SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016
VOLUME CLI, ISSUE 62
Brown athletes realize Olympic aspirations Gobbo ’13 becomes first American gold medalist from Brown since 1932 in women’s rowing triumph
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Etzel ’19 leads Bears to bounce-back victory Loss to crosstown rival Providence College precedes shutout result against Lafayette
By BEN SHUMATE SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Among the over 11,000 athletes competing for their countries at the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil were four who have called Brown their home. Representing the United States in rowing were Tessa Gobbo ’13 and Anders Weiss ’15, while Louisa Chafee ’14 competed in sailing. Swimmer Sovijja Pou ’17 was the only current Brown athlete to compete in Rio, where he represented Cambodia. Gobbo had the most successful Olympics of the four, taking home gold in the women’s eights competition. Though she is the first American gold medalist from Brown since 1932, she is no stranger to winning in this event. Gobbo was a member of the 2011 women’s NCAA championship crew team at Brown and also collected a title in the eights competition at the 2015 World Championships. The gold in Rio marked 10 straight races at the World Championships or Olympics where the
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American women have won the eights, continuing a dynasty that has drawn comparisons to the Soviet hockey teams of the ’60s and ’70s. “It definitely feels like I am a part of something so much bigger than just the one year’s race,” Gobbo said. “It’s a bizarre and awesome feeling.” Despite all of her success at the international level, the NCAA championship team at Brown was especially memorable for Gobbo because contribution was required from every member for the team title, she said.
“All of the boats counted, and we had to support each other (at Brown),” she said. “Whereas on the national team, we’re all competing for the same seat, so the team atmosphere is different. It’s hard to pick the more important win for me because both were so crucial and exciting.” Considered a long shot to qualify for Rio, Weiss was cut from consideration for a spot in a larger boat but salvaged his Olympic hopes by earning a spot in the pair event, an experience » See OLYMPICS, page 3
Despite falling to Providence College 1-0 Thursday in a nail-biter, the women’s soccer team did not let its first loss of the season dampen the weekend mood. At Lafayette Sunday, the Bears (3-1-1) struck early and held strong late to top the Leopards (3-2-2) 1-0 in a game that truly tested the team’s physical and mental fortitude. “We are happy with the result today against Lafayette,” Head Coach Kia McNeill wrote in an email to The Herald. “This is our fourth shutout this season which is a huge testament to Christine (Etzel ’19), our backline and the team as a whole.” In the Bears’ Thursday evening matchup versus Providence (4-2-1), the team started off slow. At half-time the Friars had recorded seven shots to Brown’s one. Both teams had managed
to each secure two corner kicks — with midfielder Sarah Cobb ’18 sending each into the box for the Bears. But while Providence was able to convert each opportunity into a header shot on goal, Bruno could not penetrate the Friars’ set-piece defense during these moments. The first half was also highlighted by three diving saves from Brown keeper Etzel, including one especially acrobatic stop in the 14th minute. But after the first period, neither team had the lead, and there was a chance for Brown to fight back. After the second half started, the Bears came out much more aggressive. Midfielder Megan Grant ’19 recorded a shot just two minutes into play, and her team followed that with three more over the next 20 minutes. Despite Etzel’s success in the first half, she could not stop Providence forward Casey Estey in a one-one-one breakaway in the 66th minute. Estey’s goal would be the game-winner. Multiple attempts by Bruno in the final 20 minutes — two shots by co-captain Carly Gould ’17 and three corner kicks » See W. SOCCER, page 2
Alums coach American MEN’S SOCCER athletes at Rio Games Former Olympian Pedro ’94 returns to Rio on sidelines, leads judo team to gold, silver medals By LAURA FELENSTEIN SENIOR STAFF WRITER
As Brown graduates, Jimmy Pedro ’94 and Luke McGee ’01 could have pursued any number of successful career paths. But both ended up coaching at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this year. The U.S. judo team brought home one silver and one gold medal, and rowers in the men’s coxed eight fell just a couple minutes short of earning a bronze medal. For U.S. Olympic Judo Coach Pedro, the road to Rio was longer than for most. In fact, his judo journey has lasted as long as he can remember. “I was literally thrown into the sport of judo from a very young age,” Pedro said. “Ever since I can remember, I’ve been on a judo mat.” Pedro competed in four iterations of the Games himself, starting in 1992. Being involved in a sport for so long comes with certain expectations.
INSIDE
“Judo was a way of life for me and my family. So I knew I was always going to be around the sport of judo as a coach. I didn’t know that I was ultimately going to become … the most successful Olympic judo coach (the United States) has ever had,” Pedro said. This year has been our nation’s most successful Olympic judo run in history. For U.S. Olympic Men’s Rowing Coach McGee, a future in his sport was not so set in stone. Upon being offered his first coaching job 12 years ago — which happened to be at Brown — McGee questioned if he even knew how to teach rowing. “I was scared at first. I was nervous,” he said. Pedro and McGee’s post-Brown paths bear salient similarities. Within a year of graduating, both men immediately continued their careers in athletics; Pedro went to Japan to train full time and McGee to Princeton to row professionally. Both men also had stints working with the under-23 U.S. national team for their respective sports and from there were offered the coveted coaching positions they hold today. » See COACHES, page 4
COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS
Co-captain Nate Pomeroy ’17 has been key to the Bears’ undefeated start, tallying three points in as many games. He scored the second goal in Bruno’s 2-0 win over Southern Methodist Sunday.
Chow ’19 lifts Bruno with late penalty kick Bears continue to play impenetrable defense, remain undefeated to start 2016 campaign By EMILE BAUTISTA STAFF WRITER
As a part of the Capital City Classic, the men’s soccer team collected a pair of victories in three days to stay undefeated. Friday, it came from behind to take down Georgia State in extra time on by a tally of 2-1, thanks to the late game heroics
of Matthew Chow ’19, before handily defeating Southern Methodist Sunday 2-0. The quick turnaround between games necessitated the use of the team’s depth, meaning that some players were getting more minutes than usual. Yet the Bears looked fresh and ready to rise up to the challenge. “Everyone came into the season really prepared fitness wise, which is great,” said co-captain Nate Pomeroy ’17. The Bears took on GSU on a hot and muggy Friday night. The visitors boasted a potent offense that had scored a whopping 11 goals in its trio of victories, and
they showed their prowess within two minutes. GSU’s Hannes Burmeister — the team’s leading goal scorer with six in four games — buried the team’s first shot on goal into the back of the net, giving it the 1-0 advantage. In the 23rd minute, Bruno answered. Quinn English ’18 latched onto a ball from Carl Johan Mix ’19 and made his way to the byline. He lofted a ball into the center of the box where an unmarked Nico Lozada ’18 met the pass with a first time left-footed volley. The shot darted into the bottom left corner for Lozada’s » See M. SOCCER, page 2
WEATHER
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016
SPORTS Men’s water polo ends Princeton tournament 1-2 against topranked teams, looks to rebound
SPORTS Volleyball drops three straight in West Coast tournament, team remains optimistic
COMMENTARY Johnson ’19: UCS distribution of feminine hygiene products sets example for colleges nationwide
COMMENTARY Malik ’18: Readers should weigh ‘harmful elements’ against intellectual merits of literature
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SPORTS
PAGE 2 • MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016
» M. SOCCER, from page 1 first goal of the season and tied the score up at one. GSU began applying relentless pressure on the Bears, but Bruno’s back line remained compact and organized, and the teams went into halftime even at one apiece. In the second half, there was more end-to-end action. The teams exchanged chances, and veteran goalkeeper Erik Hanson ’17 was called on several times to make some clutch saves, including a reflex kick save from about 12 yards out. Tyler Long ’17 had two golden chances to give Bruno the lead, but both attempts just missed the frame. Though the second half yielded more dangerous
opportunities for the Bears, the teams entered into sudden-death extra time to determine a winner. In the first period of extra time, Bruno was awarded a chance to win the game via penalty kick as Chow was hacked down by a Panthers defender. The referee blew his whistle, and Chow buried it to give the Bears a hard-fought 2-1 victory. Once again, Head Coach Patrick Laughlin stressed the importance of a solid defensive quartet, especially in limiting a very strong offensive team from having quality chances. “We really talked about the back four staying intact and not getting sucked out,” he said. “I thought the guys did a great job of moving their feet well, and I’m happy for them.”
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD It was a tough test for the Bears, who utilized 18 different players on the night. The defense shone again, as it repelled attack after attack. With no time to rest on its laurels, the Bears came up against SMU on Sunday afternoon. Three changes were made as Jason Pesek ’17, Chow and Mix all slotted into the starting lineup for Jackson Goebel ’20, English and Rodrigo D’Andrea ’19 respectively. The Bears came out of the gate a bit sluggish, but their typically strong defense prevented SMU from amassing any shots on target. After the slow start, Bruno’s offense kicked into gear and started to see more of the ball. The first shot on goal for either team came from Long in the 20th minute, but the goalie scooped
it up easily. In the 23rd minute, it appeared as though the Bears had broken the deadlock, but the goal was called back for offside. Will Cross ’17 had a chance in the waning minutes of the half after chesting the ball down, but the Mustang goalie saved it. By the end of the seesawing half, the Bears were in control, holding the Mustangs without a shot on goal or even a corner kick. This dominance continued at the start of the second half. In the 49th minute, Long tallied his first goal of the season to put Bruno ahead. Lozada passed it to Pomeroy driving down the right side, who centered to Long for a tap-in goal. SMU looked unable to recreate any of its rhythm from the first half. In the
72nd minute, Pomeroy doubled the lead. He intercepted a goal kick, dribbled just inside the box and shot into the back of the net for his second of the season. No more goals would be scored, ending the game at 2-0 in favor of Bruno. Though SMU had 10 shots, only one was on target, and it never seemed to threaten Hanson in net. Thanks to the team’s incredible fitness and usage of 19 different players, it was able to have a strong second-half showing and put the game away, according to Pomeroy. “Everyone who came in was able to perform well, and if they didn’t play Friday, they stepped up,” he said. Next up, the team begins a five-game road stint with a fixture against UMass Lowell this Wednesday.
COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS
Carly Gould ’17 looks to make a pass in a home game earlier this season.
» W. SOCCER, from page 1 in the 73rd, 83rd and 88th minutes — did not find the back of the net, resulting in a tough first loss for the team. But against Lafayette, the Bears would shake off any signs of physical or mental fatigue from their mid-week loss, making their presence known from the get-go. Gould came through for the Bears very early, scoring in the ninth minute to put them up by one. Unfortunately for Brown, the team was unable to capitalize on this momentum, leaving the score still at 1-0 at the half. In the second period, with no cushion between winning and a tie, Brown had very little room for error. Leaning on a strong defense led by Etzel, its level-headed and ever-dependable goalie, Bruno produced multiple stops in its defensive third throughout the
second half. None was more significant than Etzel’s 88th-minute penalty-kick stop to — quite literally — save the day and the win for the Bears. Though these late-game heroics provided good entertainment for the few Brown fans in attendance, the Bears will undoubtedly focus on strengthening their offensive play moving forward and “taking pride in defending,” McNeill wrote. Bruno still has a few weeks to add some more victories to the win column until its first Ivy League matchup at Dartmouth Sept. 25. In the meantime, the Bears will host Massachusetts Thursday at 7 p.m. and face Central Connecticut State away Sunday. “Anytime you can go on a long road trip and come home with a W is positive,” McNeill wrote. “We are just looking to continue to get better each game to get ready for conference play.”
SPORTS
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 • PAGE 3
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
MEN’S WATER POLO
No. 14 Bears show strong defense on West Coast trip Goalkeeper Weiser ’17 posts 32 saves in trio of games at Princeton tournament By DANIEL WAYLAND STAFF WRITER
The men’s water polo team faced off against some of the country’s strongest competitors this weekend at the Princeton Invitational, finishing 1-2 overall in competition. Bruno competed against No. 17 Cal Baptist and No. 10 UC San Diego on Friday, first defeating Cal 10-8 before falling to San Diego 12-11 in overtime. Saturday, Bruno wilted against No. 1 UCLA, losing 17-2. Still, the team left the tournament in high spirits over the quality of its play against three of the top 20 teams in the country. “At this point in the season, before league play has begun, the most important thing is how hard we played this weekend,” said Yahel MurvitzLahav ’17. Bruno’s effort paid off in its opening match against Cal Baptist. The team got off to a hot start, grabbing an early 3-0 lead behind a pair of goals from Luke Irwin ’17 within the first minute of play. Cal would tie the score at three early in the second quarter, but Irwin scored once more to give Brown a lead it would not give up for the rest of the match, holding on to win 10-8. “After starting 3-0, we never let them really get back into it and kept up the pressure,” Murvitz-Lahav said.
“It was a big win for us against a really strong California team.” The team faced its second ranked opponent from California later in the day, when it fell to UC San Diego in a tightly contested 12-11 overtime match. After trading goals for much of the match, Brown fell behind 8-5 at the start of the fourth quarter. Tyler Kirchberg ’18 scored two goals in quick succession to pull Brown within one, while two more goals from Rico Burke ’18 and Irwin, as well as nifty work in front of net from goalkeeper Luke Weiser ’18, left the teams tied at the end of regulation. After grabbing an 11-10 lead, Brown conceded two penalty shots to San Diego, resulting in a heartbreaking loss. “It came down to two penalty shots,” said Murvitz-Lahav. “The other team gets that one goal difference that decides the game. I think this is a team that on any given day we can beat, and it’s motivation for continuing to play at a high level.” Saturday, Bruno faced a powerhouse in reigning national champion UCLA. Irwin and Kirchberg tallied the team’s only two goals in its 17-2 defeat. While the team struggled to find its rhythm against UCLA, Bruno did not have its full complement of players. “We were playing with a lot of injuries,” said Murvitz-Lahav. “Two of our starters couldn’t play, and we were missing three more sophomores as well.” Bruno looks to rebound next weekend with a four-game slate at the Bucknell Invitational.
COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS
Tommy Bush ’18 winds up for a shot. The junior had two assists and an overtime goal in a 12-11 loss to UC San Diego.
» OLYMPICS, from page 1 he described in a TIME Magazine article: “Training for the Olympics Taught Me the Secret to Life.” Weiss ultimately finished 11th in the final standings with his partner, Guregian Nareg. Forced to make the most of his chance in a pairs race, Weiss recognized the heightened responsibility of being one half of a two-man team. “In a two-man pair, it’s all on you. You’ve got your partner and yourself, and that’s it,” he said. “We didn’t have great success, … but that was our best shot. The Olympics was a very special competition and will hold a very special spot in my heart for a very long time.” Weiss raced for the varsity eight team during his years at Brown, twice finishing second at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association national championships and earning All-Ivy distinction. In the pool, Pou was one of only six Cambodian athletes at the Rio games, an experience he said led him to meet athletes from different teams while away from competition. “The athletes in other sports seemed really confined,” he said. “I was forced to branch out to other countries and make other friends, while in a bigger team you wouldn’t necessarily have to do that.” Pou is somewhat of a prodigy on the small Cambodian national team, as he currently holds six national records, including the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle. He competed in the 100m freestyle in Rio, finishing 57th in preliminary rounds. While competing
for the Bears, he also swims in shortdistance butterfly events and individual medleys. Given his youth and status in Cambodian swimming history, Pou hasn’t yet ruled out a run at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, though his status as a student in the Program in Liberal Medical Education could influence that decision. Rio “was one of the most amazing experiences of my life,” he said. “I would love to (compete) if the stars align that way. We’ll have to see given my career choice.” Chafee competed in the mixed multihull division of the sailing competition, which is scored with an aggregate system in which boats earn points toward qualifying for the final race and for the final standings. Chafee and her partner Bora Gulari finished fourth in the final race and eighth on aggregate points in the overall competition. “It’s a very surreal feeling the entire time,” she said of the Olympic experience. “You really can’t believe it’s happening.” Despite being a native Rhode Islander, Chafee had little sailing experience before coming to Brown. She found her niche as a decorated member of Brown’s sailing program, earning All-American honors three times and competing in three different national regattas. A successful career in college made dreams of competing on the highest stage seem that much more attainable, Chafee said. “I thought, ‘If I can do that, maybe if I work really hard and with a little bit of luck, I can make the Olympics,’”
she said. Though all four athletes took unique journeys to the Rio games, they all credited their shared experience as a Brown athlete as being formative for their rise to the highest stage in athletics. Gobbo and Weiss both attributed their strength, speed and desire to continue improving to Brown’s nationally respected crew program and its coaches. “The coaching staff whipped me into shape,” Weiss said. “I wasn’t always the best rower at Brown; there were some ups and downs in my career there. Brown really teaches you how to race, and that’s what I held onto when I went to the national team.” “Something I learned from (Brown) was that no matter how fast you are, you can always be faster,” Gobbo said. “They did a very good job preparing me for a very difficult transition that all athletes go through when they join a national team.” Like Chafee, Pou said coming to Brown made all the difference for his being able to continue with his sport. “If I didn’t have the opportunity to swim at Brown, I probably would have had to train by myself or eventually quit the sport,” he said. “My time at Brown has helped me significantly. My teammates and coaches push me constantly.” Even seeing Brown students who are driven by academic or entrepreneurial goals at the school served as inspiration for Chafee to make the Olympic team. “Everyone’s pursuing their dreams and doing their own thing — it just reinforces what you want to do,” she said. “If they’re going for their dreams, why can’t I go for mine?”
SPORTS
PAGE 4 • MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
VOLLEYBALL
California trip leaves Bears with three consecutive losses Stillwell ’19 picks up where she left off last season at net, posting team highs in kills By NIKKO PASANEN STAFF WRITER
After kicking off the season in New England, the volleyball team made a cross-country trip to the University of San Francisco for a tournament over the weekend. While the team dropped all three contests, the experience playing tougher competition is likely to help it further down the road. “Our effort in all of the games was really great,” said libero Melissa Cairo ’18. “We definitely gave some very talented teams a tough game.” The Bears got things started on Friday night by taking on a strong UC Santa Barbara side. The Gauchos, which are receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll, raced off to a eight-point lead in the first set and never looked back. After losing the first by a final tally of 25-18, Bruno struggled in the second set but came out strong in the last. The Bears kept the score close at the start but eventually fell by four points. Despite the eventual loss, the team fought valiantly during each possesion. “I think we figured out how to fight and come back against some really tough teams,” Cairo said. Bruno was led by Sarah Lucenti ’17
COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS
Shirin Toolooe ’18 raises her arm to prepare for a serve. The Bears left a University of San Francisco tournament winless and hope to bounce back this weekend, hosting the Brown Invitational. and Sabrina Stillwell ’19, who recorded 15 assists and seven kills, respectively. Cairo added 10 digs. Saturday, the Bears played a doubleheader against the host, Dons, and St. John’s. The first match was a competitive affair, as the Dons narrowly won the first set, 30-28. The following set was more of the same, leaving Bruno just two points short of victory again, falling 25-23. The Bears’ fortunes began to change in the next frame, as they emerged victorious with their first set of the weekend. But the squad could not keep up the momentum and ultimately lost the match after dropping the last set 25-19.
Stillwell was dominant at the net once again, leading the team in kills with 14. Makena Ehlert ’20 also contributed with eight kills and seven digs. Also notable was Cairo’s impressive serving, as she tallied two aces. The afternoon contest got off to a rough start for the Bears, as they fell 25-7 in the first set against the Red Storm. Bruno looked to be in far better form in the following sets, losing by the minimum two in each. Unfortunately for the Bears, despite staying competitive, the team left the weekend without a win. Stillwell, Shirin Tooloee ’18 and Payton Smith ’17 combined for 14 kills in
the match. Defensive specialist Francie Holte ’19 recorded 10 digs. Smith “has had to switch to a new position, and I thought she handled the transition really well,” Cairo said. “Also, each of our freshman contributed, which was very exciting.” This weekend, the Bears will continue play at home as they host their very own Brown Invitational. Bruno will square off against Binghamton, Central Connecticut and New Mexico State. The team hopes to get a win in front of a home crowd, but it will approach the tournament as a time to “work out the kinks, because (its) main focus is getting ready for Ivies,” Cairo said.
» COACHES, from page 1 While explaining what it was like to coach at the Olympic level, Pedro and McGee threw around the words “amazing,” “exciting” and “incredible” with ease. It is “an excitement and a passion to see the guys achieve what you’ve all set out to achieve,” McGee said. To be a coach is “certainly different than being an athlete on a team, but it’s still being a part of a team and working towards a common goal.” Beyond the excitement of competition, coaches must grapple with more cerebral considerations of management and strategy. “The ability to learn how to maximize people’s potential and to put people in areas where they’re going to excel has really helped me from a coaching standpoint,” Pedro said. Asked if Brown lent shape to their career paths, both men responded without hesitation: “absolutely.” “I think my ability to juggle being a D-1 athlete at an Ivy League institution and manage my time really helped lead to my success in life,” Pedro said. While both attribute some of their successes to Brown, they also view their passion as critical to their achievements. “I’ve always thought that as long as someone is really passionate about what they’re trying to pursue, that they’re going to pursue it wholly and usually pretty successfully,” McGee said. And that’s just what Pedro claimed is the best part of his job: “It’s all tied to my passion. I wake up every day, and it doesn’t feel like work.”
TODAY
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 • PAGE 5
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
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Hundreds of new students gather on Pembroke Field to prepare for battle at Unit Wars Sunday.
Q U O T E O F T H E D AY
“It’s all tied to my passion. I wake up every day, and it doesn’t feel like work.” crossword
— Luke McGee ’01, Olympic rowing coach
See COACHES on page 1 CORRECTION An article (“UCS to provide pads, tampons,” Sept. 9) published in Friday’s Herald referred to Molly Naylor-Komyatte ’19 as Molly Naylor. The Herald regrets the error.
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COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Making use of the SciLi
To the Editor:
As you know, the SciLi is having an open house today (announced in Provost Richard Locke’s P’17 email). This letter is to point out that in addition to the many important activities described in the email and in The Herald’s article, there is still an important library function on floors 11 and 12, namely that there are math and physics books on the shelves, eagerly awaiting browsing and borrowing by students. Brown University considers it essential that “students are responsible for their own education.” One principal meaning of this is that the student has to go beyond classroom and assigned textbook readings. Go to the library and browse among books on the shelf, looking inside some of them, maybe even borrowing them. That this is now possible for an indefinite period of time is due principally to Locke, who recognized its importance and met with Professor of Physics John Marston and Professor of Physics Ian Dell’Antonio, myself and the University Librarian Harriette Hemmasi. But students have to carry out their part by using the library. Bruno Harris Professor emeritus of mathematics and former dean of the faculty L IO R A M O R HAY I M
Sports Roundup
comic
BY BEN SHUMATE, SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Daily Life of Alfonse | Patrick Huang
Field Hockey After an 0-2 tournament to open the season last week in Louisville, the field hockey team returned to Providence for its home opener Saturday, defeating Rider (2-2) 2-1. The Bears trailed 1-0 after an early Rider goal before Gina Openshaw ’20 tied the game with her first collegiate goal 23:41 into the first half. First-years continued to shine for Bruno, as Hannah Leckey ’20 tallied the decisive goal in the second half — the first in her Brown career. Rider came with constant pressure offensively, finishing with a 14-6 advantage in shots on goal. But a 10save performance from Brown goalie Katie Hammaker ’19 preserved the one-goal lead and helped Bruno to its first win of the young season. The Bears continue non-conference play with a pair of home games next weekend, hosting Sacred Heart Friday and Colgate Sunday. Cross Country The men’s and women’s cross country teams stayed close to home this weekend, opening the season Saturday at Bryant’s Nassaney Invitational in Smithfield, R.I. The Brown women finished second out of six teams, led by fifth-place finisher Mae Fullerton ’20, who finished the five-kilometer course in 18:24. Also turning in solid performances for the Bears were Lucy Srour ’19 (seventh) and Hannah Szapary ’19 (11th). With fewer than five runners competing, the men’s team was not considered for the final team standings. Jeremy Leary ’20 led the team on the eight-kilometer course, finishing in second with a time of 25:49. Jacob Stanton ’20 crossed in seventh place while Tom Hale ’19 followed in eighth. Both teams continue early-season competition Friday in Boston at the Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown.
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COMMENTARY MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 • PAGE 7
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Period positivity GRACE JOHNSON staff columnist As an elite institution with a liberal reputation, Brown is ideally placed to take the lead on progressive initiatives. We are an activist community with a student body that has consistently fought for change. Last year in particular, students successfully pushed for new dialogue on race and diversity with student rebuttals and solidarity protests around campus. And while there is still massive scope to expand campus dialogue and tackle other pressing concerns, I believe the ability to build coalitions and successfully implement policy change is one of Brown’s selling points. This year, the day before classes officially commenced, I was sold on Brown all over again. The Undergraduate Council of Students announced that they would freely supply tampons and sanitary products in non-residential restrooms across campus and replenish them every week. The policy is progressive and promising for a number of reasons. UCS’s hope to “set a more inclusive standard for this issue
moving forward,” according to UCS’s press release — and to encourage students at other universities to follow suit — takes full advantage of Brown’s potential and influence and sets an example for the entire nation to follow. The UCS initiative is significant because it puts periods on full display in open discourse and recognizes the disproportionate financial burden on women. The cost of periods each month can be debilitating, costing an
in a handful of states. The others still consider tampons and pads luxury items when, in fact, they are life necessities. As much as some might like to pretend menstruation does not exist, people who menstruate cannot just ignore an unavoidable bodily function and the costs that come with it. College students, especially those from low-income households, are extra sensitive to the costs of these necessities. Toiletries can add up quick-
strooms does more than fight the unjust financial burden of periods — it combats the negative social stigma associated with them. The open baskets of tampons and pads normalize a simple fact of biology that many would rather hide or ignore. The supply of products in men’s and gender-inclusive restrooms around campus is vital, contrary to comments and opinions online that question the decision. The baskets in the men’s and gender-inclu-
The UCS initiative is significant because it puts periods on full display in open discourse and recognizes the disproportionate financial burden on women.
average $18,171 over the length of a lifetime. Our nation is only just beginning to make sanitary products more accessible, and the process so far has been slow and controversial. The tax on sanitary products, better known as the “tampon tax” or “pink tax,” has only been eliminated or negotiated
ly, especially in the expensive College Hill neighborhood. There are many students and many schools in our small state, and those who need to purchase these products pay more every month in living costs. But the UCS implementation of free tampons and pads in campus re-
sive restrooms not only include transgender students in the narrative and fight binary limitations but also add a valuable visual norm for male students. If a male student does not need to use a product, he does not have to use one. There are only benefits in fostering greater inclusivity on campus.
The national spotlight on this progress is also important. Newsfeeds were swarming with articles about Brown and UCS’s new initiative. We received the attention we deserve, prompting national momentum and providing a precedent for other universities to follow suit. New York City’s and Dublin, Ohio’s public school systems have already implemented the policy, and university students have been advocating free sanitary products across the nation. Now student advocacy groups in schools like Emory College and Grinnell College can look to and take heart in UCS’s response to dialogue. There is a real responsibility for policy makers to address cultural normalizations that can harm individuals such as this gendered topic. Our Brown community is making a big difference for other students and has joined a growing global movement to honestly and positively talk about periods and the female body. Women will not stay hidden any longer. Thank you, UCS.
Grace Johnson ’19 can be reached at grace_johnson@brown.edu.
Dealing with damaging elements of literature AMEER MALIK staff columnist I love books. I love losing myself in their depths and beholding the power of their language. When I read them, I feel the barrier around my mind dissolve so my thoughts can blend with those of the authors. This gives me a kind of joy that I cannot find anywhere else. But the joy I feel when I’m immersed in a book is undermined when I come across harmful elements. This happened when I read Albert Camus’s “The Stranger” and Kamel Daoud’s “The Meursault Investigation” during the summer. Daoud’s brilliant novel, which is in part a retelling of and response to “The Stranger,” made me see a detrimental aspect in Camus’s book: the dehumanization of the Arab man who is murdered by the protagonist Meursault. I faced a question that I’m sure all readers have engaged with: How do you handle the damaging parts of a literary work? By harmful elements, I mean representations, attitudes and ideas that are disrespectful, unfair, immoral or dehumanizing, which can directly or indirectly serve as the basis for mistreatment, injustice or violence. Not all harmful elements are destructive in the same way or to the same degree. Some examples include misogynistic tropes, denials of climate change based on improperly conducted research or dishonest representations of data, racism and homophobia. In this column, I am not talking about triggering material; discussions about triggering elements are vital and necessary but beyond the
reach of this column. Nor am I talking about material that conflicts with the reader’s ideas or that challenges the reader’s worldview. When readers engage with these ideas, they can further develop their beliefs or adjust their views based on what they encounter. Regardless of these caveats, damaging parts of literary works can still present problems for readers. When individual readers pick up books for leisure, they can stop reading if they come across harmful material. But I have a deep appreciation for books. I think that books are important and that many texts are worth reading despite their harmful aspects. The approach that I take, which
sault Investigation,” Daoud’s novel points out that the Arab man who is killed has no name and no dialogue. Also, the trial of the killer Meursault primarily relies on Meursault’s behavior during the days surrounding the death and funeral of his mother. Little weight is given to the actual murder. I am not saying that what Camus did in his novel does not serve some artistic purpose. Yet the dehumanization and neglect of the victim is irresponsible and harmful, particularly in the context of the French colonization of Algeria. But when I weigh this detrimental element against the book’s merits, including its profound philosophical insights, I can say that in my eyes
I faced a question that I’m sure all readers have engaged with: How do you handle the damaging parts of a literary work?
fellow readers may also find useful, is weighing the damaging elements against the merits. If the merits of a particular work — the work’s profundity, its insight, its prescience — are more fulfilling and vital in my eyes than the harmful parts are destructive, then I continue reading. When the bad outweighs the good, then I stop reading the book. This strategy allows me to enjoy and appreciate the great things in a book without ignoring the destructive pieces. Returning to “The Stranger” and “The Meur-
“The Stranger” is a great book that is worth reading. But how should a student handle a book with damaging elements that is assigned in class? Instructors assign texts for a class due to their relation to the themes and goals of the course. Therefore, I think we students should primarily analyze books that we read for classes through the frameworks established by the courses. Also, in my experience, instructors have done a great job of addressing the potentially harmful aspects
of books as they have arisen. I have attended discussion sections in which students analyzed whether or not the representations of prominent women characters in a book were misogynistic, for example. But if we want to further discuss the damaging aspects of a book, or if we have concerns about how the material is handled in class, then we can talk to our instructors and teaching assistants. Through this communication, we can find solutions to our course-related problems, and instructors can determine if they should adjust their lesson plans. Though I’ve dedicated this entire piece to the detrimental aspects of certain books, I want to conclude by explaining that I do not think books should be banned because of their harmful elements, nor do I think books should be defined by their worst characteristics. I am not encouraging readers to be extra vigilant as they search for harmful elements in a text. Rather, I hope that I have shared ways for readers to address destructive elements when they reveal themselves. Ultimately, we cannot completely ignore the damaging representations, ideas and attitudes in books. From personal experience, I know that books have the power to change people’s lives. We have to make sure that lives are not changed for the worse and that people do not develop destructive beliefs because of what they read. If we identify and acknowledge the harmful elements in books, we can prevent them from seeping into our minds and becoming part of our worldviews.
Ameer Malik ’18 can be reached at ameer_malik@brown.edu.
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016