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It’s not in your head: New study confirms link between oral contraceptive use and depression

by Kate Caldarone on

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On Sept. 28, the University of Copenhagen published a study that confirmed a correlation between hormonal contraceptive use and depression. This study, which tracked one million Danish women between the ages of 15 and 34 for a period of 13 years, revealed that women taking the combined oral contraceptive were 23 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with depression. Furthermore, the study confirmed that women using other hormone-based birth control methods—including the IUS/coil and the patch, which are frequently recommended alternatives to the pill—were even more likely to develop depression.

When I read this article, my reaction matched those of many of my friends on campus who responded with a simple question: “Didn’t we already know this?” The rumoured possibility that oral contraceptive use could impact mental health has been circulating in the discussion of women’s health for years. In fact, after months of telling herself that it was “all in her head,” a close friend of mine expressed concern that her birth control pill was contributing to her mood swings. To my surprise, however, this study is the first to provide a conclusive link between the two.

The implications of this study are twofold. On the surface, the content of this study calls into question the amount of research that has been put into assessing the side effects of the birth control pill. The fact that this study is the first of its kind to be conducted at its large scale points to a larger void in the scientific arena. This study also serves as a reminder that women must have an understanding of the side effects of the pill before beginning to use oral contraception.

For many young women living in North America, it seems as though the oral contraceptive has stealthily incorporated its way into our transitions to adulthood. Taking the birth control pill has become a cultural norm, especially for women of university age. The results of this study are therefore particularly startling for those who started oral contraceptive use with a ‘bandwagon’ mentality; they paid little attention to how ingesting the pill alters the natural chemistry of the body and the physical, emotional, and mental side effects that result.

 

Considering the fact that 500 million women worldwide take oral contraceptives everyday and that women are already twice as likely to experience depression as men, it is crucial that women have a comprehensive understanding of the potential risks of oral contraceptive use.

Although startling, the results of this study should in no way deter women from oral contraceptive use, considering its importance for women’s reproductive rights since the 1950s. When it was introduced, the birth control pill was initially regarded as a vehicle for female empowerment, allowing women to control when they reproduce—if they choose to do so. Since then, it has developed a multipurpose nature; doctors recommend the pill not only for preventing unwanted pregnancy, but also to help women regulate hormones, reduce acne, and to lessen menstrual cramps—the list goes on.

This is not a question of whether the birth control pill is good or bad. Like any medication, the pill is bound to have its advantages and disadvantages. But, considering the fact that 500 million women worldwide take oral contraceptives everyday and that women are already twice as likely to experience depression as men, it is crucial that women have a comprehensive understanding of the potential risks of oral contraceptive use.

While young women must actively seek out information on the birth control pill before beginning to take it, they can only do so if this information is readily available. Universities, health clinics, and other educational institutions must match efforts in research—such as the University of Copenhagen’s study—by making the information readily available to those in need. Currently, McGill’s Health Promotion Office provides information on the statistical effectiveness of birth control methods; however, its website fails to mention any side effects, including possible mental health complications. Although the site provides users with the opportunity to book an appointment for a birth control prescription, it should also encourage women to actively seek out information, speak to their physicians about any concerns, and monitor any changes in their bodies after starting a hormonal contraceptive method.

It is important to raise awareness about the side effects of oral contraceptive use and how it might be altering the moods of the 500 million women who take it. These women can then be better equipped to proactively take measures that will help manage the changes in mental health that may result. Women living with mental health problems that may be influenced by the birth control pill—like my friend—must be assured that no, it’s not in their heads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kate Caldarone is Arts student from Toronto majoring in Cultural Studies and minoring in Communication Studies. She recently transferred universities so although she is in third year, this is her first year at McGill. Her primary areas of interest include public relations and journalism.

 

@ | [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 
Baseball, Men's Varsity, Private, Sports

McGill Redmen Baseball sweep rival Concordia, repeat as conference champions

by Hana O'Neill on

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A rough start for McGill quickly turned into a blow out as the Redmen (15-1) swept the rival Concordia Stingers (9-7) in the CCBA Northern Conference Finals on Monday night at Gary Carter Field. The Redmen fought back from a 6–0 deficit to win game one 11–7, and mercied the Stingers 11–0 in the second game. 

The Stingers strung together a six-run first inning, but the Redmen’s bats came alive in the third. The Redmen came within striking distance with a five-run rally that began with catcher Chris Stanford’s one-out two-run single to right field.

McGill pulled ahead in the bottom of the fourth on third baseman Sam Groleau’s two-run home run to left field. 

“That felt great,” Groleau said. “The pitch before, I was a little early, hit a far foul ball, but I adjusted and got a good piece of it.”

Relievers Jack Pantalena, Eric Broatch, and Benji Kaiserman combined to hold Concordia to one run on two hits over four innings. Pantalena—who threw two shutout innings, allowed no hits and walked three—got the win. 

The Redmen struck early in the second game. Leadoff man Sasha Lagarde reached first on an error, Groleau was hit by a pitch for the second time that night, and Stanford singled in a run to spark a four run rally. A three-run second inning chased Concordia starter Dan Connerty from the game.

Concordia’s relievers could not contain the Redmen either, giving up three runs in the third and another in the fourth.

Rookie Bryan Corona was dominant on the mound, allowing one hit and walking one over four innings. 

The Redmen entered the fifth leading 11–0, poised to mercy the Stingers and go home early. Reliever Harrison Hart added some tension to the game, walking the first three batters he faced to load the bases, but struck out the next three to bring the conference championship home for the second year in a row.

The Redmen are looking ahead to the national championship. They won the national title in 2014 and 2015, and will look for a three-peat this weekend.

“We’re confident, but […] we can’t just assume anything,” Head Coach Jason Starr said. “We’re pretty prepared, and we have one more day of preparation. It’s up to the guys. I have a lot of faith in them.”

Nationals begun on Thursday where the Redmen took two of three against Saint Mary’s University to lift them to another CCBA National Championship on Sunday.

 

Quotable: “The guys never thought it was over, and they were not going to let Rocky [Hroch] lose after one bad inning, really his only one all year. They chipped away at it [the lead], and swung the bat well. It was encouraging.” – Head Coach Jason Starr

Stat of the series: Catcher Chris Stanford recorded 7 RBI over the two games.

Moment of the series: In the top of the sixth inning in the first game, Concordia scored one and loaded the bases with one out. Reliever Benji Kaiserman entered the game with McGill leading 11–7 and a Concordia rally threatening. Stinger’s left-fielder Dan Paklarian hit a sharp line drive to shortstop Louis-Xavier Labrosse, who threw to second baseman Sam Savoie for the double play to escape the jam.

McGill, News

SSMU hosts panel on current state of mental health at McGill

by Natalie Wong on

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On Oct. 24, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) hosted a mental health Q&A panel on the newly integrated psychological services at McGill University. A follow-up to the SSMU Mental Health Forum from March 2016, this panel discussed the integration of McGill Counselling and Mental Health Services (MCMHS) as well as the newly implemented stepped-care model of mental health treatment. This model aims to treat students by using less-intensive treatment in the first instance and incrementally building up to more specialized services if deemed clinically necessary.

McGill has altered the stepped-care model slightly so that a wide spectrum of services can be tailored and assigned to students, depending on their needs. The student is assigned to a clinician during consultation, where the two parties collaborate to create a treatment plan focused on the preference of the student.

According to Giuseppe Alfonsi, Associate Clinical Director of MCMHS, the changes are helpful in light of Montreal’s limited mental health care services and the growing need for mental health support at McGill, which saw a 35 per cent increase in users over the past five years.

“Services outside of McGill for mental health are abysmal in Montreal,” Alfonsi said. “A lot of our students are also anglophone, so there’s [also] a natural barrier that exists in mental health. Part of the reason why we do have a larger service in terms of number of staff, we have one of the larger services in Canada in terms of the number of psychologists and psychiatrists, […is that] it’s just not easy to access care [in Montreal].”

The stepped-care model focuses on matching the level of intensity of care to the condition’s complexity. For George Radiotis, a psychotherapist with MCMHS, the main benefits of the newly integrated stepped-care model are its flexibility and the increased collaboration between service providers and users.

“I meet with a student [and] we identify what their needs [are],” Radiotis said. “It’s a collaborative process [….] It isn’t a one-size-fits-all. We try to tailor specifically to students.”

Teri Phillips, director of the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD), said that the different options available and various levels of treatment intensities are beneficial to many students who are otherwise resistant to accessing mental health services.

“[The] variety of options allowing for autonomy works really well for students who otherwise wouldn’t access services at all, and who really need to access services, to get to a point where they’re ready to,” Phillips said.

The panel discussion was the first open discussion on the new changes in MCMHS with students this semester.

For Jiayi Wang, U3 Engineering, the panel was a good step in bringing to light the stepped-care model, which includes more options for students to choose from, such as online therapy and peer support.

“It's good that they recognize the growing need for accessing the services and I appreciate that they are taking active measures to modify the way they offer their service in order to meet the needs,” Wang said.

Still, there are remaining issues to address in mental health provisions at McGill; Namely, stronger communication regarding the new services and more consultation with the student body.

“I think that a communications plan is needed to introduce students to the new mental health service delivery model, while clearly explaining the rationale behind the model and changes that it entails,” said Quinn Ashkenazy, U4 Arts and chair of McGill’s Peer Support Center (PSC). “The other key piece is consultation. Diverse students input on the model is needed. Students should play an essential role in shaping the mental health service model designed for them.”

Commentary, Opinion

Bill Clinton needs to exit the political discussion

by Diana Little on

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On Oct. 7, Presidential candidate Donald Trump released an apology for his misogynistic comments in an infamous 2005 tape, which records him bragging to Access Hollywood host Billy Bush about sexually assaulting women. However, his apology merely brushed off the incident as “locker-room talk” while shifting the focus onto Bill Clinton, who had nothing to do with this incident. This attack on Bill Clinton, however, is not an isolated event in this election; rather, it fits into larger, disturbing political dialogue that has trouble distinguishing between Hillary Clinton and her husband. Hillary Clinton is not her husband, nor do her opinions necessarily build off her husband’s. The assumption that Hillary’s opinions reflect or are analogous to Bill’s creates a sexist political discourse that questions Hillary Clinton’s suitability for president because of her gender.

Donald Trump is not the only one with a tendency to equate Hillary’s presidential platform with her husband’s past. In the second presidential debate, Anderson Cooper asked Hillary, “Your husband called Obamacare the ‘craziest thing in the world’ [….] Was he mistaken or was he simply telling the truth?” Despite the fact that Bill is not running for president, the way in which Anderson framed his question places Bill’s opinions on par with Hillary’s. The media’s fixation likewise creates a dialogue where Hillary must answer for her husband’s political views rather than her own.

This fixation on Bill also implicitly assumes that Hillary is merely an extension of her husband rather than a candidate with her own platform. As Donald Trump’s apology exemplifies, her opponent and the media attempt to use Bill’s history of adultery and personal shortcomings as means to criticize and invalidate Hillary’s campaign. The consequence of using her husband as a tool against her campaign is that Hillary’s policies are merely a reflection of her husband’s. This casts doubt on whether she is even capable of forming her thoughts or handling the demands of the presidency. According to the rhetoric that blames Hillary for her husband's faults, Hillary is a wife first and a presidential candidate second.

 

Despite her qualifications and experience, the media depicts Hillary as a wife and First Lady rather than a valid presidential candidate.

The fact that the media does not align Donald Trump with his spouse particularly highlights the sexist undertones this election. Melania Trump’s plagiarism scandal in July tested this double standard; however, several media sources brushed off the incident as the result of poor speech writing and fact-checking, rather than a reflection on the Trump campaign or Donald Trump himself. In fact, articles describing the incident barely mention Donald at all. Trump Campaign chairman Paul Manafort likewise told CNN, “The controversy you’re talking about is not meaningful at all [because Melania] is not a candidate for office.”

The same excuse, however, apparently does not apply to the Clinton campaign. The hypocrisy of the Trump campaign and the double standards set by the media only illustrate the deeply ingrained sexism Hillary combats in this election. Despite her qualifications and experience, the media depicts Hillary as a wife and First Lady rather than a valid presidential candidate.

This treatment of Hillary Clinton is unfair, and is an inappropriate way to treat any woman—professional or not. In Hillary’s case especially, it bolsters the false assumption that women do not belong in politics. In order to set a better standard for women in the professional sphere in general, the Trump campaign and the media need to exclude Bill Clinton from the political discussion and give Hillary the respect that she deserves.

 

 

 

 

 

Diana Little is a U2 student in the Department of English Literature whose hobbies include petting dogs around Montreal and going to all-you-can-eat sushi.

 

@ | [email protected]

 

 

 

 
McGill, News

In pursuit of a healthy and safe Frosh

by Julia Metraux on

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During a Sept. 28 press conference, Quebec Minister of Women Lise Thériault addressed concerns of the correlation between Frosh activities and hazing following various incidents at universities and colleges across the province of Quebec. A Montréal Gazette editorial on Frosh, in addition to the Minister’s comments, started a conversation among Frosh coordinators, administration, and students on whether “hazing” applies to McGill Froshes and how these events can be more safe.

In reference to alleged combination of sexual assault and heavy drinking that took place during Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Law Frosh orientation, Thériault told the press that action must be taken to ensure that these types of incidents do not happen again. She stated that such behaviours do not belong at universities.

According to Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) Vice-President (VP) Internal Affairs Ziyaan Harji, Thériault’s comments do not apply to McGill Froshes.

“Science Frosh, as well as all Froshes, both faculty and non-faculty based, have made it clear to our participants, leaders, and staff, that it is not in any way a form of initiation and it certainly does not involve hazing,” Harji said. “I don’t believe [Montreal Gazette’s editorial on hazing during Frosh orientation] will affect the future of our Frosh.”

McGill Dean of Students Christopher Buddle does not believe that banning Frosh would be a constructive solution to prevent future incidents from occurring. Instead, McGill should continue its work to improve education on consent issues for Frosh participants.

“Our Frosh activities are tightly connected to broader orientation for incoming students, and include viewing videos about consent, through to mandatory workshops in our residence halls,” Buddle said. “There’s always room to improve, but overall I think McGill is taking the right approach to Frosh, and we will continue to adjust on a yearly basis to ensure our incoming class has a positive experience.”

Certain faculty Froshes have undergone changes to promote a healthy environment. For example, the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) has has worked to improve the inclusivity of Arts Frosh in recent years, according to AUS VP Social Affairs Kat Svikhnushin.

“One of the reasons that we are different is our commitment to inclusivity and improving upon Frosh each year, which we’ve done through initiatives such as [establishing] the Director of Inclusivity, [the] sober ally program, Frosh bursaries, and extensive coordinator, leader, and staff training,” Svikhnushin said.

Ellen Gurung, U1 Arts, felt that her Frosh leaders were respectful and did not make people feel like they had to drink; however, the atmosphere at some events made drinking seem like a necessity.

“Beach day is like, ‘We’re drinking at [9 a.m.],’ and some people were completely out before we got on the bus,” Gurung said. “That was weird for me. It seemed [that] to enjoy beach day, you needed to be drunk. It was uncomfortable to see how many people were over the edge, I was wondering if they were okay.”

Alyanna Jamal, U0 Science, said the amount of drinking during Frosh week has both positive and negative aspects.

“I feel like that depends on the individual [when it comes to the drinking culture during Frosh],” Jammal said. “I find many people take it as a great way to meet new people and socialize, as I [did], but I also find that at times people can use it in a harmful way to blow off steam.”

Harji emphasized that alcohol safety is a focus of Frosh preparations, and that both McGill and community groups collaborate to ensure the success and safety of Frosh.

“The safety of our participants is our number one priority, with leaders and staff going through extensive training on alcohol safety and consent, active bystander intervention, etcetera,” Harji said. “As student leaders and coordinators, we work very closely with McGill administration and the greater Montreal community, including the [Milton-Parc Citizens’ Committee (MPCC)] and the [Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM)], to ensure everyone’s enjoyment.”

According to Buddle, collaboration between the administration and Frosh organizers is needed to promote positive behavior at future Froshes.

“The positive elements of Frosh need to be recognized–developing lifelong friendships, feeling connected to a faculty and university, becoming familiar with what can be, for some, a very daunting environment,” Buddle said. “Banning Frosh activities is not a good solution to stopping some of the inappropriate activities we have read about in the press. Instead, we need to continue to work collaboratively with students and Frosh organizers to develop programming, refine communications and education, and continue to move away from events that focus on alcohol.”

Men's Varsity, Private, Sports

McGill Redmen capture CUFLA Eastern Division title, defeating Trent

by Patrick Beacham on

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The McGill Redmen (11-1) squared up against the Trent University Excalibur (11-1) for what promised to be a suspenseful rematch between two men’s lacrosse heavy-hitters at Forbes Field on Sunday. The Redmen looked to avenge their only loss this season at the hands of the Excalibur in mid-September. Trent and McGill remained neck-and-neck throughout the first half, but the Redmen exploded in the second half with four unanswered goals, taking the match 9-5 and topping the CUFLA East Division table.

“We started off straight from the first quarter, which we’ve been struggling doing all year,” Redmen midfielder Jay Jiranek said. “We just came together and played as a team [and] got the result we wanted.”

The first half deadlock was due to the defensive prowess of both teams and a number of turnovers committed by each side. While Trent managed to run the ball up multiple times, the Redmen offence made quick work of their advances with long passes. This strategy gave McGill the advantage when it came to possession, as their quick movement of the ball bought them precious time in the offensive zone.

“We didn’t rely on any single player,” Redmen attacker Goose Bolton said. “We held the ball for most of the game and they didn’t have it, and they can’t score when they don’t have it.”

McGill continued to control possession into the second half, with the first half ending in a 5-5 stalemate. Two goals halfway through the third quarter changed the momentum in favour of the Redmen and guaranteed them the win.

“On offence, all you have to do is be patient,” Redmen Assistant Coach Nick Soubry said. “We were patient and we put those goals in the net.”

McGill will face Ottawa in the Baggataway Cup Playoffs on Oct. 29 at Molson Stadium. The Gee Gees are currently in sixth place in the Eastern CUFLA conference, so it is likely that the first-seed Redmen will proceed to semifinals the following weekend.

“Coach Murdoch always talks about peaking at the right point, which would mean going into the playoffs,” Jiranek said. “[With a] big win against Trent, it’s us finally hitting our stride, and it’s really exciting that going into the Baggataway Cup that we’re playing the best we’ve ever played.”

 

Quotable:  “With 15 freshmen on the team, everyone’s learning, so the start from game one to now has been exponential.” – Redmen defenseman Tanner Baldin on the leadup to the Trent victory.

Stat Corner: After defeating Trent, McGill took their spot at the top of CUFLA East and is in position to take the conference title for the fifth time in a row.

Moment of the game: During a power-play halfway through the third quarter, McGill’s Max Murdoch made a bottom-corner goal with his first shot on the field, starting the offensive sweep that won them the game.

Martlets, Private, Soccer, Sports

Laval knocks McGill Martlets soccer out of the playoffs

by Nicole Spadotto on

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The McGill Martlets (4-6-2) came out hungry for redemption against the Laval Rouge et Or (11-0-1) at Molson Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 23 after being dominated by the CIS’ number one seed in the last meeting between the two teams on September 25. Ultimately, McGill came away heartbroken as the visitors edged out the Martlets 1-0.

        McGill looked as though they were going to take an early lead courtesy of fifth-year senior Captain Daphnee Morency, but an offside call broke up her dangerous dribble down the left of the field. After the Martlets regained possession, Morency once again attacked down the wing and crossed the ball for a quality opportunity in front of the net. Laval goalie Marie-Joelle Vandal made an excellent save, however, setting the defensive tone for the rest of the first half. For McGill, senior goaltender Cassandra Fafalios was more than her match and snuffed out Laval’s two decent first half scoring opportunities—at one point making a spectacular diving save near the top-left corner of the net.

        “We could have been at half 1-0 on our side,” Head Coach Jose-Luis Valdes said. “The organization, the willingness to play, the willingness to close them down and actually win the ball from them was actually quite good on our side.”

        The second half saw the fans getting feisty: The Laval men’s soccer team–who had come to cheer on their women’s squad–exchanged bilingual barbs with the McGill fight band. The Rouge Et Or showed with an intensity they lacked in the first half and scored a quick goal at the start of the period. Laval striker Jessica Bunker caught the McGill defence in a rare moment of flat footedness and attacked down the right side of the pitch to sneak a goal just past the diving Fafalios.

        “Second half, they got a quick goal right at the start of the half,” Valdes said. “But we didn’t shut down. We kept going. We kept playing. The wind was in our face, which wasn’t easy to have in the second half.”

        A bright spot during the match for the Martlets was their solid defensive unit, which tightened after the Rouge Et Or’s goal and shut down an onslaught of offensive opportunities.

        “The backline was strong throughout the game,” Valdes said of his defensive unit. “We had to make a couple of subs in the second half because of injuries [.…] We had that instability for a couple of minutes.”

        McGill’s playoff hopes ended with this defeat. For now, the team is looking forward to next weekend against UDEM—which is both homecoming and the last Martlet soccer home game of the season. Festivities will include honouring the seniors and welcoming alumni who played for the Martlets in the past. Former McGill soccer star and current professional player Amber Allen will be inducted into the McGill Sports Hall of Fame. Though there is much to look forward to, there’s also a lot to build upon after Sunday evening’s match.

“The girls made a huge effort against the number one team in the country,” Valdes said. “We can’t really complain.”

 

Quotable: “The last time we played Laval, we [were] kind of got intimidated from the start. We gave up an early goal and they piled on a couple more after that. We kind of got startled [….] Whereas today, we were able to eliminate a lot of their options, take away their rhythm from the play, and then we were able to combine a few passes.” – Head Coach Jose-Luis Valdes

Stat of the game: Two yellow cards were given to an aggressive Laval team.

Moment of the game: Olivia Lusterio-Adler, a forward from Beaconsfield, Quebec, blocked what seemed like a sure Laval goal with her face after a quick pass created a stellar scoring opportunity for Laval.

Commentary, Opinion

The cost of being a coffee-drinking woman

by Alexandra Harvey on

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What if you were told that you had to pay more for your morning coffee, just because of your gender? Toronto coffee shop Tokyo Smoke got a rise out of its customers for doing just this. One woman was told she’d have to pay a whopping $5.00 for her small decaf latté—$1.50 above the male price. “So it’s discrimination basically,” she retorted. To this, the barista plainly responded, “Yep.” “Is this a joke?!” a coffee-seeking woman scoffed. Many customers left empty-handed, promising to boycott the quaint Trinity Bellwoods café forever. The overwhelmingly negative reaction is predictable. Tokyo Smoke’s blatant act of discrimination is disgusting. Comical, even!

Not surprisingly, the little trick that Tokyo Smoke played on its customers had a political agenda. Executed by female empowerment organization GirlTalk HQ, the whole point of this coffee-shop hoax was to upset people—and hopefully raise awareness for an important social injustice.

At first glance, it may seem like this stunt was an oversimplification of a nuanced women’s rights issue. However, maybe the issue at hand really is that simple. No, the products are not different; yes, women just have to pay more. People have no problem seeing how this is sexist. This clever awareness tactic illuminates the inequity in the Pink Tax.

The Pink Tax is a premium that has women spending an average of 43 per cent more on personal hygiene products than men. Products marketed towards women are consistently more expensive than identical products advertised for men. The Pink Tax is sexist because it plays into the social pressures that delimit and constrain women—even beyond what they may be conscious of. Society emphasizes femininity as a key characteristic of a desirable woman. Producers can sell female-marketed products at a higher cost because women are socialized to conform to these gender ideals. The Pink Tax exploits female consumers by taking advantage of gender stereotypes.

A Toronto-based study by Parsehub examined the price tags of over 3,000 personal care products and determined that women pay more than men for products like shampoo, razors, soap, and deodorant. These findings echo those of a similar study by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs on gender pricing. This research went beyond personal hygiene products, and uncovered that numerous goods—for example, baby toys, clothing, and jeans—have a much steeper price tag when tinted pink or advertised as ‘for the ladies,’ even when the male-gendered counterpart was practically identical.

Not only do women pay more, we still earn less than men. The average woman working full time in Canada makes 73.5 cents for every dollar a man earns, despite female levels of educational attainment surpassing those of men. This wage gap exacerbates the injustice of women being forced to fork over a greater portion of their income for the Pink Tax. It’s safe to draw the conclusion that it costs more to be a woman at any stage of life.

In 2012, Ellen DeGeneres spoke out about a new product by Bic called “Bic for Her”—pens designed for women and sold for twice the price. Ellen illustrates that the Pink Tax is a reality, though an absurd one. “The worst part [about these pens] is that they don’t come with any instructions,” she jokes. “So how do they expect us to learn how to write with them, you know?” Humour can be a clever way to point out social injustices, but it’s crucial to look closely at what we’re laughing at: In this case, it’s discrimination, sexism, and the gender gap. It’s 2016, and blatant acts of systemic sexism are, as GirlTalk HQ and Ellen point out, inexcusable and should not be tolerated.

Gendered pricing exploits women and perpetuates sexist gender norms. Individuals can fight the Pink Tax by signing GirlTalk HQ’s petition to urge the Canadian government to implement a law prohibiting gendered pricing. In the meantime, women can reduce their personal Pink Tax by opting for unisex or men’s products when the price tags are significantly lower. That being said, if I prefer my razor tinted in pink, that doesn’t mean I should be forced to pay more.

 

Basketball, Private, Sports

2016-2017 NBA Season Preview

by Arman Bery, Wasif Hussain, Weiyu Dang, Gabriel Rincon & Zikomo Smith on

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Eastern Conference

Southeast Division

Atlanta Hawks

Replacing Al Horford with Dwight Howard is a downgrade both on and off the court. Howard is no longer a top-tier centre and has been nothing but a headache for his coaches and teammates in recent seasons. With the transition to the flashy and mercurial Dennis Schroder as point guard, growing pains will be inevitable. The Hawks will struggle at times, endure a handful of Dwight-mares, but ultimately still have the pieces in place to sneak into the playoffs in a top-heavy Eastern Conference.

Charlotte Hornets

Despite last season’s optimism—when the team almost won fifty games and point-guard Kemba Walker evolved into a stud—the Hornets now lack depth following the departures of quality backup Jeremy Lin and the gritty Courtney Lee. Adding Roy Hibbert and Ramon Sessions would have helped the team in 2012, but it is not 2012, and the Hornets will regress. Michael Jordan will again be disappointed as Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will trample his team if they manage to make the playoffs.

Washington Wizards

Aiming for backcourt stability, the Wizards gave Bradley Beal an undeservedly monster-sized contract–underappreciated point-guard John Wall says he’s not jealous. The two guards make up the Wizards’ backcourt, but with Beal’s streaky shooting, this duo might have a strenuous relationship. Without adding any legitimate starters, Washington is stalling and shouldn’t improve from last year’s .500 record, falling short of the playoffs and wasting another year with Wall’s affordable contract on the books.

 Orlando Magic

The Magic are trying to rebuild like it’s 2009 with two starting centres. Trading for forward Serge Ibaka in exchange for Victor Oladipo was a smart move. Adding Bismack Biyombo, however, was redundant and ignored the fact that no one on the Magic can shoot. Besides these two seven-footers, the Magic hope that Elfrid Payton and Evan Fournier will improve and that Aaron Gordon will learn the basketball skills to match his athleticism. The paint defense will be impenetrable, but useless if the team can’t make a three pointer.

Miami Heat

Dwyane Wade fled, Joe Johnson left, and Chris Bosh appears to be done. Yet, things aren’t so bad in Miami. Hassan Whiteside is locked in as the new franchise superstar, Justise Winslow resembles a young Ron Artest, and Dion Waiters is out of Russell Westbrook’s shadow. Erik Spoelstra is still a solid coach and his team will most likely rebuild effectively. Still, the Heat are probably a few years away from contention and will be in the lottery this season.

 

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics

With a bevy of young talent, the Celtics have finally left obscurity and returned to form as NBA Finals contenders. Under the tutelage of Head Coach Brad Stevens, Boston has become an attractive place for marquee free agents. In a top-heavy Eastern Conference, the addition of Al Horford will probably help them eclipse Toronto for the top spot in the Atlantic and the second seed in the Eastern Conference come playoff time.

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors have the tough task of trying to top the Celtics for their fourth straight Atlantic Division championship. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have shown that they can carry a team to the playoffs, but they still lack that last piece to bring them to the NBA finals. If they can trade for another superstar, they might be able to break the Cleveland Cavaliers’ two-year streak as Eastern Conference champions. 

New York Knicks

If we could turn back the clock by six years, the Knicks’ current roster would challenge this season’s Golden State Warriors on superstar-power alone. Unfortunately, Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Carmelo Anthony are all well past their NBA primes. Although  Rose and Noah could see their roles reduced this year, they should help the development of sophmore big Kristaps Porzingis as he transitions into a bonafide star. However, expect the Knicks to once again be a middling team this year.

Philadelphia 76ers

The eternal rebuild continues in Philadelphia. There was a time when the City of Brotherly Love believed in “The Process,” but that time has long passed. The multi-year tanking project that acquired Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, and Jahlil Okafor has yielded nothing. 2016 pick Ben Simmons will not fix this trend. Another lost season and high lottery pick is on the cards for the 76ers.

Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn might be the only team worse than Philadelphia this year. Expectations are so low, a 15-win season would be seen as a success. Frankly, if the NBA had relegation the Nets might not even win the D-League. This team is totally unwatchable; it won’t even get to use their inevitably high draft pick because they traded it to Boston three years ago. Nets fans, we pray for you.

 

Central Division

Cleveland Cavaliers

Winning back-to-back championships is one of the greatest achievements in sports. However, the Cavaliers shouldn’t have any issues with the pressure. They didn’t make any flashy moves like Golden State, but they remain the class of the Eastern Conference by a considerable margin. Barring injuries, look for Cleveland to be right back in the NBA Finals this year–LeBron James’ seventh in a row.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers had a busy off-season acquiring veteran players and found a potential franchise pillar in sophomore centre Myles Turner. Forward Paul George is one of the league’s five best players, and will push the high calibre attack offence. Head Coach Nate McMillan has the depth to rotate nine or ten players on a nightly basis. A second or third playoff seed would keep the Pacers out of Cleveland’s way till the Conference Finals.

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls made big splashes in the off-season, shipping away former-MVP Derrick Rose, then signing point-guard Rajon Rondo and hometown superstar Dwyane Wade. The days of trying to get past LeBron James in the playoffs seem long gone, as Chicago shifts their focus to just trying to make the postseason. Their inability to shoot will relegate the Bulls to a fringe playoff team.

Detroit Pistons

Last year, Detroit laid the foundation to become a perennial playoff team. They still have a way to go before becoming big-time contenders—they need to improve their physical skills and gain more playing experience. The Pistons will continue to mimic the style Head Coach Stan Van Gundy used during his tenure with the Orlando Magic–one in, four out–to climb up the ladder in the East.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks will struggle in the 2016-17 season—they didn’t do enough in free agency to improve their team, said goodbye to Michael Carter-Williams in a trade, and lost Kris Middleton to injury. Milwaukee continued their unorthodox, size-oriented style of play and surprisingly drafted 7’1” forward Thon Maker with the 10th pick. The East is too deep for the Bucks to succeed and they will fail to gain much ground on last season’s 33-win finish.

 

Western Conference

Southwest Division

San Antonio Spurs

It’s hard to bet against San Antonio’s coaching staff, but the departures of the legendary Tim Duncan and versatile Boris Diaw have weakened the Spurs’ standing in the Western conference. They will still be a high-seeded contender, but their defence will regress with an ancient roster and reportedly unhappy LaMarcus Aldridge. Expect Kawhi Leonard to be in the MVP discussion and the Spurs to lose in the second round of the playoffs. 

Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis is in basketball purgatory. They are good enough to scrape into the playoffs behind the excellent Mike Conley and the dynamic Chandler Parsons; however, their thin squad is only an injury away from catastrophe and they rely too heavily on ground-and-pound, unathletic big men. Until Memphis commits to better three point shooting, they will never go deep into the playoffs.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks are one of the most intriguing teams in the NBA. If Harrison Barnes overcomes his stage fright, Wes Matthews returns to his gunslinging best, and Andrew Bogut provides the best rim-protection since the Tyson Chandler days, Dallas could go deep in the playoffs. However, those are big ifs. The Mavericks should be content with a mid-seed finish and a second round playoff performance in the twilight of Dirk Nowitzki’s career.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets are still reeling from the dysfunction of last season—they have a poor defence and lack a solid rim protector outside of centre Clint Capela. They hired Head Coach Mike D’Antoni this off-season, but his track record was devalued by his disastrous tenure with the Laker. No doubt Houston’s offence will explode under D’Antoni and the excellent James Harden, but they have not improved enough to aim for anything more than the eighth seed.

New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans are too banged up to make serious headway this year. The prodigious Anthony Davis might be healthy, but key players Qunicy Pontdexter, Jrue Holiday, and Tyreke Evans are out to start the season. All eyes are now on exciting rookie Buddy Hield—perhaps the most NBA ready player in this year’s draft. If the Pelicans can get healthy, Davis might drag them to the playoffs; however, that will be a big stretch.

 

Pacific Division

Golden State Warriors

Last year, the Warriors’ four perimeter all-stars had shooting percentages of 38.7, 38.8, 42.5, and 45.4. Anybody who questions their ability to win based on a lack of size or rim protection should refer to those aforementioned percentages. Furthermore, adding Kevin Durant to a team that’s already a perennial championship contender is a scary thought. Pencil in the Warriors atop the Pacific Division, the Western Conference, and the NBA. 

Los Angeles Clippers

Blake Griffin punching a team assistant was symbolic of the frustration of the Clippers’ 2015-2016 season. The same core group returns this year with the addition of Mo Speights and Brandon Bass on the bench, but once again this team will only go as far as their big three can take them. Griffin should have a major bounceback year and guide the Clippers to a top three finish in the Western Conference. 

Sacramento Kings

Rudy Gay described the Kings succinctly: “Basketball hell.” Owner Vivek Ranadive and General Manager Vlade Divac are the most puzzling and groan-inducing front office duo in sports. One bright spot is that Sacramento hired a competent–albeit bristly–Head Coach in Dave Joerger and added some solid veteran players. However, the likely result is another disappointing, playoff-less season—something one should expect when Darren Collison is a starting point guard. 

Phoenix Suns

Every time Phoenix is down 20 or more heading into the fourth quarter, find hope in the fact that they have Devin Booker. The team will have massive growing pains as they try and develop rookies Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender, but the backcourt duo of Eric Bledsoe and Booker will be explosive. The Suns will demonstrate a lot of promise—they have a solid foundation to build from after all—until owner Robert Sarver inevitably finds a way to destroy it. 

Los Angeles Lakers

Luke Walton’s surfer boy demeanor and D’Angelo Russell’s brimming confidence has Lakers fans more optimistic than they have been in the last few years. However, do not mistake this positive sentiment as anything more than hot air. This is a team trying to transition from the oppressive and demoralizing coaching tenure of Byron Scott with a slew of young, undeveloped players. The Lakers will finish as bottom feeders in the Western Conference. 

 

Northwest Division

Portland Trail Blazers

With one of the league’s best starting backcourts, Portland could make a splash this season. Point guard Damian Lillard doesn’t receive enough appreciation around the league and will be on a tear this year trying to establish himself as one of the game’s best. The Blazers didn’t make many moves in the off-season aside from overpaying for Evan Turner and Allen Crabbe, but they didn’t lose anyone either. Don’t be surprised if they win the division. 

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves will be one of the most exciting teams to watch this season. Karl Anthony-Towns and Andrew Wiggins are two of the league’s best young players, and Zach Lavine is an athletic freak. Don’t forget that new Head Coach Tom Thibodeau was Derrick Rose’s coach when he won an MVP at just 22 years old. He might be the perfect coach to lead this young, athletic team to a dark horse playoff run.

 Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma will take the biggest step back of any team this season due to the exit of their former MVP Kevin Durant. When they lost Durant to injury two years ago, Russell Westbrook was unstoppable on the court, but he couldn’t will his team into the playoffs–the likely outcome this season. Look for Westbrook to compete for MVP, but don’t bet on much more from the Thunder.

Utah Jazz

With a premier young core in Derrick Favours, Rudy Gobert, and Gordon Hayward, the Jazz may jump a few of the aging Western Conference teams and make the playoffs this year. They’ve improved their depth with the addition of Joe Johnson and George Hill without losing any key pieces. These signings may be the boost needed to make the playoffs; however, don’t expect them to make it out of the first round.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets are a very young team with incredible front court depth and not much else. Along with their youth movement, there are some valuable aging pieces—namely, Kenneth Faried and Danilo Gallinari—that could be moved for draft some picks this year. They have some exciting pieces in Emmanuel Mudiay, Nikola Jokic, and rookie Juancho Hernangomez, but unless they take a spectacular leap forward in their development, the Nuggets will once again be under .500.

 

Hear Raptors Analyst Paul Jones' take on this upcoming season in the latest McGill Tribune Sports podcast. 

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Features

Discussing Academic Freedom At McGill

by David Watson on

More in Features:

“Something strange is happening at America's colleges and universities.” So began the provocative cover story of The Atlantic's September 2015 issue. The piece, “The Coddling of the American Mind,” by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, dove head-on into a relatively recent, yet highly contentious, debate gripping American campuses—that of campus free speech.

What strange phenomenon had Lukianoff and Haidt identified? “A movement is arising,” they claimed, “undirected and driven largely by students, to scrub campuses clean of words, ideas, and subjects that might cause discomfort or give offense.”

According to the duo—a constitutional lawyer and a social psychologist—students at campuses across the United States were increasingly calling for censorship surrounding topics that are likely to cause offence, and therefore emotional distress, to some students.

In the year since The Atlantic story ran, the debate over controversial speech on campuses has only intensified. At Yale, students called on two faculty members to resign after one sent an email to students questioning the need for a warning about culturally insensitive Halloween costumes. Emory University was divided in the spring after pro-Trump messages were chalked on campus. This September, students at the University of Chicago expressed outrage after their Dean of Students wrote in a welcome letter that his institution's commitment to academic freedom meant it opposed safe spaces and trigger warnings.

In each case, the debate is seemingly polarized between two camps. On one side are those arguing that universities need to prioritize the feelings and experiences of students, and rid campuses of offensive expression that could threaten students' emotional well-being. Opposing them are those who claim that freedom of expression is essential to preserve the university's role as an intellectual space of discussion and open debate.

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