Category: Opinions

Jaden Smith is ushering in a new era of fashion where men wear skirts and mesh tanks

An important change is taking place in the world of fashion: the movement towards a more androgynous state. I for one am absolutely ecstatic that fashion is moving towards this new direction and how this androgyny is becoming more mainstream.

One of the conveyors of this change is none other than Jaden Smith, who recently became the new face of Louis Vuitton.

Posing in a stunning skirt and a mesh top alongside female models, the son of Will Smith makes a bold statement as the new face of a womenswear collection.

Smith, who has previously delved into acting and music, has become something of a social media phenomenon over the past year. He’s previously been photographed wearing skirts and has been blurring the lines of fashion and gender in the process.

Whether you care to admit it or not, fashion plays an integral role in society; for better or worse, that is for you to decide. Besides giving us a means to clothe ourselves, the fashion industry gives people an opportunity to express themselves daily.

However, fashion has also been used as a means to divide society, whether through class, wealth and most prominently, gender. It has been ingrained within us that women wear dresses and skirts that represent femininity, while men are confined to the traditional suit and tie that exemplifies the rigidity of a gender divided fashion industry.

This was the case until the later part of the 20th century. With the rise of third-wave feminism and queer theory, members of society have begun to realize just how rigid the gender construct is, and how the non-binary is just as valid an identity.

But what do others think of this change? I decided to talk to my fellow Concordians to see what they thought.

Creative writing student Danielle Eyer weighed in and said fashion was separating itself from gender.

“We say ‘dresses’ rather than women’s clothes, because it is perfectly acceptable for a person of any gender, meaning female, male, or someone not ascribing to the gender binary, to wear a dress or other traditionally ‘feminine’ clothes,” Eyer said.

“We are moving toward a world in which clothing has no gender, which absolutely has its rewards,” said.

Fellow English literature student Bronwyn Haney chimed in and agreed, but has her concerns about how this movement will be taken advantage of.

“I worry that men will once again be able to use this as an exercise of privilege, as in by wearing something feminine and having no repercussions,” Haney said. “A woman is judged heavily on her appearance, dress size, choice of clothing, and it often leads to greater social issues.”

She also worries about its effect on trans people. “It will take away a sense of power given to trans women in being able to affirm their identity in the early stages of transition,” said Haney.

But she does think that this could be used to “protect trans women from abuse.”

Fashion channeled through clothing is a pivotal part of personal expression. If people—especially teenagers and young adults—are granted the freedom to wear what makes them feel most comfortable and in touch with themselves without scrutiny or judgment, I am positive it will do wonders for their self-esteem and image.

The Academy Awards feature an all white ensemble again, but are the Oscars really to blame?

For another consecutive year, the Oscars are being reprimanded for the lack of diversity in the acting categories. This time, the crowd behind the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag has grown much louder, with just about everyone who is anyone in Hollywood commenting on the issue amidst talks of boycotts and abrupt changes in the Academy’s rules. It’s easy to side with protesters and see an injustice here, but is this furor worth your time at all?

The answer is, hardly so. Because, in the end, who has been most vocal about boycotting this Oscar ceremony? None other than Jada Pinkett Smith and Spike Lee, both of whom have a dog in this fight, so to speak. Pinkett Smith’s husband, Will Smith, was the star of Oscar contender Concussion, while Spike Lee directed Chiraq. Neither film ended up being nominated. I can’t be the only one made uncomfortable by the fact that both Pinkett Smith, who was nowhere to be found during last year’s controversy, and Lee are speaking out, as both of them have a personal interest in the Oscar race.

The outrage is made even more absurd by the fact that the Academy has awarded many black actors over the years, with Hattie McDaniel winning an Oscar as early as 1940, at a time of actual racial segregation, and 12 Years a Slave winning Best Picture as recently as 2014. When a film or a performance stands out and has all the ingredients that make it an awards contender, the Academy is known to take notice.

Year after year, once nominations are announced in the month of January, there’s just as much talk about who made the cut than about who didn’t. With only five spots to fill in most categories, and many more contenders, perceived snubs are bound to happen. How do you objectively measure the worth of an acting performance, or even of a film as a whole? Any critical evaluation is subjective to the person who formulates it. There’s no math in deciding who gave the best acting performance—any such opinion is arbitrary.

The Academy has decided that the best performances of the last two years have been given by white people. That is a defendable opinion, which no one should have to apologize for. Can you name an actor of colour who you find deserving of a nomination for a 2014 film? David Oyelowo comes to mind for his role in Selma, and… no one else. What about 2015? Concussion suffered from mixed reviews, while Straight Outta Compton and Creed lacked the prestige to make it into most categories. Idris Elba was the most obvious snub, but Beasts of No Nation was a Netflix production, likely ignored for that reason.

Which is not to say that Hollywood does not have a racial unbalance. It clearly does. Not enough roles are written for actors of colour, not enough minorities are cast in race-neutral roles. Not nearly enough female and ethnic minority directors get to make films that would speak for them. But to criticize the Academy for not nominating films that barely exist in the first place, and to blame that on the racism of its members, is simply dishonest and libelous.

The Academy has now decided to review its rules by disqualifying voters who are inactive in the industry and vowing to include more minority voters for diversity’s sake. What message does that send? These changes, made abruptly with no investigation and only in response to a public outrage, should be taken as an insult to Academy members, who come across not as a whole body of professionals, but as a bunch of segregated communities. The assumption that each member will only vote for people of their own background is in itself a sign of prejudice, and an affront to these people’s professionalism. One change the Academy still has to make is actually requiring its voters to see the very films they vote for.

At the end of the day, there’s nothing academic about an Academy that turns itself into a crowd-pleasing show, that elects to disregard artistry in order to make a cheap political point. While this overblown controversy has gotten so much coverage, how many of you have heard of the events in Flint, MI, a majority African-American city that has found its water contaminated with lead? Now that’s a story worth investing your energy in.

Why every student seeking an adventure should study abroad

I was a scrawny little 19 year-old kid in my first year at Concordia University when I began to educate myself about potentially studying abroad in my second year. I love Montreal, but your 20’s are a time for exploration and adventure. An Exchange provides all these opportunities allowing students to discover what’s beyond their university campus.

When I tell Montrealers that I studied abroad for a year, the first thing they usually ask me is, “Why California?” Given that I had never lived on my own, I wasn’t looking for a big culture shock—I wanted to stay in North America.

Like any Quebecer who travels to California for the first time, the palm trees and the calm demeanor of the people had me completely mesmerized. Sights aside, what truly made the experience phenomenal though were the people I encountered.

Among exchange students, everybody generally becomes friends right away. People are readily open to embrace other people’s cultures and ways of life.

I remember spending so much time throughout the year talking about what we observed in regards to Californian and American culture. We exchange students would share our thoughts regularly through the lens of our own culture, whether Canadian, British, French, Japanese and so on.

With Los Angeles being an entertainment capital, I got to visit the set of the Late Late show for a special taping when transitioning between former host Craig Ferguson and current host James Corden.

The ultimate climax came when I saw the taping of the series finale of “Two and a Half Men” and was briefly in the presence of the stunning Mila Kunis. This was a true Hollywood experience that could not have taken part anywhere else in the world.

As a sports fan I got to visit some incredible baseball stadiums including Angel Stadium in Anaheim, which has one of most impeccable center field backdrops. I even was fortunate enough to go to those ballparks multiple times and set foot on the pitcher’s mound and in the dugouts of Angel Stadium.

The provincial government provides travel bursaries that pay students up to $1,000 per month while abroad to help cover expenses, with many campuses offering part-time jobs as well—depending on your host country. The experience doesn’t necessarily have to break either, with students paying the exact same tuition as they would here in Quebec.

Either way, I can assure you that taking out an extra student loan to finances this adventure is worthwhile, because the student exchange program experience is more than just traveling and making friends, it’s both those things and more that come together in such an incredibly unique way.

So for your own benefit, if you’re debating whether or not to go on exchange—just go. Take advantage of this amazing opportunity and make sure you never look back with regret, because you’ll live with that lingering “what if” question for the rest of your life.  

Hollywood is tapping into the stagnant well of sequels and remakes

The practice of remaking movies is as old as film-making itself. Silent films were remade into talkies once the technology allowed it, and some of the most memorable films fall into the category of reboots and remakes.

Many movies are actually remakes, including Al Pacino’s classic Scarface—is actually an ode to an earlier original. And the seminal rom-com You’ve Got Mail recycles the plot of 1940’s The Shop Around the Corner, but with a modern twist.

The problem is that these reboots and remakes are completely unnecessary. I’m talking about movies that only come to fruition for those dubious capitalist reasons. As of Jan. 8, 2016, there are 105 reboots and remakes that are being planned according to Den of Geek, a website that reviews television shows and movies.

This means movie-goers will once again be bombarded by recycled remakes and reboots—this raises the question: “Why?” Well, they have a built-in audience who will purchase a ticket for the sake of nostalgia. This sentiment is a powerful force that Hollywood has ultimately capitalized on, realizing that the formula can reap great financial success.

Who didn’t love watching the Power Rangers after school in the ‘90s? The beloved show about teenagers with colorful costumes fighting giant monsters is getting a reboot slated for release Jan. 17, 2017. And you know what, I bet you it’s going to make a TON of money—more money than you will see in your life.

It doesn’t matter if it’s going to suck or not. Twentysomethings are going to eat that up. There’s already a bunch of people on social media hyping up for this movie, and a trailer hasn’t even been released.

Take a look at the latest Star Wars installment.

A month before the film premiered in December, pre-sale tickets broke records, making over $100 million, according to Forbes. This is not a shocker though, the franchise is 38 years old. The fandom contains multiple generations, all curious about the fate of their beloved characters, there was no way the movie would fail financially.

The worst culprit of these crimes against original movies is the ubiquitous superhero genre. Everyone who hasn’t been living under a rock in the past 50 years knows the origin stories of Spiderman and Batman.

The sagas of Peter Parker and Bruce Wayne have acquired a permanent space in the public’s imagination. The last movie of each franchise came out less than five years ago, with the newest addition hitting theatres in the month of March.

Yet Sony already has the release date for their third Spiderman relaunch (July 7, 2017, for those who are interested) and there are rumours swirling about Ben Affleck directing and portraying a new solo Batman by 2018 according to IMBD.

This is absolutely ridiculous, I have reboot fatigue.

The worst part is that Hollywood does not learn from its mistakes. Take the Fantastic Four franchise. The original movie came out in 2005 to middling reviews. Despite the lackluster results, the film released a sequel two years later.

Once again, the sequel failed to live up to expectations and Fox decided to cut future sequels. In 2009, talks of a reboot began. Fast forward to August 2015, a new Fantastic Four film was released. It failed miserably with audiences and critics alike, losing an estimated $80 to $100 million according to hollywoodreporter.com. I would not be at all surprised if the studio announces another film in the works.

Look, I am exhausted by these derivatives. I do not need to see uncle Ben die again, or witness Godzilla destroy another bustling metropolis—the latter of which is getting a sequel in 2018 while Dirty Dancing is getting the T.V.-movie treatment.

Does the audience need these remakes? No. Are these movies going to leave an indelible mark on movie history? Definitely not. Will audiences flock to these films? Probably not.

Will these movies make money off of cheap nostalgia and aggressive marketing? Absolutely. Inessential remakes are like junk food: comfortable, easily accessible, and relatively harmless.

I for one, am sick of being fed junk and am ready to cut the fat.

You’d go to the doctor if your leg hurt everyday, so why not seek help for mental health?

These past few weeks, you might’ve seen commercials supporting Bell’s annual Let’s Talk campaign, which takes place this year on Jan. 27.

The commercials feature people alternately  dismissing and then expressing genuine concern over their colleagues’ mental health issues. These ads highlight the often-taboo nature of mental illness and how it’s sometimes not taken seriously, but the facts show that mental illness and its consequences are all too real.

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, one in five Canadians will experience some form of mental illness in their lifetime. It’s also estimated that 22 per cent of Canadians have mood or anxiety disorders, while roughly 3 million are currently battling depression.

Tragically, about 4,000 Canadians take their own lives each year, and suicide is the second leading cause of death among Canadians aged 15 to 24 according to the same source.

With figures like these, chances are you or someone you know has experienced mental health issues, but there’s still stigma surrounding this. The Canadian Medical Association says that only a third of mentally ill people seek treatment, while others do not, sometimes out of fear or embarrassment.

But I speak from experience when I say that there’s no reason to be afraid or embarrassed when it comes to getting help. While I’ve never been diagnosed with a mental illness, I have suffered from chronic low self-esteem.

Full disclosure: I recognize that low self-esteem is not a mental illness, and I’m not trying to make light of depression, anxiety, or other disorders. However, my insecurities and failings would sometimes affect me to the point of breaking down and feeling hopeless.

Eventually accepting that this had to stop, I sought therapy two years ago. I only went for two sessions, but talking with a therapist confirmed what I already knew deep down.

I realized that my negative thoughts were all in my head and that I was being way too hard on myself. I still have my off days like everyone else, but because of therapy I’m in a much better place now and continue to learn to love myself.

I understand that sometimes counselling alone won’t cut it, and that some people’s cases require medication. There’s nothing wrong with that either.

What matters is that anyone who is suffering from mental illness gets the help he or she needs, and as soon as possible. Of course, the first step is to talk about it. I’m very fortunate to have a supportive circle of family and friends to turn to, and I realize that this is not always the case, but I promise you at least one person cares.

At least one person will lend you an ear and a shoulder to lean on. We owe it to ourselves to be happy, and while it’s important to be kind to each other, it’s just as important to be kind to ourselves.

To anyone dealing with mental health issues, know that you’re not alone, and that through getting help, it really does get better.

Note: Need someone to talk to on campus? Contact Concordia’s counselling and psychological services at Sir George Williams campus at (514) 848-2424, ext. 3545, and at Loyola at (514) 848-2424, ext. 3555.  concordia.ca/offices/counselling-psychological-services.html

Alternatively, visit amiquebec.org/listening-services/ for a list of mental health helplines in Montreal and across Canada.

Social media is promoting binge eating disorder, bigorexia and orthorexia

Check your social media accounts—Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. I am almost certain that amongst your friends’ posts you saw at least one of the following hashtags: #cleaneating #fitisthenewskinny #gains.

Sound familiar?

So the question is, when does an interest in having a healthy lifestyle cross over into an unhealthy obsession? It’s clear social media is facilitating a new breed of eating disorders.

As a registered dietitian, I regularly see the relationship between food and the psyche in my clients. We are in an age where, yes, we have made a lot of progress on body image and acceptance, but new unattainable body standards are still being portrayed by some of the most followed celebrities and social media stars. These filtered, perfectly lit images of men and women are helping propagate a new breed of eating disorders.

Let’s get some terminology on the table from the National Eating Disorders Association. We are probably all familiar with anorexia and bulimia but there are some new terms that are reflecting today’s trends in extreme health and fitness:

Binge Eating Disorder: frequently binging i.e. eating very large amounts of food. People with BED could be overweight, obese or normal weight.

Some symptoms include:
1. Eating very rapidly, in large amounts, without being hungry.
2. Feeling that binges are out of control.
3. Feeling depressed and guilty after binging.

Bigorexia: also known as muscle dysmorphia, is a disorder where a person becomes obsessed with the idea that they aren’t muscular enough. Mostly men are affected by this disorder with an average age onset of 19.
Symptoms could include:
1. Ignoring other important activities and responsibilities just to maintain exercise regime.
2. Avoiding situations where the body is exposed to others.
3. Continuing to exercise, diet and take drugs despite negative consequences.

Orthorexia: an obsession with avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthy. Surprisingly, this eating disorder tends to affect men more than women.
Signs include:
1. Spending most of the time planning, shopping, and eating meals.
2. Isolating oneself from others.
3. Being very critical when strict diet restrictions aren’t followed and feeling very proud when they are.

While still relatively uncommon in Canada, 2.8 per cent of females and 0.5 per cent of males are affected with eating disorders according to the National Eating Disorders Association. Despite these low diagnosis figures, many struggle with body image issues, and develop obsessive behaviours while seeking gratification online. Some examples of obsessive behaviour can be a strictly regimented diet that is inspired by a lot of the fitness and nutrition accounts on popular social media platforms.

According to The Entrepreneur, in 2014, the average millennial spent 5.4 hours per day on social media. That’s a lot of time being exposed to these new body standards. And because many of these images are from friends or social media stars who are more relatable and accessible than the celebrities of old, this could cause increased concern and a mentality of ‘if they are doing, it so should I.’ We have to remember that social media is just a slice of the whole pie of a person’s life—a slice that often doesn’t include anxiety, feelings of inadequacy and questioning where we belong, which is a common, yet seldom-discussed part of being human.

Working within the realm of dietetics, I’ve realized that  food and exercise are just one aspect of a healthy lifestyle. Taking care of your mental and spiritual health and nurturing your passions are key to staying balanced life. Social media is a tool used to engineer our life through a lens, but it is just that: a lens.

Think before you post. If you are getting satisfaction from the number of followers or the amount of likes a photo receives, you are treading into an unhealthy territory. Additionally, if you’re taking inspiration from social media to attain an unrealistic body image or to follow a fad diet, then the risks become more dangerous. Visit a registered dietitian or another healthcare professional if you are interested in your health and wellness to give you the best guidance tailored to you.

If you suspect someone you care about is suffering from orthorexia you can consult the National Eating Disorders Association’s website at nationaleatingdisorders.org.

Why does it feel like we’re losing a loved one when a beloved celebrity dies?

Thursday began like any other day. I woke up, made some coffee, and turned on my laptop to check out what was going on on social media. That’s when my day quickly took a turn for the worse: I learned Alan Rickman had died. He was 69 years old.

I quickly found myself reading articles on his best moments as an actor, compilations of his most memorable scenes in the Harry Potter franchise, Tweets mourning his loss from actors he worked with and his friends. The next thing I knew, tears were rolling down my face, and I had an uncomfortable ball in the back of my throat, warning me the sobs were about to come.

What was wrong with me? I had never met this man, and yet I was crying over the news of his death (and I don’t cry very often). Reading the comments on the many BuzzFeed articles on Rickman, I saw that I was not alone—people everywhere were genuinely upset that he had passed away. Why was that?

To me, and to many others, I’m sure, Rickman’s death hit especially hard because of his portrayal of Professor Snape in the Harry Potter franchise. Rickman dying felt like Snape, a fictional character, was dying all over again. But the sadness came from deeper than that.

Like so many other children around the world, the Harry Potter series was a very important part of my childhood. I can still remember my mother reading me the French translations of the novels before bed; I would always beg her to read just one more page. Later, I  read the books myself, in English this time. Going to see the movies at the theatre was a ritual: the movies always came out a few days before or after my birthday, and going to see it was always something I associated with being one year older. Although that tradition ended with the last movie, it is still something I look back on fondly.

I know that Rickman is not Snape, but seeing the actor portray him on-screen for 10 years still made it feel that way. It was, after all, the role he was best known for.

We’ve lost many stars in the last few years. Just this week, David Bowie died, as well as René Angélil. In February 2014, Philip Seymour Hoffman died. A few months later, we lost Robin Williams (I cried that time too).

Although we may not realize it, these actors, musicians and celebrities played important roles in our lives. Seeing them on screen throughout the years made us feel like we knew them. We associated with some, quoted others, reminisced about our favourite scenes. Maybe celebrities dying hits us so hard because, in a sense, we are losing a part of ourselves—the person or child we were when we first watched a movie, or listened to a song for the first time.

It feels like more and more of our beloved celebrities are dying. I’m not sure if this is a fact, or just a sign that we are growing up—actors who starred in our favourite childhood films are growing older, just like us.

There is one positive note to all of this: whenever we are feeling nostalgic, all we have to do is turn on the T.V. Our beloved actors will live on forever on the screen, and will be there for us when we need them the most. Always.

Star Wars marketing to a new dimension

You can run… you can hide… but you can’t escape the mass marketing of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the last few months then you certainly know that the newest installment of the film series has been released.

Middle-aged men and fangirls alike have been religiously waiting for years for the movie, with the world being plunged into absolute Star Wars mania. You literally can’t even turn on the television without seeing a commercial featuring a light saber or the newest droid named BB-8.

But when does it all become too much?

This is completely common for a major blockbuster like Star Wars, especially within this capitalist and commercialized framework and with a lot of money at stake. Disney acquired the rights to the films and merchandising after shelling out a cool $4 billion, allowing Mickey Mouse to cash in on this profitable phenomenon.

The entire franchise is worth upwards of $30 billion according to estimates from Wired, with The Force Awakens already dominating the box office, breaking records after 22 days to become the highest grossing film of all time.

In the next year Disney is expected to rake in a further $5 billion from merchandising alone according to vox.com, demonstrating how profitable merchandise can be.

Yet the company has a repetitive habit of taking advantage of their blockbusters; case example: Frozen.

Before the film was even released, merchandise was being rolled out to toy stores, and once the movie hit theatres the phenomenon had blown up. It has now reached a point where some individuals literally get angry just at the sight of Anna or Olaf because of the constant repetitive exposure to these characters.

Moreover many of the songs in Frozen have become nightmarish incantations for parents that the thought of a sequel is just unbearable. Do they want the same for Star Wars?

We are used to seeing characters branded onto all kinds of merchandise like clothing, toys, dishes, and other collectables, but The Force Awakens has taken it to a whole new and ridiculous level.

You can’t walk down the street, take public transit, or even listen to the radio without being inundated with this imagery. Commercials for cars, computers, batteries, and even mobile phones have all been given the George Lucas treatment (cue trademark theme music please).

Obviously this anger over the oversaturation of Star Wars merchandise is not a reflection of the quality of the movie itself, nor is it a critique of the fandom, but enough is enough.

Disney runs a tight ship and there’s a reason why they’re such a powerhouse, but this is definitely too much. Do we really need Star Wars oranges or batteries? Don’t we have enough merchandise remaining from the last few decades?

Even without any advertising, the film probably would have made a lot of money regardless, recovering the film’s $200 million budget.

The amount of merchandise branded with characters like Han Solo or Kylo Ren certainly isn’t making non-Star Wars fans rush to theatres. In fact I’m even more repulsed to go to the cinema to contribute to Disney’s overflowing coffers.

Die-hard fans no doubt love to have new merchandise to add to their collections, and they should be enthused by the fact that more sequels are on the way in the next few years.

This means we can continue to look forward to an even greater level of unprecedented marketing and exploitation of the franchise which will no doubt make our wallets thinner and Walt Disney’s bank account fatter.