Silhouette graduates reflect on what being part of the Sil has meant to them
C/O Baim Hanif
By: Esther Liu, Contributor
Andrew Mrozowski
Managing Editor
Most likely to be late to their own wedding
My elementary school music teacher, he went to [McMaster University] in the 90s. When I decided to go to McMaster, he told me to look up the Sil to see if it was still a thing. Best years of his university experience, he told me. I decided in my second year to check it out during ClubsFest. That's where I met the Arts & Culture Editor of Volume 89 and I started volunteering with her. To anybody who didn't get involved this year, even if this is their final year, get involved. Find a community that speaks to them and their interests. It just makes university so much more interesting. Whether it’s a club, whether it’s an MSU service or an off-campus service, it's such an easier way to make friends and to meet like-minded people and to have a lot of fun in an environment that sometimes isn't the most conducive for one's mental health. That's my biggest takeaway from the Sil.
Urszula Sitarz
News Editor
Most likely to go through a comedy of errors
It's surreal to think that my time as an undergrad is ending. I’m finishing my sixth year at Mac and it's been a long and unpredictable journey, but one full of love and joy. One of my favourite memories from my undergrad was in my fourth year when my housemates and I donned our Christmas sweaters to decorate our student house. We put up lights in the living room, decorated our tree and ate cookies, laughing the entire time. I’m so lucky to have found more laughs and support from my friends at the Sil in what could’ve been a really lonely time. As the News Editor, it’s been a thrill and privilege to spend my last year hearing and sharing the stories of other Mac students.
Krishihan Sivapragasam
Sports Editor
Most likely to survive a zombie apocalypse
Ever since I was a kid, I would be reading Sports Illustrated magazines. Now, as we are living digitally, I’d be reading articles from ESPN. So from that, I took a leap of faith and decided to join the Silhouette, not because I just wanted to take the next step of writing about my pastime, but also to tackle these off-the-field issues that are rarely talked about. To say the journey was linear is nowhere near the truth: I experienced my ups and downs but the one thing I could take away from my time here is to always take the risk. It was definitely quite hard to gather interviews with no games but never did I shy away from the opportunity of one. To add to that, I would say my favourite memory is having a chance to interview Steve Staios. Not only was it a pleasure to interview him, but to be given the opportunity of speaking to a former NHL player is truly a dream come true.
Rya Buckley
Arts & Culture Editor
Best shoulder to cry on
I didn't come to Mac planning to join the Sil or join the Sil planning to join Arts and Culture, but I'm so grateful that I've ended up here. I learned so much from all the amazing people I've worked with, spoke to, and wrote about as a reporter and editor. Being part of the Sil has built my confidence and made me realize the importance of community building. Those lessons will stay with me long after I graduate.
Steffi Arkilander
Opinions Editor
Most likely to make the next big scientific discovery
I joined the Silhouette because I was passionate about telling people's stories through opinion pieces. I've always been very passionate about writing and thought that getting involved with the Sil would be a great way to advocate for things I care about most while also being able to write and edit. I've learned that advocacy is something that I hold very close to my heart, and the Silhouette is one way I'm able to advocate for people. My favourite memory of the Sil has to be Andrew almost making us late for our Uber ride back from Supercrawl because he wanted his steamed milk.
Erica Mark
Social Media Coordinator
Most likely to become a famous Youtuber
I joined the Silhouette as the Social Media Coordinator during my third year of university in 2019 and have been in the position since. I got inspired to join as a staff member because I wanted to leverage my passion for marketing to help promote McMaster’s student-run newspaper! I also got a glimpse of traditional print throughout my summer internship at Canada Post and I thought it would be a great opportunity to help establish a bridge between digital and print media. With this year’s online focus, I strive to encourage students to stay connected with the school community.
New festival by Red Betty Theatre is offering a stage for BIPOC women stories
C/O @redbettytheatre
The experience of colonization is something communities around the world are familiar with. However, since no two places had identical experiences, each community has its own histories and struggles to grapple with now. At its core, decolonization is about holding space to share these diverse histories and acknowledging the hurts that hide there in order to build a better, more equitable and inclusive future.
Theatre, like all art, is an essential part of decolonization for the unique opportunities the stage offers to share stories and experiences. Though theatre has been around for centuries all across the world, it is too often regarded as a European tradition. As such, it is often difficult for marginalized and racialized individuals to showcase their work and share their stories.
“The majority of artistic directors look at things through a Eurocentric lens and the plays that I write maybe are alienated, by the titles even. For example, my one play which has won awards, it is called Rukmini’s Gold, if they don't know that Rukmini is a name, if they don't know what it is, they have no tie to it culturally. So it's the last thing that they'll read on their pile if they'll even read it. So I found that the only way to get my work produced was to start my own company,” explained Radha Menon, the founder of Hamilton’s Red Betty Theatre.
"For example, my one play which has won awards, it is called Rukmini’s Gold, if they don't know that Rukmini is a name, if they don't know what it is, they have no tie to it culturally. So it's the last thing that they'll read on their pile if they'll even read it. So I found that the only way to get my work produced was to start my own company.”
Radha Menon
The theatre recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. Though it has received little support from the city of Hamilton, the theatre has offered its stage to productions including Ganga’s Ganja (2012, 2018), Cockroach (2017) and In The Shadows (2018), written by Menon and put on by Black, Indigenous and People of Colour actors, directors and designers. Its upcoming productions include Blackberry, in partnership with Hamilton Fringe, from June 4 to 13, 2021 in Carter Park and the Decolonize Your Ears Festival in June 2021.
Decolonization is at the core of the theatre’s work. It offers a stage for the stories of BIPOC women so that they may reach broader and more diverse audiences. Red Betty also encourages Canadian theatre groups to better reflect cultural diversity and the cultural practices of different communities.
“[Red Betty Theatre] is inclusive, non-competitive, friendly, equitable, for the people, by the people, of the people. We are open to women artists who are Indigenous, Black or racialized because we believe that their stories are important, our stories are important,” said Menon.
The art world is a difficult one. Theatre projects are typically funded through grants from the government or other institutions. Currently, these grants are extremely competitive and often privilege older, more established organizations but funding cuts in the arts sector have made this process increasingly challenging. Newer organizations especially struggle to receive necessary funding and it is often even harder for groups like Menon’s Red Betty Theatre.
“So put it this way, it took us 10 years to get a Canada council production grant . . . [W]e don't get much funding from the city because we're a new organization and the way the funding structures in arts bodies work is very much based on how long your institution has been around. So all the older ones which are generally male, white-led, they get funded to the teeth whereas the new organizations get the leftovers . . . It's very hard to get everything going and it takes us a lot of time to be able to plan for even one show,” explained Menon.
For example, Menon has had the idea for the Decolonize Your Ears Festival for some time, but it was only recently that the theatre was able to secure the necessary funding to make this festival reality.
“We don't see anything on stages that reflect the cultural diversity and the cultural practices of different communities. So, Decolonize Your Ears is that opportunity for artists to express their own specific cultures and communities in ways that are unrestricted and uncensored,” said Menon.
“We don't see anything on stages that reflect the cultural diversity and the cultural practices of different communities. So, Decolonize Your Ears is that opportunity for artists to express their own specific cultures and communities in ways that are unrestricted and uncensored.”
Radha Menon
The festival will feature four plays. One by Menon and three others by emerging BIPOC women playwrights: Natasha Cecily Bacchus, Melissa Murray Mutch, Gaitrie Persaud-Dhunmoon and Joanne Roberts. The festival also offers these playwrights the opportunity to consult and develop their pieces with Hamilton-based playwrights Marilo Nuñez and Donna-Michelle St. Bernard.
Offering a stage and a space to share these stories is a crucial part of not only decolonizing theatre but also the larger decolonization movement.
“Until there is the decolonization of all institutions, government and non-government, we will continue to see racism, bigotry and harassment . . . Decolonization is a massive thing that needs to happen, for there to be any equity amongst people,” said Menon.
Theatre is very personal and different people will walk away from a play with different impressions. Menon especially encourages students to check out the festival and the theatre’s other work, not only if they’re interested in or studying theatre but also if they’re curious about and interested in new stories.
“[T]his is the place where you will hear stories that you will never read in class or in the library or see on TV. These are stories that have been curated especially because of how unique they are and this is an opportunity to grow. And for students, I think the point of going to any kind of institution is to grow. Universities are very colonized places and this is an opportunity to step out of that colonized space into a decolonized space,” said Menon.
“[T]his is the place where you will hear stories that you will never read in class or in the library or see on TV. These are stories that have been curated especially because of how unique they are and this is an opportunity to grow. And for students, I think the point of going to any kind of institution is to grow."
Radha Menon
Decolonize Your Ears Festival will take place from June 22 to 26, 2021 outdoors, public health restrictions permitting. Alternatively, the event will be livestreamed. Menon hopes that the festival will become an annual event.
Organizations such as Red Betty Theatre and festivals such as Decolonize Your Ears are crucial components to sharing communities’ diverse experiences and histories with colonialism, decolonizing theatre and creating a more equitable and inclusive future.
Photo C/O Darya Kraplak
I originally applied for Editor-in-Chief in February 2020, before most of us were really aware of the looming international news ahead (at least in hindsight it feels that way).
As I went through the application and interview process, things changed rapidly across the world. Met with seemingly unprecedented and unexpected circumstances, we all adjusted in our own way to the “new world”.
My first experience of this “new world” was conducting my interview over a Skype call that lasted five minutes before the unreliable service became absolutely unusable. So we switched to an old school conference call over the phone. At the time, I optimistically (read: naively) thought that would be the last interview or meeting I would have to conduct over the phone or internet.
Fast forward to now, and I have spent an entire job — from my onboarding to transitioning the new team — online.
I only worked in the Silhouette office — one of my favourite spaces — a handful of times over the past 12 months. I have still never met the majority of the Sil staff that I hired in person.
Those are only two things on a long long list of ways I had envisioned spending my final year working for the Silhouette, also my final year at a school I called home for six years (I really missed Burridge Gym this year).
With that all being said, I will always look back fondly on this year. I believe our team worked really hard to cover as many events as possible and share the various stories of the wide variety of people that make up the McMaster and Hamilton community. I believe we delivered on our goals and promises.
In the most trying year, we tried our best and made the most of it. If we learned anything this past year, it’s that together we can make the best of the worst situations. So, here’s to last year’s words, as next year’s words await another voice.
In the spirit of optimism — thumbs up only for this week.
Reflecting on changes to family relationships during the pandemic
Homebound for now over a year, this has been a time of waiting. Waiting for school days back on campus. Waiting for a vaccine. Waiting for lockdown measures to be lifted to see friends and family again. But despite feeling stuck in one place, there has been much change both in the world around us and in ourselves.
One of the many changes I experienced this past year has been my relationship with my family, particularly my aunt. Standing at just under five feet tall, my aunt is the shortest but also the toughest woman I know.
She immigrated to Canada by herself from South Korea when she was just 21 years old and was forced to carve her own path in the world. She went from being a convenience store cashier, to opening her own video rental business, then to working as a nail technician at a salon.
I moved to Canada at the age of eight with my mom and younger sister. My aunt taught my sister and I to not rely on our mom, but to do our chores without being told and to clean up after ourselves.
I still remember one incident when I was still in elementary school and my sister and I forgot to bring our food containers to the sink after school, one of my aunt’s biggest pet peeves. We woke up the following morning to find no lunches on the counter. Instead, we had to make do with our own emergency five-minute bagels with cream cheese for lunch.
My aunt was extremely strict with us but even stricter with herself. Growing up in her hands with my mom always busy at work as a single parent, I adapted her independent mindset. It has been a fundamental part of who I am for as long as I could remember.
There is not a single memory I can recall of seeing my aunt crying. She always bottled up her pain, hardships and struggles and never revealed when she was having a tough time. Everyone thought she was built like an unbreakable soldier.
On Christmas Eve of 2016, my aunt was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer with metastasis. It was a shock to everyone who knew her well. I didn’t understand how a person as fierce and resilient as my aunt could come down with such a vicious disease.
I only later learned that my aunt had suspected something was wrong with her body for some time, but she was too scared to admit it. By the time we figured it out, her x-ray lit up like a Christmas tree. The cancer had metastasized everywhere and all too much to undergo surgery.
When I saw her for the first time quietly laying in her hospital bed and heard her heavy, stertorous breathing, she suddenly didn’t seem all that mighty. That Christmas, for the first time, I saw how frail she was, how vulnerable she was, how afraid she was.
For the first time, our family opened up to our deepest, rawest feelings and emotions. For the first time, all of us were willing to admit that we were scared.
Fast forward five years to today, my aunt is currently receiving palliative care, but to me, she is still the same strong, mighty warrior I saw her as when I was a child. Although I miss many things from before the pandemic, I’m appreciative of the extra time I got to spend with my aunt and family at home.
I was able to be there for my mom every time she had to take my aunt to the hospital. I also learned more about my aunt — her favourite foods, what she was like when she was my age and friends and people she’s met.
I used to resent her for not telling us about her pain, which would’ve helped to get her diagnosis earlier, but I realized that as a female Asian immigrant, her stubbornness and resilience were characteristics necessary for her to survive. Most importantly, I got to reflect on old memories and create new, truly special memories together with the precious time we have left.
We sometimes feel the need to conceal our emotions from our loved ones out of fear of looking weak or to avoid making them worry. However, these days, my family is unafraid to forfeit our emotional barriers and simply be soft, vulnerable people. Especially during times of hardship, grief and uncertainty, there is nothing more powerful than family to give us hope, support and comfort.
McMaster’s musical theatre community is opening the (virtual) curtains on its 2021 season
Following a musical theatre season that was cut short in 2020, McMaster University’s musical theatre community is back and looking forward to a 2021 season full of song, dance and fun-filled departmental productions.
“[Last year], our opening night was our last. It was the eve of school getting cancelled, so we got one show. Afterwards, having to see our cast’s heartbreak at the show being cancelled and seeing how sweet and supportive everyone was was really hard. The whole joy of theatre is getting to be in the space with people and building those relationships . . . it makes me feel good to think that we’re keeping things going, even if it’s not ideal,” said Gillian Maltz, a third-year arts and sciences student and the script supervisor for the ArtSci Musical.
The majority of faculty musicals have adopted an asynchronous viewing platform for their musicals, where the final show essentially is a Zoom window. The dialogue will be simulated by editing the cast’s individual videos together. The timing of dialogue became an issue online because, when recording from home, cast members don’t have each others’ cues to bounce off of for timing.
“[I]f you want to talk to somebody you pretend they’re on your right or your left. It’s the funniest thing ever when you’re filming and basically telling everyone “hey, can you look in that direction when you say something to them?” It’s obviously not something that we would tell them in person, but now [the cast] has to imagine that there are these people around them and they’re just in their bedrooms,” explained Khoi Hoang, a fourth-year chemical biology student and director of the MacSci Musical.
To rectify the problem, the Health Sciences Musical and McMaster Musical Theatre found a solution where they record dialogue while in a Zoom meeting with the cast. They would listen for each others’ cues through headphones, while simultaneously recording themselves on a separate device.
Music production is also a challenge in an online environment, given that cast and band members’ home audio quality is largely variable. In a band, musicians also face the issue of no longer having each others’ cues to work from.
“Speaking from a band perspective, usually you hear everyone playing together and hearing what other people are playing gives me a cue for where to come in . . . On Zoom, what we do is we split off into different sections based on our instruments, and then we'll record,” said Wendy Yu, a third-year health sciences student currently playing trombone in the Health Sciences musical band, as well as assisting their executive of promotions and events.
Another challenge that the departmental musicals are facing is learning and teaching choreography online.
“[I]t’s a lot harder to learn [choreography] over Zoom, especially because a lot of us sometimes struggle with internet connection as well. I’m one of those people, so learning these dances that are sometimes really intensive, while making sure you have enough space in your room and all this making sure the cast is in sync when we record it, has been an ongoing struggle,” said Zach Thorne, a fourth-year computer engineering and society student and assistant director for the Engineering musical.
Between the difficulties of learning choreography through the screen, constraints with space, internet connectivity issues and timing issues, choreographers have had to adapt to the barriers to teaching dance online.
“For me, the biggest challenge was definitely following and learning the choreography and all the dances. [Our choreographers] did literally the best job choreographers could do online, by providing us with a guide video for basically every song,” said Felix Hu, a first-year health sciences student and cast member in the Health Sciences musical.
Given that musicals will no longer be showing in person, crew and backstage contributors have had to take a backseat this year. Where lighting, props and set design once played an essential role in musical production, McMaster musicals have had to become creative in their approach to incorporating the crew.
“We were concerned about how to incorporate crew because normally crew works all semester to make a ton of cool props . . . We have some physical props, which I actually drove all around Hamilton and the GTA to pick up and drop off at cast members’ homes. Then, we're also taking advantage of Zoom and making digital backgrounds so that people can have digital backgrounds on Zoom,” explained Maeve Johnston, director of the Engineering musical.
A brand new component of creating online musical productions is video and sound editing. The student-produced musicals have had to navigate the technical barriers of camera setups, different recording environments and video and sound quality.
The online sphere has also provided the opportunity for musical theatre to not only adapt to producing a musical online but also to reinvent what it means to put on a show. McMaster Musical Theatre and the ArtSci Musical took brand new approaches to musical theatre production.
This year’s McMaster Musical Theatre showcase entitled Reimagining Musical Theatre aims to address the musical theatre industry’s history of excluding Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, 2LGBTQIA+ and disabled voices.
“The idea was to really interrogate and question the ways in which specific marginalized communities have been left out of Broadway musicals and theatre spaces. Find a way to look at musicals we know and love and question: can we reshape this to be more inclusive for different audiences who have not been able to access the stage in the same way as cisgender white people who are currently on Broadway?” explained Khaleel Gandhi, the McMaster Musical Theatre president and fourth-year theatre, film and multimedia studies student.
The showcase will consist of a number of classical Broadway songs, reimagined through McMaster Musical Theatre’s lens. For example, one of the showcase pieces will be presented entirely in sign language.
The ArtSci Musical took a completely different approach, instead deciding to focus on creating a radio drama series and a fringe show. The radio series, entitled Storytime, is currently on Spotify and Apple Music. ArtSci students submitted stories and concepts that are told by a narrator and a few student voice actors.
The fringe show, which has the theme An Artistic Exploration of the Meaning of Home, will be a collection of scenes, dance, music, song and poetry connected through narration. The show is student-produced with an original script and entirely original music.
“I think the goal is partly to produce something that is somewhat similar to a musical, but it's more so to keep the spirit of the musical alive and also to foster some kind of environment similar to a theatrical environment for the community,” said Chloe Sloane, a second-year arts & sciences student and co-director of the ArtSci Musical.
With the disconnect that students so often feel when distanced due to online learning, Mac’s musical theatre families have found connection and community in their shared love of the performing arts. Current first-year students have gotten a chance to get involved from last summer, providing an avenue to meet others and engage with the post-secondary community.
“The sense of community is really valuable . . . I really do appreciate everything people give not only in terms of the creativity and the participation but also just being themselves and the fun stories that came out as a result,” said Sean Lyeo, a fourth-year health sciences student and script supervisor for the Health Sciences Musical.
Currently, the MacSci Musical is available for streaming online for $14, where all profits are in support of the Aboriginal Health Centre. The Health Sciences Musical hopes to release their productions in late spring, while the Engineering Musical plans to release their musical as an episodic series in September. The McMaster Musical and ArtSci Musical teams are still planning when to release their final products.
Virtual conferences have helped some students feel connected to the community during the pandemic
C/O Alexandra Koch on Pixabay
Each year McMaster University hosts at least half a dozen conferences, most of which are student-run. Most students are guaranteed to attend at least one of these conferences during their time at university. These events bring together like-minded and passionate individuals, offering them a chance to learn more about niche topics and network with a larger community.
As with all campus events this year, conferences have had to adjust their approach due to the pandemic and make the transition to the virtual environment. For many of these conferences — that typically occur during the latter half of the winter semester — planning has been well underway since the summer or early fall.
Similar to the conferences themselves, this planning took place exclusively in the virtual environment, through Zoom calls and group chats, as students sought out new ways to carry forward events that they had loved in past years in these strange times.
Unlike typical in-person conferences which often follow a similar format, each virtual conference this year looked slightly different, with organizers choosing the platform and structure that best suited their needs.
For example, the arts and science program’s New World of Work Forum used Microsoft Teams to host a week-long series of events as opposed to their typical one-day conference. On the other hand, McMaster Model UN used the platform Gatherly to allow delegates to interact in a manner more reminiscent of a typical conference.
“What was really great about [Gatherly] was that you're able to see everybody's faces and in a way you're able to have different floors. So comparing it to where the conference would have taken place, Gatherly had different floors that you could go through and I know delegates who really enjoyed that. So it wasn't like you had to leave a Zoom chat, and then join another one to go see your friends on another committee, you just go through the different floors. It was like a real Model UN conference,” explained Zahra Panju, one of the MacMUN executives.
"So comparing it to where the conference would have taken place, Gatherly had different floors that you could go through and I know delegates who really enjoyed that. So it wasn't like you had to leave a Zoom chat, and then join another one to go see your friends on another committee, you just go through the different floors. It was like a real Model UN conference."
Zahra Panju
MacMUN executive
McMaster Energy Association and McMaster Indigenous Health Movement both used Zoom to host their conferences, allowing students the flexibility to drop in for events.
“[The conference] usually runs from the morning around till 5 o'clock and this year it was on a drop-in basis. We just provided the same Zoom link for the whole day so no one was obligated to stay the whole time. No one really wants to stay in front of a computer from nine to five. We understood that and so we made it a drop-in basis,” Iyah Alideeb, one of the co-presidents of McMaster’s Energy Association.
Many groups also recorded their events so that if students couldn’t attend the live event, they would still be able to attend in a way.
While this flexibility is something that many students appreciated about virtual conferences, it also might have contributed to the lack of connection others felt. Typically, many of these conferences involve formal or informal networking events that allow students to connect with each other as well as professors and other community members. However, such events are difficult in the virtual environment.
“When you have that in-person experience, you're networking with so many people, you're basically surrounded by so many different people who have similar goals and interests to you . . . So that does build a sense of community. I guess that it was a bit harder this year just because not everyone has a camera and you can just drop in and drop out. There wasn't really a networking session, because it made it difficult to balance the professionalism of Zoom and using Zoom Webinar, versus a regular Zoom call that might not spotlight the speakers well enough,” said Alideeb.
When you have that in-person experience, you're networking with so many people, you're basically surrounded by so many different people who have similar goals and interests to you . . . So that does build a sense of community. I guess that it was a bit harder this year just because not everyone has a camera and you can just drop in and drop out.
Iyah Alideeb
co-president of McMaster’s Energy Association
Although networking in the traditional sense was difficult, some students noted that they appreciated the opportunity the virtual format provided to invite speakers from across the country or even around the world, who may not have been able to attend if the event was in person.
“We had a speaker from the Northwest Territories who was able to join us, who we probably wouldn't have been able to have at an in-person conference, just due to costs and travel and things like that. So that was a real positive of the Zoom format,” said Konrad Kucheran, one of the students behind the Indigenous Health Conference.
Furthermore, many students involved in organizing these events felt that they were able to form strong connections with students also on planning committees. There was not only a sense of solidarity as they navigated these new experiences together but also a sense of community and connection as they worked to make the events they cared for so passionately a reality.
“I think definitely within our team — we have a team of eight executive members plus a writing team — so I think it was definitely good community-building for us, facing the challenge together and all figuring out how to run an online conference,” explained Desmond Kennedy, co-president of McMaster Energy Association.
“I would say the conference and more specifically the club that put it on are really one of the only ways this year that I've managed to have that sense of community. Discussion posts in classes and things like that don't really cut it in terms of creating that connection to community and so on. So [the Indigenous Health Conference] has been great for developing community,” said Kucheran.
I would say the conference and more specifically the club that put it on are really one of the only ways this year that I've managed to have that sense of community.
Konrad Kucheran
Indigenous Health Conference Organizer
Students did note though that they were concerned this same sense of community might not have been felt by the conference attendees, for similar reasons as to why networking was difficult. The virtual environment demands a kind of proactive element to forming connections that just isn’t present when you are physically in the same space as others.
“I think, because it was purely online and certain friend groups had joined together, there was still a barrier, where it wasn't like you could just go and talk to them after [the conference] because everyone is just signing out the platform . . . you just left the platform and went on to do your own work,” said Panju.
Organizers also found it difficult to reach students, first-years in particular, noting that not everyone has social media or follows their particular accounts while almost everyone would have been able to view a poster put up in the McMaster University Student Centre.
It’s important to remember that even though it has been just over a year since the pandemic was officially declared, that these events are still new and that we’re all still learning. The hard work and care these students have done to ensure these conferences continued to run as best as possible are commendable. There certainly would have been much less to look forward to and many fewer opportunities to connect without them.
“Because even if you can't reach as many people, those that you do, it'll still have an impact on them. So I think still providing opportunities for people to get involved, even if it's not the year when people are able to as easily get involved, I think that is still an important thing to do,” emphasized Kennedy.
McMaster Lifeline club de-ratified after student petition receives over 3000 signatures
C/O Silhouette Archives
McMaster Lifeline has been an active and often controversial anti-abortion group on campus, over the past few years. Recently, their Instagram account began to circulate widely on social media and prompted criticisms from students.
Upon learning about McMaster Lifeline and their Instagram page, McMaster student Adriana Hutchins started a petition for the de-ratification of McMaster Lifeline.
“I made sure to include in the petition statement that we are not against free speech by any means, but hateful messages have no place on campus,” said Hutchins.
“I made sure to include in the petition statement that we are not against free speech by any means, but hateful messages have no place on campus."
Adriana Hutchins
Hutchins wrote in the petition description that Lifeline is spreading propaganda and misinformation about reproductive rights. Section 5.1.1.3.2. of the MSU clubs operating policy includes spreading false information as a class A offence, where an action interferes with the abilities of individuals to enjoy the McMaster community.
“5.1.1.3.2. Dissemination of false information with the intent to mislead the general public.”
The McMaster Lifeline Instagram page currently contains a post that reads: “abortion is never medically necessary.” According to the website for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, “there are situations where pregnancy termination in the form of an abortion is the only medical intervention that can preserve a patient’s health or save their life.”
Hutchins’ petition gained a lot of student attention.
“[There] was an overwhelmingly good response [to the petition] . . . Within the first 24 hours, [there were] over 1600 signatures,” said Hutchins.
As of publication, the petition has over 3000 signatures. Along with signing Hutchins’ petition, many students also reached out to the MSU Clubs Department directly with their concerns.
As of publication, the petition has over 3000 signatures.
“The content shared led the Clubs Department to believe that Lifeline had possibly violated Clubs’ policy,” said MSU Vice-President (Finance) Jessica Anderson in an email to The Silhouette. The students’ emails led to a meeting of the Clubs Advisory council.
Shelby Seymour of SRA Social Sciences and a member of CAC, noted that Lifeline has previously violated club policies and faced consequences as a result.
Seymour explained that in the 2019-2020 school year, Lifeline had tabling events on campus without getting MSU approval. This violation of policy placed them on probation.
Under section 4.1.2. of clubs operating policy, probationary clubs are required to notify the club's administrator about all events. However, according to Seymour, Lifeline was holding events without the permission of the club's administrator. These events were promoted on their Instagram.
Seymour stressed that the decision to recommend Lifeline for de-ratification was entirely on the basis of policy violations.
“We need[ed] to base this [decision] off of policy and not our own political and moral opinions . . . They violated their probation and they were also spreading misinformation,” said Seymour.
"They violated their probation and they were also spreading misinformation."
Shelby Seymour
Anderson was able to shed more light as to why specifically the CAC de-ratified the club.
“Ultimately, CAC found Lifeline in violation of several policies, including the dissemination of false information with intent to mislead the general public, as well as numerous instances in which the group failed to comply with McMaster University Risk Management policy,” said Anderson.
Failure to comply with the McMaster University risk management policy is a class C offence. Under the clubs operating policy, class C offences will always result in a punitive sanction.
“Ultimately, CAC found Lifeline in violation of several policies, including the dissemination of false information with intent to mislead the general public, as well as numerous instances in which the group failed to comply with McMaster University Risk Management policy."
Jessica Anderson
On March 21, the SRA held a meeting in which they formally de-ratified McMaster Lifeline, upon the recommendation of the CAC. Disbandment, or de-ratification, is under sections 5.4.2 and 5.4.2.1. of clubs policy.
“5.4.2.1. Disbandment: If, in the opinion of the CAC, a Club is either incapable of or unwilling to correct its behaviour and/or the interests of the MSU and student body would be best served by the disbandment of a Club, the Clubs Administrator has the right to recommend that the SRA rescind the MSU’s recognition of the Club.”
The sanction will remain in effect for at least one full calendar year. For the club to be re-ratified, McMaster Lifeline must present sufficient evidence that they have changed.
Update:
According to numerous MSU documents, Lifeline has violated multiple Clubs policies on multiple occasions in the 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years. However, the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 policy violations were only recently exposed.
In 2018-2019, Lifeline hosted eight tabling events without submitting the necessary documentation and therefore without approval. At the time, failure to abide by MSU or McMaster policy was a Class B offence rather than Class C.
“Since McMaster Lifeline has submitted all their re-ratification documents in a timely manner and are only in violation of the lack of event forms for their tabling, the Clubs Department concluded that a probationary period would be a more appropriate course of action,” wrote Aditi Sharma and Maddison Hampel in the Lifeline Probation Letter. This letter was dated Sept. 24, 2019.
“The club has been made aware of their infractions, and the concerns regarding their tabling behaviour. Because of the EOHSS approval infractions, it is the Clubs department’s recommendation that this club be ratified contingent on them being on a close-watch probationary period for the 2019-2020 year. Any infraction during this period may warrant the club being de-ratified,” wrote Sharma in the clubs ratification memo.
Their probation also required that the Clubs Administrator be made aware of the time and place of all club tables, events and executive meetings at least two weeks prior to the event via email. The SRA ratified Lifeline and their probation in July 2019.
Yet, despite the close-watch probationary period, Lifeline managed to run at least two unapproved events during the 2019-2020 probation year undetected until March 2021. As a result, Lifeline was ratified for the 2020-2021 school year without incident.
The current Clubs Administrator Jenna Courage sent a memo to the Clubs Advisory Council on March 20, 2021 to recommend that CAC recommend the SRA immediately de-ratify Lifeline due to a number of policy violations from their probationary year in 2019-2020 and this year.
Courage identified that Lifeline did not submit any events through the McMaster Student Events Management Portal after Feb. 28, 2020. However, Lifeline was found to have hosted events on March 4, March 6 and May 15, 2020, as well as on March 4 and March 18, 2021.
On March 21, 2021 Seymour and the rest of CAC submitted a letter to the SRA with the evidence and description of the violations. According to the letter, CAC voted unanimously to immediately de-ratify Lifeline after discussion of their policy violations. The SRA officially de-ratified Lifeline that day.
“While we acknowledge concerns brought forth from the student population regarding the content of McMaster Lifeline’s, the CAC’s opinion on their Clubs Status is solely related to violations of MSU and McMaster University Policies,” wrote CAC in the letter to the SRA.
Both Courage and CAC’s letters included the appeal procedures. The disbandment can be appealed to the Clubs Advisory Board. “A member of the club’s proposed Executive shall notify the Clubs Administrator of their intent to appeal within one (1) week of sanctions,” per section 5.7.1 of the Clubs Status policy.
Lifeline has not responded to our question on if they intend to appeal.
One of their offences was spreading false information to mislead the public. Abortions are covered by provincial and territorial health insurance plans through the Canada Health Act, which requires medically necessary procedures are publicly insured. All provinces and territories have designated abortions as essential services throughout the pandemic.
In an interview with The Silhouette, Elizabeth* shared her experience with a medically necessary abortion. Last year, Elizabeth had excessive pain and bleeding which her doctor initially thought might be due to her intrauterine device being out of place. After typical medical tests, her doctor discovered that Elizabeth was pregnant and sent her to urgent care for an ultrasound.
IUDs are a highly effective form of contraception, with a failure rate of less than one out of 100 users in the first year of insertion. In the case of pregnancy, a doctor will advise that the IUD be removed as it can cause preterm birth or miscarriage.
At the urgent care centre, they found that Elizabeth had a hemorrhaging cyst and sent her to the McMaster Women’s Clinic to speak with a gynecologist. The gynecologist thought that the pain and the bleeding were primarily from the hemorrhaging cyst, in addition to the uterine pregnancy and the IUD. The gynecologist suggested that Elizabeth check back in three days because it was possible that her body was taking care of the cyst on its own.
“That was terrifying. The thought of just sitting at home and knowing that I had no idea or control of what was happening to my body, that could potentially, it could kill me. It could change my entire future and I just would have to sit in that anxiety for three days,” said Elizabeth.
Instead of the waiting option, the gynecologist proposed an exploratory surgery. Elizabeth explained how, while at the urgent care centre, she instinctively knew something was wrong and thought it may be an ectopic pregnancy. She opted for the exploratory surgery and described being lucky because the McMaster Children’s Hospital surgery waiting rooms are decorated with stickers and moons. “Adorable,” she said.
When Elizabeth woke up from the surgery, the doctors told her that they found both a cyst and an ectopic pregnancy growing on her fallopian tube.
Ectopic pregnancies occur when a fertilized egg attaches to someplace other than the uterus and are life-threatening if left untreated. The embryo is nonviable and cannot be saved or turned into a uterine pregnancy. If the egg continues to grow in the fallopian tube, or anywhere outside the uterus, it could cause serious damage and heavy bleeding that could be deadly. Further, damage to the reproductive organs could cause problems getting pregnant in the future.
For Elizabeth, the surgeons performed a medically necessary abortion and had to remove the fallopian tube.
“The whole situation was almost like a dream because it had kind of felt like my entire existence had stopped in 18 hours and resumed again but flipped on its head,” said Elizabeth.
Elizabeth said she had a lot of support from her family and partner… “When I look at the messages that Lifeline has put out I can’t help but think about people who have been in a situation like mine who did their best to prevent it from happening — it was not my fault it wouldn’t be their fault — and they didn’t have any other option than to get surgery and have the fallopian tube, including the embryo removed,” said Elizabeth.
“I personally am someone who is very pro-choice, I believe that everybody should have the right to decide what they want to do with their body but, I can imagine for someone that doesn’t feel the same way, or at least doesn’t feel that way for themselves and wouldn’t choose to have an abortion themselves. If they see a message like the one that Lifeline has put out saying that “abortion is never medically necessary”, that could cause serious, serious harm for that person who might already be struggling with that experience of medical trauma and may now have to think to themselves, “So, I had a choice in this? If it wasn’t necessary then I just did this because I wanted to, this is somehow my fault.” It can really end up being harmful,” said Elizabeth.
Elizabeth added that Lifeline’s messaging also teaches people how to react to situations like hers.
*Name was changed to preserve identity
This article was updated April 13, 2021
Correction: April 13, 2021
An earlier version of this article included an incorrect quote that Lifeline was on probation in 2020-2021. They were on probation in 2019-2020.
Students are advocating for change, now McMaster needs to listen to them
C/O Lewis Parsons on Unsplash
By: Alexandria Peacock, Contributor
This past Friday over 175 students participated in the McMaster Climate Strike. The goal of the strike, aside from raising awareness about climate change, was to push for divestment here at McMaster University. McMaster currently invests about $22 million into fossil fuel companies, which are the leading greenhouse gas emitters.
On March 4, McMaster President David Farrar released a statement asking the Board of Governors to create a concrete plan for divestment within a specified timeline. This demand for a clear timeline and action plan for divestment was the primary goal of the McMaster Climate Strike. The strike was endorsed by several faculty societies and the McMaster Students Union which represents over 20,000 undergraduate students.
The demand for change is clear. We are well aware that climate change is the biggest threat of the 21st century and that action needs to be taken now and not in some vague future. If this strike has shown us anything, it is that the students are prepared to fight for change. So why has it taken this long for the university to commit?
If this strike has shown us anything, it is that the students are prepared to fight for change. So why has it taken this long for the university to commit?
According to a representative from Mac Climate Advocates, one of the many clubs here at McMaster which seeks to raise awareness about climate change, the Board of Governors has yet to respond to the strike. It may have only been a week since the strike, but the issue of divestment is not new. In fact, discussions concerning McMaster’s investments in the fossil fuel industry have been ongoing for the past five years.
Although the Board has recognized the need for divestment, they have yet to commit to any concrete plans on how this is to be achieved. It’s disheartening to see that our school, which is supposed to empower students to speak up and foster an environment in which we feel that our voices are heard, has chosen to ignore our demand for change.
McMaster claims to be committed to creating a “brighter world” and it is evident that the students of this school are more than capable of carrying out this legacy. But while we have the power to demand change, it is those who run this institution that are in the position to actually do something about it.
McMaster claims to be committed to creating a “brighter world” and it is evident that the students of this school are more than capable of carrying out this legacy. But while we have the power to demand change, it is those who run this institution that are in the position to actually do something about it.
I am proud to be part of a community of impassioned students capable of inspiring so many others. Last week’s strike is only one of many strides made by students here at Mac to combat climate change.
The fight for divestment did not begin nor does it end with this strike. According to a representative from Mac Climate Advocates, the McMaster Climate Strike team will continue to raise awareness about this issue and put pressure on the administration until they commit to a legitimate and achievable plan for divestment.
As cliché as it may sound, we are the future and I am glad to know that our future will be led by dedicated and passionate students that continue to fight for a better world. I can only hope that the Board would agree with me.
Gugu Mpofu shares her experiences of self-discovery, wellness and being Black in South Korea
C/O @gugumpofu
Travelling is a powerful way to broaden your perspective, grow your mindset and indulge in self-discovery. Every year, many students choose to study abroad or take a gap year to discover the world and seek new experiences. However, travelling for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, especially as a woman alone, can be scary.
Researching the safety of the destination for BIPOC is an important part of preparing for a trip abroad. Nonetheless, this did not stop McMaster alumna Gugu Mpofu from moving halfway across the globe to South Korea to teach English.
Mpofu had wanted to become a teacher since she was in high school. It was also then that she was first introduced to South Korean pop culture through K-dramas and K-pop. Four years after graduating from McMaster in 2014 with a degree in anthropology, she made the bold decision to move to a small city called Jeoncheon in South Korea and teach English.
Although Mpofu was excited to start her new journey in Korea, as a Black woman, it still came with certain fears.
“I was really scared of racism. That was my biggest fear. I was scared to go outside during the day [for the first month] because I was like, “People could see me,” and so I [went] out at night and covered myself up just in case. But nothing [racist] happened in my city,” said Mpofu.
“I was really scared of racism. That was my biggest fear. I was scared to go outside during the day [for the first month] because I was like, “People could see me,” and so I [went] out at night and covered myself up just in case. But nothing [racist] happened in my city,”
Gugu Mpofu
The locals’ response to seeing Mpofu was mostly of surprise and curiosity. Living in an ethnically homogenous country, some were seeing a Black person for the first time. They wanted to learn more about her and approached her with many questions about her story and background.
However, acts such as old ladies touching Mpofu’s hair have occurred throughout her time there. She also recalls one incident when one of her students was feeling her skin and comparing it to their own skin out of curiosity. Despite these incidents, Mpofu was glad that she was placed in a smaller city because to her surprise, she faced more overt racism in larger cities.
Most of the discrimination in bigger cities occurred in the night scene. She has been denied access to a nightclub that claimed to not allow foreigners in even though she witnessed white girls walk in before her.
Another time, she tried to tell a DJ not to use the N-word, only for the DJ to respond with hostility saying, “This is Korea, I can do whatever I want. If you don’t like it, you can leave.”
Much of the racism towards other people of colour in South Korea comes from stereotypes picked up from Western media and ignorance of the country’s own problem with racism.
Recently, with increasing global attention from the rise of Korean pop culture and movements such as Black Lives Matter, Mpofu has noticed more discussions about racism in South Korea. She has had conversations with her Korean co-workers and seen more conversations on social media platforms, such as TikTok, about BLM and Korea’s prejudices against other people of colour. Although small, there were also a few BLM protests held in South Korea.
Mpofu found her first few months difficult to adjust to the new culture. The greatest source of support and help for Mpofu was her students, who are still her favourite part of her job. She was her students’ first foreign teacher and they were excited to get to know her.
Living in a small city, teaching is one of the most popular work opportunities for foreigners. This has allowed Mpofu to also meet others who hail from outside of South Korea and even fellow Canadians.
Moving across the world to South Korea has taught Mpofu that she is resilient.
“I have much more strength than I thought I did and I can do anything as long as I put my mind to it. I don’t let fear stop me. I think [moving to South Korea] was one of the best decisions I’ve made,” said Mpofu.
“I have much more strength than I thought I did and I can do anything as long as I put my mind to it. I don’t let fear stop me. I think [moving to South Korea] was one of the best decisions I’ve made,”
Gugu Mpofu
Mpofu has also learned more about herself and become more adventurous and outgoing. She is proud of her growth as an independent woman who is able to handle difficult situations on her own and is comfortable being by herself. She has also travelled to other countries within Southeast Asia and discovered more about other culture’s ways of life.
Apart from her job as an English teacher, Mpofu shares her enthusiasm for wellness and travel through her Instagram account where she showcases ways of self-love, growth and self-care. By documenting her experiences in a foreign country as a Black woman, she hopes to show that it is safe for BIPOC to come to these places and have a positive experience.
The Mindfulness Passport is another aspect of her blog that focuses strictly on wellness and self-awareness. She offers free journal prompts to help people with self-doubt, confidence and healing.
With limited opportunities to travel during the current pandemic, these journal prompts offer a way to practice mindfulness and wellness at home. Being vulnerable and authentic with her own wellness journey has always been important to Mpofu and she is grateful for the positive responses from her audience who are on a similar path and have a similar passion for travel.
“I became this confident woman who was comfortable in her own skin [through travelling] and I just wanted to show other people that they could also be authentically confident,” explained Mpofu.
As a wellness coach in-training, Mpofu hopes to inspire and help others to be open-minded, curious and become their authentic selves.
With sports being shut down just over a year ago, Marauders reflect on their last games before the pandemic.
C/O Esra Rakab
It was March 2020, just over a year ago, when McMaster University decided to suspend or cancel all in-person classes, shut down sports and force students out of residences to completely close down its operations at the start of the pandemic.
For student-athletes, many would begin their individual home workouts, which seemed temporary at the time. One year later, this has become the new norm, as teams haven’t had a single game or match since the March 2020 cancellations.
After having missed an entire season, many of these athletes have been looking back at some of their best moments, and what made the 2019-2020 season so special for them.
Declan Sweeney, a pitcher for the McMaster men's baseball team, recalls quite a few memorable moments during their season last year.
“Our first four games we played were [University of Toronto and Ryerson University], and the next day [University of Ottawa and Carleton University], and we ended up going 4-0 in those games. That was the weekend we realized we were going to be one of the better teams that season,” said Sweeney.
“Our first four games we played were [University of Toronto and Ryerson University], and the next day [University of Ottawa and Carleton University], and we ended up going 4-0 in those games. That was the weekend we realized we were going to be one of the better teams that season.”
Declan Sweeney
Sweeney reflected on the year that the team had, mentioning the somewhat frustrating finishes, but also the massive improvements in the team.
“This season was one of those that kinda sucked because we got walked off twice in two of our tournament [elimination] games, but overall it was a very successful season,” said Sweeney.
“We had the [Ontario University Athletics] Cy Young [winner], and the OUA MVP. Along with that, we made a bunch of improvements throughout the team and had a team we felt would be very good for many years. Although it hurt that we lost these two walk-off games on the absolute soul-crushing semifinal games, I felt that as a team we were developing in the right way, and were moving towards becoming the team to beat,” Sweeny said on the high points of the team.
Tyler Kato — a member of the men's wrestling team — had also been reflecting on his past season, but in an attempt to continue improvement.
“I had a bit of a stagnancy with wrestling where I wasn’t seeing the progress I wanted to see . . . I just wasn’t feeling the drive and the fire that I used to,” explained Kato.
Since the season’s end, Kato has worked to rekindle that fire he once had. Kato used the pandemic to continue getting better by working with other world-class wrestlers, which not only helped with fundamental improvements but also the mental aspects of his game.
“For me to wrestle with them [McNeil’s], nitpick their brain all the time, and have the McMaster coaching staff helping me through technique Zoom sessions myself. . . Through what I’ve been doing now, and realizing what world-class wrestling really is, I’ve re-instilled this motivation back into my system,” said Kato on his growth over the past year of training.
“Through what I’ve been doing now, and realizing what world-class wrestling really is, I’ve re-instilled this motivation back into my system.”
Tyler Kato
Another athlete who spoke out about his last season was Justice Allin, a running back for the men’s football team. After the successful year the team had, even bringing home the Yates Cup after snapping Western University’s 29-game winning streak, there was a lot to reflect on with many emotional moments for the team.
The last game of the season for the team was against the University of Calgary Dinos in the Mitchell Bowl, one of two semifinal games for U Sports football.
“Going into it we felt really good. We were prepared mentally and physically, and we went out there and played the best game that we could’ve. Due to some self-inflicted injuries — we like to call it — we lost the game. It was emotional, as is every last game, but for some of the guys you’ve grown up with and played against for a couple of years, to see them play their last game was emotional for me, and for everybody,” said Allin.
Despite a frustrating finish to the season, Allin still reflects on the year fondly, as one would expect after a Yates Cup victory.
“The tournament [Yates Cup] was probably the biggest thrill that I’ve ever had . . .Going into it — from the beginning of the year really — we were thinking, “we are gonna win the Yates.” We had our goal set for the year, and we won the Yates,” stated Allin.
“The tournament [Yates Cup] was probably the biggest thrill that I’ve ever had.”
Justice Allin
Allin reflects on the 2019-2020 season as a very successful one for the football team, explaining how significant of an achievement a Yates Cup victory was, and how well the team played to get there.
“On a team level, that’s the best we’ve ever done since I’ve been here . . . This year was very team-oriented instead of an I. We were all individuals part of a greater scheme. Everybody got together collectively under one idea, and that was to win as a team, and we got the job done,” said Allin.
