VOL. 168 ISSUE 6 JUNE 14, 2021
NEWS
OP INIONS
F EAT U RE S
H UM O UR
Professors discuss reopening plan
Stop glamorizing serial killers
The struggles of imposter syndrome
The inside scoop on SFU’s cryptids
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Community Cooking Kula Kitchen's Asha Wheeldon on the value of collaboration p.12
Volume 168, Issue 6
Maggie Benston Centre 2900 Simon Fraser University 8888 University Drive Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6 Phone: (778) 782-5110
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COVER Gudrun Wai-Gunnarsson THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS Azat Bayandin Maya Beninteso, Clarence Ndahbahwerize PEAK ASSOCIATES Gurleen Aujla, Harvin Bhathal, Tiffany Chang, Kitty Cheung, TheresaAnne Clarke Harter, Yelin Gemma Lee, Jacob Mattie, Nathan Tok
NEWS Cecilia Reeke discusses legacy of residential schools
STAFF WRITERS Kelly Chia, Carter Hemion, Nancy La EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Meera Eragoda eic@the-peak.ca COPY EDITOR Paige Riding copy@the-peak.ca
OPINIONS Students need mental health support regardless of being remote or in-person
NEWS EDITOR Michelle Young news@the-peak.ca NEWS WRITERS Karissa Ketter, Jaymee Salisi OPINIONS EDITOR Dev Petrovic opinions@the-peak.ca
FEATURES
FEATURES EDITOR Marco Ovies features@the-peak.ca
Remote learning wasn’t all bad. . . right?
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Sara Wong arts@the-peak.ca HUMOUR EDITOR Kyla Dowling humour@the-peak.ca
ARTS & CULTURE
PRODUCTION AND DESIGN EDITOR Siloam Yeung production@the-peak.ca
Songs to celebrate Pride Month
ASSISTANT PRODUCTION EDITORS Brianna Quan, Josh Ralla PHOTO EDITOR Gudrun Wai-Gunnarsson photos@the-peak.ca
HUMOUR SFU is protecting us from the beast of the bookstore
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Karla Salazar multimedia@the-peak.ca ASSISTANT MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Rashi Sethi
Get involved!
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The Peak is the official weekly student newspaper of SFU and is published every Monday. We're funded by a student levy and governed by a board of directors. Any SFU student can become an editor, and we hire an editorial team every semester.
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NEWS
June 14, 2021
RETURNING TO CAMPUS
Professors discuss concerns regarding SFU’s reopening plan Hong says the plans for in-person classes should include international students
Steinberg expressed there may be issues with social distancing upon return.
JAYME E SALI S I // N E WS W RI TE R
Steinberg said a key concern regarding in-person classes is the inability to effectively social distance on public transit. Further, Steinberg added SFU’s fourth phase of an 80–100% density level will be also challenging for social distancing precautions.
Following the BC provincial government’s reopening plan, SFU announced its plan to return to campus by Fall 2021. The university aims to bring back in-person classes for 70–80% of courses. They also created a four-stage plan outlining broad guidelines for campus density and available services. While also encouraging students to get vaccinated, SFU said they will: • Ensure enhanced cleaning practices and safety standards remain in place across the university • Work with TransLink to ensure safe transit service to campuses • Reopen campus amenities including food services, the Bookstore, computer labs, recreation services, and library services • Increase student programs and activities The plans are based on BC’s vaccine rollout projections aiming for 70% of adults to be vaccinated with the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by September 2021. By then, SFU predicts public health orders will be altered and pandemic protocols will be reduced, which will allow in-person classes to resume. The Peak reached out to various faculty for their thoughts. Director of public health programs Malcolm Steinberg said, “I am confident that a significant proportion of faculty, staff, students, and other persons on our campuses will be fully immunized by the Fall. “We know that SFU will continue to follow public health guidelines and implement safety precautions recommended by the BC Centre for Disease Control, WorkSafeBC, the provincial health officer, and BC’s Restart plan.”
“We will see a gradual return of faculty and staff to campus over the remaining summer semester with the likely expectation of approximately 80% presence on campus in the Fall. This should allow faculty and staff to make the adjustment to the return to campus,” Steinberg said. Assistant professor of communication Sun-ha Hong said, “Of course, if we can return to campus safely, it'll be fantastic. I know pandemic classes have been 50 flavours of hell for students.” Hong added it would be ideal to create a university environment that captures more than class content. However, he emphasized it depends on whether the return to campus would be safe, “We all hope that everyone can be vaccinated and things really are safe by September. But plans are not predictions, and there's a long way to go before what we're all hoping for September actually becomes reality.” Steinberg added final directions about in-person classes will be made by the deans of each faculty. “Decision about which classes will resume in-person engagements will clearly depend on class sizes and the proportion of international students.”
P HOTO : Gudrun Wai-Gunnarsson / The Peak
The survey also showed a student preference for labs, tutorials, and experiential learning to be taught in-person. Steinberg said instructors have expressed an inclination for remote teaching and hybrid approaches involving synchronous and asynchronous course content delivery. Hong explained that he has not been given more details regarding the plan from the university. “I don't know yet for sure whether my own courses will be in-person or not, and what exact preparations need to be made.” According to Hong, remote teaching has involved “untold hours of extra unpaid work for faculty.” It is important to Hong that the university considers what returning to campus might look like for immunocompromised students, staff, and faculty. Steinberg said proof of vaccination will not be required so “it will be important to continue to encourage mask wearing in class situations where adequate distancing will not be possible.” “We have to think through what it might look like for international students, with so many countries denied the same access to vaccines that US or Canada has had [ . . . ] We haven't figured it out until we've figured it out for truly everyone,” Hong said.
According to Steinberg, SFU aims to centre student experiences and concerns in the decision making process.
Although the university has not yet developed official plans for potential COVID-19 exposures on campus, SFU members are expected to self-isolate for 14 days after exposure.
An undergraduate survey conducted from February to March 2021 showed a preference among 80% of students in maintaining some of flexibility with continued online learning.
Steinberg said that on June 8, SFU launched a COVID-19 rapid screening pilot program eligible for students living on campus and varsity athletes to participate in.
72% of students living outside the Lower Mainland expressed concern about returning to campus. They were mainly apprehensive about safety risks and travel restrictions.
The program is a preventative measure which will “allow us to detect possible cases early on, prevent the spread and protect the safety of the SFU community.”
Over the next three years, this award will create a “fully funded opportunity for an Indigenous student” to complete the MPub Degree at SFU. Penguin Random House Canada announced a three-year $45,000 donation commitment to the endowment. The first recipient will be awarded in Fall 2025.
“Telling our stories can be a way to help put a stop to this pattern. Art, music, writing, and other related industries to publishing allow for these stories not only to be shared, but to express some of the deep rooted feelings Indigenous peoples have.”
INDIGENOUS ENDOWMENT
SFU announces Greg Younging Endowment Award for Indigenous students The endowment will fully fund an Indigenous student’s completion of a Master of Publishing degree JAYME E SALI S I // N E WS W RI TE R
The Greg Younging Endowment Award has been introduced by SFU Publishing for Indigenous students pursuing a Master of Publishing (MPub) degree. Named in recognition of Dr. Gregory Younging, the award honours him as the first Indigenous graduate from the MPub program. He is the author of Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guidebook for Writing By and About Indigenous Peoples and also worked as the assistant director of research for Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Alexandra Krilow, recipient of the award’s undergraduate counterpart, spoke with The Peak about the endowment. She said she views it as an opportunity to take the financial burden off Indigenous students pursuing the program, and hopes it will “remind them that there is a place for them in advanced academic settings.” Krilow cited a Statistics Canada report that said 48% of Indigenous peoples in Canada have post-secondary qualification. “Many Indigenous peoples are the first generation of their family to attend university, which can mean their educational support system might not be the strongest. This endowment is a message for Indigenous students, that their voices not only matter but are incredibly valued — especially in publishing,” she said. Indigenous peoples have faced intergenerational trauma from colonization and residential schools. As a result, Indigenous peoples have learned to “repress the different aspects of their culture,” Krilow explained. “It is no secret that Indigenous voices have been silenced throughout history.
A 2013 report by Queen’s University said when Canada faced a financial deficit in 1996–98, the federal government limited core program funding to Indigenous elementary and secondary school education. The report showed continued underfunding of First Nations schools by approximately $3,000 compared to other provincial/private schools from 2003 to 2010. This lack of funding, along with the intergenerational effects of colonialism, resulted in Indigenous communities facing social, health, and economic challenges today, which “undermine potential progress on First Nations education.” Although Indigenous peoples face barriers to education, Krilow said she has seen an increase in Indigenous publications. She said the Greg Younging Endowment Award will contribute to the growth of Indigenous representation within the publishing industry. “Formal education and the ability for industry connections to be made will allow Indigenous peoples in publishing to flourish,” Krilow said.
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NEWS
News Editor Michelle Young
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News Writers Karissa Ketter and Jaymee Salisi
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news@the-peak.ca
FLY ME TO THE MOON
SFU researcher leads team for lunar rover exploration mission Dr. Behraad Bahreyni and team will develop tools critical for space mission HA RVI N BHAT HAL // PEAK ASSO CI ATE
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) announced plans for future lunar exploration. On May 26, 2021, the CSA declared a team of researchers from SFU, the University of Manitoba, and McGill University will develop the micro-instruments to be used by a newlydesigned Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). Led by associate professor Dr. Behraad Bahreyni from SFU’s School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering, the project aims to expand upon existing knowledge about the moon’s seismicity (earthquake activity) and address unanswered questions regarding its geophysical properties. According to Dr. Bahreyni, “The most valuable geophysical data regarding the subsurface structure of a planetary body are obtained from seismic and gravity measurements.” These measurements will be done by miniaturized seismometers, which detect and respond to movements in the ground, and gravimeters, which measure the downward acceleration of gravity. These instruments will be integrated into a hybrid gravimeter and seismometer system developed by Dr. Bahreyni’s team. He describes this as “a key differentiator” in comparison to previous LRV projects. They will be mounted onto the rover. SFU’s 4D LABS will produce the prototypes, and SFU’s Centre for Natural Hazard Research (CNHR) will develop
The team will assess the moon’s geophysical properties.
new approaches to measure and monitor geophysical hazards on the moon. Through “the joint measure and modelling of seismic and gravity signals,” scientists will be able to accurately image subsurface structures. The data they aim to collect includes “moon tides, mantle/core dynamics, active fault structures, gas/ liquid reservoirs, mineral deposits, hydrothermal systems, and volcanism.” “Besides deepening our knowledge about the moon and its seismicity, we will learn about the mineral composition of its crust,” he said. “In the long term, similar methods may be used on Mars or other planets in search of resources needed for [habitation] (e.g. water ice).” When considering the geophysical properties essential for human settlement, a critical factor is access to water sources. Dr. Bahreyni added, “The devices developed through this project can help with identification of water ice reservoirs beneath the surface of planetary bodies.” Previous LRV missions studying the geophysical properties of the moon were limited by “the size and
Council Meeting
P HOTO : Neven Krcmarek / Unsplash
weight of conventional [instruments that] have prohibited their use in space missions.” In addition, “remote measurements of gravitational forces have limited spatial resolution and mostly provide information on topography. “Once these devices are fabricated, we need to spend time calibrating them against standard equipment and also include measures to ensure they survive launch [ . . . ] We are glad that we could bring together the necessary expertise from across Canada to address these multitude of challenges,” said Dr. Bahreyni. He and his team are working with seismologists and space scientists including SFU professor and co-director of CNHR, Dr. Glyn Williams-Jones. University of Manitoba’s Dr. Pooneh Maghoul and Dr. Philip Ferguson, and McGill University's Dr. Yajing Liu will also join Dr. Bahreyni. Along with the doctors, eight postgraduate researchers from across Canada will join the team. The CSA’s plans for lunar exploration include putting a rover on the moon by 2026. “We are hoping to be a part of that mission, but we are also cautious that conducting leading edge research brings with itself uncertainties.”
A key demographic of the protests are asking for the tax bill to be withdrawn, tax reform to address the growing economic gap, and social justice for marginalized groups.
Council supports Access for All campaign and Colombian protests
Approximately 50 people have died due to police brutality and more have gone missing, according to Bains. The protests are ongoing and there is currently no sign of negotiations.
Karissa Ketter // News Writer
The motion was carried unanimously. Serena Bains and world literature representative Sara Aristizabal Castaneda will co-chair the working group.
Content warning: mention of police brutality Access for All Campaign VP university and academic affairs Serena Bains introduced the Access for All campaign in response to SFU’s announcement that 70–80% of classes will be offered in person for the Fall 2021 semester. This comes after the provincial government released their COVID-19 reopening plan for universities. According to Bains’ proposal, the university’s reopening plan “will have disproportionate negative impacts on disabled, neurodivergent, international, mature, Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC) students.” Bains called to form a working group to draft a letter to SFU and provincial government advocating for a list of demands.
is currently comfortable with going to campus in the fall, especially people who have been severely affected by COVID-19.” She highlighted the return to campus is “not just about whether you're physically capable.” It should also consider the mental health of students experiencing anxiety around the return, she explained. Sustainable energy engineering representative Mohammed Al-Sheboul suggested Bains include demands to offer “live lectures at the same time as the actual lecture so you can either go to class or attend class online.” The vaccinations are roughly 60% effective after the first dose, according to software system representative Shashank Thanalapati, who questioned, “How many people by the first day of class will actually have both their doses?”
The Council receives a presentation from PCI Group PCI Group is a Vancouver-based development company. Zoe Boal from Pottinger Bird Community Relations, a local real estate firm, introduced a development plan as a collaboration between PCI Group and BHA Architecture. Apartments and retail space are scheduled to be built at 3555 Hastings Street. This is a secured market rental housing project that will offer an additional 56 units that will range from studio apartments to one, two, and three bedroom apartments. Duff Mars, architect with BHA Architecture said, “What I hope happens is that [this will] inject life into all the retail that’s being offered in the area.” Counselors raised the idea of the development contributing to gentrification and suggested “consultation with Indigenous communities.”
Risks highlighted by Bains include inaccessible education, international students’ capacity to travel to Canada, BIPOC students experiencing medical racism and “increased financial stress,” and students who are immunocompromised or unable to get vaccinated.
Through feedback from other SFSS members, Bains amended the motion to prioritize speaking with international and migrant students for consultation.
They asked for increased communication with student groups to better understand the impact a return would have.
Supporting Colombian Protests with Council Statement
In regards to gentrification, Connor Suech, development consultant for PCI said, “We really like to put an emphasis on amenities, and giving back to the community in any way we can.” Mars added, “There’s a barbecue and seating area [on the rooftop].”
Bains subsequently introduced a motion calling on Council to create a working group of students to draft a statement regarding the protests occurring in Colombia.
VP events and students affairs Jess Dela Cruz raised concerns around affordability, and this concern was echoed by other Council members.
“Since April 28, a series of protests have occurred in Colombia. These protests are in response to a tax bill proposed by the government [that] would apply a valueadded tax on foods, utilities, wages, pensions, and other basic necessities — which will disproportionately impact the working class,” explained Bains.
Due to the development’s close proximity to SFU Vancouver, Boal explained their presentation “is just about consultation with a demographic that would very much likely want to live in a project like this.”
“It is of utmost importance that meaningful consultation with marginalized communities occur for the campaign to accurately represent the needs of the SFU community for a safe, equitable, and accessible return to campus in the Fall 2021,” Bains said. Kashish Mehta, representative from the Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology Student Association, said she is glad to support this campaign “because not everyone
The motion was passed unanimously.
Boal said they would continue the conversation.
NEWS
June 14, 2021
TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
Cecelia Reekie discusses mourning in the Indigenous community after discovery at Kamloops
Reekie says Canada must implement the 94 Calls To Action.
P HOTO : Cecelia Reekie
She calls on Canadian governments and churches to reflect on their institutions KA R ISSA KET TER // NE WS W RI TE R
Content warning: descriptions of residental school abuse, anti-Indigenous racism, and genocide The remains of 215 Indigenous children were found near a residential school in Kamloops on May 27, 2021. Their identities are not yet known. While experts said it is difficult to “pinpoint with certainty the causes of death,” the findings revealed these are “missing Indigenous children who were unaccounted for in the known death toll” of the residential school system. “When the news broke — and we were seeing it everywhere on social media — I was just heartbroken. And the grief is so intense,” said Cecelia Reekie, a Haisla Nation cultural presenter for the Langley School District. According to the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre, the Kamloops school was the largest residential school in Canada. It was opened in 1890 by the Roman Catholic Church and was active until July 31, 1978. The residential school system was funded by the Canadian government. Catholic, United, and Anglican churches ran over 130 schools from the 1870s until the last school closure in 1996. “The purpose was to get rid of the ‘Indian problem,’” described Reekie. “We were in the way of the land. We were in the way of the resources.” In 1920, the Deputy Minister of Indian Affairs in Canada stated the objective was “to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada” who had not been assimilated into the population. The Union of Ontario Indians explained that assimilation was “deemed to be the most effective way to ‘civilize’ the Indians.” Facing History explained that European imperialism inspired colonizers to force Indigenous peoples to conform to European society. The Canadian Encyclopedia estimates 150,000 Indigenous children attended residential schools. The estimated number of deaths is still unknown. The previous death toll for the Kamloops Indian Residential School had been 52 — the discovery of 215 remains demonstrated that the majority of childrens’ deaths went unreported and unregistered across BC. “It was just heartbreaking. I was just so sad and felt so heavy, and they’re babies. They were somebody's babies. I try to word it that way because I think that helps people understand,” said Reekie. She believes calling them “children” makes the discovery “too easy” for Canadians to accept. Understanding the victims as somebody’s babies helps to show people the devastation felt by families and communities, when their babies were never returned, Reekie explained. While Canada acknowledges residential schools as cultural genocide, some have asked for them to be reclassified as a genocide. The United Nations defines “forcibly transferring children of the group to another group” as a form of genocide. While the Truth and Reconcillation
Comittee (TRC) has already condemned residental schools as cultural genocide, “there is ample evidence” in reports that state “intentions, legislation, actions and legacies of genocide,” according to The Conversation. At the schools — which some consider to be internment camps — girls were forced into housekeeping tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Boys were forced into labour such as carpentry, maintenance, and agriculture. There are widespread reports of severe malnourishment, excessive punishment, neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and mental torment. Disease outbreaks such as tuberculosis, influenza, smallpox, and measles were common due to malnourishment and overcrowding.
Around the world people are going to be watching Canada to see what we do. C E C E L I A R E E K I E // cultural presenter
“There will be many more babies across this country who need to be brought home. There wasn't just 215,” said Reekie. “The truth must come out. We have to do all we can to ensure that every child who died in residential school has a name.” Children ages four to 16 were forcibly removed from their parents to be taken to residential schools. They were given European names in effort to assimilate them with Europeans. Children were punished if they used their Indigenous names. Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Stephen McNeil told the CBC, “Their name, like much of their identity, was taken away from them.” “This is a very pivotal time in Canada right now,” explained Reekie. “Around the world people are going to be watching Canada to see what we do.”
According to Reekie, it will be these difficult conversations where Canadians will be able to “break down those barriers, the same way schools need to break down their systemic racism. “They have to be conversations and they have to be out in the open, so that, as Indigenous people, we can see those conversations happening, and we need to be a part of those conversations,” said Reekie. For Reekie, a key part of this process is first giving Indigenous peoples space to grieve. “We need to stand with the Indigenous communities as they come to terms with this [ . . . ] We need everybody to stand with them, not just flying flags, not just wearing orange shirts. “For those who already think they know the history, we need to continue to learn. We need to continue to understand. We need to have compassion, empathy with each other. I'm sure there's many non-Indigenous people who are also feeling that the country that they thought they understood, maybe they didn't understand as well,” said Reekie. Reekie noted her disappointment in Justin Trudeau’s response to the uncovering of Indigenous children. “I would have thought that there would have been much more significant action than just words the last week. Words are wonderful, but it's going to be the action that is really determinant in [ . . . ] what our country is going to look like.” Justin Trudeau recently released a statement regarding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People. After new policy recommendations, Reekie asked, “Why hasn't this happened before? Why wasn't it important before last Friday? Maybe we need to ask ourselves that — maybe we as Canadians need to ask ourselves, why has it taken 215 babies to get us moving?” Reekie believes it is important for all levels of government to consider the 94 Calls to Action that the TRC published in 2015. These call on the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to reduce harm being done to Indigenous populations across a wide scope: child welfare, education, language and culture, health care, justice, and reconciliation. Reekie said it is crucial for the government to “find space for our people to have that voice and to be able to move [this country] in a direction that it's not wanted to go, but it needs to go now.”
Reekie said political leaders at all levels and the Catholic, United, and Anglican churches in Canada “need to have difficult conversations about who they are and what they are and what they represent.”
The Calls to Action in child care include ensuring social workers are well educated and trained in culturally appropriate environments for young children. It includes the understanding between the connection of the foster system and residential schools, and aims to keep Indigenous families together as often as is safe to do so.
Vancouver Catholic girls’ school, Little Flower Academy (LFA), was opened in 1927 by the Roman Catholic Church as a residential school. LFA students called on the Roman Catholic Church to apologize for their participation and to stop “glorifying colonization.”
Developing a culturally-sensitive education curriculum, honouring existing Treaties, and closing health gaps such as infant mortality, suicude, addiction, and chronic diseases between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples are also components of the 94 Calls to Action.
In a statement released by LFA, they said, “It is our responsibility to teach the truth about the residential school system; to deepen our collective understanding of the intergenerational harm that the residential school system caused; to acknowledge the role of the Catholic Church within these schools.”
“A life lesson my dad taught me is to walk softly, and maybe we all need to just walk softly right now,” said Reekie. Starting next week and spanning the remaining issues of this semester, The Peak will be publishing each of the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
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OPINIONS
Opinions Editors Dev Petrovic and Marco Ovies
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opinions@the-peak.ca
AND SCENE
The Bright-er Side Social distancing has helped me find myself I didn’t realize how much people’s opinions influenced me until I stopped seeing people
We don’t need another Ted Bundy film.
P HOTO : People Magazine
Stop iconizing serial killers in popular culture Yet another Ted Bundy film shows us that the glamourization of violent perpetrators is harmful to society H ARV I N BH ATH AL / / P EA K AS S O C IAT E
Content warning: Sexual violence, murder, misogyny
Written by Marco Ovies Illustrated by Danielle Ragas
Before COVID-19 and social distancing, I was filled with social anxiety constantly. I always thought that everyone around me was silently judging me and that I had to try to be as “normal” as possible. I would cycle through the same three outfits (that consisted of jeans and a T-shirt) so I would not stand out. I would walk around SFU’s halls with my headphones in and head down to avoid drawing attention to myself. I would even make sure to wear shoes with a soft sole so I wouldn’t make too much noise walking down an empty hallway. But with the new social distancing orders from our lord and saviour Dr. Bonnie Henry, all these anxiety-inducing social situations disappeared. So with no one to judge me, what was stopping me from doing what I wanted? My wardrobe quickly expanded from just a few articles of bland clothing to clothes I felt good in. Greys were switched with mustard yellows and black for bright green. Instead of pretending I wasn’t a huge Pokémon nerd (though I’ll admit, I don’t think I did a great job hiding it), I ran with it. My obsession with Dungeons & Dragons podcasts was no longer something I had to hide in shame because no one was there to judge me for it. And the more I started to get into it, the more these interests started to slowly pop up in the few social interactions I had. Gradually I would talk to friends online or coworkers over Slack about the things I was interested in. The more I did this, the more I realized that other people are into the same things as me. Hell, some people are even nerdier than me (can you believe it?). It felt like a weight off my shoulders; I finally didn’t have to pretend to be someone else. I could finally be the plant-loving, Pokémon-obsessed, Minecraft amateur I was destined to be. Now that COVID-19 restrictions are being gradually lifted, I know that I will be coming back into the world as myself.
Ted Bundy is receiving yet another take on his horrific life in the form of a film. Chad Michael Murray — yes that Chad Michael Murray — has been cast to play Bundy in American Boogeyman. According to the film’s synopsis, “American Boogeyman follows the elusive and charming killer and the manhunt that brought him to justice involving the detective and the FBI rookie who coined the phrase ‘serial killer.’” This film and the myriad of other Bundy-related productions, including 2019’s Netflix Original Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, beg the question, “Why is the US film industry hell-bent on glorifying Bundy’s life?” The answer stems from the country’s continued history of misogyny and violence, particularly against women and gender-diverse people. As a result, serial killers, such as Bundy, have become US pop culture icons. This also reinforces said patriarchal values. The casting of Bundy also has consequences. Voltage Pictures cast Chad Michael Murray, a once teenage sensation from films/television series such as A Cinderella Story and One Tree Hill. In Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, High School Musical star Zac Efron was cast to be Bundy. Both of these were intentional. Bundy’s attractiveness and charm have been grossly exaggerated over the years. Casting Murray and Efron as him is disingenuous, and worst of all, it feeds into the false myth surrounding Bundy. In some cases, he would gain sympathy by pretending to be injured; in others, he would gain trust by pretending to be an authority figure. Bundy was a lying psychopath — a psychopath whose perspective the US film industry insists on prioritizing. The problem with Bundy-related films is the depiction of the women he raped and murdered as passive victims and mere numbers. In a TED Talk, “How Crime Shows Undermine Your Empathy,” Carolyn Murnick questioned the skewed perspective of the men-centric focus in the consumption of murder as entertainment. “The stories we tell about women’s lives matter and the messages that we are internalizing about women when we watch these shows [matter] even more.” Bundy is known to have killed 36 women — women whose bodies were used as an outlet for misogynist
violence, women who the film industry considers to be nothing more than a footnote in Bundy’s life. Though he has only confessed to 36 murders, experts believe that the real number could be closer to 100 or more. Bundy is an icon in US popular culture because of these patriarchal values. He has been described by US media over the years as more of a celebrity than a monster, being referred to as “the new postmodern serial killer role model.” When serial killers are exalted, it diverts attention away from their illegal, immoral crimes. Media productions such as Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile and the upcoming American Boogeyman create a spectacle around serial murder as opposed to the harsh realities that surround it. By producing more Bundy-related films, the film industry is “elevating the monster,” as US audiences are “titillated by gore and extreme violence.”
When serial killers are exalted, it diverts the attention from their illegal, immoral crimes. In addition, these productions are not created for just any serial killer; only the ones whose crimes, appearance, and/or personality stand out. Whether warranted or not, Bundy fits all three of these factors (at least for his appearance). Such works could potentially incentivize a serial killer to commit extremely violent, misogynist crime(s) to become an icon in US pop culture as Bundy has become. Even if they don’t, they still normalize misogyny. Serial killers are often the subject of case studies that more often examine their lives rather than the consequences of their actions. Serial murder is an issue of power dynamics that involve gender and fear. If future productions about serial killers are to be created — and only with permission from victims’ families — producers should consider adopting a women-centric perspective as historically, they are the ones who have faced the consequences of serial murder.
OPINIONS
June 14, 2021
MENTAL RELIEF
A focus on mental health is needed for postpandemic life The return to in-person classes is an opportunity to improve campus life
THE R E SA-ANNE C LARK E H A RT E R P EAK ASSOCIATE
For those with certain mental health concerns, a return to in-person learning may mean heightened anxiety, social challenges, and more. Others may feel relieved at the thought of returning to school, as remote learning’s lack of designated learning spaces, proper equipment, and structure present unique challenges. But with this return, SFU needs to ensure they accommodate all students and offer proper mental health support. We will inevitably see a rise in mental health struggles among students as we return to in-person learning. In recent years, SFU has added the option of drop-in Health & Counselling advising sessions where students can be referred to supports that would best suit their needs. This service can be initially accessed almost immediately. Unfortunately, due to lengthy waitlists, it can be difficult to get help after your first session. During the pandemic, professors were often more understanding about late assignments and the struggles that come with learning online. This attitude needs to translate to SFU’s return to campus, as students will continue to have personal struggles that are just as valid. Students should be able to access help without rehashing trauma or sharing personal events with a near stranger. The inflexibility of academia doesn’t reflect real human needs. In fact, it often lacks empathy.
Mental health support should not be behind so much red tape.
The inflexibility of academia doesn’t reflect real human needs. In fact, it often lacks empathy. Students will undoubtedly need more support and understanding. We have yet to see the repercussions this shared trauma will have on ourselves and our communities. To engage healthily with our learning environment, SFU must improve their mental health supports. Investing more in these health supports could involve increasing funding for the Centre for Accessible Learning, Health & Counselling, and campus groups that advocate for marginalized students.
P HOTO : Azat Bayandin / The Peak
Another learning barrier I would like to see dismantled as we return to in-person classes is SFU’s bureaucratic application processes for accessing support. I recently had a personal experience with this while pursuing learning accommodations for my ADHD. Numerous forms — some that may require you to see a new doctor or psychiatrist just to prove a condition you've already been diagnosed with — can feel very invalidating. Not to mention, this presents barriers to people who experience executive dysfunction. The employees at CAL are lovely, empathetic, and helpful individuals, but it is the bureaucratic processes the institution inflicts on us that are the problem. This red tape puts up so many barriers that many students searching for help give up halfway through the process. If we wish to apply the lessons we learned about accessibility during this pandemic, then traditionally rigid learning spaces cannot continue as we return to SFU. We all deserve to participate in school in whichever way feels safest or is most accessible to us.
DIGITAL DEGRADATION
Planned obsolescence sucks Corporate greed keeps us from having products that last K E LLY CHI A // STAFF WRI TE R
Do you know how your phone has somewhere between two to three years before it starts slowing down? Or how you have to replace light bulbs every few months or so? That’s planned obsolescence in action, and it’s a gross industrial strategy. What this means is that companies will design their products to break down in a certain amount of time so customers will be encouraged to buy their newest products. And it makes me want to scream. This is an age-old strategy. The oldest known case of planned obsolescence is the Phoebus cartel; from 1924 to 1930, several major lightbulb manufacturers made the lifespan for light bulbs shorter by 500 hours. The bulbs were of higher quality, but they cost more and sales increased as people replaced them more often. Companies have been making bank off products with set deadlines for a long time. Think again about cell phones, which seemingly come with cameras that are far more professional than an average person needs. Is it really necessary to buy those upgrades? Probably not, but if your phone becomes sluggish, it’s easier to justify getting a new phone. I know towards the end of the three years I had my Samsung phone, the keyboard became really unresponsive. I would sometimes have to wait a minute as it caught up with the sentence I had texted. And it’s not a matter of how well someone takes care of their device: Apple is infamous for lawsuits about dropping performances in older phone models when
I should be able to preserve my technology.
new updates are out, and they’re likely not the only company to do so. Planned obsolescence also extends to things outside of technology, like textbooks that are reprinted with minor changes and exclusive codes. This forces students to buy the newest version. It’s frustrating when I can’t save $40 or more using a textbook that is only two years older than the one in the syllabus. This strategy forces students to spend more money for what feels like minor edits. And what about the garbage planned obsolescence encourages? All of this has environmental consequences — where consumer culture goes, waste is bound to grow. It all feels a bit helpless considering it’s so ingrained in our culture, and our actions amount to little compared to big corporate strategies.
P HOTO : Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels
Even so, I find that learning about it and being aware of its presence can help, especially because planned obsolescence isn’t regulated in North America. Additionally, supporting bills that advocate for sustainability and a right to repair is one way to fight against planned obsolescence — especially as many cell companies shut down independent repair. Bill 197, for example, was introduced to amend the Consumer Protection Act for greater sustainability of consumer products. While it was unfortunately rejected, there will likely be another Bill 197 in the future that needs support. Until then, there are many initiatives we can support that reward companies for sustainable innovation and longevity.
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Features
ILLUSTRATION: Ariel Davis / The New York Times
How putting a name to my perfectionism helps me make progress
Written by Kelly Chia “I don't know enough to be good at this job.” “There are so many things wrong with this. They’re all going to think I'm a fraud.” “You should know better by now. How do you make the same mistake over and over again?” Phrases like this litter my mind constantly, and it’s tiring. I harboured these feelings for a long time before I learned they were symptoms of imposter syndrome — a psychological pattern where people fear being exposed as a fraud because they doubt their skills and accomplishments. I worry that I can never produce something as good as what I have made in the past. Because most of the work I do is creative, I always fear I can’t execute the ideas I have in my head. I get stuck feeling like I’ve failed myself and my peers by not being good enough. I never feel confident that I deserve my school or work positions. I find it difficult to submit my work to another person because they'd surely notice all the mistakes I think are in it. In reality, the people who read my work often reassure me that I’m doing alright, and that it’s never as bad as I think it is. But it doesn’t stop me from going through the same process each time. I constantly think I should be more capable. It feels like I shouldn’t need to ask for help because I should have the experience to handle things independently by now. It’s an exhausting mental process that I go through every time I start a new assignment or job, despite knowing I’ve made it through to the other side before. There are a few reasons why I think this started happening: I was a high achiever in a competitive academic environment, and my self-worth depended on me consistently doing the best I could. This overwhelming pressure made it difficult to start assignments because I was too afraid of making mistakes. I felt the need to constantly prove myself to myself and to others. A skewed understanding of how skilled I was coupled with a habit of being self-deprecating, ultimately hurt my self-image. I’m trying to be kinder to myself these days, but I find this hurdle particularly difficult to get over. I feel if I don’t write that perfect draft or understand my tasks quickly, I don’t deserve to progress as far as I do. Incidentally, I spent a while figuring out how to write this article because I doubted whether I had the experience to write it, then realized that was exactly why I had to write it. I can’t present a
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solution, but I can talk about the steps I’ve taken to feel more in control in the hopes they will resonate with someone else, too. The first thing was learning the name for this feeling. This wasn’t just random bouts of anxiety, but a pattern I could recognize and find resources for. By naming it, I judged myself less harshly because I knew it was a symptom of a common problem, not just a problem I made up to avoid my work. From there, I started talking to others about it and found people who felt the same way about their work. This didn’t truly reassure me that I was capable in my lane though. People could have problems with their work, but they were still capable enough that they knew they weren’t a fraud. By contrast, I didn’t feel good enough to admit I had a problem recognizing my skills. The problem with imposter syndrome is that you set up your pedestal. Everyone’s expectations of themselves seem irrelevant in comparison. Still, knowing that capable peers around me were going through the same thing pushed me to consider how much my poor self-image factored into my skills and talents. Remember when I said I had a problem with looking back at my work earlier? I found I had to be a lot more comfortable with my mistakes, so I’ve started reading my old assignments and articles. The critic inside of me would pipe up as I noticed every flaw, but I found myself cringing less as I looked for my strengths as well. It sometimes helped to write down three strengths and one thing I could improve on in my work to have something visual to focus on. Most importantly, I tried to veer away from my need to be perfect and towards rewiring my brain to recognize when I made progress. This meant that I asked for more help when I was stuck in my head thinking about the perfect way to do something. I would feel so vulnerable because it always felt like I did less than what was expected. But once I got the help I needed, I felt relieved. I also try to accept that failure isn’t an end, but a chance to improve. Failure was so scary for me growing up that treating it as a learning opportunity has been difficult. I’m now trying to unlearn the ingrained belief that I’m only as valuable as the work I put out and to embrace that there will always be an opportunity to do better. Recognizing imposter syndrome as what it is — a pattern — helps me rationalize and think about the times I have succeeded and why. I know I need more reassurance from my loved ones that I am doing okay some days more than others. I’ll even have times now where I move through my work smoothly. I accept that imposter syndrome is a hurdle in my journey of trying to be kinder to myself, and I’ll certainly falter along the way. But maybe understanding why it happens instead of blaming myself will help me improve my inner monologue.
10 ARTS & CULTURE
Arts & Culture Editor Sara Wong
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arts@the-peak.ca
ARTS & CULTURE
June 14, 2021
“Technicolour”
“Cherry”
“Body Was Made”
“Queen”
By Montaigne
By Ezra Furman
By Rina Sawayama
By Perfume Genius
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ARTS & CULTURE
Arts & Culture Editor Sara Wong
TOP CHEF
“Kula means eat, which is quite literal, but it’s beyond just consuming — it’s how you eat. It translates into different forms, whether you’re eating or actually sharing resources, sharing space [ . . . ] it really speaks to the central parts of who I am.” ASHA WHEELDON // founder and owner of Kula Kitchen
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arts@the-peak.ca
HUMOUR
June 14, 2021
t a k o o l e iv s u l c x e n U A F S f o s d ypti
Written by Jacob Mattie
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collection of side scoop on SFU’s in e th s ve gi ak Pe e ore Th stair gremlins, and m , pe -a an m e th g in cryptids includ
Illustrated by Kyla Dowling
you, our faithful g our calls and dodging our reporters in the halls. To bring The SFU department of cryptozoology has been avoidin we found. what is This scoop. the get to offices their of one broke into readers, the quality content that you deserve, The Peak
Cryptid:
Pond Dweller
Location: AQ Reflecting Pond been spotted Wet, three-toed footprints have Description: As of yet unsighted. crossing. Suspected to reside beneath the leading in and out of the pond. the noble field erstand the beast and to further Notes: In an effort to better und to dredge ntly worked with SFU grounds staff of cryptozoology, we have rece at least the but sful, . The search was unsucces the pond in search of the creature pond is cleaner.
n reported ugh a difficult problem have ofte Students and faculty working thro dweller is d pon The de. r the creature’s abo flashes of insight after walking nea llers; akin to dwe ge brid r othe and ip with trolls thus theorized to have some kinsh the pond , will ask unwary travelers a question how a troll living under a bridge . mind in rs to a question a student bea beast might whisper the answer
Creature:
Stair Gremlins
Location: Saywell Hall stairs Description: Small (approx. ¼ meter s in height). Tall an sit atop a pug-like d sharply pointed face, bearing tee ears th that resemble in many colours, those of a shark. typically in earthy Sighted tones: greens, brow been reported. ns, and yellows ha ve all Notes: Correspon dence with the Fe deral Bureau of Cr unproductive as of yptids has been yet. We claimed the y are a hazard to they replied that students and staff, gremlins are a ra re and endanger and other stairs. ed species and to simply use Janitorial staff are content, as the gr emlins have proven effective in reducin to be remarkably g the campus mo use population. Warning: These cr yptids are highly territorial and will perceived as intru attempt to trip an ders. y
Creature:
untain Burnaby Mope Man-A SFU Burnaby
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June 7 , 2021 To: Th e Offic e of D r. Can dice B Dear D . Fure r. Fur al eal,
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Dr. Hu gh Jan us
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14 HUMOUR
Humour Editor Kyla Dowling
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humour@the-peak.ca
Bewildered student confronts the peculiarities of food What is toast if not bread persevering? written by Clarence Ndabahwerize Burnaby, BC — A student having a dreadful Zoom lecture was admitted to a local hospital after engaging in an internal debate regarding his appetite. Due to the inevitable wandering thoughts associated with a Zoom class and an empty stomach, he decided he needed a snack. It’s worth mentioning that he had also subjected himself to some Pavlovian trickery by watching a MasterChef episode on another screen. When he went over to the fridge, he found a baguette. He quickly realized he couldn’t put the baguette in the toaster without risking the integrity of the baguette. You may be wondering how this is such a serious situation, but have you ever asked yourself whether cereal is soup or whether a hotdog is a taco? This young man quickly realized that if he sliced the baguette to put it in the toaster, it would simply become sliced bread. He just couldn’t handle the contradiction. He sat there for several minutes questioning what human baked such a monstrous piece of bread too difficult to put in a toaster. But, of course, he remembered that toasters probably weren’t a thing when the first baguette was baked. He also
realized that everyone who sliced a baguette to eat it was doing it all wrong and that they had to strategically eat the baguette whole as he does. The Peak is waiting upon his discharge to confirm how exactly he does this.
He thought of what it may take for a human to one day make a loaf of proper banana bread on the moon and on Mars. Of course, the problem was that he really wanted to have a toasted baguette and nothing else. He set out to resolve this most ungracious dilemma by putting on his thinking cap. In this case, it was a cowboy hat that he got on a trip to Texas, where he was chased by some spray-tanned acolytes of the red hat. For several hours, he was the embodiment of that meme with the lady doing the calculations. He thought about life and about bread and about toasters. He thought of ovens and flour
SFUnexplained:
and dough. He also thought about heat and the role of thermodynamics in baking a baguette. He thought of what it may take for a human to one day make a loaf of proper banana bread on the moon and on Mars. The young man thought and thought, tossed and turned, all while ignoring his grumbling stomach. Eventually, he realized he could put the baguette in the oven in its whole form and toast it. If you’re wondering how he got to the hospital, it turns out the oven had not been well-maintained since his attempt at recreating a recipe from “some-greatnot-so-European baking show.” It became a bit explosive, so to say. After another bout of thinking in the hospital, he realized that he could have simply sliced the baguette, put it in the toaster, and saved himself the hospital visit. Unsurprisingly, the Zoom class went on despite the explosive flash seen in his video feed, as it was dismissed as a glitch. Nobody realized something was amiss until a fireman ended the call on his behalf.
Burnaby’s construction hides a monster
The bookstores are funding a labyrinth for our safety written by Carter Hemion Anyone who’s had the misfortune of studying classical mythology has likely heard the story of the Greek Labyrinth created to house the Minotaur, a monstrous half-man, half-bull creature. SFU is a real-life case of something similar, currently orchestrated by president Joy Johnson. If you’ve heard the rumours like I have, you know that SFU had a mishap in a lab that created an awful monster. Unfortunately, as SFU does not release information about animals on campus, we can only put together the details from careful observation. Maybe it was a zombie brought to life in the morgue. Maybe it was a radioactive mistake with McFogg the Dog. Maybe it once was a student living on Monster energy drinks for too long in the bottom of RCB. Regardless, SFU is trying to keep
it locked away the only way they know how: by constructing a labyrinth.
the monster in constantly changing halls. They’re so good at it we haven’t even seen the creature!
Its funding is obviously each campus’ bookstores, and even faculty are involved. Professors require students to purchase textbooks they wrote. They require students to pay extra to access their homework and PDFs. Students can’t even pass on or buy used textbooks because an updated edition is required every new term. What kind of reputable institution would do this to students all while refusing a tuition freeze and dragging out the fight for RA employment rights? It could only be a cover for something nefarious.
Besides, there must be a better reason for construction than SFU needing renovations. The levels of asbestos on campus are relatively safe, the lead paint is minimal, and there must be a valid reason the most recent physical access guide hasn’t been updated in almost a decade. Students have no need for unionising, protesting, contacting SFU administration, or taking any tangible actions to change our campus. We should simply accept the damages that come at our expense because there is absolutely no reason to doubt our university’s choices. Administrators aim to protect us from harm. Collateral damage is still acceptable, right?
Sometimes I get frustrated with how expensive and inaccessible post-secondary education is, from SFU charging ridiculous tuition for international students to the extra hidden fees with classes. To keep calm, I just remind myself that SFU administration must have a reason for lining their pockets with the money I would have used to buy unnecessary things like dinner and new shoes. They do it all to serve us, the students, by hiding
Illustrated by Danielle Ragas
Next time you hear an ungodly screech from a quiet hallway or catch something strange passing by in your professor’s Zoom background, remind yourself that the construction and closures of corridors are a great thing. They may be the only thing separating you from the beast of SFU.
HUMOUR
June 14, 2021
Your Weekly Horoscopes
June 14–20 Written by Tiffany Chang
ARIES — Mar 21–Apr 19
LIBRA — Sept 23–Oct 22
You will find yourself crawling on all fours back to your Zoom class after your feet fell asleep from a half an hour on the toilet. My advice: be the great multitasker that you are! Wiggle your piggies while taking the stinker, so those pins and needles aren’t as agonizing.
Don’t forget, you like nice things. Prance around in your finest threads and jewelry for an hour. While you’re at it, pretend to be a Disney character. Take some inspiration from the new Cruella de Vil movie: go absolutely off the rails while blaming your behaviour on the fact that your mother was run off a cliff by dalmations.
TAURUS — Apr 20 –May 20
SCORPIO — Oct 23–Nov 21
Take a swift but thorough look over both shoulders before making your sixth (or 12th, or 905th) Etsy purchase this month. Everyone loves resorting to retail therapy, but not when the people you’ve spent every day with for the past 15 months are giving you the condescending “again?” stare.
Go to a Gemini’s place and ask if you can join them for some Chinese food. Just kidding! You can’t do that right now, but you can order food from the same place. What will your fortune say? “Alleviate stress over exams by ranting to your classmate, only to realize you’ve talked for two hours and your food is cold.”
GEMINI — May 21–Jun 20
SAGITTARIUS — Nov 22–Dec 21
While eating Chinese takeout on the couch, you will find a positive fortune that almost makes sense and you’ll pray it comes true. I have this inkling it’ll say something like: “School might be a little more bearable this semester. Like, I wouldn’t get my hopes up, but it could be marginally better, you know?”
Join a dating app and find someone who might be nice to talk to in person after this eon-long pandemic is over. The both of you might initially meet up starving for human connection, but won’t speak because you’ve forgotten how.
CANCER — Jun 21–Jul 22
CAPRICORN — Dec 22–Jan 19
One word: Indulge . . . because you don’t very often. Rewatch the first season of Bridgerton in your PJs on Wednesday night after finishing the six 1000-word long Canvas discussion posts that needed to be done.
You’ve always had it in you to do what every university student has dreamt of: express your frustration by blasting Christina Aguilera’s “Hurt” and sing right along at school. Since we’re at home nowadays, keep your camera and microphone on when you sing so that you can share the experience with classmates.
LEO — Jul 23–Aug 22
AQUARIUS — Jan 20 –Feb 18
Put your affectionate side on full display! Sometime during this seven-day period, ask for a hug from a person in your COVID-19 circle. If they agree to it, don’t release them until four minutes has passed. Once you’ve let them go, look into their eyes, then walk away.
Pull out Monopoly and combat boredom with Rich Uncle Pennybags. Take advantage of the opportunity to be ruthlessly capitalistic by buying up every revenue property this board game has to offer. Making investments with fake money and plastic commercial buildings never felt better. Playing will also momentarily make you forget that you’re a broke student.
VIRGO — Aug 23–Sept 22
PISCES — Feb 19–Mar 20
Recreate the AQ with pillows to unleash your school spirit. Lie amongst them while wearing an SFU hoodie, then imagine yourself strolling aimlessly around. Once you’ve accidentally passed Mackenzie Café twice like you usually would, sit back up and reminisce about the good old days when campus halls were crammed with people.
We know you’d never admit it, but you like Starbucks just as much as everyone else. Take an old Starbucks cup and purposely spell your name on it incorrectly. Heck, give yourself a completely different name, like Steve or Darlene. It may be basic, but the cup will give you some sense of guiltypleasure comfort during this time.
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16 DIVERSIONS
Business Manager Yuri Zhou
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business@the-peak.ca
CROSSWORD Across 1. Earth's center 5. Thailand's neighbor 9. Ziti, e.g. 14. Related 15. She, in Lyon 16. Fainthearted 17. Completely absorbed 18. A Baldwin 19. Revise 20. Tinter 21. Plant anchors 23. Birthday number 24. Common contraction 26. Having rows 29. Desirable qualities 32. Plant beginnings 34. ____ Witherspoon of "Legally Blonde" 35. Removed clothing 39. Poetic twilight 40. Garfield's favorite dish 42. Court 43. Large-caliber weapons 45. Slants 47. Elevate 48. Pass, as time
SUDOKU
49. Globe 52. States 53. Sock part 54. At no time 57. Minnesota's neighbor 61. In reserve 64. Fabric fuzz 65. Adam's home 66. Publish 67. Whip 68. Classify 69. Hinder 70. Tavern drinks 71. Family chart Down 1. Birthday greeting 2. Approve 3. Mature 4. Logbook items 5. Gains knowledge 6. Distribute 7. Butter's rival 8. Faction 9. School group (abbr.) 10. Ambition 11. Smudge 12. Tint 13. Totaled
22. Severe 25. Outstanding 27. Perfectly 28. Double curve 29. Region 30. Fortuneteller 31. Transmitted 32. Entrap 33. Irritable 35. Avails oneself of 36. Barter 37. Many years 38. Medicinal portion 41. Foreigner 44. Great wrath 46. Least hard 48. Our planet's 49. Solemn 50. Sheriff's group 51. Robbery 52. Perceive 55. Jazz singer ____ Fitzgerald 56. Small bottle 58. Perfume 59. "Wish You ____ Here" 60. Starting bet 62. Payable now 63. Eternally, in verse