Comfort is at the heart of local underwear business Bed Peace Intimates
Feeling comfortable in your skin can go a long way. Often overlooked though is the importance of being comfortable. Both ideas of comfort are at the heart of Maya Lyn’s business Bed Peace Intimates.
The idea for Bed Peace Intimates initially came to Lyn in high school. Since then, she gathered the necessary experiences that made her vision a reality. She studied fashion arts and business at Humber College and then took an intensive sewing course at George Brown College before launching her business on Instagram in spring 2017.
Lyn makes mostly underwear, bralettes and sports bras, usually in bright, vibrant colours. It was important to Lyn to ensure her business was sustainable so all her pieces are made-to-order using made-in-Canada organic cotton hemp.
Since launching, the reception has been overwhelmingly positive. An added bonus of her made-to-order model and using Instagram is that Lyn is able to have more interaction with her customers than she might have had otherwise.
“So they'll send me pictures afterwards, or they'll write really sweet messages about how perfectly they fit or how they love the colour,” explained Lyn.
At the core of her business is the belief that fabrics we keep closest to our bodies should be comfortable and make us feel good. That’s why she’s very appreciative of the feedback because it helps her to see that her business is fulfilling its goals.
Everything comes back to these ideas of comfort and kindness for Lyn.
“It's all about comfort for me. I seldom call it lingerie because I've never been attracted to lingerie. It's just not my jam but intimates to me that means they're comfortable, they're flexible. You can wear it at work, you can wear it at home, you can wear it when you're resting. And it's also sexy. When you feel comfortable in your body you are prone to feeling sexy and good in your body because you feel comfortable,” explained Lyn.
“It's all about comfort for me. I seldom call it lingerie because I've never been attracted to lingerie. It's just not my jam but intimates to me that means they're comfortable, they're flexible."
Especially in the context of the pandemic, choosing something comfortable (and colourful!) can go a long way in making individuals not only feel more comfortable in their bodies but also for brightening their days a bit.
“I know the few days that I haven't got dressed in the morning, those days are just hazy. And it's kind of fun but you do feel a little bit like the day is just a big blob. So maybe having Bed Peace, putting on a nice sports bra that's comfortable, that doesn't have an underwire and putting on a nice, comfortable, colourful pair of underwear and then putting on some sort of comfortable, but home outfit could be a game-changer for people who are stuck at home and feeling it,” said Lyn.
Comfort is for everyone and Lyn feels strongly about ensuring that all aspects of her are accessible and inclusive. She offers a sliding scale for those who may need it. She also strives to be size-inclusive, featuring a size range of small to three XL.
In regards to the promotion of her business, such as for photoshoots, it’s very important for Lyn to work with photographers and models who are Black, Indigenous or People of Colour.
“Collaborating together and being a part of the collaboration team to be like, “Okay, what would make you feel excited to see on an advertisement for underwear?” [is really important] . . . I'm just thinking about how a brand can be all-encompassing and mindful about representation and tokenism and how to actually just make something that's really cool and authentic visually,” added Lyn.
Lyn’s Bed Peace Intimates helps to highlight the importance of feeling comfortable in your skin, figuratively and literally, but furthermore it also actively encourages individuals to seek out comfort and helps them find it.
Currently, Bed Peace Intimates is on a brief hiatus but Lyn has plans to resume her business in the spring.
How sex workers have remained resilient in the face of COVID-19 and ongoing criminalization
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the rampant systemic inequality that exists in Canada. Racialized, low-income, precariously housed, disabled and many other marginalized folks in Canada have experienced a disproportionate number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Among the most affected are sex workers.
While the pandemic unavoidably affected the sex work industry, it is not the loss of work alone that has made this pandemic even more difficult for sex workers. It is the criminalization of the sex trade, the lack of social supports for sex workers and the fact that many sex workers are also members of other marginalized groups.
In 2014, Canada introduced laws that prohibited the purchase, attempted purchase, procurement and advertisement of sexual services, among other things. The titled “end-demand” model is based on the idea that targeting clients will end the demand for sex work and thus sex work more broadly.
The desire to end sex work is based on the incorrect assumption that sex work is inherently exploitative and that all sex workers are victims in need of protection.
In practice, these laws have put sex workers at risk. The prohibition of purchase has made it more difficult for sex workers to screen and assess clients as well as organize with other sex workers.
Moreover, these laws reinforce the idea that sex workers are victims of an exploitative industry when, in fact, most sex workers do not characterize themselves as such. These laws disregard the agency of sex workers and the fact that many choose this work. For years, sex worker justice organizations in Canada have been working to repeal these laws.
However, as the government failed to reform sex work laws, this was the state of sex work in Canada when the pandemic hit in March 2020.
“What's happening right now is a crisis. It's a specific crisis for sex workers,” explained Jelena Vermilion, the executive director of the Sex Worker Action Program Hamilton.
“What's happening right now is a crisis. It's a specific crisis for sex workers,” explained Jelena Vermilion.
Throughout the pandemic, the federal and provincial governments have made several decisions that negatively impacted sex workers in Canada.
In March 2020, the federal government announced the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. This monthly funding was part of a plan to ensure that “no one will be left behind” in the pandemic. However, several sex workers were unable to access CERB.
Butterfly, Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Network, is an organization formed by sex workers and service providers that advocates and provides support for Asian and migrant sex workers. They ran a survey in April 2020 and found that less than half of respondents applied for CERB.
Some were not eligible because of undocumented work or immigration status, while others were not eligible because they were claiming other social assistance. A number of sex workers also do not file taxes because of the criminalization of their work.
“Some of it is strategic to avoid stigma. Just having the government know that you're a sex worker is such a risk for some people. Some people sincerely don't know how to do their taxes . . . and fear approaching an accountant for the same reason . . . and then many were unable to collect CERB. Or if they did, they were asked to pay it back,” explained Vermilion.
Vermilion also spoke to the specific impact that COVID-19 has had on sex workers in Hamilton.
“I'd say [COVID-19 has affected sex workers in Hamilton] a little bit worse than a couple of other cities, especially with the strip clubs around this area having been closed before COVID due to gentrification and other zoning [and] political issues. People have had to move to or get work in other cities and of course, commuting is its own expense. Having access to a vehicle is precarious for many people. So I would say that honestly we've had a lot more heard a lot more stories of people having housing issues, of people just having no way to get work,” said Vermilion.
Unfortunately, even for Hamilton sex workers who are able to work in other cities, 2020 brought extreme uncertainty.
On Sept. 25, 2020, the Ontario government announced its decision to close all strip clubs, which was made without consultation or notice to sex workers.
Strip clubs were singled out and hit harder with restrictions than other establishments at the time. The provincial government continued to allow restaurants, bars and nightclubs to remain open with added restrictions.
In response to these regulations, the stripper-led organization Work Safe Twerk Safe is pursuing legal action.
“We are concerned that our work at strip clubs is being treated differently than workers at other bars. We feel that the decision to enact these provisions to close strip clubs specifically relates to discriminatory and stereotypical assumptions about strippers as vectors of disease. We want to be treated the same as other bars and nightclubs. We feel we have been left out of decisions that affect us,” wrote Work Safe Twerk Safe on the organization’s website.
As the government has failed to support sex workers, organizations such as SWAP Hamilton, Butterfly, Work Safe Twerk Safe and Maggie's Toronto Sex Workers Action Project have stepped up to help their communities.
These organizations have provided sex workers with guides for working during the pandemic, set up emergency funds and advocated for income support. SWAP Hamilton supported the city’s sex workers during COVID-19 by providing harm reduction packages, gift cards and $100 stipends.
While these actions demonstrate the resilience of sex workers, they are also reminders of the lack of government support for members of this community.
While these actions demonstrate the resilience of sex workers, they are also reminders of the lack of government support for members of this community.
As many sex workers are already members of other marginalized groups, this additional work takes a toll on their mental and physical health.
“Honestly, [SWAP Hamilton is] just trying to survive, just like everybody else. A lot of it falls on my shoulders. So a lot of it comes down to what my capacity is and I'm a trans woman. I'm dealing with my stuff as well during this whole situation. So ultimately it's just been about being able to still remain visible in the community. And even if we're not like active in the exact same way, we want people to understand that [sex workers] still exist,” said Vermilion.
Vermilion encouraged students to educate themselves and to think critically about these issues. She also encouraged all students to sign a petition to repeal the laws that criminalize sex work.
How pelvic floor physiotherapy can help with sexual dysfunction
The Silhouette sat down with McMaster University graduate and currently licensed physical therapist Dr. Iman Banerji to discuss pelvic floor physiotherapy and how it can help folks experiencing pain or discomfort with sex.
Banerji graduated from McMaster in 2017 with a bachelor of science and is now a pelvic and orthopedic physical therapist working in North Carolina after graduating from Duke University in 2020. Banerji always knew that she wanted to be in healthcare.
“I was always told as a child of immigrants that I need to become a doctor, but I never really thought about what that meant until I was actually in the thick of undergrad thinking about grad school,” said Banerji. “I started looking into other different realms of healthcare, other ways that I could be part of the healthcare team and combine my love for human connection and science with being a health care provider and upon looking into it a little bit more I realized that physiotherapy was actually more so the path that I wanted to take.”
“I started looking into other different realms of healthcare, other ways that I could be part of the healthcare team and combine my love for human connection and science with being a health care provider and upon looking into it a little bit more I realized that physiotherapy was actually more so the path that I wanted to take.”
When asked about how she became interested in pelvic floor therapy, Banerji said a friend brought her to a student-run pelvic health meeting where she learned about the different conditions and about the patient population.
She felt that through PFT, she could challenge the historical and present issue of women in healthcare not always being believed or taken seriously. She also wanted to be a healthcare provider for all genders.
“With pelvic floor physiotherapy there's a great chance to work with the trans population, who also has a very difficult time navigating the healthcare system, unfortunately. Again, I wanted to be a part of that and I wanted to be a healthcare provider that was inclusive to all genders,” explained Banerji.
The pelvic muscles are an important part of urinary and digestive health as they support the bladder and bowels. They also play an important role in sexual dysfunction.
“So if you are having pelvic pain or pain with sex, sometimes these muscles can be the root of the cause. [If] you notice that insertion or penetration or ejaculation or arousal or anything of the kind feels a little bit painful, the culprit could actually be your pelvic floor muscles,” explained Banerji.
PFT can help reduce pain and increase pleasure in sex through both emotional components and physical exercises. Banerji stressed that consent is essential in all physiotherapy and with consent, a physiotherapist may conduct a pelvic floor assessment to understand and intervene with the pain.
“We can see if your pain is reproduced and if it is, can we do some type of manual intervention to the pelvic floor to see if it can calm down and relax a little bit more, if we can relieve some of that pain . . . we find ways to exercise the pelvic floor in such a way that it can relax and lengthen and not feel so painful on its own. So, there [are] many different strategies and many different techniques that we can use to help reduce pain,” said Banerji.
PFT relieves pain through a multi-modal approach. Banerji emphasized that physiotherapy is holistic and often includes an acknowledgement of the different factors that contribute to pain, including past experiences and trauma.
“I like to take an approach of: I’m your physical therapist and your guide, so I’m not here to fix you or change you or anything like that,” said Banerji.
“I like to take an approach of: I’m your physical therapist and your guide, so I’m not here to fix you or change you or anything like that,” said Banerji.
Part of this approach includes working to help her patients feel that they have a bit more control in their lives. She does a lot of education with patients to both help them understand their bodies and to empower them.
Stigma, shame and systemic factors around sexuality and sexual dysfunction can contribute to patients feeling disempowered or prevent them from seeking care.
People with vaginas are often socialized to believe that pain with sex is inevitable, prioritizing a heteronormative and patriarchal notion that sex is only about men’s pleasure.
“I also think a lot of people don't entirely know who to tell, which is why I love conversations like this. The more people can learn that you don't have to deal with painful sex, this is not a forever thing, you can actually go to someone who can help you, I think can be really empowering and really exciting for a lot of people. I'm going to be very blunt but sex should not be painful, it shouldn't. Really, it should be consensual and it should be fun and it should be pleasing and all these things, but it should not be painful,” said Banerji.
When asked what she would say to folks experiencing shame with their pain or sexual dysfunction, Banerji promised that no providers will judge or make you feel embarrassed.
“For anyone who is thinking about going down this route, it's okay if you're not ready. Not everyone is ready to be part of the journey of being in pelvic PT. It is very personal and it's very intimate for a lot of people and not everybody is ready for that and that's okay. But, if some of the things that I talked about could potentially resonate with you, just know that there are pelvic-specific physios out there who would be more than happy to help you, with your symptoms whenever you are ready,” said Banerji.
Banerji explained that while PFT can be an important pain management tool for many, it may not be the only treatment. She also explained that though it may take some time to find a physiotherapist that you feel comfortable with, it’s worth it.
“This is not just you. There's nothing wrong with you. This is just something that you're experiencing, but it is not a defining factor of who you are and there are things that we can do about it together,” said Banerji.
Physiotherapy is direct access in Canada and the United States, meaning you do not need a referral from a physician and can reach out to a pelvic health physiotherapist directly.
Gender? I hardly know ‘er!
By: Fran O’Donnell, Contributor
A few months ago I came out as nonbinary, changed my name and started using they/them pronouns. Let’s talk about it. This piece is fragmented and confusing and deliberately so, because boy, oh boy, gender is confusing.
I came out as bisexual many, many years ago and I (mostly, kind of) have my sexuality figured out. It never occurred to me to question my gender. I’ve always been most comfortable when I looked gender-nonconforming, but I just didn’t think about it too much. My discomfort with my body was probably just unrelated, right?
I’ve always been most comfortable when I looked gender-nonconforming, but I just didn’t think about it too much. My discomfort with my body was probably just unrelated, right?
It’s completely normal to want to hide your body away under a mountain of oversized sweaters. It’s absolutely normal to feel uncomfortable seeing your body. It’s perfectly normal to feel like the person you see in the mirror isn’t really you. To feel like your body isn’t yours.
Right?
Image description of a meme I used to have saved on my phone that I can’t find anywhere: A brave warrior has just defeated their foe. The warrior is labelled “Me” and their vanquished foe is “Finally figuring out my sexuality.” But then, behind the warrior, there is an ominous, looming figure labelled “My gender identity”.
Coming out as nonbinary, for me, was a bit like wearing really tight, uncomfortable clothes. You don’t really notice how uncomfortable you were until you take them off. Like “wow, I can breathe again! I didn’t realize I’d stopped breathing”. And once you’ve taken them off, you realize that these clothes haven’t fit you for a long time or maybe they never fit you at all.
Coming out as nonbinary, for me, was a bit like wearing really tight, uncomfortable clothes. You don’t really notice how uncomfortable you were until you take them off. Like “wow, I can breathe again! I didn’t realize I’d stopped breathing”.
Before I get too far ahead of myself, let’s talk a bit about what nonbinary means. A binary is made up of two parts. In this case, male and female. We live in a very binary society, with everything divided up into two. You’re a man or you’re a woman.
If you’ve ever worked in retail, you’ll know that you have to address everyone as ma’am, miss or sir, depending on your judgment of how they look. But what happens when someone doesn’t quite fit into one of these categories?
Nonbinary is an umbrella term that covers a variety of identities and experiences. Some folks switch between masculine and feminine depending on the day, some are both and others prefer to be funky little cryptids that mere mortals cannot identify.
Gender is an intensely personal experience and it varies from person to person. We’re all having gender trouble. For me, I’m most at home outside of the gender binary and I don’t want to be perceived as male or female. So I’m not binary.
When I first came out as nonbinary, I wanted to dress as androgynously as possible. I wanted everyone that saw me to immediately know that I was nonbinary. I had a vague vision of “nonbinary” in my head and I wanted to match it. Should I cut my hair? Should I throw out all the skirts I love so much?
I didn’t do that. First, I really like skirts. They’re so comfortable and they make me feel like a forest fairy. Second, this was just another box that I was needlessly forcing myself into. Kind of the opposite of what I wanted, you know? There’s no one “right” way to be nonbinary. Gender is a spectrum, not a paint-by-numbers.
Why am I writing this now? Because I wish I'd read something like this when I was younger. Seeing myself represented and being understood is the most important thing in the world to me. So if like me, you’re questioning your gender, I just want to let you know that it’s okay. Not only is it okay, it’s rad as heck and I’m super happy for you!
Seeing myself represented and being understood is the most important thing in the world to me. So if like me, you’re questioning your gender, I just want to let you know that it’s okay.
As Abigail Thorn said, “I look inside myself and ask: “Do I feel like a man, or a woman?” And the answer is . . . I feel happy.”
Here are just a few of the resources that helped me out, and I hope they’ll help you out too:
Artist: Edwin Thomas, @edwinthomas__
Title: his last valentine
Medium: single-line digital drawing with watercolour
Description: A first glance, the drawing appears to portray a man giving his girlfriend flowers. However, the details show both individuals with tears leaving their eyes, trying to keep themselves composed in front of each other. It depicts a failed attempt at saving a relationship by making an effort for Valentine's Day. While the flowers appear to be a nice gesture, both individuals know that their relationship is not going to last for much longer. In a way, the flowers are an apology to his girlfriend for his lack of effort in the relationship.
Artist: Jenna Iacobucci, @jennaiacobucci
Title: Pose me (1-5)
Medium: Ink illustration
Description: As with many, growing up with a conservative mindset brings a lot to overcome. But why should we be so scared to appease others? Each person offers a different experience, different backstory, different perspective, different strengths and different struggles — and it's wonderful. If only everyone could appreciate the beautiful composition of shapes they are.
Artist: Jenna Iacobucci, @jennaiacobucci
Title: Comfort (1-2)
Medium: Photography
Description: Do what you need to do to make yourself feel confident. From personal experience — turtle necks, baggy sweaters, long pants and censorship has only brought me delayed anxiety and stress in relations. I truly push for everyone to understand themselves. Don't hide.
Artist: Steffi Arkilander, @peachlily.png
Title: love is domesticity
Medium: Digital
Description: 2SLGBTQIA+ love is often fetishized and over-sexualized. However, 2SLGBTQIA+ love is so much more than how it’s stereotyped — it can be soft, gentle, kind. In this piece, I wanted to highlight the importance of soft, domestic 2SLGBTQIA+ love. I took inspiration from watching and reading about 2SLGTBQIA+ in media and also from my own life experiences to come up with this piece. “love is domesticity” highlights a queer couple watching television together and cuddling during a night in.
Artist: Emelia Da Silva, @emeliainbloom
Medium: Photography
Research study launched to understand and address student mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic
While student mental health is not a new issue, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have severely impacted the mental health of university students. Amidst online classes and assignments, students are forced to grapple with feelings of isolation and anxiety.
In an effort to address this ongoing student mental health crisis, Harvard University and the World Health Organization have launched an international study called the World Mental Health International College Student survey. The study will survey post-secondary students across fifteen countries.
Dr. Daniel Vigo, along with the department of psychology at the University of British Columbia, is leading the Canadian side of the study. Marisa Young, associate professor of sociology at McMaster University and a Canada research chair in mental health and work-life transitions, is leading the study at McMaster.
This study is being conducted with support from the Student Wellness Centre and the McMaster Office of Institutional Research and Analysis.
According to Young, much of the research being conducted will allow the team to reach students with a range of different experiences to gain a better understanding of McMaster’s entire student population. Young hoped that this information can then be translated into ways to help students during COVID-19.
“The goal is to work with the Student Wellness Centre, which has been really integral in getting the study off the ground,” said Young.
Allison Leanage, a PhD candidate at McMaster has been involved with the administration of the survey. She explained that the study consists of a survey that is sent out to a randomly selected group of students. The survey asks questions about social relationships, substance use, the impacts of virtual schooling and general mental health.
“The impact of the survey is to gather more information about how students are impacted in their social settings and how mental health services can understand their situations, [which can] help improve those services,” said Leanage.
“The impact of the survey is to gather more information about how students are impacted in their social settings and how mental health services can understand their situations, [which can] help improve those services,” said Leanage.
Much of the interest surrounding this study comes from the fact that students across the world will be surveyed and studied. A standardized set of questions will be asked to each student, allowing answers to be compared once the study concludes.
According to Young, using a standardized survey to acquire data in so many different countries will help researchers to draw more accurate comparisons.
“There are a variety of measures that we use to understand psychological distress across cultures and across countries, which is great in a number of respects, but sometimes can lose the powerful comparison properties,” Young explained.
Young also explained that the international status of the survey might benefit McMaster students more directly as well.
“Being on an international level, the attention [to the study] will be so much more impactful,” Young explained. “The voices of those leading the efforts at McMaster will be louder because of the international presence,” she added.
Given the mental health crisis that university students are currently facing, this study has the potential to improve the experiences of students around the world, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We don't mean to fill your email box with just another call for a survey. We truly believe that this is going to have impacts for students at McMaster,” Young said.
“We don't mean to fill your email box with just another call for a survey. We truly believe that this is going to have impacts for students at McMaster,” Young said.
Mac Dance’s annual showcase carries on despite COVID-19
Performing arts have the power to, for a brief moment in time, bring people together in a shared experience. This year’s Mac Dance showcase The Show Goes On is a reminder of the students’ ability to come together, albeit online, to share their love of dance. The group features a range of styles: from jazz and tap, to musical theatre and Bollywood.
Last year, Mac Dance’s annual showcase was held at Mohawk College and was almost entirely sold out. This year, the show will be held virtually as a YouTube live stream on Feb. 27.
“We want to make it feel as much like a typical show as possible, so we made a show order, a virtual program, we’re having an intermission and we’re having raffles. Chance [Sabouri, Mac Dance president] is going to do a little speech at the beginning. The biggest difference obviously is that you’re not going to be sitting in a chair screaming at people on stage in front of you,” said Lauren Shoss, a fourth-year health sciences student and secretary of Mac Dance.
In September, choreographers and dancers began the process of preparing dances for the showcase. Each piece is two to three minutes in length and it is up to the choreographer to choose the music and set the choreography for their group.
Dance classes this year have been taught over Zoom, posing its own unique set of challenges, from half of the choreographer’s body getting cut out of the frame to dancing in cramped spaces to getting kicked out of the call due to unstable internet connections. However, through mutual support, everyone moved past these challenges together.
“We've heard from a lot of our dancers that people are just so thankful. They see dance as a break and escape from the stress of school. I know that's how people feel in a typical year — you go into the studio and you kind of leave the rest of the world behind [to] focus on dance for a bit and just let yourself really get into your movement, so it's really nice that people are still able to get that from the year,” said Shoss.
The Silhouette interviewed some of Mac Dance’s choreographers to get an in-depth look at some of the pieces that will be performed this year.
Going Home by Kevin Vong
Vong described his piece’s style as a type of hip hop fusion that blends contemporary and hip hop styles.
Choreographed to Sonn and Ayelle’s Lights Out and Vance Joy’s Going Home, the piece pushes traditional definitions of hip hop. Where hip hop is typically defined by its hard-hitting movement, Vong brings out the texture and subtlety with particular attention to emotion in his piece.
“Especially during the pandemic, [I was inspired by] going home to reconnect to what is important to you instead of looking out to the material world. Sometimes family, home, is what you should rely on and it’s really important,” explained Vong.
For Vong, dance has become a form of home and he hopes that the audience will feel that through movement. Currently in his fourth year of linguistics, Vong said dance will forever remain as a source of inspiration and for all intents and purposes, his second home.
Got It in You & Grave Digger by Lauren Shoss
Shoss roots her dance pieces in storytelling. Drawing from her personal life experiences, her two pieces Got it in You and Grave Digger are two halves of a whole, with antagonistic but related storylines.
Got It in You, a lyrical dance set to the song of the same name by BANNERS, is based on the idea of finding the strength and power within yourself to overcome life’s obstacles and challenges.
Complimentary to Got It in You,Grave Digger is a contemporary piece exemplifying the feeling of being weighed and held down. Set to the song by Matt Maeson of the same name, Shoss described the piece’s darker and more aggressive tones as a welcome challenge, as she branched out of her comfort zone to create the more intense piece.
Now in her fourth year of the health sciences program, Lauren is considering pursuing a master’s degree in sports psychology, with the intention of working with athletes from a mental health perspective.
“I think [work with athlete mental health] is really needed in the dance world. I've seen a lot of my teammates suffer from body image issues, low self-confidence, perfectionism and eating disorders . . . It is a very neglected population, but they're in need of support,” explained Shoss.
Burlesque by Hannah Armstrong
Armstrong’s jazz group is channelling their inner Christina Aguilera in her piece entitled Burlesque, inspired by the film. In her first year choreographing a jazz piece, Armstrong decided upon the theme of burlesque as a fun and uplifting dance concept.
“The biggest challenge was probably just trying to envision how I wanted the routine, while also trying to make it [conducive to] online [viewing] . . . What can make a jazz routine really great are the transitions, group formations, interaction between dancers and just the energy on stage, so trying to replicate that online was probably the biggest struggle for me,” explained Armstrong.
As one of two co-vice presidents for the recreational dance team, Armstrong admires that Mac Dance connects diverse individuals by their mutual love of dance. In the spirit of The Show Goes On, she detailed how the Mac Dance community has impacted her as a dancer and as a person.
“I did competitive dance throughout high school and I always assumed that that would be the end of my kind of dancing career, but coming to university and then finding this team [allowed me to] keep doing what I love. . . I'm very thankful that everybody is here because they want to [dance] for fun and because they're invested,” Armstrong said.
Vienna by Abby Buller
When finding inspiration for her piece, Buller found that she clicked instantly with Billy Joel’s Vienna. As a tap choreographer, she liked the song for both its musical elements in combination with tap sounds as well as its message.
As tap dance is largely dependent on dancers’ timing of tap sounds with each other and the music, creating a tap dance in an online environment poses its own set of challenges. With technical difficulties in teaching over Zoom, Buller pointed to the timing of intricate steps as one of her greatest challenges.
Buller described her creative way of splicing dancers’ videos together for her dance’s showcase performance.
“When I get dancers to send me their videos, I want [to coordinate] their feet sounds, but I need to [overlay the] music in with it. I was so happy when this worked out — the [entire group] has Bluetooth headphones, so they're going to listen to the song through their headphones, film out loud so the can get their feet [sounds] and then I'll put the music in over top,” explained Buller.
The Mac Dance team hopes that The Show Goes On will bring people together in an otherwise distant time, reminding them that even though we are physically distant, we are still all in this together.
“Mac Dance reminded me of what the dance community is supposed to be just like. A bunch of people coming together to have fun, to share a common passion, to create something really beautiful and meaningful together and just having a great time,” said Buller.
Mac Athletes Care raise over $5,400 for the Juravinski Cancer Center
Each year at McMaster University, many athletes from different sports around the school unite to strengthen the athletic charitable efforts with Mac Athletes Care.
This past week, their objective was to help promote awareness and fundraise for the Think Pink initiative — an annual project surrounding the battle against breast cancer.
Briana Da Silva, a field hockey player and member of Mac Athletes Care who has been active in the Think Pink initiative, spoke about the organization.
“The Think Pink campaign is all about raising funds and spreading awareness around breast cancer. In some way or another cancer has impacted all of us and it is beyond important for us to do what we can. Typically Think Pink would have a wide range of running events, from bake sales and raffles to spikeball tournaments and shoot for the cure,” said Da Silva.
The COVID-19 pandemic has cast difficult times on many during the pandemic. Many organizations inside and outside of McMaster had to undergo serious change in order to keep running successful operations.
In wake of the pandemic, the Think Pink initiative looks much different than in previous years. In-person event programming has become a well-known fixture of Think Pink week. However due to limitations brought by COVID-19, this had to change.
“Since we cannot fundraise or have in-person events, we had to switch everything completely virtual. This limited the options of events we could host and online engagement tends to be lower than in person,” added Da Silva.
“Since we cannot fundraise or have in-person events, we had to switch everything completely virtual. This limited the options of events we could host and online engagement tends to be lower than in person,” added Da Silva.
Megh Rathod, a men’s rugby player and active participant in the annual event, discussed some of the hardships the organization has undergone recently, with the pandemic being one of two tragic events to have happened to Mac Athletes Care.
“It’s been a challenge as well because we don’t really have a staff sponsor or supervisor this year. . . The second challenge is what can we do in terms of the initiative. Usually, we rely on people being able to spare a couple dollars at the David Braley Athletic Centre, but we realized that with COVID, money might be a bit more of a constraint and it would be more difficult to get one or two dollar donations through an online platform,” said Rathod.
As such, the Mac Athletes Care team realized that an information campaign was more suited for this year, given the initiative being run online.
“We built an awareness campaign. That was something that we didn’t really cover much in the past. This year we shifted information to be more when you should get screened, or who should be concerned, breast cancer and its prevalence and some statistics to inform individuals and begin that conversation. It was a new addition this year that we hope to carry forward . . . Last year we were really successful in raising $5,400, usually because we can really take advantage of DBAC and the facilities and the in-person traffic and we usually set up tables there over the week,” said Rathod.
As effective and important as awareness can be, the club understands the importance of raising funds to put towards the Juravinski Cancer Center and has continued to attempt fundraising.
“With things looking a little differently this year, we are selling masks and t-shirts through the campus store and the proceeds will go towards Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre Foundation. On our Instagram page, we have some neat infographics and there is also the virtual “shoot for the cure” happening as well,” said Da Silva.
Cancer is a hard fought battle that many have unfortunately lost to and although individual efforts might not be enough to cure the vicious disease, each contribution makes a difference, taking a step closer to the end goal.
The ongoing pandemic has made things more difficult for the Think Pink initiative, but Mac Athletes Care hasn’t given up and is ready to keep battling this together.
Talking about race for the sake of talking about it only makes you guilty of virtue signalling
By: Zara Khan, Contributor
CW: racism
Perhaps you’re at a conference, class or even a meeting. Wherever you may be, I’m certain you’ve come across this strange ritual. Sometimes it’s expected, other times it’ll take you by surprise, but you’ll know it’s started when you hear a word like “equity.”
Then it begins. On one hand, the ritual begins where your white colleagues or classmates will spend a few hours or so emphatically declaring that “racism is bad” and that “we should do something about it” in various forms.
On the other hand, you, a person of colour, will sit there and nod your head, while everyone makes awkward eye contact with you. Whatever the case may be, if you’re anything like me, you’ll know that it’s a trap.
A trap? Yes. You see, these conversations aren’t meant for people like me. Rather, they are an opportunity others use to cleanse themselves of any harm they do as a white person. They rarely resonate with me.
Recently, while attending a virtual conference, I found myself part of another ritual, again. The topic of discussion? Equity in hiring and networking. I stayed silent. I knew that engaging would only leave me feeling frustrated. But, I caved and made a point.
I explained how I never had the opportunity to learn the social codes I needed to navigate predominantly white spaces. This left me feeling othered. “It is difficult to make a good first impression at an industry dinner if you’re too worried about what fork you should be using,” I said.
My point was met with an awkward silence. Though, perhaps in an effort to empathize, one person joked about how they too were unaware of the technicalities of cutlery usage. To be quite honest, I was upset.
Through sharing my experiences, I made myself vulnerable. I wanted to move the conversation in a different, more meaningful direction but I quickly realized that my point was more of a detour.
Issues of equity are often talked about like they are simply theoretical exercises and when I shared my lived experiences, others treated my comments as if they are out of scope. While we talked about systemic barriers during the conference, we did not talk about what those barriers might actually be. When I brought one up, the point was awkwardly swallowed and ignored.
Perhaps this explains my cynical view. These discussions feel like pointless exercises in alleviating white guilt, exercises I’m forced to sit through. So yes, I can’t help but roll my eyes every time I hear the word “intersectionality.”
Perhaps this explains my cynical view. These discussions feel like pointless exercises in alleviating white guilt, exercises I’m forced to sit through. So yes, I can’t help but roll my eyes every time I hear the word “intersectionality.”
Perhaps this explains my cynical view. These discussions feel like pointless exercises in alleviating white guilt, exercises I’m forced to sit through. So yes, I can’t help but roll my eyes every time I hear the word “intersectionality.”
Honestly, I don’t think this is intentional. I’d like to believe that these panels and discussions are held in good faith. But that doesn’t change the fact that I am simply frustrated by their lack of depth.
Consider the term “person of colour.” I have to confess, I dislike it. The vast majority of the world’s population are people of colour. There are far more differences between our experiences than the current discourse seems to acknowledge.
We are not a monolith. Yet, we are treated as such. Though there are some similarities, it’s fundamentally unfair to equate my experiences as a South Asian person to an Indigenous person’s experience.
Specificity is essential to having meaningful discussions. Rather than talking about people of colour as a whole, we could highlight the experiences of specific ethnicities. Rather than asking about what systemic barriers exist, we could pick one such barrier and consider its causes and effects.
Taking care to make sure that the terms we use allow for specificity should generate meaningful discussion and make space for relevant lived experiences.
Now, let’s consider how we can have more meaningful discussions during events like these. Honestly? We need to be listening more. During conversations like these, people seem to talk for the sake of talking, myself included. But if you really have nothing to contribute the best thing you can do is listen. Listen and learn.
During conversations like these, people seem to talk for the sake of talking, myself included. But if you really have nothing to contribute the best thing you can do is listen. Listen and learn.
This brings me to my second point: ask questions. This is the way you learn. Now, there’s an art to asking a question. You want to make sure that your question is appropriate. Say a classmate mentions that they’ve experienced a racially-motivated assault. Maybe don’t press for details. But, you might ask them about what they found most challenging about navigating the legal system afterwards.
Asking a question like this will perhaps teach you something you didn’t know. Ask questions that will clarify the gaps in your knowledge, ask questions that will force others to think. This is how we generate meaningful conversation.
Ultimately, we need to reframe how we approach discussions of equity. We should use them as opportunities. Opportunities to understand others, opportunities to solve problems. Yes, racism is bad. Yes, we should do something about it. But what should we do about it? We don’t seem to ask ourselves that question enough.
Shania Bhopa is bringing global health to local communities
C/O @wellbyshaniabhopa
Shania Bhopa discovered her passion for global health through experiential learning opportunities in her undergraduate studies at McMaster University. Through her experience, Bhopa serves as a reminder that student life is all about putting yourself out there to find out exactly what sparks your soul and fuels your fire.
“I was always interested in the social determinants of health and specifically, advocacy. I never really understood how to kind of bridge that gap between the two. I [began] doing some research on global issues that exist here locally and we don't have to go overseas to understand how to help people out of poverty . . . things that happen overseas are actually affecting us here in Canada,” said Bhopa.
Having completed her bachelor's degree at McMaster in communication studies with a minor in health studies, Bhopa is currently pursuing a master's degree in science in global health at McMaster. As a recipient of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council research scholarship, she is currently working away at her master’s thesis.
Bhopa has always enjoyed volunteering and knew from a young age that she wanted to start her own charity in some capacity. In May 2020, Bhopa and her sister launched the Canadian Courage Project.
Founded upon the belief that a child’s health shouldn’t be left up to chance, regardless of where they live or their level of education. The Canadian Courage Project aims to help homeless youth in Ontario and their animal companions.
“The reason that we're choosing this population is because they're often the population that doesn't get into the shelters. [For homeless children], their animal is [often] the only support network that they have. That is the only thing getting them through the day,” Bhopa explained.
“The reason that we're choosing this population is because they're often the population that doesn't get into the shelters. [For homeless children], their animal is [often] the only support network that they have. That is the only thing getting them through the day,” Bhopa explained.
Bhopa is also the founder and host of the Global Health Collective student podcast series, which she hopes will show others that anyone has the ability to make a difference. In her first season, the podcast was centred around the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Season two, which launched on Feb. 3, will be based on stories from changemakers during COVID.
“The reason behind the podcast is we hear the amazing research, we hear these projects that people are doing, we see them on the news, but we don't actually hear what drives this human being. At the end of the day, they're a person and they're just like you and I. They're motivated and inspired, but what is inspiring them?” said Bhopa.
Bhopa hopes that the podcast shows others that confidence is everything when it comes to pursuing your passions, as evidenced by the wide array of global health professionals and their life experiences.
With a group of McMaster students, Bhopa is also currently working on launching the Global Health Youth Alliance, which she compared to Distributive Education Clubs of America. Similar to DECA, it is a student competition, but instead of focusing on the field of business, it will enable students to gain exposure in the field of global health.
They hope to create a micro-credential for elementary and secondary students in order to bridge the gap in the elementary and high school curricula pertaining to global health.
“We want to educate everyone on the fact that disparities exist right around you. You don't need to go overseas to tackle them. We are stronger together and youth need to be in places where decisions are being made. Specifically, we cannot make change and solve the world's problems with the same local thinking that caused them,” said Bhopa.
"We are stronger together and youth need to be in places where decisions are being made. Specifically, we cannot make change and solve the world's problems with the same local thinking that caused them,” said Bhopa.
As a self-proclaimed “woman of habit,” Bhopa sets herself a schedule every day and encourages others to find time in their schedules not only for Zoom university sessions but also for themselves.
Each day, she sets time aside to listen to podcasts, do skincare, read and go on no-device walks. She then shares her wellness journey on her blog. In the near future, she plans on publishing both a children’s book and a wellness book for women.
For students looking to pursue opportunities in global health, Bhopa encourages them to claim their voice and choose opportunities that are right in their community, whether it be through approaching local officials or reaching out to changemakers and people you admire.
“You are in control of your circumstances, and if you believe [that], then nothing will ever get in your way. It's really just understanding exactly what your focus is, exactly what your passion is, why that's your passion and driving forward with that passion. If you have a focus, you are more likely to make an impact,” said Bhopa.
Bhopa encourages students to chase after their goals and realize that the world truly is your classroom. Through experiential learning, she emphasizes that we all have the ability to find our passions and make a difference in the world.
