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2017-2018 Student Newspapers

2-6-2018

College Voice Vol. XLI No. 7

Connecticut College

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This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Newspapers at Digital Commons @ Connecticut College. It has been accepted for inclusion in 2017-2018 by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Connecticut College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author. NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2018 VOLUME XLI • ISSUE 7 THE COLLEGE VOICE CONNECTICUT COLLEGE’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1977 Title IX: Does It Take a Village, or

Just Lack a Leader? Photo courtesy of Max Amar-Olkus

Grace Amato this conversation at this time,” Contributor but appreciates the invitation to speak. As both Title IX co- As Spring 2018 begins, it re- ordinator and Associate Dean mains unknown when Conn of Institutional Equity and In- will get a permanent, full-time clusion, McNeely Cobham will Title IX coordinator. Senior continue to work with com- Associate Dean of Student Life plaints of discrimination on Sarah Cardwell broke the news the basis of race, sexual orien- in a bullet point of an email tation, ability, and other aspects titled “Student Handbook No- of identity, as well as main- tice”: the temporary role was taining work in Unity House, shifted from Dean of Institu- the Womxn’s Center, and the tional Equity and Inclusion LGBTQIA center. Additional- John McKnight to Associate ly, McNeely Cobham will now The Mysterious Ways of the Walter Commons Dean of Institutional Equity oversee issues specifically relat- brings to mind the language novative, others comparing and Inclusion B. Afeni Mc- ed to Title IX, including sexual Maia Hibbett of efficiency. The round- or it to a “Bond villain’s living Neely Cobham. The style of the harassment and assault. Ac- Editor in Chief ange couches make me think room” or a “nineties disco.” announcement left some stu- “streamline;” the glass-pan- The transformation of the cording to McKnight, McNeely Its look is bold yet mini- dents concerned, as Title IX is eled collaboration rooms say first floor of Blaustein, which Cobham’s role as the Associ- malistic; its name, the oppo- “synergy.” began with little warning on an essential legislative tool in ate Dean of Equity and Inclu- site. Although the Otto and Student reactions to the Oct. 2, 2017 and was com- combating sexual assault and sion “was already dedicated to Fran Walter Commons for Walter Commons have been pleted before the start of misconduct. In the wake of Global Study and Engage- looking at our bias response on mixed, with some calling the spring semester, raised the #MeToo movement, Title ment may be a mouthful, the campus, and it just made sense the space beautiful and in- IX seems more important than to have them also think about space’s ergonomic aesthetic Continued on Page 9 ever, as sexual misconduct con- Title IX complaints because the tinues to be a prominent topic processes are very similar even of discussion on college cam- if the nature of the complaints puses, and yet Conn’s change in are different.” New Medicaid Work Requirements and coordinator was presented with Some students, however, have little warning or emphasis. concerns about adding Title IX Lockouts Threaten Lives of Thousands Though she was recently ap- insurance programs for programs and services as the to McNeely Cobham’s exist- Jennifer Skoglund pointed to the most pivotal role the elderly and the poor. backbone of a socially just ing responsibilities. For Emma Opinions Editor in the enforcement of Title IX, Race ’18, this feels like a “way Johnson envisioned that nation finds its antithesis McNeely Cobham responded to avoid real structural change,” In July of 1965, Lyndon the sweeping reforms of today in the social vision of to requests for comment on especially because students B. Johnson signed into law his presidency would make the Trump administration, her new title by stating that she the Social Security Amend- possible a “Great Society” which seeks to eliminate vir- is “not prepared to engage in ments, establishing Medi- in America, a future free of tually every public-funded Continued on Page 4 care and Medicaid, health economic and racial injus- social service and destroy tice. Johnson’s vision of public IN THIS ISSUE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Continued on Page 8

NEWS OPINIONS ARTS ARTS

Jozette Moses provides Jillian Noyes considers Aster Max Amar-Olkus reflects Charlie King and Sam background on the Gilbert’s interventions in on the distasteful evolution Weisenthal review albums #MeToo and Time’s Up “microporn” research on of once-beloved Dave debuting at home and movements on page 4. page 7. Chappelle on page 11. abroad on page 14. THE COLLEGE VOICE 2 • Editor’s Desk FEBRUARY 6, 2018

Conn on Fox: Is Viral News Really News? THE COLLEGE VOICE The views and opinions expressed in The College Voice are strictly those of stu- dent authors, and not of Connecticut College. All content and editorial decisions For a college that’s mainly on the left, but not by any means the most radical, we remain in the hands of the students; neither the College’s administration nor its sure get picked up by the right wing a lot. There was the fame/infamy of the “Sean faculty exercise control over the content. Sphincter” nickname. There was the dubbing of Conn “Hamas West” by conser- vative think tank Frontpage Magazine. And now, there’s a syllabus disclaimer gone viral. Maia Hibbett ’18 When I heard that the College was featured on Tucker Carlson Tonight, my first Editor in Chief instinct was to seize the opportunity of Conn in the spotlight. The news reached me via screenshot from Max, the Voice’s Creative Director, who also sent along the Dana Gallagher ’19 Instagram post from @oldrowofficial that helped a note from one Conn syllabus Managing Editor spread all over the Internet. Most readers have probably already seen the note, but for anyone who hasn’t, it reads: Trigger alert: I will try to present the various competing economic theories as well and fairly as I can. However, I must admit that I find conservative classical EDITORIAL BOARD theories to be pretty inadequate in explaining the economic events of the past decade. Moreover, I think our current President is mentally ill, a pathological Price Day ’19 liar, and a very dangerous aspiring dictator; a pathetic racist too. Some teachers Hannah Johnston ’18 think it is best to hide how they really think about these sorts of issues. I do not; News Editors I think it is best to let students know where I am coming from. Students who are upset with my views may want to consider taking Introductory Macroeco- Lauren Baretta ’18 nomics from another professor. Jennifer Skoglund ’18 To anyone familiar with Carlson and his politics, it’s clear why he’d take issue with Opinions Editors this statement, written by Professor of Economics Spencer Pack. (To anyone who isn’t familiar with Carlson: he’s on Fox News.) And regarding what Pack expresses Sophia Angele-Kuehn ’20 in the note, I’m generally in agreement: I don’t like Trump either; I’m not crazy James Murray ’18 about conservative classical economic theories, based on the vague understanding Arts Editors I have of them; and I believe that professors can and should be honest about their opinions, as long as they present them in a productive way. The only reason I was Max Amar-Olkus ’19 and am reluctant to write about the note is due to the nature of the attention it re- ceived, which leads me to question whether it’s responsible or worthwhile to spend Creative Director our time on it. Like I mentioned earlier, Pack’s syllabus went viral because of an Instagram post by “Old Row Official,” an account supposedly dedicated to comedy and leisure but MANAGING STAFF mostly consisting of misogyny, racism, and other unpleasant aspects of frat culture. As my friend and Voice cruciverbalist Eleanor succinctly put it, the content on Old Emir Kulluk ’21 Row’s Instagram page is “primarily butts.” After Old Row publicized Pack’s syllabus, Conn’s Instagram suffered. Most of Business Manager the recent posts by @conncollege are now riddled with comments that start with “MAGA” and get worse from there. In terms of public image, this isn’t great for Hallie Carmen ’18 the College. Social media accounts serve as all-but essential PR, and if a video of Web Manager Katherine Bergeron and her comically large scissors gets taken over by bigoted comments, it kind of detracts from the point. Emily Rubin ’20 While usually I’m one of the people trying to dig up information the College Katey Vesta ’21 doesn’t want exposed, in this case, the controversy seems like a cheap shot. I would Social Media Coordinators definitely be interested in hearing Professor Pack’s thoughts on the matter, as well as the reactions from some of his students—I would even run an article about it. But to focus only on Old Row and its “jokes, hot takes, [and] babes” or Tucker Carlson’s always-yelling style of coverage would give credence to a side that, in my CONTACT US opinion, deserves none. I’ll acknowledge it here because it is interesting, but it sure [email protected] isn’t intellectual debate. 270 Mohegan Avenue More to come, maybe, New London, CT 06320 thecollegevoice.org Maia The College Voice on Facebook @thecollegevoice on Twitter THE COLLEGE VOICE FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Features • 3 Community Bulletin Sports Corner Women’s Ice Hockey (14-3-3) Men’s Ice Hockey (9-9-2) Conn Joins the University Consortium for Scholars in Exile @ Williams T, 1-1 OT Trinity L, 2-5 The College identifies itself as a founding member of the University @ UMass Boston W, 4-2 @ Middlebury T, 2-2 OT Consortium for Scholars in Exile, a largely unknown group seemingly re- @ Colby W, 5-2 @ Williams W, 3-2 lated to the Institute of International Education Scholar Rescue Fund. The @ Colby, 2-0 @ Tufts T, 0-0 OT union coincides with the arrival of Indian human rights activist Binal- Tufts, W, 4-3 OT akshmi Nepram for a residency on campus. Women’s Basketball (13-6) Men’s Basketball (6-14) New London Aims to Develop New Housing for Electric Boat Workers Wesleyan L, 64-69 @ Wesleyan L, 51-89 @ Tufts L, 54-75 Tufts L, 54-86 Groton-based submarine manufacturer Electric Boat is in the midst of @ Bates W, 71-54 Bates L, 56-69 “its greatest upswing since the Cold War,” The Day reports. New London Eastern Conn. St. W, 72-56 @ Western Conn. St. L, 78-86 Mayor Michael Passero hopes to meet EB’s increased productivity with the establishment of more than 400 new apartments, intended mainly to Women’s Squash (7-11) Men’s Squash (10-8) house EB employees, near downtown New London. Mount Holyoke W, 6-3 Stanford W, 6-3 Wesleyan L, 0-9 MIT L, 1-8 In Twin Cities, Organizers Resist Super Bowl Northeastern W, 7-2 Wesleyan W, 5-4 Local unions and social justice organizations in Minneapolis-St. Paul Bard W, 9-0 Bard W, 9-0 are calling attention to the prioritization of corporate over civilian inter- @ Vassar W, 5-4 @ Vassar W, 9-0 ests that often comes with major sporting events. The Super Bowl brought Wesleyan L, 0-9 Lehigh W, 9-0 increased policing and ICE presence to the Twin Cities, despite Minneap- Colby L, 2-7 Hamilton L, 2-7 olis and St. Paul being designated “sanctuary cities.” Bowdoin L, 2-7 Tufts W, 5-4 Wesleyan W, 5-4

28. Times on a board at ORD 18. In favor The College Crossword 29. Lass 19. IM site 30. Torso appendage 20. Actress Adams By Eleanor Knauss 31. Male cat 21. 1965 NFL Hall of Famer, Gra- 32. Parks and Recreation actor ham 34. Dog’s hand 22. Make long, for short? 37. Lump 23. Jimmy Carter’s mother 38. Weapon of ISIS 24. Symbol of Aries 39. Mouse relative 25. Place for plays 40. Brace 29. Arrested Development son 43. Cul de ____ 30. Alternative to four wheel drive, 44. Full of ennui abbr. 45. 1972 Black Sabbath hit 32. Caps worn by the Newcastle 47. Performs Falcons 48. Pierre’s refusal 33. Financial coalition of 35 coun- 49. Casual agreement tries 50. Iran’s pre-revolution leader 34. Exterior ship window 51. Annual game, hinted at by the 35. Brews outlined answers 36. Married 56. Wild ox 37. NYC to Oneota dir. 57. Elving and Howard 39. Arsenal of words, casually. 58. DiCaprio, familiarly 40. 9-digit ID 59. Like Grays 41. Military communicator, abbr. 60. Parking ___ 42. Charged particle 61. Skinny swimmer 43. Drinks slowly 44. Bodies of water DOWN: 46. Long, leafy onion 1. Corn vessel 50. Delivered 2. Who ___ you? 51. ___ dye 3. 19th century fax 52. Web address, abbr. 4. Brothers and sisters, abbr. 53. Feces ACROSS 16. ____ out a living 5. 1970s British rock band 54. Little 1. Like a tabby or jaguar 17. Less than two 6. Manning brother 55. Texter’s giggle 4. Look 18. NASA affiliate 7. Acid type 7. Performer’s aid 21. Shrek, e.g. 8. “_____ the streets of Nazareth” 10. Fruit of a mine 22. Personal space 9. JPEG alternative 11. Place for pies? 25. Tie 11. Clean the floors 12. one of 60 in an hr. 26. Fib 14. Ladies’ fingers Key: Page 10 13. Simmering 27. Premature 15. Ear part THE COLLEGE VOICE 4 • News FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Title IX Before Time Was Up: Contextualizing #MeToo Continued from Front Jozette Moses movement, however, did not tions of power and used them Staff Writer begin with Milano’s posting. to carry out injustices. For the had no input in the decision. Race feels that this As a project, the movement final three months of 2017, it change and legislation as a whole is “a really big The phrase “Weinstein effect” has been in the works for more seemed as though the careers deal.” The College’s decision not to collect student connotes the recent wave of ex- than 12 years. The founder of multimedia men were drop- input, when there are students who feel passion- posure from people who have and creator, Tarana Burke, is a ping like flies. Public faces such ately about the issue, gives the impression that come forward accusing famous Black-American Civil Rights as Matt Lauer, Louis C.K., Kev- “it is being treated like it’s not a big deal, which is and powerful men with claims activist. Burke began the #Me- in Spacey, and James Franco hurtful,” she said. of sexual harassment and as- Too movement with the in- were all among those accused “Title IX itself is so fundamental to the safety sault. Undoubtedly, the term’s tentions of raising awareness of sexual harassment and as- and emotional wellbeing [of students], to physical establishment was motivated by of the pervasiveness of sexual sault by multiple women. In wellbeing, and to legal implications that [can last] a the uncovering of 40 victims of abuse in society and helping some cases, the men were lifetime,” Race added. Title IX’s importance makes sexual assault who asked to step down the coordinator position highly demanding, and it accused the Amer- from their previous was found to be too much for a part-time appoint- ican film producer positions. This was ment when Melissa Pierce, the College’s previous and co-founder of the reality for Matt Title IX coordinator, left the College after being the entertainment Lauer, who was dis- assigned too heavy a workload for completion on company Miramax, missed from The a part-time schedule. The College might then have Harvey Weinstein. Today Show, and re- hired a full-time coordinator, but instead has done Although con- nowned actor Kev- the opposite: it appointed several people to share ceived under the in Spacey, who has the work. In addition to McNeely Cobham, the name of the ac- been removed from team of advocates on campus has expanded to in- cused predator, the the Netflix series clude three additional staff members: C.C. Curtis, successes of expo- House of Cards. Director of Student Wellness and Alcohol/Other sure produced by One lingering Drug Education; Erin Duran, Director of Gender the “Weinstein ef- question among and Sexuality Programs; and Truth Hunter, Direc- fect” cannot be ful- those skeptical of tor of Race and Ethnicity Programs. These changes ly attributed to his the accusations is were made with the intent of fixing problems of impressive status simply: why weren’t the past. within Hollywood they raised before? As the Title IX responsibilities get shifted around, culture. Rather, the To answer this, one students and administrators continue to disagree victims who en- must ask: what sys- on the efficacy of Conn’s Title IX enforcement. dured his attacks tems are enabling McKnight believes that “Connecticut College was redirected the con- sexual harassment [already] doing a really good job with this policy” versation from the in Hollywood cul- before the wave of media attention on sexual mis- predator to the sur- ture? For 30 years, Photo courtesy of For All Womankind conduct and violence began. He gives credit to the vivors through the Weinstein re- Green Dot program as a successful way to educate #MeToo social me- mained untouched students, faculty and staff at Conn about sexual dia campaign. young women of color from by authorities because he misconduct and prevention. He also believes that Amidst the publicity of Har- low-income communities who maintained the inner workings the response protocol to sexual misconduct on vey Weinstein’s sexual assault had experienced abuse to find of what writers at the New York campus takes these allegations very seriously. accusations, a friend of the healing through “power” and Times have called the “complic- Race, by contrast, argues that by neglecting to actress Alyssa Milano suggest- “empathy.” She wanted to ne- ity machine.” Weinstein’s sys- establish a full-time Title IX coordinator position, ed that women who have been gate the notions of isolation tem of complicity relied on the “the school is basically showing that they are not sexually harassed or assault- imposed on the victims of trust and relations of other am- treating these claims or the situation with the ur- ed write “me too” as a Twitter abuse, and challenge the pow- bitious men and women who gency and critical nature that it deserves.” At Conn status in hopes of “giv(ing) er dynamics between predator acted knowingly and unknow- and beyond, it remains difficult for victims of sex- magnitude to the problem.” and victim by making the face ingly to suppress the voices of ual assault to come forward with their allegations Later that night Milano pub- of the movement the survivors victims of sexual abuse. An because historically, they have not been taken se- licly suggested victims of abuse of abuse. example of this appears in riously. While McKnight feels the appointment reply to her initial Twitter post The effects of exposing the the fraught history of actress of McNeely Cobham is an appropriate solution, with the “me too” hashtag. The actions of Harry Weinstein, Rose McGowan’s memoir. Mc- showing that the school does in fact take these sit- next morning she would awake and the increasing strength and Gowan’s book documents how uations very seriously, Race argues that “conflating to find 12 million comments, solidarity of women, have trig- she was sexually assaulted by [these two positions] is not productive and kind of posts, and reactions within 24 gered the uncovering of many Weinstein, but shortly after her seems like the goal is about efficiency as opposed hours on Facebook. other successful men who have to quality.” • The origins of the #MeToo taken advantage of their posi- Continued on Page 6 THE COLLEGE VOICE FEBRUARY 6, 2018 News • 5 Student Handbook Gets a SAC Lays Plans for Mid-Year Update Spring 2018 Shae Albertston vocacy roles on campus?” Cardwell stated that the CC Lynch year, the event will be held on taff riter After two years of col- advocacy team is “funda- S W Contributor Febr. 24 and will be “Starry laboration, Cardwell ex- mentally about creating Although the Connecti- Night” themed. Interested plained, she and Folsom advocacy” because “stu- The Student Activitiesstudenst should keep an eye cut College Student Hand- realized the need to es- dents want to talk to dif- Council, commonly referred book is updated frequently, on ConnQuest or the SAC tablish a team to address ferent people.” She added to as SAC, has a number of Facebook and Instagram Jan. 22 saw a “rare reissue” these student concerns. that the new policy chang- events coming up for this in College policy, as Senior pages for more details. “Last Structural changes were es had been in the works spring. In February alone, year this event was a great Associate Dean of Student already underway, and the since the beginning of the SAC is sponsoring an elec- Life Sarah Cardwell put success,” Nappo said, “Again, timing was right, Cardwell school year. Cardwell re- tronic music concert in Cro, there will be lots of food and it. The changes included relayed. Searches for a Di- vealed that Student Life a masquerade ball, and mul- an emphasis on Title IX dancing, as well as a cash bar rector of Race and Ethnici- had discussed the creation tiple movie showings on for of age students.” When and social host policies, ty Programs and a Director of an expanded advocacy campus and in theaters. The providing contact infor- she heard about the upcom- of Sexual Violence Preven- group throughout the first Voice sat down with SAC ing even, Alexa Bassler ’19 mation and a clearer out- tion and Advocacy were semester and that faculty president Sarah Nappo ’18 to line of Title IX reporting said, “For those that missed it occuring at the time that and staff continued this chat about SAC’s spring cal- last year, the Masquerade Ball structure, the transferral a new advocacy team was conversation over winter endar. of Dean John McKnight’s is an absolute blast,” and this being created. Heidi Free- break. In an attempt to fos- “Of course,” Nappo said, year is sure to be the same. temporary role as Title IX land-Trail, the new Di- ter conversations about so- “we are all thinking about Coordinator to Dean B. Students looking to make rector of Sexual Violence cial life, the College is now Floralia. But in the mean- some extra cash and play a Afeni McNeely Cobham, Prevention and Advocacy, conducting focus groups time, there are so many and the expansion of ap- fun game are invited ot join trained Truth Hunter, new where students are en- things happening on and off SAC for a Free Money Game proved spaces for hosting Director of Race and Eth- couraged to speak honest- campus.” social events. Show. The game show, which nicity Programs, and Erin ly about what they like and Musical artist Louis Futon features real cash prizes for Regarding changes to Ti- Duran, Director of Gender wish would change regard- will be performing in con- tle IX, Cardwell expressed correct answers to trivia and Sexuality Programs, ing the social host policy cert just for Conn students questions, will take place on that progress came about to be a part of the advo- and activities on campus. on Feb. 10 from 10:00 p.m. naturally. For the past few Thursday, Feb. 22 from 9:00 cacy team. The College Students have likely seen to 2:00 a.m. Louis Futon has to 11:00 pm in Cro’s Nest. years, Cardwell has spent announced the team along these focus groups adver- come onto the electronic mu- time working with Darcie “I am really excited for this with the release of the new tised in emails circulated sic scene in the past two years event and it’s bound to be Folsom, former Director Student Handbook, and by Associate Dean of Stu- in a very big way. Having of Sexual Violence Preven- better than HQ so I’ll take it!” students may now report dent Life Geoff Norbert toured with ODESZA, Louis said Mads Lefton ’19. tion and Advocacy, on two issues or have confidential and the Student Govern- the Child, and Troyboi, Fu- challenges that the Office The next couple of months, discussions with any of the ment Association. ton has “captivated fans with will also feature a variety of of Sexual Violence Preven- advocacy team members. The changes addressed a brand new live show that tion and Advocacy faced: movie screenings held in ei- Before the creation of in the focus groups, Card- features the multi-instru- ther Evan’s Hall or Cro’s Nest, coordinating with only the advocacy team, Free- well pointed out, can lead mentalist playing out origi- one on-call staff mem- all at 9 p.m. These include land-Trail explained, “I to policy change. The so- nals and remixes alike,” his showings of It (Feb. 9), Thor: ber and ensuring student was the only designated cial host policy “might website reports. comfort. It is tough for Ragnarok (Feb. 16), Lady Bird advocate.” Now, she says, look different in the fall,” “This should be a super (March 2), Phantom Thread one person to always be on “we have other confiden- she said, and current con- fun event. Humphrey’s will call, especially given the (March 30), Star Wars: The tial resources on campus” versations will determine be open for 21+ students as Last Jedi (April 6), and Dis- difficulties of traveling for that work to address is- the nature of its changes. well. This is the first time that school business and life, ney’s Coco (April 13). If the sues of sexual violence and The most recent updates we have kept the campus bar movie line-up isn’t enough and students have been vo- dating violence, stalking, to social host policy are open, so I hope that they can cal about their discomfort to bring a crowd, SAC will and sexual assault. Free- the inclusion of Free- make their money’s worth so also provide viewers with with talking to one person, land-Trail further noted man, Harkness, and Lam- we can do this again in the especially when they have free food, drinks, and great that giving students op- din as additional places future,” Nappo said. To find company. been involved in relation- tions was of the utmost for hosting events, as the out more about Futon be- ships on campus and have “Not enough people know importance for confiden- handbook now describes. fore the concert, students can about these events. They are felt awkward discussing tiality. She explained that Student Life intended to visit his Twitter or Facebook trauma. fun a way to spend Friday advocacy and comfort for expand spaces and spent page, or hear his latest songs nights and there is free food!” According to Cardwell, students is important as time looking at policy to on Spotify and SoundCloud. these comments raised the they question: “Who do I see what they could ex- The next big SAC event will question: “Were there ways want support from?” pand. • be the Masquerade Ball. This Continued on page 6 to expand confidential ad- THE COLLEGE VOICE 6 • News FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Lending Library Expands Services, Goes Digital

Katey Vesta semester. One of the more notable years. In 2016, there were 50 stu- organize multiple copies of the same aspects of this program, however, dents who utilized the books of- book, much like a traditional library. Social Media Coordinator is that it is almost entirely a stu- fered by the Lending Library. By fall With improvements like this in dent-driven initiative. semester of 2017, this number had the near future, Berman expressed College students are well-versed “It’s basically all student run,” con- almost tripled to 140 students, and, her hope that student use of the in the woes of being strapped for firmed Margaret Bounds, Assistant according to the calculations of the Lending Library will surpass the cash. The cost of enrollment alone Director of Sustainability at Conn. Lending Library staff, those students numbers it achieved this past semes- is enough to empty one’s wallet, but She cited the Office of Sustainability saved a combined total of $21,014 ter. “So many people will come to us the myriad of extra expenses that Fellows Emma Brooks, Grace Ber- on their textbooks for that semester. like, ‘I never knew this existed’,” she come along with college throw more man, Lera Shynkarova, and Rebecca This undoubtedly impressive statis- said, adding that she hopes the new salt in the wound. Among the worst Brill Weitz as being integral to the tic is all a result of the hard work that accessibility tools such as the online of these costs is something essential: program’s success in recent times. “I students such as Brooks, Berman, catalogue and an app that lets stu- books. Very little tops the feeling of only really help when I need to fill in Shynkarova, and Brill Weitz have dents check books out from their dread in a student’s stomach as they shifts here and there...but basically dedicated towards its development. phones will spread the awareness of check the textbook requirements students run [the Lending Library],” Even though the Lending Library all the Lending Library has to offer. for their next semester classes and said Bounds. Berman confirmed program has achieved much, it Both Berman and Bounds stressed see nothing but dollar signs stack- that this is mostly a for-students, doesn’t seem likely that it’ll simply that the Lending Library only exists ing up. Even renting can add up to by-students organization, saying “It’s rest on its laurels for too long. Just as a result of the generosity of Conn a shockingly expensive total. Conn, been a hands-on project… the main earlier this semester, the Library staff students—and not just the ones who however, has a solution to help stu- push is definitely from the students. succeeded in filing all of the books volunteer their time there. “Main- dents manage their textbook ex- The sustainability heads have been into an online catalogue to make it ly, the books are donations,” said penses, and it comes in the form of really supportive.” easier for students to search for the Bounds, “I know obviously you want the Lending Library. Clearly, these students have been textbooks they need. Beyond this, to sell [a book] back if you can, but Tucked away into closets in Katha- running the program well. Accord- the staff at the Library and the Office if you don’t need the money and can rine Blunt and Burdick are the Lend- ing to a presentation recently deliv- of Sustainability have no shortage of donate it, that’s great.” This project ing Library’s collection of books, ered by the Office of Sustainability plans for expanding the program in has already saved students an im- built up since 2013 via student dona- at the 2017 Association for the Ad- the future. pressive sum over its short existence, tions. All of these books are specif- vancement of Sustainability in High- “We’re actually putting barcodes and with the support of the com- ic to various classes that have been er Education (AASHE) Conference, on all of the books right now,” munity, it appears that the Lending taught at Conn, and students can the Lending Library has amassed a said Bounds, “so far we’ve done ‘A’ Library will continue that trend for check them out at absolutely zero truly impressive following on cam- through ‘E.’” In doing this, the staff semesters to come. • cost at the beginning of each new pus that has only grown in recent hopes to better be able to handle and

#MeToo and Times’s Up SAC

Continued from page 4 and assault. Recently, Time’s Up announced Continued from page 5 its $13 million legal defense fund set up to decision to publish, her manager received a support for lower-income parties. said Lucy Richards ’19. $50,000 payoff to dissuade her from publish- The current discourse occurring within For students who want to be among the first to see a ing. multimedia spheres brings into question the major blockbuster film, or just need to get off campus, But McGowan’s Brave is out now, and this efficiency of our own systems of complicity SAC offers 25 tickets to Marvel Studios’ upcoming mov- system of deception and concealment of the and support at Conn. Recent restructuring ie premiere of Black Panther at Waterford Regal Cine- truth is being dismantled with the rise of a has left the administration’s dedication to mas. Tickets are available in Cro 212, and for just $5, new movement in Hollywood. On Jan. 1, the Title IX unclear, but the campus does now students will be provided with an entry to the movie #MeToo movement evolved into Time’s Up in boast a Sexual Assault Prevention and Advo- and transportation to the theater. This event will take response to the actions of Harvey Weinstein. cacy network as well as the existing mandat- place on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 8:00 p.m., one day before After seeing the aftermath of Weinstein’s accu- ed reporters. People who have experienced the film premiers to the public. For more information sations, the Alianza Nacional de Campesinas sexual harassment or violence, or those who on SAC’s upcoming events, visit ConnQuest for the full (National Farmworker’s Women’s alliance), wish to become more involved in spaces and detailed calendar. contacted the women of Hollywood to de- movements that combat the same standards “Utilize ConnQuest,” Nappo said, “it is underrated scribe their experiences of assault among ag- and systems targeted by the #MeToo and and super informative.” Be sure to RSVP to events that ricultural careers. Their letter, which was pub- Time’s Up campaigns, can get involved with require a response. “If you want to see an event happen, lished in the Times, declared their desire to the Women’s Empowerment Initiative, Green or have an event to happen again, show up! That’s how support those who do not have the money nor Dot, the LGBTQIA Center, and the Womxn’s we measure our success,” Nappo said. • access to advocate against sexual harassment Center. • THE COLLEGE VOICE FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Opinions • 7 Unequal Suffering: The Trial of Lawrence Nassar

Jacee Cox bating, according to several documents and in- settlement cases, often in the workplace, abusers terviews. Fox continued to both renew O’Reilly’s and companies seek to buy the silence of the vic- Staff Writer contract and increase his salary as The O’Reilly tim in an attempt to preserve self-image. Factor generated hundreds of millions of dol- But 2017 was a watershed year for standing “You do realize now that we, this group of lars in advertising revenue for the network— up to criminal mistreatment. Women, en masse, women you so heartlessly abused over such a began to speak. Disturbing and persistent hor- long period of time, are now a force, and you rors of Hollywood and the media were exposed, are nothing,” Aly Raisman, six-time Olympic sparked by the seemingly never-ending stories medalist in gymnastics, told Dr. Lawrence Nas- about mogul producer Harvey Weinstein. Now sar, a former doctor for the women’s Olympic the athletic world is having its moment, and Nas- gymnastics team. Nassar is now accused by over sar’s case is astonishing in volume. Consistent 250 women of sexual abuse, Raisman included. with patterns of powerful figures in the media, A monster who practiced sexual abuse for years as a result of the years of abuse, the entire USA without consequence, Nassar has finally been Gymnastics board of directors resigned. Nassar charged with 10 counts of criminal sexual con- also worked at Michigan State University and is duct and sentenced to 40-175 years in prison. now facing testimonies from victims at MSU. Instances of sexual harassment and abuse are The regiment and strict instruction that is so frequently settled with quiet compensatory set- ingrained in sports, especially gymnastics, is a tlements and minimal vocal presence of victims. large factor as to why Nassar’s abuse was able to In April 2017, the New York Times reported persist for so long and hurt so many innocent that—since 2002—Bill O’Reilly and his former young women. Gymnasts, like all athletes, are employer, Fox News, made at least five settle- Photo courtesy of Paul Sancya/Associated Press conditioned to be obedient and undefiant. They ments to various female coworkers of O’Reilly. are team players who follow instructions without These coworkers complained about a range of in- more than $446 million just between 2014 and question under the guided trust that their par- appropriate behavior and harassment on the part 2016, according to Kantar Media. It wasn’t until ticipation will aid the success of the collective of O’Reilly which, included verbal abuse, lewd O’Reilly’s dismissal after the exposure of his con- group. Nassar told his victims that his predatory comments, unwanted advances and phone calls duct became a front-page story that the words of in which it sounded as if O’Reilly was mastur- his victims were finally heard. In these types of Continued on Page 10 Aster Gilbert Challenges Conventional Notions about Porn

Jillian Noyes American Studies Asso- engaging with it. Congre- “taboo” desires emphasized liefs we’d like to forget still ciation Conference. Erin gating on sites like PornHub in microporn—sex changes, exist. “These conspiracies Staff Writer Duran, Director of Gender and 4chan, these online gender swapping, miscege- [and their inclusion in the Though social taboosand Sexuality Programs and communities craft discur- nation—to white suprem- porn people consume] have about sexuality make us Director of the LGBTQIA sive fanworks like remix- acy. A key feature of mi- real physical effects on the loathe to admit it, a ma- Center, was equally en- es and porn music videos croporn is text overlays and world”, Gilbert explained. jority of people consume thusiastic about bringing (PMVs) that, as Gilbert ar- voice-overs which attempt “They’re not just GIFs and pornography in one way or Gilbert to campus and gued, tend to feature under- to justify the viewer’s anx- WEBMs on the internet, it’s another. But as Aster Gil- used the event to kick off currents of anti-semitism, ieties with complex rhet- white supremacist mobiliza- bert explained to a captive “Frisky February,” a series transphobia, and racism. oric that has roots in alt- tions, brainwashing, [and] audience of Conn students of LGBTQIA Center-spon- It’s these pockets of preju- right conspiracy theories. propaganda.” on Feb. 1, pornography sored events intended to dice that Gilbert savors ex- To prove her point, Gil- The challenge with en- serves as an important are- promote healthy, open, and amining from a theoretical bert showed off a series of gaging in these politically na where anxieties about informative conversations standpoint, as she noted WEBMs from 4chan which charged spaces is the fact race & queerness are (liter- about sex and sexuality on that various subgenres of set an audio interview clip that many are actively em- ally) laid bare in ways that campus. microporn, despite osten- about “the Jewish conspira- bracing and exploring the encourage resistance. The crux of Gilbert’s re- sibly being produced for cy” to footage where a white identity politics microporn Gilbert, a doctoral can- search is centered around cisgendered heterosexual man watches his lover walk brings to light. Citing Ari- didate in Women, Gender, “microporn,” defined aswhite men, rely on the view- away with two black men ane Cruz’s work on “the pol- and Sexuality Studies at the pornographic content re- er identifying as an othered to have sex. The WEBMs itics of perversion,” Gilbert University of Kansas, was appropriated from existing body in one way or another. elicited gasps from the au- explained how many queer invited to Conn by Film sources and circulated on- It is from this observation dience due to how it polit- women of color use race Studies professor Liz Reich line via GIFs and WEBM that Gilbert traced a com- icized sexual desires and after they met at the 2017 files, and the active fandom plex path from anxiety over recalled Third Reich-era be- Continued on Page 10 THE COLLEGE VOICE 8 • Opinions FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Medicaid Work Requirement

Continued from Front be they should invest in their own healthcare.” tal human rights and cause the unnecessary deaths of Chaffetz, who has consistently opposed the Afford- thousands of people. the segments of the population which rely upon these able Care Act, same-sex marriage, net neutrality, man- In no other developed nation on Earth could this services. The latest installment in the administration’s datory vaccinations, and the scientific consensus on absurd and inhumane scenario take place. Yet the chronic assault on human rights came as the Admin- climate change, glibly dresses his hatred for the poor United States, the richest country in the world, is also istrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Ser- in the language of agency and moral blame. Why don’t the only developed nation which does not guarantee vices issued a state directive guidance for proposals to the poor just spend thousands of dollars on healthcare basic access to healthcare for its citizens. While other require employment for Medicaid eligibility. they can’t afford, Chaffetz asks, instead of spending countries provide their citizens universal healthcare, Since the issuance of this directive, two states - Ken- hundreds of dollars on the cell phone they use regular- in which the government funds healthcare for all, or tucky and Indiana - have had their Medicaid waivers ly and can afford? Why, I must ask, does Jason Chaffetz use a single-payer healthcare system, in which the state approved by CMS. In practice, the waivers will bar resemble so closely the product of performing exten- singularly organizes funding while care stays in private anyone who cannot provide proof of employment and sive plastic surgery on a rodent? Questions abound. hands, the United States employs neither, instead rely- of having worked at least 20 hours per week from ac- In all seriousness, advocates for cutting Medicaid ing upon a convolutedly unregulated market system of cessing Medicaid coverage. They also permit the state funding and making access virtually impossible em- health insurance coverage. to bar coverage from Medicaid enlistees who are late ploy patronizing rhetoric concerning the need for the Many critics of the American healthcare system saw to file annual paperwork establishing eligibility. This poor to “make [smart] choices,” and for those who have promise in the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, as means that those who are late to file the paperwork been successful in society to “empower” the poor to a light of hope for healthcare reform. By expanding for Medicaid eligibility “redetermination”—which re- get jobs — as if it’s impossible to simultaneously work Medicare and Medicaid coverage to millions of peo- quires official documentation of proof of income and hard, make smart decisions, and be poor. In fact, it is ple previously uninsured, the ACA helped to secure family size—are locked out of the system entirely, for 3 the “working poor” that makes up the majority of poor healthcare for many who would have lived in peril months in Indiana and 6 in Kentucky. people in America. Accordingly, independent study af- without. It also required people to purchase private Secretary for Health and Human Services Alex Azar insurance policies while partially subsidizing those announced Indiana’s approval days after being sworn Why don’t the poor just spend policies with government payments to private insurers. into office. “Today’s announcement is just one step in thousands of dollars on healthcare Yet the fact is that millions of people today remain a long legacy of innovation,” Azar said, standing in a they can’t afford, instead of spending uninsured under the Affordable Care Act, opting to public hospital in Indianapolis, where, the Washington pay the $700 penalty fee—commonly known as the Post notes, “nearly half the patients rely on Medicaid hundreds of dollars on the cell phone Obamacare tax—to waive insurance because they and almost one in five is uninsured.” If jeopardizing they use regularly? Why does Jason cannot pay for the insurance itself. And while the per- the access to healthcare coverage of 130,000 people Chaffetz resemble so closely the product centage of uninsured Americans reached an all-time is innovation, Indiana is on the right track, for this is of performing extensive plastic surgery low in 2016 due to the ACA, the underreported reality the number of residents currently covered by Medic- on a rodent? Questions abound. remains that growing segments of “insured” popula- aid who do not meet the new work requirements and tions are underinsured, and cannot pay their medical whose coverage will be compromised if they are not bills. As Physicians for a National Health Program, a able to meet them. ter independent study has shown that the majority of single-payer advocacy group, writes, the ACA provides That any person can be denied access to healthcare those enrolled in Medicaid who are eligible and able to neither legal reform for “our fragmented financing sys- because they can not pay for it is a travesty. Imagine ev- work are already doing so. It is those who are poor and tem” nor the “unfair financing of healthcare, whereby ery visit to the hospital, general physician, dentist, psy- cannot work due to an illness or disability—a group costs are disproportionately borne by middle- and low- chiatrist—or another medical practitioner—you have already at extraordinary risk for the myriad types of er-income Americans and those families facing acute ever had. Now imagine they were all impossible. The violence which make access to healthcare so critical— or chronic illness...Insurers will continue to strip down emergency gallbladder surgery that saved your life? It who are made especially vulnerable by restrictions on policies, maintain restrictive networks, limit and deny could cost upwards of $20,000 out of pocket. Your trip access. care, and increase patients’ co-pays, deductibles and to the ER for injuries from a car accident? Simply rid- The imposition of external requirements and harsh, other out-of-pocket costs.” By 2023, PNHP predicts, ing in the ambulance could cost hundreds, if not thou- prohibitive penalties for late paperwork are clearly in- “about 30 million people will still be uninsured, and sands of dollars. Without health coverage, the medical tended not to “empower” the poor, but rather to bar tens of millions will remain underinsured.” services and procedures people need to survive are them en masse from accessing the care they need. In each state that implements work requirements impossible to access, and every medical malady be- Since the implementation of the six-month lock-out or lock-out penalties for late paperwork submission, comes a life or death situation. In fact, a 2009 study policy for late paperwork in Indiana in 2015, 91,000 thousands of people are at risk for being denied health published in the American Journal for Public Health people have been kicked off of Medicaid. State officials coverage. Thousands will die deaths that could have found that 45,000 Americans die annually as a direct estimate that about half of those people are still eligible been prevented; thousands of families, friends, and lov- result of not having access to healthcare. Many of these for Medicaid today and are not receiving it. ers will grieve for lives that could have been saved. This deaths, caused by common chronic ailments like hy- The moral turpitude of the Trump Administration is the cost of human life, a cost that will only increase pertension, diabetes, or heart disease, could be easily and its actions cannot be understated. We all, as Chaf- as the Trump administration implements progressive- prevented with access to the proper medical treatment. fetz wisely noted, “have choices.” The choice to deny ly severe restrictions to accessing healthcare, amongst The number of deaths caused by lack of health cover- coverage to thousands of people and allow thousands other social services like public education, subsidized age, the study reported, now exceeded those caused by more to die from ailments otherwise easily treated by food, and housing. In Trump’s Great Neoliberal Amer- other common killers like kidney disease. medical professionals is not something of little conse- ica, there is no room for the poor, the homeless, the Yet the rhetoric around uninsured Americans em- quence - it is vile and evil. The move to cut funding unemployed, the indigent—the most vulnerable, and phasizes choice and blame, rather than needs or rights. and restrict the poor’s access to healthcare is motivated therefore most undesirable and most expendable seg- As House Oversight Committee Chair Jason Chaffetz by anything but a desire to help people in need; rather, ments of the population. Trump’s America is one in famously said in reference to the ACA in 2017, “Amer- this line of thought and action is motivated by a deeply which there is no care for human life beyond value icans have choices. They’ve got to make a choice. So unjustified hatred for the poor and a malicious desire in dollars, in which the wealthy and powerful elimi- rather than getting that new iPhone that they just love to see them destroyed. I can think of no other explana- nate lifelines to food, shelter, and healthcare, and then and want to go spend hundreds of dollars on that, may- tion for a movement which seeks to deny fundamen- watch from afar as the poor die sick in the streets. • THE COLLEGE VOICE FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Opinions • 9 Walter Commons for Global Study and Engagement

Continued from Front years ago, but progress took a while. “For a long time, we had no traction on the physical space issue,” Dooling questions for many. What makes this said. “Our sights were originally set necessary? Why does it look like that? on Knowlton.” But once Blaustein was And how is the College, with its limited chosen and the remaining funding se- budget, paying for it? cured, construction moved quickly. The To this last question, the space’s long College hired Centerbrook Architects, a name provides a piece of the answer. local firm with experience in designing The Commons was funded in part by educational spaces, and Babbitt Con- the Otto and Fran Walter Foundation, struction to complete the project. an organization established by a pair “We wanted to work with a [construc- of philanthropists: Dr. Otto Walter, a tion] firm that had done academic proj- Bavarian-born lawyer who fled Nazi ects during the academic year,” Dooling Germany, and his wife, Frances Doonan explained, “it was actually the first time Walter, a watercolor painter from New we’d done that.” According to Dooling, York. In life, the Walters operated their the College had never before pursued foundation to provide grants to human- construction on a building while classes itarian, artistic, and educative causes, were in session inside, and though class- Photo courtesy of Max Amar-Olkus and the organization now continues to es in Blaustein were sometimes disrupt- fund projects in the couple’s memory. the site of a new advising program for the idea wasn’t afforded the same mer- ed by noise, Babbitt Construction took “off-campus learning.” The advising ses- it by everyone on campus. The concept The Walter Foundation was the first extra precautions to be as quiet and un- sponsor of Blaustein’s new look, but its sions are intended to help students nav- of a “global commons,” or a global- obtrusive as possible. igate educational opportunities outside ly-owned cache of the Earth’s resources, offer was far from enough. At the rib- The degree to which construction bon-cutting event for the Walter Com- of Conn, including study abroad and lo- carries different weight depending on a managed to avoid disruption remains cal initiatives in New London. The ques- person’s academic field. Some consider mons, Dean of Students Victor Arcelus up for debate, but I agree with Dooling’s and Dean of the College Jefferson Singer tion naturally arises, then, as to why the term ignorant of global inequality, observation that while sometimes the Community Partnerships isn’t there. as it neglects to recognize the systems of remarked that funding had been a col- sound was annoying, as construction laborative effort between multiple foun- “You could make an argument for any power that prohibit people and nations goes, it could have been much worse. As entity on campus to be here,” Dooling from accessing a shared “commons,” dations and private donors, all of which for the allocation of resources to build chipped in to the overall budget. said, naming Community Partnerships, while other fields accept the term as an the Walter Commons, while grant fund- the Holleran Center, and the Office of ideal for global harmony. “We did not spend College money,” ing may have made the project essential- commented Amy Dooling, Associate Sustainability as potentially appropriate “On other campuses it would just be ly free, the hours of work that staff dedi- occupants. “Community Partnerships is called a center,” Dooling noted, “but Dean of Global Initiatives, Director of cated to seeking and applying for grants the Walter Commons, and Professor of going to be very engaged here,” she add- center did not work for us.” Because reflect a prioritization of the Commons ed. “They have standing office hours in at Conn, the word “center” is affiliated Chinese. She broke the nearly $1.7 mil- and its mission over other potential ini- lion down into specifics, explaining that the small conference room, which offers with a set of specific and exclusive pro- tiatives. a more private space.” If the Commons grams, the term seemed inadequate for the College first secured a $375 thou- “The rationale is really strong,” Dool- sand grant from the Mellon Foundation, accomplishes its mission, students will naming the Walter Commons. Instead, ing commented, referring to the Com- utilize these hours instead of going to they chose to stick with the language of which was followed by grants from the mons’ emphasis on social justice and Alden Trust, the Hearst Foundation, the the regular Community Partnerships the commons to imply, as Dooling put civic engagement. Commendably, the Office, which remains in Cro. it, “resources that belong to everybody.” Raymond Debbane Family Foundation, establishment of the Commons brings and Susan Lynch ’62. The Commons will also serve as a “It’s not an uncontested idea,” Dooling the Center for the Critical Study of Race meeting space for the International admitted, “but we like that.” While it may seem to students that the and Ethnicity into the middle of campus, futuristic space materialized overnight, Students’ Association (ISA). Accord- To me, the Walter Commons seems moving it from its seclusion in the Pink ing to ISA President Lera Shynkarova, like a common trope in projects with- the idea for the Walter Commons has House across Williams Street. The other been around Conn longer than any of Dooling, the ISA, and Commons As- in academia: a good idea, with decent occupants of the Walter Commons are sistant Director Melissa Ryan “agreed priorities, whose actual efficacy is yet to us. Dooling noted that for “over a de- CISLA, the Office of Study Away, and the cade,” members of the faculty and ad- that [the Commons] should be actively be determined. The problem with the Global Learning Lab, none of which ex- used by international students not only language of efficiency, collaboration, or ministrative staff had been engaged in perienced as significant of moves. Both “a conversation about having a space for meetings, but also to showcase the innovation is its generality: sometimes, CISLA and the Office of Study Away left amazing work that international stu- shiny new projects like this suffer from on campus that brought together all the seemingly desirable locations in Fan- resources that Conn already has,” citing dents and alumni are doing.” a vagueness in purpose that makes it ning, and the Global Learning Lab is A last source of debate, Dooling rec- difficult to justify their consumption the Language Lab (now called the Glob- more visible, but essentially in the same al Learning Lab), the Office of Study ognized, was the Commons’ wordy of resources. I hope that the Walter place as before. The four groups have name. The first name adopted, years Commons sees high attendance in its Away, and the Toor Cummings Center been brought together, Dooling said, to for International Studies in the Liberal earlier in the planning process, was the advising sessions and actually makes foster collaboration between them. “international cultural commons,” but off-campus learning clearer and more Arts (CISLA) as examples. “Space really shapes how people in- The Walter Foundation supported the Dooling said that name “didn’t seem to accessible, because if it does, it will have teract or don’t interact,” she said. Speak- be as encompassing as we needed.” served a useful purpose. As for the look, idea from the beginning, and showed it ing to the specific ways in which she by providing an “anchor gift”—a mone- “As [the project] was happening we I think it’s a little too futuristic to match imagined groups would interact, Dool- just called it the global commons,” with the rest of Blaustein, but overall, tary incentive that promised more fund- ing noted that the Commons serves as ing with sufficient progress—about ten Dooling admitted, but she noted that nice. • THE COLLEGE VOICE 10 • Opinions FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Lawrence Nassar

Continued from Page 7 pic Games who had the power to existing sexual harassment policies. pain upon them? For many survi- act, yet never did. In 2014, Aman- Nassar’s treatment was not medical, vors, having their stories heard and acts were part of a medical healing da Thomashow was abused by and MSU enabled the mistreatment seeing Nassar behind bars is reas- process which, of course, they were Nassar when seeking medical help of dozens of young women. suring. But the hatred must burn so not. They were sickly, selfish actions. for injuries sustained during her But the significance of Nassar’s much deeper in these young wom- Nassar’s deranged sexual pleasure cheerleading years. She spoke with sentencing is undermined by the en and their families, who each day came at the harm of innocent vic- officials at the school, who opened fact that, as of July 2017, Nassar, have to grapple with the memories tims. But these young women, an investigation into Nassar’s con- 54, is already serving 60 years in of abuse. whom society constantly reminds duct. Thomashow remembers these prison for federal child pornogra- Thank goodness survivors brave- to be compliant and agreeable, were officials seemed disturbed by her phy charges. Nassar’s life wasn’t de- ly and assertively came forward to silenced out of fear of questioning descriptions of Nassar’s behavior stroyed by the raw and emotional tell their stories, and testified to the the actions of a grown, adult man and determined to ensure such in- statements of survivors, nor his sen- treatment—both Nassar’s and the with a professional title tradition- cidents would not continue. After tence; he was already going to die officials’ of the institutions— they ally representative of a trustworthy interviewing both Thomashow and in a cell. Previous wrongdoings had endured. But perhaps this came too figure. Nassar, however, three of Nassar’s ensured he would live his final years late. These young women are on the A despicable factor in these cases physician colleagues concluded that as a humiliated and hated criminal long, arguably never-ending road to is the consistent pattern of neglect Nassar’s actions were “medically ap- of society. How must this feel for healing from unspeakable traumas. demonstrated by the boards and of- propriate,” and the school decided his victims, not being able to harm As for Nassar, he will never truly be ficials at both MSU and the Olym- that the case was not in violation of someone who inflicted so much hurt for this. •

Microporn Connecticut College Prize

Continued from Page 7 in pornographic content. Porn’s rapid for Undergraduate turnaround allows for instantaneous play to “openly explore the racial [and reflection of values and ideologies sexual] identities of the players in ways in regards to current events, further Library Research that may be seen as transgressive.” solidifying the link between sex and While dominant commercial por- anxieties fundamental to our culture. nography reflecting societal attitudes As Reich opined while moderating a about race and sexuality may fail to ac- post-presentation Q&A, “porn is the • knowledge LGBTQIA people and peo- place where the veil is lifted, the ug- $500 award ple of color, microporn offers a space liest things appear, the resistance ap- to radically rewrite those works and pears, and our anxiety about misce- • Submit materials by question what society sees as accept- genation [and sexual otherness] fully able. Thus, Gilbert argued, condemn- comes to life.” • ing micropornography as problematic Friday, Feb. 16 would mean erasing important voices Crossword Key that are silenced far too often. • All undergraduates Indeed, tension defined every aspect of Gilbert’s discussion—be it between racial studies theorists and queer eligible studies theorists who are reticent to acknowledge intersections linking the two, feminists who argue if porn is de- grading or should be taken seriously, For complete eligibility and and the ever-present specter of how to read context. Regardless of what one submission information: thought of the specific points Gilbert raised, it was impossible to walk away conncoll.libguides.com/libprize from it without gaining a newfound appreciation for the political nuances THE COLLEGE VOICE FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Arts • 11 A Disappointing Revelation from Dave Chappelle

Max Amar-Olkus Chappelle’s Show on Comedy with some white viewers’ responses money. Central was a mixture of absurd to his satire rooted in racial stereo- After about a decade in the shad- Creative Director slapstick humor and razorsharp types. Walking away from the show ows, Chappelle’s name began to PG-13 and R ratings weren’t really political satire, primarily focusing (and the accompanying $50 million surface in news stories about his strict rules, but more so loose sug- on race in America. Chappelle left contract) secured Chappelle a repu- return to comedy. In 2014, when gestions in my household. I grew the show abruptly in the middle of tation for being a socially conscious I first heard Dave Chappelle was up watching the things my parents its third season, citing discomfort comic willing to put principle over back and doing a 10-day residency or babysitters watched, which, for at Radio City Music Hall in New better or worse, exposed me to new York, I was elated. As far as I was ideas and new ways of seeing the concerned, my hero had returned. world. I eschewed the more age-ap- Since he had such a long hiatus, he propriate movies or TV shows like must be ready to pump out new Harry Potter, or literally anything material, I thought. on the Disney channel, and instead I immediately began rewatching I watched sketch comedies, stand- all the Chappelle’s Show clips I could up routines, and satires obsessively. find and, to my surprise, they didn’t Although I was occasionally given quite hold up as I had remembered. “earmuffs” (a child’s worst enemy) Of course, there were the iconic to protect from crass language, the sketches that still held their own; comedians who narrated my child- Charlie Murphy’s retelling of the hood were Will Ferrell, Chris Rock, time he spent with Rick James and Sarah Silverman, Jerry Seinfeld, met Prince (both played by Chap- and, of course, Dave Chappelle. Photo courtesy of Mathieu Bitton via USA Today Continued on Page 15

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Gets Unjust Treatment from Fans

Emir Kulluk fans wanted, but that cannot be it, since one of tone, Rian Johnson wanted to craft a darker sto- the major complaints of The Force Awakens was ry, in which the flicker of hope created with the Business Manager that it was a rehash of A New Hope. Then, what original theory dimmed with the passage of time. A noticeable amount of time has passed since really happened? Where did the fans and the These clashing visions created inconsistency and the release of the latest Star Wars movie, The Last creators of The Last Jedi (as well as the critics) go incoherence within the story line, catching the Jedi, but it still continues to stir up controversy on different paths? fans off guard and resulting in negative backlash. amongst its fans—so much, in fact, that some Truth be told, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is not The second reason for the controversy is be- have decided to take action. About a month ago, a bad movie at all in my opinion, but it has its cause of the choices JJ Abrams made whilst one fan started a petition to “Have Disney strike flaws. The film has great cinematography and crafting The Force Awakens. JJ Abrams has his Star Wars Episode VIII from the official canon,” directing and features great special effects, yet own concept for filmmaking—called a mystery meaning that the eighth entry within the Star ultimately falters a bit when it comes to the pac- box—in which the director withholds informa- Wars saga be scrapped and forgotten. Although ing of the story and one of the subplots within tion critical to a complete understanding of the the petition does not elaborate on whether the the story. The film’s narrative, while presenting story from the viewers in order to create intrigue. eighth movie is going to be replaced with an- similar plot points to previous Star Wars install- This technique does generate suspense, but ul- other eighth movie reshoot or is just going to be ments, possesses a uniquely darker tone than its timately the mystery box cannot stay closed for skipped through the ninth movie, its existence predecessors. too long, JJ Abrams states, or the viewer will get shows the polarizing aspect of the movie itself. I believe that this controversy arises from the bored or angry. The problem with the mystery Despite having a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes choices of Lucasfilms, JJ Abrams, and the loyalty boxes in The Force Awakens is that the questions from critics, the movie only has a 49% rating of the fans to the franchise as a whole. The first they raised were not answered in The Last Jedi, from the viewers. With a divide this wide, one problem was the choice of Lucasfilms to provide since JJ Abrams did not direct it. So during the cannot help but ask why. According to fans, the too much freedom to the directors of the new two years in between, fans theorized in futility. answers range from “the spaceships don’t obey trilogy. The directors—there were more than one When the film was finally released, their grand the laws of physics within space” to “the Luke for the trilogy—were given free reign over story expectations were not met. The fans might have Skywalker in this film is not the Luke Skywalker arcs and allowed to write their own scripts. This been satisfied if JJ Abrams directed The Last Jedi from my childhood” to “the answer to Rey’s par- caused a discrepancy between the directors to oc- and provided the answers to the mystery boxes ents did not satisfy me.” It may seem as if Rian cur: whereas JJ Abrams wanted to create an ode Johnson and Lucasfilms did not know what the to the original trilogy with a lighter and hopeful Continued on Page 12 THE COLLEGE VOICE 12 • Arts FEBRUARY 6, 2018 The Greatest Showman Proves Itself Great

Brooke Sponzo and recording process, he had to have a skin can- Other numbers of interest include “Never cer removed and, with eighty stitches in his nose, Enough,” a haunting, bittersweet song sung by Lo- Contributor he was informed by his doctor that he should not ren Allred about the endless pursuits of an actress, Capturing audiences with sweeping melodies sing for a set amount of time. However, a read- and “A Million Dreams” sung by Hugh Jackman, and catchy tunes, the P.T. Barnum musical The through of the script and songs, an event which Ziv Zaifman (young P.T. Barnum), and Michelle Greatest Showman has been filling moviegoers’ had taken eight months to plan, was scheduled Williams (Charity Barnum), which has a lulla- hearts with song since its release in early Decem- for the very next day. Jackman attended but re- by-like quality and details the power of believing ber. frained from singing for the entire event with the in one’s dreams. The second song, actually, is the The film, which stars Hollywood icon Hugh exception of the final song, a powerful, soul-lift- number that got Pasek and Paul the songwriting Jackman as the title role and features Zac Efron ing number titled “From Now On,” to which he job. According to an article by Playbill, the flow and fashion icon Zendaya, centers around the sto- couldn’t resist adding his voice. Broadway star of the song, which transitions “a boy of dreams to ry of a showman trying to make it big in a bleak Jeremy Jordan, who assisted Jackman with the a grown man with a childlike imagination” con- and gray world. To do this, he gathers up a crew vocal selections, later tweeted that: “if this movie vinced the films director, Michael Gracey, that of society’s misfits and outcasts, including broad- is half as inspiring as this reading was, we are all they were just the right people for the task. way’s Keala Settle as a spirited bearded lady, and in for a treat.” If one is unable to see the movie in theatres, convinces them that they can prove to the world Zendaya’s performance as an acrobat battling checking out the songs on iTunes, or even on You- the beauty of their uniqueness. discrimination and fighting to be seen for her tube, might be a great way to gain a new favorite The score for this movie musical was composed art is equally stunning. Her singing voice winter playlist. • by the award winning, song-writing duo Justin is powerful, but even more impressive is Paul and Benj Pasek, who recently received a the fact that she did most of her own ae- Golden Globe for best original song “This Is Me” rial stunts by herself. In an interview for one of the many inspirational anthems from The The Tonight Show, she said that the movie Star Wars Continued from Page 11 Greatest Showman. required a lot of training and upper-body Having already proved his vocal ability as the strength building, and included conquer- he created himself, and then left them on Rian John- atoning convict Jean Valjean in the 2012 film ad- ing a fear of heights. Zac Efron, who is son’s shoulders. aptation of Les Misérables, Hugh Jackman shines still today well-known for his starring role Another reason for the retaliation against The Last in the role of P.T. Barnum, a man from little means in the 2006 iconic, or perhaps infamous, Jedi has been so strong might be due to natural genera- who attempts to make his childhood dreams into High School Musical, brilliantly captured tional and age striations in the Star Wars fan base. Since a reality and provide a better life for his wife and the struggles of a society elite who joins its debut in 1977, dozens of generations have grown up children. In fact, according to Kristin Smith, a Barnum’s circus on a whim, hoping it will watching Star Wars, and the kids who watched A New movie critic for Plugged In, “The Greatest Show- lead to his lasting happiness. Zendaya Hope in theaters are now adults in their forties and fif- man paints a portrait of the metaphorical tight- and Efron’s duet “Rewrite the Stars” is as ties. Truth be told, Star Wars is a family movie that is rope P.T. Barnum walked, and we’re drawn into visually stunning as it is beautiful to the a space opera. They are for kids who watch Star Wars his mesmerizing world.” ears. Efron and Jackman also have a song and fall in love with the spectacle, the force, and the But one thing viewers of this movie might not together titled “The Other Side,” which is lightsabers. It is awkward to see a fan in his adult years know is how Jackman’s star quality glowed even a witty, fast-paced number that includes complain about how the laws of physics have been ma- behind the scenes. In an interview for FOX Stu- artful glass clinking and rhythmic stomp- nipulated for the film, or how the Luke Skywalker they dios titled “The Story Behind the Making of the ing and is sure to put a smile on the face of saw forty years ago has changed. The new trilogy of Movie,” Jackman reveals how during the filming even the harshest critic. Star Wars films is for a new generation, and since Lu- casfilms and Disney are crafting Star Wars for a new generation, they don’t want to replicate the original trilogy or do the exact same thing, since those movies already exist. The Last Jedi takes a lot of risks and reaps the rewards of most of them, while failing significantly with others. Ultimately, Rian Johnson brought his own ideas to the table, and made a technically complex, visually engag- ing film, which is what really matters. While Marvel may have failed to meet the conditions required to sat- isfy long-time fans in this film, Johnson should not be vilified for pursuing his own artistic vision. People grow and change, but they always expect the things they loved as a child to not change, which is im- possible. Just like people, the characters in films, and the studios which create these films change as well. Pe- titioning to change The Last Jedi in the name of nostal- gic desires would be the same as asking an adult to act Photo courtesy of Vanity Fair like a child again. • THE COLLEGE VOICE FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Arts • 13 A Reflection on Fall Arboretum Events and a Preview of Spring Programming

Sophia Angele-Kuehn gram that I started soon after I got here, two-dimensional. The Arboretum hosts tricky things—people just assume the just wanting to make connections with two conferences in Cummings a year: Arboretum, oh, you have to be a Bot- Arts Editor other organizations. The Florence Gris- one in November for home gardeners, any major to be involved, but that’s not If one had walked into 33 Gallows wold Museum has such neat program- and another in January for professional true at all…” Redfern even mentioned Lane on the morning of Dec. 2, under a ming, you can see I really like this class,” landscape architects. About 150 people that while at a rock-climbing class, she weakly shining winter sun, they would laughed Redfern, gesturing to her small come to this particular two-day confer- talked with a student from the theater have been greeted by the invigorating collection of impressionistic paintings ence in Evans Hall. department, and he told her he wished aromas of Balsam and Dunkin’ Donuts. propped in a corner of her office in And there are, of course, multi- there were more plays in the Arbore- They would have seen coats piled high Olin. “I like to plan programs that I en- ple sculptures located across Conn’s tum. “Well, you should talk to your pro- on top of one another on hooks near the joy doing… Hopefully classes are a way grounds, which are considered part of fessors about it, and let’s try to make it door and circular wire frames and floral for people to get more involved and the Arboretum. “Barbara Zabel, who is happen!” If students want to see more wire neatly placed on tables. Meanwhile, learn more about the Arboretum and a retired Art History professor, curat- events at the Arbo, or get more involved, a separate table had its entire surface the natural world.” ed an exhibit at the Lyman Allyn, so I it seems they need to think outside the filled with carefully classified evergreen Another event that the Arboretum asked her if she’d be interested in doing box and speak their mind. clippings. Bags of various natural ma- Unfortunately, one problem that the terials collected from the surrounding Arboretum faces is that students are Arboretum were waiting outside the too busy to come to their events. “What building. It was time to learn the art of are college students interested in, and wreath-making. when are they available?” asked Red- “The wreath-making class filled up fern, exasperated. “There are so many two months ago,” said Assistant Direc- opportunities on campus for activities, tor of the Arboretum Maggie Redfern, it’s hard to compete with a lot of those pleased, in a private interview before programs and for us to get the word the event. The wreath-making class is out.” But when word does get out and one of the Arboretum’s most popular goes around, people flock to the Arbo- programs and pulls participants from retum for everything including gaining all across Connecticut. Most partici- knowledge on the trees in downtown pants have to pay a $40 entrance fee, but New London on a tour, sitting in a gaze- all Arboretum events are free for Con- bo with friends and family, and getting necticut College students. their hands a little dirty with a hands-on Indeed, the 87-year-old Arboretum art project. appears to be the perfect place to merge “It seems like art classes are a good nature with art and creativity. For ex- way to get people looking more closely at ample, besides wreaths, a Holiday Craft nature, and just being observant of their Ornament event was held last winter surroundings. Art and nature seem to in the Olin lounge. Participants had be a nice, compatible, complementary to get creative with a diversity of plant thing. Just pictures of landscapes, paint- Sophia’s painting from “Painting the Landscape” ings of landscapes, drawings, you know, materials in order to construct all-nat- Photo courtesy of Sophia Angele-Kuehn ural, biodegradable decorations. At first it seems like something that almost any- geared toward kids in the community, one can do,” commented Redfern. Art the event was recently refocused to at- puts on proves just that: with over 60 a tour on campus of the sculptures. So and nature seem to go hand-in-hand, tract more of the college community as photograph submissions from the col- you know, it’s just trying to find those and art isn’t a field of study strictly re- a fun break before finals. lege and local community, the Arbo- types of partnerships where we can served for a group of professionals. Ev- “Painting the Landscape” is also a retum’s annual photo contest has dis- make connections within the commu- eryone can get involved. popular Arbo event for both Conn stu- played just how influenced people are nity,” said Redfern. So whenever one returns from the dents and members of the surrounding by nature for the last twenty years. Last Music is also an art form as a means Arboretum and crosses Williams Street community. On one weekday in the April the contest’s theme was “Captur- of creative expression. In the fall and toward the stone walls of Connecticut fall, one in the spring, Julie Riggs of ing the Beauty of the Arboretum,” and spring, Arbofest lets Conn students re- College, one may do so carrying a heavy the Florence Griswold Museum in Old submissions included a snow-laden lax in front of the Pond, throw a Frisbee yet unique holiday wreath, or a mem- Lyme comes to the Arboretum to teach Buck lodge, an October sun peeking around with friends, and listen to music ory of a play or song, that will forever the technique of “plein-air” painting, out from behind trees, and a frog sit- from student bands. capture and preserve the magic that according to the American impression- ting in the still waters of the Pond. The “The Arboretum is always open to the Arboretum holds. And whenever ists who used to board at the Florence awards ceremony had been held in students doing projects in the land- one lays down a blanket and sits under Griswold mansion. After the demon- Unity House on Arbor Day, and in con- scape, whether it’s like a theater—they one of the twin Japanese Larch trees in stration, participants go off and attempt junction the College’s Linda Lear Cen- want to do a play, or a performance— front of Blaustein on an early spring to capture the sereneness of the Arbore- ter for Special Collections and Archives or some sort of art project or research day, looking for a creative solution to tum Pond with broad brushstrokes and displayed old photographs and maps of project,” explained Redfern. “Not just their problems, they’ll find it in front of shades of light. the Arbo from times past. natural sciences, you know, it could re- them, next to them, and above them, in • “[Painting the Landscape] was a pro- However, art, like nature, isn’t only ally be anything. I think that’s one of the nature. THE COLLEGE VOICE 14 • Arts FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Students Review Debut Albums from Near and Far Here in New London: From the Original London: Coagulate’s “Bent” “Everything is Recorded”

Charlie King Sam Weisenthal Contributor Staff Writer Before I sat down to write about Let’s talk about the masters be- “Bent,” the debut album by Con- hind the sound. What happens necticut College’s very own Coagu- when producers come out from late, I had the opportunity to attend behind the scenes to show us, the a number of their performances here listeners, what it feels like to have on campus at The Barn. On each an ear for music? British produc- occasion, I found that there wasn’t er Richard Russell, owner and top a person in the room who wasn’t executive of XL Recordings in Lon- dancing or at least bobbing along to don, recently came out with his the music. This in and of itself isn’t first album, “Everything is Record- unique to Coagulate’s performance, ed.” The work displays the exper- Painting by Aleister Crowley; Design by Jack Beal Image courtesy of Pitchfork and it is not surprising given that Image courtesy of Coagulate tise Russell has shown us through drummer Josh Hausman is unde- working with household names, The Creator, Vampire Weekend, The niably groovy, especially when ac- bare-chested antics, drawing more yet it also allows listeners to peek White Stripes, and The xx—among companied by Violet Better on bass. attention to the band’s ability than into the magic of a musical mas- others. In 2008, Thom Yorke of Ra- Yet, what struck me was that I was their spectacle. termind. The ways in which Russell diohead released his first solo album surrounded by people who, by and It’s in this light that Coagulate’s produced and shaped his new al- through XL, saying he chose the la- large, did not care for metal music. talents, as well as their short- bum through collaborative practic- bel because it’s “very mellow” and Had these kids been alone in their comings, are put on full display. es may be able to change the ways has “no corporate ethic.” Similarly, rooms that night, I doubt that any Greene’s guitar playing is a par- in which the music industry focus- Frank Ocean chose XL to release the of them would have had Master of ticular highlight; “Begin Again” es on capital rather than art. vinyl and CD versions of his artistic Reality playing on their stereo or opens the album with some bluesy XL Recordings occupies a opus, “Blonde.” Ocean claims in in- would have been dancing around improvisational guitar that builds uniquely important place in the terviews that his previous label, Def their room to “Into the Void.” I cer- an off-kilter rhythm before “Ahead hierarchy of record labels. The Jam, had been perplexed by his mu- tainly wouldn’t have. Still, there we by One” comes storming in with powerhouse is an independent la- sic and thus they choose to focus on were having a fantastic time to the percussive fury. Greene’s playing bel with the punch of a major re- superstars like Justin Bieber. tune of “Caffeine.” doesn’t necessarily steal the show, cord company such as Warner and Richard Russell took control of XL My point in mentioning this is but it certainly sets the tone for the Universal. XL, unlike larger labels, Recordings in 1994 and has shaped that there’s something distinctly ap- rest of the album. The tracks where supplies a uniquely artistic space the trajectory of the label, turning pealing about seeing Coagulate per- Greene’s work shines, like his wail- which is welcoming to musical ex- it into the authority that it is today. form, and it’s a challenging task to ing solo over Better’s trudging bass perimentation and vision. XL re- Russell created the company in his embody the visceral kineticism of a riff on “Depende,” is Coagulate at jects the notion that record labels early twenties, and has now decid- live act on a studio album. There are their best. should be producing exclusively ed to come out with a record of his all too many mediocre bands with While Greene’s guitar might consumable songs, according to art own entitled “Everything is Record- noisy, messily-produced albums, form much of the foundation for critics in outlets such as The New ed.” Russell did not consider this a posing proudly in the shadow of “Bent’s” sound, it’s Netland’s vocal Yorker. Instead, the label aims to profound shift as he had always seen Raw Power. “Bent” sidesteps this performance that establishes the connect with artists who have “un- himself primarily as a creative per- typical pitfall thanks in no small part album’s mood. Sonically, his voice compromising vision” In keeping son in an executive role. This ten- to the work of producer Hans Olrik. is perfectly fitting. There’s enough with this vision of the company, XL sion has allowed Russell to nurture Olrik’s mix sounds strikingly dif- roughness to the quality of the re- operates by banking on musicians’ a company which privileges artistic ferent from Coagulate’s live perfor- cording to give it an edge, but not long-term potential rather than on autonomy, allowing the passion for mances but is nonetheless informed at the cost of obscuring his lyrics. immediate returns. Major label ex- music to drive corporate decisions. by them. Netland’s vocals are dis- On “Bent,” Netland’s lyrics occu- ecutives are devoted to sharehold- The album serves as Russell’s proper torted, but not to the point where py a strange space—they display ers, whereas XL works for the lis- debut as a musician. they’re unrecognizable; Better’s bass a swath of existential angst that’s tener and the artist. Because of this Like with all of his work, Russell drives the songs forward, but nev- grounded almost entirely in his passion, XL Recordings has signed can be heard in the background of er at the expense of overwhelming own experience. It’s an experience and produced world renowned art- the album, serving more as the ring- Ben Greene’s deft guitar playing. It’s that I relate to, and genuinely feel I ists such as Adele, Beck, FKA twigs, leader than the frontman. Russell loud, but balanced. It gives the lis- M.I.A., King Krule, Radiohead, tener some distance from Netland’s Continued on Page 15 Sampha, SBTRKT, Sigur Rós, Tyler, Continued on Page 15 THE COLLEGE VOICE FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Arts • 15 Dave Chappelle “Everything Is Recorded”

Continued from Page 11 Continued from Page 14

pelle); or the parody of the ABC show Wife Swap called “Trading soon realized in his process that it is difficult for him to construct a public image af- Spouses.” Although the show still had wit and political relevance ter having been in the background of the music for so long. Perhaps because of this some 10 years later, I realized how much our society had changed discomfort, Russell includes a plethora of guest artists on the work. Russell’s ability for the better and all I could find myself thinking was: “There’s no to prioritize the music over his ego has allowed him to create an album which paves way this show could be made today.” the way for true artistic collaboration. This decision is a smart one because it allows In 2017 Chappelle released four Netflix specials, netting approx- listeners to connect with Russell’s true talent of artistic collaboration. In this vain, imately $20 million per performance. The first two, Deep in the Russell has been in the process of working with Kahlil Joseph, the man who direct- Heart of Texas and The Age of Spin,were Chappelle’s first specials ed Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” video, for the visual component of his work. released in twelve years, and became instantly successful. Eight Russell’s album is 16-minutes long and each of the tracks touch on a different months later, in December, Netflix released the second two part genre, from Motown to hip-hop to Rap to Jazz. The song “Close But Not Quite” is stand-up special called Equanimity and The Bird Revelation. A in collaboration with Sampha, an artist who has been working with Solange, Drake, month after the first release, Netflix announced that they were the Kanye, and Frank, all the while making a distinct voice for himself through his ac- streaming service’s most viewed comedy specials in its history. claimed album “Process,” released in 2017. “Close But Not Quite” is built around a But the specials weren’t greeted exclusively with praise, like most sample of Curtis Mayfield’s 1970 song “The Makings of You.” The song, which vibes of Chappelle’s early work. In fact, Chappelle was widely criticised like a jazzy Gabriel Garzón-Montano, has eerie intonations found in musicians like for his comments about Caitlyn Jenner and the trans community, Frank Ocean and culminates in a modern motown expression of rejoice. The song OJ Simpson, and Chappelle’s childhood comedy idol, Bill Cosby. “Mountains of Gold” features Sampha, Wiki, Kamasi Washington, and Ibeyi. Rus- In The Bird Revelation, Chappelle shares his thoughts on the #Me- sell says, “‘Mountains of Gold’ is sound system inspired; you can hear a lot of strong Too movement, and focuses on the accusations against Louis C.K., and different personalities and voices in the one song, but the feeling is consistent.” Kevin Spacey, and Harvey Weinstein. Generally, while discussing By the time listeners reach the end of this short and sweet collection, they will be the sexual misconduct of famous men, Chappelle denounces their hard pressed to say one single thing about how they feel and what it means. actions, only to minimize or mitigate them soon afterwards. His Through collaboration, Russell has allowed himself to transcend sound and schtick of digging himself into a hole just to prove he can escape meaning, which shows listeners how he will influence the current state of music. It worked for him in the past, but doesn’t quite work today. has become clear that Russell can go in any direction with his work. The work leaves Chappelle reminds the audience at the beginning of The Bird me feeling hopeful that Russell may be able to move the music industry into a space Revelation that sometimes the funniest thing to say is mean. But which privileges art over capital. The artist himself said, “I suppose from the outside that philosophy really only works a fraction of the time. While ru- it’s, like, ‘Well, what are they going to do—what do they do after Adele? Twelve-inch minating on the troves of sexual assault victims who have come singles. Electronic music. Shit that’s banging. That’s what we do. And then? Then out to make statements against their attackers, Chappelle suggests stuff happens.” XL Recordings is changing the way music is made and shared. Rus- that some may just be experiencing “buyers’ remorse,” which is sell, the passion behind the project, is teaching us all to recenter production on the a particularly cruel choice of words, and surely not the funniest artist rather than the individual who is making money for money’s sake. Richard thing he could have thought of. It’s the type of humor that would Russell is teaching us how to listen again. have been perfectly acceptable in the peak of Chappelle’s career “Everything is Recorded” is available on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, and Sound- twelve years ago but no longer sits right in the modern audience’s cloud. • stomach. Tastes can change a lot over time, and large portions of Chappelle’s new material seem more fit for a bygone era than for today. “Bent” Chappelle’s political and social awareness has always been root- ed in his experience of race, rather than gender, so it’s hard to ex- Continued from Page 14 pect him to fully understand the nuance and implicit meanings of the jokes he makes about the #MeToo movement. That being can understand, which provides a sense of distance as well as connection. I don’t said, he does call himself a feminist and offers up moments of so- doubt for a second that they’re honest personal expressions of emotion that come ber political analysis, with a focus on tackling structural issues and from a place of sincere self-reflection. Personally, I know that if I sat down to write inequities. At one point, he calls for the sexual equivalent of South some lyrics, the best I could hope to come up with would read like a cheap imita- Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (“the system itself tion of “Citrus Skull.” However, it seems to me that the power of great songwrit- must be tried”) to deal with the pervasive sexual harassment and ing is expressing a kind of indescribable emotion. So I’m left feeling torn when it assault problem in the US. comes to Netland’s writing. It’s engaging, and it’s refreshing in the sense that most The new Dave Chappelle specials are culturally significant; they of the music I've encountered that voices similar sentiments tends to sound more offer historical context and modern social criticisms that are all- like Salvia Palth than it does Iron Maiden. All in all, “Bent” leaves me wanting too-needed in 2017. The modern Dave Chappelle smokes his juul something more, but I’m not sure if that’s because the album itself is lacking. I’ve on stage, doling out pieces of wisdom, and has some genuinely seen Coagulate take a room of kids who just seconds ago had their arms up in time hilarious bits, but the most depressing part is that you have to sit to Modest Mouse’s “Float On” and get them headbanging to a song that they had through some pretty outdated and tasteless humor just to find the never heard before. I don’t believe a whole lot of bands are capable of doing some- gems. • thing like that; and so I can’t help but feel that Coagulate is a great band, but “Bent” is just a good album. • THE COLLEGE VOICE 16 • Arts FEBRUARY 6, 2018 onStage Presents BalletX, an Imaginative Intervention in Modern Dance

well together in the same piece. However, Bal- female-male roles in dance: the performance Elizabeth Berry letX shows that these forms can in fact go hand by male dancers of BalletX evoked traditional Staff Writer in hand. The most striking performance in “Gran notions of femininity, and female dancers later Partita” was by Francesca Forcella and Gary W. performed strong and bold movements. While Seated in the notoriously scratchy blue seats of Jeter II. The complex choreography performed this piece diverged from classical ballet and in- Palmer Auditorium, the audience of the Friday, by both dancers are perhaps the reason why one stead was composed of mostly contemporary Jan. 26 onStage show was treated to a graceful of their more complicated lifts was the cover of and modern choreography, there were some yet modern performance by BalletX, Philadel- the program for the show. moments when ballet movements and technique phia’s premier contemporary ballet company. After the first performance, Malasangre tran- shone through. BalletX combines distinguished choreographers sitioned the show from a primarily ballet piece The last performance returned the show to and dancers who work together to challenge to one with more variety. This piece opened with ballet in a less subtle way, but contemporary “the boundaries of classical what appeared to be gray squares of paper on dance was not forgotten. Fe- ballet by encouraging for- male dancers entered wear- mal experimentation while ing pale-colored leotards preserving rigorous tech- and frilly tutus. In contrast, nique,” as stated on Con- the male dancers wore pants necticut College’s website. and simple shirts, almost like Members of the company street clothes. Two dancers performed “Gran Partita,” were even on pointe, which choreographed by Jorma means they wore pointe Elo; “Malasangre,” choreo- shoes that allow them to ap- graphed by Cayetano Soto; pear as though they are danc- and “The Last Glass,” cho- ing on their toes. Skyler Lu- reographed by Matthew bin’s performance on pointe Neenan. Each of these pieces was particular impressive as captured the audience and— she carried out difficult cho- through choreography, reography ranging from leg lighting effects, music, and lifts to turns with the grace of costumes—effectively inter- a prima ballerina. The only twined both ballet and con- female dancer not in a classic temporary into one dance tutu was Andrea Yorita. She form. was dressed in a pink shirt The show opened with fog and bermuda shorts. While sprawled across the stage as her costume set her apart dancers slowly began to ap- from her peers, it was Yori- pear with spotlights directed Shot from a 2017 performance of “The Last Glass.” Photo by Bill Hebert and courtesy of BalletX. ta’s beautiful technique and on them. The female dancers expressive performance that wore simple tan leotards and held my attention through- the male dancers wore white pants; both appar- the stage—in fact, toward the end of the piece out the show. el choices allowed the audience to focus on the the dancers actually picked these up and threw This year marks the one-hundredth anniver- dancers’ magnificent abilities, rather than poten- them into the air. Both female and male danc- sary of performing arts at Connecticut College. tially being distracted by elaborate costumes. ers wore knee-high black socks, but the female Moreover, BalletX was the perfect show to cel- “Gran Partita” was composed of several pas de dancers wore tan turtleneck long-sleeved shirts, ebrate this incredible achievement. BalletX was deux—all of which demonstrated classical ballet and the male dancers wore crisp, tan kilts with a performance looked forward to by many—in- form. However, these duets were intermixed with pleats. While “Gran Partita” was performed to cluding myself—and it did not disappoint. From more contemporary choreography throughout primarily classical music, “Malasangre” was per- riveting choreography, to outstanding dancers, to the piece. Thus, when the audience felt like the formed to a variety of upbeat music, the majority music and costumes that highlighted the show’s performance was turning into solely a ballet of which was sung in Romance languages. The tone, it was onStage’s best guest performance yet piece, the choreography would slowly begin to opening segment of this piece began with a sassy this year. I hope the company returns to Conn’s morph into more modern movements. Although song that shocked the audience and was danced campus in the future to once again capture sometimes abrupt, the choreography worked to solely by male dancers. This was unorthodox, yet the audience and transport them to a different unite forms of dance not always thought to work intriguing as it reversed the often stereotypical world—one filled with grace and imagination. •