Spiders aren't scary > Why we should change the way our culture thinks about spiders Lauren Paulsen Senior Columnist WwW creature has eight hairy legs and multiple eyes? I bet the first thing you thought about was a spider, wasn’t it? What was your next thought? For most people it seems to be “Yuck?!” or “Gross!” or even “Kill it!” Why do humans react in this manner when it comes to spiders? Arachnophobia is one of the most common phobias in the world. But why do we fear these spiders? One theory is that it is an evolutionary trait. Because spiders are venomous, some people believe that humans developed an evolutionary fear of spiders. Those early humans that stayed away from spiders were healthier and, therefore, lived to pass this fear on to their children. However, this theory still remains unresolved. Even though all spiders may be venomous, only about a dozen of the 45,700 known species of spiders are fatal to humans. So why? Another theory is that so many humans fear spiders because it has become a cultural phenomenon, particularly in Western culture. Spiders in the media, particularly tarantulas, are almost always vilified and are often used in scary scenes. Yet, in various parts of the world, such as South America, people actually eat spiders as a staple food in their diet. Therefore, culture seems to be a more likely reason that people are afraid of spiders. But that is something that should be changed. There is no reason to fear or hate these creatures. On the contrary, they are extremely beneficial to humans. Spiders keep populations of insects that harm humans down. Just one spider will typically eat around 2,000 insects per year. Imagine what would happen to the mosquito population if spiders disappeared. On the other end of the food chain, spiders are a large part of the diet of many of the animals we do like, such a, a ope = Screenshot via Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) as birds. If spiders suddenly disappeared, many animals would lose a very nutritional component of their diet. Even spider venom is beneficial. Many different venoms are being studied for possible medical use. Some of the possible conditions treatments are being developed for include muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiac arrhythmia, strokes, and even erectile dysfunction. A lot of different cultures have utilized spiders in their lives. Some South Pacific islanders use spider webs as fishing nets. Also, spider silk can be used to save lives. Scientists have found that a vest made from spider silk would be stronger than Kevlar, yet would weigh considerably less and, therefore, be less of a nuisance than the current bullet-proof vests. Spider silk has even been used historically to treat wounds. Because of its antibacterial properties, spider silk used as dressing on a wound can keep it from becoming infected. Spiders also happen to be fascinating when you get to know them. Did you know that jumping spiders actually solve problems? If a jumping spider sees an insect across the room, it is still able to make its way to the insect, even if the insect is not always in sight. If you just get past your fear, you'll find spiders are not really all that scary. They mind their own business and would much rather be left alone than bite you. So please, no more: “Kill it with fire!” You wouldn't say that about a puppy, would you? What makes a spider’s life worth so much less? They have been around much longer than humans have. Spiders share this planet with us and have just as much right to it as we do. Why doesn't mainstream feminism embrace coloured women? > We must remember that current feminism is only part Rumneek Johal The Peak (Simon Fraser University) Tees feminist problem is that mainstream feminism often attempts to speak on behalf of the struggles of women of colour, while silencing them in the process. A striking example was Patricia Arquette’s “feminist” Oscar speech in 2015, where she proclaimed that it’s time for “all the women in America,” “all the men who love women,’ “all the gay people,” and “all the people of colour that we've fought for” to fight for women now. Even as we celebrated International Women’s Day a couple weeks ago, we celebrated achievements of women worldwide. The problem? Many women of colour are left out of the discussion because their voices, and their past and present struggles, are often silenced by mainstream feminism. In society, the hierarchy of privilege tends to place white men at the top, followed by men of colour. Subsequently come white women, and lastly, women of colour. If we celebrate strides for some women, we cannot celebrate this as a stride to equality if we do not recognize the struggles of women of colour, who are fighting to be equal with men, but are even still fighting to be equal to white women. The gender parity cannot be solved by putting a woman ona board of directors, or on the prime minister’s cabinet— the multifaceted issues faced by women of colour are simply too great. In implementing gender quotas, racial bias is still prevalent, and we can't solely focus on gender without racial diversity as well. If we advocate for more women in leadership positions, and fight for gender and pay equality, we must ensure that our feminism is intersectional. A white woman’s equality is not equality for all. Women run 4.6 per cent of Fortune 500 companies, and only a small percentage are women of colour. Having - _ women in such roles is rare, but we need to recognize that these opportunities are lacking in number, and even more for coloured women, due to histories of colonialism, inequality, and marginalization. Further, if we are going to promote body positivity, and the right for women to make choices with their body, we of the battle Image via thinkstock must also support the right of women to wear hijabs or niqabs, to wear their hair in box braids or dreadlocks, and for all to celebrate their cultural traditions freely. As we fight back against unrealistic definitions of beauty for all women, we must also recognize that on top of this, women of colour are subject to colourism—where their beauty, and even their worth, is decided by the closeness of their skin to the white standard. Women of colour are subject to ridicule for things white women are praised for. For example, as a girl of Indian descent, for wearing henna or bindis, or having thick eyebrows, I would have been made fun of growing up. Now that it is adopted and encouraged in fashion magazines by famous white women, I no longer have to feel ashamed. This is ridiculous. If we celebrate International Women’s Day, we need to ensure we are not just celebrating white, middle class, cisgender women, but also the diverse women of colour with struggles that deserve our honour and respect. I hope to live in a world where having an Aboriginal female CEO or prime minister isn’t unheard of. In order for this to be a real possibility we must break this cycle of “one voice” feminism and speak to the struggles of women of colour, and not on their behalf.