The Trail, 2012-03-30

TRAIL.PUGETSOUND.EDU THe PugeT Sound TRAIL THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND Volume 101, Issue 17 March 30, 2012 Established 1910 WETLANDS Lighthouse facilitates trip to Yakima reservation By ASHLEY GOFF Over spring break, a group of nine Puget Sound students made the long drive to the Yakima Indian Reservation to take part in a six-day community service trip. During the course of the trip, the students helped out around the community, cleaning up an elder- ly woman’s yard, building a bas- ketball court for the youth group, building a shed, constructing a fire pit and pitching in wherever need- ed. The team from Puget Sound was not alone on this trip, howev- er. Another group of ten students from Gordon College, a Christian college in Boston, also participated, creating the opportunity for fellow- ship and a chance to make lasting friendships not only in Yakima, but across the nation. As Tom Blackeagle, local co- ordinator for community service activities on the reservation, explained, “My job is to find people in the community that are in need and bring them together with those who are willing to help.” But helping out in Native Ameri- can communities is not as easy as it appears, particularly for groups with a Christian message such as Lighthouse. Corey Greaves, reservation spiri- tual leader and founder of Mending Wings, the program that facilitated the trip, explained to the students that the natives on the Reservation do not consider themselves to be poor or of low economic standing according to the standards of the American economy. Rather, he explained, “We are a survivalist people. There is no concept of ‘poor’ or ‘hungry’ in our communities for there is no shortage of food or re- sources from the land.” The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakima Nation, or more commonly known as the Ya- Wetlands prepares for opening magazine release kima Nation have endured a lot of ( ) history. Initially promised near- The University’s new student-run magazine exploring sex and gender ly a third of the land in Washing- expression{} is slated to be published in April; student submissions roll in, ton by the Treaty of 1855, the Treaty was soon abused by the US govern- ranging from photography to poetry and beyond ment that, through the years, slow- ly whittled away at the land until all By GAELYN MOORE and together they came up with the that was left was today’s current Ya- idea. kima Reservation, less than half of he Trail, Crosscurrents, Elements and The Sound have a new sibling called Wetlands has been fortunate what they were originally given. in gaining the support and spon- To make matters worse, the In- Wetlands. The name is both a sexual pun and a nod to the tradition of naming sorship of the University. By No- dian children, aged five to eighteen, campus publications after elements of nature. In April, Wetlands will publish vember of 2011, the Gender Stud- were taken from their families and ies department was on board with sent to boarding schools where they Tits first issue. Its purpose is to provide a safe space where students can anonymously and the idea, professor Alison Tracy were forbidden to speak their own Hale became the advisor, a quarter language and sometimes not al- openly share sexual exploration and gender expression through art, prose, poetry and credit publication class was formed lowed to contact their families. academic journalism. By creating this silent discussion space, Wetlands hopes to convey and students registered to take the By joining together as friends class. ASUPS has given the student with the common goal to help oth- what the Puget Sound sexual landscape is truly like. organization full funding. The Vul- ers, the teams were able to put his- While researching for her gen- zine, debuted as early as 2004 and dents but not supported by their va Anti-Violence Alliance (VAVA) tory aside. der studies thesis, senior Anya Cal- gained national attention in Wash- universities. Callahan decided and the Safe Men organization Tiana Fernandez described the lahan ran across several university ington Post, Playboy and FOX. to try to start such a magazine at have also been very supportive. experience by saying, “As the intern art and literary magazines explor- Other magazines like C-Spot (Co- Puget Sound. She called two of her The staff of Wetlands is cur- in charge of the trip, I had been an- ing issues of gender, sex and sex- lumbia) and Boink (Boston Uni- fellow gender studies minors, Me- uality. H BOMB, Harvard’s maga- versity) were organized by stu- gan Chambers and Ruby Aliment, SEE WETLANDS PAGE 2 SEE RESERVATION PAGE 2 Women’s Softball gets ‘Ag-gag’ laws leave Grassroots Campaign Macklemore and Ryan swept twice consumers in the dark less than ideal Lewis Review Sports page 9 Opinions page 4 Features page 7 A&E page 11 2 NEWS The Puget Sound Trail March 30, 2012 [email protected] penises as well but found it more dif- Puget Sound has many opportu- hands. The group says they are not taking advice from other magazines WETLANDS ficult to find participants. Chambers nities for one to discuss issues such trying to alienate people who are not like Crosscurrents. ContinUed FROM PAGE 1 aims to normalize the fact that va- as sexuality in groups like BGLAD comfortable with the idea. “The purpose of the magazine is ginas come in different shapes, tex- and VAVA. Discussions in class- Wetlands has also been accused to create dialogue even if it is criti- rently cataloguing over 60 submis- tures and colors. es and presentations on gender and of being femme-centric, focused too cism,” says Callahan. Expected re- sions to the magazine and starting to If the photographs get pub- sexuality are not a rarity on this much on women. To this Callahan ception of the first issue is mixed. select pieces to publish in the April lished, she expects some people to campus. Wetlands wants to give the responded with a call to action: “If Some backlash is inevitable, but the magazine. So far, there have been find it vulgar and offensive but she opportunity for people not interest- you think it is too femme-centric, staff questions whether it will be sig- many poetry submissions, but also hopes some will also feel validated. ed in vocalizing to enter the conver- then submit something on males.” nificant. So far, they have not seen funny photos of nudity, anecdot- For Chambers, Wetlands is a place sation. More importantly, it wants to When a student in a group solicit- anything offensive, so they expect a al pieces, performance art, Gender where she can display the truth. bring all that expression to the inter- ed by Wetlands for submissions ex- generally positive response. Studies thesis abstracts and other “We don’t necessarily talk about ested public. Everyone will be able to pressed doubt because they were not The class is discussing plans for submissions. Of the work seen so far sex openly. It is one thing to men- pick up the magazine and enter the sexually active, Callahan said, “Sub- future publications. After this term Callahan said, “I haven’t seen any- tion, ‘I hooked up with that guy Sat- gender and sexuality conversation. mit a piece about being a virgin. We they anticipate more excitement be- thing I think is vulgar or obscene. urday night,’ but that takes so much Amongst the campus support are not trying to evangelize sex to cause students will have a better un- It’s more suggestive, tasteful and ar- out of what sexual and gender ex- lays criticism. Wetlands’ widespread people. ALL kinds of sexuality and derstanding of Wetlands. According tistic.” pression is. We have so many inse- publicizing led to campus contro- expression are okay.” to Ruby Aliment, the publication of Wetlands staff member and co- curities and questions but all we can versy. Phrases had to be changed Throughout the process, and es- the first issue will hopefully “remove founder Megan Chambers is also say is ‘I banged that girl.’ I’m excit- after people complained about cer- pecially when the publication comes the qualms that people may still have submitting artwork: a series of 16 ed that we [now] have a place to ex- tain wording in sidewalk chalk. Pic- out in April, Wetlands wants to en- in their head about what Wetlands is close-up photographs of vaginas. press those constructive waves of tures of nudity at S.U.B. tables were courage criticism. It is a new pub- all about.” Initially she wanted to photograph discourse.” replaced with pictures of holding lication that is gaining support and R ESERVATION ContinUed FROM PAGE 1 Students “Take Back the Night” ticipating and planning it for a long By MIKE KNAPE you take our night away.” Partici- time, but I did not know exactly pation in the march was marked- what to expect. I had not been on Students and staff enjoying a ly higher than in years past and a an Indian Reservation before and late dinner in the S.U.B. on Mon- number of students in the residence knew close to nothing about the day night got a little more than they halls showed their support by join- history of the Yakama Indian Na- expected when this year’s iteration ing in as the group passed by. tion. But over the course of our trip, of the annual Take Back the Night “When we had over 40 people I learned so much, created mean- march passed through.

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