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A month-long study of the Female Archetypes

Graphic by Semira Kosciuk

The final week features: the Lover, the Sage and the Mother.

We are at the end of our study of Female Archetypes and these are the final three: the Lover, the Sage and the Mother. In the last two weeks, I covered the Maiden and the Mystic, and the Queen and the Huntress. 

The Lover

Starting off strong with the Lover, the embodiment of sensuality and captivating passion. Please note that this particular archetype, no matter how it is spun, should not be diminished to represent a sex symbol; there is so much more behind this archetype. 

This archetype is a charismatic force field with a magnetic presence that draws people in. They spark our need for intimacy and the desire to establish meaningful and strong relationships. Tap into this one to embrace the highs and lows regarding intimacy and self-discovery. At the height of emotional intelligence, the Lover has an appreciation for aesthetics and beauty, as well as strong intuition. The most passionate of all seven archetypes, the Lover teaches us the art of attraction and intimacy.

Unfortunately, sometimes desire can be a bit of a downer. Though the Lover is apt to find intimate partners, it is hard for this archetype to form a lasting commitment. Hence, when the relationship begins to evolve past initial attraction, the Lover tends to pull away. 

A great example of the Lover is Samantha from Sex and the City—known for her animated stories about her sexual encounters, we see how hard it is for her to form a lasting connection with a man. The character, portrayed by Kim Catrall, has a certain magnetism about her, which draws people in. In mythology, Aphrodite or Venus are key examples of the Lover. The Lover compels a woman to fulfill her instincts, whether that be for procreation or pleasure. 

The Sage

The Sage embodies wisdom, insight, and intellect—she is a strategic seeker of truth, guided by reason and understanding. The Sage forms alliances with people as goal-oriented as she is, and pursues knowledge with a passion.

Female attorneys, politicians, and academics can characterize this archetype; these professions typically utilize their keen sense of strategy and stoic practicality and can be seen as mentors. For the Sage, it’s always head over heart. 

This archetype can be overly mind-focused and is not always the best at staying in the present moment. While admirable, the Sage’s strong desire for recognition for her strategic thinking results in basing self-worth on intellect alone.

Athena is a quintessential example of the Sage. She is renowned for her wisdom and intellect and serves as a mentor for various heroes as they pursue their goals. Athena also represents an emphasis on intellect over emotion—she opts for strategic planning as opposed to emotion-driven actions.

The Mother

The Mother, nurturing and compassionate and providing unconditional love, takes care of those around her and is a source of comfort. She is seen as a protector and loves selflessly, even going so far as to make great sacrifices for that love. The Mother is the one who creates our connections with nurturing, protecting, heart-centered relationships. 

This archetype cares deeply for those around her, and gains fulfillment by nurturing others. She fosters growth and her protective instinct is incredible. You’ve got a ride-or-die in the Mother archetype. This archetype is linked with creation, fertility, and responsibility—it represents a maternal instinct. 

However admirable it is for this archetype to be selfless, it can sometimes be too much. The Mother archetype often puts everyone else’s needs before her own, with little regard or attention to her own needs and wants—she gives up on her own aspirations to ensure someone else’s. It is tough for this archetype to set boundaries for her own good.

The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper has a spin-off show, in which his mother, Mary, is one of the main supporting characters. Mary Cooper embodies this archetype in many ways. She is nurturing and caring, is always there to lend a helping hand, and is always concerned about her son’s well-being—she’s a loving and supportive character who bestows emotional guidance and stability. Mary also demonstrates selfless devotion as a mother, one of the core aspects of the Mother archetype. In mythology, Demeter is representative of the Mother archetype. The Greek goddess of agriculture, fertility, and harvest, is also Persephone’s mother and is protective of her daughter when she is abducted by Hades.

And there you have it! Those are all seven of the Female Archetypes—bear in mind, no one embodies just a single one. Everyone has different aspects of these archetypes; I recognize many of my personality traits in all seven. I hope you enjoyed this little series just as much as I did researching and writing about it.

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Breaking the silence

Graphic by Carleen Loney @shloneys

Overcoming mental health struggles in the shadows of stigma.

*Trigger warning: suicide.*

I’m alive. 

That was my first bewildered thought in the aftermath of my suicide attempt. Today, I peel back the layers of secrecy to share one of the darkest chapters of my life, not as a tale of despair, but as a beacon of resilience and transformation. My journey from the brink of death to survival is not just my story—it is a testament to the critical importance of seeking help for mental health struggles, especially amidst the suffocating grasp of societal stigma.

For years, I masked my pain behind a facade of normalcy, mastering the art of deception. Each day was a balancing act between the desperate yearning for peace and the flickering ember of hope that urged me to hold on. But after nearly a decade of silent suffering, that ember of hope was finally extinguished. I had exhausted every ounce of strength, every glimmer of resilience, leaving behind a hollow shell of despair.

The weight of my mental anguish was compounded by the paralyzing fear of societal judgment. I was gripped by the insidious notion that seeking help would only burden others or worse, brand me as a social pariah. This fear kept me shackled in silence, imprisoned in a labyrinth of despair with no escape in sight.

As a young adult navigating academia, the pressure to excel only added fuel to my inner turmoil. Each day was a relentless cycle of academic rigor and emotional turmoil, with no respite in sight. The weight of expectations bore down upon me like a heavy yoke, crushing my spirit.

But amidst the darkness, a lifeline was extended to me in my hour of need. The wellness program at Concordia University offered a sanctuary of solace, a safe haven. Through mindfulness sessions and counseling services, I found a beacon of light, a guiding hand to lead me out of the abyss.

However, my journey is not just about survival—it is about breaking the silence and challenging the stigma surrounding mental health struggles. For far too long, society has shrouded these issues in secrecy and shame, perpetuating a culture of silence that suffocates those in need of help.

As teenagers and young adults, we are tasked with dismantling the barriers that stand in the way of mental health awareness and support. Initiatives at Concordia University, such as the Zen Dens, wellness programs, mindfulness sessions, and Counseling and Psychological Services, serve as examples of what is possible when we prioritize mental health and well-being.

But our work is far from over. We must actively implement strategies to improve access to mental health resources and support services, both within our schools and communities. One effective approach is to establish dedicated mental health support centers or hotlines staffed by trained professionals who can offer immediate assistance to those in need. Additionally, integrating mental health education into school curriculums can help raise awareness and reduce stigma from a young age.

To my fellow survivors, I say this: You are not alone. Your struggles do not define you. And together, we can break the silence and light the path toward healing and hope.

It is not easy to come forward and share one’s struggles with mental health. The fear of being judged or dismissed can be paralyzing, trapping us in a cycle of silence and shame. But it is precisely this fear that we must confront head-on, for our own sake and that of countless others who may be suffering in silence.

Young adults, in particular, face unique challenges when it comes to mental health. The pressures of academic success, social acceptance, and uncertain futures can weigh heavily on our shoulders, exacerbating existing struggles and making it even harder to reach out for help. Yet, it is crucial that we are taken seriously and that our voices are heard when we speak up about our mental health needs.

Every day, more than 200 people attempt suicide in Canada, a staggering statistic that underscores the urgent need for greater awareness and support for mental health issues. Behind each of these attempts lies a story that deserves to be heard and acknowledged.

As we strive to break the silence surrounding mental health struggles, let us also work to create a more compassionate and understanding society—one where seeking help is seen as a sign of strength rather than weakness, and where no one is left to fight their battles alone. Together, we can pave the way toward a brighter, more hopeful future for all.

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What’s this about female rage?

Graphic by Finn Grosu @tesdoncbenfinn

People are often surprised when I admit that I’m an angry person. I rarely show frustration or impatience, and it’s difficult for me to be vocal when someone upsets me. I think this is true for a lot of people, but especially for women. We’ve been taught that to be feminine is to act with grace and poise, even when faced with unfairness or unfortunate circumstances—to essentially grin and bear it. 

It’s no wonder, then, that the pressure of these negative emotions builds and inevitably seeks a release. This might be why there has been growing interest among young women in what has been dubbed “female rage.” What is so-called female rage and why is it important? 

The phrase refers to the uninhibited expression of women’s anger. Though female rage could be used to describe any woman’s expression of anger, this particular terminology is more typically seen in reference to representations in pop culture, such as music or films. Some examples include Alice yelling at Jack in the film Don’t Worry Darling, or songs like “Kiss With a Fist” by Florence + The Machine and “Violet” by Hole. Recently, I have seen increasing numbers of Tik Tok film scene compilations that feature screaming female characters, as well as playlists entitled “female rage” filled with songs that express pure frustration or fury. 

Young female audiences latch on to these depictions as a form of catharsis. It is refreshing, even thrilling, to see our rage be shown. This rage can come from so many sources—seemingly small issues that haven’t been given focus, not being listened to or understood, and of course the broad plights of women. Female rage is the final straw, a refusal to continue being silent.  

It could be argued that the interest in female rage is also a reaction to the glamorization of sadness. Sadness has long been romanticized—just think of the entire “sad girl” aesthetic and all of the female singers that capitalize on melancholy. This is because sadness is more easily feminized (and is often considered inherently feminine) as it is inwardly focused and self-destructive. Anger, on the other hand, is focused outward and is considered a more dangerous emotion. Therefore, it is rarely shown—and when it is shown, it is villainized. 

Women often don’t feel comfortable expressing anger because they fear being labeled as too much, unattractive or crazy. Female rage releases all of these fears and demonstrates to the world what it looks like to be pushed to the brink. It is liberating to finally be able to express this anger, but it doesn’t come easy—it’s almost always the result of ongoing repression. 

Acknowledging this repression is essential, as is investigating the reasons for women’s anger. Anger does not exist in a vacuum; it is a direct result of circumstances that need to be addressed. The fact that anger is often a call to action further emphasizes its importance. This ties into feminist philosopher Amia Srinivasan’s 2018 essay “The Aptness of Anger,” in which she establishes that anger is not counterproductive, as some might argue, but rather a fitting response to injustice. Unfortunately, those who express anger in response to their own oppression are often told to tone down their emotions in order to ensure more “productive” discussion—an easy example is women being told to “calm down” without their anger being validated. Srinivasan refers to this phenomenon as affective injustice.                                                                                                  

It must also be remarked that there is still an imbalance even within these expressions of anger. Celebrated expressions of female rage most frequently feature white women, which indicates that there are unjust levels of acceptance towards women’s expression of anger. 

The more intersectional a woman’s identity, the more “threatening” her anger becomes to oppressors and, therefore, the less it is accepted. So while it’s exciting to see women’s anger be spotlighted, there is still a long way to go in ensuring every woman is heard and addressing the causes of their anger. 

To me, this is the main point that female rage is trying to make: women have every right to be angry. That anger is there for a reason, and it deserves to be listened to. 

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“I was here”

Graffiti-covered bathroom walls. Photo by Emma Wallace // THE CONCORDIAN

The under-appreciated art of bathroom graffiti.

“Should I break up with my boyfriend?” was scrawled on the bathroom wall in Sharpie. 

Underneath, an extensive list of pros and cons. In different inks and handwriting, others had replied: “DUMP HIM NOW!” “You deserve better!!!” and “Girl, run.”

This was all on the stall door of my CEGEP bathroom that I sometimes visited just to read the writing on the walls. I amused myself reading this make-shift discussion board, shaking my head at the man being described and nodding at the advice these helpful strangers had given. A few days later, the original scribe added a final word: “I broke up with him!”

Not long after, the entire bathroom was painted over in a coat of white paint, erasing this message chain as well as hundreds of other words and doodles. I was enraged. I have always had a fierce love for bathroom wall graffiti—I would argue that what schools might call vandalism is an art form and an important form of communication. It even has a scholarly term: latrinalia. 

Latrinalia takes on so many forms, from declarations of love and other confessions to rude messages and random thoughts. The words can also be more serious, with political messages or pleas for advice. There is a stark contrast between serious messages and nonsensical scribblings. Intricate drawings sit beside crude sketches, and the notes often flip between earnest and irreverent. Because the form is entirely anonymous, people feel comfortable revealing secrets and being honest in their beliefs, which creates an ecosystem of thoughts and feelings. 

In this sense, the graffiti becomes a communication method as an ongoing dialogue with total strangers. Messages of solidarity and camaraderie are common, and people sometimes ask for advice or start lists and tallies. 

Bathroom graffiti is nothing new, either—in Pompeii, ancient graffiti revealed insults, jokes, and slogans. In The Guardian, Chiara Wilkinson writes: “Since ancient Rome, public bathroom scrawl – or latrinalia – has proved its power to entertain and enrage as well as highlighting society’s most divisive issues.” 

It’s interesting to see which bathrooms on campus and across the city have the best graffiti. The women’s bathrooms on the third floor bathroom of the VA building and the second floor of the EV building are some of my favourites. Of course, bar bathrooms are excellent too; The Bar Le Ritz bathroom is a classic. 

Bar bathrooms are particularly special because they tend to embrace the graffiti rather than paint over it. This isn’t always the case across campus, of course. “White paint is political” declares a stairwell in the VA that is repeatedly painted over in the quest for a blank wall. The relentless erasure is especially disappointing in an arts building—so long as the messages aren’t hateful, they should be respected. Who gets to decide what is valid art and what isn’t?

It might sound stupid, but bathroom graffiti is important. It’s a reflection of what’s on people’s minds—what brings us together, what divides us. It’s collaborative but also controversial, and I would even go so far as to call it a folk art. Its longevity is a testament to its power: humans were scratching “I was here” on the bathroom wall thousands of years ago and will continue to do so for as long as there’s a bathroom wall to write on.

On that note—mere days after a coat of white paint erased my favourite bathroom graffiti, the walls were again plastered with Sharpie and pen marks. Just as they should be. 

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In memoriam: Wield your words carefully

Graphic by Carleen Loney @shloneys

How my already broken heart was shattered by a joke.

Trigger warning: suicide, loss.

“Ugh, it’s so disappointing that Concordia’s windows are suicide-proof,” declared a random Concordia student on a random afternoon at the Hall Building. A loud giggle ensued.

Gen Z is often criticized for being too touchy and sensitive—they call us the “snowflake” generation. I wrote a story on trigger warnings last year and often had people tell me: “You youngsters take everything so seriously.”

That student might’ve simply been laughing with their friends because they couldn’t open a fourth-floor window. It might have been an inside joke. I can try to understand that. But it wasn’t a random afternoon for me.

I felt numb sitting there, trying to study with the knot in my throat. I had a funeral the next day that I couldn’t attend, and it was breaking my heart all over again. Three weeks prior, I’d received a message that shattered me—someone I admire and respect beyond words had died by suicide.

It felt so unreal and unfair to lose someone who believed in me with such force that I had no other choice but to believe in myself too. This was someone whose days in my life deeply impacted who I am and where I’m going. Someone whose convictions drove them and who always encouraged me to do the same.

The student gleefully skipped back to their friend group, whispering and laughing about the “major side-eye” I’d given them. They didn’t know their joke had inadvertently reopened a wound. They didn’t know it also made me replay (too many) close calls I’d had with friends. They didn’t know, but they might not have considered it.

Did you know the suicide death rate is twice the road mortality rate? Every single day, nearly three people die by suicide in this province, according to the Centre de prévention du suicide de Québec (CPSQ). For every suicide in Quebec, there are 30 attempts, says the Suicide Prevention Centre of Montreal (SPCM). 

Odds are that you know someone who’s struggling, if it isn’t yourself.

The irony of it is that I also have no way of knowing if that student has ever gone through this, or if they’re struggling with their own mental health and joking about it is their coping mechanism. I considered the possibility though. I’m being careful with my words now. I’m asking the same kindness of you.

While it can sometimes feel like people are too sensitive, is it so hard to be a tad more considerate—especially when using dark humour in public? Someone right next to you might be grieving, might be struggling, might be right on the edge.

I’m not saying that we should all constantly censor ourselves. I believe in freedom of expression, and I am an avid user of dark humour myself. However, I am aware of my audience, especially when surrounded by strangers—I don’t know who might receive my comment as a gut punch, so I’d rather err on the side of caution.

The person I am grieving taught me this: Wielding words is wielding power. In their memory, I am reiterating that concept. Words have weight. Words hurt.

In this harsh world, kindness and consideration make a difference. Words and actions have an impact. Make yours positive.

If you or a loved one is struggling, please know there are resources available to help in English and French throughout Quebec, available 24/7.

Suicide Crisis Helpline: 9-8-8

Centre de prévention du suicide de Québec (CPSQ): 1 866 APPELLE (1 866 277-3553)

Visit Suicide.ca for additional resources, tips and tools.

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Quashing isolation through the third place

Le Frigo Vert, an alternative health and community space near Concordia's downtown campus. CATHERINE REYNOLDS // The Concordian

These spaces encourage casual social connection and are essential for community building. 

It’s crazy how easy it is to feel isolated when there are so many people all around us. University and other school settings are the environments in which we’re surrounded by the most opportunities for social connection and community-building, yet so many students still suffer from the feeling of loneliness. 

People I know have reported feeling as though they aren’t connected to their universities, that they go to school for class and then come home, living in a state of separation from the places they inhabit. “University doesn’t feel like an experience,” my friend confessed the other day. 

On this topic, I highly recommend the video essay “third places, stanley cup mania, and the epidemic of loneliness” by YouTuber Mina Le. She delves into this phenomenon, namely in the context of young people having difficulty forming strong social connections in an age where so much of our connection happens online. The cure? Third places. 

Third places are spaces whose primary function is social connection. While the first place is the home and the second place is work, the third place is somewhere that’s accessible to the public with little or no monetary restriction, and provides the opportunity to just casually hang out. In a third place, you might run into people without planning to or meet people you might not have met under normal circumstances. Think community centers, public parks, lounges, and cafés.

One reason third places are so special is that there is little effort required to have these social connections. It’s increasingly difficult these days to make plans, with conflicting schedules and the stress of university. Third places are low-pressure and low-commitment, and provide the thrill of spontaneity as well as the comfort of familiarity. 

In The Atlantic, journalist Allie Conti wrote about the “forgotten art of hanging out” and the decline of third places as leisure becomes more privatized. With rising prices and growing mistrust among individuals, third places have become less accessible. I would argue that as we grow older, third places also become more and more difficult to find. As kids, we had mandated third places in the form of recess, and it seems like most of high school was spent hanging out in random stairwells and hallways rather than learning. 

Once we graduate school entirely, third places become nearly non-existent, especially for people who work from home or simply work too much. In university, we’re at a unique point where third places are everywhere, but nobody is forcing us into them. It’s therefore up to the individual to seek them out, and I think everybody should do so. 

I’m a huge fan of third places, and have always been at my happiest when there’s been a good third place to engage in. My entire CEGEP experience was one big third place, because I lived, went to school, and worked in the same building. This sort of community enhances life so much and is essential for well-being. Third places at and around Concordia include student lounges, the library (if, like me, you spend 95 per cent of your time there mindlessly chattering), and Frigo Vert, the quintessential third place.

Of course, third places do still require effort from the individual—they aren’t an instant cure for a lack of connection. The key is that they provide practice and opportunities. It’s too easy to come into school everyday and never truly engage. But if you’ve been craving a better sense of community, go to the third places. 

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A month-long study of Female Archetypes

Graphic by Carleen Loney @shloneys

This week’s features: the Maiden and the Mystic.

We are back for another week with our female archetypes! Quick recap: each week for International Women’s Month, I’ll be exploring the seven female archetypes. 

The Maiden

Jumping right into it, we’ve got the Maiden and the Mystic archetypes (don’t they sound so cool paired together like that?)—the former typically being a symbol of youth and new beginnings and the latter, a beam of wisdom and insight. 

Tap into your inner Maiden to unleash intuition, creativity, and potential for growth, all going hand in hand. She summons new beginnings and an effervescent, youthful quality. This archetype can be seen as embodying the concept of a rite of passage—when you begin something completely new, such as a career or relationship, it is common to rework your identity so that you enter the situation with a fresh perspective. Most frequently, it’s the depiction of a young girl just on the cusp of adulthood, discovering the world with wonder. 

The Maiden exudes innocence, a certain vulnerability, and curiosity; I guess you could say that this is an archetype with the potential to have significant “character growth,” whether good or bad. The Maiden cultivates her agency and inner strength because of the hurdles she is facing or will overcome, all of which become central parts of her personality mosaic. 

The best example in myth would be Persephone and her journey to the Underworld. Quick little synopsis: she was abducted by the God of the Underworld, Hades, and became Queen of the Underworld. In real life, take Audrey Hepburn as an example, especially in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Always an icon, Hepburn portrayed the elusive, fun-loving Holly Golightly. Despite her tragic backstory, Holly was able to put it behind her and enjoy life as she saw fit. She accepted her past but did not let it define her, and instead used it as her strength.

However, the Maiden can easily be drawn to dangerous relationships due to her naivety. She can also struggle to make decisions for herself or be unable to take her life by the reins. 

The Mystic

There is always something fresh and natural about her, and she is able to hold on to her youth even as she matures. 

The Mystic is very inward-focused, and seeks balance within herself; characterising the concept of “growth in private.” She focuses on inner fulfilment and loves her time alone to work on herself from the inside out. She seeks truth to expand on her own consciousness and knowledge, an utmost asset.

This archetype embodies wisdom, spiritual insight, and intuition. She is very in tune with herself, seeks upgrades for herself, and herself alone, and develops a keen sense of self-awareness. She is also serenely perceptive, and seeks inner peace through living a meaningful life in her own control.

Take Grace Kelly for example; an American actress turned Princess of Monaco. In photos, she gives the impression of keeping to herself, almost in a detached way, and was said to be quite shy, even as a child. As I researched this archetype, I noticed how even in the photos of the late Princess Grace, there was a sense of mystery about her—it might be her demeanour or her expressions, but there is definitely a calm and focused serenity about her, which can be attributed to the Mystic.

Unfortunately, it is easy for Mystics to detach themselves emotionally from various situations. While this is great in some aspects, it prevents them from letting themselves fully feel their emotions because they’ve pushed them away. Along with this comes emotional distance, so the Mystic can often assume a cold and distant demeanour. It is easy to lose touch with reality when focusing on inner work, which is also a risk.

So, given the archetypes this week and last, which would you say you embody at this time? Remember, it can change as you grow, whether that be in age or in self —personally, I’ve seen myself in different archetypes at various ages. Check back next week for the final three! 

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Rethinking our approach to learning

Graphic by Carleen Loney @shloneys

Higher education should be a blessing, not a curse. 

Learning often doesn’t feel as meaningful as it should. I am often frustrated by how easily my attention slips away from my academics and how little I retain after hours of class time. The reality for many students is a daily cycle of cramming information and then regurgitating it, only to forget or never fully understand said information. 

Because of the sheer volume of material we’re given to consume, we’re often unable to give it the attention and interest it deserves. Stress levels are ridiculously high with no time to breathe and sit with what we’re being taught. So many students are constantly in a frenzy, struggling to keep up with what is required of them to achieve high results. They aren’t enjoying their education, only doing their best to survive it. 

We’re in dire need of solutions. One such solution is creative teaching methods that emphasize genuine engagement. I spoke to Professor Norman Cornett, a former McGill professor who realized that the standard approach to learning was having a destructive effect on his students. These students were suffering, and falling through the cracks of a system that only pushed them down farther. 

Upon this realization, Cornett adopted what he refers to as the “dialogic” method, a method that spotlights engaging dialogue about educational material by encouraging stream-of-consciousness thought and unfiltered opinion. He allowed students to share uninhibited responses to works and invited creators to engage with these reactions, thus forming a dialogue between student and material.

This was often achieved through creative practices (such as making students listen to a symphony in the dark, to name one example) that sought to emphasize the individual needs and interests of the students, and to present material in a way that wasn’t the typical “read and regurgitate” practice. “Imagination represents one of the foremost assets human beings innately possess,” said Cornett. “To realize its full potential, higher education must therefore harness the imagination as an essential dynamic of learning.” 

But beyond professors reconsidering their own teaching methods, what can be done by students who are at the mercy of educational structures? Change is slow, and we’re subjected to degree requirements and rigorous curriculums. A few solutions can help you maximize your experience. 

Choosing courses whose content reflects your own interests whenever possible, as well as engaging more with professors and seeking out instructors that present material in a way that works for you, are just some of these solutions.

It’s also helpful to consider alternatives or supplements to higher education entirely. A degree doesn’t need to be the emblem of success—we’ve all seen those lists of successful figures who never graduated. The knowledge that comes from non-curricular books, interpersonal learning, and life experiences like traveling can be just as (if not more) valuable. I’m not saying you should drop out when school gets tough, only consider all the possibilities in your life’s trajectory.

It has already been said by many that the education system is deeply flawed. Students need more time to breathe and more space to actually absorb what is being taught. More than that, they need to be engaged more deeply with the material. This will require imaginative solutions, and the willingness to accept that learning could be so much more. 

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A month-long study of the Female Archetypes

Graphic by Semira Kosciuk

This week’s features: the Huntress and the Queen.

In honour of International Women’s month, I wanted to look at the seven Female Archetypes: the Queen, the Huntress, the Maiden, the Mother, the Sage, the Mystic, and the Lover. The concept of archetypes first came from Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist—though he created the concept, he didn’t actually establish the female archetypes. All of the credit goes to Jean Shinoda Bolen, who coined the term. 

As much as we try to not put people into strict boxes, it’s always interesting to feel some sort of untold connection to other women. Personally, I’m a bit wary of anything of this sort (who knows how accurate they actually are), but it makes for a fun little research project. 

Now, what better month than March to look into these archetypes? Every week for the rest of the month I’ll delve into two or three of the seven. It might seem like ‘highfalutin mumbo jumbo’ but maybe getting to know these archetypes and channeling your connection with them could help you understand yourself, your personality, and what energy you embody a bit more. Just stick with me.

The Queen

First up, we’ve got the Queen, the embodiment of feminine power. As it may be obvious, she is able to attract the finer things in life for herself as an automatic leader. Elegance, regality, and grace are some words she personifies, and she is constantly building herself up to be the best version of herself. Take Princess Catherine, for example; she carries herself with a certain dignity and elegance, not to mention regality. The Queen channels confidence and poise, and allies herself with like-minded people of substance. 

The Queen archetype is one that many women  aspire to embody, but it’s also important to remember that every archetype or personality has its own flaws.

That being said, the Queen can be prone to arrogance and a sense of entitlement.; even the best of us suffer from putting an act on to mask an insecurity. They can also be easily threatened by other women.

For a bit of perspective, in mythology Hera, Juno, Frigg, Isis, Parvati, or Asherah are great examples of the Queen archetype. They take charge, protect, and are loyal. Some real life examples include the lovely Nancy Reagan, Beyoncé, or (though not actually real) Miranda Priestly from “The Devil Wears Prada.” Each of these women have had problems thrown at them that they dealt with grace; yet, as seen with Ms. Priestly, your power can inevitably get the better of you.

The Huntress

She is independent, she is ambitious… she is the Huntress and lives life on her own terms. Self-reliant with the mission of pursuing her goals, she has a strong and autonomous nature with a desire to be the dominant figure in the room. The Huntress, or the Wild Woman Archetype, is strong, independent, and seeks out her freedom, which is of the utmost importance to her.  The trademark for this one is autonomy, and choosing your own path in life without influence from others.

If you need to feel protected, channel your inner Huntress—it is she who will make you feel protected. If you’re striving towards a certain goal, she’s got you. I think that during the suffragette movements, all of those women were channeling their inner Huntress, but limited to the positive aspects of this type.

The cons of being the Huntress is usually the belief that she can do it all by herself, and her refusal to seek help from others. The Huntress fears vulnerability, and can sometimes shut herself off in order to cope alone (I think we’ve all been there).

Some examples of the Huntress archetype include Lady Gaga, Wonder Woman, Tauriel from The Hobbit, and in myth, Diana, Artemis, Ishtar, or Oya. The goal-driven and self-sufficient archetype is a force to be reckoned with. If this is the one you want to embody but don’t know where to begin, put on a face: pretend you’re acting and the part is of someone independent who does not shy away from achieving their goals because they know that they’ll achieve them no matter what.

At the risk of sounding like a horoscope prediction on the back page of a newspaper, check in next week for a breakdown of two more archetypes!

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Ethical dilemmas of “both sides” journalism

Should journalists always strive for neutrality?

The Society of Professional Journalists states in its Code of Ethics that journalists should make sure to report information that is accurate, fair, and ethical. To do so, one of the traditional methods can be to seek both sides of a story to cover each point of view equally. However, despite being efficient in certain cases, 55 per cent of American journalists believe that this method has limitations that may not always make it the best approach to follow, according to recent Pew Research Center data.

This reflection started to make full sense to me after I encountered my first ethical challenge as a newcomer in journalism. As part of two distinct photojournalism projects, I coincidentally ended up photographing two individuals involved in a juridical conflict. The way I learned about this situation was when the first person I worked with attempted to influence me to support their side after I posted the photos I took of the second person. 

I learned that the first person who was trying to involve me in this situation was being accused by the other party of infractions that were at the opposite of my values, such as harassment. Consequently, I started to feel torn up by the following dilemma: Should I publish both projects, potentially giving equal weight to conflicting perspectives, or should I cease collaboration with the individual whose values diverge from mine? This dilemma led me to confront the tension between maintaining journalistic objectivity, and whether or not it should be a prerequisite for truth-seeking and upholding personal values.

According to a PBS Standards article, one issue with reporting both sides is that it can lead to the creation of false equivalences. This term refers to when a person portrays two sides of an argument as equivalent even when one relies on factual evidence and the other does not. For instance, despite the consensus among a majority of scientists that human activity impacts climate change, some individuals still attempt to balance this research with arguments from climate change skeptics.

Ironically, doing “both-sided” journalism can also lead to the creation of biases in the newsrooms, by questioning the ability of some journalists to cover topics about their own communities. Journalists from marginalized communities are often not considered able to share opinions about a controversial topic they might have an intimate knowledge of. 

In an interview, Dr. Crittenden gave the example of a Black journalist who hadn’t been allowed to cover an issue related to racism, because of a tweet she had posted about the topic—something that her editor perceived as a bias.

In other cases, newsrooms can view journalists from underrepresented groups as token “resource persons” who should exclusively cover topics about their communities, which sometimes pushes reporters into sensitive situations when it comes to covering “both sides.”

In an article, journalist and president of the board of directors for NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists Ken Miguel qualified an interview he had to conduct with a lawmaker opposed to same-sex marriage. This experience, apart from affecting his mental health, pushed Miguel to question the fairness of reporting the arguments of this lawmaker, which sometimes contradicted statements made by the medical community in debates such as gender-affirming care for trans youth. Instead, Ken Miguel suggests focusing on the importance of grounding reports in facts, rather than automatically giving too much credit to the opposing point of view.

These ethical questions led me to think of a more nuanced approach that prioritizes accuracy while reporting the news, with emphasis on contextualizing each piece of information and being transparent. It also encourages a diversity of storytelling by including more underrepresented groups in the newsrooms. There isn’t a universal solution to make journalism more ethical, but the work methods and conditions of the people making the news is a good place to start. People shouldn’t be forced to cover what they don’t feel comfortable reporting about. 

Coming back to my initial photojournalistic ethical dilemma, I decided to stop working on the project that included that first person who was pushing me to take their side while they were being accused of harassment by the other person I had published the photos of. After torturing myself for days with the dilemma, I concluded that it was the best option.

 I realized that it wouldn’t have felt right to keep working on these two projects and remain neutral and objective when it was challenging my ethics so much. I believe that it would’ve not only negatively impacted my work, but also my mental health, which probably wouldn’t have led to the newsworthy project of the year. This is why: I don’t want to do “both-sides” journalism (at least, not always).

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The (hero’s) journey into Trust and Safety

Graphic by Finn Grosu @tesdoncbenfinn

Communications professionals and recent graduates are taking a closer look at one of the most prominent fields of the digital age.

The number of recent graduates in arts and communication in Quebec has increased in the last few years. According to Statistics Canada, 6,177 students graduated from the program in 2021. With 84.6 per cent working full-time jobs related to their education in 2022, there is still a significant unemployment rate for those who haven’t started their professional lives after university.

As Sarah T. Roberts points out in her book Behind the Screen: Content Moderation in the Shadows of Social Media,, working with commercial content moderation (which is part of Trust and Safety) is an open door for many recent graduate students to start their careers. Considering a journey into the so-called T&S before touching the diploma can be a nice strategy to get off to a good start in a prominent field.

Briefly explained by Inbal Goldberger, T&S is the practice of ensuring the safety of users and the integrity of online platforms. These professionals are responsible for minimizing the risk of users’ exposure to harmful content and ensuring acceptable behaviour. Commercial content moderators screen user-generated content posted to internet sites, social media, and other online outlets. This may take place before the material is submitted for inclusion or distribution on a site, or after material has already been uploaded.

The Trust & Safety Professional Association states that more than 100,000 T&S professionals play a critically important role toward a shared goal of ensuring online safety around the world. They deal with commercial content moderation, guidelines, legal compliance, strategic implementations, and much more. As social media and digital communities are growing each day, companies need to figure out what online behavior is fair and what is not. They need new minds.

The first advantage to this field is the enormous sense of community. These T&S professionals are often connected among LinkedIn organizations, events, and webinars, which have become  essential digital places to share knowledge and experiences. 

As this field is a relatively new one within the digital sphere and there’s no degree requirement (yet), the mission of sharing knowledge is part of the spirit of these professionals. They come from different fields, they have different perspectives about the digital space, and they are open to sharing their journey. It’s very common to see them suggesting paths for beginners who seek training or guidance to eventually apply for T&S positions. 

Besides bringing visibility to digital threats and knowing how to face malicious behaviors and harmful content, T&S is also influenced by global events and technological advances as highlighted by Active Fence, one of the biggest companies of the sector. It’s expected for communicators to be alert to events, another asset for arts and communications graduates. 

In this progressing sector, a migration from different fields is needed to win the war against negative digital practices. Professionals and students who want to invest in it should be aware of the community’s accessible offerings. Career opportunities are available for professionals to find a valuable path toward making the internet a better place to be. It’s clear how open T&S professionals are to bringing newcomers closer to their own hero narrative with braveness to face the challenges from the online universe. 

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The trouble with “young and beautiful”

Graphic by Finn Grosu @tesdoncbenfinn

What’s up with our fixation on female youth?

Three years ago, I was terrified to turn 18. Now with my 21st birthday approaching, I’m completely unbothered. In those three years, I’ve been able to unlearn what made me so afraid to get older. 

When I was 17, I was painfully aware of the fact that the world affirmed that this was the most desirable age to be. With songs constantly drilling lyrics like “Well, she was just seventeen/ You know what I mean” (“I Saw Her Standing There”) and “Young and sweet/Only seventeen” (“Dancing Queen”) into my mind, I easily jumped to the conclusion that the moment I turned 18, I would be deemed a spinster. In Lana Del Rey’s lyric, “Will you still love me when I’m no longer young and beautiful?” the two adjectives are fundamentally linked: young and beautiful must go together. 

This mentality is one we’re introduced to in early childhood. Disney is (as always) the main culprit: the heroine is the young and innocent princess, and the villain is the old witch who is jealous of her younger counterpart’s beauty. “By reinforcing this binary in popular culture, the media capitalizes on the association that old women are ‘bad’ and young women are ‘good’” writes Reese Martin in The Michigan Daily.  

Point-blank, this mentality is just creepy. The fixation on female youth is indicative of a massive psychological issue with what society considers desirable. Youth is linked to beauty partially because the innocence of youth is linked to naivety. In a male-gaze dominated society, it’s hard to overlook the fact that someone who is naive and demure is more malleable and obedient. Coincidence?

As always, women are held to a completely different beauty standard than men. Female celebrities are constantly scrutinized for aging like normal human beings, whereas male celebrities are applauded and revered for becoming “silver foxes” (gag). Female actresses also get phased out of film roles much faster than their male co-stars. When Maggie Gyllenhaal was 37, she was deemed “too old” to play the love interest of a 55 year-old man. This is because women are taught that their youth is intrinsically tied to their beauty, and their beauty is deemed to define their worth. 

Another aspect of the fear of growing old is the pervasive belief that these are the “best years of our lives.” Countless coming-of-age films affirm that these are the years we should be having unforgettable adventures, making life-long friendships, and falling in love. Supposedly, we’re in our prime. For women, this is especially ingrained due to the “biological clock” that dictates we must marry and have kids by a certain age.

On the contrary, life doesn’t have to follow this timeline. The whole notion of a “prime” is backward, as people are constantly evolving. Valuable experiences don’t have an expiry date, even if you do decide to “settle down.” Life is rarely so linear. 

Here’s what I’ve learned in the last three years: there’s no rush. I’m still young, and besides, getting older isn’t a bad thing. I’m not going to cater my self-worth and life trajectory to some twisted notion of what youth represents. The years will pass regardless—might as well embrace them. 

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