attention. Both also
noted that if that’s ever the case,
then it’s definitely not worth it.
“To me, it’s all about expectations,”
said one girl. “There’s nothing
wrong with flirting, but I think your
intentions should be clear. If you’re
not planning on going home with
someone, don’t lead him or her on.”
All of the students involved
in the interview agreed that the
worst part of hooking up at Mt. A
is that word spreads like wildfire.
“It’s amazing how quickly
people find out,” said one student.
“And it’s a small campus, so it
can be awkward. It all depends
on the maturity level of everyone
involved and what happened.”
Not one of the interviewees felt
that this hook-up culture could have
extreme adverse effects. The general
consensus seemed to be that if both
parties are being safe and responsible,
then hooking up is a great way to learn
more about yourself and it can be fun.
“I think anything is good as
long as you’re doing it for yourself,”
said one of the female students.
Even when it came down to
the controversial use of the word
“slut”, the parties were on the
same page for the most part.
“I think the label definitely exists,”
said one female student. “But I
wonder why people judge it. I think
that if people judge you based on
your sexual experience, then it can
largely stem back to jealousy and
their own lack of self-esteem.”
“People are nosy in Sackville and
people know who hooks up the most
often,” added one of the men. “It’s
easy to call someone a slut because
you know all the details and you can
put a name and a face to the stories.”
On a lighter note, all of the students
had interesting tips to contribute
when it came to the question of hook-
up etiquette. All four agreed that you
should keep your hook-up details on
the down low unless the other person
is okay with you telling people. They
also advised against getting too
attached to someone, especially if you
know it’s just a hook-up. As far as
morning-after etiquette, one student
suggested getting your partner a drink
of water to help with the hangover, or
offering to walk him or her home.
“At the very least give a girl a
pair of your sweats,” one of the
guys said. “Don’t let them do the
walk of shame in last night’s dress.”
“And remember their name,”
one girl laughs. “That way you
don’t have to wake up in the
morning and be like, ‘hey… you.”
All four students considered it
rude and awkward to leave before
the other person wakes up. And on a
campus where you’re bound to see the
other person, increased amounts of
awkwardness is the last thing you need.
“Have an excuse to leave if you
feel weird,” one of the male students
said. “Say that you have a meeting or
that you have a lot of work to do.”
“But make sure that you don’t just
ignore their existence after that,”
added one of the girls. “Just say hi when
you see them or even a simple smile.”
“Just be friendly,” a third student
concluded. “Don’t be a jerk about it.”
So whether or not you participate
in the hook-up culture that is ever-
present at university, there seems to be
some very clear-cut rules. Don’t make
someone else feel uncomfortable,
be safe, and don’t judge anyone
who chooses to participate. In
the end, it’s all about having fun
and judgment from anyone else
should never get in the way of that.
Through Stained Glass
Rev. John Perkin
University Chaplain
For much of the twentieth
century, the worlds of spirituality
and sexuality have been far
apart, such completely different
dimensions of life that it seems
difficult to contemplate bringing
them together. But spirituality,
as I have grown to appreciate
over the years, has to do with
ALL of life, including sexuality.
Spirituality is a relatively modern
word in the English language,
and we are still trying to work out
exactly what it means. Often people
assume it has to do with something
exotic, esoteric, removed from the
ordinary, and usually involving
monastic retreats, walking the paths
of medieval pilgrimages, or travel to
India. But spirituality is far more
than retreats and religious rites,
quests and pilgrimages; spirituality
has to do with an understanding of
our own existence: what supports,
informs, and shapes our sense of
who we are and how we live. As one
theologian expresses it, spirituality
is what we do with the fire that
is inside us, how we channel our
desires and restless energies.
My developing spirituality,
nurtured in the Christian tradition,
informs both the sense of who
I am in the sight of God, in the
community of God’s people
(church), and in the larger world, as
well as my actions and decisions and
words, how I try to live out my life.
It is based on an inclusive, accepting,
hope-filled, affirming word of
good news which announces the
Kingdom of God, which we might
also understand as the realm or the
Dominion of God, arising from
principles rooted in the narratives
of scripture, particularly those
describing the ministry of Jesus.
Sexuality, then, includes but is
not limited to sexual activity: it is
indeed a gift to be celebrated, part
of who we are as social, emotional,
and physical people. The Greek
philosophers maintained that we
were fired into life with a madness
that comes from the gods and
that this fire or energy is the root
of all love, hate, creativity, joy, and
sadness. There may be some truth
to this – but I would add from my
Christian perspective that part of
this energy/fire (breath) within
us is our sexuality, given so that
we might both offer and receive
pleasure and have potential to
create life. It is also a gift to be used
responsibly; channelled wrongly
it can bring profound hurt and
pain. Sexuality, as one theologian
noted, is like nitroglycerin: it can
FEATURES 9
be used to heal a wounded heart,
or it can bring massive destruction.
Sexuality, in its understanding
of physical and emotional love,
is celebrated in scripture, and
opens us up to the wonderful
possibilities that sex should not
be frightening, but rather that it
holds a sacramental possibility -
that in sex we have the very real
possibility of knowing the presence
and grace of God. So spirituality
speaks to the gift of sexuality
as something to be celebrated.
But sexuality is also something we
speak of in connection with gender,
role, and identity. As I learned in
my own growth and development,
it is not just about what we do with
our bodies, but what bodies we have
and how we perceive them and what
forces are at work on them in the
world around us. My spirituality, for
instance, rejects the objectification
of bodies - women’s and men’s -
and reminds me of the affirming,
welcoming, inclusive, equal nature
of the realm or Dominion of God.
It is the role of the church, for
instance, to reflect this realm in a
real way, for spirituality is intimately
connected with the materiality and
ordinariness of life. For instance,
I come from a tradition that in
1911 was pushing for equal pay
for equal work for women and
men, and in 1913 approved the
ordination of women to ministry. So
spirituality speaks to the sexuality
of gender in terms of equality
and inclusion. It is about justice.
Specifically, when we speak about
homosexuality, religion tends to get
caught up in the second part of that
word, sexuality, and the Victorian
values emerge and silence the
discussion as though it simply has
to with physical or sexual activity.
Spirituality in response to sexuality
in this instance is larger than physical
love; it is the also the longing that
transcends procreation, and includes
tenderness and touch, commitment
and companionship, trust and
shared life. It suggests we are
called into relationships which are
affirming, ennobling, and nurturing
of our humanity. So spirituality
also speaks to the religious
debate about homosexuality by
reminding us to be inclusive, just,
and human in all our relationships.
In my understanding of God’s
realm – which shapes who I am
and how I live - spirituality is
nurturing of my sense of self, my
sense of self in relationship to God,
and my sense of self in relation to
the larger world. And specifically
when we speak of sexuality, my
spirituality suggests we need to
think in terms of celebration,
of justice, and of relationship.
10 FEATURES February 14, 2013 argosy@mta.ca

The Argosy’s review of sex toys!

$10, or
Having progressed through Cosmopolitan’s list of sex positions …for better or for worse… A little light bondage may prove a
welcome release from the tired old techniques you’ve been lazily employing. Handcuffs provide a great gateway into some fun
Handcuffs role-playing, and aren’t terribly difficult to find at any good sex store. Make sure you get a pair that can be released without a key in
an emergency,and if you can find a pair with some padding that’s a bonus.(A bonus that will likely cost a bit more.) Handcuffs open
up a whole world of sexual possibility, allowing one partner to take a dominant role while the other is bound by cold, hard steel.
less!

I was pleased when this baby arrived at my doorstep in a white unmarked envelope after purchasing it on the internet.
Tearing into the package I was taken aback by its size: it is considerably larger than any other external vibrator I have tried.
This pulsating pleasure provider takes two C cell batteries: turning it on and feeling the vibrations reverberate down my
hand and arm, my lady pearl gave a yelp of fear. A couple of days later, figuratively girding – and literally ungirding – my Maxi Wanachi
$25 loins, I mustered the courage to direct the vibrations in the intended direction. A feeling of skepticism was soon washed
away by waves of rather pleasanter feelings. If you like intense vibrations, then getting a toy like this could be the way to
Waterproof
go. You may want to consider springing for the revered Hitachi Magic Wand rather than this fella though. The next time I
inserted the batteries into my new purchase, the gratification I had so highly anticipated failed to materialize. After only one
Massager
proper use, this erstwhile below-the-belt bliss bestower was busted. I had looked forward to many more intimate moments
alone together, including taking our relationship to the next level (the bathtub) to test if it was, as purported, waterproof.

These neat little toys are different than your average dildo or vibrator. The balls are about the size of marbles and
are usually hollow with a small weight inside. Like many other sex toys they come in a variety materials, which
Ben Wa greatly influence the cost. A simple silicone pair is the cheapest option and usually come attached by a strap of the
same material. Inserted in the vagina the balls are held in place by contracting the Kegel muscles. The weighted balls Varies
Balls strengthen these muscles leading to more intense sexual pleasure and can also provide extra stimulation during foreplay or
masturbation. To use just place them in the vagina and go about your daily activities, you will be more than ready to get
it on after just a short time and leaving them in leading up to the main event will rev your engine just that much more.

The We-Vibe 3 is one remote control that you and your partner will never have to fight over. Worn while
making love, the We-Vibe 3 boasts more power, a fully waterproof design, a convenient wireless remote
control, and a wireless charger bases. There are six different vibration modes that are as quiet as a whisper,
allowing it to go anywhere with you and your partner. It allows up to two hours of play on a single charge.

$160 The We-Vibe is a U shape vibrator, one end going into the vagina hitting right on the G-Spot and the
other end wrapping between the lips of the vagina, landing perfectly on the clitoris. There is plenty of room
for the guy to insert himself and receive his share of the vibrations. Warning: the vibrations will make the
We-Vibe 3
girl come quicker than normal. Danger: the vibrations will make the guy come much quicker than usual.
The We-Vibe can also be used for solo play if you can’t wait for your partner. Do the exact same thing, except only with yourself.
The only downfall the product is the over the roof price. It might make sex exciting, but the product is not worth 160.00.

In terms of bullets, this is just the best. Travel sized, super powerful, water resistant and only needs one battery! If you’re

$38.50
looking for something to massage the clitoral area and want to steer clear of a full-on vibrator or dildo, this is probably the best
Velvet Ripple bet. Make sure to lube-up before using, the Velvet-Cote material feels good to begin with, but exponentially better with just
a dab of lube. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to stimulate both the g-spot and the clitoris at the same time with this toy.

Erin’s Eats: What’s better than getting a dozen roses?

A vanilla Directions:

rose cake, Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar,
topped with and baking soda. Mix the remaining
ingredients in a second bowl before
buttercream adding them to the dry ingredients.
Once all the ingredients have been
Erin Burnham combined, pour the mixture into
Argosy Culinarian two eight inch cake pans, and bake
for thirty, to thirty-five minutes.

Having a “special” guest over? Buttercream Icing:

Treat them to this lovely vanilla
rose cake, topped with a delicious
buttercream icing. A flowery
delight, perfect for two, or more!
Vanilla Cake:
Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups of sugar
3 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs
2 tbsp vanilla extract
Ingredients
½ cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract Erin Burnham/Submitted
4 cups icing sugar cakes with the buttercream icing, and your desired flower. If you choose to
2 cups cold butter place the other cake on top. Try to cover the entirety of your cake with more exciting. Also, be prepared
ensure that the two cakes are bound the roses, you can use a swoop of icing to have everything that you love
Directions: together by sugary goodness. Now, to fill the gaps the icing roses do not. covered in icing. Finally, enjoy!
it’s time to cover your cake with icing Remember, temperature is important.
Mix well, and refrigerate to stiffen. roses. You’ll need a large star tip icing You don’t want the icing to become
tube, a zip lock bag, and a batch of the too runny, make sure that it remains
Building the cake: icing we made earlier in the recipe. relatively cool. While the natural
Remove the two cakes from the To make an icing rose, simply begin outcome of this recipe is a white
oven; allow time for cake to cool. squeezing out the icing in a circular cake, you can add food colouring to
Once cool, coat the top of one of the fashion by starting in the middle of the icing batch to make things a little
The Argosy www.argosy.ca FEATURES 11
How to triumph over your body hair. Sort of.
The battle against
body hair: a timeless
and painful pursuit
Ryan Burnham
Features Editor

Shaving, waxing, and all manner of hair removal

for aesthetic reasons is a personal matter, and
entirely according to personal preferences.
The Argosy is not suggesting that smooth legs
and a bare chest are to any degree superior to
the gift of hair bestowed by nature, nor does
our humble little paper want to advocate the
practice of hair removal to the unconverted.
That said, the tradition of maiming our manes
has persisted throughout human history,
for health, religion, and of course, beauty.
On the surface, the exercise of shaving
and waxing appears a rather modern visual
novelty. Just take a gander at pornographic If you are not used to having hot wax strips on your body, a little liquid preperation may be in order. (Lea Foy/Argosy)
films prior to 1980. It would appear that North
Americans have, by and large, found themselves to suggest that women were applying creams More recently there were arrests in 2011 in out of your body. Finally, there are the depilatory
in a fight against follicles as they prioritize made from arsenic, lime, and starch to burn connection to assaults on Amish men in Ohio, creams. They vary in terms of ingredients, so it
smooth bodies over woolly ones. We’ll shave, away their body hair. Regrettably, as time where their beards were forcibly removed. would be wise to investigate your options and
wax, and even apply lasers to our natural fur marched on the methods employed by women Nowadays the most common procedure for determine if you might have an allergy prior to
coats in hopes of achieving that bald body. hardly improved, as later approaches saw the hair removal comes in the form of razors, waxes, applying any of them to your hair. Essentially,
The practice of hair removal is hardly a new use of fire to simply burn the hair right off. and creams. Shaving is a quick, and mostly the creams are chemicals that will dissolve your
one, however. Nearly every human culture has, Around 3000 BCE we begin to see metal painless approach, as contemporary razors have hair. With that in mind you need to make sure
to some degree, a tradition of human fleecing shaving implements appearing in areas such as been refined beyond their ancient predecessors. you don’t leave the cream on for too long, or
embedded into it. The popularity of body hair Egypt and India, and while shaving had been Though shaved hair grows back more quickly, it you will experience a painful chemical burn.
has waned and waxed throughout human in practice prior to this, the invention made the is pretty much the only way to go for removing For those readers over the age of nineteen, and
history; Alexander the Great apparently had entire process quicker. It is not likely, however, facial hair. Waxing is favoured for removing hair of a mind to drink, having a bottle of wine, beer,
poor facial hair growth, and shaved regularly that these early razors made the process cleaner. on the chest, legs, and pubic region. It can be or whiskey handy might make the whole process
to hide his boyishly patchy beard. In Ancient There is also a darker side to hair removal; messy, and very dangerous if done incorrectly. a little easier. You should also have some friends
India, there was a period of time where it during World War II women who were One must be careful not to apply the wax when around, as they will certainly enjoy watching
was in vogue to garner a glorious beard, found to have been involved sexually with it is too hot, or risk burning the skin. Burn or you partake in a centuries long tradition of self-
while shaving hair off of the rest of the body. the Nazi’s could expect to have their hair no burn, this technique will still be very painful, inflicted agony for questionable visual appeal.
As early as 3000-4000 BCE, we see evidence removed to shame them for their behaviour. as fundamentally you are tearing the hairs right

The Kamasutra: philosophy, or pornography?

Examining the
renowned book
Richard Kent
Political Beat Writer
For many Westerners, the image
brought to mind by the words ‘the
Kamasutra’ is a book of sex positions,
a kind of primitive, Oriental
Cosmopolitan magazine—a tome
best purchased wrapped in brown
paper, its pages saturated in recipes
for raw, carnal pleasure, an exotic
work of erotic instruction; however,
the reality of the Kamasutra is much
more complex and far-reaching than
the orgasm instruction manual it
is so often reduced to by magazine
covers and pocket versions of the
text. Written by Vatsyayana nearly
2000 years ago, and first published in
English by Richard Burton in 1883,
the Kamasutra does provide detailed
advice on sex positions—but, as
Indologist Wendy Doniger points out
in a paper titled “On the Kamasutra,”“it
is in fact a book about the art of living:
about finding a partner, maintaining
power in a marriage, committing
adultery, living as or with a courtesan,
using drugs—and also about the
positions in sexual intercourse.”
Originally written in Sanskrit,
“kama sutra” translates roughly to
“sensual pleasure manual.” Ostensibly
a compilation of older yogic insights,
the Kamasutra offers prescriptions for
What you learn in the Kamasutra may require some flexibility, so get stretching! (Lea Foy/Argosy)
each stage and aspect of a relationship,
with chapters addressing everything
from the type of house a man should
possess, to the specifics of courtship
(and marriage) in several situations,
to some “dos and don’ts” for kings
seeking to increase the sizes of their
harems, to various herbal remedies
for sexual problems. Some parts of
the text are seemingly timeless: for
example, there are a limited number
of physiologically possible sex
positions, and the Kamasutra names
more of them than this author can lay
claim to having tried, and there is a
section on interior decorating. Other
portions might prove problematic for
some readers: Doniger has argued
that the Kamasutra’s treatment of
sexual beating is an early written
endorsement of rape culture,
and that the text’s treatment of
proper feminine sexual behaviour
was decidedly animalistic when
compared to its assessment of
proper masculine sexual practice.
If the Kamasutra is better conceived
of as a guide to living well (admittedly,
in a context somewhat removed from
our own) by virtue of satisfying
relationships, then the purely sexual
popular view of the text in Western
culture requires some explanation.
Part of the reason for the
Kamasutra’s misrepresentation in
the West is its original translation
into English. Overseen by Richard
Burton, during the height of British
colonial domination of the Indian
subcontinent, the first English
translation of the Kamasutra was as
influential on the Western popular
psyche as its rendering of the
text was inaccurate. For example,
Doniger critiques the Burton
translation’s over-reliance on (and
perhaps inappropriate use of )
“eunuch”: writing in her article, “The
Kamasutra: It Isn’t All about Sex,”
that “the word ‘eunuch’ was bandied
about loosely in British writings
about the Orient, conveying a vague
sense of sexual excess, cruelty, and
impotence, and it infected Burton’s
translation of the Kamasutra, too.”
In another example, English
Professor Ben Grant argues that
while Burton’s Kamasutra challenged
prevailing Victorian attitudes on
sexuality at the time of its publication,
it also “[satisfied] the European
male’s voyeuristic desire.” Given
Burton’s marketing strategy for the
text as a love manual for the sexually
repressed Victorians as much as a
legitimate work of anthropology,
it is easy to see why the Kamasutra
has gained infamy in the collective
Western sexual consciousness.
In contemporary times, several
scholars have noted the banal
prevalence of the Kamasutra in
Western popular (sex) culture.
For example, Jyoti Puri’s article,
“Concerning Kamasutras:
Challenging Narratives of History
and Sexuality,” describes a world
where Cosmopolitan magazine can
classify readers as “sensual” based on
their ownership of the (Anglicized)
text, and publish two editions of its
own book, “The Comso Kama Sutra.”
Doniger corroborates this view,
informing her readers that there are
Kamasutra versions of a myriad of
mundane artifacts, from wrist watches
to PDA applications to condoms.
Ultimately, the Western notion
of the Kamasutra is reductionist and
belies the complex world of ancient
India. While the whole of the text
may not be useful as a lifestyle guide
for the modern reader, Western
readers would do well to approach the
Kamasutra without preconceptions.
12 CENTREFOLD February 14, 2013 argosy@mta.ca

What does love

This week The Argosy partn
story curator Ian Chew to fin
‘Humans o

“Love is more of a feeling than a definition. You’d do

things you wouldn’t normally do, where your chest
sometimes feels so tight when you care about someone
that much. Love is fluid, transient, not a static thing.”

“Love is communication and compromise –

working through issues and always talking to
each other about things that bother you.”
“

“Love? Geez, that could mean a number

of things. That’s a deep question…”

All Photos by Ian Chew/ Humans of Sackville

 The Argosy www.argosy.ca CENTREFOLD 13

e mean to you?
nered with photographer and
nd out what love means to the
of Sackville’

“Love means heartbreak...It was a long time

ago when I was a teenager. I think it was more
like first love heartbreak.”

“Love makes the days a little brighter.”

““I’m in love right now. I have been with a

girl for two years now. And everyday I do
to see her smile. That’s all I want.”

“Love is candy – sweet, happy and bright.”

“Love is friends and family.” “Love is an absolute commitment that holds

honesty, compassion, care, trust, and friendship
as its main essence and foundations.”
ARTS & LITERATURE February 14, 2013 argosy@mta.ca

Energetic Indian music warms up a cold week

(Left) Hussain and Assani perform on tabla and sitar as part of the Performing Arts Series. (Right) The performers provide a workshop for students. (Ciera De Silva/Argosy)

Sitar and tabla
performers
entertain Mt. A
Ciera De Silva
Arts & Literature Contributor
Despite blizzard conditions that
threatened Saturday’s concert,
audience members were delighted
by the mesmerizing performance of
highly-acclaimed sitarist Mohamed
Assani and award-winning tabla
performer Shahbaz Hussain.
The concert marked the end of
the three-day residency of the Indian
classical musicians at Mount Allison’s
Marjorie Young Bell Conservatory
of Music, in which our music
department welcomed Assani and
Hussain from their respective bases
in Vancouver and Rochdale, England.
These artists – of two of the most
popular instruments from the Indian
subcontinent – have been working
together in Assani’s band Indus and
are currently on a Canadian tour.
The personable musicians, who have
both studied under some of the most
eminent teachers of their respective
instruments, offered two workshops
on Thursday: one on rhythm and the
another on melody and raga in Indian
classical music, which has its origins
in Northern India and Pakistan. After
these introductions to the genre’s
fundamentals, Friday included a
workshop on improvisation and a
practical session in which students
played authentic Indian classical music
pieces using their own instruments and
voices, even if they were not typically
used to play Indian classical music.
A fourth-year music student
expressed his gratitude for the
workshops, saying that, “after
practicing different styles of Indian
music, it no longer seemed so foreign.”
Like other workshop participants, he
said he was better able to appreciate
the Saturday concert after having
previously learned first-hand about
Indian classical music. It was Assani,
a committed and experienced
teacher, who originally offered to
give the workshops. Performing
Arts Series organizer David Rogosin
jumped at the opportunity to offer
the valuable international music
experience to the Mt. A community.
In Saturday’s concert, which
was made possible by the J.E.A.
Crake Foundation, the talented
pair offered a moving performance
and engaged each other in difficult
improvised passages, captivating the
audience with a notable interplay
between their versatile instruments.
Hussain noted that as a type of
drum, his smaller tabla can be used
to derive strong rhythms, while his
larger one can be used for deeper
tones by drumming towards the rim
of the instrument, lending it more
to melodic passages. Meanwhile,
using his eighteen-string sitar,
Assani demonstrated two key types
of playing, one of which involves
keeping a finger on a fret and using
vibrato to ‘bend’ or alter the note,
creating vocal phrasing. The other
technique entails playing melodic
passages up and down the fingerboard.
The players complemented each
other’s rhythms and melodies,
using many more techniques than
crescendo and diminuendo and
offering both slow, melancholic
passages and fast, lively ones. They
were keen to explain the complex
beat cycles and their geographical
origins to a receptive audience.
Hussain even described a
particular beat originating from
the India’s Punjab province as
“groovy,” and he was not kidding!
The musicians’ enthusiasm was
evident throughout their performance
and they visibly appreciated each
other’s talent and creativity as much as
the audience members. Their passion
for their art form and the spirit they
bring to it was contagious. Audience
members left in high spirits after a
memorable musical adventure led by
these talented artists. We can surely
expect to hear more from these two in
the near future, both on the Canadian
and international music scenes.

START Gallery presents work by Elizabeth Bissonnette

When Facebook
and art collide
Amy Wallace
Arts & Literature Contributor
Despite Saturday’s looming blizzard,
members of the Sackville community
gathered at START Gallery to celebrate
the opening of Elizabeth Bissonnette’s
art show last Friday evening. The
show, aptly titled “Should This Be
My Profile Pic?,” features a variety of
pieces that integrate technology and
popular media into a colourful and
innovative display of artistic talent.
Limoges, Ontario, native Bissonnette
is in her fifth and final year at Mount
Allison and is graduating this spring
with a fine arts degree. The collection,
which is based on photography and
digital manipulation, has been a focus
for Bissonnette since her second year.
“It all started when I was working with
collage and manipulating the planes
of the face in that fashion,” explained
Bissonnette. “I just continued to
experiment with collage until I
started using photoshop to get the
same distortions that the collage was
giving me. What really interests me is
the way that the distortion plays with
the way you view the portrait. From
close up, you can just see shapes and
colour, but once you step back the
image becomes clear.” Bissonnette’s
statement is clear: when viewed up
close, one can merely see the intricate
details of these pictures, and the
face is not clearly visible. Yet from
afar, the minute details fade away,
revealing the portrait. The detail is
extraordinary, and the artistic style
presents an inventive representation
of photography. “This is just my way
of depicting faces that I find visually
interesting," said Bissonnette. “I find
pictures of my friends on Facebook
that speak about who they are as
people. I don’t use typical Facebook
display picture photos; I like the
candid shots, the ones that people
weren't expecting. There’s always more
emotion and some kind of humour
involved with those shots,” Bissonnette
explained. The process involves the
distortion of individual photos
using photoshop; the image is then
projected onto a canvas and copied.
Using oil paints or sticks, the different
segments of colour are then painted.
Attendees showed appreciation for
this creative take on the Facebook
profile picture. “It is intriguing that
she integrated technology and popular
media into her art. I think that it
speaks to our generation’s reliance on
social media as a means of projecting
ourselves,” commented guest Natasha
Bani-Sadr. Bissonnette is currently
taking a brief departure from this
style, focusing instead on a series of
small watercolour paintings based on
masks that she has sewn. “The masks
are a continued exploration of the way
I paint and pushing the distortions
even further,” she explained.
Fresh off the success of her show, the
future looks promising for this talented
young artist. Bissonnette recently
landed an artist residency at Ireland’s
Burren College of Art, where she will
spend two months. The program will
allow her to meet with curators and
other artists, thus opening doors to
future endeavours. “I am very grateful
that I have this show and I am getting
this residency—this is a stepping stone
towards what I want to do.” “Should
This Be My Profile Pic?” will be
open for viewing until February 19.
Exhibit visitor examines the work of Bissonnette. (Lea Foy/Argosy)
The Argosy www.argosy.ca
Nothing to hide when posing for Mt. A artists
Nude modelling
proves your body
is a work of art
Daniel Marcotte
Arts & Literature Contributor
For many of us, the idea of being
photographed or painted is an
enthralling or potentially terrifying
prospect, let alone doing so without
the protection of clothing. When
analyzing this idea from an artistic
perspective however, the process
can yield extensive benefits both
academically and psychologically.
In order to truly delve into nude
modelling at Mount Allison, The Argosy
interviewed a student that has been a
part of the program for over a year.
The student, who has requested that
they remain anonymous, has provided
insight into both the procedure and
its effect on body image in order to
‘undress’ this unique and important
facet of the Mt. A fine arts experience.
Because nude modelling is a paid
position that involves a slightly higher
risk for uncomfortable situations,
maintaining a professional and secure
Lust Over Values
I turned over on my side in a half-asleep,
half-awake state, wrapping my arms
around her waist. Without thinking,
I slipped my hands underneath her
shirt, touching her bare skin. I felt a
surge of excitement filling my body as
much as curiosity. I allowed my hands
to travel up her shirt but then stopped
right at the base of her breast. I knew
by then that she was awake. Her
heart was pounding as hard as mine.
Neither of us moved, and I knew
that I should not continue. The
voice in my head was yelling at me
to stop, reminding me that I was
straight—one hundred per cent
straight. But the excitement and
the curiosity was overwhelming.
With the tip of my fingers, I
traced a line underneath her breast,
going closer and closer to her breast
each time. I heard her sharp intake
of breathe. I froze, all of the sudden
nervous and unsure. I dropped my
hand quickly and flipped back over
on my back, staring at the cream-
environment and knowing one’s
personal boundaries is a central aspect
of the job description. “I don’t know
what I expected to get out of it,” the
student commented. “It was only weird
for the first minute and a half ... but it
was all very professional.” Nude models
are expected to commit to three-hour
sessions whenever required by the
department, with all of the available
models on a rotation system. For
drawing classes, poses are extremely
dynamic and change every fifteen
to twenty seconds, whereas painting
classes require much longer poses of
up to forty-five minutes in length.
In addition to the academic
advantages this program provides
for art students, the student also
revealed the quasi-philosophical
epiphanies that can be cultivated by
modelling nude. “It’s almost like a
forced meditation,” our interviewee
reflected, “to know that your body is
being viewed as art.” She described
the process as the realization that one’s
body is “worthy of being copied down”
and, by extension, that ultimately
everyone’s body is worthy in this
regard. This mindset is one that has
also been recognized and explored
by the “Therapeutic Photography”
of Ellen Fisher Turk, who aims to
reshape how women view their bodies
Anonymous
coloured ceiling of my bedroom.
My mind was shouting at me to stop.
I knew something was soon going to
happen, and the image of my Catholic
mother came into mind. I shuddered to
think what she would think of me now.
I fully turned my back on her.
I felt her arms wrap around my
waist, mimicking what I had done
with her—tracing a line underneath
my breast, just as light and slow.
She would not touch them, which
made me crave for more. The
thought of begging her to touch me
replaced the voice telling me to stop.
After unknown minutes passed,
she stopped, but did not turn on
her back as I had done before. She
remained there, just as unsure as I was.
Laying there, my mind was
having an internal battle. What
my family would think of me?
What I would think of myself ?
What if I did try it: would I like it?
I turned over once again, this time
to find her staring into my face. She
by photographing them, often in the
nude. In addition to existing as pieces
of art, Turk’s photographs help victims
of sexual abuse and those suffering
from eating disorders or cancer to see
themselves as artistically, aesthetically,
and intrinsically desirable.
Because of the varying
interpretations and artistic liberties
utilized by students during a
modelling session, one of the most eye-
opening aspects of modelling for our
anonymous interviewee was the wide
spectrum of depictions of her own body.
“I learned how subjective the world
really is,” she reported. “You have to
be prepared to face what other people
see.” Ultimately, this understanding
is liberating, she explained, because
a negative view of one’s own figure
is merely one of endless conceptions
that are possible, especially in the
mind of an artist. For these reasons,
it is clear that the benefits of nude
modelling extend considerably beyond
its academic merit. By analyzing
the practice of nude modelling in a
university setting, one can observe the
valuable connections and relationships
that exist between the mind of the
artist and the perception of the self.
had these huge brown eyes, the same
colour as her hair. I watched as her
eyes travelled from my lips to my
cheeks, finally landing on my own eyes.
Our lips were only inches from
each other’s. I could feel her breath
against mine. The internal battle in
my mind continued as she inched
closer to my face. Now her lips
were only centimetres away from
mine. Her small smooth lips...
I closed the small distance between
our lips, gently placing my lips on hers.
It was hardly a kiss, but it was the
most exciting kiss I had experienced.
I pushed a bit harder against her lips,
making full contact. Her mouth was
smaller than what I was used to—much
smaller. It felt weird and different, but
exciting. My lips lingered on hers.
I pulled away, keeping my eyes shut.
“Are you okay,” she asked.
I opened my eyes and nodded
one slow nod. She then pulled my
body against hers, pressing herself
against me while kissing me in return.
Graphic by Sally Hill/Argosy
ARTS & LITERATURE
Justin Thomas poses for Mt. A student artists. (Lea Foy/Argosy)
Get comfy with the V
Annual show
takes the stage
this weekend
John Fraser
Arts & Literature Writer
The much-loved and highly-praised
The Vagina Monologues are making
their return to Mount Allison this
coming week. Starting on February 14,
2013, the campus will be treated to the
hilarious, yet serious production aimed
at bringing women’s sexual health and
issues to the spotlight. As always, the
production is very much ‘in-your-
face’ and doesn’t shy away from the
female body, sexuality, or the grittier
issues of abuse and exploitation. Just
in time for Valentine’s day, the Ascar
winner of Production of the Year
will run for three days from February
14, 2013, to February 16, 2013.
The character of the monologues
has always been distinct. Whether
the crowd is treated to very frank
and open humour or raw emotional
scenes that jar the soul and mind,
the monologues are a very adult
production. Pulling no punches on
the sexually explicit content, the cast
will you have you screaming things
you would never scream in different
company. The performances often
excite very emotional responses
from the audience. Laughter and shy
smiles are accompanied hand-in-
hand by tears and heartfelt pain as
the performance slips between playful
and flirty to darker sides of the coin.
The organization One Billion Rising
usually finds its way into the production
and opens up the global perspective to
educate viewers about the world issues
that afflict women. According to One
Billion Rising, one in three women on
15
the planet will be raped or beaten in
her lifetime. Using the monologues
as an avenue, they hope to raise
further awareness, as V-Day officially
launches on February 14, 2013, which
is opening night for the monologues.
Kelley Humphries is one of the
producers of The Vagina Monologues,
and was involved with it last year
as a performer in the piece “The
Workshop.” Every year the cast
list for the monologues evolves to
bring a unique performance. While
new energy is infused through the
introduction of fresh actresses, the
experience and passion of veterans
taking on new roles is certainly worth
noting. “It has been amazing to see
every actress bring something new
to their role,” says Humphries, “and
they have some really memorable
takes on the monologues.” Without
revealing anything to spoil the show,
Humphries assures that “the directors
have taken some monologues in
directions that I’ve never seen
before. It’s going to be a great show!”
One issue that has always been
present with The Vagina Monologues
is how men relate and approach the
production. While men are never
attacked in the show, it is very easy
to see that the male sex is responsible
for most of the harm done to the
victimized women. “We didn’t
organize it here this year, but The
Vagina Monologues organization has
a workshop program for men called
V-men,” says Humphries, “with
the purpose of engaging men in
ending violence against women and
girls.” Despite the lack of workshop,
The Vagina Monologues encourages
men to actively participate in the
directing and running of the show.
Humphries concludes: “it’s the kind
of experience where you laugh so hard,
cry, and are drawn in to the intimate
world that Ensler has created.”
ATTIC TRANSMISSIONS
THE CHMA 106.9 FM CAMPUS & COMMUNITY RADIO BULLETIN
FEBRUARY 14, 2013 BREAKOUT THE MAKEOUT EDITION

THE CHARTS CHMA APPROVED LOVE SONGS

An Indie Playlist for Your Valentine’s Day
FOR THE WEEK ENDING
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2013 CHMA STAFF

RANK ARTIST TITLE (LABEL)

01 TEGAN AND SARA* Heartthrob (Warner)

02 LES HAY BABIES* Folio (Self-Released)

03 PARQUET COURTS
Light Up Gold

(Dull Tools)

04 ZEDS DEAD AND OMAR LINX* Victor (Self-Released)

05 MY BLOODY VALENTINE MBV (Self-Released)

06 BLUE HAWII* Untogether (Arbutus)

07 LUKE NICHOLSON* Mad Love (Self-Released)

08 INGRID GATIN 1,000 Lives (Pipe and Hat)

09 OLENKA & THE AUTUMN LOVERS*
Hard Times
(Self-Released)
10 LUCAS HICKS* Slower (Self-Released)
11 KLARKA WEINWURM* Continental Drag (Saved By Vinyl)
12 LADYHAWK* No Can Do (Triple Crown)
13 OLD MAN LUEDECKE* Tender Is The Night (True North)
14 JENN GRANT* The Beautiful Wild (Six Shooter)
15 DIAMOND RINGS* Free Dimensional (Secret City)
16 KID KOALA* 12 Bit Blues (Ninja Tune)
17 DANIEL ROMANO*
Come Cry With Me
(Normaltown)
18 CRABE* Mort De Fraiche Date (Self-Released)
19 TY SEGALL Twins (Drag City)
20 A TRIBE CALLED RED* Trapline (Self-Released)
It’s Valentine’s Day, and to jump start your lovey-dovey playlists here
are a few flirty Canadian indie love sons! Whether you need to
create the right romantic atmosphere, or complete the perfect mixed
tape, these song suggestions are sure to let your special someone
know just how you feel!
I’M WITH YOU - COLD WARPS
A great song for anyone who doesn’t want a sappy love song, but
is looking for an upbeat song for your sweetheart.
BASIA BULAT - IN THE NIGHT
...or anything off of her album Oh My Darling is sure to add some
sugar, spice and everything nice to your Valentine’s Day.
LUCAS HICKS - THE SWEETEST LITTLE THING
The anthem for this year’s Sweetest Little Thing you can find it on the
event’s webpage and it’s sure to remind you of the sweeter side of
life.
HAYDEN - OLD DREAMS
A beautiful melodic tune that is sure to pull your heart strings in all
the right directions.
OLD MAN LUEDECKE - AT THE AIRPORT
There are so many sweet folk songs from Old Man Luedecke to
pick from, but his song about reuniting in the airport might be the
sweetest of all.
FEIST & THE CONSTANTINES - ISLANDS IN THE STREAM
A beautiful cover of the song made popular by Dolly Parton and
Kenny Rogers. This Canadian version is a particularly lovely duet
perfect for slow dances.
BOLIVIA - RUDY’S CALL
A sweet locally-grown tune that will be the gem on any romantic
mix-tape you might make for your sweetheart.
BAHAMAS - HOCKEY TEETH
From Bahamas debut EP, this song is perfect for your hockey-loving
sweetheart who’s heart is still overflowing over the end of the
lockout.
JENN GRANT - OH MY HEART
An upbeat pop song off her appropriately named album
Honeymoon Punch, it’s sure to set your heart aflutter!
THE WEATHER STATION & BABY EAGLE - MULE IN THE FLOWERS
A sweet duet by two of Sackville’s favourite artists. Be sure to
check out the other songs from her duet series released on You’ve
Changed Records.
JOEL PLASKETT EMERGENCY - I’M YOURS
There are a lot of adorable Joel Plaskett songs to pick from, but this
one might be the best to tell someone you’re head of heels for them!
JULIE DOIRON - OUR LOVE
Julie’s charming voice is the perfect addition to any sweet playlist.
LADYHAWK - TEENAGE LOVE SONG
This song might not describe a perfect romance, but it might make
you nostalgic for your first time love.
COUSINS - THUNDER
Not a love song per se, but it has all the elements for a truly epic
make-out jam.

21 SHEARING PINX* Storm Majorities & Magnetic Tremors (Dub Ditch Picnic)

23 CONNOISSEURS OF PORN* Falling Down The Stairs (Self-Released)

NEW LITERATURE SHOW ON CHMA
24 JAKE BUGG Jake Bugg (Mercury)
“Bookish” hopes to create an on-air dialogue about
25 FIDLAR* FIDLAR (Dine Alone)
great new books and wants you to read along!
26 METZ METZ (Sub Pop)
Bookish is a new literature radio show which will air Wednesdays
at 11:00 AM on CHMA 106.9FM. With the goal of creating a sort
22 YOUNG RIVAL* of on-air book club, Bookish will explore newly released novels and
seeks to create a dialogue around them. The main host of the show
Stay Young will be Vanessa Blackier who will be aided by a revolving cast of
book-loving co-hosts. Each book will be discussed over two programs
(Sonic Unyon) where your hosts will discuss characters, themes and ideas and other
interesting information about the book. There’s also a chance for you
to get involved too! Join the facebook group “Bookish on CHMA-
FM” to share your own opinions about the book and join in on the
27 WIZ KHALIFA O.N.I.F.C. (Rostrum) conversation!
28 CONVERGE All We Love We Leave Behind (Epitaph)
The current reading and broadcast schedule looks like this:
29 CISEAUX* Ciseaux (Self-Released) February 13th & 20th - The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
30 JILL BARBER* Chansons (Ourside) February 27th & March 6th - Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon
March 13th & 20th - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
March 27th - Round House by Louise Erdrich
31 CHRISTINA MARTIN* For more information on Bookish and the novels being read join the
Sleeping With Strangers group on facebook or email bookish.chma@gmail.com with your
question and comments.
(Come Undone)

UPCOMING EVENTS & CONCERTS

YELLOWTEETH + KURVI TASCH CHRISTINA MARTIN & DALE MURRAY
NEWCOMER SESSIONS
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH
EVERY TUESDAY ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION MACKINNON HOUSE CONCERT
4PM 10:30 PM - $6 - 19+ BUY YOUR TICKETS AT THE BLACK DUCK INN
364-2221 7:30PM - ALL AGES
WWW.MTA.CA/CHMA
3RD FLOOR
STUDENT CENTRE
The Argosy www.argosy.ca ENTERTAINMENT
The Argosy’s favourite makeout jams
Marvin Gaye really works if you’re feeling nostalgic and horny at the same time; like when you have the uncontrollable
desire to perm your hair, throw on some hip-huggers, AND rub your naughty bits against someone else’s at the same Any
time. “Let’s Get It On” is probably the classic that first comes to mind and is guaranteed to transform any awkward
fumbles into some sort of erotic movement. If you’re not a huge fan of saxophone you can also try “Sexual Healing,” Marvin Gaye
which is most likely what was playing when you were consummated. If you have, you know, like, an emotional attachment
to your partner then switch on “How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You” or “Just To Keep You Satisfied”. Song
-Anna Robertson EVER
An appropriate soundtrack is essential when one seeks a successful iteration of necking. For such a soundtrack, look
no further than “Prayer to God.” Although originally written by Shellac, the version of this song to seek out is a cover
Jon-Rae & performed by Canadian alt-country rockers Jon-Rae & The River. Here, Jon-Rae Fletcher is in his element, his singing

The River equal parts booze and mania, dovetailing effortlessly with the rollicking guitar- and piano-driven instrumentation—a
perfect fit for a song that is, in fact, a vengeful and deranged hymn, begging the Lord to strike down a former partner
≈ and her new lover, complete with recommendations to God on exactly how much the two would-be victims should suffer
in their respective demises. After all, nothing says romance quite like a song with an underlying message that roughly
Prayer to God corresponds to “if I can’t have you, no one can.”

-Richard Kent

This soulful tune from the prolific duo is one that’s sure to make your Valentine’s Day evening suitably hot and
heavy. There’s just something in the tightly-coiled mix between Patrick Carney’s drums and Dan Auerbach’s fiercely
The Black
buzzing guitar that makes you want to hold someone close and not let them go. And it’s not like “You’re The One” is Keys
2006 album Magic Potion’s only sultry song – if Barry Manilow doesn’t necessarily turn your crank, there’s no reason
distortion and tight-locked grooves can’t make your V-day a little more exciting. ≈
-Kent Blenkhorn You’re The One

Top ten steamy V-day reels

If romance is
your cinematic
preference, look
no further
Caroline Duda
Argosy Contributor
It’s Valentines Day, and you and your
lover have decided to enjoy a low-key
date night together. The candles are
lit, the popcorn is popped, and now
you have to decide on a movie. Look
no further - the top ten movies to
watch with your lover are right here!
Number ten is 50 First Dates, a
slapstick “rom-com” starring Adam
Sandler and Drew Barrymore. When
Henry Roth falls in love with a girl
suffering short-term memory loss,
he must find a new way to make her
fall in love with him every day! If you
and your lover are craving a night
of crass humour and Hollywood
love, this is the movie to choose!
Dirty Dancing is number nine, the
story of a girl who falls in love with her
summer camp dance instructor. The
angst-ridden love and incredible dance
moves promise to provide fantastic
entertainment for you and your lover.
With number eight, Singin’ in
the Rain; you and your lover will be
singing all night! This fifties musical
portrays the difficult transition
from silent film to sound, and has
scored 100 per cent on Rotten
Sometimes, the best of Valentine’s Day romance can be found on screen (Kory d’Entremont/Argosy)
Tomato’s romance movie list. Great
for date night! Number seven is
Brokeback Mountain, a passion-filled
movie set on a beautiful American
mountainside. It is the heart-
wrenching story of two married men
in a secret and forbidden relationship.
This movie is easy on the eyes
(starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath
Ledger), but it’s a tearjerker so don’t
forget Kleenex! 500 Days of Summer
is number six. This movie is great
with its balance of humour, romance,
and amazing music. Starring Zooey
Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-
Levitt, this is the story of a girl who
doesn’t believe in true love, and a boy
who falls hard for her. It’s the perfect
amount of “cheese” and, well, it’ll make
your dreams come true (ou-ouu).
Number five is un film Français,
Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain,
aka Amélie. If you and your lover
don’t mind subtitles (or understand
French), this whimsical movie will
be extraordinaire for date night! Set
in beau Paris, Amélie secretly changes
the destiny of strangers while trying
to fight her own loneliness. L’amour
is delicate and subtle, yet nevertheless
present in this sweet foreign film.
Number four will take you and
your lover back to the eighties with
Say Anything, starring a young John
Cusack. In this feel-good movie,
two teens face the perils of young
love the summer before leaving for
college. The story is very relatable,
not to mention hilarious with
the eighties music and fashion.
Number three is Eternal Sunshine of
the Spotless Mind, starring Jim Carrey
and Kate Winslet. A couple decides
to have their memories of each other
erased after things go downhill, only
to realize their love still exists after
reliving the good times. This romance-
meets-sci-fi will make you and your
lover cherish your time together even
more, despite the good and the bad.
When Harry Met Sally comes
in at number two. Blunt humour
and relatable characters make for
an enjoyable experience as Harry
and Sally develop a friendship
regardless of the pressures that
often accompany opposite sex
friendships. Almost inevitably, a
welcome romance develops over
the course of this movie that will
surely delight you and your lover!
Finally, number one is Away We Go
starring John Krasinski and Saturday
Night Live’s Maya Rudolph. This
tender romance and unconventional
comedy depicts the struggles of a
newly pregnant couple trying to
find a place to settle down, all while
overcoming very real obstacles that
occur in a relationship. This sincere
movie will have you and your
lover laughing, crying, and feelin’
the love the whole way through!
18 ENTERTAINMENT February 14, 2013 argosy@mta.ca

Girls just want to have fun (and fundamental rights)

The brave new world
of HBO’s hit Girls
Kylie de Chastelain
Argosy Contributor
Girls is a refreshing and controversial HBO
series created by Tiny Furniture‘s Lena Dunham,
a self-described feminist. Dunham writes,
directs, and acts in the show, which follows the
lives of four twenty-somethings as they navigate
the tricky post-undergraduate realities of life
in New York. There’s sex, swearing, drug use,
relationship drama, feminist dialectic, joy, and a
lot of growing up. But while Girls is full of all the
good stuff, it’s what you won’t find on the series
which is so striking – that is, a complete lack of
glamour and mystique. There are no closets full
of shoes and no shopping sprees; nobody talks
about makeup, and nothing is black and white.
Where most of their television counterparts
are consumed with looking cute, Hannah,
Marnie, Shoshanna, and Jessa are a sassy quartet
focused on finding jobs, negotiating healthy
relationships, and managing media in a tech-
based world. Sound boring? I promise it isn’t.
While the show clearly prioritizes some
values over others – safe sex, independence, and
female desire, to name a few – Dunham doesn’t
present anything in clear-cut terms. Though
safe sex is identified as a priority by Hannah
in the first season, she discovers she has HPV.
Though Marnie holds down a “grown-up” job
in an art gallery and is financially independent,
Dunham’s subversive portrayals of femininity stand out in TV’s wasteland (HBO).
she has trouble giving up her relationship with
a long-time boyfriend she has stopped loving,
as of season one. Similarly, Jessa, dismissive
of “women telling other women what to do,”
struggles to follow through with her plans for an
abortion – even though she’s told herself she’ll do
it. There is an argument to be made here about
the flexibility of the feminism that Dunham
presents; while feminist principles are clearly
valued, they are not handed down as absolute.
Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett from guardian.co.uk
describes how young women are starting to
question their experiences as feminists in the
twenty-first century in this vein, noting that
“we’re now moulding feminism to suit our own
outlooks - it no longer feels like an all-or-nothing
philosophy but a fight on many fronts.” For a
generation raised in the post-sexual revolution
era, Dunham’s personal-is-political approach
welcomes a broad range of feminist perspectives.
The show’s presentation of sex is unique and
contentious – not because it addresses a number
of conventionally taboo subjects, but because it
explores what Ross Douthat of the New York
Times calls the absence of “aspirational frisson”
so characteristic of shows like Sex and the City.
Frank Bruni, also with the New York Times,
seconds this idea, stating that Girls “amplifies a
growing chorus over what’s happening on the
sexual frontier, a state of befuddlement reflective
in part of post-feminist power dynamics
and in part of our digital culture and virtual
fixations.” In his article, Bruni wonders aloud
if young women are working hard to adopt
“male” perspectives on sex – and whether or
not they’re finding those perspectives to be an
”awkward emotional fit.” This last question, one
Dunham has repeatedly voiced, speaks to the
tensions of a shifting relationship landscape.
Where monogamy once ruled and dating
meant being a boyfriend or girlfriend, people
are now connecting on completely different
terms by hooking up sporadically and claiming
not to care one way or the other about any of it.
Dunham herself identifies that there has been
a complete reversal in romantic objectives; the
goal is now to have sex and remain emotionless,
rather than having sex to feel connected. There’s
no doubt that the influence of technology plays
a substantial part in facilitating such intermittent
relationships, but Girls ultimately poses broader
questions about what constitutes feminist/self-
respecting/acceptable behaviour in a society
which has dismissed the dating norms of old.
Is it catering to a male agenda to hook up or
have sex at will? Is it empowering? I’m not sure,
and the girls on Girls aren’t either. The debacle
is one well-known to university and college
communities world-wide; Gen Y is negotiating
a brave new world of relationships, and Girls
has taken the time to jump right into the messy,
nuanced details. Clearly, these representations
are a substantial source of the show’s popularity
– as most other pop culture representations
glorify hook-up culture, and sex more generally,
without incorporating any of the awkwardness or
disappointments that go along with it. It might be
fun to watch that stuff, but it’s definitely not real.

Love, as seen on the small screen The lost art of nuance

What does on-
screen romance
tell us about
ourselves?
Kent Blenkhorn
Entertainment Writer
For the most part, television’s
goal is to depict some aspect of
real life so that the audience has
something to connect to. Whether
it is science fiction, family drama,
comedy, or even cartoons, all have
some degree of realism in them.
Often this is epitomized in the love
stories interwoven into the plot.
But are these accurate depictions
of love and relationships, or just
campy stereotypes of how love is
‘supposed to look’? More often
than not, we find ourselves being
sucked into the courting and
relationship of two people on the
boob tube, without questioning
whether or not it is a realistic or even
probable representation of real life.
As products of the nineties, we
were all exposed to the tenuous saga
of “Ross and Rachel.” Whether this
is a good thing or not is a matter
of personal opinion, but there is no
denying that it was a major event in
nineties pop culture. Or perhaps you
are more familiar with one of the first
iconic couple of the oughts, Jim ( John
Krasinski) and Pam ( Jenna Fischer)
from The Office. In both of these cases
the audience was put through a roller
coaster of ‘are they, aren’t they’ and
the complications that raised each
and every week. But is this a fair
assessment of how people begin a
TV love ignores the oft-mundane reality (Kory d’Entremont/Argosy)
romance? Where is the show about
the two people who meet on a online
dating site, or at the bar after a long
hard week? In the cases of Friends
and The Office among other examples,
people meet either through mutual
friends, or at work. Perhaps that’s love
in the real world, and we are just stuck
in a world were people hook-up rather
than date, or begin to date because
their partner lives two doors down the
hall. Is it simply proximity that causes
people to begin dating? This is what
shows like these want us to believe.
Another aspect of a relationship
that often gets depicted in television
is the long distance relationship,
something that more than one of
you may be familiar with. Often
this is a major conflict in the show
that puts the couple on the brink
of destruction. Perhaps that is what
happens, as the distance between the
two creates a metaphoric strain on the
couple’s relationship that comes out
in hilarious events whenever the two
are together. You can see this in the
hit comedy Parks and Recreation when
Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and Ben
Wyatt (Adam Scott) continue their
relationship after Wyatt is relocated
to Washington D.C. But does this
really speak to the hardship that
comes from having a long-distance
relationship? It seems that it would be
a lot more frustrating than comical.
But then again, it is television.
One of the more interesting, and
perhaps controversial, television
relationship is Mitchel ( Jesse Tyler
Ferguson) and Cameron (Eric
Stonestreet), a homosexual couple
with an adopted daughter on Modern
Family. This relationship has had a
lot of criticism because of how mean
they are to each other, and because
throughout the first season they did
not kiss. The primary question that
arises is whether this is an accurate,
or even fair, representation of a gay
couple. And, so what, maybe this is
just the kind of couple they are. Just
because they are a gay couple on
television, does not mean they have
to be the spokesmen for gay couples
everywhere. Like in any instance,
television is mostly hyperbole
to exaggerate aspects of real life;
that is what makes it entertaining.
How frankness
won out against
subtlety in
popular lyrics
Kent Blenkhorn
Entertainment Writer
Popular music has been, almost
always, focalized around sex. Whether
it be your early fifties hip shaking
romps or your soulful nineties R&B
hot and heavy jams. Sex has always
been a major theme throughout
popular music. However, some
artists are able to hide this theme
a bit more inconspicuously than
others. In recent years, songs have
seemed to become more blunt when
it comes to the subject of sex. There
has definitely been a lot less cover-
up around the old ‘in-out, in-out’ in
popular music than in days of old.
We all know sex has been depicted
in classic rock songs, which were still
allowed on the radio. Led Zeppelin
has thousands of them: ‘squeeze my
lemons, and let the juice run down
my leg.’ This is pretty vivid and
provocative, but is a far cry from
Nickleback’s lyrics from “Something
in Your Mouth”: “Dirty little lady
with the pretty pink thong, every
sugar daddy hittin on her all night
long.” The latter is certainly less subtle
than that of rock n’ roll’s past. You can
see more examples of this from the
fab-four; one of their biggest hits was
“Please, Please Me” which, incase you
don’t see it, is a pun on the multiple
meanings of please. Compare this
to the Buck Cherry classic, “Crazy
Bitch,” or, and not to pick on
Nickleback too much, their song
cleverly titled “S.E.X.” And these are
just examples in the world of rock.
Examples from punk are even more
frank and vulgar. Take the Buzzcocks’
“Orgasmatic” for example, perhaps an
early anthem of sex addiction. Or,
and a more extreme example of shock
and awe, anything by the late GG
Allin. Who can forget classics like
“Sluts in the City,” “Beat Beat Beat”
and “Gimme Some Head.” And these
are some of the cleanest examples of
his songs. If you really want to see
how much you can stomach, check
out GG Allin’s discography where
he is accompanied by bands such as
The AIDS Brigade, The Scumfucs,
and The Murder Junkies. However,
as was said before, this is more about
the shock and awe than anything else.
This isn’t supposed to suggest that
older music is better than newer
music, but is simply an observation
that some of the heavy hitters of
contemporary rock are a bit more
blunt when it comes to the subject
of sex than their counterparts in
the past. If you want to check out a
newer artist that playfully discusses
sex, you should try to find some music
from Halifax’s prodigal daughters
and rap trio, The Rhythm Method.
The group has recently disbanded,
but their solitary album, Celebrities
With Low Self-Esteem, is a witty and
hilarious amalgamation of songs
centred around the theme of sex.
Surely there are examples for
either side that are missed in this
article. However, in general, if you
flick between your local classic rock
station, and the contemporary top
forties – or what have you – you will
find that the subject of sex is less
hidden behind innuendos on the
latter radio station than the former.
The Argosy www.argosy.ca
Mounties earn playoff spot Mt. A swimmers shine
Mt. A volleyball
break up logjam
in standings to sit
in third place
Robert Murray
Sports Editor
The reduced visibility and dark
conditions in Sackville this past
weekend provided an ironic backdrop
for the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic
Association (ACAA) Women’s
volleyball standings. With four teams
in a logjam at twelve points going
into the weekend, any movement
could greatly impact a team’s playoff
chances. Fortunately for the Mt.
A women, they took a step in the
right direction, winning a double-
header against the Université Sainte-
Anne Dragons (USA) on Sunday
and locking up a playoff spot.
The first match on Sunday started
out with the Mounties dominating
early on. They remained in cruise
control right until set point the second
set. Up 24-18, the Dragons rallied
and the Mounties were temporarily
thrown off their game. The teams
traded points until the Dragons’ pulled
ahead for good, winning the set 31-
29. “This team [Sainte-Anne] they’ve
been pushing all the top teams so far
this year,” noted head coach Andrew
Kennedy after the day’s games.
USA’s outside hitter Alexa Beaubien
was a critical source of success for the
Dragons’ in the comeback during
the second set. Replying for Mt. A,
Erica Cronkhite had several timely
digs, which prevented the final two
sets of the first match from swinging
in the favour of the Dragons’. Both
teams traded errors and streaks of
points at intervals throughout the
match, though the Mounties came
Mitch Peters
Giving CIS
swimming some
‘Speedo Love’
Wray Perkin
Sports Writer
He is easily one of the most
successful Mountie athletes of this
young century, and comes all the
way from Sackville, New Brunswick.
At 6-foot-2, he has the typical
swimmer build, and is consistently
winning medals in the pool. This
past weekend was no exception.
Mitchell Peters, a fifth-year history
major, has been a Mount Allison
Athlete of the Week countless times,
as well as a multiple winner of the
Athlete of the Month. Peters has
also been the winner or co-winner
of the Male Athlete of the Year
award all four years thus far, and
is well on his way to a fifth win.
Mitch has been coached by his
father, John, for his entire swimming
Sydney Umlah jumps to block a shot. (Sue Seaborn/Mount Allison)
out on top eventually after four sets.
In the second game of the day, the
Mounties got off to a better start,
though the sets were closer than the
first. Caitlin MacDonald made several
good plays hustling for loose balls and
working hard on each rally. Kennedy
noted the importance of his players
to not, “lose sight of the immediate
goal which is winning the next rally.”
The Dragons’ won the third set in the
second match before the Mounties
closed out the win in the fourth set
for the second time that day. Lyndsay
Melanson of Moncton, N.B. was
a large part of the Dragons’ efforts
on Sunday. The Dragons’ had their
moments where they had the Mounties
on the ropes and capitalized on some
chances but their overall inability
to execute cost them the matches.
Though Kennedy mentioned
that Mt. A had a couple of lapses
career, and says it has had its ups and
downs, as does any such relationship.
“On the whole it has been a 100 per
cent positive experience. Dad knows
what to say to get me swimming
fast and he knows how to train me
hard so I arrive at my competitions
in peak physical condition.”
Peters credits his success to his
training, saying “I train twice a day
and keep the mileage high. I have a
great coach who knows how to train
me and I focus on my technique.”
In describing his daily food intake,
Peters says he keeps his diet well-
rounded in order to stay healthy.
This past weekend, Peters had
yet another successful weekend
at the Atlantic University Sport
Championship meet, winning a
pair of gold medals, two silvers,
and three bronzes. Peters says his
favourite swimming memory is
taken from that weekend as well.
“Definitely when our relay team
took out Dalhousie [University] in the
4x100m free relay,” Peters recalls. “This
was the first time Dalhousie lost it in
twelve years and possibly the first gold
throughout the game, the Mounties
still clinched a playoff spot with the two
victories. Going into the final weekend
of play, Mt. A, USA, the Dalhousie
Agricultural College Rams (DAL AC)
and University of New Brunswick
Saint John Seawolves (UNBSJ) all
have two games remaining. With Mt.
A sitting in third place, four points
ahead of the other three teams, a
victory over UNBSJ or the winless
Holland College Hurricanes would
set up a semi-final matchup with the
St. Thomas Tommies on February 23.
The only situation in which the
Mounties would finish fourth is if
UNBSJ won their remaining two
games (against Mt. A and DAL AC)
and both DAL AC and USA went
winless. Mt. A’s final home game for the
year is today at 8:00 pm against the (0-
14) Hurricanes from Holland College.
medal that Mt. A has gotten in a relay.
It was the first day of the meet and it
really set us all on the path to success.”
Peters, who plans to prepare himself
for the Olympic trials in 2016, says he
was pleased with his performance last
weekend, but says he is attending “a
much bigger meet in two weeks, where
I expect to be going much faster.”
Mitch and his sister Marya, a
sophomore, have qualified for the
Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS)
meet in Calgary in two weeks’ time.
“This was my last meet where
I could do a relay with Mt. A and
compete with the team as a whole, I
am definitely going to miss them all.”
“The atmosphere at Mt. A is very
welcoming and accepting. I grew up in
Sackville, and my parents were Dons
when I was a child, so I have always had
a positive take on the atmosphere here,”
says Peters. “It is a great place to be.”
A self-described video game addict,
Mitch says it is hard to balance
academic and athletic success, and
admits he often is playing catch-
up with his schoolwork, but usually
manages to get back on top of things.
SPORTS
Swimming
Mounties ‘throw
uppercuts’
Taylor Losier
Sports Correspondent
This past weekend, the Mount Allison
Varsity Swim Team travelled to the
University of Prince Edward Island
(UPEI) to compete in the 2013
Atlantic University Sport (AUS)
Swimming Championships. Despite a
blizzard that closed the UPEI’s CARI
Complex and cancelled all other
sporting events, the swim meet carried
on. The Mt. A men’s team finished
second, while the women’s came in
fourth. The overall winner was once
again Dalhousie University. The field
was rounded out by competitors from
other universities including: hosts,
UPEI, Acadia, the University of New
Brunswick, and Memorial University.
“The men’s win was due to everyone
swimming what was needed in finals;
everyone pitched in,” said head coach
John Peters, “It has been a good
season.” Over the course of the meet,
approximately twelve club records were
set, some of the records were broken
twice. Many of the swimmers walked
away with best times, like graduating
swimmer David Summerby-Murray,
who achieved best times in seven out
of eight events. “When push came to
shove, the Mounties threw uppercuts,”
said veteran swimmer Mitchell
Peters. “The team brought the heat.”
The highlight of the weekend was
the men’s four by 100 meter freestyle
relay, where the men won gold, beating
out the Dalhousie Tigers. Third-year
swimmer Colin Vale led the group,
followed by rookies Joseph Blackwood
and Jeff Loewen, with Mitchell Peters
swimming anchor. The same team
finished third overall in the four by 200
Peters’ is headed to CIS nationals. (Sue Seaborn/Mount Allison)
With the CIS meet in Calgary
in the near future, and the goal
of a 2016 Olympic berth on the
horizon, Mitch Peters is well on
his way to more swimming success.
meter freestyle relay, while the group
of Andrew Reeder, Loewen, Mikhel,
and Mitchell Peters finished second in
the four by 100 meter medley event.
The women’s relay team also had
strong performances; the team of
Marya Peters, Zoee Leblanc, Kate
Frise, and Léa Raiche-Marsden
earned a bronze medal in the four
by 100 medley relay. The team of
Leblanc, Raiche-Marsden, Casey
Losier, and Peters earned a fourth
place finish in the four by 100 free,
and another fourth in the four by
200 free, this time with the team of
Zoee Leblanc, Emily Byrne, Léa
Raiche-Marsden, and Marya Peters.
Marya Peters once again had
an excellent performance, earning
a bronze in both her 100 and 200
meter freestyle, the latter in which
she qualified for the Canadian
Interuniversity Sport (CIS)
championship. She also finished
fifth in both the fifty meter freestyle
and backstroke. Meanwhile, the
top female rookie, Zoee Leblanc,
managed to qualify for finals in
three of her four swims, despite
suffering from a bout of the flu.
In his last AUS championship,
Mitchell Peters came first in the 100
meter freestyle, second in the 200
meter freestyle and third in both the
50 meter freestyle and 100 meter
butterfly. Mikhel Peters earned gold in
the 50 meter butterfly and silver in the
200 meter butterfly; Colin Vale came
fourth overall in the 50 meter freestyle,
barely missing the podium. Meanwhile,
rookie Joe Blackwood earned silver in
the 100 meter freestyle, joining Mitch
Peters on the podium. Other strong
rookie performances belonged to
Loewen, who qualified for finals in all
of his events, Nicholas Sunderland-
Baker, who came fifth in the 200 meter
butterfly, and Eric Lane, who finished
fifth in the 50 meter backstroke.
20SPORTS
Homophobia in the locker room
What role does
homophobia occupy
in the locker room?
Robert Murray
Sports Editor
Competing on the ice, field, or hard court
is supposed to serve as a medium in which
people can be careless, free and at peace. For
gay athletes, it can feel more like a prison.
To any athlete, nothing is more important
when they compete than getting the win and
basking in glory. For decades though, gay athletes
have been held back by what ‘You Can Play’ co-
founder Brian Kitts calls, “casual homophobia.”
After campaigns to rid the locker room of
racist and sexist behaviour, homophobia has
been thrust in the spotlight as the next target.
The campaign to end homophobia in the
locker room has been a hot-button issue in
locker rooms, from the big leagues to local
arenas, for a significant portion of the last
half-century. “We can’t do it, they have to,”
commented Kitts in reference to how the project
can have a realistic impact in the locker room.
You Can Play was co-founded by Kitts, Patrick
Burke, and Glenn Witman back in March 2012
as a tribute to Patrick’s brother Brendan, who
came out in November 2009 and worked to
eradicate homophobia in professional sports
Sexercises
Lisa Theriault &
Robert Murray
Argosy Staff
Squats
Not only are squats great for shaping your
legs and butt, this lower body exercise also
stimulates blood flow to increase sensations
down below. Stand with your feet shoulder-
width apart, and squat back into a seated
position as though you’re in an imaginary
chair. Make sure to keep your feet flat on the
ground. Push from your heels and squeeze
your abdominals as you return to a standing
position. (15-30 reps)
Kegel Exercises
Stronger pelvic-floor muscles mean stronger
contractions which will give you a better
orgasm. Kegels contract and release these
muscles to strengthen them. To do a kegel,
tighten your pelvic muscles (this is the same
muscle which starts and stops urine) for five
seconds, release, and repeat. Do them for about
five minutes every day.
Pelvic Tilts
Back pain can sometimes hinder
performance. This move helps to strengthen
the lower back, and core muscles. Lie on your
back with your knees bent and feet flat on the
floor. Raise your pelvis until your body forms
a straight line. Tighten your glutes and then
slowly lower back to the floor. (20 to 25 reps)
Plank Pose
This move strengthens your upper arms,
abdominals, obliques, thighs, and buttocks
which helps stabilize you when on top or
switching between positions. Lie face down
and then lift yourself up onto your forearms.
Make sure to keep your entire body as straight
and flat as possible. If you feel any stress in the
lower back, lower yourself to the ground. Hold
this pose for twenty seconds and repeat three
times.
Cardio Exercises
If you don’t want to be left in the dust or at
before he died in a car crash in February 2010.
At the time, Brendan was the student-manager
for the Miami University Men’s hockey team.
Despite the gains made in recent years through
athletes, executives, journalists, and teams coming
together, one Mt. A athlete still thinks that total
acceptance of gay athletes is unbalanced. “I
think that in general it’s more accepted among
women to have gay teammates than men,” the
athlete – who wished to remain anonymous –
answered. According to another Mt. A athlete
homophobia should not be tolerated in sport,
“we’re all the same. Nobody should be judged or
made fun of because of their sexual preference,”
said fourth-year hockey forward Chelsea King.
The campaign to end homophobia in the
locker room faces some roadblocks. Locker room
decisions and the events that transpire in them are
usually restricted to athletes and team personnel.
This puts the majority of the decisions on the
shoulders of athletes and the team to take a stand.
“Humans by nature value fairness,” said
Kitts, “It’s a matter of giving them the
opportunity to get on board with this.”
Since their founding almost a year ago, You
Can Play has joined forces with several prominent
schools, teams, and athletes, all pledging to
take a stand to end homophobia. St. Thomas
University Tommies, the University of New
Brunswick Varsity Reds, University of Ottawa
GeeGee’s, and the Ontario Intercollegiate
Fastpitch Association have all made the
stand at the university sport level in Canada.
However, the battle is still a long way from
least have some sort of endurance in the sack,
hop on a treadmill, bike, or brave the harsh
outdoors. Some people like a sprint, some like
a marathon in bed. Regardless of how you
look at it, breaking a sweat at the gym on a
treadmill for fifteen minutes every day or two
will see your endurance skyrocket in no time.
For you romantics out there, take your
significant other skating so you both get
a cardio exercise and a romantic date at the
same time.
Yoga
Simple yet effective. It’s not just a place to
find your inner zen but your inner sin as well.
Going to yoga classes can help people of all
shapes and sizes gain a new grip on flexibility.
Chances are you won’t be spending your sex
life in just the missionary position. Regardless
of how the body turns during ‘pleasure time’, a
little bit of yoga will go a long way in allowing
you to try things you only ever dreamed of.
Diet
It’s not an exercise but still important.
Everyone is beautiful in some way, shape, or
form but you won’t be able to back yourself up
in bed if you keep eating chicken burgers at
meal hall. Throw in some veggies, fresh fruits,
and other foods that will keep you alert and
ready for anything when duty calls. Don’t be
afraid to have an occasional big meal, whether
you are building up energy or trying to regain
it. Again for the romantics, making the meal
a healthy intimate meal for two doesn’t hurt
either.
Literally anything
Get up and do something. You may feel
content to just sit on a couch but when it
comes to intimate relations, especially with
people you care about, good isn’t good enough.
Do some pushups, jump rope, do some sit-
ups, or work out with some free weights. As
long as you get the blood flowing and the
testosterone pumping you’ll be in prime shape
for anything that comes your way. Just like the
cardio exercises, you don’t have to be the best,
but a little effort can go a long way.
Homphobia in sports can wreck havoc on gay athletes. (Kory d’Entremont/Argosy)
being over. Kitts noted the importance of not
only forming an alliance of gay athletes but
straight athletes as well. “We’re going to grow out
of [casual homophobia],” he commented. Much
like the way of racism and sexism, Kitts is hoping
homophobia suffers the same fate, though he
admitted change will not come overnight. He
referred to several decades ago when it would
have been considered acceptable to some degree
Mounties play spoiler
Hockey Mounties deal
blow to Aigles Bleues
ahead of AUS playoffs
Wray Perkin
Sports Writer
Lauren Oickle picked a good
time to start scoring at will.
Much like she did last season, when she
went on a long goal scoring streak leading the
Mounties to a seven-game winning streak to
end the regular season, the Mounties’ captain has
started another goal streak near the season’s end.
Oickle scored twice on Sunday, including
the game-winner, leading the Mounties to a
3-2 win over the Université de Moncton Aigles
Bleues. Mackenzie Lalonde scored the other
goal for the Mounties, who got thirty-one
saves from netminder Meghan Corley-Byrne.
“We are able to roll four lines and be confident
with all of them so that makes such a big
difference,” the fifth-year forward said. “Our
team has a lot of depth and that’s what it will take
to be successful in the playoffs,” she continued
Moncton opened the scoring on the powerplay
with just under five minutes remaining in
the first period, but Lalonde’s goal came only
eighty seconds later with a shot from in front.
“I got a pass from Lindsay James right
in front of the crease with no one around
me,” said Lalonde. “I knew I didn’t have
a lot of time so I quickly released the
puck over the goaltender’s right shoulder.”
James and Sara Hubble drew assists on
Lalonde’s equalizer, and the Mounties edged
the Aigles 10-8 in shots in the first period.
The second period had the Mounties
outshoot Moncton again by a count of 15-
13. It also featured Oickle’s first goal, which
came at the 11:19 mark on a redirection from
Kristen Cooze to put the Mounties up by one.
February 14, 2013 argosy@mta.ca
to use derogatory language towards athletes
of different races or gender. Those times have
come and gone now, and Kitts is firmly focused
on placing homophobia in the same category.
For now he and his team work day in and day
out to ensure that athletic ability is the only
determining factor for success in sports, from
the bright lights of the world’s biggest athletic
events to minor hockey game at the local arena.
Four minutes and forty-five seconds into the
third, Moncton tied the game again on another
powerplay goal, but again the Mounties answered
right back with a beautiful goal from Oickle.
Oickle skated down the left wing, and from
an almost impossible angle, fired a net-seeking
laser into the top corner to give the Mounties
the lead which they would not relinquish.
The Mounties successfully killed off a pair of
penalties to maintain their lead, and got some good
saves from Corley-Byrne in the dying minutes.
“Every line had plenty of scoring opportunities
throughout the entire game,” Lalonde said. “We
were getting pucks to the net and knew to jump on
the rebounds when they were there. We’re getting
into a rhythm now; everything’s finally clicking.”
Oickle agreed that the team was finding their
stride, saying “It was definitely nice beating
[Moncton] again and giving our team that
confidence going into the end of the season.”
Oickle has elevated her game at the right time,
now with four goals in her last three games. After
missing much of the season with a shoulder injury,
she seems to have bounced back nicely, and is now
tied with James for the team lead in goals with five.
Cooze’s assist gives the third year defender
the team lead in points with nine, as well
as extending her lead in assists with seven.
The Mounties conclude the regular season
with three home games before hosting the
Atlantic University Sport Playoffs. Wednesday
night the Mounties hosted Saint Thomas,
but the result was not available at press time.
Saturday the Mounties take on the St.Francis
Xavier X-Women, and Sunday is senior day
as they play the Saint Mary’s Huskies. Senior
players Ashlyn Somers, Lauren Oickle, Meghan
Corley-Byrne, and Chelsea King will play their
last regular season home game as Mounties.
The Mounties are looking to enter the playoffs
on a high note as they aim to repeat their playoff
success from a year ago, when they made it
all the way to the Atlantic University Sport
Championship game. Doing that at home would
be a dream swan song for the seniors listed above.
The Argosy www.argosy.ca
Weekly Wellness: Domestic abuse
How to recognize
and deal with
domestic abuse
Melissa Meade
Health Intern
Love is in the air with Valentine’s
Day upon us again. People are making
romantic plans to celebrate what they
share with their partners or taking the
chance to act on a new romance. But
what happens when a relationship feels
less like a safe place to land and more
like an emotional roller coaster? With
our societal notion of ‘soul mates’ and
the rose coloured glasses of infatuation,
it can be difficult to recognize or even
admit that a relationship is unhealthy.
The National Centre for Victims of
Crime reports that thirty two per cent
Rise of the NC-double eh?
The blurring of
the 49th parallel
for university
sport
Robert Murray
Sports Editor
The walking distance between
Evans, Georgia and the Canadian
Interuniversity Sport (CIS) head
offices in Ottawa is roughly
1,679-kilometres. On Nov. 29, 2012,
the foot of Simon Fraser University
(SFU) men’s soccer player Carlo
Basso sent a shockwave this distance
in just a matter of a few seconds.
That moment was the lone goal
scored by SFU in a 3-1 semi-final
loss to Saginaw Valley State at
the National Collegiate Athletic
Association’s (NCAA) Division II
Men’s Soccer championship, held in
Evans this fall. SFU’s success in men’s
soccer and other sports this year, as the
first Canadian school in the NCAA,
has raised questions about what
other Canadian schools could make
similar jumps in the coming years.
With an overall membership
listed on their website as 1,273,
the NCAA easily outnumbers the
CIS in size. CIS President-Elect
Gordon Grace admitted during a
phone interview, “If you’re talking
about football we [the CIS] would
never have a chance.” He did go on
to mention that in some sports, CIS
schools would be able to compete
with some of the top NCAA schools.  going to the University of Toronto.
Both organizations have produced
their fair share of top talent. In
professional sports several hockey
player’s paths to the National
Hockey League (NHL) has gone
through the CIS and NCAA. NHL
goaltender Ryan Miller won the
2001 Hobey Baker Award (the top
honour for a NCAA men’s hockey
player) during his time at Michigan
State University. 2002 Olympic Gold
Medalist Paul Kariya accomplished
the same feat as a member of the
University of Maine back in 1993.
of college students have experienced
dating violence and twenty one
percent are currently experiencing
it. Further, woman aged twenty to
twenty-four are at the greatest risk
for dating violence. Of course these
statistics are only estimates since
many cases of abuse go unreported.
As well, this does not include
emotional and verbal abuse, which
can be equally damaging to the victim.
Physical abuse is the intentional
use of physical force against someone
that causes injury, or allows the
abuser to take control. While it may
seem like physical abuse would be
obvious if it occurred, many people
feel guilty or scared and try to
minimize, deny, or justify the abuse.
This includes reasoning that the abuse
you experienced is ‘not as bad’ as
representations you have seen on TV or
read about, it only happened a couple
times, or it stops when you become
The SFU Clan play Divison II sports in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. (Ron Hole/SFU)
Before NHL head coach Mike
Babcock made headlines as a Stanley
Cup winner and Gold Medal
winning coach, he won the 1993-94
University Cup with the University of
Lethbridge. For on-ice talent, the CIS
has taken on the role of developing
players that might still be rough
around the edges after stints in Major
Junior Hockey. Players like current
Washington Capitals forward Joel
Ward (University of Prince Edward
Island) and Philadelphia Flyers
enforcer Jody Shelly (Dalhousie) have
enjoyed successful careers so far in the
NHL, even after taking the CIS route.
On the amateur sport side, Canada’s
only Gold medalist from the 2012
Olympic Games, trampolinist Rosie
MacLennan found success while
Another Canadian Olympian, high
jumper Derek Drouin, won a bronze
medal after a thirty-six year drought.
Drouin’s claim to fame before London
was that he was also a three-time
NCAA Division One champion,
competing for Indiana University.  of the NCAA’s premier football games.
Despite the size difference, Grace
conceded that “a lot of CIS universities
could do it if they chose to do it.”
Despite this vote of confidence, one
of the schools considering making the
jump to the NCAA, the University
of British Columbia (UBC), declined
passive. As well, people in emotionally
or verbally abusive relationships tend
to believe they are not being abused
because there is no physical violence. In
all these instances, abuse is occurring.
Emotional abuse is the intentional
use of fear, guilt, shame, and
intimidation to gain control over the
other person. This type of abuse can be
equally as damaging and confusing as
physical abuse and can be even more
difficult to identify as a victim. The
victims of emotional abuse primarily
feel afraid of their partner and tend to
feel belittled, helpless, and as if they
need to watch what they say. Abusers
tend to isolate their partners from
family and friends and make them feel
inadequate so as to maintain control.
Among other things, it is common
for an abusive partner to humiliate,
criticize, and blame the victim for
the dysfunction in the relationship.
There is a clear pattern that emerges
to do so back in 2011. The decision
was made back then by current UBC
President Stephen Troop citing his
school’s, “proud history within the
CIS” in an article filed by The Ubyssey.
The one main attraction of being
associated with the NCAA as opposed
to the CIS is the dollar sign attached
to it. Andrew Bucholtz, editor of
Yahoo! Sports Canada’s 55-Yard Line
Canadian football blog and a devout
follower of university football weighed
in on the topic by email. “A non-
successful Division III team really
doesn’t do much for a school, but
even a bad Division I FBS [Football
Bowl Subdivision] power-conference
team still can draw tons of fans, big
television games and plenty of money.”
When comparing dollar signs
between the organizations, the results
are staggering. Entertainment and
Sports Programming Network (ESPN)
announced last summer that they
would shell out eighty-million dollars
each year between 2015 and 2026 for
broadcast rights to the Rose Bowl, one
Grace bluntly admitted that this
would simply not happen in Canada.
“We know we have to get better
but at the same time we have to be
realistic about who our competition
is” he commented. He went on to
elaborate that instead of constantly
in abusive relationships which begins
with the abusive behaviour itself.
The abuser feels guilty and worried
about the relationship ending so they
make excuses (or blame you) for the
behaviour and act ‘normal’ or especially
nice to prove there is nothing wrong.
This is followed by a set-up or
situation in which further abuse can
be justified and the cycle begins again.
Domestic abuse occurs in all ages
and ethnicities, in opposite-sex and
same-sex relationships, and victims can
be both men and women. Regardless of
the specific situation and whether the
abuse is physical, verbal, or emotional,
the result tends to be feelings of
worthlessness, anxiety, and depression.
Everyone deserves to feel love and
respect. If you or someone you know is
experiencing any form of abuse please
contact the Wellness Centre at 506-
364-2163 or email counsellor@mta.ca.
comparing schools in the CIS to those
of similar stature in the NCAA that
the focus should be on developing
the product with a focus on Canada.
Grace made it clear that he is
committed to the CIS brand. He
mentioned that schools in Canada “at
times … undersell the opportunities in
the CIS.” Both the CIS and NCAA
have sustainable legacies with several
success stories on either side. However,
some schools in the CIS may feel
like a large fish in a small pond.
Despite this, Bucholtz expects that
the case of SFU will be an isolated
one. “[The] CIS has shifted enough
to address most of the concerns of
other schools that were thinking
about following suit, though, so
it seems likely Simon Fraser’s
going to be the only Canadian
school in the NCAA for a while.”  (CIS) national championships on
For most athletes, the choice can
often come down to some large
variables such as money, playing time,
or academics. Grace fully encouraged
any Canadian who may have a chance to
play football at an school like Alabama
or basketball at a school like Duke, to
take advantage of the rare opportunity.
At the end of the day, Grace
placed the decision in the
hands of the student-athlete.
“What’s the best fit for you,”he stated.
SPORTS 21
Athletes of the
Week
MARYA PETERS
Sue Seaborn/Mount Allison
Mount Allison’s second-year
swimming standout Marya Peters
won Joey’s Athlete of the Week
honours for her outstanding
and clutch performances in the
pool at the Atlantic University
Sport (AUS) 2013 swimming
championships in Charlottetown,
PE this past weekend. 
Peters set four Mt. A records
on the way to winning three AUS
bronze medals in the 200 meter
freestyle, 100 meter freestyle, and
four by 100 meter medley relay.
She swam three qualifying times
for the national championships
in these races, and over the three-
day meet, in the eleven races
that she competed, she turned
in personal-best performances
for each one of them. She will
now compete at the Canadian
Interuniversity Sport (CIS)
national championships in Calgary
over the Feb. 21-23 weekend.
MITCH PETERS
Sue Seaborn/Mount Allison
Swimmer Mitch Peters led his
Mounties’ men’s team to a well-
earned second-place finish at the
Atlantic University Sports (AUS)
swimming championships this
past weekend in Charlottetown,
PE. The team won ten medals
and set ten Mt. A records. Peters
won seven of these medals, which
included two golds (100 meter
freestyle, four by 100 meter free
relay), two silvers (200 meter
freestyle, four by 100 meter medley
relay), and three bronze (50 meter
freestyle, 100 meter butterfly, four
by 200 meter freestyle relay). It
was the first time he medaled in
all seven AUS events. He also
qualified for CIS championships
in the 100 and 200 meter freestyle
events, and set five Mt. A records.
His next swim meet will be at the
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Feb. 21-23 weekend in Calgary.
A three-time swim team MVP,
Peters has been named an AUS
all-star ten times over the past
four seasons since 2008-09. Last
year he broke every Mt. A freestyle
record in the book and went on
to the national championships.
HUMOUR February 14, 2013 argosy@mta.ca

LOVE AND SEX

Finally a crossword to put you in the mood.

Across Down

1- ____ and hers; 1- Gripped;

2- Ill-fated lover;
6- I want you to ____
my brains out;
7- Fruit for a split;
8- Head locks;
9- Sweethearts or some
doves;
10- Baby blues;
11- French ____;
13- Canine kiss;
15- It sells, they say;
16- Run off and form a
union;
19- Sound before
“thanks, I needed that!”;
20- Say yes silently;
21- “Titanic” female
lead;
25- Bubbly drink;
28- Opposite of
separateness;
29- Comes by honestly;
30- Flamingo feature;
3- Puts into motion;
4- Pampering place;
5- Will you ____ me?;
6- Playful, as a kitten;
7- Tops with cups;
9- Cares for deeply;
10- Feelings;
12- Go it alone;
14- Desserts in a box;
17- Checks out;
18- Spot in a crowd;
21- Rough and dirty;
22- Angel’s instrument;
23- Boudoir wear;
24- It’s in the eye of the
beholder;
26- Greek cupid;
27- Grease up;

THE ANSWERS TO LAST

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you w u!” Hill, 1999) 4. Noah (The Notebook, 2004) 5. Paula (The 40 Year-Old Virgin, 2005) 6. Rick
ish.” Answers: 1. Baby (Dirty Dancing, 1987) 2. Mr. Darcy (Pride & Prejudice, 2005) 3. Anna (Notting
The Argosy www.argosy.ca
1. All it wants in return for love is to be fed! Maybe a treat here and there,
maybe a laser pointer or a piece of string now and again, but overall,
they’re quite easy to please.
2. A cat doesn’t get jealous if it sees you talking to your ex-cats. Better yet,
cats don’t know how to use phones so it can’t creep around to make sure
you aren’t texting your ex-cat.
3. You can have as many cats as you want; they’re okay with polygamy, and
will even appreciate the company!
4. Nothing is better than cuddling with a purring kitty.
5. Cats don’t care about anniversaries or stupid holidays like Valentine’s
Day…
HUMOUR 23
6. They have an impeccable sense of hygiene, which you don’t find among
other species.
7. While others may leave you to fend for yourself, cats protect you from
spiders, mice, etc.
8. When ordering dinner, a cat won’t tell you it doesn’t feel like dessert and
then proceed to eat most of yours. It eats its own damn food.
9. Cats don’t care if you spend all day in sweat pants or in bed. They’ll join
you and, more importantly, they won’t judge you for it. A lazy day every
once in a while is perfectly acceptable, okay?
10. Cats can’t give you STIs.
 Do you love student journalism?
RUN THIS SHIP!
The Argosy is hiring a new Editor-in-Chief for the 2013-2014
publishing year.

Honoraria:
$5000 paid quarterly QUALIFICATIONS:
Term: Excellent
May 1, 2013-April 30, 2014 leadership
Deadline: skills
Friday, February 15, 2012 Interest
in student
Please submit a cover letter and resume to journalism
the Argosy Business Manager,
Experience in
Megan Downing, at madowning@mta.ca
editing and
Candidates must secure a faculty member to design an asset,
sit on the Board of Directors for a two-year but not required
term before submitting an application.