issue 13// vol 45 opinions // no. 15 Wearing ‘feminist’ clothing cheapens the word > It’s an ideology, not a fashion statement Jessica Berget It seems like feminism has that wearing this apparel is important. impact is diminished. It becomes more Opinions Editor unfortunately become more of a fashion It makes the word “feminist,” a term than just a political ideology, it becomes fad than a set of meaningful beliefs. Many that has so many negative connotations, a label without necessarily keepings its Ser people wear clothes withthe word _ celebrities have been seen wearing “we normalized and more accepted. While I ideological connotations. “feminist” on them has become more should all be feminists” shirts. It has even do think it’s a good way to get feminism You shouldn't have to literally wear and more frequent in my experience—a been used \\ \ 1 normalized your political beliefs on your sleeves. A trend that irks me. Not only is it tacky, ina fashion 4 1 WE and re movement that you believe in shoud pot it cheapens the word and trivializes runway for 1 J push the e reduced to a price tag ina store. I think everything I feel the movement stands for. Dior (and SRD li ' i conversation it’s okay to wear clothing that expresses Wearing clothes like these is turning can be j ‘ mq intothe yourself and your beliefs, but you shouldn't feminism into a fashion trend, whichis not yours for P a | HE eq mainstream, to have to make it so blaringly obvious. It’s a good thing. When something becomes only $710). Fy meit’sanother shady that this apparel is being sold in the atrend, people tend to buy things for the Trends FEIN | OTS fa example of first place. Clothing companies know how sole reason that they're popular. People also come rs slacktivism. mainstream the movement is right now so who buy these clothes because they’re and go. Fy Wearing they're capitalizing on it for their financial considered stylish at the moment may not It may be f— a feminist gain, which is not what feminism is about. fashionable P a necessarily agree with the ideology or even fully understand it. I worry that people who buy “feminist” apparel may not hold feminist values or may be in the realm of feminism that tends to come across as anti- men, which is not reflective of the whole movement at all. In fact, it gives feminism a bad name. UN Janis McMath Senior Columnist Be more considerate of those with fragrance allergies >» Strong perfumes can literally harm people O: of every possible scent I have had the displeasure of being trapped into smelling, nothing quite churns my stomach like strong perfume. I despise when people wear extremely heavy fragrances. Let me first say that I have no problem with people applying small amounts of perfume. If a person’s fragrance cannot be smelled an arm’s length away from them, that’s totally acceptable. But if their perfume can turn an elevator into a suffocating experience, I have a problem with that. Some people have fragrance allergies and their lives are made harder by those wearing heavy perfume. In an article in The Globe and Mail, Dr. Michael Joffres, a professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University, said that scent sensitivity is similar to an allergy. He explained that exposure to strong fragrances “can trigger breathing problems, headaches, sneezing, nausea, disorientation and, in extreme cases, [people] can go into shock similar to the reaction those with a peanut allergy might have.” In recent years people have become extremely sensitive and considerate about peanut allergies—so what about fragrance allergies? Frustratingly, people do not seem to care as much about fragrance allergies as they do about food allergies. An article by to wear these shirts now, but soon enough they will go out of style. An important political movement should not be diminished to a fashion statement that will eventually become passé. I can also see how people would think the CBC highlighted this by reporting on a story in which a patient accused nurses and medical professionals at the Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife of using products with strong fragrances, even though their hospital has a scent- free policy. It is astounding that there are healthcare professionals who would be willing to prioritize anything over their patient’s health, let alone something as trivial as strongly-scented hand cream. It seems that the seriousness of fragrance allergies is not even appreciated in a place where health is prioritized, so it is very important that we change the way people think about the consequences of using strongly-scented products. Scent sensitivity can be a serious threat, which means perfume is something we all need to be considerate of. The Globe and Mail article states that 80 percent of all of the 4,000 chemical ingredients used in scented products have not been tested for their toxicity to humans, so people with fragrance allergies have no way of knowing what they’re allergic to and what to avoid. Dr. Joffres stated that people with scent sensitivity “are falling through the cracks of the current medical system.” Because of this oversight, we need to be more considerate of those who cannot handle perfumes until research can help better protect those with scent sensitivities. If you're going to wear a fragrance out, just remember to be cute and non- toxic. T-shirt is not the same as volunteering, educating people on sexism and double standards, or making a positive difference. This normalization can also be an unfavourable thing because once a word is printed on too many beanies, shirts, or jackets, I think it loses its vigour and its Jessica Berget Opinions Editor Do yourself a favour and take a semester (or more) off school > Give yourself time to recharge and rediscover your life I: been about a year since I decided to take a break from school. What was originally supposed to be a semester or two off to cure my burnout has turned into one of the most productive times of my life. I started lifeguard training, got a great paying job, reconnected with my family, saved up money, started volunteering, and most importantly, I was able to just relax. There was no stress about essay deadlines, being late for class, group projects, or my grades, which was just what I needed. Taking this time off school was the best decision I’ve ever made, and I think everyone should do it if they havea chance. If you don't think you have the opportunity to take a break from school, or just plain don't want to, that’s respectable and you are much stronger than I am. However, there are a lot of positive long-term effects that come with taking a break from school, so I would recommend it. It’s important in the long run for your mind and your body. I think people who go to school too long get stuck in the academic world; I know I did. They forget what it’s like to be in the real world and not have a reading to do or a class to study for. People need that break to destress and recharge. Time off also prevents you from burning out, not just academically In fact, aren't most branches of feminism against capitalism? People can wear and express themselves however they want, but I can’t take this kind of clothing seriously. Being a feminist should not be a fashion statement, so why must people treat it like one? bart | | but physically and emotionally as well. Instead, it gives you the chance to work your butt off and save money for future academic expenditures. You also gain the opportunity to get experience in your field. Taking time off school means you have more time to do the things that you ve always wanted or needed to do. Volunteering was one on those things for me. It’s damn near impossible to find time to volunteer when you have a job and a heavy class workload ahead of you, so taking time off is the perfect opportunity for it. However, you don't have to just volunteer. You can watch all the shows you've been meaning to see, read more books, join a sports team, research topics you ve always been interested in but didn't have time to, and do anything to better yourself. You can also rethink your major. Taking time off has made me realize that J wasn’t 100 percent certain about my major, whereas now I’m confident with the area | will study when I get back to school. You don't want to spend thousands of dollars on classes that don‘ even interest you. There’s no point in lying to yourself. If you've lost interest, don’t have the energy, or just don’t want to go to school, take a break! Education is not something that you should rush through. When I do decide to go back to school, I know I will return with passion and vigour that I can attribute to my year off. Do yourself a favour and take a semester (or even a year or more) off school. You'll thank yourself for it later.