ISSUE 5, VOLUME 2
This issue got rushed out. There were supposed to be two before it. But what could I do, with all the conversation about don't be that Guy/Girl.
But how could I avoid doing an On The Streets view?
Every once in a while you get to go somewhere cool. Sarah and I went for a cruise last friday to Louisiana Purchase. Yes the photo is more of my car, but either way, what can you say about Mustangs? It's one of the longest continuously produced car models in history, with a very storied history in culture and racing. What you're seeing is where it all began and where it subsequently ended up. The one on the right is 1965 coupe, with a 298 cu in V8. The Mustang when originally released in mid 1964 wasn't meant to be a sports car; most came off the line with an inline 6 cylinder, and the car was based on a Falcon chassis. It basically was a stylish smaller car, for 'sporting' and economy use. It was Carroll Shelby that changed all that, when he took the Mustang racing in the 60's. Mustangs through history graced road courses, drag strips, and even more. The original car's 289 cubic inch V8 put out 258hp, was cam-in-iron-block, and likely didn't get very good fuel economy. The one on the right is a 2011 GT, with a 5.0L, 302 cubic inch, all aluminum, 4 cam V8 putting out 412hp with variable valve timing. Style and performance, it was maintained through the years.
Don’t Be THAT Girl or THAT Guy
Men’s Voice Group posters causes Police to say stupid things
Y’all remember back to that first issue we ever ran, the issue about the misdirected point of the YEG Slutwalk? Well this I find in hilarious contrast to that.
I first bashed the Slutwalk for it’s message about Rape culture: don’t say a girl deserves to be raped because of what she’s wearing. I felt it should be a stronger simpler; “Don’t Rape People” message. Or how about, “Don’t say a girl is asking for it because she’s wearing provocative clothing.”
Well now, apparently a men’s voice group posted a parody of a ‘Don’t Be THAT Guy’ poster Edmonton Police were running - IE don’t be that guy who rapes someone. The ‘Don’t Be THAT Girl’ campaign indicates that ‘just because you regret a one night stand doesn’t mean it wasn’t consensual’ and reminds women that ‘reporting false sexual assault is a crime.’
The posters are pretty outrageous, and were quick to be bashed by those supporting misconceptions regarding rape and rape culture. The funny thing is that whilst doing this, spokespeople indicated that, ‘Women should be aware of what they dress, and how much they’ve had to drink.’ In an indirect sense, it’s almost like saying, “Hey Slutwalk, you’re responsible indirectly for this poster.”
I am totally behind the ‘Don’t Rape Anyone’ message. It’s like, when in doubt - if you think she (or he) is too drunk to fuck, then don’t do it! There is a reason impaired driving is against the law - because the government has decided for you that alcohol or drugs impairs your judgement and decision making processes, as well as balance and depth perception, which could just make sex downright physically dangerous. All joking aside; both guys and girls have regretted that decision from the night before. If you were drunk, it’s only partially on you that you made a bad decision if you feel you were taken advantage of while not in your right mind.
Now, all that being said, protect yourself. Crime is out there, and no matter how much we say, “don’t rape” like we say “don’t steal, don’t murder, don’t beat other people, don’t stab others, etc” those incidences are still going to happen, because society is not a utopia, people have issues, and we’re all basically animals (or however you want to explain it). While I don’t have a right to be robbed, I’m not going to carry cash through Coliseum station at 3am on a friday night while my iPod earbuds hang out, because I will probably get knifed for that shit. I am not going to park my car in a dimly lit sketchy area, because someone probably will jack my rims. So, I would suggest that if you are going to a frat party, you do watch your drink, or your alcohol consumption, and remember that nudity=sex to people in a very basic part of their brain, so you know, wearing something revealing might be taken the wrong way by a person who doesn’t have enough of a frontal lobe to stop themselves. Like, remember in Factory where Jennifer Carpenter gets John Cusack’s character to read over the description of his daughter after she was kidnapped by a psycopath kidnapping hookers, and realized while reading it out that her description matched that of a hooker? I have to ask why you’d want to dress like a hooker anyway. You know people are making fun of you, even if they’re not thinking of having sex with you, and personally you could probably be deterring contact by certain people who might think you look like a hooker. And then, I have to start thinking about why guys would want to sleep with someone that looks like a hooker.
Girls, don’t be THAT hooker, and guys, don’t be THAT John who’s somehow justified that he’s getting a hooker for free.
Stop Using Mental Illness As An Excuse For Bad Behavior
Inspiration: CBC Radio 1 Currents; June 13, 2013
Falling Through The Cracks due to Stigma
The largest term you likely hear regarding mental illness is ‘awareness’ - that people need to be aware of prevalence of mental illness. What is it they need to be aware of?
Generally the idea is that people have it, and that it shouldn’t be stigmatized - in other words, like any other minority, or like a person with a disease, people are stereotyped for having it, and that involves their recovery.
Since 2003 I’ve worked many jobs not letting anyone know I’ve had anxiety disorder. I recently found out I have more problems than I thought. I had been hiding it. Not everyone got to know about it, but there was a special connection between myself and others who had it; because I could finally talk to someone about what it was like to have it, to live with it.
That doesn’t change the idea that you’re sick and you’re a liability. I once did tell an employer that I had anxiety issues, and the reception was quite cold, this was in the healthcare industry as well. While the information was kept confidential, the immediate response was ‘like any other illness, you need to take care of this, and make sure you can perform. Do what you have to do so you can be normal.’
Certainly, in the corporate system, individuals who have any illnesses are a loss of company productive time, and potential money. That is a liability. Yet if you had an injury from an MVA, and needed to take some time off for an injury, or you had the stomach flu, where you were literally throwing up, there is no question that you’re going to need to take some time off. Now try to tell your boss you need some time off due to ‘mental illness issues.’
Mike Burbiglia - Don’t Tell Anyone
What’s funny and great about Mike Birbiglia is how close to real life his humor is. He lets his mistakes, and his mental illnesses (his sleep disorder) and even his mistakes made in relationships and in life hang out. While his father tells him, “don’t tell anyone.”
The majority of people with mental health issues feel they can’t tell anyone. Not only that, but navigating the system can be difficult and expensive. Not telling anyone, not being treated, and the potential for being stigmatized can really bring individuals down. Imagine, you feel like you’re sick, and you’re not happy with yourself. You feel potentially shunned by others, and you feel like you’re failing yourself and others. Not a good place to be. How do you start ‘recovery’ ?
The majority of people with mental health issues feel they can’t tell anyone. Not only that, but navigating the system can be difficult and expensive. Not telling anyone, not being treated, and the potential for being stigmatized can really bring individuals down. Imagine, you feel like you’re sick, and you’re not happy with yourself. You feel potentially shunned by others, and you feel like you’re failing yourself and others. Not a good place to be. How do you start ‘recovery’ ?
Exploiting your own Disorder
One of the things that experts discuss is stereotypes and stigma developed through exploiting the disorder, whether it’s through media portrayals or the simple use of others blaming their actions on it. Not that your actions aren’t necessarily from the disorder, but using it as an excuse is the issue.
Putting In The Work
Ultimately what it comes down to is the fact that you need to take care of yourself for recovery. Recovery has been defined as a journey to be able to live a normal life (and what does that mean anyway) - at least a life you can be happy with and proud of. A life where you can have a job, have relationships, and not live in fear of stigma, or in fear of yourself. But you need to go out and get the help that’s offered to you, because sitting at home, doing nothing, will not help you recover. It just compounds the problem.
Accept help from those you can get it from, and put in the work to help yourself for whatever you need to reach a goal with your disorder that will help you move forward. There’s nothing worse than being alone, without relationships, stigmatized, potentially criminal, lying, and hiding, and running away.
I know.
Next Issue: A lot more stuff...
