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SCOOTER SAGA
Photo by Alexis Persicke
Scooters are prevalent on campus, and so are the accidents involving them.
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L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le
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MOBILE MISHAPS
Scooter accidents on campus are increasing, but there’s currently no set policy BY JORJA ETHRIDGE AND KIERRA EVANS News Editor, Contributing Writer Like many other LSU students, senior Blaise Larry-Cox used to think electric scooters were an optimal form of transportation around campus. The orange SPIN scooters sparked his interest, and he purchased a personal scooter. His opinion changed when he crashed his scooter in January 2025. Larry-Cox is a digital marketing major. At the time of his accident, he worked for LSU Athletics as a videographer. He was on the way to his apartment from Tiger Stadium, travelling about 14 mph when the scooter’s back tire got caught on something on the sidewalk. He completely lost control, flying off his scooter and slamming his head on the concrete. He tried to catch himself with his hand, and he could tell his finger was broken before he even went to the doctor. “I didn’t notice how bad it was at first,” Larry-Cox said. “I just got up, and then, my sweater had a lot of blood on it from my head. I looked at my hand, and I could tell that my finger was very, very broken.” His roommate drove him to Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic. He had a concussion and injured his left hand. “Specifically my pinky. It absolutely shattered, like, every bone in it,” Larry-Cox said. His hand required surgery, stitches and a splint. He went to physical therapy for a month and a half, yet his pinky is still crooked today. This injury was detrimental considering he needs both hands to hold a camera. Larry-Cox thinks there should be more safety protocols and awareness of the dangers that come with riding scooters. Personally, he said he will never ride one again. The orange SPIN scooters first came to LSU’s campus in 2023 when the university partnered with SPIN for a micromobility research project. SPIN initially deployed 250 scooters. That project has ended, but the SPIN scooters remain on campus. The project also led to an increase in students owning personal scooters. LSU does not currently have a policy for operating scooters on campus, just some no-ride zones. With an increase in electric scooters comes an increase in accidents, LSU Police Department Sgt. Marlon Hawkins said. Dr. Paul Lee at the LSU Student Health Center said in late April that the center saw around 50 injuries related to scooter accidents in fall 2025 and 25 injuries in spring 2026. These numbers exceed the number of accident reports that the Reveille and Manship obtained from LSUPD.
For the 2025-2026 school year, there were only 17 accident reports related to electric scooters. Therefore, many scooter accidents go unreported. LSUPD provided a total of 59 accident reports from September 2022 until June 2026. Of those 59 accidents, 31 resulted in an injury. The most common types of reported accidents are collisions, including pedestrian-scooter collisions and car-scooter collisions. There were 12 reports that indicated the scooter rider hit something in the sidewalk or road, and 16 reports that did not indicate why the rider fell. Public records also reveal that on average, three to four scooter thefts happen per day on campus, according to an email LSUPD sent in September 2025. However, Michael Antoine, associate vice president of Campus Safety, Emergency Preparedness & Emergency Response, confirmed in April that his department has completed a policy for micro transportation devices on campus. He said the policy was under final review by university administration and expected to be implemented this fall, if everything is approved. Student Body President Barousse said in mid-August that he recently met with Antoine, who again confirmed that the policy is under final review and expected to be implemented this fall. The policy should improve pedestrian safety while still supporting micro transportation devices, Barousse explained. He added that the policy includes elements like device registration, designated dismount zones, a speed limit of 5 mph on sidewalks and an “enforcement framework with citations for repeated violations.” He ensured that there will be a universitywide communication plan before enforcement begins. Through public records requests, the Reveille obtained a draft of a micro transportation policy from January 2025 that reflects Barousse’s description of the policy. In addition to the key elements Barousse named, this draft said scooter users should adhere to traffic laws. Whether or not scooters should adhere to traffic laws and ride on sidewalks is a current part of the confusion and miscommunication surrounding scooters. In April, Sgt. Hawkins said LSUPD follows Louisiana laws for scooter regulations. He added that bicycles and scooters are both classified as vehicles and should follow the rules of the road, including not riding on sidewalks and adhering to stop signs. However, Louisiana law allows scooters on sidewalks, and LSU also does not ban them there. An LSUPD article says scooters are, in fact, allowed on sidewalks.
B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803
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Editor-in-Chief LAURA ALLEN Managing Editor GARRETT MCENTEE Digital Editor SAMANTHA SUNDBERG News Editor JORJA ETHRIDGE Deputy News Editor MADELYN LONG Sports Editor ALEX SHEESLEY Deputy Sports Editor RAMI BURKS ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
Electric scooters sit Aug. 25, outside Allen Hall in Baton Rouge, La. Additionally, some SPIN scooters on campus have stickers at the base that read “no riding on sidewalks,” but the majority of them do not. The policy that’s under review addresses sidewalks. Hawkins said there are currently no set rules specific to LSU other than not bringing them in buildings because of their potential to catch fire. Hawkins also said LSUPD is able to cite people breaking traffic laws on scooters, and riders should yield to pedestrians just as they would in a car. LSU Assistant Athletic Trainer Mandy Miller expressed her concerns with scooters as someone who works with student-athletes. “I don’t know how many times I’m in my car, or I’m walking in the street and there’s a scooter coming right at me in the wrong lane because they’re going around the bus, or they’re going around the gates,” Miller said. “They go where they want when they want, and it’s unsafe for everyone, to be honest.” Before she was an assistant athletic trainer, Miller was a trainer solely for the volleyball team. She said LSU volleyball players are banned from riding scooters. She explained that the coach banned them because the volleyball facilities are close by, but she also thought scooters were dangerous. Miller spoke to Manship in February 2025 and to the Reveille this past March. When she was still a volleyball trainer in 2025, she was relieved her volleyball players were not allowed to ride scooters. In the short time that she has been an assistant athletic trainer, Miller said she has witnessed multiple student-athletes suffer injuries from electric scooters. Still, scooters remain a popular form of transportation among studentathletes, despite the increase in accidents. Miller thinks LSU should require scooter users to wear helmets, and according to Louisiana law, motor scooter operators under the age of 18 must wear a helmet. Bruno Lopes, SPIN’s director of
partnerships and policy, said SPIN does free helmet giveaways at the request of universities or students themselves. Lopes said nobody from LSU has requested a helmet. Lopes also said SPIN restricted the top speed of its scooters on LSU’s campus to 12 mph. However, students who use SPIN scooters said the top speed is 15 mph. Parking & Transportation helped create the no-ride zones on campus such as the Quad; although, there is currently nothing keeping students from riding scooters in these no-ride zones. There are signs at every entrance of the Quad that say “walk bicycles through Quad,” but there are no signs for scooters. Broty Stelly, Parking and Transportation communications specialist, said Parking & Transportation helped establish these zones when the SPIN scooters arrived on campus. Other than that, Parking & Transportation does not get involved in scooter issues that are not directly related to parking. Stelly said his department receives complaints about students flying through no-ride zones on scooters, but it forwards those complaints to LSUPD. LSU freshman Josiah Mire is another student who suffered a scooter injury and said he will never ride a scooter again. He was riding a SPIN scooter on campus down Tower Drive when he hit a crack in the road, causing him to fall off the scooter. He broke his dominant wrist and was in a cast for six weeks. Mire is a music education major who plays percussion instruments, and he was unable to play music while casted. His accident happened in September 2025. He said he regularly used SPIN scooters before the accident. The injury completely changed his opinion of scooters, and he canceled his account with SPIN. “Originally, I planned to buy my own electric scooter so I didn’t have to pay to rent them out, but
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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu.
ABOUT THE REVEILLE The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.
NEWS RULING REVERSED
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Appellate court rules in favor of former Reveille editor in public records case
BY LAURA ALLEN Editor-in-Chief The Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a decision in a case filed by a former Reveille editor-in-chief against LSU, ruling that LSU must release internal investigation records about a former administrator accused of catfishing students. Josh Archote, former Reveille editor-in-chief, filed the case in 2023 after LSU refused to release records concerning an internal investigation into former assistant director of Greek Life, Donald Abels. Abels was under investigation for allegedly creating fake Snapchat profiles and posing as
a new fraternity recruit to catch pledges for underage drinking violations. In a statement, LSU spokeswoman Meg Sunstrom said that LSU is “currently evaluating the opinion to make a decision about whether to appeal” as of Friday. LSU has just under 30 days to appeal the decision. Archote began looking into the case in late 2022 after reading an article by the student newspaper at Sewanee: The University of the South, The Sewanee Purple, that raised concerns over Abels’ recent hire to the university given LSU’s previous investigation. The investigation began in 2019 with LSU Police, who con-
cluded that Abels had been creating fake Snapchat profiles to catfish and entrap fraternity pledges. LSUPD concluded that Abels had not broken any criminal laws, so it referred the case to LSU for an internal investigation. “I wanted to follow up on how LSU handled that situation, since it was referred to them for an investigation, but we hit a wall with them whenever we requested the records,” Archote said. LSU denied Archote’s request for the records of the investigation. Working with lawyers from the Tulane Law Clinic, Archote sued the university for release of the records in January 2023, but a Baton Rouge judge ruled against
him based on a precedent set by McMakin v. LSU, a 2021 case argued over the same documents that gave LSU the right to deny public records requests over privacy concerns. The court ruled that Abels’ interest in privacy outweighed the public’s interest in the request. Archote appealed, and the appellate court reversed the 2024 decision on Aug. 20, ruling that LSU has to release the records of the investigation. The ruling reads, “we have determined that the Records Custodian [LSU president] failed to prove Mr. Abels had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the information regarding the internal
investigation of his alleged catfishing of LSU fraternity members.” The ruling goes on to state that simply classifying employee personnel files as confidential does not prove a reasonable expectation of privacy, and it points out that if such were the case, “a public body could shield any public document regarding an employee from public disclosure by merely filing it away in his personnel file.” If the appellate ruling stands, it will set a precedent that bars LSU from arguing for an expectation of privacy to deny public records requests simply because a document is filed away as personnel files.
ACADEMICS
As AI advances, students face inconsistencies with policies BY JORJA ETHRIDGE & MADELYN LONG News Editor and Deputy News Editor As LSU faculty and staff try to stay updated and control the use of ever-changing AI technology, students are encountering differing Artificial Intelligence policies in their classes. Professors across academic disciplines have built their own guidelines for how and when students can use AI in their courses. Some STEM professors believe that AI is a useful tool. Keith Mills is an assistant professor of computer science who allows students to use AI in his computer science and data analytics course. From creating visually aesthetic statistical models to coding industry-specific models, Mills lets his students use AI in the creation process of their coursework. However, Mills asks students to review the generated materials and add their own thoughts into the projects. “You as a human will have to go in and on top of the AI, edit it and make it look nice,” Mills said. “AI can make a competent math plot, but to make something that really stands out, there’s a human touch that is required for that.” Students also have the opportunity to utilize AI studying resources, like tools offered by Macmillan Learning, to break down coursework and create practice questions for exams. Mills likes to use the questions as inspiration for his own exams. However, Mills implemented paper and pencil tests into his class to avoid the use of AI cheating on exams. Mills supports using AI to develop further understanding of a topic, but students
must be able to back up their work. “You still need to own your work in that respect, so to speak,” Mills said. “You still need to show that what you are handing in is a product of your own understanding of course materials and your application of knowledge.” Other professors from different disciplines, like mass communication, disagree with the use of AI to help create content. Roxanne Dill, professor and journalism area head, said that she does not bother to keep up with AI, but she appreciates the university’s efforts to bring everyone up to speed. She teaches media writing, which is one of the first classes mass communication students take. Dill said she told her students in class Monday that they cannot use AI for any writing at all. Dill understands how AI could be useful for journalists doing deep research, but never for writing or producing any content. Dill emphasized that the key to journalism is humans writing about humans. For the purpose of seeing what it would produce, Dill said she has given AI instructions for writing an inverted pyramid news story before. She said AI still did not understand exactly what she wanted, and she had to fix it. “So that same problem is going to happen if students try to use it,” Dill said. “They need to be masters first.” Dill said that in the journalism department, using AI to write is considered plagiarism. She said personally, if a student used AI to write she would give a 0 for the assignment. However, she would give the student the opportunity
to never use AI again. “It’s honestly not fair to them if they don’t understand how to create their own content because they’re going to have to face that. They won’t be successful in what they want to do,” Dill explained. “Then they just spent all this money at LSU but never really learned to do the thing they came to do.” Student Advocacy & Accountability manages academic integrity at LSU. Dill said she does not know what its policy for AI is; she has never had a student use AI before that she knows of. Something that helps in media writing classes, Dill explained, is that students do most of their writing in class with the professor. “We’ve been really diligent about watching everybody, so we don’t have to have those problems,” Dill said. Dill does not know how LSU would have a standard policy for AI use, considering there are so many different disciplines with possible uses for AI. This semester, LSU administration and staff from a variety of backgrounds have begun to assemble an AI council to counteract this issue. The council, led by Provost’s Fellow for Artificial Intelligence Emily Elliott, will be working to combat the everchanging challenges students and faculty face when utilizing AI in academic fields. Representatives from LSU’s faculty and staff senate, Student Government, libraries and graduate programs will be providing guidance to the department of Student Affairs as AI guidelines continue to develop. The council hopes to lead Louisiana’s higher education in-
stitutions in strengthening security, preserving ethics and supporting learning with the use of AI, according to Elliott. As a psychology professor, Elliot sees the benefit students receive when using AI to understand difficult concepts in her class. Asking AI platforms to explain topics or create study tools can be a great use of AI, but Elliot explained that students can often get carried away with AI’s possibilities. “If you’re leaning on the AI tools so much that you’re not developing your own base level of understanding, you’re really not going to do well in the exams,” Elliot said. “So I approach it in a way of saying it is a tool to help you. It is not a substitute for your own knowledge.” With professors from various academic departments having differing views on the use of AI in their classrooms, Elliot sug-
gests students always communicate with their professors if they have questions about AI expectations. Ultizing professor office hours, emailing questions or reviewing AI policies in each professor’s syllabus helps students avoid any misunderstandings, she said. LSU faculty and staff have also put together a free AI literacy course for students and the LSU community to access. Elliot suggests students go through this course to learn how to ethically and effectively use AI as a tool while protecting their online identity and security. “AI in some shape or form is here to stay,” Mills said in agreement. “In the same way that a lot of tools, when you develop them, are here to stay.” Students and community members with AI concerns or questions can contact LSU faculty at lsu-ai@lsu.edu.
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
The Division of Student Affairs sits Aug. 26 at the LSU Student Union.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
page 4 SAFETY
LSUPD is offering women’s self-defense classes BY MADDY SNYDER Staff Writer The LSU Police Department is offering free women’s self-defense classes this semester at the University Recreation Center for students, faculty and staff to feel safer on campus. Whether it’s a night out with friends or a walk home from an evening class, safety concerns for women exist. It is important for women to know how to recognize potentially dangerous situations, said LSUPD Sgt. Marlon Hawkins. LSUPD officers certified in selfdefense training teach the Equalizer Women’s Self-Defense classes, which are designed to educate women how to recognize, survive and escape a potentially violent situation. Hawkins oversees the women’s equalizer program and believes selfdefense training could save students’ lives if they ever face a violent situation. “There’s no harm in knowledge,” Hawkins said. “It’s better to have this training and never actually have to use it than to have to use it, and you don’t even know anything about it.” Hawkins was previously a detective at LSUPD for four years before stepping into his current community outreach and security leadership position. During that time, he taught self-defense classes and was
an equalizer instructor for three and a half years. Based on his years of experience in the field, he believes that the Equalizer classes are the best way to prepare women for real-life scenarios where they may need to defend themselves. “It’s not to put you in a state of paranoia, but to make you prepared,” Hawkins said. “You never know when you’ll need what it is that we teach in this course. Education is the best teacher, and training is the best replacement for experience.” The first session is on Monday and will feature a situational awareness presentation followed by basic self-defense techniques. Students will learn defense stances, how to throw and block strikes and how to defend against hair and wrist grabs. The other three sessions focus on teaching women how to respond in real-world scenarios by practicing situations they may encounter. According to Hawkins, many students do not attend the last three sessions because they feel it is unnecessary and too aggressive. This has proven a major problem for the program because the class is limited to a certain number of students that sign up beforehand. Those who don’t come to the final sessions don’t get the full training and waste valuable spots that could go to others.
“[Attendance] is something that we’ve been battling. We don’t want to make it to where they have to pay so that they come … but we see poor attendance a lot,” Hawkins explained. “Don’t sign up and not come.” Hawkins is hopeful that won’t be the case this year because spots are filling up quickly. The first two classes are already full of students eager to learn. Callie Scheffler, a freshman business major, said she was thrilled to see that LSU offers free self-defense classes. She appreciates that the university gives students the opportunity to learn skills that could be useful in a time of danger. “I think it’s really important to feel confident and prepared when it
comes to personal safety,” Scheffler said. “That’s why I was so excited when I saw the post and immediately knew I wanted to attend.” Hawkins is considering adding sessions in September to give more students an opportunity to attend. Any updates will be posted on social media and on the LSUPD website. He believes these classes are important to women’s safety and encourages students to register as soon as possible before spots fill up. “We have a part to play as it relates to our security, so I think this is an important step — taking [your safety] into your own hands and not making yourself more vulnerable to be victimized in any situation,” Hawkins said.
MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille
An LSUPD car sits parked on April 5, 2022, outside of the LSUPD building near Tiger Stadium.
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SCOOTER, from page 2 there’s no chance of that ever happening now,” Mire said. He added that renting SPIN scooters can be pricey. Mire said he spent around $150 on SPIN scooters in the span of one month. Mire thinks the roads and sidewalks on LSU’s campus contribute to the safety hazard with scooters. Roads have potholes and sidewalks are filled with cracks. Many universities in the country have placed restrictions on electric scooter use on campus. Some have completely banned electric scooters, including Tulane University, Boston College, Fresno State and Notre Dame. While LSU does not have any intentions of banning electric scooters, the university is working on implementing an enforceable policy. But for some students, a policy would not change their opinion on scooters. “I think if anyone ever asked me about riding one, I would tell them to never touch it with a 10foot pole,” Mire said. Editor’s note: Additional reporting done by former Manship students Rumor Rouille, Anna Puleo, Erin Delahunty and Justin Babin Jr., who requested LSUPD accident reports from August 2022 to June 2025.
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ENTERTAINMENT LSU Hilltop Arboretum emphasizes protection of the Atchafalaya Basin PUZZLES
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ENVIRONMENT
BY PAIGE CHERAMIE Staff Writer
As part of the LSU Hilltop Arboretum Discover Nature Program on Tuesday, Captain Dean Wilson, the executive director of Atchafalaya Basinkeeper, conducted a presentation on the Atchafalaya Basin’s relation to flood risks and the future of the river swamp. The Atchafalaya Basin begins near Simmesport and ends in Morgan City, both towns in Louisiana, following the Atchafalaya River. The basin sits between Baton Rouge and Lafayette. It is the last great river swamp in North America, spanning roughly 1.4 million acres. The basin plays an important role in Louisiana’s ecosystem, specifically because of its flood capacity. Water coming down from the Mississippi River makes its way to the basin, preventing flooding in cities and towns scattered around it. However, decades of human interference and environmental changes are pushing the limits of the basin. One direct human interference in the basin is the creation of canals for the laying of oil pipes and commercial use. “With those canals, they don’t bury the pipe. They just put the dirt on the side,” Wilson said. “So, you have a channel, and you put the dirt on the side — that’s called a spoil bank.” These artificial waterways have disrupted the basin’s natural water flow in a multitude of areas. This causes water to get trapped in some areas while drying out others. Overall, it contributes to the buildup of sedimentation, another major issue the basin is facing. Because the Atchafalaya Basin receives water from the Mississippi River, it also receives the sediment that has made its way down to Louisiana as well. Although sediment building up in southern Louisiana sounds like a positive occurrence, the opposite is proving
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THE Daily Commuter Puzzle by Stella Zawistowski
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
Executive Director and basinkeeper Dean Wilson speaks Aug. 25, at the LSU Hilltop Arboretum in Baton Rouge, La. to be true due to the composition of the sediment. One sediment that is becoming particularly problematic is sand. Clay and silt are very fine sediments, while sand, in comparison, is quite heavy. This means that once the sand settles in the basin, the current is often unable to pick it up again to move it farther south towards the coast. This leads to buildup along the bed of the basin, taking away critical space for water to flow in the event of flooding. “The basin today — it’s way worse,” Wilson said. “We have no clue how much flood capacity we have left today.” With the basin losing the capacity to hold flood water, there is growing concern for where the water will go instead. Although Louisiana has levee infrastructure, it is becoming unknown if the levees are enough to prevent catastrophic water damage in the event of a major flood. “The Mississippi River will become higher,” Wilson said. “The levees right now — they are inefficient. In many places, they are not high enough … In 2011, the wa-
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
Executive Director and basinkeeper Dean Wilson speaks Aug. 25, at the LSU Hilltop Arboretum in Baton Rouge, La.
ter was going over the spillway — four inches from the spillway — so that’s not high enough anymore.” One way the basinkeepers are attempting to address sedimentation issues are sediment traps, which are designed to collect sediment so that it can be moved down the river incrementally, eventually making its way to the coast to rebuild land lost to the Gulf. These efforts are being troubleshot, as sand sometimes covers the traps, causing them to get lost in the basin. “Within weeks — not months, weeks – the sediment traps got completely filled with sand,” Wilson said. “They were completely overwhelmed by the sand.” To restore the basin, it will take a large effort from those involved. The Atchafalaya Basinkeeper organization hopes to work alongside government agencies and private companies to come up with solutions that benefit everyone. “That’s one of the problems that we are solving right now: to make sure we all work together,” Wilson said. Wilson made it clear that the basin needs more voices for its protection. They are looking for volunteers who are willing to fight for the protection of the basin, not just for human protection against flooding, but for the hundreds of animal species that call it home. For audience member and LSU alumnus Seth Latiolais, this presentation allowed him to learn about the basin and educate others to help get everyone involved in protecting it. “We have a beautiful state,” Latiolais said. “The waterways are what make Louisiana ‘Louisiana.’ Unless we protect those in the long term, then we could see those disappearing in our lifetime. So, it’s important that people are aware that there are people out there who want to see it survive and thrive.”
ACROSS 1 Role in a movie 5 Crow’s sounds 9 Trite 14 Potato, in South Asian cuisine 15 Federal workplace regulator: Abbr. 16 Author Diamant 17 Eucharistic sacrament 19 Male goat 20 Golf peg 21 School support group: Abbr. 22 Quick haircut 24 Saxophonist Getz 25 In the future 27 Water depth unit 30 Archipelago parts 32 Land measurement 33 Quechua speaker 37 Steal from 39 “Bearded” bloom 40 “Nifty!” 41 Discount event 42 Bone at a BBQ 43 Old Mexican empire 44 Not prerecorded 45 __ with (saw to) 48 Shoelace hole 50 Direct a car 52 Stepped (on) 53 “Look what I did!” 54 Large pig 55 Smartphone program 58 Quick 61 Book with synonyms 64 Fully informed 65 Lack of difficulty 66 Tennis match parts 67 Actor O’Toole 68 Pigments 69 __ Orange, NJ DOWN 1 Treaty 2 Natural soother 3 Trevi Fountain city
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4 Actor Cruise 5 Tainted 6 Chinese or Japanese, e.g. 7 “__ says so?” 8 __ Claus 9 Infants 10 Zoo resident 11 Zero in soccer 12 Georgia airport: Abbr. 13 __ it on the line 18 Until: 2 wds. 23 Big-horned creatures 24 Mares and does 26 Throw off track 27 Decent, but not great 28 Harsh and irritating 29 “Survivor” teams 31 Figure out 34 Pince-__ glasses 35 “The __ in the Hat” 36 Ingested 38 Red root veggie 41 Toboggan, e.g.
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46 Garments 47 One with followers 49 Exercise with poses 51 Assigned a value to 52 “One of __ days...”
8/27/26
55 Square footage 56 Lays (down) 57 “Hey! Over here!” 58 Hip-hop song 59 Amazement 60 Gentle touch 62 Horse’s fodder 63 Put to good __
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Thursday, August 27, 2026
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Tom Brewler preaches to the crowd.
Students await first day of class pictures.
Photos by Tucker Manning Design by Emily Boudreaux
LSU political science junior Cecilia Richardson and political science senior Trinity Harris hold up a sign.
Students in intense chess match.
VOICES OF THE ALLEY
Students play games at RUF table.
Students in Free Speech Alley during LSU’s first week of school on Aug. 25-26.
Students walk in a crowded Free Speech Alley.
Elder Gibson and LSU construction management freshman Christian Joseph Saldana hold tally. Briana Reed smiles at customer.
Chalk mural on display.
LSU chemistry senior Autumn Herrick and LSU communication disorders junior Ava Grace Frugé stand together.
LSU communication disorder freshman and LSU finance junior Jacari walker look at table.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
page 8 STUDENT LIFE
CAMPUS LIFE
Want to get involved? Here’s what A sophomore’s guide to is happening on campus this week school year must-haves BY CHARLOTTE TRENTALANGE Staff Writer
BY LILY CENTOLA Staff Writer
With over 40,000 undergraduate students, LSU can feel overwhelming at times. While your new roommates or old classmates can be great friends, it’s important to find a space on campus where you can pursue your own interests and thrive with like-minded people. Luckily, a new semester means new opportunities to do just that. This week and beyond, there’s no shortage of events, socials and ways to get involved. Here are daily activities and clubs hosting back-to-school events to get out of your dorm room or apartment and get active within campus. Thursday, Aug. 27 Engineering Tiger Connections The Society of Women Engineers is hosting a connections event Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in Patrick F. Taylor Hall’s Cambre Atrium. Learn about their executive board and possible membership opportunities. For more information, visit the Society of Women Engineers on TigerLink. Friday, Aug. 28 Christ the King Block Party Celebrate finishing the first week of classes at Christ the King with their annual Block Party. Starting at 5:30 p.m. enjoy live music, dancing, food, snowballs and face painting. Attendance is open to all students and families. Additional information is available on Christ the King Church’s website. LSU vs. Wake Forest volleyball game Whether you’re a sports fan or want to enjoy a fun activity before football games take over your Saturdays, stop by the volleyball game against Wake Forest at 6 p.m. at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Saturday, Aug. 29 LSU vs. Incarnate Word volleyball game If you were busy Friday
With dorms full of this year’s freshmen class, dining halls bursting with energy and classrooms packed with students, campus is once again lively as this school year begins. Now that we are back, it is important to remember what to have on hand for a school year in Louisiana. Staying dry If there is one thing new students discovered during this first week of school, it is that Louisiana rain can come out of nowhere. It is important to keep an umbrella on you at all times so you can be prepared for those sudden storms. Though an umbrella can help with the rain above you, Baton Rouge streets often flood, so a pair of rain boots also would not be a bad idea to throw on during a stormy day on your way to class. One thing about Baton Rouge is that it is not only hot, but also incredibly humid — sometimes it can even feel like you’re swimming in the air. Blotting sheets can be very helpful in keeping your face dry between classes. School supplies For most classes, blue books are needed for test days so it would be a good idea to buy a pack of blue books to have on hand for test days so you aren’t scrambling to find one the night before. Campus spots including the LSU Student Government office and the LSU Main Library also provide free blue books throughout the school year. Additionally, the on-campus Barnes & Noble is definitely your best friend during the first week of class. They have textbooks you could possibly need along with writing utensils and notebooks.
ERIN BARKER / The Reveille
Members of LSU Asian Student Union and Namaste LSU paint lanterns to celebrate Diwali on Oct. 21, on the Parade Ground on LSU’s campus. night, don’t worry! The volleyball team plays again against the Incarnate Word Cardinals at 6 p.m. at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
SAM BECKER / The Reveille
The Christ The King building sits April 28 on LSU Campus.
LUKE RAY / The Reveille
Competitor Jojo answers questions about herself posed by judges Kimmy, Syd and Leia during the Performative Masc Lesbian Competition Sept. 25, outside City Pork on the LSU campus.
Monday, Aug. 31 Bike to French Truck Coffee Sign up for a Monday morning bike ride to French Truck Coffee with the LSU University Recreation. The group departs at 7:30 a.m. and rides with two experienced trip leaders. The UREC provides helmets and bikes. Though the biking trip is free to LSU students, pre-registration is required due to limited capacity. For more information, visit the UREC website. Tuesday, Sept. 1 Hot Takes Night Learn about EmpowerHer Health club while debating the hot takes of club members. According to their instagram, EmpowerHer Health is a “club dedicated to educating women on their bodies as well as helping women in underserved communities.” Additional information can be found on the club’s TigerLink. Wednesday Sept. 2 Jackbox game night Join Spectrum for a game night at 5 p.m. in the Student Union’s Red River Room. Learn about the club and get to know fellow LGBTQ+ students and allies. For additional information, visit the club’s Instagram. Volunteer LSU First Art Reception For those who enjoy helping the LSU community through volunteer work, VolunteerLSU provides endless opportunities throughout the semester to do just that. This volunteer opportunity is designed for students to help set up the first Wednesday Opening Reception at the Baton Rouge Gallery. Sign up through their TigerLink. Whether you’re a die-hard sports fan or excited to connect with students through clubs that interest you, LSU’s organizations have got you covered. If nothing on this list grabs your attention, be sure to check out TigerLink or browse LSU’s events calendar for more opportunities.
Wardrobe Since Baton Rouge tends to get hot during the day, it is important to wear an outfit that is breathable so you don’t melt on your way to class. I’d recommend simple shorts and a tank top; you can’t go wrong with this formula, and it can be very fun to mix and match. Football season is right around the corner, and if there is anything an LSU student loves, it is a game day outfit. It might be 100 degrees outside, but people still show up and show out in purple and gold. Now would be a great time to start planning what you are going to wear to game days. Apps like NULY and Rent the Runway can be helpful if you want to rent an outfit that you think you will only wear once for gameday. There are also lots of local closet accounts on Instagram where users sell or rent out clothes. Technology During the first week of classes, you don’t want to be stranded without Google maps to guide you. Phone and computer chargers can be helpful whether you forgot to plug in your personal devices the night before or you simply have a long day ahead of you. You could even gain some clout by lending one to a new friend in class. One thing that is a game changer for your walk to class are headphones. Nothing gets your day started better than your favorite tunes, and you can use them if you have to kill some time between classes. As the semester continues, students of all kinds will begin figuring out what they need to get through the school day. With these essentials, any LSU student should have a solid foundation to start off their semester strong.
LUKE RAY / The Reveille
Students sit in the LSU Student Union eating, studying and spending time with friends on Jan. 14.
SPORTS SEC SAYS NO TO PROS
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Following Big Ten, SEC bans ex-NFL, NBA, WNBA athletes from returning to college athletics
BY ALEX SHEESLEY Sports Editor The SEC has become the latest conference to make a stand against former professionals taking part in college athletics. The conference announced on Tuesday that it is placing a ban on players who have played in North American professional basketball and football leagues following meetings with the conference’s presidents, chancellors and athletics directors. The rule prohibits players who have declared for the draft in, signed a contract with or have been on a roster for a team in any professional football league, the WNBA, the NBA or the NBA G League from being on a SEC school’s roster. The rule also gives SEC commissioner Greg Sankey the power to punish schools in violation as he sees fit. “The commissioner is authorized to enforce this expectation with penalties against member institutions,” says the SEC’s statement on social media explaining the rule. The SEC follows the Big Ten Conference’s lead in this action.
LUKE RAY / The Reveille
SEC team flags fly above the outfield bleachers during LSU’s 7-2 win against Texas A&M on March 16, at Tiger Park. The Big Ten banned former NFL players from its teams earlier in the day on Tuesday, but its rule does not bar players from the ranks of North American pro basketball. The non-power Sun Belt Conference also announced plans to enforce similar rules. These bans come after a flur-
ry of developments surrounding ex-professional eligibility in the month of August. Earlier in the month, a lawsuit granted several players who declared for the NFL Draft and were subsequently drafted into the league the eligibility to return to college for a final year.
The decision was made in the wake of the NCAA’s new “5-for5” rule, operating with the logic that the rule was not enacted by the deadline to declare for the draft, and thus the players impacted never had a chance to consider returning to college. LSU football was qick to react,
making plans to sign former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright after being waived by the Cleveland Browns. They also had plans lined up to get former Rebel Zxavian Harris, who was released by the New Orleans Saints. “At the end of the day, because of these rulings, they’re either going to play for you or they’re going to play somewhere else around the country,” LSU head coach Lane Kiffin said. “We made the decision to recruit them. Now, neither of them will get an opportunity to play in college football’s top two conferences, lest they play for a program that will undoubtedly find itself made an example of. The new rule also impacts LSU men’s basketball. Former St. John’s forward and LSU commit R.J. Luis was granted a preliminary injunction to play with the Tigers next season after declaring for the NBA draft and signing a contract with an NBA organization. The SEC’s memo effectively squashes LSU’s hopes of landing the would’ve been impact player for its still undermanned roster.
BASKETBALL
Women’s basketball looks to rebound after disappointing season BY ADAM KIRSCHMAN Staff Writer Despite being away from the court, Kim Mulkey and LSU women’s basketball left their mark on the sport this summer. Through key additions, controversial departures and schedule changes, the Bayou Bengals have been in the spotlight all offseason. After a disappointing Sweet 16 exit last season, Mulkey and company have worked hard to replace veteran stars like Flau’jae Johnson, Aneesah Morrow and Amiya Joyner. Mulkey now looks to bounce back from her worst finish since her first year at LSU with a new cast of impressive freshmen and transfer stars. Offseason additions With starting positions virtually locked up for senior guard Mikaylah Williams and junior guard MiLaysia Fulwiley, there’s been plenty of speculation about who else will be a part of the LSU starting five. The biggest name brought in this offseason was star transfer Jada Williams, who averaged 15.3 points and 7.8 assists while helping lead Iowa State to an NCAA tournament appearance. Williams was one of the NCAA’s
best playmakers last season, leading the big twelve in assists and finishing third in the nation. Williams should create an extremely strong backcourt alongside Fulwiley next season, with both guards likely becoming the conductors of the LSU offense. “Jada is a veteran point guard who is more than ready to run the show here in Baton Rouge,” Mulkey said. “She has the ability to create opportunities for teammates but also score at all three levels. Jada plays with an infectious energy that Tiger fans will love.” Williams was not the only impressive guard added to this year’s roster. Mulkey picked up two more guards through the transfer portal: senior Laila Reynolds and junior Chloe Larry. Reynolds is a veteran SEC guard looking to finish off her collegiate career somewhere more competitive after spending last season with a poor Florida team. Reynolds was with the Gators for the past three seasons, and in 98 games played she’s started all but one. Along with great availability, Reynolds put up impressive stats, averaging 12.1 points per game last year. Reynolds should provide
great depth to the backcourt and veteran guidance for this younger Tiger roster. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to coach Laila,” Mulkey said. “Our goals for next season align, making it the perfect fit. Her skill set paired with three years of SEC experience will be a huge asset to our team.” Larry is another solid guard who will also add scoring help to the backcourt. Larry is homegrown talent from Bossier City, Louisiana, and has experience playing with Mikaylah Williams in high school. LSU hopes that these two can build on that connection this season as Larry finds her footing back in her home state. Mulkey placed a major emphasis on stocking up her roster with impressive freshmen recruits as well. Some notable names were Lola Lampley, Noa Morro and Anna Minaeva. Lampley was an All-American in her senior year of high school in Indianapolis. She achieved this title after a 1,000-point high school career, propelling her into the top-30 of all major recruit rankings. The five-star wing now looks to provide a young spark while getting adjusted to SEC competition.
Morro and Minaeva are international prospects Mulkey has shown a lot of excitement to work with. Morro is a versatile forward from Spain who Mulkey scouted through her connections with Valencia Basket, the same program that produced Mulkey’s former player Lauren Cox.
Morro averaged 8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on 36.5% three-point shooting for Kutxabank Araski, showing her offensive versatility as a forward. Morro provides a unique skill set that Mulkey will be excited to develop this season.
see BASKETBALL, page 10
HINESLEY BRYANT / The Reveille
LSU women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey looks down the court during their 148-46 win against Mississippi College on Oct. 23 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
page 10 VOLLEYBALL
Volleyball is going into season with strong roster BY MARISSA REISS Staff Writer LSU volleyball is set to have a major year ahead of itself as the program gets back into full swing for the 2026 season. It’s been a long, hardworking offseason with the blend of 15 returners, one transfer and four incoming freshmen to set the new standard for the team. The new freshman class is a promising addition for the future of the team. Defensive specialists Kiley Brooks and Katie Raymer, along with middle blockers Hannah Lee and Djay Seaward, look to get numbers on the scoreboard this year. The transfers will have just as big of an impact as well. Senior setter Martina Villani will join the roster. She spent the past two seasons at Akron, after beginning her collegiate career at Monroe College in 2023. As for the returning players on head coach Tonya Johnson’s roster, there’s no doubt she has her expectations set with a combative team. One of those key returners is a name expected to be seen across national volleyball coverage all season: Jurnee Robinson. The senior outside hitter is arguably Johnson’s most crucial retention on the roster. In her junior year, Robinson was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Player of the Year Watchlist as a midseason addition to the list. In her senior year, Robinson was also named to the 2026 Pre-
season All-SEC Team for the third consecutive year. Last season, Robinson started in all 27 matches, playing in 104 sets and setting numerous LSU records. During her junior campaign, she led the team with 503 kills and 267 digs. Overall, Robinson totaled 555 points across all matches, ranking fifth in program history for points in a single season. Alongside Robinson on the attack, right side Tireh Smith and opposite hitter Camryn Jeffery are two to look out for. Smith recorded 110 overall kills last season while Jeffery put up 43. Setters Lauren Brooker and Takyla Brown combined for a total of 271 digs as well. Johnson’s defense took some time to warm up last season, but looked as solid as ever at the end. The team is no stranger to assertive middle blockers and a rotation of liberos behind the net. Junior middle blocker Jessica Jones led the defensive statistics in 2026 and will look to continue those efforts. Jones recorded 100 blocks in 104 sets her sophomore year, averaging 1.03 blocks per set. Senior middle blocker Angelina Lee followed right behind with 78 total blocks. Defensive specialists Ella Hemmings, Aly Kirkhoff and Laurel Cassidy are also set to make an impressive return. Kirkhoff led the libero trio with 199 digs in the 2025 season, Cassidy following behind with 128 and Hem-
mings with 115. The most notable — and not as talked about — discussion topic about the program’s season is Johnson’s contract. Johnson’s five-year $240,000 original contract, signed in December 2021, will officially end on Dec. 31. There’s been no discussion surrounding an extension or what Johnson’s plans for the future are. Since Johnson’s return to her alma mater in 2021, her teams have recorded six AVCA All-Region selections and two winning seasons. Although 5557 in her tenure currently, the
program recorded the highest attendance numbers in history. Across matches in the 2024 season specifically, the total number of spectators came out to 29,109. With the talent Johnson has built on her roster and the additional coaching staff behind her to support their growth, it’s sure to be a fun season at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The Tigers will open their season on Friday to host the LSU Home Tournament, beginning with a matchup against Wake Forest at 6 p.m.
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
LSU volleyball junior setter Lauren Brooker (15), Sophomore middle blocker Jessica Jones (7), and junior outside hitter Jurnee Robinson (5) wait for the serve Aug 29 during their 2-3 loss to SMU at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Women’s soccer has had rough start. Here’s why BY DELANEY POTTHAST Staff Writer Two weeks into the 2026 season, LSU soccer finds itself with a losing record both on the road and at home. While a 1-3 start may sound like an alarming beginning to the year for a team that made program history in 2025, the Tigers have still managed to score a total of eight goals on the season. Part of the reason LSU hasn’t
reflected the play seen at the end of 2025 has a lot to do with the 15 new faces that appear across the roster. With 11of them being freshmen, it’s expected that the Tigers take the beginning of the season to find their rhythm ahead of SEC play. Ranked No. 16 ahead of its matchup against No. 18 Wake Forest, LSU started off strong in the first half of its season opener. Both teams tied with eight shots on goal but remained scoreless
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
The ball gets kicked Oct. 19 during the 1-1 tie against Kentucky at the LSU Soccer Stadium.
by the midway point of the game. The second half, however, revealed a similar foe that the Tigers faced just a year prior: late game offensive struggles. Two unanswered goals by the Deacons in the 68th and 87th minutes would hand the Tigers their first loss. Just four days later, LSU would snap back with a 5-0 win over Northwestern State in the team’s first home game. An excellent night on the pitch for returning sophomores Ryann Denecour and Sariyah Bailey added a combined three assists and one goal to the score sheet. Alongside them were goals by Ava Galligan, Allie Fryer, Linka Ono and Mia Conard, who showcased a dominant LSU offense that controlled much of the game in the opposing zone. The team looked to carry this energy into its next two home games against both UCF and FGCU, but would come up short against the neighboring competitors with a 2-1 and 2-3 loss, respectively. Against UCF, the Tigers struggled to get the ball rolling, with defense-heavy play and little offensive opportunities due to
struggles in LSU’s passing. The Knights found themselves ahead with a 2-0 lead by the 63rd minute, and while a goal by junior Ava Amsden cut the lead to one, LSU couldn’t find another opportunity to tie the game. When the Bayou Bengals took on the Eagles of FGCU, a different game plan led Galligan to score in her first minute on the pitch. Despite the strong start, LSU would let three FGCU goals go unanswered until freshman Alexia Hansen scored LSU’s second and last goal of the night just six minutes until the final whistle. Though the team came up behind its opponent once again, the Tigers have proven their ability battle against complacency by carrying effort late into every game. Whether the problem be fullgame stamina or the absence of synergy early on in the season, LSU has just four more games to put together consistently complete matches before it enters conference play. Next up, the Tigers make their way to the desert where they will take on Arizona State S on Thursday at 9 p.m.
BASKETBALL, from page 9 Minaeva has also been a big talking point of the roster after her recent decision to commit to LSU. The 6-foot-5 Russian center was heavily linked to Mulkey this offseason after an impressive start to her career with MBA Moscow. Minaeva is a low-post-big who has shown great paint scoring and rebounding ability. The 17-year-old averaged 11.2 points and 9.6 rebounds with MBA Moscow last season. “I’m thrilled to welcome Anna to our LSU family,” Mulkey said. “She has the experience, skill set and size to make an immediate impact in our frontcourt.” Key departures After the expected departures of Flau’jae Johnson, Aneesah Moorow and Amiya Joyner, LSU was hit with another starter loss when Jada Richard decided to enter the transfer portal. The junior guard was a key player who averaged 9.5 points per game last season. Richards made the move to Ole Miss, likely looking for more playing time and a larger role after the decisions to return by Mikaylah Williams and Fulwiley, along with the addition of Jada Williams. Kate Koval is another major loss for LSU. The Ukrainian junior decided to step away from the program for “personal reasons” on Monday, days after LSU brought in the Russian-born Minaeva. Koval and Minaeva would’ve become the first teammate partnership between a Ukrainian and Russian in NCAA women’s sports since the war had begun. Now, LSU is missing a key big whom most fans expected to see suit up for the Tigers this season. Mulkey will now have to find someone to make up for her rebounding and post defence. Other losses include Bella Hines and Divine Bourrage, two sophomores who provided solid bench help last season. Non-conference schedule LSU added some major competition to the 2026-27 nonconference schedule. It will now meet top programs like UConn, Villanova, NC State, and North Carolina. LSU vs. UConn will be the first time the Tigers and Huskies have faced each other in ten years, where Mulkey will hope to get a tough win against last year’s No. 3 team in the country. This matchup is also a historic one, as it matches the current two winningest coaches in women’s basketball against each other: Mulkey and Geno Auriemma. The Tigers will also face Villanova and NC State in backto-back days at the Fort Myers Tip-Off. These matchups will provide a great opportunity for LSU to get wins over some very solid teams early on in the season, with NC State coming off of a 21-11 season and Villanova after a season where it finished 25-8.
OPINION
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We’ll always love Dolly Parton for her kindness, philanthropy WARREN’S WAY JEANNE WARREN Columnist Dolly Parton’s philanthropic work will have an even longer lasting effect than her legendary music career. As college students walking our own paths in life, we all have something to learn from her example. “Money cannot buy class” is a phrase often thrown around in the South. While it may be overused, it still proves to be true time and time again. Money also cannot buy empathy, compassion or a genuine desire to help others. These qualities have to come from within. Parton is one phenomenal example of this aphorism. Her success is undeniable. Throughout her career, she sold more than 100 million records and wrote some of the catchiest and most recognizable songs in country music. With this success
came massive wealth, fame and influence. The magic of Parton, however, was what she chose to do with that influence. If given the opportunity and funding Parton had, many people would indulge in themselves: Lavish shopping trips, vacations and frivolous spending are all thoughts that might cross someone’s mind. Unlike many, however, Parton repeatedly used her money and platform to improve the lives of others instead of her own. The best example of this is Parton’s Imagination Library. This program provides free books to children, giving the less fortunate access to books they otherwise may not have had. What originally started as something in her own small community quickly became an international program that now distributes millions of books each month. Since its founding in 1995, the company has managed to donate over 287 million books. The impact of this gift will continue long after the children receiving
those books grow up; after all, the gift of education is forever. Children who have access to books may be more likely to develop skills that help them down the line. They may develop a love for reading, prompting them to become a better student and to pursue higher education; they are so much more likely to discover a passion for something because someone like Parton cared enough to make sure they had a book in their hands. Her impact, however, certainly extends beyond philanthropy. Dollywood, the theme park she co-owns in her home state of Tennessee, has become a major attraction and source of jobs for the surrounding community. Rather than distancing herself from where she came from after earning success, she invested back into the place that helped to shape her. Dollywood currently has over 1000 employees. That’s over 1000 job opportunities that have been created. Additionally, over $300
million in revenue is brought in annually to her home region of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Dollywood, as lavish as it has become, still represents another way Parton has used her success to create opportunities for others and to strengthen her community. Parton’s generosity was meaningful because she understood that money has more value when it is used to create opportunities for others. You can’t put a price tag on the impact you have on someone else’s life. Her philanthropy wasn’t just the aimless writing of checks to various charities; rather, it was about genuinely being an active community member and reflected the larger belief that success should not make someone blind to where they came from or those in need. This aspect of her legacy is particularly relevant to us as college students today. College is often presented as a time to focus on personal success, but ambition should not come at the expense of compassion.
Most college students do not have millions to donate or an international platform to use to promote important causes; however, we do have something just as important – connection to community. Embedded in her life like the rhinestones she wore were lessons we all can and should take to heart. It seems she was just as sparkly and glamorous on the inside as she appeared to be on the outside. Behind the glitz, the big blonde hair and larger-than-life persona was a woman whose greatest legacy had much less to do with what happens on a stage and much more to do with what happens in the heart. Her music made her famous, but her generosity made her unforgettable. Parton has shown us that success is not about what you can earn; it’s about what you can give. Jeanne Warren is a 20-year-old communications major from Baton Rouge.
Hating men centers them; performative misandry is misogyny JOHNSON’S JOURNAL LAUREN JOHNSON Columnist In a world systemically centered around men, pretending to dislike them only sets us further back as a society. We’ve entered an age in society where many women have popularized throwing around the phrase, “I hate men.” It’s disguised as a reaction to the political and physical pain men have inflicted upon women through the power of the patriarchy; in truth, however, it’s just another way to perpetuate that patriarchal dominance. After all, centering yourself around hating men is still centering yourself around men. It means nothing if you’re not putting in the work to misalign yourself from their gaze. The hatred of men is, more often than not, performative. It’s a product of following propaganda and what people have deemed to be “cool.” It’s not established in anything progressive, and it’s a movement that harms both women and men together. As per usual, unfortunately, women are the ones for whom this
is most dangerous. Some women preach that they hate toxic men and then, rather than decentering them, they continue to get with said men. They merely complain about it because it still fills the same character arc — one that wants to fit in with the crowd of justified women who are outraged by the patriarchy as a system; however, they often fall short of interpreting the movement in any substantial way. Instead, they cling to their toxic relationships with men while simultaneously feigning this societal hatred for them. For example, women who come online and speak about their hatred for men often do so because their boyfriend has committed some break-up worthy atrocity. When people in the comments call her out, the woman says that the public has no clue what her boyfriend or life is truly like, so they have no authority to give their opinions on the matter. Why did you share it on the internet, then? What reactions were you expecting to have? These women tend not to care about how these men are oppressing them. Whether aware of it or not, they are stuck in the mindset ingrained upon women by society that they need to orbit
EDITORIAL BOARD Laura Allen Garrett McEntee Jorja Ethridge
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor
Alex Sheesley
Sports Editor
Riley Sanders
Opinion Editor Entertainment Editor
Mia Vizzi
around men. It’s giving into these outdated beliefs for a woman to surround herself with men, regardless of whether she is talking down to those men or not. The slander is nothing but a cop-out for her to feel like she is still part of the “movement.” It’s not a woman’s fault when men behave badly, nor is it her fault that powerful men have created a system set to only uplift themselves. It’s never a woman’s fault for how a man treats her, but putting up with certain behaviors is often her choice. This is not to imply victimblaming or to blame women for remaining in these situations — sometimes the element of choice is not fully available; that said, such harmful behaviors should be taken to mind and heart as encouragement to seek better things for yourself despite the difficulty. To put up with it is a disservice to a woman and her sense of worth. To put up with it while going around artificially hating men at the same time is a disservice to women as a group — it’s giving men leeway to continue their harmful behavior and systemic degradation of women. Your life does not need to be rooted in the male gaze. Your life should be rooted in your own val-
ues, wants and needs. Acknowledging your desire to be partnered and appreciating your attraction toward men is far more productive than running a smear campaign on a loose concept of men. Of course, women should hold the men responsible for their afflictions accountable. That said, society should not act as though villainizing all men and calling it a day is anything progressive. Most of the time, the men who are genuinely affected by this hatred aren’t the proper audience at all. It is typically marginalized men, who are also victims of the patriarchal society, that suffer the effects of this hatred — not the men in power who impose real harm on women. People who act as though they hate men also tend to act as though all men are inherently evil, which is a damaging mindset to have. Dehumanizing men and behaving like they are natural-born monsters is counter-productive. Treating young boys as though they are fated to be villains is just a breeding ground for toxic masculinity; it once again normalizes the notion that this is how men behave in society while doing nothing to stop them from be-
Editorial Policies and Procedures The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.
having this way. Give young boys the emotional security, chance to grow and the support that they truly need instead of perpetuating a cycle of trauma that creates the villainous men we should hate. “Hating men” is not the solution. Performative misandry is just veiled misogyny. Don’t fight fire with fire, but don’t choose not to fight at all, either. Maybe, instead of perpetuating a system that works against women, try to decenter men. Love and celebrate women by cultivating strong female friendships, consuming more women-focused media, celebrating femaledominated careers or hobbies and creating safe spaces for women. Outrage toward the patriarchy is justified, so give it direction: Have a strong foundation within yourself, stand up against deep-rooted misogyny and be comfortable letting the concept of masculinity grow into something more than a weapon against womanhood. Society needs to progress past an oppressive male-centric gaze. We have to actively and intelligently work toward dismantling its power. Lauren Johnson is a 20-year-old journalism major from New Orleans.
Quote of the Week “If you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain.”
Dolly Parton
American singer/songwriter 1946 — 2026