In these last five months, nothing insanely unexpected has happened, but life has still managed to be incredibly busy. Graduate school is in full swing, I’m living on my own and I’m slowly learning how to manage my time as each week passes by. At risk of overusing the word, life after college is… weird. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good weird, but it’s still weird.

I can grab a drink after a late day whenever I want, I can head out to the park for an afternoon out and I can, slowly but surely, make plans with new friends. It’s almost like I’m an adult or something.

I actually have a class on Saturdays, so I don’t exactly have a full weekend like I used to. I spend my odd days off, mostly cleaning my apartment, cooking and trying to prep for the next few days while simultaneously attempting to relax. Living on your own in an apartment means you clean a lot — largely because small spaces get messy in the blink of an eye, and because you’re responsible for everything. The dishes sitting in my sink are mine, the laundry card that needs refilling is mine and the cat glaring at me for his food is mine. I’m in charge of it all. It’s both freeing and, at times, overwhelming. But it’s also really fun. I do my best to keep the positives on the forefront of my mind.

If you want more practical or specific tips, I’ve got you.

Don’t go crazy with spending money on decorating your apartment, because you’ll accumulate stuff as you go. However, invest in a good bed, a solid couch and, if you work from home a lot like I do, a really functional desk. If you commute two ways on mass transit more than five days a week, just get the monthly pass. Recognize and accommodate your struggles rather than just fighting against them. I know sometimes I get too overwhelmed to plan meals, so I often use a meal subscription. For the love of god, utilize your student discounts. Do what you need to do to feel safe. Clean gradually rather than saving it all for later. Be friendly to people in your building and be a good neighbor. Set up boundaries for all aspects of your life, even with yourself. I personally don’t do any work while I’m eating a meal — I love food too much to taint it with workplace stress. Take the time to know more about where you live. Get a good pair of longish rain boots.

If you had told 13-year-old me that she would be living in Brooklyn with her cat, managing her own life and getting a master’s degree, she’d probably keel over. When you find yourself in a similar position, let that joy and that realization overwhelm the negatives. You’re an adult for the rest of your life — don’t let anyone else define what that means, and certainly don’t let anyone else dictate where you draw your joy.

Elizabeth Short graduated in May 2021 and was Opinions Editor from 2020-2021.

I had actually been planning to live out my final semester, pandemic aside, in Downtown Binghamton with my friends. In a twist of events that only could’ve been chalked up to my unique brand of bad luck, I had to return home to New Jersey. I vacated my apartment after we discovered that a bat had been frequenting my walls and closet for several weeks, with no plans of exiting the space anytime soon. I actually really like bats — they can be super cute, they have fascinating immune systems and are essential to our environment. But this bat, the one squatting in my living space, was one with whom I had a bone to pick. I honestly would’ve been fine with the little guy if he had provided some rent assistance, or offered to lessen the number of late-night screech sessions per week, but what’s a girl to do? I let the dude have my room and headed back home. My parents called me “batgirl” for weeks.

Spending the semester in my childhood bedroom was weird, but it forced me to spend a lot of time alone with myself. I started doing things that made me happy, without a single thought given as to what others might think. I’ve been slowly progressing out of my sweatpants and T-shirt uniform and back to normal clothes. I’ve been whitening my teeth and taking my vitamins. Hell, I’ve even been putting on sunscreen every day — I actually kind of feel like a real adult. (That’s a myth, no one ever really does.) Taking care of myself has gone from an obligation, to an over-the-top splurge that usually involved spending too much money, to a part of how I organize my day. This idea may not sound earth-shattering, but I spent a lot of middle school, high school and even some of college as a bit of a doormat — putting everyone else’s needs before my own. I also know that my world is going to completely spin around once I start grad school, so I may as well begin my new life with stronger confidence and a deeper care for myself than I had in years prior.

Classes, major changes, internships and organizations aside, that was one of the best things I’ve taken away from college. If there’s anything I can say to those who have time left, it’s this: invest in yourself. Go back to what you wanted when you were 5 years old. Or 10. Or even 17, and just try it. There is this wonderful little safety net you have in college, so please use it. Learn more about everything that interests you, even if it doesn’t “matter” in relation to your degree. (That’s also a myth we’ve all grown up learning — everything matters eventually. Or nothing matters! It all depends on your perspective!) Dress just like that one stranger you passed on the street and will never forget, try new foods and throw yourself into your interests with passionate abandon. Working for this section has shown me that there will always be someone who disagrees with you. At the end of the day, there will be people who don’t like you, sometimes for no real reason, so stop living for their opinions. It took me 22 years to figure out, but you truly can’t satisfy everyone, much less make everyone happy, so you should at least focus on keeping one person consistently happy — yourself.

Mom, Dad, Sam, Meghan, Nick and all the animals in my house: thank you for taking care of me. I know that you’ve worked so hard to give me the opportunities I’ve had, and I don’t think grateful is a strong enough word for what I feel. We have always been unconventional, and we are still the coolest family I know. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I love you from the bottom of my heart.

Evan: I have a feeling you already know everything I could say here. I do not understand you in the slightest. How someone could be filled with so much genuine love and care for those around them, while asking nothing in return, is beyond me. You have helped me wake up with the intention of being a better person every day.

Val: I don’t care how far away we are from each other, I will always be your Lizard. I have never met someone so kind and bubbly, and I will gladly flirt with you in every digital medium known to man for decades to come. You are a blessing in every sense of the word.

Lakhsmi and Kim: I would not have survived this semester without you. Period. Your kindness, support and understanding have made me feel less alone despite the miles and miles between us. Every time I doubted myself, or questioned my actions, you reminded me why I do what I do. You made every hardship this year worth it.

Kaitlyn: You are a star. I know that sounds corny as hell, but I mean it. You are going to run this section with more wisdom, skill and power than I ever could’ve imagined. I can’t wait to watch you succeed, and I will be your biggest fan along the way. Thank you for screaming at the world with me.

To the bat: I’m sure there’s a metaphor in you somewhere, but I’m still figuring it out.

Before I wrap up, I wanted to tell you about one of my favorite movies — this really sweet little indie film called “Liberal Arts.” It came into my life as I started college, and it hit close to home in an almost eerie way. Like one of the protagonists, I, too, was a college student named Elizabeth who spent time in an improv group, unsure of what she wanted from life. Like her, I also wanted to “rush the process” of learning and growing up. Turns out I didn’t have to rush, time did that all on its own. I don’t think you’re supposed to “find yourself” in college. You’re supposed to be an ever-changing rough draft, edits and revisions constantly pouring in. I’m my best rough draft so far and deep down I know one thing — it’s all gonna be OK. Thanks for all the notes.

Elizabeth Short is a senior majoring in English and is Opinions editor. She was assistant Opinions editor from 2019-2020.

One thing that I’ve been seeing a lot is that Sarah did everything “right.” She wore brightly colored clothing, she let loved ones know where she was and she even called her boyfriend as she was walking to ensure safety. None of that mattered. Even if it did, no one should have to fit in such a narrow category in order to make home alive.

Rather than do the right thing and teach effective lessons about consent and the extent of violence against women and female-presenting individuals, we skirt around the issue. Instead we teach lessons like “don’t stay out late,” “watch your drinks,” “ignore catcalls” and “place your trust wisely” — I mean, you never know how close someone will be to you when they assault you. I certainly didn’t.

The fact that her killer is a police officer only adds another awful layer to an already horrific case — one that’s representative of a broken rape culture. The second Couzens was accused of indecent exposure should’ve been the second he was removed from active duty. Countless instances of racially motivated police brutality have shown us time and time again that the system is broken, in a way that feels beyond repair. This is yet another reason why.

In the United States, it’s not illegal that police have “consensual” sex with detainees in 34 states. The number of states alone is shocking, but the fact that such an encounter would even remotely be considered “consensual,” given the power dynamics involved, is laughable. Approximately 40 percent of police families have experienced domestic abuse and there have been over 400 rapes reported at the hands of officers in a nine-year period from 2005 to 2013. Police officers, who in this country are nearly 90 percent male, clearly abuse their power time and time again. This isn’t even taking into account the countless anecdotes shared on social media regarding victims of sexual violence and the lack of respect or care they received when they came forward to report their experiences.

My heart aches for Sarah and her family, and I hope that she receives swift and powerful justice. It’s still worth noting that a large part of the reason she received such massive amounts of media attention is because she was a young, pretty, white, blonde woman. So many victims outside that window aren’t so lucky. This week alone saw six Asian women murdered, out of eight people total, in a ruthless and violent rampage, fueled clearly by racism, misogyny and anti-Asian sentiment. Murder and sexual assault of Indigenous women is 10 times the national average. For an even more stark comparison, Blessing Olusegun, a 21-year-old Black woman, also living in England, was found dead on a beach on East Sussex last September. It is only following the social media outrage of Everard’s case, and the now visible inequalities between the two, that her case has been brought to the forefront. No arrests have been made. The time difference between her case’s progress and Everard’s speaks volumes. Not enough people are speaking out for these women and countless others — it’s pretty clear that the police aren’t particularly interested in taking their cases seriously either, even less so when they may be involved directly.

Violence against women is not only a worldwide issue, it is a deeply systemic one. The structures we trust to uphold our society — police, education, even legislature — seem to be wildly against holding these perpetrators accountable. I’m tired. Everyone I know impacted by this is tired. Why do we have to follow so many rules to keep ourselves safe, when time and time again, it doesn’t seem to matter? Why don’t more people speak up? Why should my clothing be my last line of defense against sexual violence? Why are women of color so harshly left out of the conversations of both racial and gender-based justice? While I think we know the answers to these questions, it’s exhausting to constantly feel that sexual violence is just inevitable during your lifetime.

To the men reading this column — I know that most of you are good people. Of course “not all men” commit these kinds of heinous acts of violence. I know that, and I’m certain you do too. However, if you don’t check your friends, if you ignore the attitudes of those around you toward women, you are letting this happen. It shouldn’t have to be until your friend, sister or girlfriend comes forward. Your voice needs to be heard now. We shouldn’t have to “do everything right” in order to receive justice. We deserve that across the board. If you remain silent, you are only worsening the problem.

Elizabeth Short is a senior majoring in English and is Opinions Editor.

I miss it. I miss seeing my roommates at the kitchen table, I miss the limited human interaction I got outside of my home. Even on the days where I didn’t leave the house, I still always had the option to walk a block over and have a cup of coffee with my friend. It’s odd not having that choice anymore. The truth is, I don’t hate working from home. I love my little setup on my desk. Keyboard, laptop stand and all, it makes my life a lot easier. It’s tough that everything I do is online now. School, work, my internship and even Pipe Dream are all entirely remote. Doing all of that in the room I’ve occupied for nearly 12 years is weird.

In my house of five people, there will be days where I don’t see anybody for eight hours. My parents both work long shifts, and there is a separation of physical space between me and my siblings. If I didn’t want to, there would be days where I wouldn’t have to open my mouth until three in the afternoon. Drop my mom off at work, silence, then pick up my dad from the train station. I love my family, and being with them is fun, but I’ve still felt, for lack of a better term … bad.

A while back, those hours alone led me to something I realized was more than a bad feeling — it was grief. I was feeling a loss for a future I was hoping to have.

The summer before my freshman year of college, I had a concussion from a rollover car accident that knocked me out for almost 30 minutes. Shock aside, there would be days where, out of the blue, I would just start crying. Ironically enough, my dad, who we all joke isn’t the most emotional human being, asked me if I was OK. I said that I wasn’t and that I couldn’t understand why. He looked at me and said, “You’re not sad, you’re angry. You’re angry that you’re missing time.” He suffered a brain aneurysm long before I was born, and he said, “I’m missing a week of my life where I was on an operating table, in and out of surgeries, and don’t remember anything. It still makes me mad.” Weirdly enough, it’s kind of applicable now.

I have always been determined and, dare I say it, relatively smart. I tried so hard in school with the promise that now, I’d be happier and well equipped for my oh-so bright future. And yes, I experienced some dips in my productivity in high school and the inevitable anxiety and depression that would follow. But looking back on myself, I realized I have always been a “listener.”

Maybe it’s naivete, or maybe I just wasn’t independent enough, but I listened to those around me. “Do well in school, it’ll get you somewhere.” “Don’t waste too much time on anything that won’t help you get to college.” Yes, I got a taste of the parties and fun once I got to college, but I still feel the phantom pain of missing time — a lot more time than I initially thought.

I have made major life decisions with everybody’s opinion in mind but my own. And in these moments where I just wake up and feel nothing but anger, I want to throw my textbooks out the window. I wanna rip up my academic awards and I want to scream at the top of my lungs, “I did everything ‘right!’ I followed the rules, I did everything by the book, why am I here now? Where did I fail?”

There is no easy or right answer. There never will be. I expected to come out of this pandemic — and the end isn’t even in sight — a more well-developed and confident and happier me. I’ve had moments where I haven’t felt this sad since I was in high school. I don’t know where I’m going from here, and it all feels so unfair. But what I’m starting to realize is that fairness isn’t a part of the equation. It’s my priorities. I used to think, “Well I just don’t want to bother anybody. If I go out of my way to take care of everything, it doesn’t hurt anybody!” But when I put myself last, it hurts me. I am someone.

In these moments of complete utter solitude, besides chatting with my dogs, I had to be comfortable with myself. I’m not really used to that. I’m used to picking myself apart, constantly trying to make myself better before I just inevitably fall apart, only to start all over again. I think a lot of us do that without realizing it.

I don’t know how to explain to my parents that, even though I am the first in my family to receive a bachelor’s degree, it doesn’t make me proud right now. I don’t know how to tell those around me that I’m not miserable, there are just moments where I don’t feel anything.

I realize now that I was very wrong when I thought to myself, “You are exactly the same as you were in high school.” I’m not. There is one key difference. Where I once used to fear being alone, or solitude, I feel a strange sense of comfort. Instead of constantly seeking out the validation of others, hoping for praise or even just feeling like I was being seen, I have been existing just for myself lately. I know there are so many awful problems in the world right now, but I encourage you to try and confront those same feelings. You deserve to find any peace you can get during these insane times.

Regardless of what happens after this year, if I’m working just to get by, in school or even working in a field that I love, I’m still going to plan to do what I want, no matter how crazy my dreams may be. I will try everything I want to try because we all survive somehow. I will still have bad days, weeks or more and it’ll be okay. I’ll be fine, I’ll make it through, like always. But it will be for me now. I’m not so scared of being alone or relying on myself in the future anymore. I almost like it. Being alone with myself isn’t so bad — I am surprisingly good company.

Elizabeth Short is a senior majoring in English and is Opinions editor.

This was upsetting to see because, no, they didn’t. The most recent bill that was meant to deregulate the Texas electrical grid and make sure it would remain separate from the rest of the nation, to avoid certain regulations, was passed nearly 20 years ago by the Texas Senate. There’s a pretty sizable chunk of Texas that didn’t vote for this. Texas missed the percentages to vote for Biden by just over five percent. Nearly half the state did not vote for this. One of the youngest victims of this horrific event was just 11 years old — the family lawsuit claims he died of hypothermia in his mobile home. He clearly did not vote for this.

I am absolutely not a fan of all the “unity” talk that many have been preaching following the 2020 election. I don’t want to hold hands with the people that think the Capitol insurrection was justified. Forsaking accountability so that we can “all just get along,” or pretending that everything is fine because Biden won the presidency, is the wrong course of action. Criticizing this administration as heavily as the last and stepping up to fix the damage that’s been done is the only way things will change.

The accountability of this should fall on the leaders of Texas, and them alone. I don’t think it’s an outlandish thing to think that no one should be freezing to death in the “greatest country in the world.” My sister was unable to boil water for safe drinking while Ted Cruz was flying to Cancún. I spent time calling hotel after hotel to try and find shelter for those I love, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott blames wind turbines rather than his shoddy, privatized electrical grid. This comes less than a month after he signed an executive order to keep Texas energy away from federal oversight.

Reducing the people of any state down to their political majority is dangerously oversimplifying things. This mindset erases the efforts of countless activists, local politicians and organizations that have dedicated their time to register voters and turn the tides. Many of these red states we so often rip apart during moments like these also face the most intense voter suppression, leaving many disenfranchised. We paint these caricatures of places like Florida or Texas without thinking of the people who fall outside our idea of their “norm.” We forget about the low-income individuals, Indigenous communities, the many people of color and more who live in these states and want things to change. We put the pressure on them to change their own neighborhoods as they fight an uphill battle. Just because they weren’t as successful as those in Georgia at changing their state’s votes doesn’t mean they should be written off as a lost cause. This mindset also makes the assumption that blue states are oh-so much more perfect and morally superior than their red counterparts. We’ve got a plethora of flaws and shortcomings up here, too. I hope that disasters like this, and the countless preventable deaths, are a reminder that we have to fight for change for the benefit of all, even if they live in a state that thinks the opposite.

Elizabeth Short is a senior majoring in English and is Opinions Editor at Pipe Dream.

If you’re wondering why I care so much about this, you shouldn’t listen to me, you should listen instead to Julia. Her story is like that of so many others: hard to hear, but necessary.

Julia Wojcik, my maternal grandmother, was the best seamstress in her village. Her devout Catholic family lived on a farm on the outskirts of that village, many generations in one home. By the time WWII was over, the farm, any amount of savings her family had amassed and nearly half of her family members were gone. Her farm and her young Polish Catholic family and their assistance of Jewish neighbors and resistance members painted large targets on their backs. She entered Dachau with a husband, a baby and another on the way, and left alone. She was able to find her husband and a few family members later, but nothing would ever replace what she lost. Her skill in repairing countless Nazi uniforms while imprisoned is the only reason I’m here today.

One thing that those without a Holocaust survivor in their family may not understand is that their family members’ experiences will go on to shape all of their future days. The horrors my grandmother faced weren’t simply present in her lowest moments, but in her everyday life. When we expanded on our house to make the space better for our growing family, especially as my grandma needed to live with us, she insisted that her part of the house have a basement. She cited “not wanting to catch a cold” as her superstitious reasoning, but deep down we all knew why — to have a place to hide if necessary. For years I would find $50, $20 and $10 bills hidden under placemats and behind cabinet doors, so that there’d always be emergency funds tucked away somewhere. All-out battles would ensue to throw out spoiled food — I’m serious, we would raid her fridge while my mother dragged her to the doctor’s office — because after losing a baby to starvation and living without food security for years, she made sure she’d never go hungry again. Shirts even coming close to exposing her collar bone were never to be worn so as to keep her tattooed numbers hidden. I’d find, attending Binghamton University, that many of my Jewish friends had similar stories.

None of this is to evoke guilt — it’s to remind us all, who cannot fully comprehend the depravity she and many others witnessed, that this tragedy wasn’t so long ago. It wasn’t such a foreign and detached concept. It seems like in movies and television, the Nazis are always the straight-up bad guys, seen as quintessential evil right away, but with no in-depth conversation as to why. We imagine them sitting away in their bunkers, obsessed with anti-Semitism and their ideals of a “perfect race.” Captain America can liberate armies and Aldo Raine can lead his team of soldiers to hunt down Nazi high command, but the reality is that none of of the survivors are “camera-worthy” enough to be truly featured. That’s saved for serious, but brief, classroom discussions or a viewing of “Schindler’s List,” never more addressed in an in-depth manner. Meanwhile, my grandmother and millions of others are buried with tattoos they did not deserve. The Holocaust didn’t suddenly start out of nowhere — it began as the normalization of hate.

If you’re still thinking, “But all this for a joke?” I get what you’re saying, but it’s not that simple. That joke hurt and offended a lot of people at this university and was simply unwarranted. Humor is a way to get us through our days at the best of times and can be used as a thinly veiled excuse for hate at others. In this particular case, it seems, to me, to be just pure ignorance. My grandmother herself found the energy to laugh and find moments of levity despite a trauma-filled past. She would tell stories of her life before the camps and gesture at my sisters and I, an extension of her legacy, laughing, “And this is what Hitler wanted to get rid of? All three with blue eyes and blonde hair, the fool.” In her more dramatic moments she’d get sick and say, “Oh, I think this will be my last Christmas,” to which my sister would say, “Grandma, the Third Reich couldn’t take you down, neither will a cold.” My grandmother would always laugh and admit she was right. She even named her reparation checks from the German government, a well-intentioned but ultimately poor attempt to quantify and amend her suffering, after the monster who orchestrated it all.

The difference between her humor and this recent feeble attempt at a joke? She always laughed at her experiences, her trauma and her pain alone. Every fellow survivor she met, some of whom would end up being her neighbors or those she shared quarters with in Dachau, was treated like family — with kindness, understanding and respect. To her, they were family, and jokes were only exchanged if both parties felt comfortable enough to laugh that day. Her humor is what kept her alive, a lifeline to remind her to hang on despite indescribable pain — not a cheap jab printed in a public paper mocking someone else’s history. You can use humor to cope, sure, but if your humor is based in hurting others, it is nothing but a faint shadow of comedy.

It is important to stand with our Jewish community in times like this. Anti-Semitism is on the rise in the United States, and addressing it is beyond the right thing to do. I’m grateful that the actions of my grandmother have given me ingrained beliefs against hate, be it racism, homophobia, anti-Semitism or any other form of bigotry. No one is perfect, but we have to learn from our mistakes — combatting this kind of ignorance is the first step.

Elizabeth Short is a senior majoring in English and is Opinions Editor at Pipe Dream.

Upon arriving at State Street, I noticed that 205 Dry looked more like a tiny bookshop than anything else, deliberately built on the 1920s speakeasy theme of the restaurant. After walking behind the false bookcase, my photographer, Sid, and I were greeted by massive oak paneling, dim, hazy mood lighting and friendly waitstaff. The shelves behind the bar reach up to the ceiling with a library-style ladder swinging from one side of the wall to the other. The bar feels reminiscent of something you might encounter in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with a vintage feel and the sound of Lauryn Hill floating through speakers in the background.

The Restaurant Week menu for 205 Dry provided three courses for $25. One unique offering was that, for the first course, we were able to choose one option from a list of two drinks and three small plates. I opted for a drink and chose the Mescalero Otoño, a sweet fall-inspired drink that will satisfy any tequila fan, while Sid ordered The Honey Pie, a whiskey cocktail. The drinks had beautiful amber finishes and were each garnished with a dried apple slice — both were the perfect way to finish off a long week.

The Honey Pie cocktail.

For entrees, there were three options provided, and all sounded absolutely perfect. I chose the “OG” chicken sandwich, while Sid had the mushroom risotto with grilled portobello mushrooms. After working at Chick-fil-A for two summers as a broke high school student, I became almost too familiar with chicken sandwiches. Franchise debates aside, I am a firm believer that you shouldn’t have to choose between a crispy or a juicy chicken sandwich. The best fried chicken should manage to be both, all while being well seasoned. The “OG” was just that — juicy and flavorful while still crunchy and satisfying, garnished with well-seasoned fries. I finished my plate quickly — and yes, I kept the pickles on.

Sid was also kind enough to portion me off a small bit of his mushroom risotto before he started so that I could get a taste. I’m someone who doesn’t reach for mushrooms very often, but this dish was delicious. It was rich, flavorful and presented beautifully on the plate. Risotto is a notorious pain in the ass to prepare, but the texture of this one was creamy, smooth and well executed.

Both of us had the pear spice cake for dessert, as it was the only option provided. While you’ll find me hard-pressed to say anything negative about a dessert, we both agreed that this was the weakest of the three courses. Sid felt that the spices used were overpowering so that you couldn’t taste much of anything other than cardamom, and I felt that the cake resembled more of gingerbread than something fruit-based. The icing, however, added a nice amount of sugar on top.

Overall, this was a lovely experience, and I look forward to coming back in the future. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive, which was definitely helped by us being the first ones in the door. If you’re looking for a slightly more elevated cuisine experience in Downtown Binghamton, be sure to check out 205 Dry. The drinks, good food and relaxing atmosphere will be sure to leave you dreaming of jazz and a roaring good time.

The phrases preexisting conditions and immunocompromised may sound distant and foreign to many, but they are a very real part of daily life for many Americans. As of last year, nearly 54 million, or 27 percent, of Americans under 65 have some form of preexisting condition. There’s also nearly 10 million Americans who live with a compromised immune system. Being immunocompromised doesn’t have to mean you live in a hospital room, constantly monitored. Your neighbor who has diabetes is immunocompromised. Your relative battling cancer is immunocompromised. That friend of a friend who received a kidney transplant is immunocompromised. The same thing goes for those around you who have a preexisting condition. Having high blood pressure, asthma or even dealing with depression and anxiety can make you more susceptible to contracting COVID-19, and we now know that the chances of surviving the virus are lessened as well.

I think part of my frustration stems from the fact that we’ve seen similar data in regards to other diseases. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a condition that can develop as a result of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), has operated in a similar way. Those who live with AIDS don’t technically die from the disease itself, but rather other so-called “opportunistic infections,” diseases that a person with a fully functioning immune system may not acquire. So why now are we simply pretending that the other 94 percent of those who died simply dropped dead for no other reason? I think, deep down, we have some pretty good ideas why. Is it because it’s an election year and we have politicized a public health crisis rather than treating the issue with kindness and empathy? Is because we, as a culture, focus too much on our individualism and “personal rights” rather than making sacrifices for the good of those around us? It is because the rates of death a result of COVID-19 are higher for several minority groups? The answer to all of those questions, and the issues we face as a whole, is yes.

That 94 percent of those who died still matter. Their lives still meant something, who they were and those they touched during their time here shouldn’t be negated because they were less than perfectly healthy. Whatever illness they may have been dealing with would not have killed them when it did if not for COVID-19. By this logic, the lives of myself, my partner, my best friend, my mother and so many others wouldn’t mean anything. Flu season is approaching alongside this pandemic and I ask that every time you break social distancing guidelines or refuse to wear a mask, you look in the mirror and imagine someone close to you. Picture someone who may be dealing with asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, epilepsy or any other chronic illness. Picture them in that mirror and say, “your life is negligible.” No one is saying you can’t be upset or unhappy at everything that’s going on right now. It sucks, honestly and truly. But every now and then, remember that we’re all equal and that this is all to save as many lives as possible, no matter who they are or what they’re facing.

Elizabeth Short is a senior majoring in English and is the Opinions editor.

I kept my sexuality to myself, as I had for years, and lived in terror of someone finding out. There were days I wouldn’t even like queer content online for risk someone noticed. When I did figure out what my identity was, it didn’t get any easier. I thought to myself, after all that trouble, “at least I would’ve come out as a lesbian, but no, of course I’m bisexual.” I hated who I was, and a large part of that stemmed from my environment.

It’s no secret that bisexuality isn’t always looked upon with the most kindness in both the straight and queer communities. I’ve seen and heard everything from the “pick a side,” the “it’s a phase,” the “it’s just an excuse to sleep around,” the “isn’t that just on the way to being gay” to the “Pride isn’t really for you” arguments. Even the original version of “The L Word” called bisexuality “gross.” Popular media doesn’t exactly help either.

Bisexuals make up more than half of the LGBTQ population, but you might not know it if you watch television. Or movies. Or read newspapers regularly. For the longest time, the phrase “bisexual” wasn’t explicitly said in popular media. A character could have romantic and sexual encounters with people from different genders, but they would be portrayed as promiscuous, not bisexual. Thankfully, that’s beginning to change. Characters on shows like “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Schitt’s Creek” and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” have been explicitly described as bisexual. “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” had an entire episode dedicated to the unique struggle that Detective Diaz faced when she came out as bisexual. There’s still a long way to go, however.

For me, the trouble later became that, after comfortably living in the closet for so long, it became more of a rent-controlled studio apartment — I was really behind on queer culture. When I was younger and encountered queer friends and groups, it felt like everyone listened to the same music, knew the same people, watched the same movies and everyone laughed at the same U-Haul jokes. I hadn’t seen Blue is the Warmest Color (still haven’t), I hadn’t even come close to kissing a girl (finally did that) and, most importantly, I was still very much in the closet — and still kind of am. I wasn’t proud and any attempts to come out were often quickly quashed by a single comment. Once again, I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere, not even in the community I had longed for this whole time.

Thankfully, college has helped a lot with that. There are days where I feel as though I fit the “bisexual mold” a bit better and there are some days I still feel like an outsider. The difference is, now, I’m okay with that. I’ve been to Pride and back again, and love that I can’t be put into a box. I love being a part of queer culture, and I also love that there are many facets to my personality outside my sexuality. I’m laughing at jokes with my friends and can comfortably ask someone to explain the punchline when it doesn’t land. And I no longer feel like I have to prove myself to anyone — we’re all worthy of acceptance.

All jokes aside, being a “gold star lesbian” doesn’t make you better than anyone else. Having a boyfriend doesn’t make me any less bisexual. Gender is a spectrum! So is sexuality! Come out when you want to! It’s okay to be scared of confusion! There is no “right way” to be queer!

Whether you’re gay, lesbian, pansexual with a preference for women, bisexual who’s only been with men, asexual or any part of the LGBTQ community (including questioning), I have one thing to tell you: You’re doing just fine. Even if you try out a different label five years down the road to see if it fits you better, you’re still you. You’re right, so long as you don’t make anyone else feel excluded.

Elizabeth Short is a junior majoring in English and is assistant Opinions editor.

I, like so many others, assumed that I needed to be facing a “serious issue” in order to seek out help. Yes, a lot was going on with my life, but I had been seriously depressed the semester before and hadn’t sought out help. I wasn’t “dealing with a lot,’’ so I felt selfish and ungrateful to be feeling so down. And yes, I was worried what people would think of me. But even as the problems in my life began to clear up, therapy was still immensely helpful. The best days were when I entered feeling that I “had nothing to talk about,” and left having outpoured a wealth of emotion, armed with a new perspective.

With nearly 40 million Americans facing anxiety and 16.1 million American adults having experienced a major depressive episode in 2015, it’s clear that mental health is an all too common part of the human experience and it’s a problem we can’t ignore. So many people are dealing with some form of mental health issues and it’s never something to be ashamed of. Mental health coverage isn’t guaranteed for all those people, as even those with insurance can face tough requirements to receive coverage, which is often accompanied by long and difficult processes. A whole separate conversation must be had about the right to mental health services, but even for those who have access to it, it remains daunting to try and find the right professional for you. For those looking for a therapist, know that access aside, choosing one is like trying on clothes — it’s a process in itself.

One hopeful light for the future of mental health is that more people, especially younger Americans, are seeking out therapy or counseling. It doesn’t matter when you decide you want to start trying out therapy; you can be a student, working professional, parent or grandparent. Mental health issues can arise at any point in your life and time alone won’t necessarily help heal from them. Up to 70 percent of adults have experienced trauma at some point in their lives, with nearly 20 percent going on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Our generation appears to be the most open to the idea of seeing a therapist, but there are still those who struggle with making the appointment.

Men also happen to be one of the largest demographics that can’t seem to make therapy work as well as others. There’s this idea that going to see a therapist means you’re weak — that you can’t handle your own life well, so much so that you need someone else to do it for you. Rather, it’s better to think of therapy as seeking advice from someone outside the issue you’re facing. It’s no secret that mental health isn’t a race with a destination in sight; regardless of who you are, it’s a marathon that endures the entirety of our lives. While the concept of dealing with illnesses like anxiety and depression well into adulthood can seem daunting, there is some comfort in the idea that you may be coping better with life in the future than you are now.

Going to therapy will not fix all your problems. It will simply give you tools and a new perspective in order to face the future with a little more confidence. It isn’t “for” anyone specifically. You could be dealing with a recent death, anxiety about school, depression, facing relationship problems or just want to get some worries off your chest without feeling like you’re dumping it on your friends. If you have access to help, just go for it. Take baby steps on your journey toward better mental health and stability. There are resources like treatment coordinators here at Binghamton University, who can help you find a psychiatrist off campus, and websites like Psychology Today to help you filter through therapists nearby. Mental health coverage is a gift that not everyone possesses and I can only hope more receive it in the future. My only regret is not signing up for therapy sooner.

Elizabeth Short is a junior majoring in English.

“June Medical Services v. Gee” examines a 2014 Louisiana law that requires doctors who want to perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the location of the abortion. Admitting privileges are defined as “the right of a doctor, by virtue of membership as a hospital’s medical staff, to admit patients to a particular hospital or medical center for providing specific diagnostic or therapeutic services to such patient in that hospital.”

If this law were to go into effect tomorrow, it would leave one doctor able to provide abortions in the entire state of Louisiana, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Women across the entire state of Louisiana would not only have to rush to that doctor, but they’d also have to make sure a fetal heartbeat wasn’t detected in order to have an abortion, even in cases of rape or incest.

Other states have also passed massively restrictive abortion laws in the past two years, with Alabama going so far as to pass legislation banning abortion with incredibly few exceptions. Several other states have also passed heartbeat bills similar to Louisiana’s. While the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed lawsuits against many of these states to block the laws before they go into effect, the fact that laws like these are even up for debate prove that women’s health care is in danger.

Nearly 25 percent of American women will have an abortion by the time they reach 45 years old, for a variety of reasons. Some women will have an abortion because they will die if they carry to term, or the fetus has developed fatal anomalies, or they were raped, or they cannot afford to have or care for the child, or they don’t want a child right now or for many other incredibly valid reasons. All of which, by the way, are no one’s business except the woman making the decision.

Normally, a bill like this wouldn’t cause as much concern, but with the appointment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh replacing the left-leaning Justice Anthony Kennedy, the court is now more conservatively sided. While Justice Kavanaugh has described “Roe v. Wade” as “important precedent,” and stated that he will be sure to express “his views ‘as a judge’ and not his personal opinion on a woman’s right to choose,” the recent inundation of anti-abortion laws prove that nothing is set in stone.

Admittedly, years ago, if you had asked me about my views on abortion, I would’ve pulled the, “I don’t know if I’d be able to go through with it, but I’d never stop someone from getting what they needed” card. I was naive and surrounded by a strong Catholic school administration and peers that had strong ideas about where I’d end up in the afterlife if I was pro-choice. Spoiler alert: Regardless of circumstance, it’d be hell.

After educating myself, understanding reality, listening to the hardships others face and coming to terms with the fact that I may have to one day make that choice, I don’t hesitate. I will defend mine and others’ right to an abortion to the death.

I know young mothers my age, and I applaud them for their bravery and determination in the face of adversity. While I know how deeply they love their children, they all acknowledge how difficult life can be. I am in awe of their courage — I certainly couldn’t do it. But, I am equally in awe of every woman who chooses to have an abortion. The strength they have to deal with the judgment they face is insurmountable. And they deserve better.

No matter how many women protest, how many well-known faces come forward with support or how many will die as a result of attempting an illegal abortion, there will always be those who want to police women’s bodies. Be it in the name of religion, personal belief or even the so-called “concern for women’s health,” any and all reasons to deny women the right to an abortion are weak ones.

No one wants to come out and say it, so I will. By trying to control what women can do with their bodies, you’re really trying to control women as a whole. It’s almost strange hearing the, “Don’t these conservative lawmakers understand that banning abortion doesn’t stop abortion?” argument nowadays when abortion is so blatantly under attack. “Don’t they know that women will die as a result?” They do. They just don’t care.

Elizabeth Short is a junior double-majoring in English and biology.

I’ll admit BU may have been one of my top choices, but it wasn’t exactly my dream school. I had originally planned on attending Tisch School of the Arts at New York University to study acting and directing, but when life took me in a different direction, I became determined to make the most out of BU. And as someone who’s dealt with all the mental health issues that more often than not coincide with college, I hate to be that person who just parrots “It’s all about your attitude,” but that statement isn’t entirely wrong. You get out of college what you put into it.

I’m in the pretty unique position of being a living example that you can make so much more work for you in college than you think. I’m a double-major (hopefully dual degree come next year) in diametrically opposed disciplines, I’m involved in a little too much on campus and I have still somewhat managed to do well (enough) in my classes. Have I overworked myself at times? Yes. Had that inevitable breakdown come finals week? Absolutely. Faced unnecessary drama? Of course. Would I change a thing about my life as of now? Nope. I’m beyond busy, but going out of my way to find joy in what I do is what keeps me sane.

I think college can perpetuate a culture of suffering with too much work. If you’re not spending hours in the library cramming, you’re lazy. If you’re consistently happy, you’re clearly doing something wrong. There’s this strange superiority those with more “traditionally hard” majors feel toward those considered “easy.” That’s all beyond wrong. Being away from your family and dealing with this newfound independence is terrifying, but it also means you are in charge of your experiences.

Choose your field of study not just based on what’ll make you money down the line, but based on what makes you feel whole as a person. Choose your activities the same way, even if they’re completely opposite to your major. Design your schedule based on what makes you happy, and walk away from things that disappoint you. Apply for opportunities that you feel unqualified for! Try to build a bridge with that established professor who intimidates you! Sit in on a class that you think is cool! Take a break from studying to see friends! Fear is so temporary and even if things don’t work out, that’s one more thing you can cross off your list. College is a time for risks and mistakes; you wouldn’t believe the stories you’ll make by doing what makes you happy.

My other big piece of advice: Don’t be scared of being a pain in the ass. Be persistent! I know you might be scared of annoying people, but calling an office about a job opportunity or reminding a professor you admire about research will be something less painful to look back on than a missed chance.

So don’t be scared of being busy, and definitely don’t be scared of prioritizing your happiness in college. My mom always says, “Sometimes you need to look at all your options, determine which is the most selfish and then do it.” This is your time to try and shape a path for yourself, so don’t be scared of the power you have over your own life — it’s greater than you think. College has the potential to be whatever you want to make it, and you’re the person who can make it great.

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore double-majoring in biology and English.

On Earth Day in 2016, 175 nations signed the Paris Agreement to combat climate change. Those nations agreed to make active efforts to work toward lessening the global temperature increase and help underdeveloped countries work toward sustainability. To date, 184 countries have signed it. In 2018, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report covering the dangerous consequences of global temperatures rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.

With all this information, I can’t understand why so many still choose to deny the effects of climate change. The biology student in me is desperate to shout about how it’s not about the literal weather warming up, that it’s about long-term weather patterns, ocean levels, circulation patterns and long-term temperature increase, but I won’t. Instead, if you’re stuck looking at climate change through an “it won’t cause problems until after I’m gone” lens, let me remind you that we are feeling its effects now, and the most vulnerable nations are the ones facing the brunt of the impact.

According to the IPCC’s report, “The most affected people live in low and middle income countries, some of which have experienced a decline in food security … ” These increases could lead to soils in areas closest to the equator running the risk of drying out. That could lead to starvation and famine for entire populations. About 75 percent of those individuals living in poverty rely on farming and agriculture as a source of food. Tropical climates, which are where many of the poorest nations are located, are also most likely to face more extreme variation in their climates — yet another poor sign for crops. The island nation of Kiribati had to go as far as to attempt to purchase land in order to relocate nearly half its population in the event the main island on which they live is submerged. With an average elevation below six feet, there will be a whole nation of refugees forced to find a new home.

The worst part is that these countries are not the ones contributing to climate issues. More developed and wealthy countries are those that have produced the most carbon dioxide emissions. Those countries with higher emissions will be the least affected should temperatures continue to rise.

Concerned? Me too. But there are ways you can help! Reduce your plastic waste and use reusable materials daily. Buy local vegetables (or grow your own), and if you can’t go entirely vegetarian (don’t worry, I can’t either), try it once or twice a week! Research renewable energy options near you and divest your money from fossil fuels. Know what companies you’re buying from and their green policies. Most importantly, vote and contact your representatives. Under the current administration, the United States is attempting to formally pull out of the Paris Agreement in 2020. As the country with the largest carbon dioxide emissions, we need to be the leaders in a green future, not ones creating issues for others to face alone.

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore double-majoring in English and biology.

While police have yet to declare the incident as a hate crime, the University had yet to officially acknowledge the incident at all when it first occurred. A B-Line news announcement was sent out on April 5, nearly a week following the actual incident. In the six days it took the University to make a statement about the incident, student organizations on campus came together twice to compile a letter to University President Harvey Stenger, listing grievances with the University. The statement released by the University addressed the tragedy and that the University recognized the concerns of BU students in regard to safety. It also stated that B-Alerts are often not utilized when a “crime does not occur on or near University property” and that the University must decide whether to release a crime advisory warning.

Well, B-Alerts have been used for “outside incidents” before. On Sept. 16, 2018, the University sent out a B-Alert regarding shots fired in Johnson City, telling students to avoid the area. There was a follow-up saying the area was cleared. Even still, Halal Bites is close to BU’s new Pharmacy School and central to many off-campus residences.

Considering the time between the crime and an official release of a statement, I could not begin to fathom why the statement had been delayed. When the statement finally arrived, it didn’t feel like enough. If students who were concerned were able to gather and come up with a cohesive plan of action, why wasn’t the administration able to?

I spoke with Dheiva Moorthy, president of Decol A and a freshman double-majoring in environmental studies and sociology. Decol A is one of the many student organizations who met to send a letter to Stenger.

Moorthy stated that she had even called the dean of students this Friday to confirm the administration received the letter and to request to meet to address their concerns. She was told Stenger is unavailable for the next two weeks. The responsibility to make sure students feel protected should fall on those paid to run this institution, not those attending.

“It’s turned into hand-holding, where cultural organizations are helping the University do their job,” Moorthy stated.

Not to mention, the statement released by the administration barely covered the concerns of the 40 student organizations that signed the letter to Stenger.

Although the shooting hasn’t been officially deemed a hate crime, it also hasn’t been ruled out. Also, the killer has yet to be apprehended. That’s a pretty fair reason for students to feel unsafe.

You can’t use students of color and students of assorted religions simply to boost your diversity statistics and simultaneously ignore their legitimate concerns. Asian students make up 14 percent of the population here, but these students aren’t just statistics on a webpage. Moorthy put it best: “The way this has mobilized so quickly speaks to the pain of students of color.” Every single student deserves the feeling of safety and comfort from those responsible for it.

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore double-majoring in biology and English.

Police were called to the home of a high school sophomore and survivor of the Parkland shooting on March 23 to investigate the apparent suicide of the teen, whose name has yet to be released. This comes just a week after college freshman and Parkland shooting survivor Sydney Aiello also died by suicide. Aiello’s family released that in addition to survivor’s guilt and a recent post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis, her transition to college had been harder than most. Her terrifying experience of losing one of her best friends during the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School made sitting in a classroom fill her with terror.

As recently as this Monday, Jeremy Richman, the father of one of the 20 children massacred in the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, was found dead inside of his office. While details are still emerging, it is being investigated as a suicide.

It’s clear the effects of these shootings last longer than the few months following the actual event. The psychological scars that survivors and their families bear are a burden they have to carry for the rest of their lives, so why do we leave them on their own to cope? We can’t hold ourselves accountable for only the events that led to the deaths of the victims; we are accountable for those who are left behind.

Maybe this grief is made more difficult due to the weight we put on many of these attacks. Fifty-four percent of the 97 mass shootings in the United States since 1982 were perpetrated by white men. Yet we often avoid calling them what they are: terrorists. They are labeled as anything but racist when, in some cases, they blatantly are. Wouldn’t using the proper language give these crimes the weight they deserve rather than brushing them aside as random acts?

With at least 50 people dead as a result of an attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, we are beginning to see a change. The attacker, a white nationalist, has been condemned by the country’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern. She has called for stricter gun laws and has shown up at multiple memorials to show her direct support of the Muslim community. New Zealand has already passed laws banning assault rifles and semi-automatic rifles. It has taken them less than a month to enact changes we as Americans should have brought about years ago.

Ardern and the whole of New Zealand are showing the rest of the world how to handle atrocity. They prove that victims’ families and survivors simply deserve more.

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore double-majoring in biology and English.

After both the Chicago PD and FBI began investigating the alleged hate crime, two brothers were arrested as persons of interest. The two stated that Smollett, whom they knew through a personal training partnership, paid them to stage the attack.

Speculation as to what prompted Smollett to stage the attack has ranged all the way from dissatisfaction with salary to being upset with the lack of response when he received a threatening letter just a week before the alleged attack.

The way this story has unfolded is strange, to say the least. The story went from horrific attack to shameful hoax at breakneck speed. Investigations are still in progress, but even I have to admit that as more details are released, things are looking worse for Smollett. Smollett being found guilty would raise an immense number of issues.

Whether he was upset about his salary or had concerns about his safety, this was the absolute worst way to go about addressing his problems. Furthering your own personal position at the expense of marginalized groups is unacceptable, even if you are a member of said groups. Not only do Smollett’s actions hone in on the already hateful spotlight often placed on LGBTQ individuals of color, I can guarantee that his case will be used as a tool to place doubt on survivors of real hate crimes. What he did will make things so much harder for everyone else. Perhaps the worst part of the situation is that he likely knew how the public would react; he played on people’s fears and the current political climate to further the coverage of the story.

If the allegations are true, Smollett used his personal identity as a biracial gay man to his advantage. Maybe he felt that being a celebrity would give him a parachute that separates him from others, but that is not the case. Everyone is made up of different characteristics and identities, all of which play a role in defining us — but that is only a part of the truth. While there is so much about us that isn’t defined by race, sexual orientation or gender identity, there is no part of your identity that allows you to have a “free pass” when it comes to discrimination. You can be LGBTQ and be racist; you can be a person of color and be transphobic; you can be disabled and be classist; mix and match any of the above and it still rings true. Smollett attempting to exploit himself only reflects poorly on him. If convicted, he’ll get the notoriety he desired — not for his work, but for being a terrible person.

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore double-majoring in biology and English.

On Jan. 29, 36-year-old African American actor, musician and activist Jussie Smollett was brutally attacked by two individuals early that morning. The two attackers allegedly approached Smollett, hit his face, poured chemicals on him and tied a rope in the fashion of a noose around his neck, all while yelling out racial and homophobic slurs as well as the phrase “MAGA country.” Smollett, like his character on the hit television show “Empire,” is openly gay.

Smollett reported the attack and received treatment at Northwestern Hospital. No arrests have been made, and newly surfaced surveillance videos may lead to an eventual identification of the attackers. Smollett returned to the stage less than a week later the following Sunday, getting emotional before his music performance. He said, “Regardless of what anyone else says, I will only stand for love. We hope that you all stand with us.”

This hate-fueled attack comes a week after a Supreme Court vote provided no legal changes or positions on the Trump administration’s ban on transgender individuals in the military, effectively holding the ban in place. Despite an opposing brief to the ban, which states that an individual’s gender identity doesn’t affect their quality as a soldier, the leaders of our nation are denying the right to serve and protect its citizens to those who want it most. If someone is willing to risk their life to protect our freedoms, why are we denying them basic freedoms of their own?

Policies and political support founded on fear and discrimination do nothing but embolden those who already maintain that mindset. While those who oppose the current administration’s statements and policies can easily brush off what they hear, those words have power. Individuals like the ones who attacked Smollett might start to think, “Well, if they are public in their hate, why can’t I be as well?” Actress Ellen Page put it best: “If you are in a position of power, and you hate people, and you want to cause suffering to them, you go through the trouble, you spend your career trying to cause suffering — what do you think is going to happen?”

The LGBTQ community has faced this kind of discrimination before with the HIV/AIDS crisis when the Reagan administration treated the disease and deaths of countless individuals as a joke until the epidemic had become too large to ignore. We simply cannot allow history to repeat itself in a similar manner. This is absolutely not the first and it sadly may not be the last time LGBTQ individuals face hate and discriminatory practices, but the community remains strong, open and full of love.

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore double-majoring in biology and English.

The families of the girls are being represented by Progressive Leaders Of Tomorrow, a community advocacy group, and are claiming that one girl was made to be searched in her undergarments alone, two were made to remove their shirts and be searched in their bras and one student refused to remove her pants and shirt and as a result, received an in-school suspension.

The Binghamton City School District provided a rebuttal of the allegations made, denying that the girls were strip-searched. In a statement provided last Thursday, Jan. 24, the school stated, “When students exhibit behavior that warrants further evaluation the district has an obligation to ensure their health and wellbeing, which may include physical and medical evaluation … it may require the removal of bulky outside clothing … This is not the same as a strip search.”

The parents of the girls also attended the meeting where the statement was released, stating that they themselves were not notified of the events until their daughters told them afterward. The parents also described the effect the incident had on their daughters, saying the girls “no longer feel safe at East Middle.”

Unfortunately, it seems this is not an uncommon occurrence. From barbecuing in the park to sleeping in a school lounge to sitting in Starbucks, it seems that black people aren’t able to do simple, everyday tasks without having the police called on them. And unfortunately, children are not exempt.

Twelve-year-old Reggie Fields’ neighbor called the police on him for mowing lawns in his neighborhood; the police were called on 13-year-old Jaequan Faulkner for selling hot dogs without a permit; and in one instance, a white woman went so far as to call 911, claiming a 9-year-old boy groped her inside a Brooklyn deli. Upon viewing tapes from the store’s security camera, it was quickly shown that his backpack brushed against her backside as he was leaving the store with his sister and mother.

It’s no secret that racial discrimination and profiling is a problem in America today, but at what point did calling the police for the most trivial reasons become the norm? When is calling 911 on a 9-year-old ever an acceptable practice? African Americans shouldn’t have to prove they live in a certain building in order to enter it normally; young boys should be allowed to work to earn extra spending money; four 12-year-old girls should be allowed to be as “hyper and giddy” as they want outside of class. The color of their skin makes no difference. What 12-year-old girl isn’t giddy from time to time?

When white people actively treat African Americans as outsiders and call the police on them, they are not only perpetuating dangerous thoughts and stereotypes with no evidence, but are also putting those individuals’ lives in danger. So I invite those who are considering calling the police on others doing something completely harmless to honestly ask themselves: Is there truly a concern for others in your mind, or are you just blinded by the color of someone else’s skin?

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore double-majoring in biology and English.

Approximately 67 million people actively use Twitter in the United States as of 2018, and it seems like nearly everyone with even 15 seconds worth of fame has been “canceled” at one point or another. Everyone from Kanye West, for his comments on slavery and his very public support of President Donald Trump, to seemingly less problematic famous folks like Rowan Blanchard, have all been canceled — some for no immediately clear reason at all. Even Kelvin Pena, known on social media as “Brother Nature” for his playful interactions with wildlife, was “canceled” for racist and homophobic tweets published when he was 12 years old. Canceling itself isn’t a well-defined process, and even when clearly explained on social media, not everyone supports or agrees on a “cancellation.” Being that it is an already loosely defined action, how serious is canceling?

It is also worth saying that certain individuals apologize and show a noticeable difference in their behavior since said damning tweets were sent out. Some individuals, such as British presenter Katie Hopkins, made no public apology after tweeting that there needed to be a “final solution” for Islamic terrorism. After she was fired from her job at her show, Hopkins even went so far as to alter the tweets and claim the previous tweet was a “mis-type.” On the other hand, Pena quickly posted an apology after his tweets were discovered by Twitter users: “I apologize for the 12-year-old Kelvin … Everyone changes, everyone learns, and everyone makes mistakes.” Many Twitter users quickly forgave him and came to his defense after reading what he posted, citing his age and seemingly heartfelt apology.

So who do we cancel and who do we let slide? It’s a tough call. I think it depends more on the individual and what was said. Frankly, I’m more likely to believe Pena over Hopkins, given that Hopkins has a history of racist comments. If every person was held accountable for the stupid things they’ve said, we’d all have something to be embarrassed about. I’d like to think that humans are capable of change, understanding and growth when we do something wrong. Maybe “canceling” is more toxic than we realize.

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore double-majoring in biology and English.

On Nov. 6, Florida Amendment 4, the Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative, was passed in Florida to allow convicted felons (with the exception of those convicted for murder, or any sexual offense, who continue to remain permanently kept from voting) the right to vote once their sentence has been served. This includes individuals serving parole or probation as well. After this vote, there are now only three states in the United States where all felons permanently lose the right to vote once convicted. Many states prevent voting while an individual is incarcerated, and some even disbar voting until parole or probation is finished, despite the individual living and functioning outside of prison. The Florida amendment received overwhelming support, surpassing the 60 percent majority vote it required to pass.

Before you ask the question that enters the mind of anyone reading political news — “Why should I care?” — it’s important to remember how many people this affects. Florida accounts for almost 25 percent of those in the United States who have lost their right to vote as the result of a felony conviction. That’s approximately 1.6 million citizens out of 6.1 million total individuals who are disenfranchised. Those votes matter, and have the potential to make a difference regardless of who’s behind the ballot. And for those who think that those who break the law shouldn’t have a say in creating laws, it might be best to withhold judgment on those incarcerated.

First of all, it’s no secret that the prison system isn’t exactly colorblind. African Americans are arrested at disproportionate rates compared to white Americans. With the passing of Amendment 4, nearly 17.9 percent of African Americans who had completed their sentences and couldn’t vote in 2016 will now be able to vote in 2020. Also, what about those men and women who served their time and returned to being functioning and productive members of society? They can pay taxes, but can’t vote for the lawmakers who dictate what they owe? Seems less than fair to me. Not to mention, if every college-aged student caught with recreational drugs was charged with a felony and disenfranchised, you would likely think that a lot of crucial votes would be missing from Election Day.

Thankfully, that harsh reality is over for many citizens. I think that Amendment 4 is a truly great step toward giving Americans a second chance. It has strong stipulations against murderers and sex offenders, which I agree with, but it gives those who’ve turned their lives around the reward they deserve. When the next election rolls around, you can be sure that those nearly 1.6 million Americans will be exercising their newly restored rights, and I’ll be proud to vote with them.

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore majoring in biology.

But what about what actually makes it to our screen? What about the shows themselves? We don’t always address problems mixed in with the themes of our television programs, like sexism and racism. However, more and more shows are finding ways to make us laugh without these issues, while being kind to all viewers.

Humor at the expense of others has often been a staple of television, with some shows going out of their way to offend large groups of viewers. Shows like “Family Guy” and “South Park” have been doing it for ages, sometimes even facing legal consequences for their actions. While groups that have been the targets of jokes such as these have spoken out against this type of humor on television, these shows remain widely successful. “The Big Bang Theory” has had multiple instances of moments, puns and characters used as setups for sexist punchlines and has still remained one of the top-five most popular shows this year.

The arguments in favor of these shows? “Humor that makes people uncomfortable sells.” “Offending the ‘other’ leads to increases in viewers.” “They’re just saying what others are thinking!” Well, I disagree. On more than one occasion, “Family Guy” has made me uncomfortable with jokes about sexual assault, and as a woman who’s considering pursuing a career in academics and science, I know I wouldn’t want to be treated like the female characters in “The Big Bang Theory.” I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. Despite the average of nearly 20 million regular viewers of “The Big Bang Theory,” many people are happy to see the show come to an end.

The truth is, well-written shows that are mindful of stereotypes can still do well. “The Good Place” is a massive success on NBC, the show entering its third season with a representative cast and clever jokes (I think the most “offensive” joke I’ve heard was regarding multiple characters making fun of Florida). When Fox dropped “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” a show well-known for diversity, tactful handling of sensitive subjects and humor, it took a mere 31 hours and pleas from fans, ranging from an everyman to celebrities like Mark Hamill, to get the show picked up by NBC. This mindfulness isn’t without difficulty, though. When the internationally popular show “Doctor Who” announced Jodie Whittaker as the first woman set to play the iconic title role, BBC faced massive backlash. Meanwhile, Whittaker has received massive praise for her performance, and the show has a more diverse supporting cast.

Good television isn’t just about shock value humor; it’s about telling stories that matter and make us care. I care much more about a compelling plot and realistic characters than I do about rape jokes and racial stereotypes. Frankly, I’m of the mindset (for all media) that if your humor relies on shock and insensitivity as a crutch, your humor probably couldn’t stand well on its own to begin with.

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore majoring in biology.

Ford began the opening statements, stating that she was “terrified” to be there, easily noticeable by her quiet, sometimes shaking tone of voice. She went on to state why she thought it necessary to come forward. “I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school.” Her statement continued, detailing the assault that occurred when she was just 15 years old.

She even went so far as to close her opening statement by combating allegations that this accusation comes as a politically motivated attempt to keep Kavanaugh away from a seat on the Supreme Court: “Those who say that do not know me. I am a fiercely independent person and I am no one’s pawn. My motivation in coming forward was to provide the facts about how Mr. Kavanaugh’s actions have damaged my life, so that you can take that into serious consideration as you make your decision about how to proceed. It is not my responsibility to determine whether Mr. Kavanaugh deserves to sit on the Supreme Court. My responsibility is to tell the truth.” She was then questioned on a number of matters in regard to both her personal life and in regard to the alleged assault.

When it came time for Kavanaugh to read his statements, a shift in the air of the room was palpable. Kavanaugh was visibly angry and on more than one occasion, on the verge of tears. He was appalled at how the accusations have been handled and was especially angry with those political figures involved: “This is a circus. The consequences will extend long past my nomination. The consequences will be with us for decades. This grotesque and coordinated character assassination will dissuade confident and good people of all political persuasions from serving our country.” He cited personal calendars, his own experiences with sexuality in his youth and even the fact that he has many female friends as aspects for his defense.

His fury reached an apex when he stated that he felt this was an attack led by Democrats to keep him from the position. “This whole two-week effort has been a calculated and orchestrated political hit, fueled with apparent pent-up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election, fear that has been unfairly stoked about my judicial record, revenge on behalf of the Clintons and millions of dollars in money from outside left-wing opposition groups.”

It was incredibly hard to watch these statements as they aired nationwide that Thursday. I was most taken aback by the difference in tone and demeanor between the two parties. Where Kavanaugh was teary and filled with anger, Ford was polite, respectful and powerful as she quietly offered information. She even apologized that she couldn’t be of more help. As I watched her testimony and questioning, I couldn’t help but think of Anita Hill’s testimony against Clarence Thomas 27 years ago. One would think such a painful display would never happen again, yet here we are.

I believe her, and I spent much of the weekend hoping the rest of the nation did as well. On Saturday, the Senate voted 50-48 in favor of Kavanaugh, one of the closest Senate votes regarding confirmation of a Supreme Court justice in decades. Admittedly, how this entire situation was handled feels like a slap in the face to sexual assault survivors. When someone like Ford comes forward, knowing well what will happen to them once they do, those accusations should be taken more seriously than a hearing and weeklong investigation where neither the victim or alleged perpetrator is interviewed. Ford deserves more, women deserve more and the ripples these entire few weeks have caused will last generations — as will Kavanaugh’s decisions on the Supreme Court, now leaning to a much more conservative side. Whatever your opinion, situation or level of education, I urge you: Get involved, do independent research and most importantly, vote this November. If we take even a fraction of Christine Blasey Ford’s courage, our voices will be heard for years to come.

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore majoring in biology.

This is absolutely a bold choice from Nike, and the brand has received a largely positive response considering the controversial nature of the ad. According to a Quinnipiac University poll, 49 percent of all respondents were in favor and 67 percent of respondents aged 18 to 34 were in favor. The brand’s stock closed at an all-time high last Thursday, reaching $83.47, while Nike’s Instagram gained 170,000 followers near the ad’s release.

Despite the overwhelmingly positive response, those who opposed Kaepernick’s protests took to social media to express their distaste with the brand. The hashtag #NikeBoycott quickly rose in the ranks on Twitter, accompanied by photos of those who had cut the trademark Nike swoosh off their socks or even burned their shoes, citing the ad as disrespectful to the American flag as well as our troops.

While most could spend hours debating about those who are kneeling during the national anthem, this seems like an odd way to protest. Nike doesn’t lose anything from you destroying the merchandise you’ve already purchased. One Twitter user stated, “Here’s an idea. If you think America’s veterans deserve more respect, why not donate your clothes to a veterans’ charity instead of cutting them up with scissors like a dumb, spiteful little brat?”

Many current and former veterans also took to Twitter to counterpoint the #NikeBoycott with their support for both the brand and Kaepernick. Air Force Lt. Col. Marsha L. Aleem wrote, “I am a Black woman so I understand why Kaepernick protested. I am also a Retired Lt. Colonel. I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Kaepernick exercised his First Amendment Right and I support him. He is not disrespecting me, the flag, or the national anthem, which I sang at various functions throughout my years of service. Any military or veteran who does not support Kaepernick’s right to protest is not a Patriot.”

These aren’t statements to be easily ignored. People are getting more upset over the fact that Nike chose an athlete protesting racial violence for its ad campaign than the fact that Nike has faced multiple claims that it uses sweatshops with minimal regulations protecting workers. It must also be mentioned that despite the progressive nature of the ad, Nike donates a significantly larger amount of money — about 78 percent of its political contributions in this past election cycle — to Republicans. Regardless, maybe if those who get heated up over a brand publicly supporting an anti-racial violence activist would spend a fraction of the time they’re taking to destroy their merchandise on advocating for better mental health care for veterans or ensuring their education, the people who serve our country would truly be better off.

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore majoring in biology.

The average age of an actor who is meant to be portraying a teenager on our screens is 21 to 22 years old. Now, with all the amazing things happening in the TV and film industry like the Time’s Up movement and having more diverse stories being told, this may seem like a petty thing to get hung up on. However, this aspect of Hollywood can play a big part in how people our age see themselves.

The main issue with casting older actors to play teenagers is their appearance. I don’t know a single high school-aged person who looks anything like the cast of “Riverdale.” Rightly so, considering the youngest member of the cast is actor KJ Apa, who plays Archie, clocking in at 21 years old. The oldest member of that cast to play a teen is Ashleigh Murray, at 30 years old.

Most teenagers I encountered in high school — and even in college — are still finishing up puberty and have acne as well as braces, retainers and other things that may appear embarrassing, but are really just common aspects of getting older. Not to mention, all the “teenagers” on these television shows and in these movies have flawless hair, makeup and impeccable taste in clothing.

Where are the characters still going through their “blue eyeshadow is absolutely a daytime look” phase, the girl who cut her own bangs unevenly, the guy who thinks his underwear being too visible is cool or even that one person we all know who replaced a shower with Axe body spray? You won’t find them on these shows. The girls have perfectly curled hair and not even a patch of unblended foundation, while the guys look like the after-results of being signed up for “Queer Eye.”

Another issue with high school and college-centric television shows and movies is the fact that they’re not always realistic. High school is all about prom and homecoming, while college is seen as a never-ending sea of red solo cups and parties. Both are far from true. There are a lot of people who have little to no experience with alcohol, drugs or even their sexuality when they come to college, and that’s perfectly normal. There are some who’ve tried all those things before coming to school, and that’s fine, too. The point I’m trying to make is that all of our experiences are different, and we should be seeing that on our screens. Where are the scenes where students are showing the freshmen in their building how to do laundry, stressing over whether their GPA is high enough to keep a scholarship or the moment that we find out sometimes it’s the smartest pre-med students who party the hardest and still show up to lecture?

And yes, a large part of older actors portraying teens has to do with labor laws. Being under 18 years old means one can only work certain hours, and many young actors are still required to maintain some kind of formal education. However, there are plenty of cases where these aspects were worked into production schedules rather than used against young performers. Both Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall were actually 16 years old during the filming of “Sixteen Candles.” While Saoirse Ronan wasn’t a teenager despite playing one in “Lady Bird,” I found the story (and the fact that it was a purposeful choice to leave Ronan’s acne visible) incredibly realistic. It’s not a perfect example, but this is the kind of story we should be seeing from Hollywood. Teenagers are incredibly complex and contradictory and certainly far from perfect. Maybe if we saw this a little more often, we wouldn’t feel so damn bad about it.

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore majoring in biology.

On Aug. 14, a grand jury report was released, revealing that across six dioceses in Pennsylvania, more than 300 Catholic priests were sexually abusing children in a scandal estimated to span nearly seven decades, with the earliest date of abuse documented in 1947. With over 1,000 victims, both male and female, and with ages ranging from incredibly young children to teenagers, this recent report on the scandal is described by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro as the “largest, most comprehensive report into child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church ever produced in the United States.”

There are reports of extensive grooming methods among perpetrators, even going so far as to “mark” groomed and abused children by giving them gold cross necklaces as a method to single out these children as targets to other abusers. Sadly, these are not the most horrifying details. One parish alone had five priests accused of sexual abuse. Some reports include a priest raping a 7-year-old girl as she recovered from a tonsillectomy in the hospital, a victim as old as 83 years old coming forward to testify about the abuse he suffered and five members of a single family being subjected to abuse.

Where were church leaders, one might ask? Their leaders were actually occupied at the time: They were busy covering up these crimes. One former priest was himself a victim of this abuse at the hands of his fellow clergyman, and when he told the bishop of Erie Diocese, nothing was done. “He certainly treated me as if it was nothing,” the former priest said. “When I told him that Father Martin molested me 15 times, he couldn’t even bring himself to say that he was sorry that that happened to me.”

Church leaders repeatedly covered up crimes, often showing more sympathy for the perpetrators than the young victims themselves. An excerpt from the report states: “He emphasized the high cost of incarceration. In another case, a priest raped a girl, got her pregnant, and arranged an abortion. The bishop expressed his feelings in a letter: ‘This is a very difficult time in your life, and I realize how upset you are. I too share your grief.’ But this letter was not for the girl. It was addressed to the rapist.”

It’s a famous Christian proverb to never throw stones at another if we ourselves are sinners. Before we judge others on their faith and act as though committing heinous acts under the guise of religion is a foreign problem, we should take a long, hard look at our own institutions and beliefs. These church leaders are no different than those who commit acts of violence in support of their “religious beliefs.” They were protecting child abusers, abandoning victims and showing no regard for their own members for the sake of maintaining the church’s image, rather than doing what, in my opinion, would be the true Christian thing — sending these men to prison as soon as the abuse started. If faith and the power of religion really do lie in the belief of the people, then I think that Catholicism is losing some footing as a result of these scandals. The number of Christians is decreasing in multiple places around the world, and with horrors like these occurring behind closed doors, is it any wonder why?

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore majoring in biology.

While it’s true that if you had a dollar for every time someone tells you to “get involved and join lots of clubs,” you’d be able to pay off your student loans in about six months, the fact remains that this is actually pretty good advice. To elaborate, first make sure to try out a mix of clubs that you know you’ll love and ones that you aren’t entirely sure about. I looked into a lot of groups after the club fair and eventually found what was a good fit for me.

Second, don’t be intimidated by auditions or applications. Yes, auditioning for an a capella group or submitting work in order to get into an organization is utterly terrifying, but don’t let that hold you back. And just because you don’t get in at first doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel right away. For instance, I didn’t get into Pipe Dream, the very newspaper through which I’m giving you this advice, on my first try. I got in when I tried again second semester.

Lastly, don’t overload right off the bat. While getting involved is great, you do still have to be able to handle your coursework. Time management is harder in college, so take it slow at first — especially during your first semester. This includes your level of personal responsibility within the groups you join as well. So yes, you will find your niche, and yes, it might take some time, but I promise, if you make one or two good friends throughout your search, you’re doing a good job.

Another fun, less-mentioned tip I’d like to give you all is in regard to your dorm room. Dorming is awesome, and really is a highlight of being in college. Again, I’d like to make a few sub-claims. First of all, don’t be afraid to go all out and make your room your own. This really is your home away from home, so the more comfortable you feel here, the better. Second, while your room is where you might spend a lot of your time, be sure to get out of it now and again, even just to study and do work. I was in a super-occupied suite in Mountainview College, meaning there were seven of us living in a suite meant for six. While I loved all my suitemates, I didn’t realize how hard it would be without a desk. While it might be tempting to do everything in your bed — as I did — for the comfort factor alone, studying in bed is really ineffective and you won’t retain much. Make sure you get out of your room for social reasons as well. It’s perfectly fine if the party scene isn’t your thing, but don’t spend every weekend in your room on your laptop.

So there you are, just a few thoughts from me to make your life a little easier. Make some friends, join some groups and enjoy your time here. You’re gonna make some really awesome memories at BU, but you have to actually get out to create them! The great thing about college is that you have so much freedom to do whatever you want and make friends with whomever you want. It’s better to look back on the things you did than the things you didn’t do. Looking back, I wish I had put more energy into developing myself and my friend group during my first semester. But like me, you still have plenty of time to have fun. Kick back, enjoy the rest of your summer and maybe I’ll see you this fall.

Elizabeth Short is a sophomore majoring in biology.

Ever since I was a little girl in suburban New Jersey, I’ve been close to bees. My mother maintained a beautiful garden filled with butterfly bushes, which also brought bees in large numbers. Despite being heavily allergic to the pollen they carry, I loved watching their small, black-and-yellow striped bodies buzz past and sometimes land on my shoulders and arms to rest. My town even provides local honey to nearby supermarkets. Despite knowing all about bees from my elementary school science classes and having a connection with the little insects, I never really realized just how important these powerful workers are, or why we need to work hard to keep them around.

Despite the usual feeling of being surrounded by bees in the spring, bee numbers have been on a drastic decline over the past decade. In both Europe and the United States, beekeepers have reported total hive losses of 30 percent or more annually for the past 10 years, with a 2015 United Nations report bringing the numbers up to a staggering 37 percent. Nine percent of bee and butterfly species could even reach extinction.

These losses are the result of modern pesticides and agricultural methods. The large amounts of pesticides on edible crops, like the nearly 26 million acres of soybeans, are drastically affecting hive numbers. When compared to the 4 million honey bee colonies in the 1970s, we are at almost half the number today, with 2.5 million hives. And despite efforts like the $4 million provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2014 to help honeybee populations in the Midwest, bee numbers still aren’t where they should be.

Why should you care about bees, though? Is this really an issue? Actually, it is; it’s a massive issue. Bees are responsible not only for honey production, but for pollination. Their pollination routes affect nearly 70 of the top 100 crops consumed by humans. Foods like avocados, apples, kiwis, cucumbers and melons depend heavily on bee pollination, while some foods like almonds are entirely dependent on bees. While the world will not starve immediately, this could have catastrophic effects on the entire planet. Bees also pollinate nearly 80 percent of the flowering plants here on earth. These little insects have a major impact on the surrounding world.

Now that I have potentially scared you, you might be wondering what you can do. There are many ways to help. Buy locally, ethically sourced honey. The Southern Tier Beekeepers Association here in Broome County has a great website where you can buy honey and even sign up for beekeeping classes. Garden using native flowering plants that encourage bees to stop by, or plant native flowers around the perimeter of your vegetable garden to promote pollination. You could even go so far as to purchase a bee block or hotel to provide a more permanent place for the little creatures to live. Avoid using large amounts of chemicals in your yard, as they often prove toxic. Lastly, get involved and donate to organizations dedicated to bee research and conservation.

Bees do so much for us, so it’s time to step up and lend a hand to some of the most hardworking creatures with which we share this planet. Without them, the world is bound to be hungry and lack its cherished beauty.

Elizabeth Short is a freshman majoring in biology.

Feminism in action needs to be about more than just gender-related issues. Intersectional feminism includes the aspects of economic class, ability, sexual orientation, race, religion and more when talking about who faces what kind of discrimination. The ideal of feminism benefits everyone. Unfortunately, as complex as all social issues are, we can’t just focus on the idea of “women being equal” — we need to step back and ask ourselves if all women are truly benefiting from our actions. Are black women benefiting? Asian women? What about transgender women? The past has often told us: no.

Women of color, LGBTQ women and other marginalized women often face much more blatant and potent forms of discrimination. While white women often make approximately 81 cents to a white male’s dollar, black women usually make about 65 cents and Hispanic women only make 59 cents. As you can see, these topics are not mutually exclusive, and the fight against these issues can’t be either.

Intersectionality is being brought to the table more and more, as highlighted by recent events. For example, the #MeToo movement has brought forward all types of survivors of sexual assault. Terry Crews, an African American actor and former NFL player, stated he felt encouraged to come forward and share his story of sexual assault after seeing so many women come forward as a result of #MeToo. He and many other survivors, the “Silence Breakers,” were collectively named Person of the Year by Time magazine, and the group includes men and women of many backgrounds.

But as amazing as these changes are, progress still needs to continue. White men still earn some of the highest wages and are one of the most college-educated groups in the United States. Around the world, women in developing countries face horrifying practices such as genital mutilation, acid attacks and child marriages. In 2017, 28 transgender individuals were violently killed in the United States. Over 80 percent were women and over 67 percent were people of color.

Another harrowing example of the need for intersectional feminism is Harvey Weinstein’s response to Lupita Nyong’o’s allegations against him. Weinstein, who currently faces over 50 allegations spanning from sexual assault to harassment to rape, had never directly responded publicly, much less called a victim by name, until Nyong’o joined the long list of his accusers. His representative told E! News, “Mr. Weinstein has a different recollection of the events, but believes Lupita is a brilliant actress and a major force for the industry. Last year, she sent a personal invitation to Mr. Weinstein to see her in her Broadway show ‘Eclipsed.’” He not only managed to single out a black actress out of all his accusers, but also implied she is to blame for her experience.

If the feminism you implement isn’t for all races, sexual orientations, abilities and economic standpoints, it isn’t really feminism at all. It is time to stop moving forward at the expense of another marginalized group. Either we all move forward together, or we go nowhere at all.

Elizabeth Short is a freshman majoring in biology.