Alice Vol. 7 No. 5

SPRING 2022
V I T A L I T Y
$5.99 Vol. 7 No. 5

#LovetheloftstyleL o v e t h e l o f t s t y l e
o n t a c t u s t o d a y a b o u t o u r s p e c i a l f o r f a l l 2 0 2 2
[2]

[3]

table of
10 12
14
lifestyle
the importance of girl gangs: why we need to have each other’s backs
34
36
how to help those who have experienced crisis trauma
26
30
22
24
rebuilding yourself post breakup
16
18
milestone birthdays
pre-graduation panic
beauty
bama rushtok: where they are now
the benefits of lash extensions
secrets, lies and disguise in the industry
28
the mrs. degree
the hidden hazards of children’s makeup
fashion
the overall effect: a look inside ballroom fashion
the crossroads of cultural attire and fashion influence
38
40
42
unisex fashion: rejection of the gender binary
which style icon of the big screen are you?
a guide to Y2K fashion in 2022
[4]

features
the curation of sustainable fashion
asian influence in the industry
tattoo taboo
the evolution of musical theater
the complex reality of pole dancing
photostory: vitality
entertainment
which kpop fandom do you belong in?
it’s in the details: the moving parts of storytelling in tv
protest music
into the hyper-realm
sex sells: women and sex representation in hollywood
food and health
nothing good happens after midnight
76
veganism and meat lovers: the truth about our food
the importance of knowing what’s in your air
going against society’s standards: achieving a healthy lifestyle
period poverty
50
66
84
58
70
48
46
54
56
62
64
72
78
80
82
contents contents
[5]

[ letter from the editor ]
Vitality.
Volume 7 Issue 5 will renew your sense of vitality. Vitality is
defined by the capacity to live, grow and develop, so we covered
all our bases. We are obsessed with the award-winning drama “Pose”
and the fashion surrounding ballroom culture, so we took a trip to the
70s in New York. No need to stress about your 21st birthday; we talked to
students about how they spend milestone birthdays. We investigated the
complex reality of pole dancing, illuminated Asian influence in media,
analyzed child labor abuses in the beauty industry and talked with
researchers about period poverty in the United States.
It’s no secret we’ve been busy here at Alice. Our writing department
has written 80 stories for our five issues. Our creative department filled
almost 300 pages with dynamic, captivating photos and strong, charming
designs. I wish I could tell you how many views the past four issues had,
but as I’m writing this Issue 4 has yet to be released.
In addition to five issues, we’ve been keeping readers up-todate
over on socials and web. We’ve released over 20 YouTube videos
showing behind the scenes of issues, reviewed local restaurants, created
beauty tutorials and more. We took on TikTok and reached almost three
thousand accounts. On Instagram, we hit and surpassed two thousand
followers. On our website, we continued to keep our readers informed by
publishing over 20 stories.
When we realized we would be working on three issues
simultaneously, I wish we could say that we didn’t panic, but we did.
Never fear, every single person on staff quickly rose to the challenge and
ascended every expectation. Despite the added pressures and deadlines,
our creators put vast amounts of their time, energy and creativity into
every piece we produced, and our readers get to reap the rewards.
When you read a story in this issue, know that it has been touched
by at least five students. Our writers, photographers, models, designers
and editors all have a hand in making Alice a respected, thriving, beautiful
publication for the women on our campus and beyond. Words cannot
express how proud and grateful I am to have led such talented people.
When I stumbled, this staff had grace and bloomed right alongside me.
This has been an experience of a lifetime, and serving as Editor-in-Chief
at Alice will always be one of my greatest honors.
For the readers and my staff who continue to renew my sense of
vitality,
Lindsey Wilkinson
[6]

[editors]
EDITOR IN CHIEF
MANAGING EDITOR
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
DESIGN EDITOR
PHOTO EDITOR
ASST. DESIGN EDITOR
ASST. PHOTO EDITOR
MARKETING EDITOR
FASHION EDITOR
BEAUTY EDITOR
LIFESTYLE EDITOR
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
FOOD & HEALTH EDITOR
DIGITAL DIRECTOR
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
ONLINE EDITOR
VIDEOGRAPHY EDITOR
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
CONTRIBUTING DESIGN/
PHOTO
CONTRIBUTING VIDEO
MODELS
EDITORIAL ADVISOR
ADVERTISING
DIRECTOR
Lindsey Wilkinson
Jennafer Bowman
Rebecca Martin
Ella Smyth
Sarah Hartsell
Wesley Picard
Emma Kate Standard
Mary Groninger
Ta’Kyla Bates
Beth Wheeler
Cat Clinton
Jeffrey Kelly
Evy Gallagher
Kendall Frisbee
Katie Morris
Sophia Surrett
Emily Rabbideau
Jane Lipp, Savannah Dorriety,
Caitlin Neill, Kierra Thomas,
Emie Garrett, Morinsola Kukoyi,
Annabelle Blomeley, Alexxa
Clausen, Baylie Smithson, Tory
Elliott, Victoria Whitcomb, Caroline
Branch, Mary Claire Wooten,
Morgan Byerley. Ashley Clemente,
Bella Carpino, McKenzie Stevens,
Hadley Elsesser, Lucy Barrow,
Jolie Money
Sarah Smith, Katie Nebbia, Kayla
Roberson, Katie Harmon,
Jennifer Stroud, Grayson
Byrd
Alice Choup, Megan Davis,
Laura Fecanin, Sami LaCount,
Jocelyn Claborn, Ashley Clemente
Ariel Yavuncu, Sa’Niah Dawson,
Analise Chambers, Emily Enes, Des
Davis, Morgan Barnum, Hasten
Howard, Julie Newton, Abinandhan
Narayanan, Kefentse P. Kubanga,
Abigail Sunday, Anna Snider,
Marcus Johnson
Monique Fields
Julie Salter
Jessie Jones
Editorial and Advertising offices for Alice Magazine are located at 414 Campus
Drive East, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. The mailing address is P.O. Box 870170,
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. Phone: (205) 348-7257. Alice is published by the Office
of Student Media at The University of Alabama. All content and design are
produced by students in consultation with professional staff advisers. All
material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is
copyrighted © 2022 by Alice magazine. Material herein may not be reprinted
[7]

10
the importance of girl gangs: why we need to have each other’s backs
12
how to help those who have experienced crisis trauma
14
rebuilding yourself post- break-up
16
18
milestone birthdays
pre-graduation panic
[8]

[9]

The Importance of
Girl Gangs:
why we need to have each other’s backs
By Victoria Whitcomb
Photo Sarah Hartsell
[10]

Having a group of girls doesn’t just increase the
number of people to watch Euphoria or the
Bachelor alongside. The females who add value
to one’s life can impact individual wellness and
improve quality of life.
The importance of girl gangs is more
than having people to gossip with and tell secrets
to; it’s being confident in the support system and
having friends who always know the right thing to
say.
Everyone has been through friendships
where someone has caused pain and treatment
the other party would never inflict back. In those
moments, it is important to look towards the
people who have consistently been there to help
recover.
“I learned the importance of having
female friendships from a young age because I
have an older sister who has always been there
for me. The scariest part of going to college was
knowing I would have to start over and find a
group of girls I felt comfortable with,” said Lydia
Jackson, a junior interior design major at The
University of Alabama. “I quickly met girls who
I knew would be my life long friends. They are
people I can call at any minor inconvenience
and offer me new perspectives on life. Female
friendships are the most rewarding, fulfilling and
intentional relationships we can have.”
In situations like these, girl gangs can
ease the stress and anxiety by allowing individuals
to vent and share emotions. When talking to
someone trusted full-heartedly, people tend to
get a sense of home. It’s comforting to know that
certain girls would never participate in activities
that leave others feeling betrayed.
Although men are also great to have
close friendships with, there is a difference.
Females understand each other in ways men
do not. Women often have more emotional
motivations than men, causing multiple divides
in the way people act, think and problem solve.
Therefore, it is incredibly beneficial for women to
create strong bonds with one another.
“Having girlfriends is an essential part
to having the best college experience. After a hard
day in school, being able to hang out with friends
is the thing that can cheer me up,” said Patricia
Dyer, a junior accounting major at The University
of Alabama. “Also, having friends in your classes
can make learning easier and more enjoyable.”
Women can serve as each other’s
emotional support system. Without a doubt, a
huge part of a girl’s emotional and mental strength
comes from the power of how close the girlfriend’s
relationships with other women are. These friends
can brighten any day and comfort every sorrow.
Although finding friends like these cannot always
be easy, once found, it is important to never let go.
“Having a girl gang in college has been
beneficial for me because they are my home away
from home,” said Lauren Jolly, a junior psychology
major at The University of Alabama. “They are the
people I can always rely on and confide in when
I have a good or bad day. At the end of the day, I
know I have someone in my corner.”
Unfortunately, today’s world can often
make it a goal to tear other women apart. Tearing
women down is too often rumored to bring
validation. Too often are women categorized as too
sensitive, too dramatic and too emotional.
Supporting other women can only
benefit the gender as a whole, especially when
others underestimate women. The idea that close
friends can be the love of our lives has been
prevalent since it was declared on Sex in the City.
Carrie Bradshaw said, “They say nothing lasts
forever, dreams change, trends come and go, but
friendship never goes out of style.”
[11]

HOW TO HELP THOSE WHO HAVE
EXPERIENCED TRAUMA
*Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault
By Jennafer Bowman
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
In late August of 2021, the University
of Nebraska Lincoln came under fire after
a fraternity member allegedly sexually
assaulted an underage girl at an offcampus
dwelling. In early September of
2021, reports of three separate incidents
of sexual assault in less than one week
at Auburn University surfaced. One in
five women in the United States has
experienced some form of sexual assault,
according to the National Sexual Violence
Resource Center. While these reports and
their details are spread across the news,
their resources are attached at the bottom
of the page. This is not one of those articles.
Women and Gender Resources Center: 205-348-5040
[12]
Design Ella Smyth
Robin Taylor is an independent
clinical social worker at The University of
Alabama’s Women and Gender Resources
Center (WGRC). Her job starts as soon as
a report is received.
“The key to crisis intervention
is always to first try to help whoever the
survivor is,” said Taylor. “The second step
is to make sure that person feels safe, we
are there to support them.”
She said, in one case, a survivor was
extremely overwhelmed and had their
senses heightened. When the police were
questioning the survivor, they became
overwhelmed.
“During questioning, I could
tell it was a lot for them,” said Taylor. “I
stepped in and pulled them aside and just
tried to help the person understand what
was going on and take some time to take it
all in.”
After any crisis event, survivors
will have a hard time understanding what is
going on. Taylor said that they also explain
the resources available to survivors. The
SAFE Center of Tuscaloosa, a 24/7 sexual
assault crisis center that provides care to
survivors, is one of those resources.
SAFE Center of Tuscaloosa 24/7
Hotline: 205-860-SAFE (7233)
“The one thing our community can
do to help survivors is acknowledging that
it is a real thing and it’s happening in all
communities,” said Taylor.
Only 20% of female survivors report
their assault to law enforcement, according
to RAINN. Many women become afraid to
report sexual assault for several reasons,
including thinking they won’t be believed,
self-blame or their relationship with their
assaulter.
End the Silence:
https://officialendthesilence.org/
Rachel Jakovac is the CEO of End the
Silence, a nonprofit organization dedicated
to giving survivors of interpersonal
violence room to heal. The organization
has three goals: raise awareness about
“the prevalence of abuse so we can end
it.” raise money for aid for survivors of
interpersonal violence and take action by
using your voice to make a change.
“As long as we get out here and
we show that we care for all survivors,
especially those that don’t automatically
report it, then we’re doing the right thing,”
said Jakovac.
Protests such as those that happened
on the University of Nebraska Lincoln
and Auburn University campuses show
survivors that people care and hold the
administration accountable to address
these events.
“There are so many unreported cases
and we need to keep this energy for them,”
said Jakovac. “A way that we can really do
this is creating awareness and culture shift
that says ‘We do not tolerate this.’”
Many people don’t know how to
respond when someone comes forward.

Online, there are many instances of
jokes about sexual assault, inappropriate
questions and dismissive tactics. While
these responses are wrong, many don’t
know where to continue the conversation.
“When someone is coming forward
to you to share their story, the first step
is just to listen and believe even when it’s
not the story that you necessarily want to
hear, even if it makes you or your idols or
your friends look bad, it’s important to decenter
yourself and let the survivor share
their story,” explained Jakovac.
Both Jakovac and Taylor agreed that
the best thing to do to support survivors is
to listen. However, sometimes they might
just want some space. Everyone copes
differently when experiencing trauma.
Alex Nail is a senior psychology and
social work major at The University of
Alabama. She said listeners should also
be aware that their mental health could be
affected by listening to stories.
“It can be just as traumatic to be
the listener,” said Nail. “It is a traumatic
experience to hear a traumatic experience
but try to remove your emotions from their
experience.”
The next step after listening is
asking what the survivor wants the listener
to do. Nail said that survivors might be
scared to report because they don’t know
what happens after they report it and
sitting in an office waiting room can be
uncomfortable.
They could want the listener to share
a personal experience, want the listener
to go with them to appointments or help
them file a police report. Even if survivors
don’t want to talk to anyone, still give them
access to resources.
Survivors and their supporters
should know there are people out there
that want to help. If you or someone
you love has experienced crisis trauma,
encourage them to talk to you or someone
they trust. Everyone can contribute to
stopping the stigma surrounding sexual
assault survivors and creating a safe
environment for women on every campus.
[13]

[14]
Photo Emma Kate Standard

People often put their hearts out there. Most
people have loved someone wholeheartedly
and thought it would work. Then one day the
relationship is over, and the lovers become
strangers. It’s easy to feel at a loss for words. As
if life has crumbled before everyone’s very eyes.
It feels like a pit in the stomach, and ultimately
staying in this state will only end in misery and
heartache.
A breakup is never easy, especially for those
who have been together for quite some time.
When people love each other, parting ways can
feel crippling. Rebuilding is hard, but there are a
few things that may help.
When dating someone, it becomes
second nature to invest time. Nights full of
conversations, phone calls and endless plans.
It seems normal to spend time together and,
suddenly, lives become intertwined. After
breaking up, it may feel as if nothing will ever be
normal. It is difficult coming to terms with the
fact that newly singles are forced to seek some
sense of normalcy.
Normal looks different for everyone, but it is
okay to ease into the normal that works best.
Adapting to a new way of life takes some getting
used to. Identities are not tied to relationships
or significant others but what people do and say.
The key to progress is to appreciate the person in
the mirror who has grown through experiences.
“After you are emotionally dependent
on someone for so long it is hard to take
accountability for your own emotions. I didn’t
have him to blame anymore, I had to learn
how to be alone with my own thoughts,” said
Grace Skelton, junior social work major at The
University of South Alabama.
Breakups bring a lot of change. Whether for the
best or the worst, there is no denying that life
will change. Regaining independence is exciting,
and it’s important to take the time to get to know
oneself. Taking care of emotional and physical
needs is an essential way to heal.
“I am a much different person than who I
was before, and I think that it’s for the better.
There are definitely parts of me I see now that
I never knew existed before,” said Eli Bruce, a
finance and economics senior at The University
of Alabama.
Everyone handles breakups differently. One
may end messy while another ends mutually.
Regardless of how things ended, communicate
and reach out to people. Having a good support
system will truly save some tears. By hanging
out with friends and family, people get the
opportunity to make good memories. Sometimes
it can be easy to lose any sense of practicality
when having a bad breakup. Talking with friends
helps bring a new perspective. Friends and loved
ones can usually relate or at the very least listen.
In addition to reaching out to friends, carve
out some personal time. By implementing metime,
people should find new things that spark
joy. Breakups typically bring heavy and dull
emotions that cloud thoughts and make people
feel gloomy or uninspired. By simply trying
something new, like a pottery class or going to
a restaurant, inspiration can spark. Everyone
should also attempt to set aside time each week
and find something
That creates a reason to smile. The best thing
for self-care is to put in the effort when taking
time alone.
Said Emma McGowan, senior at the University
of Alabama, “I really started to focus on myself
after my breakup. I went to the gym, I spent time
with friends, and I finally learned how to enjoy
being with myself again.”
In order to rebuild, everyone needs time to
mourn. Taking the extra time to mourn the
past selves who dated each former partner. Be
gentle with self-criticism and pay attention to
the growing pains often experienced. Once a
relationship comes to a close, there are a few
ways to look at what has happened. The best
way is to take the experience of the relationship
and use it as an advantage. It takes time to heal
and adjust to being someone with no romantic
attachment.
Rebuilding a foundation and finding the
person we are and want to take time. There is
no timeline for someone to fully move on and
feel normal. Post-breakup growth is not linear.
Getting up and rediscovering personalities,
quirks and personal interests may not be easy,
but it is beneficial. By remembering time heals
all, the post-breakup feeling will slowly but
surely become more comfortable.
[15]

By Mary Claire Wooten
Photo Sarah Hartsell
Everyone has preconceived notions of
what a milestone birthday looks like.
Sweet sixteens and sign nights surrounded
by friends, family and everyone in between.
More often than not, these milestones are
accompanied by a new found freedom.
Freedom the celebrated guest has often
counted down the days until receiving.
The freedoms, commonly associated with
generic milestone birthdays, come from a
legal perspective. The ability to drive, vote
or even drink are rights gifted to those
in the corresponding years. These big
responsibilities can cloud the important
things accompanying them, like the lessons
learned in the wake. Responsibilities that
have the potential to be more beneficial
than the skill it accompanies. Nobody has
ever fully adapted to a concept without
bumps in the road (or the car itself in some
cases).
Augie Barnette, a sophomore majoring
in creative media at The University of
Alabama, did not pursue his drivers license
for months after his milestone sixteenth
birthday.
“I wasn’t really in any rush,” said
Barnette. This would come as a shock to
many of his peers, given his early birthday
and access to the one form of freedom
every adolescent thinks will change their
lives.
In Barnette’s hometown, multiple
serious accidents involving people his
age occurred, resulting in a realization
that simple mistakes can have long-term
consequences. Amongst these lessons,
and as a plus on his birthday, he was also
permitted to legally drive himself and one
friend until a set curfew.
Any year can represent a milestone
and every year offers the opportunity to
grow. As opposed to learning lessons,
sometimes a new year can help people
gain experiences to better self-reflect and
understand personal preferences and
values.
Christian Mckee, a junior majoring in
psychology at The University of Alabama,
[16]
at the time of his nineteenth birthday, was
navigating a new environment, hours from
home, in his first year at The University of
Alabama.
“It was the first time I had lived by myself,
I learned a lot about my priorities and
standards for personal relationships,” said
Mckee.
Everything is not so open and closed
as it seems though. Mckee recounts this
was the age he had to decide what to do
with his life, an issue common for many
entering a new phase of life with so many
new freedoms, ones that weren’t planned
out based on age.
The age varies for people of the moment
first launched from the comfort of one’s
childhood home’s and parents, forced
alone into the world. Not everyone moves
out at 19, nor does everyone experience the
first dose of reality at 19. For those that do,
the learning curve can be overwhelming.
Some people have career paths chosen
from diapers. Others get three years into
a degree and are still struggling with
doubts about their plans. Neither path
is better. People discover personal goals
and ambitions during many different
experiences and events and sometimes
these aspects of growing up take you by
surprise.
While questioning abilities are normal,
the feeling resulting in years of secondguessing
and self-doubt can cause
emotional turmoil. A birthday can lead to
questioning personal identities and values
completely.
At the age of 21, Katie Henry had just
graduated college from Auburn University
with an architecture degree and was
entering the workforce with a lot of
decisions to make. Most importantly, the
question persisted, where now? Henry
runs her own business doing contract
architecture and design work from her
home.
“The entire business has been a huge
learning curve,” said Henry.
To date, Henry has been living in a
booming college town and enjoying her
life, as if overnight, she transitioned from
a girl and student into a woman with a
degree and business. The transition was
just about as easy as you would expect.
“Within the first couple of paychecks I had
to learn to actually budget and balance a
checkbook which I had never experienced
before,” said Henry.
It’s commonplace to think that everyone
around is ahead of you on a nonexistent
path, but adjustment is hard and everyone,
in some shape or form, has had to adapt.
While specific ages and events in life come
without an outline, no person experiences
life the same way. Everyone has different
backgrounds and upbringings. The
surroundings and experiences in life
can affect people differently. Maybe a
driver’s license means a good opportunity
to grasp independence, but sometimes
these milestone birthdays bring the gift
of a valuable life lesson. Everyone has to
learn somehow, but the age and birthday
it occurs on depends on the person
experiencing it.

[17]

PRE-
GRADUATION
PANIC
BY
SOPHIA
SURRETT
DESIGN KATIE HARMON
[18]

As graduation season is
approaching at full speed, panic
for seniors can begin to set in as their
college expiration date is closing in.
Whether you are a senior in college
or high school, not knowing whether
the future holds a job, an internship, a
degree or a gap year can be taxing and
scary. However, these anxieties occur in
most graduates and can dissipate with
planning and a support system.
“What is important for graduates
to know, is that experiencing stress,
anxiety, and/or depression during this
transition in life is not only natural but
also a typical part of human and social
development,” said Melissa Boudin,
Psy.D, clinical director of Choosing
Therapy, an online therapy platform
that serves clients across the U.S. ages
13 and up.
Graduation ceremonies themselves
can be daunting if stage fright is on the
top ten fear list, let alone what follows
the ceremony. Although change is scary,
it can be good as well. This is the next
stepping stone in life, and concurring
it can become a challenge. However,
throughout the college career, small
experiences mature a student and
prepare them for the future.
An University of Alabama (UA) student
studying News Media and Alice’s
Editor-in-Chief, Lindsey Wilkinson
is an upcoming senior graduating
May 2022. Wilkinson said she is not
prepared as she has not gotten her cap
and gown or her class ring yet, but she
feels her time in college has come to an
end naturally.
“I’m prepared in the sense that my
time as a student is over. The transition
feels like the next step,” said Wilkinson.
“I’ve grown a lot, learned a lot and
grown as a person. I’m also looking
forward to being paid for work instead
of classwork.”
Wilkinson went on to say that she
knows everyone has anxiety about
graduating. She doesn’t know where
she is going after she graduates or if she
will know anyone when she gets there;
these are her main anxieties.
This is one of the main stressors for
most college graduates, especially since
the pandemic. COVID-19 raised the
unemployment rate to 14.7% in April
2020, but now the unemployment
rate is down to 4%, according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which
is about 6.5 million people. On the last
day of December 2021, there were 10.9
million job openings available in the
U.S. the BLS reported. This means that
there are still roughly 4.4 million jobs
out there.
UA’s Interim Executive Director
at the Career Center, Schernavia
Hall, encourages students to start
early regarding their professional
development and reach out to the
UA Career Center or an equivalent
career service. They can help line up
internships, full-time jobs and more.
Hall said she talked with an advisor
and later her mentor, and those
conversations helped guide her towards
what she wanted to do that was best for
her.
“Years ago, I was probably like some
students, and I was debating on whether
I wanted to enter the job market or go
back to school, so I was very nervous
[because] I didn’t know if I was making
the right decision,” said Hall.
UA’s Career Center provides career
fairs, Handshake guidance and more to
help prepare students for their future
careers or to navigate their career
interests. To talk to an advisor, call
(205) 348 - 5848 or visit https://career.
sa.ua.edu/. Hall said to take advantage
of these services as they are ready and
willing to help students, but know
many students might not be thinking of
graduation so soon.
“Enjoy the moment, but have a plan,”
said Hall.
Having a good support system
around can decrease stress levels with
graduation approaching. Hall said her
family and her advisor as her support
system were one way her anxieties were
eased.
“Finding a group and just going for it
is the best way to invest your time in
college,” said Wilkinson.
Wilkinson encourages students to not
surround themselves with people who
make you feel less than.
“The most important things to do, to
cope in a healthy way, include focusing
on maintaining positive social support,
engaging in interests, creating plans
centered around things you have
control of, talking to a trusted mentor
or support person and in some cases,
talking to a professional about how you
are feeling,” Boudin said.
Talking to a therapist or a counselor
can help ease anxieties and help
determine the right plan for the student
and what’s next. UA’s Counseling
Center can provide those services
to students looking for guidance as
graduation is approaching, or any
season that might seem daunting. To
set up an appointment, call (205) 348 -
3863 or visit https://counselingcenter.
sa.ua.edu/.
[19]

22
24
bama rushtok: where they are now
the benefits of lash extensions
26
30
secrets, lies and disguise in the industry
28
the mrs. degree
the hidden hazards of children’s makeup
[20]

[21]

Bama RushTok:
Where Are They Now?
By Alexxa Clausen
Photo Rebecca Martin
[22]

Attending a university and
obtaining a degree is one of the
biggest accomplishments for many.
Though the journey of acquiring a
degree is irreplaceable, it has never
been deemed as easy. Despite the
difficulty, college students manage to
pursue many different extracurricular
activities while maintaining their
education. One of the most popular
extracurriculars that most universities
have to offer is Greek life.
In August of 2021, girls participating
in rush at The University of Alabama
(UA) quickly became viral on TikTok.
Celebrities and brands, like Addison
Rae and Kendra Scott, posted content
related to the phenomenon. Taking
on sorority rush similar to a reality
tv show, the girls attended different
houses each day and the potential new
members (PNMs) and houses would
rank each other. Unfortunately, this
experience was not the best for some.
For others, it was life-changing. PNMs
would log into TikTok each day to
show their daily outfits and tell their
audience where they got their clothing
items and trendy accessories.
When it comes to the south, Greek
life is a one-of-a-kind experience.
Sorority and fraternity culture holds
a special place in a lot of college
students’ hearts. In 2021, many girls
from UA shared their rush experience
on TikTok. Soon enough, everyone
from all around the United States
was invested in Bama RushTok.
Fascinated viewers refreshed their
pages constantly wondering what the
girls wore that day and where they
could buy it.
“[It was] exhausting,” said Annie
Clarke, former UA student and
sorority member.
Clarke, from Huntsville Alabama,
participated in rush at UA last fall.
Unlike the masses watching online,
Clarke grew up surrounded by her
family and friends’ southern rush
experience. Because of this, when
Clarke noticed Bama rush rapidly
going viral on TikTok, she could not
help but think it was “crazy” because
that was normal to her.
Just like that, rush was over, the girls
had found their forever homes and
school started. Posting content while
maintaining academics and sorority
activities is not a simple task.
When it came to managing school
and sorority life, Clarke struggled at
first. Clarke said her sorority would
bring in tutors and conduct study halls
for those struggling with academics.
Clarke said, “Being in a sorority at
Bama was exciting, but my sorority is
pretty quick to catch who is succeeding
and who is not’.’
For many students, there is a large
learning curve when they first get to
college. Sara Beth Cotton, a junior at
UA and TikTok personality with 19.1
thousand followers, is no stranger
when it comes to maintaining many
different responsibilities all at once.
When it came to settling into college
life, Cotton found herself struggling
at first. Since balancing multiple
responsibilities was a challenge, her
freshman year was quite sporadic.
Google calendar soon became
her best friend. Cotton used the
online calendar to color-code her
assignments and help her manage her
time better. After finding a consistent
routine, she quickly saw a huge change
in her mental health. Another method
she used to better her schedule was to
treat her extracurriculars like a reward
for completing schoolwork.
Within the hundreds of girls
participating in Bama RushTok, some
rapidly became fan favorites. Emma
McGowin, a freshman at UA who
goes by @Dollypartonwannabe02,
accepted her bid to Alpha Delta Pi.
McGowin has managed to reach 148.5
thousand on TikTok and around
32.9 thousand on her Instagram and
started an online boutique, Butterfly
Girlie Boutique.
@Whatwouldjimmybuffetdo,
Makayla Culpepper, also participated
in Bama RushTok. Culpepper is
from Pike Road, Alabama and is
currently pursuing a job in real estate
Unfortunately, her experience was not
the smoothest. While participating,
Culpepper was dropped from
every house which left the TikTok
community filled with anger. During
this situation, hashtags and hundreds
of videos demanding justice for
Culpepper were created. Currently,
she has a total of 145.7 thousand on
TikTok and 17 thousand Instagram
followers.
Haylee Golden, UA Apparel
and Textiles major, is a TikTok
personality that goes by @
haygoldenrayofsunshine. Golden
hit ten thousand followers during
rush. Since then, Golden has reached
56.1 thousand on TikTok and 13.8
thousand on Instagram.
Next year there are sure to be
participants hoping for TikTok fame.
Cotton said, “[You need to] post
consistently and find your niche.”
The exclusiveness of Bama rush
quickly reeled in the majority of
TikTok users. A previously mysterious
process was brought to light for
everyone on the platform to see. The
ups and downs created a unique
form of entertainment that was
irreplaceable. As well, balancing a
school and social life in the public eye
is a real accomplishment for these
freshman girls. The TikToks have
inspired girls in different colleges in
America to recreate the trend. The
University of Alabama’s rush TikToks
will forever be known for the sorority
recruitment experience.
[23]

The Benefits of Lash Extensions
By Baylie Smithson
Design Katie Nebbia
Lash extensions have grown significantly
in popularity over the last few years,
not only for their aesthetics but for the
many benefits they offer.
Lash extensions are not a new
beauty invention. The first record of women
attaching lashes to their eyelids was in
1882 when Parisian women sewed hairs on
their eyelids, according to lashlovers.com’s
Kara Marlene. However, the 21st century
has seen the most advancement in the
technology behind lash extensions.
Lash extensions are applied professionally
by certified lash technicians and require
strategic upkeep. The desirable aesthetics
of long and full-looking lashes for most
outweigh the cost and time it takes to
build a beautiful set of lashes. For the right
person, the list of lash extension pros is
endless.
The most obvious pro to lash
extensions is longevity. Lash extensions
can last “about 4-6 weeks,” according to
Sara, staff writer at hip2save.com. Lash
extensions will naturally fall out over
time, but don’t need daily application and
removal. They do require daily cleaning
and grooming to maintain.
JoAnna Walker, professional
lash technician for 11 years and owner of
Teased, a Tuscaloosa-based salon, said,
“You’re not having to constantly worry
about the lashes lifting at all throughout
your day, especially if it is a big event like
[24]
your wedding or if you’re just going to the
gym.”
The second most desirable pro to
lash extensions is their time-saving ability
in the mornings. Walker listed one of the
main pros of extensions as “cutting down
on makeup application.”
Many don’t have the time to
spend every morning glamming for a
day in class, at the office or just going for
a coffee run, but still want to look fresh,
awake and put together. The University
of Alabama’s Director of Nursing Clinics,
Professor Kacie Duncan, has worn
extensions for a couple of years. Duncan is
a full-time professor, mom and nurse. The
extensions’ lifestyle definitely suits her, as
she wears many hats and doesn’t have the
time to add “daily application of lashes”
or “fifty coats of mascara every morning”
onto her plate.
“[For me] they look more natural.
They’re easier to upkeep because I don’t
have to worry about them coming off when
I’m out and about,” said Duncan. “It feels
more expensive because it’s about $70 [at
the salon I go to] about every two weeks
to keep up. If I’m doing the fake lashes,
however, then I’m spending around $12
on a set and those are only lasting me a
day. All in all, I like the extensions better,
and I feel like they irritate my eyes less.”
Another pro of extensions is their comfort.
Lash extensions, though a foreign object
on the eye, should not be uncomfortable or
immensely heavy.
“The procedure should never be
painful or uncomfortable,” Walker said.
There should not be any intense burning
from the prep process if so, the lash tech
should stop immediately. The placement
of the lashes shouldn’t bring any feeling
of discomfort to the lash line. Walker said
every lash tech should be knowledgeable
on the science behind eyelashes in order to
properly apply and maintain them.
“There are three phases of the
eyelash cycle: anagen (the improper time
for application), catagen (the right time for
application), and telogen (the shedding of
the eyelash). Unlike hair, eyelashes do not
grow the same way; they shed, or else we’d
have to trim them not replace them,” said
Walker.
Adding to the list of benefits,
another is the customizability of extensions.
There can be many variations, but there
are three main types of extensions: classic,
hybrid, and full-volume.
“We customize each set for
each person, we have a 15-20 minute
consultation before each appointment
and chat about weight and length that
the natural lashes can manage. There’s a
difference in preference and expectations
and as professionals, we need to guide our
clients with what is proper for their natural
eyelashes,” said Walker.

Although, where there are
pros, there are always cons. The biggest
con of lash extensions is the time and
cost. Most of the time, pricing and
amount of time come down to the
technicians’ experience.
“Application is anywhere
between 1 1/2 to 3 hours, but each client
is different. It depends on how much
experience the lash tech has. Removal–
as long as your set was done by a
professional–should only take about
15-30 minutes. When done properly, it
should feel like butter coming off your
eyelashes,” Walker said.
Walker has been a lash tech for
11 years, one of the first in Tuscaloosa.
Her prices range depending on which
lash style, “For classics, it’s typically
$200, classic-hybrid $250, full volume
$300”.
Some people are lower priced
due to experience and materials.
Walkers’ prices are the average price in
Tuscaloosa.
Despite being a lash
technician, Walker would discourage
stress lash pickers, avid swimmers and
deep sleepers (to name a few) from
getting lash extensions.
“It depends on the person–do
your research,” says Walker.
The main reasons come
down to oil and friction that break
down extensions. Oil and friction from
the fingers of stress lash pickers and
pillows of the deepest of sleepers will
ultimately break down the extensions
quicker. Chlorine and saltwater will
also break down the bonds of the
adhesive used to attach the extensions.
Notable mentions are athletes; sweat,
which contains sodium, will break
down the lashes the same.
The biggest mistake Walker said she
sees her clients make is not cleaning
the extensions.
“The majority think they’re
not supposed to clean them, but that
can create build up. Lash mites help
clean lash follicles, but when you’re not
cleaning your eyes and eyelashes those
lash mites can become abundant,” said
Walker.
Thoroughly and gently cleansing
off oil, dirt and makeup will help keep your
lashes in tip-top shape.
“I’ll be the first to say, heck yes
the extensions can ruin your lashes,” said
Walker. “The lash expert has to know what
they are doing in application and removal,
and the clients also have to know how to
care for them.”
It is obvious why lash extensions
are such a hot commodity today as the
list of benefits is as long as a set of lashes.
From their longevity, comfort and style,
lash extensions are one of the most soughtafter
beauty procedures today.
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[25]

SECRETS, LIES
AND THE DIGUISE
OF THE MAKEUP INDUSTRYSTRY
BY TORY ELLIOTT
DESIGN ELLA SMYTH
[26]

Beauty is timeless, and so is the
makeup industry. Unfortunately,
the makeup industry is not as ethical as it
may make itself out to be. With the push
towards natural products, people are now,
more than ever, more interested in what is
in their makeup, but many fail to consider
who sources the ingredients. Child labor is
the makeup industry’s darkest secret.
Mica is a mineral dust that occurs
naturally and is commonly used in
eyeshadows, highlighters and other
popular products. Children are used to
mining this hard-to-find mineral, and the
beauty industry alone accounts for about
18% of the mica mined globally each year,
as stated by Jocelyn C. Zuckerman, writer
for Marie Claire magazine in her article “Is
Your Makeup the Result of Child Labor?”
Many have no idea the makeup
industry is heavily involved in child labor.
Consumers should learn more about the
companies that utilize this material and
seek to end this heinous crime, but it is up
to the beauty companies to seek alternate
solutions to this problem ultimately.
An article from Terre des Hommes
gives consumers insight into the reality
of mica production in Madagascar by
informing consumers that “in the three
main mica regions, the percentage of
children between the ages of five and 17
that are working varies between 56% and
62%.”
Lexy Lebsack, writer for Refinery29,
exposed these mines in their article: “The
Makeup Industry’s Darkest Secret Is
Hiding In Your Makeup Bag”.
As reported by Lebsack, children
wake up early in the morning and spend
the rest of the day in small, man-made
tunnels armed with ice picks, hammers
and baskets.
“They carefully chip into the sides
and backs of the small pits to loosen
rock and dirt before carefully hauling
it out of the mine,” said Lesack. “The
children take turns dumping their baskets
over a rudimentary sifting tool that
reveals handfuls of mica, a shimmery
mineral composite that’s been forming
underground for hundreds of years.”
These children, forced to work all
day in unsafe conditions, will make 43
cents a day. School and playtime are not
norms to them—all to make a foundation
that will be thrown away in 3 weeks.
The beauty industry is not only
allowing this; they are actively hiding it
from consumers. They crouch behind their
vows of “ethically-made” products and
clean beauty, but they are not following
through with their promises. Mica might
serve as a natural product, but using
children and endangering their safety
to get the product does not solve any
problems. This is the reality that goes
behind shimmery makeup.
People use makeup to express
themselves, and it’s important to buy from
a company with similar values. According
to “​Child Labor: The Ugly Truth About the
Beauty Industry” by Kavitha Kavy, brands
that have been linked to Mica’s child labor
include L’Oreal, Maybelline, Lancôme,
Garnier, Yves Saint Laurent Beauty,
Kiehls, Urban Decay, Estée Lauder, MAC,
Bobbi Brown, Clinique and Too Faced.
These well-known corporations go against
the transparency of their makeup products
promoted on social media and through
self-proclaimed clean beauty influencers.
Amie Ray, a mother of two children,
actively researches makeup products
before using them.
“I dislike it because they [the
children] are exploited and paid poorly
in the cosmetics industry, which is worth
over $500 billion,” said Ray.
Beautycounter, a makeup company
that strives to adhere to clean beauty
standards, has found solutions to this
problem. Bryant Wood, managing director
with Beautycounter, manages a team
across the nation that spreads the mission
of Beautycounter.
“We make sure that the ingredients
we source are clean and safe but where
they are sourced and how they are
sourced matters so much as well. We are
a B Corporation that is doing good for the
people, planet and profit,” said Wood.
“The work that we do behind the
scenes goes beyond clean beauty. We
recognize that child labor is an issue
and therefore at Beautycounter we
have worked to source [mica] from a
manufacturer in Georgia, where we can
trust the practices and screen for safety.
We also go beyond clean by assuring that
the ingredients that we source nationally
and internationally meet our high ethical
and safety standards. We, for example,
joined forces with a foundation in India
that is trying to eradicate child enforced
labor throughout the world.”
With this knowledge, the makeup
industry can change for the better.
Consumers can actively work to stop the
brands that still use unethically sourced
mica in their products. Consumers can sign
petitions, stop buying their products and
educate others on using ethical products.
April Turner, a senior at The
University of Alabama majoring in public
relations, actively buys from beauty brands
and enjoys doing her makeup daily.
“To make sure my makeup is crueltyfree;
I usually do research on the company
before and check the label while in the
store because most packaging will tell you
if it’s cruelty-free. If it’s not, I usually don’t
buy it unless I absolutely need it, but I
think most makeup companies are crueltyfree
now,” said Turner.
She said she realizes that she
should be buying cruelty-free makeup,
but the issue is most companies are
advertising animal cruelty-free, not child
cruelty-free. Consumers can check their
products for mica and start using brands
that are transparent and working to pass
legislation restricting unethical mica
mining. Here is a small list of brands that
are cruelty-free and ethical mica makeup
brands: Adorn Cosmetics, Beautycounter,
Love The Planet, Milk Makeup and Red
Apple Lipstick.
Ethically mindful companies are
using ways to mine natural mica without
the use of child labor, One example is
synthetic fluorphlogopite, a lab-produced,
eco-friendly chemical that enables a wide
range of colors and intensities in products.
A blog by Beautycounter said, “By
the end of 2020, we will have conducted
third-party traceability audits of all of
our mica mine locations—a radical step
towards transparency in the beauty
industry.”
Beautycounter is one of the leaders
in this movement, and hopefully, others
will follow soon. The European Union
bans 1,400 ingredients from being in
beauty products—the United States only
bans 30 of these products. According to
Wood, the beauty industry is not regulated
by what ingredients they use or how they
source them. It is up to these corporations
to transition from unethically derived mica
to clean beauty cosmetics. ​
Child labor is not only a severe
problem, but it is also a violent act
that is actively happening today. Using
unethically sourced mica is contributing
to child labor. People can learn about this
and seek to actively alter this industry,
but it is the cosmetics companies’ burden.
Transparency in beauty is not just a trend;
it is a necessary standard.
[27]

The MRS.
“She’s just here to get her Mrs.
Degree,” is a quote overheard a little too
often as a junior in college. This comment
typically goes over everyone’s heads,
but can pierce the hearts of some college
women. Condescending in its nature, the
meaning behind a Mrs. degree is that a
woman is going to college to get a degree
that some would label as pointless in order
to find a partner to marry that will provide
for them with their degree that actually
means something.
It seems the root of these Mrs.
degrees are degrees with feminine
undertones or not under the S.T.E.M
(Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics) list. Creative majors and
others, such as social sciences, deal with
questions regarding their degree’s validity
and worth.
“I think business majors, not just
for females, but for any gender are cut
short,” said Reese McGee, The University
of Alabama junior and business major. “I
came into the business school expecting
it to be a piece-of-cake like how it is often
stereotyped, and instead was faced with
economics and accounting classes that
require a great deal of time and effort.”
Business majors get the reputation
for what some deem to be a less demanding
degree. People use a negative connotation
when citing instances of attending social
events and many other perceived benefits.
Despite the bad press, gaining a
business degree can allow an individual
to explore many paths, such as becoming
a CEO and managing or working on Wall
Street, the holy grail of the business world.
Many successful women have business
degrees to back them, such as comedian
and actress Wanda Sykes, who graduated
from Hampton University with a degree
in marketing and even worked for the
National Security Agency before diving
into entertainment. A few other names to
mention are Melinda Gates who is current
General Manager at Microsoft, Mary Barra
who is current CEO of General Motors and
Amy Hood, current Chief Financial Officer
of Microsoft.
According to mba.com, “87%
of female graduates say their return on
investment has been positive, and 84%
say their professional situation is better or
much better as a result of their business
school degree.”
Another commonly misunderstood
major is communications. The stereotypes
around this area of study are most likely
due to people’s lack of knowledge about
what the major entails. Communications
is a basis for most transactions in the
world. Successful women that have
studied communications are famous
talk-show hosts Oprah Winfrey and Ellen
DeGeneres.
“It’s much more than watching
‘Cocomellon’ like TikTok seems to say.
We learn case studies, analyze in real-time
what reactions are, how humans respond
to events and what their upbringing can
evolve into when they become adults,”
said Alice Helms, communications major
at the University of Alabama.
A key component of communications
is learning to read people and their
behaviors–a task not easily obtained.
“There are many organizations like
the FBI and CIA that rely so much on
communication in order to complete their
missions. Proper communication can be
the difference between multi-billion dollar
deals or interviews for a one-in-a-lifetime
job,” said Helmss
Dr. Barely of The University of
Alabama, a favorite of Helms, once said,
“If you want something done, give it to a
[28]

Degree
By Beth Wheeler
Design Katie Nebbia
communications major.”
Fashion majors have a bad Mrs.
reputation, too. However, if anyone takes
a quick peek into a classroom for design
students, they will see a team of extremely
disciplined students engineering a design
that they’ve probably been working on
day-in and day-out for weeks to finish.
The drive and motivation to carry out
a career in fashion is inspiring, and
many successful men and women have
dominated the world of fashion. Some
of these leaders, with degrees in fashion,
are Alexander McQueen, Calvin Klein and
Marc Jacobs.
“The typical response that I get from
someone when I tell them I am majoring
in apparel design is ‘Oh? And what do you
think you are going to do with that?” said
Grace Federico, junior at The University of
Alabama studying apparel and textiles with
a concentration in apparel design. “It is
typically delivered very condescendingly.”
The daunting question rises yet
again, intending to discourage women in
fashion by making them think that their
degree would amount to nothing–an
opinion that just isn’t true.
“What people don’t realize is that
every single person uses fashion and
apparel design every day. Everyone, no
matter who they are, has a sense of fashion.
Majoring in apparel design and working
in the fashion industry is the complete
opposite of useless–it is extremely
necessary for everyday self-expression,”
said Federico.
No matter if the major someone
chooses is in the S.T.E.M field, creative
field or wherever their passion lies, all
majors are valid. All paths are valid. As
long as the industry that is chosen is
an industry that is fulfilling mentally,
emotionally and spiritually, it is the right
path. Each major–no matter what it is–
requires hard work. The commitment to
finishing a degree (or committing to the
non-traditional route) is hard work for
anyone successful in what they do. And
that, itself, is enough to be proud of.
[29]

Photo Jennifer Stroud
Burning rashes and severe skin
reactions caused by makeup
products can be incredibly painful and
embarrassing. Insecurities caused by
skin problems are common. The culprit
is the exact products used to cover skin
irritation and discoloration in the first
place.
Certain beauty products sold
at Claire’s have warnings instructing
consumers to discontinue use if the
product causes irritation. Knowing
the dangers of ingredients before
irritation occurs, however, should not be
something that requires complaints and
a call to action from consumers. There
is a current demand for safer children’s
beauty products, without parents having
to search through a hidden list of unsafe
ingredients.
Sharyl Donegan, a nurse
practitioner and mother of three,
had her own experience dealing and
experimenting with children’s makeup.
“Anything citrus stay away.
Citrus face washes or grapefruit scrubs
can cause a reaction in sensitive skin, and
it made my daughter develop a horrible
rash,” said Donegan. “Those egg-shaped
EOS chapsticks would also cause a
terrible reaction.”
Colorful, fruity-themed products
are placed on the end of shopping aisles
and at checkout areas because the
packaging is bright and enticing, but that
does not mean the ingredients are healthy
and safe.
“Make sure to do research.
Some people break out because they mix
products and acids. Mixing certain acids
can cause a reaction. It’s important to
know what you are using and what works
for you,” said Antonio Hernandez, a local
makeup consultant.
E veryone’s skin is different, but
it is a well-known fact children have a
weaker immune system and a higher
surface-to-volume ratio. This makes
children more prone to breakouts and
skin irritation than adults or individuals
with a more experienced immune system.
“Anything scented or that has
fragrance will likely make you break out,”
said Kamiya Holifield, Claire’s employee.
“If the child is incredibly young, I
[30]

ecommend skipping skin coverage
altogether. Instead, stick to lip gloss and
eyeshadow.”
Makeup producers know how
to target the desired audience. Children’s
makeup likely spends more budgeting on
packaging and marketing than on safety
concerns and featured ingredients.
“I recommend younger girls
start with brands like Clinique or Benefit.
These brands put an emphasis on the
skincare side of makeup. Anything that
has alcohol listed in the beginning of the
ingredients is a red flag,” said Kay Bolten,
a Tuscaloosa makeup artist.
Makeup is fun to play with, and
a lot of little girls love to play dress-up.
Even adult women have themed social
events. Makeup can be a pleasure, but
pleasure can evolve into a problem when
made with harmful products and cheap
ingredients. Bacterial, talc, alcohol and
acids can all be dangerous components of
makeup, making the benefit of a natural
glow come at the cost of having healthy
skin.
“Younger girls with good skin
should try to avoid foundation. A sheer
powder is lighter, and most people don’t
need a lot,” said Chelsea Shepard, The
University of Alabama alumni and beauty
consultant. “If you are new to makeup,
really just have three good products;
cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen.”
Choosing the products to use on
a child’s face during Halloween or events
like face painting should not be a scary
decision. Research is the best way to be
cautious when applying new products.
Don’t be afraid to read articles,
sample the product on less sensitive areas
of skin and scan the popular reviews.
Poor quality products often get critiqued
by consumers before critics are aware of
the problem, so google the product before
purchase. Eventually, these products may
be discontinued, leaving options that are
safe, reliable and appealing.
[31]

34
36
the overall effect: a look inside the fashion of ballroom
the crossroads of cultural attire and fashion influence
38
40
unisex fashion: rejection of the gender binary
which style icon of the big screen are you?
42
a guide to Y2K fashion in 2022
[32]

[33]

The hit series “Pose” introduced the world of
ballroom, a subculture of everything fashion,
face and voguing. Ballroom is a haven for young
Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ individuals to escape
from a world where they aren’t always accepted.
House balls emerged from a marginalized group
of people who found a way to express themselves
freely and unapologetically. Many people believe
ballroom is a relatively new thing that emerged
in the 1970s in New York, but ballroom has been
around for over a century..
Ricky Turner, the author of “And the Category
is…,” writes about what ballroom Culture is and
the history of the ballroom scene.
“What my book is trying to do is make it so that
people know about the history of ballroom so that
everyone doesn’t feel like it’s a brand-new thing,
and that it belongs to whoever appropriates that
every four or five years, which tends to end up
happening,” said Turner.
In Turner’s book, he recalls his personal
experience with ballroom, specifically voguing.
History.com defines voguing as an
“improvisational dance inspired by the poses of
models in fashion magazines.” Originating from
trans and gay Black people.
Turner explained how he went to voguing
workshops and saw people vogue for the first
time. Turner makes voguing seem more than
just dancing, but an expression of the body and
building self-esteem and processes those bodily,
racial and generational traumas.
“Going to do research for the book and going to
a ball conference in Toronto, and I was feeling
all out of sorts, and like a little bit dislocated and
remote, then I got there, and finally I got to the
voguing workshop that I signed up for. I was like,
Design Wesley Picard
oh, I’m home,’ said Turner.
In the U.S. alone approximately 4.2 million
youth experience homelessness and among
those 4.2 million 40% are a part of the LGBTQ+
community, according to True Colors United, an
organization whose goal is to find a solution for
LGBTQ+ youth homelessness.
Twiggy Pucci Garcon, Chief Program Officer
of True Colors United, writer, director and
producer, co-wrote a documentary, “KIKI,”
that explores the New York ballroom scene. The
documentary follows seven young people of color
who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and
their navigation of identity, family and ballroom.
Garcon is no stranger to the ballroom scene,
they began her ballroom journey in 2004 where
they attended their first ball and eventually
walked their first category. Garcon fell in love
and has been walking categories ever since.
“Ballroom literally saved my life,” said Garcon.
Garcon expressed their gratitude to ballroom
for creating a place where they were accepted
for being them. They said they owe their life to
ballroom, and they will pour whatever they can
to keep it alive and thriving.
Garcon is no stranger to the world of ballroom
fashion either.
“So in ballroom, the outfit or costume that
you walk in, and it’s called an effect,” explained
Garcon.
Garcon produced their first high school fashion
show and uses fashion as self-expression in
ballroom.
“I went to school for fashion. I just have always
been enamored by fashion and the intricacies
and details of it all. Like when we get up, we
put on our clothes in the morning, go out into
[34]

the world and it’s like you are saying something,
whether it’s conscious or subconscious; you’re
saying something. I think it’s no different in
ballroom,” said Garcon.
Stepping into the ballroom is like stepping onto
a runway, where cheers, screams and snaps are
always present and sometimes a few boos and
laughs. It is all part of the culture, and at the end
of the day, the Ball is full of family and friends.
“When you put in your effect, you’re saying
something to the ballroom, and the feeling that
one gets when competing, or when putting on
that costume to step out. I think I can’t really put
it into words,” said Garcon. “The closest thing I
can think of is affirmation. You are presenting
yourself to your peers and loved ones, family,
people for you, against you and the statement
that you’re making is like I am here,” said Garcon.
Many people aren’t familiar with the difference
between ballroom culture and drag culture.
Garcon said they would describe them as sisters,
and Tucker said he would describe them as
cousins that just so happen to maybe share the
same grandparents.
“I think this is where ballroom and drag have
sort of the same grounding. It’s all DIY. You
make your own dress, you source the fabric, do
your own wigs, or it was a collective sort of thing
where the community would come together and
help you do all those things,” said Tucker.
Tony Sinclair, drag queen by the name of Capri
Dupree, highlighted the differences between
drag and ballroom culture. Sinclair also walks
the vogue category at many balls. In ballroom
culture, belonging to a house and living together
is a major element, and walking and participating
in balls “is an escapism.” While in drag culture
the pageantry life is very similar, just without the
house. Whether it’s ballroom or Drag, love and
creativity are very important elements to these
two cultures.
“I feel like all LGBTQ+ people are born with
these creative genes, and if they see something
creative, they want to capitalize on their
creativity and just go crazy with creativity on top
of creativity,” Sinclair said.
Many houses are named after fashion brands,
for example, House of Mugler, House of Gucci,
House of Dior and even the House of Old Navy.
“Being super creative on all levels, whether it
comes to tailoring, being a seamstress, dyeing
things, doing hair, you have to know how to do
a lot of different things. There’s that element,
but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t couture. A lot
of the dresses I see on runways and stuff now,
rival with your Dior’s and your Prada’s, but
they’re made by the House of Garcon rather than
Comme des Garcons,” Tucker said.
Most of the extravagant, beautiful pieces are
made by ballroom members, correlating to the
theme of the category. Ballroom has been around
for such a long time. The fashion is timeless, so
much so that big fashion brands steal ballroom
fashion without crediting ballroom.
“I think the unfortunate thing is ballroom has
been around so long, and so people have been
secretly influenced [by the culture],” said Garcon.
This phenomenon can sometimes happen
unknowingly. Garcon said people could be
inspired by a coworker or friend’s outfit and not
know they were a part of ballroom culture.
“I think the unfortunate part of many of the
last few decades is so many mainstream fashion
moments have come from ballroom have not
been credited,” said Garcon
As ballroom has made its way into mainstream
culture, many houses and fashion brands have
started to collaborate. Garcon said they hope
that with more visibility, ballroom will begin to
receive recognition and the collaborative work
continues.
“We’re at a time when fashion houses are
acknowledging the ballroom houses named after
them and collaborating, so things are shifting
in a way that I dreamt. I don’t even know that
that had gotten to the part of my mind where I
thought it was possible,” said Garcon.
Ballroom culture has changed the way fashion
exists. Whether its low-end brands like Old Navy
or high fashion like Dior, these brands represent
a major entity of the ballroom scene. The world of
fashion and ballroom are continuing to make an
imprint on the world, and the Black and Latinx
LGBTQ+ communities are making themselves
seen and heard. As Elecktra Abundance-
Evangelista said, “I look too good not to be seen.”
[35]

The Crossroads of Cultural Attire and
Fashion Influence
By Jane Lipp
Photo Emma Kate Standard
Traditional cultural attire
tells a story through physical
adornment and designs rich in
significance. Each item of dress holds
purpose, history and meaning when worn
by Native Africans, Indians, and a diversity
of races throughout the world. Clothing
and accessories that express a specific
culture offer an opportunity to celebrate
and exhibit pride. While the origin of
traditional cultural attire is not grounded
in fashion, the garments are undoubtedly
beautiful.
Indian ceremonial saris sparkle
with intricate beading, glittery trims and
metallic materials. African cultural attire
often combines unique patterns inspired
by nature, with richly ornate accessories.
In a society where people admire beauty
and are curious about other cultures, the
urge to embrace a culturally-inspired style
exists among many. Traditional cultural
attire is increasingly serving as a source
of inspiration for fashion designers and
aficionados, whether they are drawing
upon their own personal backgrounds, or
incorporating the influence of a specific
culture’s clothing into their style brand.
Sabyasachi Mukherjee is an Indian
fashion and jewelry designer from Kolkata,
India. He launched his Sabyasachi label in
1999, featuring high-end luxury Indian
textiles and design techniques such as
block printing and hand dyeing, all reimagined
into modernized silhouettes.
For almost two decades, his clients
were primarily of Indian descent. More
recently, his designs launched to the
forefront of high fashion because of a
partnership with Christian Louboutin,
of red-heeled fame. In 2017, Louboutin
collaborated with Sabyasachi to
incorporate sari materials and the craft
[36]

of Indian beading into a capsule shoe
collection, showcased in an article that
can be found on his website titled “Behind
the Collaboration: Christian Louboutin
x Sabyasachi.” The attention elevated
Sabyasachi’s entire brand, and now his
clothing designs are worn by American
and Western European fashion setters and
celebrities, including Reese Witherspoon
and Renée Zellweger.
A common thread connecting
cultural attire is that each piece of clothing
offers its unique detail and meaning.
Clothing is much more than what meets the
eye. It’s inspired by memories, traditions
or historic significance. Cultural attire
opens up the doors to new conversations,
often allowing people from different places
throughout the world to make a connection
and share their backgrounds. Traditional
cultural attire serves as a platform for
people to express their identity, heritage
and culture.
The members of the Indian Students
Association of Tuscaloosa wear traditional
cultural attire to celebrate their Indian
traditions at The University of Alabama.
They invite students of all backgrounds to
participate.
Abhinandhan Narayanan, a native of
India, serves as president of the association.
Narayanan said he acknowledges the
differences that exist within a culture,
while also highlighting the role traditional
clothing plays in creating community.
“Every state in India has a different
language, a different cuisine and different
attire, so you can tell from a person’s attire
whether they are from the northern part
of India or the southern part of India,”
said Narayanan. “Attire is something that
is very intrinsic to Indian culture. When
you see people going to the temples, their
places of worship, they will all be dressed
in similar attire, offering a huge sense of
community.”
With a population of 1.4 billion
people, India has the second-largest
population in the world and is home to
thousands of ethnic groups, hundreds of
languages and numerous religions. The
country has more than 29 states, and
as Narayanan explained, the traditional
cultural attire can vary from state to state
and region to region. But regardless of
where in India a person is from, Narayanan
said he feels “flattered” when people from
non-Indian cultures wear traditional
clothes from India because he sees that as
a sign of respect.
“If I see someone else wearing
Indian clothes, I feel really happy and
glad that Indian culture has reached other
people,” said Narayanan.
Narayanan was excited and proud
to share memories celebrating his favorite
Indian celebration, Diwali. Narayanan
said the traditional events that take place
for this celebration include wearing new
cultural attire and celebrating with food,
family and friends. Diwali is known as the
festival of lights and is a five-day event
held in late fall that celebrates the triumph
of light over dark and good over evil.
Narayanan said he and his Indian friends
look forward to sharing the traditions of
Diwali with their non-Indian friends at The
University of Alabama. Last fall, leading
up to the Diwali celebration, members of
the association accumulated all of their
traditional Indian clothing and encouraged
their non-Indian friends to wear the attire
to attend the Diwali festivities.
“It was just amazing. You feel very
happy, especially when you are so many
miles away from home, and you see
someone who is not from your country or
culture wearing clothes from your country,
you feel a sense of gratification,” said
Narayanan.
In March of 2018- just five months
after the Sabyasachi and Louboutin
partnership launched the term cultural
appropriation was added to the Oxford
Dictionary. According to the Oxford
Dictionary, cultural appropriation is
“the unacknowledged or inappropriate
adoption of the practices, customs,
or aesthetics of one social or ethnic
group by members of another typically
dominantcommunity or society.”
Cultural appropriation is a new term
and is a subject people are still exploring
and considering, especially regarding
how it relates to style and fashion. The
concept of cultural appropriation is
complicated, and there are very few clear
lines in determining or understanding why
something is or isn’t appropriate to wear
based on one’s cultural background.
“As a general rule, I think it’s a
good idea to listen and be deferential
to members of the source culture of
the clothing in question,” said Erich
Hatala Matthes, an assistant professor of
philosophy studying the ethics of cultural
heritage at The University of Alabama.
“We also shouldn’t assume that
every member of a particular cultural
group will have the same views about who
wears what clothes, so things are often not
so simple,” said Matthes.
The continent of Africa has a
population of 1.2 billion, with 54 countries,
and more than 3,000 tribal communities,
according to Think Africa’s, “10 largest
tribes in Africa.”
“My attire is me, it represents who I
am as a Botswana woman,” said Kefentse
Kubanga, Vice resident of the African
Students Association at the University of
Alabama. “And whenever I see someone
else wearing it, I know the person is also
a Botswana woman because the clothing
is very different from any other person or
any other culture.”
Botswana traditional clothing is rich
in ornamental objects, with necklaces,
bracelets, armlets, rings and earrings, all
easy pieces for individuals of other cultures
to wear as everyday accessories. Kubanga
said she believes knowledge and respect
play an important role when someone not
from her culture is wearing clothing or
jewelry that are or resemble her culture’s
attire.
“It shows someone is appreciating
and embracing a culture that is different
from their own. So it is flattering in that
sense. I don’t think you can really feel
insulted, but you just ask yourself if the
person really understands the significance
behind that attire,” said Kubanga.
Careful thought and the context
surrounding the adoption or imitation of
aspects of cultural attire within a fashion
style seem to be the guiding considerations
when deciding if what you or what someone
else is wearing is culturally appropriating.
“When it comes to fashion in
particular, you want to make sure that
you’re not enforcing norms that limit
the success of culturally marginalized
designers,” said Matthes. “So, for example,
it would plausibly be a bad thing if worries
about cultural appropriation made people
disinclined to buy clothes from Native
designers: if the work is being produced
for the market, the designers probably
want people to buy it and wear it.”
As a whole, clothing provides people
of all different ethnicities and experiences
a method to display and celebrate their
culture. The beauty of clothing is it can be
more than what meets the eye. Traditional
cultural clothing has meaning, in the way
it represents history, power, community,
and identity. One of the most valuable
lessons to learn in life is that there is
great joy, education, and friendship that
is gained from learning about another
person’s culture.
Traditional cultural attire tells a
story, and if you’re lucky enough in life,
you will have the opportunity to listen to
an individual’s own telling of what their
traditional cultural attire means to them
personally.
[37]

Unisex Fashion
Rejection of the Gender Binary
By Savannah Dorietty
Photo Rebecca Martin
2020 was a year of many firsts. Kamala Harris became
the first woman vice president, Katie Sowers, the first
woman and openly gay person, coached at the Super Bowl
and Harry Styles was the first man to appear solo on the
cover of Vogue in December, an added bonus, he was
wearing a dress.
Despite the significant backlash, celebrities like Harry
Styles, Lil Nas X and Billy Porter have taken to the runway
and red carpet in flowing gowns and feminine silhouettes,
making a big statement about the place of unisex in
mainstream fashion.
The trend towards genderless fashion has been gaining
momentum for hundreds of years, according to fashion
historian, Kimberley Chrisman-Campbell.
“If you look at the history of fashion it’s become gradually
more casual, more gender-neutral, more unisex, and that’s
been happening for centuries so this is an ongoing trend
that pops up in different ways,” said Chrisman-Campbell.
“It is interesting though because men’s clothing and
women’s clothing are so alike in the late 20th, early 21st
century that you can wear jeans and a t-shirt [whatever
your gender].”
Fashion has evolved significantly since a woman in pants
was deemed inappropriate for the public eye, though
most of this evolution has involved the masculinization
of women’s clothing. Women have been the ones pushing
gender boundaries by adopting more masculine wardrobes,
while gender expression for men has remained largely the
same, until recently, that is.
“When we talk about unisex or gender-less fashion we
see women wearing clothes traditionally reserved for men.
[Then] suddenly it’s about men taking on traditionally
female garments like skirts, and doing it in a way that was
not meant to blur boundaries or create confusion about
gender but to present a kind of masculine femininity,” said
Chrisman-Campbell.
This shift has brought a whole new meaning to the idea
of unisex.
“It was mostly in one direction, whereas now, to say
unisex I’m not sure what that means anymore,” said Jo
Paoletti, former fashion historian with a focus on gender.
The evolving definition of unisex fashion could be rooted
in shifting perceptions of gender in today’s society. In the
past, women fought to be recognized as equals of men,
thus using them as a basis for evaluating that equality and
potentially influencing the masculinization of women’s
fashion.
Today, feminist goals recognize women as women,
abandoning that previous evaluation. The concepts of
toxic masculinity and repression of male femininity have
also become hot topics in our recent social climate. These
factors may have contributed to the shift in fashion,
however, that is not to say masculinity and femininity are
simply trading places.
“What I’m seeing is less a rejection of one thing being
replaced by another [than] a rejection of something that
was very rigid and trying to replace it with something that
is much more fluid,” said Paoletti.
This ideal calls into question the title of genderless fashion
itself.
“I don’t necessarily think genderless fashion exists. I kind
of take issue with that title. I want to advocate for more of
a spectrum or maybe a sphere,” said Aidan Miles-Jamison,
a junior majoring in art history at The University of
Alabama who frequently experiments with the boundaries
of gendered fashion. “I think of the x and y-axis, what is the
z that makes it 3-dimensional versus a binary.”
Rather than seeking gender neutrality or rejecting one
gender identity for another, the new era of unisex fashion
works to embody that fluidity. It recognizes gender as
[38]

a spectrum rather than the binary that society has
pushed in the past.
Though the idea of gender as a social construct
was adopted by Second Wave feminists and used to
promote gender expression, it came out of science that
is, at its core, problematic.
Contrary to its connotation today, this concept
stemmed from the research of John Money, a
psychologist whose practice was built on assigning
binary sex to intersex children and essentially training
them to follow the norms associated with that sex. One
famous example of Money’s research is the involuntary
sex reassignment of David Reimer that eventually led
to the adult suicides of both David and his brother.
“Both sex and gender are in part social constructs, but
they take place in the body, and so are simultaneously
biological,” said Anne Fausto-Sterling, a sexologist
and professor of biology and gender studies at Brown
University, said. “Cultural experience has physiological
effects.”
The implications of this conclusion support the
fluidity of gender that modern fashion promotes by
suggesting a mix of underlying motivations. Gender
and sex are not solely socialized, nor solely biological.
Just as gender-fluid fashion is not solely masculine or
feminine. It is a choice while also being predetermined,
the ultimate symbolic representation of identity.
The impact of this interpretation of unisex fashion on
the communities most concerned with gender identity
varies.
“There are a lot of people for whom identifying
something as feminine [or masculine] and then
aspiring towards that is really important,” said
Paoletti. “For example, there are transgender women
who would hate to see something that masks gender
because for their identity, it’s very important to adopt
clothing that automatically identifies them as female.
For some people, the binary is very real and very
necessary, and for other people, it’s meaningless.”
In this way, it is important that the idea of genderfluid
fashion does not fall too far into gender neutrality
or the rejection of gender but preserves the fluidity
seen today. The goal must remain focused on inclusion
and acceptance rather than drawing strict lines.
Unisex fashion, despite its inclusive and uplifting
message, has its flaws. One of those is the fit.
“The biggest issue has always been the body and
sizing,” said Paoletti. “If you want clothes that fit,
the human body has such variations that it would be
difficult, and then there’s society too.”
The societal connotation of pushing these gendered
boundaries can be intense. Miles-Jamison reported
several drive-by verbal assaults for being openly queer
and feminine with a masculine body.
“UA has a very normative dress culture, and I’m not
saying that’s bad, but for me as a gay person wearing
very ‘weird’ clothing, I was shunned for doing that,”
Miles-Jamison said. “I was definitely intimidated
and scared by their actions … but it also made me
reactionary.”
Though met with such resistance from society,
gender-fluid fashion has the potential to change the
face of the fashion industry as we know it.
“The fashion industry now has a lot of people who
can reach a niche audience,” said Paoletti. “There is
more opportunity to identify, [for example] say we
create suits for trans men who might have a particular
concern about the fit, details, sizing, and they can
market their design for that niche.”
This niche-focused business model will turn away
from the mass market that dominates the industry
today. As identities and interests are further explored
and defined, the effectiveness of mass-marketed
fashion diminishes significantly. Paoletti believes
that if unisex fashion continues to grow as it is today,
fashion’s mass market may become obsolete.
In its place could be services that allow total
customization. Paoletti speculates about a future
where fashion shopping is as simple as inputting your
measurements and customizing the product. The main
concern then is sustainability.
“Being able to totally customize clothes seems like
something that’s not easily transferable to other
people for hand-me-downs or reuse, so everything has
a downside,” said Paoletti.
Another concern is that gender identity will become
a mere commodity.
“I think [the fashion industry] would corrupt it and
commodify it like you have to buy these things in order
to be a part of this identity,” said Miles-Jamison. “It’s
all about having to spend capital to gain entrance, like
Pride Fest charging money.”
Despite its flaws, gender-fluid fashion has
opened a new conversation in fashion. A conversation
that questions our very understanding of gender and
expression; that subverts the binary and allows for the
expression of diverse identities.
[39]

Which S T Y L E Icon
Are You?
By Caitlin Neill
Design Ella Smyth
Our style is influenced by so many things in life, but one of the biggest influences in the fashion world is the style icons we see
on the big screen. Whether it be the classics such as Carrie Bradshaw or Blair Waldorf or newcomers like Maddy Perez or Zoey
Johnson, everyone has a style icon they want to be just like!
1.) Your favorite accessory is…
2.) Your ideal night out includes…
3.) At the beach, you love to wear…
A Purses
B Shoes
A
House Party B
An exclusive party
in the city
A
Anything with
some cutouts,
I’m here to
impress
B
A floral bikini
and fun pair of
sunglasses
C
A Strand of
Pearls
E Layered
necklaces
D Statement
Earrings
C
Drinks at a hotel
bar.
D
Going to the
nearest bar on
campus with
friends
C
A classic and
simple black
one-piece
E Bonfire on the beach E Whatever swimsuit
I have laying around
with my favorite pair
of denim shorts
D
A one-piece with
a cute slit, but
a hat and cute
cover-up is where
it’s at
4.) You would describe your
style as…
5.) You forgot you had a big test
and you didn’t study at all, you…
6.) Your dream job is…
A
Bold
B Timeless
A
I’m just skipping
class
B
I honestly didn’t
need to study
anyway
A
I just wanna
be rich
B
Journalist
C
Preppy
E Casual
D Playful
C
Charm my way
into my teacher
letting me retake
it
E
D
Cheat Just wing
it and hope for
the best
I literally don’t go
to school
C
CEO D Stylist
E
Honestly just
want to graduate
first
7.) Your friends would describe you as…..
8.) Your favorite color is…
A Feisty
B Self-obsessed
A Black
B Pink
C Loyal
E Adventurous
D Popular
C Purple D Blue
E Yellow
[40]

A
C
9.) Your go-to make-up look is…
Full Glam B
Mostly As
The No Makeup-Makeup
Look
Classic with a Bold Lip D Simple with a Winged Liner
10.) Your ex calls you and says they want to get
back together, you…
A
B
C
Hear them out, but call
your best friend and ask
for their advice
E No makeup at all E
Give it a shot, but don’t
make any promises
D
Play hard to get, but
secretly are still in love with
them
You are Maddy Perez - “Euphoria”
You’re confident and bold with your fashion statements, and
you don’t shy away from wearing something to get people’s
attention. Maddy Perez is very extroverted and will tell you how
it is; she is not afraid to speak her mind. Despite being unfiltered,
she is still very loyal to her friends and will never back down
when defending them.
Immediately plan a date with
him and start again where you
left off
Tell them no, but you can still
be friends
Mostly Bs
You are Carrie Bradshaw - “Sex and the City”
Your closet is full of timeless pieces, but you also like to add a
fun flair to any outfit. Carrie Bradshaw is an optimist in life, and
with her wardrobe, she is youthful and bright. She can charm
her way through anything life throws at her and always seems
to be laughing.
Mostly Cs
You are Veronica Lodge - “Riverdale”
You keep your outfits classy, and you’ll never get caught without
looking completely put together. Veronica Lodge is charismatic and
determined; she is fiercely loyal to her friends and can accomplish
anything she chooses.
Mostly Ds
Mostly Es
You are Zoey Johnson - “Grown-ish”
Any outfit you put together gets compliments. Your style is fun,
youthful, and creative, and you can pull anything off with a little
bit of confidence. Zoey Johnson is pretty, smart, popular and the
absolute “it girl.” Even though she can be a little entitled, she still
makes time for her friends and doesn’t judge them for who they
are.
You are Sarah Cameron - “Outerbanks”
Your style is simple and laid back, so you can live life to the
fullest and go on any adventures you want. Sarah Cameron is a
free spirit, and she doesn’t play by the rules. While she is kind,
she won’t shy away from a fight when someone messes with her
and her friends.
[41]

By Ta’Kyla Bates
Design Wesley Picard
Photo Grayson Byrd
A favorite saying for many historians is “Don’t let history repeat itself,” but in the case of fashion, history is once
again repeating itself. Trends from the 80s and 90s have seen a major resurgence in the past 10 years. Now, the
y2k era is taking over the 2020s. From statement sunglasses to velour tracksuits, y2k fashion making a comeback is
probably the greatest thing to happen to fashion since, well, y2k. At this rate, flip phones are going to be back in style.
The year 2000 is when it all began, celebrities became the face of some of the biggest y2k fashion trends. From
Destiny’s Child to Britney Spears to Paris Hilton, early 2000s fashion was an unstoppable force. Here’s a guide to
emulating those queens while also staying with the times.
Tip #1: Throw those
skinny jeans away.
Tip #2: Get a Velour Tracksuit.
One iconic woman who wasn’t
afraid to sport a velour tracksuit back in
the day was Paris Hilton. There wasn’t a day
that went by that Hilton wasn’t caught rocking
a velour tracksuit. Brands like Juicy Couture
and Baby Phat were huge and are making a
comeback. No one said the tracksuit had to be
name-brand; it just has to look good.
Tip #3: Sunglasses
make or break the outfit.
Whether we realize it or not
skinny jeans are slowly going out of
style. It’s all about mom jeans, dad jeans
and wide-legged jeans. A quick thrift store
visit and a wide array of wide-legged jeans
will line the aisles. Many big brands such as
Hollister, ASOS and Urban Outfitters have
sections dedicated to y2k inspired jeans. Lowrise
jeans were the thing in the 2000s, but
society is on the fence about them now.
Tiny sunglasses and frameless sunglasses are
where it’s at, and they will make the outfit.
They’ll make you look like you just walked
out of the year 2000, so get rid of the aviators
and the Ray-Bans. If you want to look like y2k
Britney and J LO, frameless is the way to go.
Tip #4: Don’t be afraid of
a little color, glitz and glam.
The 2000s was all about color, glitter and the most glamorous pieces.
Stay away from the warm tones and bring in some pastels. Pinks,
purples and lime greens will have you looking like you belong in an
early 2000s teen rom-com.
[42]

Tip #5: Graphics, graphics
and more graphics.
Back in 2000, everybody had something to say on their shirts.
From their favorite cartoon or tv show to a simple smiley face, a
graphic on a baby tee was the style of the 2000s. It has started to
make its way back into fashion now, especially with a pair of big
pants. Don’t be afraid to sport that cropped tank with the cherry
on it; you’re making a statement!
Tip #7: Have something
on your head.
Tip #6: Always have at least
one shoulder purse.
No crossbodies, no mini
backpacks! A shoulder purse can
make the dullest outfit pop. It creates a
statement, and they are cute and lightweight.
Whether you want to go name brand with
Prada or thrift a shoulder bag, always have one
handy to get that y2k aesthetic.
Put a bandana or a trucker hat on your head, and
you’re set to go. We’ve seen trucker hats trend their
way to mainstream fashion, especially the iconic Von
Dutch popularized in the 2000s. It’s now a high fashion
statement. Bandanas are another option and can be a
lifesaver. Throw on a bandana and a cute outfit to solve
any bad hair day.
Tip #8: A platform shoe is
just what you have to do.
Whether it’s a Doc Marten
or a heel, shoes at least 2 inches off
the ground are the epitome of a statement
shoe. If you want to buy those platform
sandals, go for it. It’s what all the fashionistas
of the 2000s were wearing.
Brands have started to capitalize
off of fashion from decades ago, and
it seems to be working in their favor.
People are getting bored with the
same old skinny jeans and oversized
tees. Designers are pulling from times
when the world wasn’t so divided,
and the debate about climate change
wasn’t as heated. It’s nostalgic to go
back in time, and since there are no
time machines, the best way we can
go back is through fashion. The great
Coco Chanel once said, “Fashion is
not something that exists in dresses
only. Fashion is in the sky, in the
street, fashion has to do with ideas,
the way we live, what is happening.”
[43]

46
the curation of sustainable fashion
48
54
asian influence in the industry
50
tattoo taboo
the evolution of musical theater
[44]
56
the complex reality of pole dancing
58
photostory: vitality

[45]

The Curation of
Sustainable Fashion
By McKenzie Stevens
Design Ella Smyth
[46]

TikTok trends, Instagram
influencers and corporations
have created a landscape of global fashion
that evolves at an astronomical rate. The
current state of fashion, encouraged by
brands like Shein, Princess Polly and
Zara, has created a life cycle of fashion
that creates and retires trends at an
unsustainable pace.
Birmingham-based Samra Michael,
known as “Samra, The Curator” on
Instagram, has initiated sustainable
fashion efforts with her brand Cross
Dressin’ among a young generation of
consumers in the Birmingham area.
While balancing her nine-to-five job, she
was inspired by vintage stores and small
businesses in the Birmingham area. This
inspiration led to her creating a passion
project and creative outlet over a year ago
for her photography, fashion and styling.
With sustainability and fashion at
the forefront of Cross Dressin’, Michael
aims to service all genders ages 16 to
30-years-old at affordable prices to combat
fast fashion. Many young adults want to
invest in sustainability but don’t have the
expendable income to spend on expensive
clothing. Vintage stores and brands that
are sustainable, such as Reformation and
Everlane, are often expensive, making
sustainable shopping unattractive for
younger individuals despite being ethically
made.
“Cross Dressin’ can be for everyone,
really just anyone who is looking for
affordable, lightly used, sustainable
clothing,” said Michael. Her mission is to
“focus on basic pieces that you can wear
like that you can layer in the winter, that
you can dress down in the summer, just
stuff that’s going to last next season.”
Michael says that Basic., a slow
fashion shop based in Birmingham,
Alabama, taught her a lot about
sustainability, why it is important to focus
on timeless pieces rather than trends and
the importance of knowing how ethical the
clothes you buy are.
“Fast fashion is the antithesis of
sustainability,” said Lacey Woodroof,
Owner of Basic.
Fast fashion refers to the low-cost,
mass-produced clothing business model
that many brands emulate. These trends
are regularly in high-fashion runway
shows, then they are recreated and sold at
a low cost to consumers.
Finding staple pieces that you can
wear and style differently throughout the
year is vital in aiding the fashion industry
to become more sustainable.
The implications of this practice
translate to an increasing amount of
waste globally, poor manufacturing
practices and inhumane labor facilities.
As brands outsource their suppliers and
manufacturers, the laborers in these
countries experience poor working
conditions as a ramification.
“A big misconception inside the
fashion world is that if it says “Made in
the USA,” it’s automatically going to be
more sustainable or ethical and that’s
just not the case,” said Woodroof. “There
are plenty of places in the USA that are
doing large-scale manufacturing that are
not doing it in a way that respects human
beings in any kind of way.”
Sustainability and ethical practices
can help manufacturers globally with
ethical working conditions and slow the
rate of negative environmental impacts the
fashion industry has on the planet.
“I think sustainable fashion is such
a great and effective way to help the
planet,” said The University of Alabama
Student Fashion Association President
Anaya McCullum. “It also benefits those
in developing countries who work in
harsh conditions and are paid under the
living wage to make clothes that aren’t
sustainable.”
Brands such as H&M have a
reputation for greenwashing or claiming
to be sustainable despite unethical and
unsustainable practices.
“Greenwashing is such a big
problem. I feel like sustainability is almost
just a buzzword that people are using,”
said Michael.
Focusing on second-hand, thrift,
vintage and shopping locally are the focus
of many sustainable brands to reverse
the effects of fast fashion trends and stop
greenwashing.
Another aspect of fast fashion is
overconsumption, a prominent issue in the
fashion industry because of consumers’
habits of getting rid of old, trendy clothing
and replacing it with new trends.
“The reality of it is that we have
enough clothes out there as it is,” said
Woodroof. “We’ve got plenty of clothes
to go around tenfold, so if we want to
continue having a fashion industry that’s
interesting, we’re going to have to produce
things that work for people’s wardrobes
for a long time.”
Sustainable Brands said that as
Gen-Z’s buying power grows, brands
are going to have to put corporate social
responsibility at the forefront to grow with
the sustainability demands. Gen-Z is now
leading the way in changing unethical
fashion and business practices globally.
Michael said Gen-Z cares more
about brand transparency and researches
ethically sourced clothing more than
previous generations have.
“This fast fashion, major
overproduction, overconsumption,
mass consumption society we’ve lived, I
think, is going to naturally start shifting
because of younger generations having
conversations,” said Woodroof.
As an agent of change, Michael is
sourcing the clothing she sells through
various ethical outlets such as thrifting,
donations and buying vintage pieces.
“I had so much clothing because I
love fashion and clothes, and I just felt like
other people could get a lot of wear out of
my pieces,” said Michael.
Her desire to learn how to sew and
take herself more seriously as a young
fashion designer also influenced her to
start Cross Dressin’. She said she felt
like she had pieces that she could mend
and sell, and was in a good place to start
producing content despite feeling like
Cross Dressin’ was not perfect yet.
“It doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s
actually cooler when it’s not perfect,” said
Michael.
Michael is currently using Depop
as an online store for Cross Dressin’
and promotes it through Instagram and
pop-ups in Birmingham in stores such
as Urban Outfitters. Because she is only
selling individual pieces currently, she
said a challenge she has faced is getting
people to go from Instagram to Depop.
She has considered starting doing drops,
a limited release of merchandise, despite
feeling unethical. Because of the limited
nature of drops, Michael said it felt wrong
to promote purchasing a piece now before
it sells out and is gone forever.
As her brand continues to grow, she
encourages everyone who wants to shop
sustainably to support small businesses
and do their research. Websites such as
Good On You are valuable tools to help
consumers do their research to find the
best sustainable brands.
“Every little bit helps. It feels better
to support a real person,” said Michael. “I
think that the world needs it.”
[47]

Asian Influence
in The Industry
By Hadley Elsesser
Photo Jennifer Stroud
[48]

Asia is one of the largest social
media markets and represents
a vast number of social media users.
Countries filled with tons of young
individuals, such as China, have gotten
social media down to a science by
staying right on the pulse and targeting
all the right media platforms. With
social media expanding daily, Asian
influencers have been right on-trend,
growing along with the media.
The pandemic, while exhausting, has
actually helped the influencers greatly.
Individuals engage in social media
much more than ever before. Young
individuals have turned to social media
to find creative ways to expand their
style, life choices and entertainment.
With less face-to-face communication,
Asian influencers have utilized social
media as an outlet for individuals to get
feedback on what is new and on-trend.
One Asian influencer who created
a trend that reached millions was
Chloe Ting. During the pandemic,
millions of teens and young adults
everywhere participated in the Chloe
Ting Challenge. Ting’s workout videos
inspired people to get moving despite
having nowhere to go. Based on the
intensity of her workouts, followers
took to Tik Tok starting the “what hell
sounds like” trend with the music from
Ting’s workout videos. Ting responded
to her followers, ecstatic about the
impact she made on individuals’
lifestyles.
Haley Slampak, Michigan State
University freshman and business
management major, was one of the
individuals impacted by Ting.
“I found Chloe during quarantine
when I was looking for at-home
workouts, as the gyms were closed.
Tik Tok had taken a liking to her, and
I really liked her workouts. I felt they
were effective and entertaining. The
videos were very streamlined and cool
with good music in the background,”
said Slampak. “Along with that, her
programs are timed and tell you exactly
how much time you will be committing
daily. It definitely helped me to stay
consistent and motivated while working
out.”
Along with Ting, other Asian
influencers such as Aimee Song,
Brigitte Truong and Aja Dang have also
been trending. From fashion to lifestyle
and even to business influence, these
women have it all covered.
Aimee Song is American-born and
raised of Asian descent. She is a bestselling
author and has been featured
on three Forbes lists, including the 30
under 30 list. Song is an international
influencer whose unique style attracted
millions of followers. Song’s Instagram
is full of creative and aesthetic images
of beautiful outfits, interior design and
sceneries. Visiting Song’s page is a great
way to find outfit concepts, ideas for
cool trips and photoshoot ideas.
Maddie Dishman, freshman
majoring in public relations at the
University of Alabama, often visits
Song’s page.
“Aimee Song portrays a story
throughout her Instagram posts that
have been really cool to follow along
with. She recently announced her
pregnancy, and it has been interesting
to feel like I was part of that journey,”
said Dishman.
A big part of why individuals follow
influencers is to ride along with them on
their journey. Viewers, like Dishman,
enjoy watching them grow and take on
new experiences in life.
In Dishman’s view, “Aimee Song will
now be able to gain a new audience
in addition to her current followers
because of the new products and
brands she will be able to endorse with
her baby on the way.”
Without brands, there would be
nothing to influence. With the everevolving
pandemic, brands have stayed
wary of volatile business. With no
guarantee jobs can stay operative, there
is no guarantee brands will continue to
have customers able to purchase their
products. New marketing tactics have
helped brands to stay on top of the
changing market.
One tactic is embracing different
cultures and allowing themselves to
stand apart from others. Asian brands
have become quite popular in the U.S.
recently because of this, and people
cannot seem to get enough of their
products. An Asian brand that has hit
the U.S. market–in almost all stores–
is Shiseido, a Japanese cosmetics
company. Shiseido is actually one of
the oldest cosmetics companies in the
world and has many raving reviews.
Sarah Wray, freshman physics major
at The University of Alabama, can
personally review Shiseido Products.
Wray came about this product
while shopping around Sephora one
day. With super dry skin, she had
experimented with numerous products.
Wray heard of Shiseido previously, so
when a sample was offered, she jumped
at the opportunity to try something
new. While she found that she loved the
products, they can be a bit pricey for the
average college budget.
“I felt the products worked well
for my skin. I purchased the Vital
Protection Cream. I really appreciated
that the product contained SPF, which
was very important to me,” said Wray.
Asian culture is becoming more
prevalent in everyday brands and
influencing. A few of them are above.
Every brand and influencer has its
own origin story, so it is essential, as
a consumer, to investigate brands that
they are financially supporting.
[49]

y Lucy Barrow
Design Wesley Picard
Photo Sarah
Hartsell
[50]

Through generations, American
society created an environment
balanced on the stigma surrounding
tattoos, known as button-up culture.
Button-up culture is the belief
that tattoos should be covered
in professional settings. This
culture stigmatized the creative
self-expression of tattoos with the
unsavory characteristics of lazy,
unmotivated, underqualified and
worst of all, unworthy.
Professionals across varying
industries took to physically buttoning
up tattoos under neatly ironed shirts
and suits to prevent falling victim to
such stigmatization. Many parents
emphasize the perceived dangers
of tattoos due to their assumed
relationship with risque, counterculture
behaviors. This discriminatory
way of thinking ignores the traditions
of underrepresented cultures and
the origins of nontraditional selfexpression.
Nancy Einhart, previous Executive
Editor and Vice President of Content
for Popsugar in New York City and
current Editor-in-Chief of House
of Wise, remembers her parents
condemning tattoos. Attributing them
to something only men, prisoners
or soldiers ventured to have. They
warned her that she would never
become the CEO of a company with
the permanent “stain” of a tattoo.
Defying her parents’ advice, Einhart
received her first tattoo in 2001, right
as she debuted into the professional
world. Following the current societal
rules for the early 2000s acceptable
tattoo culture, Einhart strategically
placed her ink to ensure it could be
covered when the time came to be
perceived as professional. Twenty
years later, her tattoo collection has
grown in number and indifference
for what society deems proper or
deserving in a professional setting.
“People who work in the media or
other creative industries often see
their tattoos as ways to signal their
counter-cultural perspective,” said
Einhart.
While her own class of professionals
entered the creative field with
tattoos hidden from society, the next
generations approached interviews
with their tattoos on display, proud
of their significance. Because many
jobs in the creative industry revolve
around the internet–predicting
cultural trends, maintaining media
presence and tracking media
attention– employees often begin
to normalize tattoos and other nontraditional
lifestyle expressions.
Unlike job environments within
the creative fields, those in more
traditional, often conservative
industries such as investment banking
or finance are more likely to uphold
[51]

the expectation of a button-up culture. While the surface
level expectation for these traditional work environments
appears harmless, the employees outside the norm could
be subject to unintentional ostracization.
“Many times, I believe I have been addressed as a laidback
surfer guy,” said Caio Fernandez, a current Equities
Derivatives trader for Morgan Stanley in New York City.
“The tattoos definitely impact the way the older generation
see me, even if quietly.”
Fernandez explained that the office fitness center became
his only indicator of his colleagues’ tattoos. Being born
and raised in Brazil, Fernandez experienced both cultures’
professional fields, which he said have their individual
setbacks. He said Brazil has an overall more relaxed culture
that is accepting, while America offers a place for individuals
to express themselves, to a certain extent.
“[Tattoo culture] is definitely an area that is being developed
in the industry, as the younger generations are using tattoos
as a way of expressing themselves more and more,” said
Fernandez. “I believe that improvement will always have a
limitation because face or hands tattoos will likely never be
accepted.”
[52]

Mark Pigilia, a recent audit associate hired
for a firm in Dallas, Texas, said he has yet
to encounter any tattoos while in his new
position but would feel comfortable if he had
any himself.
It seems the traditional branches of the
professional world have improved from
staunch button-up culture, however, it’s not
on par with their creative or international
industry peers. Einhart said while older
generations brand tattoos as something
individuals are “stuck” with, younger
generations embrace the significance and
honor of having something permanently on
their bodies.
There are many reasons someone might
get a tattoo. People worldwide and through
different cultures are getting tattoos in
remembrance of passing family members.
Māori, the indigenous Polynesian people of
mainland New Zealand, receive Tā moko, the
use of tattoos as a signifier of personal growth
to adulthood. Female survivors of breast
cancer have taken to getting beautiful tattoos
on their breasts to cover mastectomy scars,
highlighting the sheer power of women.
“Almost every fashion trend, slang, music
starts in some small community, and you
may not know what that community is,” said
Einhart. “You may not understand everyone
else’s cultural aesthetics, but that does not
mean they are wrong.”
With time, American society has grown to
be slightly more accepting of less mainstream
culture, gaining a greater understanding
of the people that inspires its culture. This
growth created space for professional
settings to take account of their diverse
group of employees and create conversation
to establish an environment as diverse and
inclusive as the people it includes. Buttonup
culture is disappearing from professional
environments, and businesses are creating
rules to meet the needs of their employees.
[53]

evolution
of musical theater
On Dec. 25, 2020, the Netflix original
series “Bridgerton” debuted to 82
million households. Based on Julia Quinn’s
popular romance series of the same name, the TV
show became the second most-watched Netflix
series by total watch time on the platform.
The show, which is set in Regency-era
England, became a huge hit on TikTok. From
reactions to the series to fan edits, the title has
gained over 430 million mentions on the app.
However, one of the most popular series of videos
came from creators Abigail Barlow and Emily
Bear, who began to create videos entitled “What If
Bridgerton Was a Musical?”
Barlow, a singer/songwriter, and Bear, a
composer, producer and singer/songwriter,
gained millions of views from their songs
based on the Bridgerton characters. Within
two months of collaborating over their first
song, “Ocean Away,” the duo composed and
recorded 15 tracks to create “The Unofficial
Bridgerton Musical.”
The album debuted in the top 10 iTunes of
worldwide pop albums, and in 2021, it was
nominated for a Grammy for best musical
theater album.
Keith Cromwell, executive director of Red
Mountain Theatre in Birmingham, Alabama,
has witnessed Barlow’s genius firsthand.
Barlow, who was a member of Red Mountain
Theatre’s youth ensemble for many years,
once attended an alumni concert at the
theatre and created live recordings with a
small amount of equipment.
“I remember coming out after she finished
her set and saying, ‘This is someone who we
will be hearing a lot about in the future,’” said
Cromwell.
Barlow and Bear’s success with “The
Unofficial Bridgerton Musical” has brought
legitimacy to a quickly-growing form of
musical theater, Tik-Tok driven projects.
“Musical Without a Cool Acronym,” an
By Jolie Money
Design Sarah Smith
unofficial parody musical based on Disney’s
animated TV show “Phineas & Ferb,” is
another musical that found popularity on
TikTok with over 5 million mentions.
Caitlin Garnett, a sophomore hospitality
management major at The University of
Alabama, was scrolling through Tik Tok when
she came across a casting call for “Musical
Without a Cool Acronym.”
“They had a site where you sent in an
audition tape singing a few bars of music for
whatever character you wanted. Then, they
emailed us. When I got my email, I was cast in
the ensemble, so I got to play a lot of different
characters, which was exciting,” said Garnett.
Andrew Grabowski, the writer of “Musical
Without a Cool Acronym,” had previously
performed the show in person, but during the
COVID-19 pandemic, he decided to move the
musical online. This way, performers from all
over the world could get involved.
“One of my favorite things about the show is
that I have castmates from Argentina, China,
Indonesia, Canada and all over the states,”
said Garnett. “People from all over the world
came together in a way that they never would
have been able to otherwise.”
Most of the musical was recorded on the
video call app, Discord. When cast members
lived close enough to record together, they
would meet up and film together. After a year
of recording and promoting on TikTok and
Instagram, the full musical was posted to
YouTube and has now gained over 52,000
views.
Garnett attributed some of the musical’s
success to being released soon after
“Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical,” which was
a crowdsourced musical based on Disney’s
animated movie “Ratatouille.”
“Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical” began
as one song by TikTok user Emily Jacobsen,
[54]

ut soon grew into a full cast that performed
a benefit presentation of the musical on
January 1, 2021. The presentation was
viewed by 350,000 people and raised $2
million for The Actors Fund.
“The whole TikTok musical phenomenon
was buzzing after the ‘Ratatouille’ musical,
so right after people were watching it, they
wanted to know what was next. We were
next, and we were ready to go,” said Garnett.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people
craved interaction, and virtual musicals
allowed for people to feel a part of a larger
project.
The craving for social interaction has
continued, even as restrictions have become
more relaxed.
“Right now, we seem to have a real desire
for adults who want to take classes. Several
of our adult classes ended up having
waitlists, or we had to add more programs
to our roster,” said Cromwell about Red
Mountain Theatre programs. “I think it may
be a product of, we haven’t been able to be
social, and we haven’t been able to do things
with people. When 16-20 people get into a
room with tap shoes on for the first time in
their lives, they’re just having a ball. It feels
good to get out again.”
The pandemic has shown us that now more
than ever, community is vital. Whether
virtually or in person, the theater gives
people solidarity.
With the success of virtual shows, it is clear
that musical theater has found a market
on TikTok. TikTok allows for creativity to
shine and for creators to be able to interact
and build off of each other’s work. While
virtual musicals may never be able to reach
the experience of in-person productions,
TikTok creators have endless opportunities
to create new and exciting changes to the
world of musical theater.
[55]

The Complex
Reality of
Pole
Dancing
By
Jeffrey Kelly
Design Kayla Roberson
Whether it’s defying gravity on a 50
mm titanium pole in a dance studio
or gracefully twirling on a club’s stage
under glimmering luminescent lights,
pole dancing has been an art form that has
consistently captivated attention.
And although its connotation hasn’t
always been positive in society, recently
pole dancing has seen an emergence in
positive representation through its use in
television shows like American playwright
Katori Hall’s “P-Valley” and music videos
like FKA Twigs’ “Cellophane,” SZA’s “Good
Days” and Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me
By Your Name).”
Elle Camembert, the owner of Studio
Steel, a pole dancing studio in Birmingham,
Alabama, said she loves the exposure pole
dancing has been getting. She had been so
captivated by pole dancing after her first
class; she decided to make it her life.
Yet, as pole dancing garners a rise in
popularity, it’s important to note how
impactful the art form has always been.
Micayla Goodgame, a 22-year-old
woman, began pole dancing in 2019 for
money and fun at a gentleman’s club in
Savannah, Georgia. Yet, soon after, it
evolved into a chance to express herself
and embrace the “divine feminine.”
“I’m kind of introverted and shy. [Pole
dancing] brought out a more confident
outspoken me, and a lot of times you don’t
even have to speak through words; you can
just speak through your movements,” said
Goodgame.
Camembert agreed with Goodgame’s
sentiment.
“Pole is very empowering,” she said. “It
focuses on what we can do, rather than
how we look, which might surprise you to
hear.”
She noted technical reasoning behind
what dancers wear while on the pole.
[56]
Though people might assume pole dancers
wear less clothing for attention or just for
the look, it’s mainly so they can stick to the
pole.
“Skin will stick to the pole tights will not,
so this is not a thing that can be done in
leggings,” she said.
Camembert said while teaching pole
classes, her best experiences have
been moments where people surprise
themselves and realize they can do things
they didn’t think they could do.
While pole dancing is empowering and
looks glamourous, it isn’t an easy activity
on the body or mind.
“It’s really the art of making it look like
it doesn’t hurt,” said Goodgame. “You just
have to push through; a lot of girls get
bruises… and it’s a pain that never goes
away.”
Goodgame said pole dancing also takes a
toll on a person’s mental health if they’re
pole dancing for monetary reasons.
“It’s just a draining job,” she said. “There’s

a lot of days where it might be hard to take
rejection, or it might be hard to not leave
with the amount of money that you felt
like you were worth leaving with, and you
have to just go home, leave everything that
happened at the club behind and go back
in the next day.”
Though Goodgame said the rejection
helped her build her confidence, she
learned how to take a no and give one.
However, the physical and mental toll
stripping has isn’t exactly quantifiable.
Each person’s experience is different, and
each experience has certain nuances that
must be noted.
Catherine Roach, a University of Alabama
New College professor of cultural and
gender studies, said after doing interviews
for her book “Stripping, Sex, and Popular
Culture,” which follows strippers’ journeys
through the industry and raises questions
about gender, sexuality, fantasy, feminism
and spirituality, she found that stripping
doesn’t adhere to a binary.
She said it’s not completely negative or
positive; it’s a “complex reality at play.”
“Particularly if you are a woman without
a college education, it can be the most
lucrative legal job available to you, but
there’s a lot of ways that it can go wrong.
So it’s important not to romanticize the
world of the strip club. Strip clubs can be
badly run, badly managed, and in which
case, they can be quite dangerous sites for
women with a lot of potential for sexual
abuse,” said Roach. “So, I’m not claiming
this is a wonderful sex-positive feminist
space, but there is potential to explore
themes of such. It all depends on a lot of
factors.”
Goodgame agreed that while she has
had positive experiences at her club in
Savannah, Georgia, every experience is
different, and it’s important to know what
type of environment you’re in.
And due to its rise to mainstream
awareness, many of the complexities that
surround the strip club are being explored
in different stories like “P-Valley,”
“Strippers” and “Naked Hustle,” which
then allow people to take more of a critical
look at the environment and people’s
experiences.
Roach said when people criticize a young
woman for becoming a stripper; one
response that people can have is that we
live in a patriarchal world, where women
face many problems that limit their
economic employment growth.
“[So,] one way a young woman wins at
this game is by taking what it most values,
her youth and beauty and using it against
the system to maximize her economic
potential,” said Roach. “Stripping can feel
like a way to win. We live in this stupid
world of racism and sexism and sexual
harassment, then use what’s valued by
those in power against them to make
money off them.”
She said we could also think about
stripping through a feminist or economic
critique of the labor market.
“Like why aren’t there better employment
possibilities out there? Why is college so
expensive, so that people might go into
sex work in order to pay for their college
education?” said Roach.
Yet, while the media has allowed people
to take in those complexities, the attention
has been a double-edged sword for strip
clubs.
“From my perspective, as a dancer, it’s
become harder to make money because
there’s more competition because there’s
more girls interested, but on the other
hand, there’s more diversity in the club.
Everybody doesn’t look the same,” said
Goodgame. “So, I feel like it’s helping
to make people just be confident in
themselves and show up as they are. I
feel like people have had this idea to be a
dancer; you have to have this perfect body
or even know how to do a lot on the pole
when in reality you don’t have to know
how to do either. It’s just about being
confident in whatever you’re going to do.
So, I’ve seen that shift over the past two
years of me dancing.”
While connotations about stripping are
being dispelled in some spaces, stigma and
stereotypes are persisting and infiltrating
the strip club environment.
“Even now, when I tell people that I
dance, it’s kind of already perceived in the
way you see in music videos,” Goodgame
said.
Though she said it isn’t just an issue of
the connotations developed from media,
it’s also a discussion of race.
“There’s a lot of clubs that turn me down
and tell me because I look too Black or the
girls will tell me like, ‘oh, the managers
don’t like you dancinga nd the hip hop
music because they say it’s ghetto.’ So, I
feel like clubs are trying to steer away from
that negative connotation, but they’re not
realizing how negative they’re making
it for the dancers who are [Black],” said
Goodgame.
While the connotation and overall
experience of strippers can be debated, for
Goodgame, the main focus is artistry.
Goodgame said she believes that a lot
more people are starting to realize that
things deemed negative in society are just
things people are programmed to think so.
Pole dancing has allowed people to express
themselves confidently and authentically.
She advised those interested in pole
dancing to work on their body strength
and have fun.
“I know for me; I could have probably
learned a lot quicker if I wasn’t scared
to just slink around and have fun. Don’t
make it too serious like literally look at
it as art, and create and let yourself feel
awkward. Let yourself try new shapes,”
said Goodgame.
[57]

Photo Sarah Hartsell
[58]

[59]

64
72
62
which kpop fandom do you belong in?
it’s in the details: the moving parts of storytelling in tv
70
66
protest music
into the hyper-realm
sex sells: women and sex representation in hollywood
[60]

[61]

WHICH K-POP FANDOM
DO YOU BELONG TO?
DESIGN ELLA SMYTH
In Korean pop music culture, each group creates a fun, catchy and unique official name or nickname for their fan base. There’s
usually a deep and emotional meaning behind each name because the name is associated with the particular group’s sound, colors or
text. Take the quiz to see which fandom and group you should join.
What song title would you choose to describe
your life at this point in time?
A. “Mic Drop”
B. “Kill This Love”
C. “I CAN’T STOP ME”
D. “Magic”
E. “God’s Menu”
By Kierra Thomas
1 2
What is your favorite type of music?
A. Hip Pop
B. Pop
C. Dance
D. EDM
E. Rap
3 4
When you wake up, what’s the first thing you’re
doing?
You want to change your hairstyle, what are
you doing to it?
5
A. You’re washing your face and
brushing the teeth
B. You’re still in the bed, half asleep
hitting the snooze button
C. You’re in your closet, picking out
your clothes for the day
D. You’re getting up fixing your bed,
then it’s off to the kitchen to make
breakfast
E. You’re still in bed scrolling through
social media (TikTok, Twitter,
Instagram)
What is your favorite color to wear?
6
A. Feeling bold! You’re dyeing your hair
a different color
B. Get the scissors! You’re cutting your
hair
C. Adding extensions and curling your
hair
D. Nothing, you can’t decide so you’re
keeping the same
E. You’re getting a perm
What emoji best describes you?
A. Red: represents determination,
excitement and power
B. Black: represents power, elegance and
strength
C. Pink: represents youth, playful and
good health
D. Blue: represents freedom, freshness
and loyalty
E. Yellow: represents joy, happiness and
positivity
A. Purple heart: you’re supportive and
passionate
B. Pink heart: you’re very loving and
empathetic
C. Peace sign: you’re chill and peaceful
D. Smiley face: you’re always happy and
energetic
E. Flame: you’re tough and awesome to
be around
[62]

7
You’re at a party, what dance are you
doing?
8
What
topping is going on your pizza?
A. The Floss dance
B. Dougie
C. The Jerk
D. Tik Tok dances
E. The Woah
9
You’re in the pet store looking for a new
pet, which pet are you taking home?
A. Dog
B. Cat
C. Guinea pig
D. Fish
E. Lizard
A. Pepperoni
B. Cheese
C. Pineapple
D. Veggies
E. Meat Lovers
If you chose mostly A’s - BTS (ARMY)
You’re definitely a fan of BTS! Welcome to the
A.R.M.Y., which stands for “Adorable Representative
M.C. for Youth.” A.R.M.Y. correlates with “Bangtan
Boys” which stands for “bulletproof boy scouts.” BTS
consists of seven members, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM,
Jimin, V, and Jungkook. BTS are the biggestK-pop
stars in the world that are known for storytelling by
creating diverse songs and concepts.
If you chose mostly B’s - BLACKPINK
(BLINK)
You’re a blink! BLINK is a portmanteau of black
and pink. Blackpink consists of four members: Jennie,
Lisa, Rose, and Jisoo. The girls are known for their
concepts for each song. Blackpink has about five or six
completely different concepts with different hair colors
and clothing featured in their videos. They’re known for
their independent, strong women aesthetic.
If you chose mostly C’s - TWICE (ONCE)
You’re definitely a ONCE! If fans love the group
just once, the girls will repay their fans with TWICE
the love! Twice is a girl group that consists of nine
members: Jihyo, Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana,
Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu. The group
is known for its cute personalities, catchy songs and
creative and colorful aesthetic.
If you chose mostly D’s - TXT (MOA)
Welcome to the world of MOA! MOA means
“gather/collect every Moment of Alwaysness. TXT
(Tomorrow X Together) represents the fourth
generation of K-pop. TXT consists of five members:
Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Taehyun and Huening Kai.
They’re considered the “little brothers” of BTS but with
different styles of music and concepts.
If you chose mostly E’s - STRAY KIDS
(STAY)
STAY is Stray without the r. The r in STAY stands
for reason, meaning that their fans are their reason and
where they stay. Stray Kids is one of the most successful
4th generation K-pop groups with an exciting and fun
dynamic. Stray Kids consists of eight members: Bang
Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix,
Seungmin, and I.N. They’re known for their different
tempos, sick beats, rap styles and languages.
[63]

IT’S IN THE DETAILS: THE MOVING
PARTS OF STORYTELLING IN TV
BY EMIE GARRETT
[64]
When viewers sit down to watch
television and movies, few question
how many moving parts go into creating
the art on their screens, however, one must
wonder what would “Euphoria” be without
Maddy’s dress-code-annihilating outfits
or Orville Peck’s dreamy track “Dead of
Night” punctuating a pivotal scene or
Jules’ ethereal makeup. It likely would be
an entirely different series and a much less
beautiful, enticing and tragic one at that.
Many don’t recognize what massive
roles’ makeup, hair, costume design and
sound design play in breathing life into
the stories people love and creating the
iconic cinematic moments throughout
generations.
The costume, makeup and hair
design of characters changes as they evolve
within the show, following the writing and
direction of that character.
DESIGN KATIE HARMON
For example, in the second season
of “Euphoria,” we see Cassie Howard,
portrayed by Sydney Sweeney, go from
her normal, sweet style to waking up at
4 a.m. every morning before school to
do elaborate hair and makeup and wear
clothes untrue to the character’s original
style.
Cassie’s spiral into this overlydone-up
version of herself is all to attract
attention from her toxic love interest. She
is in a manic state and quickly unraveling
emotionally, all of which is greatly shown
through the hair, makeup and costume
design, as well as the cinematography.
In an interview with Decider, Sweeney
spoke of the attention to detail director,
Sam Levinson, has when filming.
“What I love about [Levinson] is
every shot he wanted her to be drinking
a different bottle. So if you notice, every

single shot she has a completely
different bottle in her hands,” said
Sweeney.
Fashion and trend analyst on
TikTok, Mandy Lee, recently created
a TikTok analyzing the significance of
Euphoria costume designers choosing
to dress Lexi Howard, portrayed by
Maude Apatow, almost exclusively in
the designer brand, Miu Miu.
“Miu Miu’s unofficial
nickname is Prada’s little sister, like
Lexi is little sister to Cassie, who is
much more of a main character based
on screen time alone,” said Lee. “Prada
is typically thought of as the more
luxurious, glamorous brand in the
sisterhood. Miu Miu is more creative,
playful and witty. Miu Miu’s brand fits
Lexi’s character archetype.”
With reboots happening right
and left, it’s important for costume
designers to show, especially in fashioncentric
series, that while the characters
have matured and grown, there is still
a vein of their younger self that viewers
grew to love, running through them.
Morgan Igou, the president
of The University of Alabama’s
National Retail Federation Student
Association and a junior majoring in
fashion merchandising, said she loves
how costume design can show viewers
where characters are in their lives and
how they have evolved.
“The costuming in “And Just
Like That…” so seamlessly transitioned
Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte into
this new period of their lives while
staying true to their original style,”
said Igou. “Miranda went through such
huge, amazing changes throughout
this first season and the costume
designers beautifully showed that while
maintaining her style as this strong,
independent woman.”
In an interview with Variety,
“And Just Like That…” costume
designer, Molly Rogers, said since
everyone is so familiar with the “Sex
and the City” girls, the “DNA of their
clothing was really set in stone from
the original show, so it was just about
finding new designers and seeing who’s
out there now … and, of course, their
classic go-to’s.”
Makeup, or even the lack
thereof, also tells a lot about where a
character is at mentally.
Brooke Bivens, a UA
sophomore majoring in criminal justice
who works as a freelance makeup
artist, said in “Euphoria,” viewers
can see when Rue Bennett, portrayed
by Zendaya, is going through drug
withdrawal, has relapsed or is sober
based off of her skin alone.
“When Rue is having
withdrawals, [the makeup artists] use
more oil on her skin to make her look
sweaty, and her hair is super disheveled
and messy, but when she has relapsed
or is clean and isn’t experiencing
withdrawals anymore, she’s way more
put together… makeup is a great way
to see where a character is at mentally,”
said Bivens.
In an interview with W
Magazine, Euphoria makeup director,
Doniella Davy, said the process for
creating Rue’s makeup looks start with
accentuating what’s already there.
“I would just accentuate the
bags under her eyes, or put this red
eyeshadow around her eyelash line,
or even trace over her veins on her
temple and her brow bone using this
watercolor-style special effects makeup
and a really skinny brush,” said Davy.
Davy said her approach to
each character is to make sure the
makeup visually communicates with
the characters’ states of mind because
“the looks give more insight into that
character in that moment.”
Any bookworm will talk about
how the “book is always better than the
movie,” and this often has to do with
the fact that, in books, readers get the
internal monologue of characters and,
therefore, a better understanding of
their motives and emotions, which is
difficult to portray in film.
Brandi Stephney, a composer
studying African American studies with
a minor in creative media, said sound
design in film conveys pieces of a story
that can’t be said aloud by the actors.
“The point of cinema is for
the story to be told visually. If you take
away the music in a film, there really
isn’t as much dialogue as people think,”
said Stepheny. “The music composed
or chosen for scenes acts as a means
of amplifying emotions the actors are
trying to portray…music helps tell the
whole story. It speaks when no one else
can.”
In a 2017 Vox article entitled,
“How music supervisors create iconic
TV moments,” Maggie Phillips, who
at the time worked on three different
FX series– “Fargo,” “Legion” and
“Snowfall”– said that it’s crucial to be
able to “occupy a character’s state of
mind” and one must have a heightened
sense of empathy to do that.
“You have to be very
empathetic to do this because you have
to be able to put yourself in all these
characters’ lives and feel what they’re
feeling,” said Phillips.
While many may think being
a music supervisor simply requires
having great taste in music and
scrolling through Spotify for hours
on end, it actually involves extensive
collaboration and jumping through
creative and legal hoops– due to
copyright laws.
In the same Vox article, Kerry
Drootin, an Emmy-nominated music
supervisor, said that there is often
disagreement between supervisors
and producers that happens during the
creative process.
“A lot of people think you just
get to put in your favorite songs and
it’s super cool and ‘I have great taste,
so I’m going to show it off,’” Drootin
said. “In reality, you’re working for the
producers, and you have to help make
the show that they want. A lot of times
you’re dealing with music that might
not be your favorite, and you really
have to get your ego out of the way a lot
more than a lot of people expect.”
Actors, writers and directors
frequently, rightfully, get praise for
creating beautiful stories that deeply
connect with viewers, but it’s important
to recognize those who help further
paint the picture in ways many viewers
can’t exactly put their finger on.
The talent, creativity and
ingenuity required to produce
outstanding work in costume, hair,
makeup and sound design are truly art
forms to be applauded– hell, they’re
standing ovation-worthy.
[65]

not a genre, not a
style, but a method of
engagement
[66] Design Wesley Picard

For many, music is more than just
something to listen to, it’s a way
to express grief, pain, anger and truth.
These words have been synonymous
with how people have felt while suffering
from racism, oppression and
injustice throughout history. While
searching for change and accountability,
musicians have used protest music
to critique administrations, express
their feelings and call for societal
change.
“Songs express values; they articulate
and encapsulate cares, what we
stand for and what we stand against,”
said Theodore Trost, The University of
Alabama New College professor who
specializes in music and social protest.
“Probably the most typical kind
of popular song and even religious
song is the love song because love is a
value people long for and try to hold
onto, but there is much in our society
that undoes love. Protest songs arise
to oppose this injury to both the self
and to society.”
Protest music has spanned across
history dating back as far as the 18th
century, yet one of the most notable
periods of protest music was the civil
rights movement.
In an article for PBS, Bernice Johnson
Reagon, a composer, song leader,
scholar, social activist, and producer,
said while discussing protest music
during the civil rights movement, it’s
important not to think of protest music
as a strategic move of the movement.
“Like the collective breath of the
movement, they were a natural outpouring,
evidencing the life force of
the fight for freedom,” said Reagon.
One example of this outpouring of
“life force” is “Strange Fruit,” a 1939
song originally written as a poem by
Abel Meeropol, also known as Lewis
Allan, in 1937. The poem “Bitter
Fruit” stemmed from Meeropol seeing
a picture of the lynchings of two
Black men. Two years later, Jazz singer
Billie Holiday recorded those lyrics,
and one of the most notable protest
songs was born.
According to Biography, Holiday
didn’t enjoy singing “Strange Fruit.” It
reminded her of her father, who was
turned away from a hospital because
he was Black and later died of pneumonia.
Even though the song brought
back terrible memories for Holiday,
she did it to remember her father and
remind people that the discrimination
he faced continued to happen to
other Black people decades later.
“[‘Strange Fruit’] preserves a portrait
of America that we still have not come
to terms with despite the civil rights
movement and despite the work of the
Equal Justice Initiative, for example,
or the Legacy Museum in Montgomery,”
said Trost.
This was a movement that developed
over decades during which a
repertoire of songs emerged, including
John Coltrane’s “Alabama,” Nina
Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam,” Sam
Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come”
and Mahalia Jackson’s performances
of several gospel songs like “How I
Got Over” at the March on Washington.
However, protest music didn’t only
exist during the civil rights movement.
Jennifer Caputo, The University
of Alabama New College and New
College life track senior instructor
who specializes in music and social
protest, said music has been utilized
throughout history in different social
movements, labor unions, geographical
locations and historical periods;
for example, during the Holocaust.
According to the United States Holocaust
Memorial Museum, during the
Holocaust, many Jewish people living
in ghettos and concentration camps
turned to music as a way to preserve
their humanity. Operas and art songs
were produced and performed by
prisoners of some of the camps.
“It helped not only the people
who were living under such terrible
conditions, and helped them have
something to live for, but it also still
reminded those who were forced to
work as the security forces, soldiers,
etc. that these people are human and
they’re doing human things, they have
culture, they’re producing music,” Caputo
said. “So it’s one of the things we
look at in terms of music, it may not
be that the music itself is the protest,
but the act of singing the act of performing
music makes you human,
and it could make others empathize
with you as a human being.”
Not only did protest music showcase
the plight of people who were facing
horrific experiences, but it also created
a sense of community in times of
adversity.
For Anne Powers, a music critic at
NPR, her first foray into protest music
was an anti-nuclear proliferation
rally in Seattle when she was in high
school.
At the protest, they sang along to
anthems like “My Mom’s a Feminist,”
and Powers has been interested in
protest music ever since.
“As I became aware of the diversity
and global reach of protest music,
I came to understand that it’s not a
genre or a style, but a method of engagement,”
said Powers.
Powers said protest music can take
the form of spirituals like “We Shall
Overcome,” pop anthems like Helen
Reddy’s “I Am Woman,” funk
breakdowns like James Brown’s “Say
It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud),”
punk rants like the Sex Pistols’ “Anarchy
in the U.K.,” and hip hop joints
like Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright.”
While protest music is a genreless
sound that has stood the test of time
when discussing protest music and its
evolution, it’s important to consider
an artist’s intent.
Powers said music becomes protest
music through the intention of the
[67]

artist and the passion of the audience
who embrace it, and while
times change, Powers doesn’t believe
protest music changes; it’s
more of a “cyclical presence.”
“Protest is always renewing itself
within music and taking new
shapes,” she said.
Trost agreed that he didn’t think
protest music had changed that
much “apart from the appropriation
of different musical styles.”
He said a number of “good protest
songs” appeared in 2020 like
Amy Ray’s “Tear it Down,” Lil Baby’s
“The Bigger Picture” and Chris
Pierce’s “American Silence” which
all addressed the issues of 2020, but
also the historical racism and injustice
leading up to 2020.
He said in “Tear it Down,” Ray,
a member of the Indigo Girl’s, addresses
the nostalgic and false picture
of the South that is conjured
by films like “Gone With the Wind”
and her childhood in the South.
Then Trost explained how Pierce’s
“American Silence” is a direct appeal
to traditional folk protest
music, and it questions the “effectiveness
of protest music itself.”
Juggling with keeping the listener’s
attention and alluding to the unjust
things happening to people being
arrested.
“A third song that sort of draws
the tensions of the whole year together
is ‘The Bigger Picture,’ by
Lil Baby. With a majestic assault of
words written in the aftermath of
the George Floyd killing, the song
is an indictment of the ‘whole way
of life’ in America that perpetuates
violence, hatred and fear,” said
Trost. “Lil Baby resolves, in the end,
to change things, to make it count
while I’m here.”
To further highlight protest music
during 2020, NPR’s own Bobby
Carter, Nate Chinen, Shana L. Redmond,
Oliver Wang and Powers
collaborated on a series titled “We
Insist: A Century of Black Music
Against State Violence,” a timeline
of 50 songs that together constructed
a “kind of timeline of an ongoing
movement within American music,
stretching back more than a century.”
Powers said she was specifically
looking for songs that would tell the
story of how people of color exposed
and resisted state violence through
song.
“The project grew and changed as I
teamed up with my great group of collaborators
on the project. We wanted
to show that, just as sanctioned violence
has been a reality for non-white
people from the very dawn of American
history onward, so music has told
of the horrors official history omitted
and helped people sustain energy to
fight against such oppression,” said
Powers.
She said the response to the timeline
was “great,” and people’s engagement
with the project inspired the “We Insist:
A Timeline of Protest Music in
2020,” which documented the songs
and videos that defined the summer
of 2020 and the months leading up to
the presidential election.
Powers said she’s always been interested
in how music can serve resistance,
and creating this timeline in
collaboration with other scholars and
writers reinforced the importance of
protest music in music’s history.
However, before the summer of
2020, she said she was sometimes unsure
if protest music would ever be
central to pop culture again, “especially
because younger generations are as
engaged with gaming culture and social
media platforms as they are with
music. You’ve got to really love something
to see it as a means to protest.”
Yet, she said during the pandemic,
when artists found themselves with
more time, all they needed was a
prompt.
“Once this new movement coalesced,
the floodgates just opened. It’s been a
very exciting few years. Protest music
is now, again, interwoven into many
different musical genres and scenes,”
said Powers.
However, some question the relevance
and importance of protest music,
wondering if, in this time, it is still
relevant and genuine.
“There is likely an implicit protest
in many of the songs people listen to;
the songs just don’t seem to fall into
the category, or maybe the category
itself is a problem at the moment—in
the aftermath of wokeness, or political
correctness, or prejudice against the
term social justice warrior,” said Trost.
Powers said for those who are indifferent
about protest music, it’s possible
they don’t realize they’re listening
to it because “protest can inform all
kinds of music and inspire change
within the most surprising contexts.”
Powers said some protest songs like
Tyler Childers, “Long Violent History”
where the song’s explicit message
challenges his white audience to “cultivate
solidarity with their BIPOC
neighbors,” and Lil Nas X’s hit record
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
is a form of protest music because it
expresses the message of queer liberation
which has been its own movement
since the Stonewall Riots, a six
day long protest in New York City that
served as a catalyst for the gay rights
movement in 1969.
In a time where unity is most important,
music has brought people
together for centuries and continues
to do so.
“It doesn’t matter if the song is a
protest song. If it’s a song that is unifying
a group of people, it’s also empowering,
and it’s also can become representative
of a particular movement or
time period or particular message,”
said Caputo.
[68]

[69]

INTO THE
HYPER-REALM
[70]
By Morinsola Kukoyi
Design Ella Smyth
Emerging in the 2010s, hyper
pop is a microgenre of pop
that has been steadily gaining visibility
in the music industry. This vibrant genre
incorporates pop and electronic music
themes that blend together to create a
whole new avant-garde and expressive
sound full of colorful beats.
In an article by The Atlantic, hyper
pop’s sound was described as a “Janet
Jackson drum slam here, a Depeche Mode
synth squeal there, the overblown pep of
novelty jingles throughout.”
Queer EDM producer, Antoine
Buisson described hyper pop as an
amalgamation of all the new styles of
music that have emerged over the past
decade, including SoundCloud/mumble
rap, EDM, pop music, pop-pun and new
school metal.
“Mash it all up, and that would
pretty much give you hyper pop,” Buisson
said. “I think it’s pretty hard to strictly
define hyper pop.”
Spotify does have a playlist that
fans and new listeners can experience for
themselves and come up with their own
definition of hyper pop, but Buisson said
there’s “so much more of it.”
“Since hyper pop is so many things
and has so many influences, I would
almost say that it’s not really a genre, but
the departure from any adherence to a
certain way of making music,” he said.
“the departure from any adherence
to a certain way of making music,” he said.
This experimental sound’s
beginning has been linked with PC Music,
a label created by British producer AG
Cook in 2013. Cook founded his record
company because he wanted to have an
A&R role. He wanted to take musicians
who dabbled in music and make them
feel like A-list musicians. A couple of
years later, his record label got big, and he
started signing other artists. PC Music is

esponsible for different artists, including
Namasenda, Hannah Diamond, umru,
etc. The label first started streaming their
artists’ songs on Soundcloud and when
it became bigger, it started to take their
opportunities to get their artists bigger.
There are many different artists that
make up the musical face of hyper pop,
including 100 Gecs, Dorian Electra, Charli
XCX and more, but one that many think
of when thinking of hyper pop is SOPHIE
Xeon, known as SOPHIE, a Scottish
musician, record producer, DJ and trans
icon.
SOPHIE was a very prominent figure
in the musical movement of hyper pop.
She was a popular singer and producer
that carried hyper pop music. She was
a key figure in hyper pop, and her mind
was a working industry of gears that was
able to produce so many unique sounding
songs. “Sunscreen” and “My Forever”
are some incredible songs to listen to if
you want to learn more about SOPHIE’s
musical direction. Some of her other
highly recommended and popular songs
include “PonyBoy” and “It’s OK to Cry.”
Critics from Gender Amplified
described “PonyBoy” as a “dramatic,
reverberant, percussive bridge [like
sound],” while they contrasted “It’s OK to
Cry” as a comparatively quiet, vulnerable
overture.”
According to an article in The
Michigan Daily, SOPHIE labeled her music
as an advertisement. Her music came
“across like a promotion, not of herself
or even of the music itself, but rather of
the philosophy of emotive reconstruction
behind the music.”
She tragically passed away in 2021
after falling from the balcony of her Athens
apartment while trying to see the moon in
Athens, Greece.
“She’s a musical genius on the
level of historical music acts like Mozart,
Beethoven, Miles Davis, Michael Jackson,
Hans Zimmer, etc.,” said Buisson. “In
my opinion, she’s the most influential
and important musical figure of the 21st
century, and I don’t think you’d find many
people with good music knowledge that
would dispute that.”
SOPHIE’s talent and hard work will
always be remembered in the hyper pop
community. Hyper pop is still thriving, but
it will never be the same without her too
many fans.
Many of the artists of this genre are
members of the LGBTQ+ community. In
most genres, there is a heavy presence
of straight cisgender artists and a lower
presence of LGBTQ+ members.
With hyper pop, many of these
artists can be who they truly want to be.
They can have fun expressing gender
identity, not only through their looks
but with their sound as well. It is a genre
where the artists and fans can feel like they
belong somewhere and feel accepted by
everyone around them. Finding comfort in
music is such an important part of being a
fan, and hyper pop does such a meaningful
job of becoming that type of haven.
“So many of the originators of [hyper
pop] are queer, and so many of the current
artists pushing it forward are queer. If you
go to a hyper pop show like HEAV3N or
Subculture in LA, I would guess at least
90% of the crowd is queer,” said Buisson.
He said there’s a deep connection to
queer culture and music, especially Black
queer culture.
“At the end of the day, my peers and
I wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing or
making the music we’re making if Black
and queer artists hadn’t pushed music
forward throughout history and anyone
who doesn’t think so has some studying to
do,” said Buisson.
Another popular artist in this unique
genre is Charli XCX, a British singer known
for hit songs like “Boom Clap” and “Gold
Coins.” The critically acclaimed singer
mainly stayed in the typical pop realm,
but fully stepped into the hyper pop realm
with her 2019 album “Charli.”
The album “Charli” can be defined
as hyper pop because it contains elements
of the musical sound. It contained hints
of EDM and pop that presented a new
extravagant sound. The singer worked
with producers like A.G. Cook to achieve
the hyper pop sound she was going for,
and overall, the album did fairly well.
According to a review from Rolling
Stone, the album was described as “a
spectacle of people broadcasting their
rightness 24/7, where apologies are never
made.”
“I love Charli’s music because it’s
such a great blend of hyper pop elements
and the modern pop style that hyper pop
genre often satirizes. She’s definitely seen
as one of the most ‘mainstream’ hyper pop
artists, but it’s easy for me to see why she
has such an appeal given her talent and
song construction,” said Watson Coker,
a senior at The University of Alabama,
majoring in political science and Spanish.
Charli brings a fresh and bright
perspective to her music that keeps her
fans on their toes and has them singing
along anywhere they go. Some hyper popinfused
songs of hers to check out would
be “Backseat” featuring Carlie Rae Jepsen
and “Crash.” These songs have catchy
beats and lyrics that will get fans nodding
their heads along as they listen.
The fanbase of hyper pop is very
diverse and is welcoming to everyone. It is
a musical home where people can find an
artist they love listening to.
The atmosphere of the fanbase is not
only countercultural but very connected.
Its heavy presence can be found online
and makes it easier for people to access it
and find new artists and songs to discover.
Many of the genre’s fans are always
welcoming to give recommendations and
advice when listening to hyper pop for the
first time.
Coker is one of those fans who loves
helping people discover the electric genre
of hyper pop because he, too, was once
new to the hyper pop fandom.
“My biggest advice though is to
come back to it if you don’t like what you’re
listening to the first time. It’s such a wide
genre, and there are so many different
styles, you’re bound to find something
that suits your taste if you look for it,”
said Coker. “The first time I listened to
hyper pop, it didn’t click with me. It wasn’t
until I came back to it after my music
taste evolved slightly that I began really
enjoying the genre.”
Buisson recommends Galen
Tipton, an “underrated and still fairly
underground” artist to those interested in
learning more about the genre.
“She’s been at the forefront of hyper
pop since the genre’s inception and has
incredible sound design; labeling her
music as hyper pop is understating her
artistry, in my opinion,” said Buisson.
Hyper pop seems to have the
potential to become a long-lasting genre in
the music industry.
“It’s influencing some of the biggest
pop artists around the world, but the
region and culture/market also will play a
big role,” said Clay Woods, a Nashville pop
and EDM producer.
There are so many determining
factors that will decide whether or not
hyper pop will succeed. Still, with a strong
fanbase and diverse artists, hyper pop
does have a high chance of dominating
the music industry and making a name for
itself.
[71]

From children’s cartoons and
romantic comedies to high school
dramas and superhero movies,
there’s a clear distinction between the
way women are portrayed versus men
in films. According to a report by the
American Psychological Association, girls
are depicted in a sexual manner more
often than boys, whether that is shown
through the way they dress or through
their storylines. Beyond this, many of the
sexualized women in Hollywood do not
fully represent the population, with most
of them being thin, straight white women.
Questionable movies can often depict
women in revealing clothing when in job
positions that don’t require i or female
characters who only serve as love interests
to the main male characters, like the girl
next door character tropes.
However, recently movies and television
shows have been struggling to balance the
male gaze with the ongoing sector of the
feminist movement that strives to include
three-dimensional, dynamic female
characters.
One of the most popular ways to tell if a
female character is there for the enjoyment
of sexual fantasy or for actual storyline
purposes is the famous “Bechdel Test.”
Created by Alison Bechdel and Liz Wallace
in 1985, the Bechdel Test includes three
criteria for a movie or television show to
be included in healthy representation for
women. First, there have to be two female
characters. Secondly, these women have to
talk to each other, and third, they have to
talk about something other than a man.
Popular blockbusters that fail the
Bechdel Test include the entire “Lord of the
Rings” trilogy, “The Avengers,” “Avatar,”
“A Star is Born,” “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,”
“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” and
“Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back.”
Priscilla Shreve, a junior majoring in
creative media and anthropology at The
University of Alabama, said she often
looks back at shows she loved when she
was younger, only to realize the beloved
female characters weren’t as dynamic as
she once thought.
“As a [bisexual] woman, when I was
younger I was drawn to these characters
that honestly looking back now weren’t
well-written characters,” said Shreve. “I
just thought they were very attractive and
hot. Young Priscilla was like, ‘Oh, this
character is very cool, and I think they’re
the best character in the show,’ when really
they were a flat surface character and just
had like skimpy clothes basically.”
A study conducted by the Geena Davis
Institute on Gender in Media found that
[72]
sex
sells
Women and Sex Representation in Hollywood
By Annabelle Blomeley
Design Kayla Roberson
women are four times as likely to be shown
undressed in films and television shows
than male characters. Male characters also
receive around two times the screen time
as their counterparts and speak twice as
often.
“It’s not enough for you to be an
interesting character, but it is enough for
you to be an attractive character that’s
boring,” said Shreve.
For Shreve, her favorite television show
as a child demonstrates this perfectly.
“Kim Possible,” a show about a teenage
girl turned spy, depicts one of the villains,
Shego, with skin-tight clothing and a not
like other girls attitude.
Shreve said one way she tests the
attractive female characters in television
shows is by looking at the male
counterparts. In “Kim Possible,” this
comes in the form of the villain Drakken,
who is not nearly as sexualized as his
partner Shego. Even with the heroes of the
show, Kim is a beautiful spy in tight clothes
while her male friend, Ron, is shown as an
average, nerdy teenage boy.
“It’s fine to have attractive girls, but
when that’s all you have, it is a concern,
especially since it was supposed to be a
show for young girls to aspire to be spies
and try to be the hero of their own story,”
said Shreve. “It’s like you have to be the
hero of your own story, but you also have
to be hot while you’re doing it. You’re not
allowed to just be a person; you have to be
an item of sexual fantasies or be attractive
while you’re doing all these other things.
Your sexuality to other people is your
worth.”
People watching shows with only
conventionally attractive characters
often struggle to find themselves in the
characters they love, which in turn leads to
body and sexual health issues.
Ariane Prohaska, an associate professor
of sociology, specializes in researching
gender at The University of Alabama,
bodies and the concept of beauty,
particularly in a research area minted “fat
studies,” which explores the stereotypes
and oppression of plus-sized individuals.
Prohaska explained the detrimental
effects of one-sided representation in the
media as a real problem that many people
face.
“It can make [people] feel as if they are
not sexy,” said Prohaska. “We do know that
our beauty standards and the United States
have been very white and westernized and
the idea of the thin white woman. We
have been lucky to have an acceptance of
more diverse beauty standards, more body
positivity, but there still is the focus on the
thin body, even if it’s not the hyper-thin
body that has been if you think, the 1990s
and early 2000s.”
In fact, according to a study in
Bloomberg, 67% of American women are
above a size 14 in clothes, but only 2% of
images of women in the media are of plus-

size women.
Many plus-size women in movies and
television play roles meant to poke fun at
people with bigger bodies, like Fat Amy
in “Pitch Perfect” and Regina George’s
weight gain plotline in “Mean Girls.” In
other movies and television shows, the fat
friend plays the funny side character to an
attractive, thin person, like Julie in “Lady
Bird” and Megan in “Bridesmaids.”
“Women do not fit the mold of the thin
body type are very underrepresented in
romantic roles in TV and movies,” said
Prohaska. “And sometimes when they are
in romantic roles, there’s a lot of humor
involved that may not be funny to people
of larger body sizes.”
The over-sexualization of girls and
women in television also applies to young
women, particularly those who don’t meet
the rigid standards of beauty, to struggle
with self-acceptance and confidence.
Prohaska said one of the only
representations of a plus-size woman
navigating sex and romance on current
television is Hulu’s “Shrill,” which stars
“Saturday Night Live” alumna Aidy Bryant
as a young journalist who is determined
to enhance her life without changing her
body.
“It’s a stereotype that every fat woman
wants to be thin, and that undermines
body acceptance and undermines that
with our body size, a lot of it is not under
our control. A lot of it has to do with our
genetics and our social class and if we had
access to exercise and healthy foods and
things like that,” Prohaska said.
However, representation doesn’t just
stop with body size. Women of color are
often sexualized in different ways than
white women in television and movies.
For example, in the classic “Taxi Driver,”
a black woman has sex with a white
businessman in the back of a taxi, which
was supposed to represent the moral
decline of America. Other examples
include Beyonce as Foxxy Cleopatra in
“Austin Powers in Goldmember,” Halle
Berry in “Monster’s Ball” and more.
Prohaska said many stereotypes revolve
around the hypersexualized woman of
color, particularly in depictions of Black
women and Asian women, which can lead
to people in the real world viewing these
women as “sexually available.”
On television, women of color are twice
as likely to be portrayed nude than white
women. However, only 19% of Black
leading actresses are dark-skinned, and
the majority are shown with hairstyles that
“conform to European standards of beauty
as opposed to natural Black hairstyles,
according to the Geena Davis Institute
on Gender in Media.
For many, the representation
problem doesn’t just happen on screen.
Women, people of color, and members
of the LGBTQ+ community are found
significantly less frequently in other
positions across Hollywood.
Vannah Smalley, a junior creative
media major at The University of
Alabama, hopes to be a screenwriter for
a comedy sitcom television show when
she graduates. As a theater minor at
the university, she’s seen firsthand the
sexualization pushed on young female
actors.
Smalley said she recently had a
marketing internship where she was
told she was “too nice” and that “people
were going to run her over” if she
continued to pursue screenwriting.
“Behind the camera, in the writers’
rooms, a lot of women are just thrown
to the back burner, or if they’re
considered, they’re taken advantage of,
and they’ll be just used for girl topics
and things like that. They don’t get
to expand themselves,” said Smalley.
“People need to stop not taking the
woman’s opinion and running it over
and reusing the same six topics about
women that they have in their drawer
over and over again. They need to let
women write and act and direct.”
One of Smalley’s favorite television
characters is Zooey Deschanel’s
character Jess Day on the sitcom “New
Girl.” For Smalley, Jess is upbeat,
positive, sensitive and emotional, while
also exploring sexual and romantic
interests.
On the other end of the spectrum,
both Smalley and Shreve cited the
popular show “Riverdale” as being a
bad example of over-sexualization in
media. The show, which has characters
who are shown in high school, features
the teenagers having sex often and on
camera, girls stripteasing in front of
older men as a gang initiation, a male
teenager having a romantic and sexual
relationship with a teacher at his school,
a teenager becoming pregnant, being
sent to a “Home for Troubled Youths”
and many more.
While some online commentators
have praised parts of “Riverdale”
for showing healthy sex in romantic
relationships, others have been taken
aback by the creators’ obsession with the
sex lives of teenagers. From the release
of Betty and Jughead’s sex tape to
Betty’s turn towards BDSM as roleplay
character “Dark Betty,” “Riverdale” is
often slammed for sexualizing teens in
a way that could negatively impact real
teenagers and their sex lives.
“The portrayal of sex in the way they
[Riverdale] do it and how unhealthy it
is, when you see straight, skinny white
people having unhealthy sex, I think that
makes you feel like ‘So how’s it going to
be for me as someone who isn’t white,
someone who isn’t straight, and someone
who’s plus size?’ What is sex going to
be like for me when all these straight,
white, skinny people are having a hard
time either having sex or when they do it,
their partner is pressuring them to do it,
or the sex causes all this drama; it causes
conflict and turmoil. ‘Is it going to be so
much worse for me if I look different than
them?’” said Shreve.
While the over-sexualization of women
comes at a cost, specifically when the only
representation involved is straight, thin
white women, depicting sex in media isn’t
always a bad thing.
Shreve said sex can be done well
in media when it’s only one aspect of
a person’s personality and character
development.
However, healthy sex discussions and
representation is difficult to achieve when
the people writing the shows, directing
and producing the shows, and others, are
not involved in the creation process.
“We need to have more women creators
who can accurately portray what it’s like
to be a female sexual being, or a queer
sexual being, or a woman of color who is a
sexual being,” said Prohaska. “It’s not just
white men or white women writing stories
because depending on your social status,
your race, your class, your ethnicity, your
gender, your sexuality, once there are
more people who look like you writing the
stories, then they will represent more and
they may be less exploitative.”
Although Hollywood still has a long
way to go in depicting an accurate
representation of female bodies and
sexuality, more women than ever are
pushing back. With more women and
diverse voices present in every aspect of
media, some movies and television shows
are moving away from the male gaze and
into a new Hollywood.
[73]

82
78
nothing good happens after midnight
veganism and meat lovers: the truth about our food
80
76
the importance of knowing what’s in your air
going against society’s standards: achieving a healthy lifestyle
84
period poverty
[74]

[75]

Nothing Good
Happens After
Midnight
By Evy Gallagher
Design Ella Smyth
[76]

Sleep is an aspect of human health that
is often wildly overlooked, especially
by college-age students. The culture of
college seems to revolve around hours of
homework and studying, balancing a social
life with academics and sometimes even
working a full-time job, all of which can
lead to a lack of sleep. It can be difficult to
prioritize sleep, especially when people’s
lives are so busy, but the most important
aspect of sleep may not be what first comes
to mind. While getting the suggested six
to eight hours of sleep every night is a
principle in health and wellness, the most
crucial aspect of sleep is actually going to
bed before midnight.
The body’s circadian rhythm is an
internal clock that helps to regulate
sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation,
“circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles
that are part of the body’s internal clock,
running in the background to carry out
essential functions and processes.” The
sleep-wake cycle is the most well-known
part of the circadian rhythm which keeps
people awake during the day, and at night,
signals to the brain to start producing
melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone, for
sleep. When this system gets thrown off
because of an irregular sleep schedule,
the body’s functions and processes do not
work properly and therefore, can start to
negatively affect someone’s health. The
difficult part about this circadian rhythm
is that each person has their own circadian
preference, meaning an individualized
time of when they go to sleep and wake up.
Dr. Heather Gunn, assistant professor and
Director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine
Training Program at The University of
Alabama, said that people can range from
a night-owl to a morning-lark to an inbetween
circadian preference. This can
make it hard for everyone to be asleep
before midnight.
“People in the sleep field believe it’s best
to be asleep between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m,”
said Gunn. “The other piece of info that’s
important to consider is that wake time
matters a lot for bedtime. Consistent wake
time is also really important if you want
consistent bedtimes.”
According to Ergo Flex, fourteen to
eighteen hours is the average amount of
time adults are awake during the day.
Waking up between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.,
depending on one’s circadian preference,
would be the best schedule for allowing
the body to start producing melatonin
around 9 p.m. in order to be asleep before
midnight.
Going to bed before midnight can seem
intimidating or even impossible for college
students, but this positive lifestyle change
may be a very big part of living a healthy life
without future complications. In an article
by The Ladders, Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan,
a sleep expert and author of “Tired But
Wired,” said the 90-minute phase before
midnight is the most crucial phase because
that is when the body is replenished. The
deepest and most valuable sleep happens
earlier in the night, a couple of hours before
midnight.
In an article by Health.com, Dr. Shelby
Harris, Clinical Psychologist and Board
Certified Behavioral Sleep Medicine
Specialist in private practice, and author
of “The Women’s Guide to Overcoming
Insomnia,” said “when you’re sleeping
you’re regulating hormone levels, you’re
regulating insulin levels, your blood
pressure is being kept under control, there
are a lot of things going on, and if you’re
not getting enough sleep you’re throwing
these things out of whack”.
Some of the other important processes
that happen during sleep are when the
brain encodes memories, hormones release
to rebuild muscle, the immune system
releases cytokines to support the immune
system and cortisol levels decrease
significantly. All of these functions are
essential for the body to get prepped and
ready for the following day.
“If you go to bed too late for your normal
bedtime it can cause negative health effects
(poorer attention/concentration, more
mood issues and health effects depending
on how long you sleep deprived yourself)
but only if you’re doing that later than
you normally sleep and causing sleep
deprivation,” said Harris.
Madi Boudreaux, a junior psychology
major at The University of Alabama,
further proved the latter quote from Harris
with her own experiences.
“When I have things to do really early in
the morning, like yoga at the recreation
center, I won’t make it through the day if
I don’t go to bed before midnight,” said
Boudreaux.
Feeling exhausted after going to bed after
midnight is only one of the negative side
effects of an inconsistent sleep schedule.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the
major health issues linked with going to
bed at the wrong time and a lack of sleep.
According to an Oxford Academic article,
“an age- and sex-controlled base analysis
found that a sleep onset time of 10:00
p.m. to 10:59 p.m. was associated with the
lowest CVD incidence.”
Going to sleep both before 10 p.m. and
after midnight was both associated with
a higher risk of CVD. Sleep allows organs
to rest, especially when the most healing
part of the night happens before midnight.
This way, the heart will have enough time
to recover and heal before the next day. On
top of that, the immunity system can suffer
when one goes to bed too late.
According to the Sleep Foundation,
getting the proper amount of high-quality
sleep allows the immune system to gain
its best defensive mechanisms, as well as
adaptive immunity, efficient response to
vaccines and less severe allergic reactions.
The 21st-century has come a long way with
science and medicine, yet still, no medicinal
feats seem to come as close to preventing
a disease-free and overall healthy life as
going to bed before midnight. Listen to the
generations of grandmothers and mothers
when they say, nothing good happens after
midnight.
[77]

[78]
DESIGN WESLEY PICARD

Imagine a salad filled to the brim with
vegetables of all colors: red peppers,
carrots, cucumbers, tofu, and more.
Imagine another kind of meal: a surf
and turf dinner with a steak and a side
of salmon. Two very different meals and
two very different ways of thinking about
food. Many people have an idea of the
vegan movement and the commitment to
no meat and no animal by-products. The
term “plant-based” has been trending in
recent years making people think more
deeply about where their food comes from
and what they are putting in their bodies.
Many people enjoy meat for its protein and
taste, while others have found a healthier
lifestyle by becoming vegetarian or even
vegan. What are the benefits of being vegan
and what does it look like to enjoy a diet
with meat?
Grace Dorsey, is a student at The
University of Alabama and president of the
club Vegan Voices. The club, open to anyone
interested in veganism, is a community of
members committed to the vegan lifestyle.
Dorsey began her vegan journey seven
years ago when she started cutting out
meat and fully committed to being vegan.
One of her driving motivations was ethical
concerns with the killing of animals and
meat farms.
“My philosophy is to avoid harm
whenever possible,” said Dorsey. “So if
it’s unnecessary and I can eat something
different then I’ll do that because I would
prefer my actions not to harm anyone.”
Veganism also appeals to people for
many other reasons such as environmental
concerns and the processes used in meat
farms. Dorsey said that concentrated
animal feeding operations, known as
CAFOs, are essentially farms with a large
population of animals used to produce
meat. These feeding operations can cause
large amounts of pollution and raise
concerns about the quality of the meat
produced.
“They’re [animals] stuffed in cages,
can’t even move and we just pump them
with antibiotics so they don’t get sick,”
said Dorsey. “And then we’re ingesting
antibiotics. Then those antibiotics are now
leaching into the waterways and causing
problems in the natural ecosystems. There
are just so many ripple effects on the
system that we have currently in place.”
Another driving motivation of veganism
is the health benefits associated with
cutting out meat. Vegetarian diets can also
have similar benefits from getting protein
and nutrients from plants alone.
“Plant-based diets, including a vegan
diet, can provide a number of key nutrients
and health benefits along with it,” said
Lori Greene, a registered dietician and
professor at The University of Alabama.
Greene described that there are many
benefits to eating plants.
“These may include cardiovascular
benefits, decreasing cancer risk and weight
loss,” said Greene. ​”Of course, these
benefits can also occur in those who eat
animal proteins but also have a diet full of
many plant-based foods.”
Although eating plants have many health
benefits, meat also has its own merits.
Many enjoy meat for the taste and find it
to be a good source of protein. Although
plants can also supply a good source of
protein, there are several key differences
between meat and plant proteins.
“Animal proteins provide all nine
essential amino acids (the building blocks
of protein) that our body needs, but most
plant proteins only have some, not all
nine,” said Greene. “Plant proteins may
also not include important trace minerals,
iron and zinc, whereas they tend to be rich
in animal proteins. However, some plant
proteins may be high in fiber, which is not
typical of an animal protein.”
It’s important to recognize that there
are some benefits to eating meat since
it is a complete source of protein. At the
same time, there are many benefits to
incorporating plants into a meat diet.
Eating meat along with some plants can
help with having a balanced diet and
getting necessary nutrients.
Eating meat and being vegan are two very
different diets with positives and negatives
on both sides. There are many other diets
and ways of eating that lie between these
two diets. It’s possible to eat more “plantbased”
while consuming smaller portions
of meat or even become vegetarian.
Holly Waite is a freshman at The
University of Alabama majoring in food
and nutrition. Several years ago, Waite
started slowly cutting out meat until
she was completely vegetarian. Unlike
veganism, vegetarians do eat animal
products like milk and eggs but still
avoid meat. One criticism that sometimes
arises with veganism or vegetarianism is
not being able to get enough calories or
nutrients from plants alone. Waite said,
however, it’s possible to have balanced
meals with plenty of nutrients.
“To make sure I’m getting enough
nutrients, I take a multivitamin that
includes B12 and Vitamin D,” said Waite.
“I also make sure to have protein-rich
meals with calorie-dense foods often since
fruits and vegetables normally are lower in
calories.”
Like anything in life, veganism and
vegetarianism may have challenges, but it’s
possible to overcome those challenges with
planning and preparation. For someone
even remotely interested in veganism, it’s
important to do your research and talk to
a dietician or doctor. Many people slowly
start cutting out meat and start trying to
find vegan options.
“I would say start slowly if you have any
interest,” said Waite. “Talk to your doctor
or a registered dietician. Include more
plant-based foods before taking away all
animal products at once. Ease into it if
you like it-- don’t put a ton of pressure on
yourself. It can be really fun to explore all
the plant-based options nowadays.”
From vegan to vegetarian to meat lovers,
everyone has a different way of thinking
about and enjoying food. At the end of
the day, it’s important to recognize the
source of food since it influences not
just a person’s body but can also have
environmental consequences. Without
going completely vegan, incorporating
more plants and vegetables into meals can
bring many positive and healthy effects.
Even a meat lover can enjoy meat while
also enjoying the benefits and nutrients of
plants. No matter the diet, thinking about
the impacts of food is crucial to a person’s
health and wellbeing.
[79]

THE IMPORTANCE OF
KNOWING WHAT IS IN
YOUR AIR
BY ASHLEY CLEMENTE
DESIGN WESLEY PICARD
[80]

With the number of threats posed to
human life and success, among the most
hidden are the effects of air pollution.
It is believed that the biggest threats are
visible, however, air pollution is a silent
killer, permeating large cities, populous
regions and industrial plants. As Earth’s
population continues to grow, air pollution
levels increase, the quality of air decreases
and premature death and disease run
rampant.
Air pollution is defined by any physical
or chemical changes in the atmosphere.
Air exists in a balance of gasses, including
nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and
argon. Pollution occurs when other
particles like dust, smoke, exhaust and
smog are mixed into this composition.
Other factors include heat and methane
emissions. According to the Environmental
Pollution Centers, the presence of these or
any foreign chemicals can cause damage to
the ozone layer. The ozone is the protective
layer of the atmosphere that absorbs
ultraviolet radiation emitted from the sun.
The ozone layer is crucial to all species on
Earth, as excessive ultraviolet radiation is
harmful to living organisms. When there
is an excessive amount of pollution in
the atmosphere, the ozone layer becomes
depleted and UV radiation reaches Earth’s
surface in greater amounts.
There are many causes of air pollution.
Some of the most widely known include
traffic and factories. The chemicals
released from buses, cars, trains and other
transportation vehicles cause build-ups
of smog in cities and populated areas.
Industrial factories that manufacture
anything from car parts to construction
equipment use machines that emit
gasses that upset the balance of gasses
in the atmosphere. Additionally,
wildfires, burning waste, construction,
deforestation, demolition, fossil fuels
and household chemicals are all causes
of chemical and physical air pollution.
Not only do these create changes in the
chemical compounds of the atmosphere,
but there is also a visible difference in the
sky. Children draw pictures of landscapes
featuring bright blue skies, white puffy
clouds and a happy, smiling sun. Today,
a more realistic image would depict gray
or brown cloudy skies with low visibility.
Though there are far more harmful effects,
aesthetically, the world does not look the
same as it once did.
Each region of the world is affected
by air pollution predominately through
specific media. According to the National
Geographic Society, large cities in
developing countries are more likely to
have a higher pollution level than rural
areas or more developed cities. This is in
part due to the lack of legislation restricting
transportation and waste production.
Developing countries also tend to use more
basic technology, which is not as friendly
to the environment as more modern
technology, like electric-powered cars
and recycling. According to the National
Geographic Society, the most polluted
cities in the world in the past decade
include Beijing, Los Angeles and Delhi.
In Beijing, the majority of air pollution
is caused by excessive transportation in
an extremely dense population. This,
combined with industrialization, poor
pollution control and few trees, caused
over three thousand deaths in 2021
(Beijing Air Quality Index). Similarly, Los
Angeles is being clogged by diesel engines
and power plants that release fine particles
and dust into the air. On the other hand,
in Delhi, the primary cause of air pollution
is stubble burning, an agricultural method
to clear land after harvest, which produces
almost 15% of the air pollution in the city.
Construction, industrialization and wind
are also major contributors.
“It is important to learn about
air pollution and its health effects
because it disproportionately affects
socioeconomically disadvantaged
populations and minorities,” said Meg
Woodard, a senior urban planning major
at The University of Alabama. “This is
because of racism, class bias, housing
market dynamics and land cost. We can
achieve more environmental justice by
moving to more substantial technologies
and equitable housing practices.”
The air pollution levels in each city in the
world are monitored by the Air Quality
Index, also known as AQI. When a city
scores between zero and 50, it is deemed
good air quality. Between 50 and 100 is
moderate and 100 to 150 dictates that the
air is unhealthy for members of sensitive
groups. A score of over 200 is unhealthy,
and over 300 is hazardous. Many of the
most polluted cities score over 150, which
is dangerous to human health with long
enough exposure.
Currently, the most polluted city in the
United States is Niland California, with
an Air Quality Index of 193. California,
Michigan and Georgia are home to
the top 10 most polluted cities in the
US today, all with scores over 110. By
comparison, Tuscaloosa scores a 38,
with good air quality and low to medium
physical pollutants. By contrast, there
are many reports of individuals living in
rural areas who live long, healthy lives.
This discrepancy further solidifies the
notion that air pollution is a silent killer of
modern society.
There are many health concerns
associated with residing in areas with high,
or any levels of air pollution. According
to an article by InsideClimate News from
2020, air pollution causes more premature
deaths than smoking, HIV/AIDS, violence
and several other diseases. For most
individuals, the presence of altered
atmospheric compounds can cause lung
inflammation and low oxygen levels, which
can then lead to cancer and other chronic
illnesses. More specifically, long-term
exposure can be detrimental to respiratory
health. This can present itself in illnesses
such as asthma, bronchitis and lung
cancer. According to the National Institute
of Environmental Health Sciences, more
recent studies show a correlation between
increased particulate matter in the air and
increased COVID-19 cases and deaths.
Statistics show that almost nine out of
10 people who live in densely populated
developing countries are affected by air
pollution, and the global life expectancy is
reduced on average by approximately two
years.
Dr. Ellen Spears is an award-winning
author and professor of environmental
history and social movements at The
University of Alabama.
“We think of our bodies as containing
us, but they are permeable. Much like
ingestion through eating or drinking,
the skin absorbs substances,” said
Spears. “When we’re introduced to toxic
substances in the air, the body can absorb
these chemicals. This is a major reason for
having a strong public policy concerning
toxic substances and exposures. During
COVID-19, people have learned that more
air pollution results in a higher volume
of cases and mortality. The triple threat
of pollution, injustice and COVID-19
results in higher vulnerability and worse
health outcomes, especially for African
American, Latinx and Native American
communities.”
It is a human instinct to keep oneself
out of harm’s way. There are plenty of
measures that people take daily to ensure
that they are safe and healthy. Dr. Spears
said that people are aware of air pollution
and there have been major strides in
cleaning the atmosphere. However, many
regions have yet to be tested and are still
affected by environmental injustice and
lack of clean-up or enforcement. Being
aware that air pollution is a threat to
longevity is the first step to helping the
environment to recover.
[81]

Going
Against
Society’s
Standards:
By Bella Carpino
Photo Emma Kate Standard
Achieving a Healthy Lifestyle
Many people have a different definition of what it
truly means to be healthy or unhealthy. While some
interpret health as equating to how many days in a
week one goes to the gym or how many salads they consume in
one day, others value their health as the number they see while
standing on a scale.
In general, to be healthy means to enjoy health and vigor of
body, mind or spirit. While diet and exercise are two key tools
to achieve a healthy lifestyle, a person’s appearance actually
exhibits the least information regarding their health. In
other words, the terms unhealthy and obese should never be
utilized interchangeably because appearance does not expose
the numbers found in blood tests, such as blood pressure and
cholesterol.
Although a person who has a thin body type may come across
as healthy, their frame does not express the stability of their
mental health and more. An individual deemed unhealthy
not only needs to focus on the improvement of their physical
health but also their emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual
health.
Without a doubt, the standards of what it means to look healthy
vary from person to person. These variables cause health to be
undeterminable at first glance. Chelsea LeBlanc, a Registered
Dietitian Nutritionist living in Nashville, Tennessee, provided
evidence for this idea by explaining what she believes it means
to truly look healthy.
“We are all so different so what might be healthy for me may
be completely different than it is for someone else - healthy
does not have a look, but is more of a state of well-being,” said
LeBlanc
Due to health being a topic that encompasses the different
aspects of being healthy including mental, physical and social
wellness, whether one appears as healthy or not externally is
not something that can be determined with pinpoint accuracy.
Because of this, the standards of looking healthy should go
hand-in-hand with achieving a healthy lifestyle.
LeBlanc shared her perspective on the best path to embark
upon for attaining this flourishing way of life. As far as
nutrition, she expressed that since she is a big fan of consuming
everything in moderation,
“A healthy individual must be realistic when it comes to food
choices, sleep, exercise, work-life balance and social activities,”
said LeBlanc. “While 80% of the time a healthy person should
focus on choosing foods that support their overall wellness and
vitality, 20% of the time they can enjoy the cake, sleeping in
too late, skipping a workout and binging a show on Netflix.”
While many people form their own views of what the ideal
body looks like and often determine that body type as being
in its healthiest form, it is important to acknowledge where
those standards come from. Many times, social media publicly
highlight an artificial or ideal version of an individual’s life, and
this is what plants the seed that develops into false standards
of looking healthy.
Ashley Saros, a sophomore kinesiology major at Michigan
State University, has experienced the influence social media
has on the formation of standards first-hand.
“With social media continuing to grow more and moreover
the years, I have definitely recognized the effect it can have not
only on how people value the appearance of their own bodies
over their internal health, but also how they view themselves
and their own body image,” said Saros.
When models and other popular influencers on social media
publicize the look of their thin bodies and appear as though
they are full of self-love and good health, their audiences begin
to create levels of attainment in their minds that standardize
health based solely on appearance.
Like Saros, it is only natural for other social media users to
develop the idea that one’s quality of health can be calculated
from an outside perspective, which causes progressively more
individuals to live with a false standard of being considered
healthy. Furthermore, these inaccurate standards cause people
to strive for a body type that they believe they should obtain,
which then becomes increasingly detrimental to their mental
and emotional health.
While social media is just an example of something that can
cultivate unrealistic standards of health that cause individuals
to compare their bodies to the false principles, its platforms
also compose the concept of health within a tiny box, without
consideration of how healthy looks different for everyone.
[82]

Lori Greene, an Intro to Human Nutrition
professor at The University of Alabama,
expressed how tools such as Body Mass Index,
which assesses the ratio of height to weight for
a person, fails to take into account “​the ratio
of fat mass to fat-free mass, such as muscle.”
While it may be an accurate strategy to
assess the BMI of certain individuals such as
children, it is not one that the overall health
of a human being should be based upon,
similar to many other “health-determining”
approaches individuals often make the
mistake to consider. Greene went on to
explain the relativity of health and the way
in which society’s standards of health fail to
apply to every person.
“A healthy individual may also display
‘healthy’ in different ways and it is likely
difficult for most individuals to portray the
perfect picture of health in all areas of life,”
said Greene. “Nutrition and the foods we eat
are important for a healthy lifestyle, but a
picture-perfect diet cannot be obtained every
day, even if Instagram or TikTok makes us
think it is possible to see what other people
eat in a day.”
The complexity of health cannot be isolated to
one standard created by social media. Health
is not and has never been a state determined
by appearance and comparisons, especially
without consideration for the other aspects of
health including mental health.
While standards of health are naturally
developed and bloomed in the minds of
individuals in this society, it is important to
accept their false foundation. Not only do the
standards of what it looks like to be healthy or
unhealthy have the power to have an incorrect
vision of our overall well-being, but they also
blind people from understanding the key
concept of the conditions necessary to live and
prosper while doing so.
[83]

PERIOD
POVERTY:
“WOULD THIS HAPPEN TO A MAN?”
BY
LINDSEY
WILKINSON
DESIGN ELLA SMYTH
[84]

Period poverty is defined as
inadequate access to menstrual
products, education, hygiene facilities,
waste management or some sort of
combination. Current data suggests the
average person who menstruates spends
an average of $2,000 on menstrual
products in their lifetime, according to
Global Citizen. Globally, this phenomenon
affects over 500 million people, according
to BMC Women’s Health in 2021. While
this topic has mainly been researched
abroad in developing nations, there are
an estimated 16.9 million people who
menstruate living in poverty in the U.S.,
according to Medical News Today in 2021.
Anne Sebert Kuhlmann, associate
professor of behavioral science and health
education in the College for Public Health
and Social Justice at St. Louis University
and a Director of the Master of Public
Health program, is a researcher who has
always worked in maternal reproductive
health. Kuhlmann was introduced to
period insecurity by Dignity Period, a
nonprofit organization that keeps girls
in school by ensuring they have access to
quality menstrual hygiene products and
education and has served on the board since
2018. Dignity Period exclusively worked in
Northern Ethiopia until Kuhlmann started
her research in St. Louis in 2019.
“We realized that there was a decent
amount of attention to this issue in lowerincome
countries like Ethiopia, Uganda,
Nepal, but there was almost no discussion
of it in places like the United States or other
high-income countries,” said Kuhlmann.
“That really planted a seed in the back of
our head, like wait a second. If people are
struggling to get by, struggling to meet
their basic needs, they may very well be
struggling with this.”
After receiving funding,
Kuhlmann started her research in the St.
Louis area, partnering with 10 community
service organizations, such as food pantries,
job training centers and day shelters. 64%
of the women surveyed indicated that they
experienced period poverty in the past
year, and 20% of the women indicated
that they experienced period poverty
every month. Comparatively, in St. Louis,
21.8% or one in five people live in poverty,
according to the U.S. census.
For many experiencing period
poverty, it is a situation plagued by a lack
of information, education and resources
which leads many to struggle in silence.
This impacts school attendance, health
and quality of life.
“It really affects your dignity, your
sense of self-worth, your ability to care
for yourself,” said Kuhlmann. “Imagine
this: you only have one pair of underwear,
and you’re making makeshift pads and
homemade tampons, but then they get
stained. How does that make you feel?
You’ve got dirty, soiled underwear, and
you’re walking around with nothing to do
about it.”
Kuhlmann said when people rely
on homemade products and stretch out
the duration of use, it leads to an increased
risk of urinary tract infections and vaginal
infections. While there is little data in the
U.S., a case study published in the Global
Journal of Health Science found that
65.7% of schoolgirls in India who used
homemade menstrual products reported
urogenital infections compared to 12.3%
of those using sanitary pads.
While Kuhlmann’s study
emphasized the inability of many women
to access products, there is a larger
conversation that many in this field said
needs to happen.
“It’s rooted in misogyny,” said
Elizabeth Lester, student engagement
coordinator at The University of Alabama’s
Women and Gender Resource Center.
“People are like, ‘I’m not misogynistic,’
but then don’t mind when [someone’s]
daughter has to miss school for a week
because of her period.”
Seven students at Bronx Prep
Middle School in New York decided to
change their school’s culture regarding
menstruation. After polling classmates,
they found that 67% of female students
said “they feel uncomfortable discussing
their periods at school because it’s not
anybody’s business” and 33% of students
said “periods were a dirty topic.” By
talking about the stigma surrounding
menstruation, these girls were able to
get people nationwide to start having
conversations about menstruation, and
“Sssh! Periods” became the first-ever
grand prize winner in the NPR Student
Podcast Challenge.
While the conversation is
changing at Bronx Prep Middle School,
other school districts are still perpetuating
the stigma. Commissioned by Thinx and
PERIOD, a nationwide study found that
84% of students in the US have either
missed class time or know someone
who has due to a lack of access to period
products, and one in five teens struggled to
purchase period products or were not able
to purchase them at all.
Some school districts and states,
on the other hand, are fighting for their
menstruating students. In Ann Arbor,
Michigan, a law was passed to stock all
public toilets with menstrual products.
On May 17, 2021, Alabama passed a law
in which feminine hygiene products would
be available at no cost to students upon
request. The bill cited recent efforts by two
13-year-old Montgomery students, Brooke
Bennett and Breanna Bennett. The twin
sisters founded Women In Training as a
nonprofit to provide menstrual products
to those unable to afford them.
Stephanie McClure, assistant
professor of anthropology at The
University of Alabama, previously worked
with Kuhlmann at St. Louis University and
is now partnering up with her to get more
data in the south.
“We got back in touch because
I was using [Kuhlmann’s] articles in the
classes I was teaching on health inequities,
and we started talking about maybe
duplicating some of the work she had done
down here,” said McClure. “We want to be
able to compare the situations and needs
so that we can both increase awareness
of this issue and contribute to the policy
action that is taking place.”
Currently, there are 27 states
that continue to tax menstrual products.
These states consider menstrual products
to be “luxury” items and not a need. In
Alabama, the combined state and local
rate is 9.22%, which would generate $5.4
million in revenue, according to Period
Equity. States profit off of menstruation,
and when they eliminate the period tax,
they lose millions. According to Global
Citizen, when California eliminated taxes
on diapers and menstrual products, they
lost about $55 million in revenue per year.
“You always have to ask yourself,
‘Would this happen to a man?’” said Lester.
“Would there ever be a bodily activity that
a man would have once a month that would
keep him from doing things that would not
be then catered to him?”
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