Posts in Opinion
‘Glow Up’ culture and its effect on teenagers

If you have TikTok, then you've most likely seen Glow Up or thirst traps videos - varying from trends such as "2 weeks off of school" or even "I am doechii with two eyes.” Of course, occasionally, one can find wholesome trends more about emotional 'Glow Ups'. An example is this caption from a TikTok, "You do not need weight loss for a Glow Up, just a lot of self-love." (@lilphizzle) In this video, she showed her emotional Glow Up, not her physical one, where these problems begin.

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The n-word scandal exposed a deeper level of racism at Catlin Gabel

Catlin Gabel School (CGS) prides itself on being a progressive school community. It was a wake-up call, then, when a racial slur was carved into an Upper School bathroom wall. Whether it was an isolated act of aggression or an example of systemic hate, the event revealed the ugly truth of racism at CGS, and more broadly, the history of racism and exclusion at private schools.

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The importance of correct pronoun use

The gender binary is a social construct that has been present in our society forever. For many, as our perception and understanding of gender identity grow, the language that we use grows with it. While you may not understand the importance of correct pronoun use, being misgendered can be a very damaging experience.

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Get off the ‘Billionaire Bandwagon’

Social media has allowed the uber-wealthy to become much more prominent figures in today’s world. Not only do they control our economic and political spheres through their money and influence, they are now also becoming idols. This only exacerbates our instinct to place a large emphasis on wealth and continue the cycle of inequity in present-day America. In order to mend the gaping disparities between the rich and the poor, the power of billionaires in modern society must be dismantled.

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The Covid Pandemic, Concerts, and Individualism

Has America’s rampant sense of individualism caused concerts to be less safe?

In August of 2021, Hurricane Henri caused lightning to crack the sky and threatened to cancel my first concert since the pandemic first began. Yet there I stood, shielded from sheets of rain by a thin plastic poncho, mere feet away from the members of the indie folk band Wilco.

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Banned books and the effect on our generation

How many books do you think have been banned from libraries in the US? If you didn't know, to put it into context, more than 273 titles were challenged or banned in 2020 alone. Some famous books that have been banned are Carrie by Steven King, Animal Farm by George Orwell and Invisible man by Ralph Elison. One that even surprised us, and might intrigue you, is the Fellowship of the Ring, by J R R Tolkien, which was a banned book.

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The hidden juxtaposition between the surge of Asian media in the West and the reality of Asian racism and hate 

From the hypocrisy of Hollywood and the rise of anti-Asian violence, the superficiality of the recent popularity of Asian representation in the media is a weak plot to garner views and diversity points. The racist history of Hollywood's representation of Asian characters has harmed the greater culture's perception of Asian Americans.

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Don’t “tone police” people who are outraged at police brutality

On April 20, 2021, Derek Chauvin was declared guilty on all three charges for the muder of George Floyd. Nationally, there seemed to be a collective sigh of relief. At the same time, when discussing modern instances of racism, there is often a consensus as to the “proper conduct” of how BIPOC communities should react. The idea of proper conduct is both used to invalidate the arguments of marginalized communities and to allow people to self-congratulate themselves for that step and then slowly return to a state of apathy.

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Analyzing transphobia in American society through the media: Part 1

2020 was, to date, the deadliest year against transgender and gender non-conforming people, with the Human Rights Campaign recording 37 transgender and gender non-conforming people who were violently killed. It also marked the tracking of more than 200 deaths since 2013 by the HRC. With such staggeringly high numbers, it is clear that transgender and gender non-conforming people are at greater risk within our society due to a multitude of reasons. The media in particular has played a monumental role in shaping the perception of trangender and gender non-conforming people in our society and it has continued to do so.

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