Issuu

Vol. 4, Issue 3 March 6, 2020

A Tour De Force

â€œStar Warsâ€? has been a cultural staple for years, but how has it kept its momentum through the generations? SPECIAL SECTION:

Words Can Hurt Me The language we use on a daily basis has an effect on our social climate

Crackdown New phone policy draws student criticism

About Us The Lodge and gryphonlodge.com are dedicated to serving as an authentic voice for the students of St. George’s Independent School. We at the Lodge strive to be an open forum for student expression, to act in the best interests of the student body and to embody the principles of journalistic excellence. The Lodge is affiliated with the Tennessee High School Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association. The Lodge is funded by advertisers, donors and St. George’s Independent School and is published once every eight weeks during the school year by schoolprinting.com. The Lodge prints and distributes 300 copies of each issue to 700 students and faculty on the St. George’s Collierville campus. Bylines indicate the primary writer(s) of each article, and additional contributors are indicated in the shirttail. The Lodge provides free advertising for student clubs, events and activities and paid advertisements for local businesses. The Lodge welcomes letters to the editor and article submissions. To submit a letter, article or request for advertising, email our staff at thelodge@sgis.org.

Staff Co-Editors-in-Chief

Snowden Farnsworth ‘20, Owen Hewitt ‘21 Editorial Board

Spencer Cotham ‘20, Isabel Dlabach ‘20, Jacob Gettig ‘20, Callie Hollis ‘21, Miles Masters ‘20, Cary Robbins ‘20, Sierra Sellers ‘20 Staff Members

Keiara Baker ‘20, Shaun Burgess ‘20, Kennadee Carlton ‘20, Aiden Curran ‘20, E’nissa Golden ‘21, Sam Kuykendall ‘20, Allison Newman ‘21, Erin O’Connell ‘20, David Ogle ‘20, Kayla Sanford ‘21, Madeline Sisk ‘22 Advisor

Dr. Margaret Robertson Cover Photography by Callie Hollis

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1880 Wolf River Blvd. Collierville, Tenn. 38017

News

CRACKDOWN New phone policy draws student criticism

By Snowden Farnsworth and Madeline Sisk

n Friday, Feb. 7, bright blue bins crept into classrooms. Their purpose? To seize the students’ cell phones one by one. Right after school had dismissed for the weekend, students received an email from Dean of Students Kalyn Underwood issuing a new phone policy. Students are now required to place their phone in the blue bins at the beginning of each class period. “The expectation is that all phones are to be put in the box. Failure to do so will result in your phone being collected for the day,” Ms. Underwood wrote. “Continuing to do so will cause it to be given to me and kept for longer.” What’s the cause for the change? The email stated that teachers had grown worried about the amount of time students spend glued to their phones and the anxiety that overuse creates. They were also increasingly frustrated by the constant distractions caused by phone use. In an interview with the Lodge, Ms. Underwood cited her own experiences in the classroom. “I mean, the number of times where I would be in class and somebody would take their phone and just do a random snap of themselves, where [the picture]

half of their face and the rest is the ceiling, just so that they could post something. That’s weird,” she said. “There’s no need to do that, you know? there’s no reason to say, ‘Yep, I’m in class.’” While some teachers might have been on board with the change, students were another story. Because the email was sent in the afternoon on a Friday, many students spent the weekend simmering. “Of course, there was an uproar in my grade, everybody was texting with each other about it,” prefect Silas Rhodes said. Fellow prefect Maggie Emmendorfer said her initial reaction was strong. “I was, initially, very truly, really angry and upset about it,” she said. “I felt really stupid about it because, obviously, we aren’t gonna want our phones taken away. I just felt dumb because I’m like, I know that they know this is how I’m going to react. But the main thing that made me really upset is the lack of trust there.” Rhodes cited the same concern. “We agree with the idea behind it, the concept that students shouldn’t be on their phone in class, but the methods of putting them in a box frankly seems childish and not really up to the genuine standards of St. George’s with the

trust we’ve been given in the past,” Rhodes said. “One of my favorite parts about St. George’s is the trust and respect between students and faculty, but [it] isn’t evident in this policy.” Ms. Underwood has heard the students’ concerns but says it won’t change what happens. “I heard from some students saying they were really upset that we didn’t have a conversation about it first or that there wasn’t some warning given,” Ms. Underwood said, “which I think is a nice idea.” However, Ms. Underwood believed that a warning would have just been brushed off. “The warnings don’t work,” she said. “There’s already been warnings. The warnings have been the referrals that people get, and it’s just not a battle that’s worth continuing.” Upper School Guidance Counselor Elizabeth Bran said that the new policy shouldn’t be a huge change for the students that had been using their phones responsibly to begin with. “If you weren’t someone that was on your phone when you weren’t supposed to be, it’s not a big deal to put it in the bucket,” Ms. Bran said. “And if it is a big deal that you have to put it in the bucket, then that’s an indication that you weren’t handling it well

News under the old policy.” Director of Theatre Karen Dean said that she has had ample experience with students not managing their cell phone use well in study halls, even when they are struggling academically and could really use the time to work. “When they come in, they get on their phone and listen to music and don’t do a bloomin’ thing,” she said. Students were shocked by the change, but phone policy is far from a new issue to the St. George’s community. According to Ms. Underwood, four or five years ago phones weren’t allowed to be seen at all. When that policy was revised, students were still required to use them responsibly and sparingly, with the expectation that they were never to be used in the hallway. However, Ms. Underwood wrote in her email that she saw that cell phones were often being used in the hallways, which she found concerning. “As I walk through the halls, I see more phones out and an impressive amount of social media use taking

place,” Ms. Underwood wrote. “This has been shown to increase instances of anxiety in students and certainly distract[s] them from learning.” While some studies do draw this link, many are wary of linking the two directly. A 2018 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that variables such as monthly economic budgets can trigger anxiety symptoms, clouding the results of tests. The study states that “the correlation between anxiety and mobile phone use from our study is still an important question for future prospective studies.” Nevertheless, the blue bins came into existence. Some students were angry that they had to use the bins and had concerns over the safety of their phones. “People just toss their phones in,” Emmendorfer said. “A bunch of people have their screens cracked because people just throw things.” Freshman Angelina David is one

“As I walk through the halls, I see more phones out and an impressive amount of social media use taking place. This has been shown to increase instances of anxiety in students and certainly distract[s] them from learning.” – Dean of Students Kalyn Underwood of the students that had her phone damaged in one of the bins when another student dropped their phone in. “Ever since this phone bin thing [started], my phone screen has been completely cracked,” David said. “There’s a ginormous crack down the middle. It looks really bad, and it’s annoying.” Other students, like sophomore Ellie Christie, were bothered by the email’s reference to anxiety. “I am going to be honest, I wouldn’t be as annoyed by the policy if it wasn’t for the fact that they mentioned anxiety in both

Upper school history teacher Emily Metz laughs as she takes up phones at the beginning of her first period AP Government class. The students are required to put their phones into the blue bin at the start of each class period. Photo by Snowden Farnsworth.

the email and on the little notes on the little boxes,” Christie said. “Because I feel like if you’re going to act like you care about the mental health aspect of this, then maybe actually ask the students how this affects their mental health instead of just assuming, based on some studies, that everyone’s more anxious because they have phones in their pockets, you know? Like, it just sort of seems like, ‘Hey, this is a thing that exists and we want to look like we care.’” Senior Samantha Garrett expressed similar frustrations. “As somebody with a lot of anxiety, I keep my phone on me so I can text my therapist and text my mom if I’m freaking out,” Garrett said. “But if my phone is up at the front of the classroom, if I walk up to the box, everybody’s gonna look. And that’s not the feeling that [I] want if I’m on the verge of a panic attack.” The administration has explained that students can keep their phones next to the bin rather than inside of it and can access them if it’s an emergency, and Ms. Bran hopes to ease their concerns a little. “I think teachers are still very comfortable saying, ‘Oh, it’s fine for you to have your phone today,’” Ms. Bran said. “There’s still plenty of teacher discretion about when students can have it. But I think it’s a reminder that when you’re in class you need to be singularly focused.” While Ms. Bran was optimistic about students being more focused, Christie thinks that’s not entirely realistic. “Kids will find any way to not pay attention if they don’t want to,” she said.

News

ON THE JOB New task forces work to improve St. George’s community By Sam Kuykendall

ollowing the events of the House Day on Pause in September, when members of the community met to discuss recent struggles and controversies, the St. George’s administration responded to the overwhelming feedback from students who desired to have a louder voice going forward by introducing two new student groups: the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force and the Student Health and Wellness Task Force. An assembly was held on the morning of Nov. 15 and an email with applications to join the task forces was sent that afternoon. Students were asked to make their case as to why they would be a good fit. The two task forces aim to help their fellow students and the school community in the wake of some controversial events earlier in the school year. Recently, the task forces were seen in action, helping out with the sessions at the beginning of Gryphgiving, which ran from Jan. 27 to Feb. 5. Other events, such as the Just Dance stress reliever and the Black History Month presentation, were brainstormed and constructed from meetings of the task forces. These meetings have given them a long list of ideas that will work to support the student body. The task forces are set up to be run by students with a faculty sponsor. The current faculty sponsors are Upper School Guidance

Senior Miles Masters suggests an idea during a meeting for the Health and Wellness Task Force. Masters and the other students work to improve the St. George’s community through the new task forces. Photo by Sam Kuykendall. Councilor Elizabeth Bran for the Health and Wellness Task Force. Upper school English teacher Leanne Ricketson is the sponsor for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force. The role of a sponsor is to “facilitate the topics and then hand it over to the students to actually do it,” Ms. Bran said. But what are these two task forces specifically? Junior Caroline Hill, who works on the Health and Wellness Task Force, has an idea. “[It] is a safe place for people to come,” Hill said. “[It is] a place where people can become more aware and students can finally feel comfortable.” Hill and other members of the task forces have already set up an

event timeline, beginning with some events in February dealing with loneliness and relieving stress. Meanwhile the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force is working to “create an environment that raises awareness of equality among all races, sexual orientations and genders,” according to junior Kynnedy Armstrong. “I have a lot of friends that suffer from anxiety. And I myself suffer from a lot of stress and anxiety during school,” Armstrong said. “Being a minority in this school, [it] helps me understand different viewpoints.” Armstrong is unique because she is a member of both the Health and Wellness Task Force as well as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

“Our main goal is to make people feel comfortable in this culture, and what they’re experiencing every day is not a one person experience; they’re not alone.” – Junior Caroline Hill 6

Task Force. “I just want students to feel heard through these task forces when it comes to equality and mental health,” Armstrong said. “Because it’s important that every person in this community is safe and respected and heard.” Having students such as Amstrong and Hill that are so dedicated to serving their peers is one reason that Ms. Bran believes that the task forces will help to improve St. George’s. “I think [it] makes our community stronger in that we’re taking care of individual people in a new and better way,” Mrs. Bran said. It’s evident that Armstrong, Hill and their classmates serving on these new task forces are committed to helping the St. George’s community. “Our main goal is to make people feel comfortable in this culture,” Hill said. “What they’re experiencing every day is not a one-person experience; they’re not alone.”

WORDS CAN NEVER HURT ME language cover

SPECIAL SECTION

PHOTO BY CALLIE HOLLIS 7

Features

WHAT YOU CAN SAY

One word sparks a world of controversy BY CARY ROBBINS

his past November, junior Dariya Jones performed a poem at Coffee House, St. George’s annual performing arts showcase. The poem, which she wrote as a monologue for her sophomore English class, sought to describe her life as a black person in America. In it, she referenced losing an uncle to gun violence and how it feels to have white people and fellow classmates claim her culture. “Yeah, we all have the same rights as the next white person,” Jones recited, “but every single day, we have to fight and go the extra mile just to prove that we are worthy of the same treatment. And until this big race issue is fixed, there is always gonna be problems in this complicated world that we live in, but we all know that ain’t gonna happen, but a girl can dream right?” The poem itself might not have been all that controversial, had she not used one specific word, a word that is considered historically to be the most damaging: the n-word. While Jones was presenting her poem, her friend and fellow junior classmate Kirsten Thomas remembered the audience’s reactions as mixed. “Now, the black people in there completely understood it because it’s their experience every single day,” Thomas said. “So I think we understood it for the most part. [There was] a lot of cheering [and] saying ‘period, yesss.’ That was happening. But it was completely silent around [that time]. I can’t think of during it because I was so into [the poem] myself, but im-

mediately after, I just know that it was a lot of murmuring, like ‘Are we supposed to clap? Can we clap? Should I clap? Was she talking about me? Was she talking about somebody else?’” Thomas watched people’s reactions as they realized that Jones had used such a derogatory term in her performance. “I think a lot of people felt like they were victimized – they were the perpetrators, and I think that just shows white guilt,” Thomas said. “She wasn’t specifically talking about y’all. She even said a precursor to say that, ‘I’m not specifically talking about any person in this room. This is just my experience.’ I think they were shocked that she cussed, said the n-word.” After the poem was read, the administration requested that the Lodge-hosted livestream of the event be taken down. According to Jones, they also talked to her afterwards. “I didn’t get in trouble,” Jones said. “They were just trying to see if I was okay, if anybody was messing with me.” Administrators contacted by the Lodge declined to comment about the incident because the school tries to preserve student privacy. While Jones said she understands why the school administration reacted the way they did, she wants to emphasize the message of the poem. “In general, I feel like what I said was powerful, and it resonated with a lot of people,” Jones said. “There was a big message behind it, so it wasn’t all about the curse words. I feel like it was just a great message in general to put out there.”

When asked if she would perform the poem again, Jones was quick to say that she would. “Yeah, I would,” Jones said. She said she felt that others might want her to be intimidated, but she was determined not to be. “I honestly, personally, don’t care what people think, especially about certain topics,” she said. Jones’ use of the n-word touched a nerve because of the word’s long history. According to PBS, the n-word (with the hard “r”) originated from the French word “negre,” the Spanish and Portuguese word “negro” and the Latin word “niger,” which can all be translated to mean “black.” It was first recorded in 1587 in northern England and Ireland and was likely used as the dialectal pronunciation of the word “negro.” By the time the word got to the United States in the early 19th century, the n-word was used to replace the first name of slaves as a way to distinguish a slave who might have the same name as a white person in town. As early as the 17th century, the n-word transformed from “negro” to what we call the n-word and became a derogatory word with a new history of lynchings and beatings. Ms. Ehi Ike, who is a black St. George’s alumna now living in New York, attends the New School for creative writing. She works as a program instructional supervisor overseeing Title I teachers across the Bronx and Harlem. Ike said she feels the word links the present day

to the injustices of the past. “Historically, generationally, it’s a very painful word,” she said. “So I think hearing anyone who doesn’t have a lineage attached to pain with that word say it isn’t nice to hear. [It’s] a reminder of our country’s history.” Despite that painful history, variations of the n-word are popular in music, poetry and other forms of art generated by the black community. The hip-hop genre has been a big influence in the changing meaning of the n-word. Rappers such as The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur began using the word in their songs, giving it a new meaning. As one of only three black students to graduate from St. George’s in 2013, Ike remembers students starting to listen more to the hiphop genre, especially the big influencers of the time, such as Lil Wayne and Kanye West. “It was ‘08, ‘09. Lil Wayne was really big then,” Ike said. “Drake was coming up. You would notice [white students] would change their conversations around rap because they associated black people with rap.” Ike remembers having the hard conversations with her classmates debating who could say the n-word. “I remember even students having conversations on, ‘Oh, why can’t I say the n-word?’” Jones said. “Having to explain that in eighth, [and] ninth grade, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to explain it then.” But she said she sees things more clearly now as an adult. “I see now amongst black people, it’s a form of reclaiming power

Features and unifying and creating solidarity amongst our culture,” Ike said. “I don’t know if culture is the right word because, again, there’s so many different forms of blackness and black identity in different cultures amongst black people, but just having that word is a source of safety and comfort and solidarity. But when you hear someone else use it who’s not a part of that community, who doesn’t have that lineage of slavery and segregation and really painful attachments to it, it’s annoying to say the least. And it’s hurtful.” Jones agrees that the word should only be used by people who have black heritage. “I feel like no other race has really just been through what we’ve been through,” Jones said. “I feel like why can’t we just have this one thing that’s just for us without anybody trying to take ownership of it? It’s like taking our ownership back. It’s ours.” The process Jones and Ike described is sometimes called “linguistic reappropriation.” According to Robin Brontsema, a linguist at the University of Colorado at Boulder, linguistic reappropriation is the reclaiming of words or artifacts by a culture that were once used in a derogatory way against the people of the culture. It is a type of semantic change, which means that the meaning of the word or artifact is changed and reclaimed as something in which the culture can take pride. For Thomas, the n-word has changed to mean something powerful for her culture. “You’re saying a word that has been reclaimed by people who have been oppressed at one point in their lives, just trying to gain

“YOU’RE SAYING A WORD THAT HAS BEEN RECLAIMED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN OPPRESSED AT ONE POINT IN THEIR LIVES, JUST TRYING TO GAIN CONTROL AND POWER OVER THE NEGATIVITY THAT’S BEEN FORCED ON THEM” – JUNIOR KIRSTEN THOMAS control and power over the negativity that’s been forced on them,” Thomas said. “I think that that’s what the n-word means to me.” But she acknowledged that not all uses of the n-word are the same. Thomas has only been called that word by another black person, but she still sometimes questions if it is okay even for black people to use if it is still used in a derogatory way. “Are you really reclaiming it?” she asked. “Are you saying it just to say it? Are you saying it to actually match the negative stereotypes that have been placed on it in the past?” When the word is used in a negative way, Thomas said she sees a problem. “If we’re reclaiming it, we need to be specific on what we’re claiming it as,” she said. “Are we reclaiming it as just something we can use day to day? Or are we reclaiming it as something that’s a positive thing for black people? Because black people get that area in between confused almost. If you’re using the word or reclaiming the

word, you should never use it in a negative or a pessimistic way or a degrading way.” For Jones, even the exact use of the word, whether it is pronounced with an “r” or an “a” at the end, can change how the word is interpreted. “If it’s just with the ‘a’ then using it in regular conversation doesn’t make a difference,” she said. “With the ‘r’ it’s kind of like ‘whoa’. It’s a punch in the face.” When thinking of the n-word today, sometimes it is hard for some to imagine that some people alive even now have lived through the years of being called the n-word in the most derogatory way. “I feel like it’s different for different generations,” Jones said.“[My grandmother] actually went through being called it in a mean way, and so she might not like that word. And my mom, same thing, but for me, growing up listening to it in music and things like it, it’s just like my environment and stuff that I experience is different from theirs,

“YOU CAN NEVER CHANGE A WORD FOR EVERYONE, SO IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, THAT WORD WILL NEVER CHANGE BECAUSE A WORD IS WHAT IT IS” – INTERIM HEAD OF SCHOOL TIMOTHY GIBSON

so now I feel like the word is more of an empowerment and uplifting each other.” Interim Head of School Mr. Timothy Gibson finds himself on the other side of that generational divide. “I was called the ‘n’ word for the first time as a five year old by two adult men,” he said. “So that is my frame of reference.” While he acknowledged that the word is used more commonly now in music and in movies, he still finds it deeply troubling. He also emphasized that the word is completely unacceptable in all its forms in an educational environment and should not be used at St. George’s. “I find it incredibly offensive,” he said. “It is one of the most offensive words you can use to me and describe another person.” Mr. Gibson is skeptical that a word can fully be reappropriated, especially one that has such a large history attached with it. “You can never change a word for everyone, so in some way, shape or form, that word will never change because a word is what it is,” he said. Many times, people expect one person to speak for everyone, but Mr. Gibson takes a different approach. He emphasizes the importance of hearing everyone’s voice. “It’s not because one person says ‘I’ve reclaimed it,’” he said “That doesn’t speak for every person. Just as one woman doesn’t speak for all women. One man doesn’t speak for all men. Everybody’s experiences and thoughts and expectations are different.”

Features

AN INTRODUCTION TO INTRODUCTIONS As the concept of identity transforms, language is racing to keep up BY MILES MASTERS

ello, my name is Miles Masters, and my pronouns are ‘he/him.’” Just a few years ago, no one would have introduced themselves this way. An introduction contained a few parts: a greeting, name and perhaps a personal connection or detail. But now, at least for some, pronouns have become a regular part of introductions, a way of guiding new acquaintances. This still isn’t the norm for many, though, so consider this an introduction to introductions. The main advocates for ‘pronoun introductions’ are members and supporters of the LGBTQ community and others who may express their gender in unusual ways. For them, the main benefit of a ‘pronoun introduction’ is that it grants an opportunity to announce that an individual may not use the expected pronouns, which gives people agency over their public gender identity. Aiva Arachne is an alumna of St. George’s attending Knox College in Illinois and a transgender woman. She uses the pronouns ‘she/her.’ She appreciates the opportunity to inform others of her preferred pronouns before strang“

ers make assumptions. “One of the first things that we did here at Knox College was during orientation, students were encouraged to state their preferred name and pronouns regardless of gender or whatever appeared on the records,” Arachne said. “Something that I think would be great would be if, I guess as a culture, people moved towards introductions including pronouns and preferred methods of address.” Arachne is not alone in experiencing the ‘pronoun introduction’ in a college setting, as more schools have adopted the practice. Colleges and universities have also been the site of resistance to the practice. Professor Jordan Peterson at the University of Toronto spoke out in 2016 against Canada’s Bill C-16, which has since expanded Canada’s federal human rights legislation to protect “trans- and gender-diverse persons.” “I don’t recognize another person’s right to decide what words I’m going to use,” Peterson said in an interview with CBC Radio. “I reserve the right to use my own language, and I’m perfectly willing to take that to its conclusion.” Some people feel that they should not be forced to acknowl-

edge certain gender identities by using a person’s preferred pronouns, but that may be changing. According to a 2019 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute, more Americans across all demographics have a more favorable view of transgender rights than they did five years prior. Biology and Psychology classes now regularly teach that gender and sex are separate things. While biological sex is determined by genetics, gender has to do with social roles and differs from culture to culture. Gender is more complex than DNA, and with that comes gendered language: titles and pronouns that change to describe their subject. The significance of this distinction between sex and gender is most clear for transgender individuals, whose biological sex does not match their gender. As awareness of gender identity and acceptance for gender difference grow, more people have grown comfortable with expressing their gender, from celebrities like Caitlyn Jenner to students like Arachne. Coming out as transgender is a different process for everyone, and sometimes it is accompanied by backlash and hate, but for Arachne

it was mostly a quiet and personal change. “I think it wasn’t really something that I thought about,” Arachne said. “I didn’t ever really intend to come out or stay in the closet, it was just sort of the thing, I was just going to let it happen whenever it did. And I think I started to sort of clue people in towards the end of senior year.” Historically some characteristics of identity, like race and gender, were expected to be recognizable on sight. Clothing and mannerisms were all supposed to reinforce an outward projection of gender, so it was easy to assign pronouns. But there have always been people who defied those expectations and pushed a more ambiguous interpretation of gender. From the Civil War’s female soldiers to today’s drag queens, the ways we express gender have always been complicated, and now some are pushing for language to adapt. New terms for gender difference and new pronouns have been helpful for people who are attempting to define their gender, like Art Solace, an Italian high-school student and activist for the international LGBTQ community. “The [label] that describes me

Features

“SOMETHING THAT I THINK WOULD BE GREAT WOULD BE IF, AS A CULTURE, PEOPLE MOVED TOWARDS INTRODUCTIONS INCLUDING PRONOUNS AND PREFERRED METHODS OF ADDRESS.” – ALUMNA AIVA ARACHNE

the best might be bigender-flux, which literally means having two genders at the same time but with their intensity changing, like sometimes you feel more one and sometimes more the other one, and for me [those] genders are male and female,” Solace said. “When I started realizing that I was non-binary... the first thing I realized is that I always feel both. I never feel only one of them, I never feel totally male or totally female. And I feel like, as I said, their intensity changes. Sometimes I would rather be seen as a girl and other times I would rather be seen as a boy.” But an identity like Solace’s can make grammar difficult. When ‘he’ or ‘she’ doesn’t always fit, what should you do? Use of a singular form of ‘they’ and ‘them’ has grown in popularity recently, as an effective way to address nonbinary people and people whose pronouns are unknown to you. So much so that the singular ‘they’ was honored as Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for 2019. ‘They’ isn’t the only pronoun bending the old rules of English, though. New, full sets of pronouns, known as neopronouns, have cropped up as well, taking the

place of ‘he’ and ‘she’ for certain gender identities. For instance, gender neutral pronouns like ‘fae/faer’ would be used in a sentence like: Fae drove faer car to work today. Another example is ‘xe,’ a gender neutral pronoun that Solace recently adopted and requested that we use in this article. “My pronouns are ‘he/him,’ ‘she/her’ and ‘[xe]/xem,’” xe said. “I never felt comfortable with they/ them, and the moment I realized what actual neopronouns were, I thought, well, maybe I could try out some of them because they’re all neutral, and I need a neutral pronoun.” While this may seem complicated, English at least already has the groundwork for gender neutrality. In Solace’s native language of Italian, there is no concept of a gender neutral pronoun. “In Italian, we have this gendered language, which has a gendered ending to most of the words,” Solace explained. “And there are two pronouns. We don’t even have a gender neutral one. It’s even harder to have more neutral pronouns, so I usually don’t use [Italian].” For xem, language can be a limit to gender identity as well as an expression.

Arachne has found that regional differences can also play a role in the challenges of gendered pronouns. “One thing I’ve noticed is in the South, there’s a lot of ‘sirs’ and ‘ma’ams’,” she said. “There are people here [in Illinois] who don’t use those honorifics because they’re gendered, and people here are more aware.” Arachne emphasized how, for her, honorifics often used for respect, like ‘sir,’ ‘ma’am,’ ‘lady’ and ‘gentleman’ can actually feel inconsiderate. She prefers that people use neutral terms to refer to others until they learn what pronouns they prefer. “[You] just have to know who you’re speaking to before you use the language to address them,” she said. “I think that’s the most important thing.” Of course, accidentally addressing someone by the wrong pronouns happens sometimes, in the same way that other language mistakes occur. The wrong word slips out and you call your teacher your mother, a doctor becomes a Mrs., he becomes she as you move along through your sentence. It can be embarrassing, but it is usually forgiven.

Purposeful misgendering, which occurs when someone deliberately uses pronouns or terms that they know are not the ones that the addressee prefers, is used to demean. The concept of misgendering is so ingrained into our society that children will call each other the opposite of their gender to insult one another. Purposeful and repeated misuse of pronouns can be seen as a form of verbal abuse, according to a 2014 study “Gender Abuse and Major Depression Among Transgender Women.” Accidental or purposeful, misgendering is representative of the resistance to change in language. “Well, language is against us. And that’s for sure. But someone’s identity isn’t based on language. It’s based on whatever they feel inside,” Solace said.

A Tour de fOrCe Teachers and students weigh in on the “Star Wars” empire

By Isabel Dlabach and Jacob Gettig t seems like “Star Wars” has been a force, binding modern culture together since the premier of “Episode IV – A New Hope.” Whether they’ve seen the movies or not, many people in western society (and beyond) have heard about “Star Wars,” including 95% of Collierville campus student survey respondents. Over time, one movie turned into three, and those three movies evolved into an entire universe complete with T.V. shows and video games. Over 80% of student survey respondents have seen at least one “Star Wars” movie, and over 60% have seen at least one “Star Wars” series. “Star Wars” has influenced culture beyond the movie industry, making its mark on conversations, philosophy and even consumerism. So what makes “Star Wars” such a successful, growing phenomenon?

The Popularity One reason why “Star Wars” is still so relevant is that it has become required knowledge for some elements of pop culture. R2-D2 is a common icon, and you probably know what “Yoda speak” means or have heard “May the Force be with you” outside of the movies. People who haven’t seen “Star Wars” can feel left out of this shared experience. Senior Maggie Emmendorfer had never seen any “Star Wars” movies until she watched all nine saga episodes in one week early this year, finishing with “The Rise of Skywalker” on Jan. 11. After her

marathon, she was glad to know what was going on. “I thought [the movies would] be super annoying and nerdy, but I really, really, really enjoyed it,” Emmendorfer said. “I know so much more now [about the jokes and references]... I go on Tik Tok or Instagram and I’m like, ‘Oh, I like that now.’ It’s nice.” Eighth-grader Abraham Garcia has not seen any “Star Wars” movies, and this has impacted his conversations with others. “People will be talking about ‘Star Wars’ and they’re like, ‘What do you think, Abe?’ and I’m like, ‘I don’t know, I haven’t seen ‘Star Wars.’ I’ll go to my uncle’s house and [he and my cousins will] start talking about Star Wars, and I’ll be completely lost because I haven’t seen ‘Star Wars,’” Garcia said. “I haven’t seen a single one. But I want to.” Freshman Mayyadah Alzaben has never seen any of the movies either, but she isn’t in a rush to be in the loop. “Some people are shocked that I haven’t seen ‘Star Wars’ and ask how I could make it through life without seeing any of them,” Alzaben said. “[But] it’s never been a big priority to me, just something that I should check out one day.” That indifference is the exception, though, not the rule. Middle and upper school science teacher Mike Smothers remembers the excitement surrounding the first film, now known as “Episode IV – A New Hope,” which he saw in theaters at around eight years old. “My brother and I were just like, ‘Oh, this is amazing!’ We thought

it was so cool,” said Mr. Smothers. “I remember walking out of the theater, and there was a line from the ticket booth all the way out into the parking lot of people waiting to go in and see the film. And this was in August, so it had been out [since May], and it was still that popular.” That popularity has endured even through Disney’s controversial acquisition of the “Star Wars” franchise in 2012. While upper school science teacher Ethan Sullivan appreciated the character of Rey, the main protagonist, in episodes seven, eight, and nine, he was certainly not a fan of the final trilogy’s storyline. “I don’t know if they did a really good job tying everybody’s plotlines together. I think they didn’t,” Mr. Sullivan said. “There was hardly any coherence… On one level, you could say that’s okay, because of course [the sequels] don’t exist in a vacuum. But at the same time, you would hope that there’d be enough plot, enough character development, that they kind of do

make sense on their own.” Mr. Smothers, on the other hand, sees Disney’s changes in the development of the main saga as a sign of changing times. “[The later movies] are a good reflection of where our culture is now versus where it was in the 70s,” Mr. Smothers said. “The first “Star Wars” is very much a World War II film. This newest trilogy of the Skywalker saga is much more a reflection of where we are now as a society, just as the original series was where we were then.”

The Philosophy Maybe “Star Wars” draws so many people in because of its philosophical and religious connections, as well as its relatability. Some, like Mr. Smothers, think the franchise is so popular because people can relate to it. He sees elements of author and editor Joseph

“I remember walking out of the theater, and there was a line from the ticket booth all the way out into the parking lot of people waiting to go in and see the film.” – Middle and upper school science teacher Mr. Mike Smothers

Campbell’s “hero’s journey” idea, the study of a common plot pattern with characters like a hero, villain, and mentor, in “Star Wars.” “I think [‘Star Wars’ is] good storytelling. I think it’s good mythology,” Mr. Smothers said. “Using this hero cycle, Lucas wrote ‘Star Wars’ with a lot of this in mind to kind of make it something more appealing. So I think it’s something that resonates with us because it speaks to those hero stories that we find compelling.” Upper school religion and ethics teacher Kyle Slatery found the religious undertones to be a point of interest. “I think the most prevalent religion in the movies is Daoism. After that, it’s probably debatable between Buddhism and Christianity or Judaism, with this whole sort of Messianic idea running through it of the chosen one who would restore balance to the force,” Mr. Slatery said. “That whole ‘balance to the force’ thing is very Daoist.” The word “Dao” means “the way” and is described as the “flow of the universe.” Balance, notably the balance between contrasting forces within each person, is a central point of Daoism. Emmendorfer noticed this battle between good and evil as a central theme of the saga. “No one is inherently good or evil. You have Anakin Skywalker who obviously becomes Darth Vader, and then with Kylo Ren, he was a good guy, and then a bad guy, then a good guy again,” Emmendorfer said. “I think that’s the biggest trend that I’ve seen.” In “Star Wars,” each side of the Force has positives and negatives. The light side is about peace and tranquility, but can lead to apathy. The dark side is about passion and emotions, but leads to selfishness and anger. As Mr. Slatery noted, dark and light are “just different personality traits of the same cos-

mic force, or even us as human beings.” Mr. Smothers pointed out redemption as another relatable aspect of the series. “We see Darth Vader, this evil character, and we realize that this is [Luke’s] father. We get to see this struggle that goes on within him and ultimately, a triumph over that, and it’s his redemption. The third trilogy carries the same idea,” Mr. Smothers said. “It’s not just this external struggle, but that internal struggle of finding a way to redeem yourself from actions you’ve done in the past.”

The Conversations “Star Wars” might also be so popular because it creates dialogue. Despite its common emotional and philosophical elements, people just can’t seem to agree about what films are good, bad, funny, or just unbearable. The prequels in particular have been infamously mocked (lovingly and not so lovingly) since their releases. For example, if you’re a fan, chances are you have a pretty strong opinion about Jar Jar Binks. “A bunch of my friends really love ‘Star Wars,’ but when I was watching the prequels, they were like, ‘Oh I hate the prequels, they’re all so bad except for these 10 minutes,’” Emmendorfer said. “When I was watching the new ones, they were like, ‘Yeah the new ones are all really bad,’ and I’m like, ‘Do you like ‘Star Wars’ at all?’” Mr. Sullivan argued that Anakin Skywalker’s angsty transformation into Darth Vader in the prequels was unsatisfying. “I didn’t feel good about the development,” Mr. Sullivan said. “I wouldn’t go back and watch those movies again to watch [Skywalker]

develop because it wasn’t enjoyable.” Mr. Smothers suggested that the reason the prequel trilogy “fell flat” was not just bad production or character development but high expectations. “In times where we’re not really sure of anything, having some kind of certainty about the stories resonates with us,” Mr. Smothers said. “These movies are held to a higher standard because for a lot of people, it has more meaning now than it did in the past, because [people are] putting so much more [investment] into that universe based on what they’re seeing in the world around them.” Perhaps Star Wars is so successful because of how intergenerational it is, even if the fact that it has covered such a lengthy period of time contributes to its more recent criticism. “It’s a movie that adults can enjoy. Kids are really going to get

into it because it’s got aliens and lasers and spaceships and stuff,” Mr. Smothers said. “It’s also neat that they can come back to it later, and there’s greater depth that they still haven’t gotten to yet, so I think it’s almost, in some ways, bigger.” Overall, the student body doesn’t dislike the prequels all that much. The majority of respondents, 69.9%, said they think the prequels are fine or better. Episodes one through three are not the only “Star Wars” movies that have been met with backlash, though. The recently completed sequel trilogy has also seen its fair share of criticism. Senior Silas Rhodes was not a fan of any part of episodes eight and nine. “I did hate [‘The Rise of Skywalker’]. I’ll say this, I didn’t hate it as much as ‘The Last Jedi,’ but that was an absolutely trash movie. Possibly the worst ever, that I’ve ever seen,” Rhodes said. “I might say that ‘Cats’ the musical movie

Illustration by Sierra Sellers

Features is better than ‘The Last Jedi.’ ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ was too long, why are there horses in space, and what are they doing?” Emmendorfer, however, wishes the newer films would be appreciated as they are. “This is what’s intended to happen. There’s no other storyline. What happened, happened and you just kind of have to take it as it is,” she said. “I would like it better if people just kind of celebrated the things that happened, especially in ‘The Rise of Skywalker.’” Emmendorfer also really enjoys the characters (and actors) in the sequels. “I love Kylo Ren,” Emmendorfer said. “I think he’s the best-written character in the entire ‘Star Wars’ saga. It’s true, Adam Driver is the actor of our generation.”

The Growth Aside from the main saga, the franchise includes television series, “anthology” movies, video games, books, endless merchandise, and even dedicated parks at Disney World and Disneyland. Mr. Sullivan remembers the “Star Wars” novels and Nintendo video games from when he was a teenager, and Emmendorfer took note of how the franchise has permeated society, especially merchandising even for those who

Illustration by E’nissa Golden

hadn’t interacted with it directly. “It’s just such a huge pop culture thing and I felt so left out of it for a long time,” Emmendorfer said. “Usually when you see merch in Target, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s my thing! They have it in Target!’ But there’s Star Wars stuff literally everywhere. There are Build-a-Bears, there’s stuff in Target, there’s t-shirts in every store you go to.” According to the Telegraph, as of 2016, “Star Wars” had earned over $32 billion in merchandise sales – and that’s before the release of the last two saga movies as well as “Rogue One” and “Solo.” “Star Wars” has been going strong for over four decades, so where will it go from here? Disney obviously plays a huge role in the direction of the franchise since their acquisition of Lucasfilm, having put out “Rogue One,” “Solo,” and the extremely popular Disney + series, “The Mandalorian.” Mr. Sullivan suggested that Disney should move away from cinematic releases, which could help the company avoid the harsh criticism that plagued the sequels. “It seems like people really like the Mandalorian, and Disney+ is really trying to get subscribers,” Mr. Sullivan said. “So I think that a lot of [future ‘Star Wars’ content] will be on Disney+, whether they develop branch-off movies that are a two hour whatever movie, or if it just becomes more series, de-

“I feel like its biggest impact exists in a bubble in a lot of ways, in a cloud, in an internet conversation,” – Upper school religon and ethics teacher Mr. Kyle Slatery veloping different characters and arcs and paths, but I think that’s where it’ll be. I could envision them avoiding the theater and sticking to Disney +.” Disney + has already proven to be a lucrative platform for Star Wars viewing. Emmendorfer used the platform for her “Star Wars” marathon, and Garcia cites Disney+ as part of the reason his interest has been sparked. “Obviously everybody talks about ‘Star Wars’ because it’s ‘Star Wars,’” Garcia said. “I got Disney+ and then I saw that they had ‘Star Wars’ and I was like, ‘Okay, I’m gonna start watching this.’” Mr. Sullivan also explained that making “Star Wars” easier to access through the online platform while allowing for more creative storytelling would benefit the franchise. “When you say [to a director], ‘Hey, look, you can make eight one-hour episodes. And you get that eight hours of content, and you can do whatever you want with it. And just forget the rest of it, in

terms of [the] main arc and even tangential things,’ I think you can do a lot,” Mr. Sullivan said. “If you give someone free rein over that intellectual property, and say, ‘Hey, just make a cool story,’ I think that’s a good direction to take it.” Whether it be a “Star Wars” themed Build-A-Bear, a TV show, a new movie, a book, or just a conversation with a friend, “Star Wars” is such a phenomenon because it is so easy for people to lose themselves in it. But despite its magnitude in pop culture, Mr. Slatery wonders if its actual impact might be limited to the genre. “I feel like its biggest impact exists in a bubble in a lot of ways, in a cloud, in an internet conversation, or in a news article,” Mr. Slatery said. “Its cultural impact, I don’t know if it has one except to just impact the whole genre of science fiction… more so than our real world or society.” Mr. Slatery did, though, acknowledge the personal impact something like Star Wars can have on people. “[It’s] distracting us from our daily jobs, daily lives,” he said. “In a good way.” Many consume fiction as a way to escape the monotony of their daily lives, and the fantasy world of “Star Wars” has grown to the point that it is possible to consume its media almost constantly. That may be the true draw of the franchise. You might have picked up this issue of the Lodge because it has “Star Wars” on the cover, and you just spent time reading three pages about why “Star Wars” is such a phenomenon. Think about whether you would have done so if the subject were the new “Jumanji” movie instead – maybe not.

Sports

Building A Legacy Seventh-grader Amir Wilson shoots a jump shot during a drill at practice as Coach Tavaris Boga watches his form. Wilson was the teams’ starting forward for the season. Photo by Shaun Burgess.

New basketball coach builds strong foundation for the future

By Erin O’Connell “

live and breathe basketball,” seventh-grade basketball coach Tavaris Boga said. “From the moment I wake up to when I’m at school, it’s all basketball. If I’m not busy at work, I’m watching basketball highlights. I’m watching film trying to expand the game and trying to get better as a coach as well as a player. Because if I’m better as a player myself, I can help my other players as well.” Mr. Boga, who recently joined the coaching staff on the Collierville campus, grew up in the Whitehaven area. He attended Corey Middle School and Ridgeway High School. Mr. Boga was raised by a close and supportive family of two parents, three sisters and his grandfather. “My parents have always supported me and taught me a lot of great values growing up,” Boga ex-

plains. “I would say that my biggest inspiration growing up was my late grandfather. He was my backbone through everything. He was one of the most important pieces of my life, and I miss him to this day.” Although Mr. Boga played basketball throughout his time at Corey Middle and Ridgeway High, he did not continue into college. “I kind of fell out of love with it at that point,” Mr. Boga said. “But I ended up coming right back, just in a different way.” Mr. Boga attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for two and a half years but decided that college was not for him. Reflecting on it now, he believes it was the best decision he could have made for his future career path. “When I came home [from college], my uncle introduced me to a man named Gevon Owens. I met him at his own basketball

camp, and that’s when I really got involved with him.” Mr. Boga said. “Through that, I started meeting a lot of players around the neighborhood and I began training them during the summer. Then we got into [Amateur Athletic Union] ball. When we started doing AAU basketball, it was only summer ball for about three years, but then we combined with a nationally ranked team and it got pretty serious because we started traveling a lot. Ever since then, I’ve been coaching and it’s been about seven years now.” Mr. Owens and Mr. Boga have run the Memphis Basketball Association for the past five years, and the association regularly competes on a national level. Mr. Boga is the head coach and assistant director while Mr. Owens is the director and founder of the organization. Mr. Boga began his coaching career at St. George’s this year and it is evident that his coaching style has made an impact. With Mr. Boga as head coach, the team finished their season with an impressive 16-6 record, making it all the way to the semi-finals. The team’s point guard, sixth-grader Larry Benson was named to the all-tournament team. As for the sixth-grade team last year, the team finished with only one win. Whether it is Mr. Boga’s passion for the sport, his personal experience or his strong connections with his players, his coaching style has proven beneficial for the team. “He definitely has a good effect on the team,” seventh-grade forward Amir Wilson said. “He motivates us to keep pushing and never give up.” Mr. Boga even admitted to missing numerous important family events, including graduations,

birthdays and even baby showers because of tournaments or games. He explained that he does it all for his players. “My goals for my players in the future is that I really want them to just have fun because I feel like a lot of my kids can play on the D1 college level, but to be honest, that’s not for everyone. A lot of people get to college and get burnt out,” Mr. Boga said. “Some people have been playing basketball since the age of three competitively, basically for their entire life, but once they get to college they’re kind of burnt out on it. So I want them to find what they really love to do and have fun doing it. In the end, I want every kid in my program to get something out of it.” Benson talked about how Mr. Boga is helping him work toward his long-term goals as a player. “I hope to get a D1 scholarship, graduate from college and maybe even go to the NBA,” Benson said. “I love Coach T because he’s pushing me to work hard and even though he’s hard on us, he cares about us and wants the team to succeed.” Mr. Boga also explained that one of his goals is to build a strong athletic program at St. George’s. “St. George’s is a very nice school,” Mr. Boga said. “I really love the campus. I love the school, and I love the atmosphere. But the athletics should be back to where they used to be, because I know that they used to be really, really serious. I want it for the school. I want it for the kids. I want them to finally get this winning atmosphere here, and with me introducing a championship atmosphere to them, I can do it.”

Members of the world-renowned Alvin Ailey Dance Company lead a free class for the Memphis community

Alvin Ailey for All

Arts & Entertainment

A young ballerina practices the ‘bird arms’ in the “I’ve Been Buked” dance. After gaining some confidence, she made her way to the front row bringing excited energy with her wherever she went.

‘‘

By Snowden Farnsworth

iberated,” “solemn,” “amazing” and “reverent” – these were just four responses that Jeroboam Bozeman received after asking a handful of participants in the sea of people how they felt after learning and performing a section of the famous choreography to “I’ve Been Buked.”

The morning of Feb. 15, about a hundred people of all ages, races and experience levels gathered at the Halloran Centre for Performing Arts and Education in downtown Memphis to learn original Alvin Ailey choreography for “Revelations,” the most widely-seen modern dance performance in the world. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is a world-renowned modern dance company that’s based in New York City. They also have the Ailey School for pre-professional dancers, as well as community outreach programs that offer classes to the public. Before their afternoon rehearsals in preparation for the night’s show, three of the group’s members Jeroboam Bozeman, Courtney Spears and Yannick Lebrun led one such class for the Memphis community. According to Alvin Ailey’s offi-

cial website, “the mission of Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation is to further the pioneering vision of the choreographer, dancer, and cultural leader Alvin Ailey by building an extended cultural community which provides dance performances, training and education, and community programs for all people.” This integral aspect of the Company’s mission shown through at the class, where they taught African-inspired modern dance. Bozeman, who’s been a Company member since 2013, took the lead in teaching “I’ve Been Buked,” while Spears and Yannick migrated around the room demonstrating the dance so that even the back row could pick up the masterful choreography. Local professional dancers and performers danced alongside those who’d never attended a dance class in their life.

Hannah Moore, who’s 14-yearsold and has taken dance classes for three years and gymnastics for nine, participated in the free workshop. “Before I went to the workshop I didn’t really know much about Alvin Ailey other than some of their movements since we were using [them] as inspiration for our portrayal of ‘Into the Woods’ at Houston High,” Moore said. “But going to a workshop with them really helped out. It was a wonderful experience, and the fact it was free was so cool.” Though the workshop was free, members of the company taught the attendees as if they had paid to be there. Bozeman, Spears and Lebrun came together at the front of the room to show the class how the dance combination was supposed to look and explained how to use tension and resistance to make the dance’s simple movements powerful. A phone alarm quietly went off from inside someone’s bag, but no one turned their attention away from the dancers as they demonstrated the impassioned choreography. As the Company members completed their final reach upward to end the section, everyone clapped and hollered, giving the phone’s

Arts & Entertainment owner a moment to turn off their ringer before rejoining the group unphased. Everyone anxiously waited to get to try the movements out for themselves. “Walk, walk, walk,” Bozeman said as he led the group. By taking intricate choreography and breaking it up into terms as simple as walking, both a four-yearold girl and her grandma could learn and enjoy the dance. “It was cool to see people around me just dancing for [the sake of] dancing, and not worrying about what anyone else thinks,” Moore said. After giving the community members their turn, Lebrun, who’s been an official member of the Company since 2008 and has undoubtedly done these movements hundreds of times, leapt out of the crouched position he had taken to watch the dance to his feet, enthusiastically applauding the group before joining them for their last run-through of the section. Next they taught an excerpt from “Procession” and then “Wade in the Water,” a more upbeat song. Three little girls in the front row clapped to the beat of the soulful song as Bozeman counted “five, six, seven, eight.” Everyone moved fluidly and created shapes with their upper body that emulated water. Arching and contracting, the students focused on the more intricate choreography. Although this section seemed to be the most challenging for the group to pick up, the joy that Bozeman, Spears and Lebrun radiated while they danced was contagious. Following “Wade in the Water,” Bozeman announced that they were going to do the dance with fans. While many people did not know what he was referencing until a couple of minutes later, kids jumped up and down in anticipation. Spears passed around paper fans as the song “The Day is Past and Gone” played. The limited number of props meant that everyone had to break off into smaller groups, swapping out the yellow fans with complete strangers so that everyone had the opportunity to take the stage. After the first group tried it with

the music, Spears stopped them. “We have to remember when we are performing that as much as we are dancers, we are people on stage and to not let a dancer or performing too much come over the purpose of us being human,” Spears said. She continued to set the scene, captivating her audience. “In this section, it’s hot. We’re in the South. We’re in church. We’re fanning ourselves. We’re not ‘up here,’ Spears explained as she straightened up to an unnatural posture. “We’re just hot, and we’re in our Sunday best. It is our moment to come together and be with the ones in our community. So that’s the energy and the purpose that we’re coming into the sanctuary and it’s a beautiful, hot Sunday morning.” The group went a second time, this time with soul in their movement, and everyone standing to the side applauded. Members of the first group traded out, but an older woman wearing a yellow scarf and green peace-sign earrings continued to sway to the music and fan herself with an Alvin Ailey program that she’d transformed into a makeshift prop as the next group performed. Bozeman reminded the final group of the sentiment Spears had shared. “It’s got to have some meaning to it. There’s a story behind it, right? We’re dancing to Negro spir-

A woman continues to dance freely on the side, fanning herself to the music of “The Day is Past and Gone.” She took the advice from Sears to heart and created her own character and story to tell through the short combination. ituals, so it has some weight to it,” Bozeman said. “So when you come in, you gotta really feel it. That’s a part of dance. We’re the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. So you gotta put the theater, you gotta put the drama into it.” That sentiment left a lasting effect on Moore and made the workshop unique. “My experience doing Alvin Ailey was very different from other dance workshops,” Moore said. “It wasn’t the turns or jumps you think of when you think of dance, it was so much more.” Wrapping up the class, everyone came back together to dance for the last time. Little girls and boys jumped up and down as they discovered a love for dance as an art form. Complete strangers high-fived each other.

The company members bowed to the group in thanks for their time and respect. Although the Company dancers left that weekend to continue their tour, they planted the seed for the love of dance in the Memphis community. The Alvin Ailey School will be back in Memphis shortly, holding auditions on March 14 at Collage Dance Collective for their Professional and Junior Divisions.

Photography by Snowden Farnsworth

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Company member Yannick Lebrun sits on the side watching the class try out the dance on their own. Upon their completion, he leapt to his feet, clapping in support.

Opinion Opinion

AN UN-LIKE-LY SOLUTION BY AIDEN CURRAN Illustration by Madeline Sisk

The idealization of our lives on social media has created an epidemic of mental health problems. Instagram’s response was to remove likes from its platform. But was this an effective solution to combat the growing rate of depression among teens? Or just a half-baked attempt to save face?

hat is the best indicator of a person’s future success, physical attractiveness and overall likeability? The answer is simple: Instagram ‘likes.’ Or at least it feels that way. Even though most of us wouldn’t admit it, we have become hypersensitive to the way in which the world perceives us and have begun using ‘likes’ as a measurement of our perceived social success. Social media users project an idealized version of their lives online, creating the illusion of having a ‘perfect life.’ Whether we’re aware of it or not, we are always comparing ourselves to the manufactured lives of the people we follow, and it subconsciously impacts the way in which we see the world and ourselves. A particularly disturbing study published by the Depression and Anxiety Association of America found that, com-

paratively, people who used social media more regularly had “significantly increased odds of depression” compared to those who did not use social media as often. Studies have been performed with diverse participants and have almost unanimously produced the same results. The conclusion is clear: this is not only affecting those who are already at risk for depression, but, in fact, most social media users. As the rate of depression among teens rose, it was evident something had to change. And it did! Sort of. In November of 2019, Instagram decided to roll out a new update that would hide the number of likes on posts. When asked about this change, the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, told Techcrunch, “We will make decisions that hurt the business if they help people’s well-being and health.’’ The initial reaction was fairly mixed, with mental

health specialists rejoicing and other, perhaps ill-informed, individuals renouncing it for being oversensitive. However, the initial praise soon ceased as it became apparent that this ‘groundbreaking’ change to one of the world’s most popular social media platforms was, although a step in the right direction, ineffective to say the least. Although users can no longer see the exact number of likes on others’ posts, they can still see the number of likes on their own posts, only providing a half-solution to the problem they supposedly sought to fix. Moreover, the change they did make was rather small: where the number of likes used to be shown under a specific post now reads “hundreds,” “thousands” or “millions of others” liked a certain post, allowing users to roughly infer how many likes a post received. Despite its many glaring flaws, this update is a step in

the right direction. The importance of maintaining one’s mental health as the world spends an ever-increasing amount of time online cannot be understated. Hopefully, in the coming months, Instagram will stop indicating the number of likes other people got on their posts and hide the number of likes your posts got. As a final thought, I’d like to share what I believe to be a driving force behind the recent change. In their community guidelines, Instagram states that they strive to be “an authentic and safe place for inspiration and expression.” However, over the years the app has transformed from a place for self-expression to a measurement of one’s social success. Removing likes, although deeply flawed, was an important first step towards returning Instagram to its intended use.

Opinion

Learn To Be a Baddie On a Budget How to look good for prom season while staying frugal

By Kayla Sanford rom season is almost here, and it is about time to start budgeting your money. According to a survey conducted by financial services company Visa, the average family spent $919 on prom in 2015. Seems like a lot, right? Tickets, dresses and tuxedos, hair, nails, makeup, flowers, transportation, not to mention prom send-offs and promposals – those costs can really add up. And for people in lower income brackets, Visa’s research shows costs may even be higher than for those who have more to spend. That’s insane! But don’t fret, let me give you insight on how to be a baddie on a budget. Don’t get me wrong, I think prom is great. But is dressing up and partying with your friends worth it, especially when you’re the one picking up the tab? That depends. Seniors have at least one good reason to save their money: college. Instead of spending lots of money on prom, save it for a rainy day. The savings that you didn’t spend on prom could go towards food, clothes and other necessities while you are away from home. You might not be able to use your parents for money when you need it next year. Juniors, you have good

reasons to watch your budget as well. You have another year left, and if you go all out now, there won’t be any reason to try next year. So here’s what I suggest: use this as a chance to test your budgeting skills. I hear stories of students spending upwards of $900 on their dress alone. Instead, try to rent, borrow, or even make your own dress – or buy one from a lower-cost store. Sophomore year, I went to prom with a friend at Collierville High School, and my mom gave me a strict budget. I found two dresses at Dillard’s, and the total came out to be around $100. Other stores that are great for baddies on a budget are Macy’s, FashionNova and Winsdor. When it’s all over, sell your dress or hand it down to someone who doesn’t want to spend lots of cash on a brand new dress. Try to reuse heels and jewelry you already own so you don’t have to spend money on accessories. Save your money for nails and hair, or enlist a talented friend. Be cautious of runaway spending on all the extras. Do a send-off or a restaurant meal, but not both. Share costs for the limo, or better yet, just carpool with friends. Skip the hotel afterparty and head to a friend’s house

for a night instead. The bottom line: make smart decisions when it comes to prom. Try and save money for the important things. Focus more on being yourself and having fun with friends. Don’t feel pressure to spend more than you have to, but feel free to be yourself and have the time of your life.

Illustration by Owen Hewitt

Opinion As prom season approaches, high schoolers start to consider different ways to enhance their appearances. One of the most popular trends is spray tanning, especially among females. In 2010, 70% of people who went to tanning salons were white females between the ages of 16 and 29, according to DoSomething.org. The ethics of spray tanning have come into question, however. Should spray tanning be accepted? Is there a certain line that we cannot cross? Our two opinionators weigh in with different perspectives, but find they have a lot in common.

Crossing the All shades are beautiful

By Erin O’Connell n the past and around the world, skin tones themselves have come in and out of fashion. In the 18th century, Europeans valued pale skin so much that they powdered their faces with white lead in order to achieve a paler face. In 20th century America, tanned skin became a symbol of a healthy, outdoor lifestyle. Skin tones have always reflected different standards of beauty from around the world, but not necessarily cultural appropriation. The culture surrounding tanning, I believe, is not an appropriation of black culture, or any other culture for that matter; it is a celebration of the wide variation of skin tones that exist across the world. There is a beauty to people of all different colors, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Beauty is about borrowing, accepting and becoming. Beauty is a matter of what an individual’s vision of beauty is. Many white people tan naturally. While very pale people from Northern Europe often

cannot tan, people from Northern Italy have olive-toned skin that will tan to very dark shades. Skin color varies in shade due to where we are from and how the sun affects our skin. I believe that there should be a freedom to pursue tanning as a beauty device, just as I believe that it is okay for people to wear hair pieces, wigs and weaves as a beauty device. All of these efforts are an attempt to improve one’s beauty potential. None of this has to do with cultural appropriation, it has to do with the beauty enhancement for the particular individual. It is their choice to experiment and have fun with their body. For example, Beyoncé looks beautiful in a blonde wig even though that is not her natural hair. Spray tanning shouldn’t have a negative connotation. Spray tanning has nothing to do with culture. It is designed to mimic being in the sun. People want to look like they have been at the beach even when they haven’t.

The question of whether the tan is natural should not matter. It should be widely acceptable and not viewed as offensive because many other races practice beauty changes that hold the same ultimate purpose of spray tanning. This is the same concept as lip filling, another beauty tool that has been falsely accused of being cultural appropriation. It has become more popular for people to inject their lips with collagen to give them a fuller look. This arose around the same time people started using Botox to erase wrinkles and lines. Both of these are efforts to look younger and more ideal. Except for the most extreme cases, this has nothing to do with black or any other culture, it is solely youth and standards of beauty as we understand them today. It is also important to understand that spray tanning, the majority of the time, gives the individual’s skin an orange tone rather than a brown tone. Tanning one’s skin does not make them a different ethnic-

ity. Ethnicity is not only about one’s appearances, but also their origin. If one race cannot alter their appearance the way they were born, then no one else can. This is not the world I want to live in. I would like to embrace beauty in all the multi-faceted expressions that it can embody. That is the sole objective of beauty. I do not want to live in a world where beauty is decided on where you come from. In the end, there is beauty everywhere in every aspect that we can imagine. There is so much beauty in the world that I believe it is acceptable, almost necessary, to share and accept it. We are so lucky to live in a country where we have the freedom to explore ourselves and appearances so I believe we must take advantage of those freedoms. You do not have to agree with me; however, I must ask that your beliefs stay consistent for everyone as it is only fair.

Opinion

Tan Line

But beauty can be a beast

By Keiara Baker he first time, it was just for a special occasion. Then it was every other month. And then it was every week – Spray tanning. When does it stop? While most white or lightskinned people might use spray tans to avoid looking washed out, there is a new trend in spray tanning to produce much darker skin tones. In 2018, Swedish company Emmatan came under attack for selling spray-tanning shades called Violet Onyx, DarkAsh Onyx, Carmel, Dark Chocolate and Extreme. This extreme spray tanning is a form of “blackfishing,” “a recently coined term used to describe someone accused of pretending to be black on social media by using makeup, hair products and in some cases, surgery to drastically change their appearance,” according to British online publisher The Independent. Aga Brzostowska, a 20-yearold from Poland, became the face of blackfishing in 2018

when she posted a picture of herself at 13. The image was compared to her post on Instagram and highlighted the fact that she’s now darker, with thicker features and fuller lips. Not only had the influencer been applying spray tan but admitted to wearing darker shades of makeup and box braids. In an interview with BBC, Brzostowska remained unapologetic. “With things like tanning, I don’t think I’ve done anything in a malicious way,” she said. “So I don’t feel like I need to stop doing something because… why would I stop doing something that’s benefiting me or that I enjoy doing?” While most spray tanning will never approach blackfishing, it can serve as a gateway drug to cultural appropriation. From the perspective of a person of color, spray tanning can be highly offensive. Not only does spray tanning disrespect people of color, but not acknowledging the problems behind it shows lack of respect for our struggle.

People of color have dealt with “colorism” since long before spray tanning became possible. According to studentpress.org, colorism is “a system of discrimination in which the degree of lightness in one’s skin is compared to other members within the same racial group.” Historically the lighter you are the more privilege you receive, especially as a woman. As a whole, America has prioritized lighter women over those of darker skin tones. Actress Lupita Nyong’o, a native of Kenya, has always recognized the differences. “I definitely grew up feeling uncomfortable with my skin color because I felt like the world around me awarded lighter skin,” Nyong’o said in an interview with BBC. “Race is a very social construct, one that I didn’t have to ascribe to on a daily basis growing up.” In the 1920s, the Cotton Club used the “Brown Paper Bag Test” to determine who was light enough to perform there. Only those with skin lighter than a paper bag were

permitted. Black women have been described as the most unattractive women in America. Women with big lips, kinky hair, wide noses and dark skin have had to fight for recognition and the right to be considered beautiful. The problem is that white people can borrow black culture without dealing with the problems that come with it. It calls into question the idea of beauty standards and how is it acceptable for white people to become darker while black people are fighting to become acceptable to society. If we let you have this part of our culture then what is the point of race? When you disregard that this is a problem that comes with tanning then you silence the people who are affected by it. Spray tans wash off but privilege doesn’t.

Photo by Callie Hollis

Opinion OPINION POLICY: The Lodge opinion section is a venue for the free expression of the student views at St. George’s Independent School. The opinions represented in this section are those of the authors alone and do not necesarily reflect those of the Lodge staff or of the St. George’s community at large. The Lodge strives to be an open forum for the thoughtful and deliberate exchange of comment and criticism and therefore welcomes letters to the editor. Letters to the editor will be printed in the opinion section of the newspaper, should not exceed 300 words and must be signed and accompanied by a verifiable email address. These letters will not be printed if the content is judged obscene, violates the privacy of others or encourages physical disruption of school activities.

The Truth Will Set You Free

By Spencer Cotham y class is the smallest class to graduate from St. George’s in the past 10 years. My senior class is distinct, and so is this year. I have been lucky enough to attend St. George’s for the past seven years, and I have seen the changes St. George’s has gone through. While I can see the efforts to make our school better, I worry that we might not be doing enough. This year, truth feels like something we all want, but cannot fully grasp. There have been numerous events this year where the community has been left at least partially in the dark about important matters, such as this past fall’s Commercial Appeal article, the rapid Head of School transition, the departure of several faculty and staff, or other sensitive events. These events have rocked our community, but as the school year starts to come to an end, we still don’t know the full truth about the events themselves. Information beyond surface-level knowledge given by the administration is left up to speculation within the St. George’s community. The truth becomes so intertwined with falsehood that it becomes distorted beyond repair. Private schools in general have a reputation for being secretive. An article published by Thoughtco, a website that hosts educative content for teachers and students, has an ever-growing list of scandals at private schools: an incident at Phillips Exeter Academy where racially charged remarks towards students were ignored by the school’s administration, a counterfeit money scheme at Lower Can-

ada College, bomb threats from students at Cheshire Academy and numerous other events that add to the stereotype of the uncommunicative private school. Some of these events happened 10 years ago and were recently brought to light – others were immediately realized and dealt with. A commonality between them, though, was the cover-up or lack of action by the school administration. It seems to me that in recent years, the immediate response to challenges at St. George’s, and to a greater extent private schools as a whole, is to say as little as possible. In an article published by the Commercial Appeal that shed light on an incident involving former teacher Ms. Indigo Bailey, St. George’s administrators declined to comment four separate times. When Mr. Ross Peters announced his resignation and later his departure, the email said little about the reasons why he left, other than his decision to “explore new opportunities.” When the incident with Rev. Momberg occurred, an email was sent out to the parents in the St. George’s community, but not to the students themselves. The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) claims that saying nothing is not as beneficial as most people might think. “‘No comment’ can make you sound guilty, even if you truly don’t have a comment at the time,” the NAIS said in 2019 in a statement published on their website. “Every situation calls for some kind of comment, whether it’s to note that you are cooperating with law enforcement, are aware of the situation and investigat-

ing it, or that you have already started taking steps to ensure that it’s never going to happen again. Even saying that you can’t disclose something because it’s an employment matter is a statement.” Controlling a narrative is a difficult thing to do. Often when there’s a scandal in the public eye, the first thing many analysts jump to talk about is the concept of ‘damage control.’ Sometimes it comes in the form of a public apology, some charity work, or maybe even deleting a few tweets. But in our instance, it seems we try to say as little as possible. This fosters a rumor mill that St. George’s desperately tries to extinguish. The way to fix this is with communication. We need better communication between the administration and the student body. The St. George’s community has gone through a lot this year, and in response, the administration has taken steps to increase student involvement and be more receptive to student voices. The student body asked for a deeper dive into diversity, equity and inclusion, and the administration responded with the creation of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force. The student body asked for fewer academic disruptions, and the administration responded with major reworks to GryphGiving. The student body asked for a focus on Black History Month, and the administration responded with a school-wide assembly dedicated to showcasing black students and their stories. While the changes made show that the administration is listening, the momentum that created these events cannot be lost. We need

the administration to be more forthcoming about what happens to our teachers and faculty, and we need more transparency about the direction of the school. There are many discussions about administrative direction where student insight is necessary, and we must have our voice heard in those conversations. I understand that there are some matters that the administration cannot legally talk about. Even if I don’t agree with it, I can understand that there is some information that would be best left out of the public eye. But for a school to be at its very best, both the student body and administration need to communicate with each other in a healthy and transparent way. Students need to be included on the mailing lists for emails that are sent to St. George’s families. Students need to be included in meetings that involve the future of the school. Students need to have a better line of communication to their administrators. These actions could increase student involvement, while also creating a sense of unity and honesty between the administration and the student body. I want St. George’s to be the very best it can be, and that cannot happen if the student body is kept in the dark.

Editorial STAFF EDITORIALS represent the opinion of the editorial board. Letters to the editor in response to the editorial are encouraged. The Editorial Board: Spencer Cotham, Isabel Dlabach, Snowden Farnsworth, Jacob Gettig, Owen Hewitt, Callie Hollis, Miles Masters, Cary Robbins and Sierra Sellers.

OK Boomer, Let’s Talk By the Editorial Board

ifferent generations have always been at odds. The young tend to be progressive, while the older generations often aim to preserve things the way they are. In the 1960s, younger generations pushed back against the Vietnam War, marched for Civil Rights and protested in defense of the environment. Today, the youth are pushing for more change. There are more protests for protecting the environment, increasing gun control, ensuring women’s rights and against racial injustice. The generation that is perceived to be the largest roadblock to change, at least in the eyes of the current youth, are the baby boomers, or those born between 1946 and 1964. The dismissive response “OK boomer” spawned as a way to reply to a generation that seems hesitant to accept the changes that young people want. But of the boomers that we rail against now, some fought for social and environmental progress in the ‘60s. They too rebelled against the generations that came before them, generations they saw as stuck in their ways. So surely we can find some common ground even in these changing times. And these times are, as the Nobel Prize-winning singer-songwriter Bob Dylan wrote, “a-changin’” – quicker than they ever have before. With the rapid changes we face now, everyone needs to be adaptable. And every generation needs all the help it can get. We can’t accomplish that by division. Today, change is happening at

a pace that seems unfathomable. Language is changing, social standards are changing, technology is changing, gender definitions and their expressions are changing. The world as we know it is in constant motion. And it’s difficult to keep up. But how do we cope with that? The old ways won’t always work in modern times. And new solutions aren’t always obvious. For instance, no one’s had to deal with technology in an educational setting the way we must deal with it now. Technology has never been this ingrained in our lives, so we’re all starting from a place of not knowing how to move forward. Maybe the new bins the administration has set up to collect our phones are the correct solution. Maybe they’re not. But the truth is that there are no tested guidelines for how to manage phones. There is no right way that we can fall back on. We know that we must manage this in some way, but finding how we manage it is going to take some time. We are now having to learn to deal with the psychological effects of social media on the developing brain. Instagram removed visible ‘like’ counts from their platform, and while that may not be the right way to deal with the negative influence that social media can have on a person’s self-esteem, at least they tried. It’s only once we open ourselves up to potential failures that we can work towards finding a solution. The changes we’ve seen in the way language is used are unprecedented. The use of neopronouns and the increased use of the singular ‘they’ are attempts to allow a

community to express themselves in a way they couldn’t before and create a space for deeper respect. Will they stick? Only time will tell. Likewise, minority communities are seeking to reappropriate the harmful slurs of the past. Maybe that’s the path towards regaining power – or maybe there’s a different way that would yield better results. The important thing is not that we get it right on the first try, but rather that we try at all. We should try to be patient with attempts to solve problems in our community, even when we don’t agree with the methods used. Rather than just pointing out the problem, try suggesting a solution. And while you’re at it, try to accommodate our gender-non conforming friends. Try to be more transparent and truthful in your interactions. Try to give voice to the voiceless (and if you feel you are one of the voiceless, try to make your voice heard). We may not say the exact right thing, but intention is key. We may not achieve our goals. We may slip-up, or fall short of what we believe we can do. But we must discard our fear of failure before we can honestly say that we tried. To quote Mr. Dylan again, “If your time to you is worth saving, then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone. For the times they are a-changin’.”

CORRECTIONS AND RETRACTIONS: The Lodge strives for accuracy in all articles. However, mistakes are sometimes made. When this happens, you will see corrections here.

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