Burnaby Mountain’s wildfire prevention system to undergo revamp
By: Heidi Kwok, Staff Writer
On January 14, the City of Burnaby announced they will be investing in an “autonomous early wildfire detection system” for Burnaby Mountain to address growing wildfire risks amid warmer and drier summers. The Peak interviewed Scott Alleyn, chief staff officer of the Burnaby fire department, for more information.
Alleyn cited past wildfire activity along the Burnaby Mountain corridor as the reason to implement a modernized wildfire detection system. The existing wildfire management system is largely reliant on reports made by the public, which Alleyn said slows down emergency response times. This new technology is meant to expedite the detection of wildfires before they escalate by automatically detecting them. The program was initiated following the recommendations of Miles Ritchie, fire chief for the Burnaby fire department, the City’s mayor and council, and SFU.
SenseNet, a Vancouver-based tech company that offers artificial intelligence (AI)-driven wildfire solutions, will supply the early detection software as part of a $250,000 contract. Their smoke detection cameras and ground sensor nodes are to be integrated into existing firefighting applications within the Burnaby fire department’s communication centre and the City’s emergency operations centre.
“Our city consulted with the City of Vernon, who has completed a two-year trial,” Alleyn said. He revealed that over 200 potential wildfires were detected during the trial, saying, “The technology is proven. It’s just making sure that we integrate it into our communication centre so we can mitigate the situation as quick as we can before it turns into something a lot larger.”
A press release from the City of Burnaby detailed, “Devices will be strategically placed at urban-wildland interface boundaries, evacuation corridors, and near industrial infrastructure such as the Trans Mountain tank farm (Burnaby Terminal) and the Shell Burmount Terminal.” Concerns have been raised for years about the potential safety risks if a wildfire occurred on Burnaby Mountain due to the construction of the tank farm and its limited spacing, which could cause wildfires to spread quickly. The press release noted, “The project will also include installation of a detection system near the Parkland Refinery in North Burnaby.”
“Our camera selection locations are encompassing all of Burnaby [ . . . ] We’re looking at locations throughout Burnaby that give us the best view of Burnaby Mountain, UniverCity, and SFU,” Alleyn said. He told The Peak that the cameras will provide a peripheral view of the mountain in addition to forested areas in Deer Lake Park and Burnaby Lake. “We’re best off having the cameras further away [throughout the city] so that we can see the Burnaby Mountain SFU landscape in its entirety instead of just certain sections of it. So the cameras are positioned so that we can see the whole landscape from north, south, east, west, in its entirety.
“We’ve been experiencing hotter and drier summers historically throughout the recent years,” Alleyn explained.
“We did our research and the reason it’s [the project] being pushed now is because of those early detection capabilities that allow our firefighters to mitigate a situation a lot quicker than what we’ve experienced in the past.”
— Scott Alleyn, Burnaby fire department’s chief staff officer
“It also gives our command staff predictive modelling of the fire’s behaviour so our responding crews can protect critical infrastructure along UniverCity and SFU, and evacuate residents well before the wildfire has the opportunity to spread.”
The system will be fully operational this coming April or May, before the next fire season.
Top three places to go on your first date at SFU
By: Heidi Kwok, Dating Specialist
Hello lovebirds. First, let me congratulate you on finally scoring yourself a date — and just in time for Valentine’s Day too! Go ahead, give yourself a pat on the back. You’ve almost graduated from the singles club. Looking to make this change permanent? As The Peak’s resident dating specialist, here are my top recommendations for some first date locations on campus to impress your baddie. You’re welcome.
Your date’s academic advisor’s office
How do you know your date isn’t a creepy weirdo or a serial killer with skeletons buried in their backyard? This first date spot idea is for the chronic overthinkers. Step one: book a meeting with your date’s academic advisor. Step two: meet up at their office and don’t tell them the location beforehand. Call it a surprise so they won’t bail out.
Sure, SFU advisors have a reputation for being notoriously useless when it comes to enrolling you in mandatory courses, but they’re also frighteningly good at judging someone’s character. Think of them as part-time matchmakers. Oh, and your date’s academic record? That’s their new rap sheet.
Does your date have an A+ in an elective like LING 401: The Semantics of Advanced Compliments? Green flag. This person clearly knows how to flirt at an academic level. A B+ in CA 315: Methods in Clownology? Also a green flag. It shows they’re goofy at heart and won’t take themselves too seriously.
Picture this: A romantic wildlife watching tour at sunrise complete with glasses of underpriced wine and a massive charcuterie spread. You and your date are snuggled up on a picnic blanket. Binoculars in hand, you wait in anticipation to witness SFU’s most spectacular wildlife flock to their daily roosting spots — a magical sight akin to the Serengeti wildebeest migration.
There! You spot the first sign of movement and excitedly yell out to your date. A silver beast pulls up in a huff of toxic smoke, screeching to a halt with a growl — ah yes, you’ve just made a rare sighting of the highly endangered Toyota MR2.
Approximately 5 minutes past dawn, more begin gradually circling the lot, looking to stake their claims in the highly coveted North Parking Lot breeding ground. Do watch out for the sub-breed of carnivorous white electric vehicles, however, as they display highly aggressive and territorial behaviour. African safaris or local whale watching boat tours in this economy? Nope. Folks, this represents the next best alternative! See! What a lovely date idea.
AQ Level 0
Maybe you’re more partial to clubbing and early morning hangovers. Well, I know just the perfect spot for y’all. Be warned, though. Finding this place is more difficult than tracking down the wardrobe to Narnia. Here’s what you need to do: Buy a box of 20 assorted Timbits. Pinpoint the security guard who prowls the third floor of the AQ — it’s the one with the permanent scowl — you’ll know them when you see them. Bribe them with the Timbits in exchange for the security code. Make your way to the elevator on the AQ’s southern side and take it down to Level 0. You’ll find yourself in a sketchy maintenance tunnel. Don’t worry, that’s just an elaborate front to keep out the nosy people. Take a left and key in the security code to unlock a set of bunker-like doors. Bingo — you’ve just discovered the location for Burnaby’s trendiest and most exclusive disco nightclub (or most elusive place to get your freak on)!
Gossip Peakie: It’s time to get laid
By: Gossip Peakie
Hey, Burnaby Mountain dwellers. Gossip Peakie here, your number one source for hot goss on campus. ‘Tis that time of year, love is in the air. All you single monsters seem to have forgotten — oh how I take great pleasure in telling you from the back of my sugar daddy’s sports car. I wish I could see your faces.
Oh no! Don’t cry, babes. Fear not. This year, I have the perfect solution for your miserable self. Presenting some Valentine’s Day cards you can send to that one person you’re crushing on but don’t have the guts to fess up to. The goal is to get you laid. And laid you shall be (because this damn school is filled with single losers like you).
With that being said, get ready to paste these blurbs into a Canva template (be an independent queen), print them out, and stick them on your ex’s tutorial room door. Oh, and you might need a condom, too. It’s time to get freaky.
Card 1:
I get wet at the thought of you — being a responsible guy. Uh-huh. I need a Beedie Bro to rock my world (gotta have a rich partner, fr). So, how much money can you embezzle into this hole??
Card 2:
Roses are red, my eyes are very blue, can we both goon to a picture of Madonna’s hair-do in the back of our lecture hall, dude? #threesome
Card 3:
I couldn’t tell if you were also gay. Please send me your recently watched shows on Crave. Cheers to running to the cottage, babe.
Have fun, baddies. You know you love me. XOXO, Gossip Peakie.
“The fire that heals us”: a collaborative zine-making workshop
By: Noeka Nimmervoll, Staff Writer
Content warning: conversations about sexualized violence and sexual assault.
On January 28, SFU students and community members gathered in the SFPIRG Lounge for “the fire that heals us,” a zine-making workshop. The SFU Sexual Violence Support & Prevention Office (SVSPO), the Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group (SFPIRG), and the Simon Fraser Student Society Women’s Centre hosted the collaborative event at the Surrey and Burnaby campuses. Open to all, this event aimed to provide a space to reflect on how personal healing can happen within a communal environment.
Participants received magazines, markers, and decor to create pages based on prompts about “ancestral, land-based, [and] community-based healing.” The resulting pages will be compiled into a collaborative zine. A zine is an informal, independently published work that often incorporates collages and writing with roots in political activism and punk rock. The Peak attended the event and spoke to SVSPO educator Paola Quirós-Cruz, SFPIRG director of research and education Hannah Ghaderi, and Women’s Centre coordinator Simmi Dhaliwal to learn more.
Throughout January, the SVSPO held a series of sexual assault awareness events to increase awareness and knowledge around the topic. One point the SVSPO highlighted at their zine-making event was that trauma is connected to the historic, cultural, and societal context in which harm occurs. “Even though it happens to an individual, it happens within a system, so it is [a collective] responsibility to find ways that people live in dignity, feel safe, and believe,” said Quirós-Cruz.
The biggest motivation for this event was to create a healing environment through an accessible craft that had many options for self-expression. “It was a really low-pressure, flexible, creative space to also strengthen the autonomy and agency of people to create what they want,” shared Quirós-Cruz. As well, “the Women’s Centre has its own zine-making culture,” said Dhaliwal.
Ghaderi from SFPIRG shared that healing looks like many things, but “one of the ways to do that is to just have fun.” She said, “Sexual Assault Awareness Month can sometimes feel heavy because it’s really focused on statistics and prevention, which is completely important, and that work matters for sure. But at the same time, survivors really need spaces to be able to centre care and creativity and repair.”
“Survivors don’t just exist in the aftermath of violence. We exist as creative, meaning-making people that deserve softness, deserve agency, deserve community.”
— Hannah Ghaderi, SFPIRG director of research and education
Supporting victims of all manners of sexualized violence starts with believing them, shared Ghaderi. She emphasized that supporting them includes “educating yourself without asking the survivor to teach you,” through the many resources openly available online or in person. Quirós-Cruz shared that the SVSPO holds a workshop on disclosure for those who are interested in learning more about supporting survivors.
For more information and resources, visit the SVSPO at sfu.ca/sexual-violence. For in-depth conversations around Sexual Assault Awareness Month, listen to “Healing Together,” a podcast in collaboration between the SVSPO and CJSF 90.1FM.
SFU hosts talk on residential school denialism
By: Jonah Lazar, Staff Writer
On January 29, Dr. Sean Carleton of the University of Manitoba led a webinar titled Truth Before Reconciliation hosted by SFU’s archaeology, history, English, and Indigenous studies departments. In this webinar, Carleton aimed to address an increasing trend in mainstream Canadian media of residential school denialism, which has taken centre stage in Vancouver.
The Tyee has written that “residential school denialism is not the outright denial of the Indian Residential School system’s existence, but rather the rejection or misrepresentation of basic facts about residential schooling to undermine truth and reconciliation efforts.”
Last year, Dallas Brodie, a British Columbian MLA representing the Vancouver-Quilchena district, was ousted from the provincial Conservative caucus for mocking testimonies of residential school survivors, and has since co-founded the alt-right, OneBC political party. On January 22, she appeared at UBC’s Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre to debate the legitimacy of the 215 suspected unmarked graves found in Kamloops five years ago. There, she was met with almost a thousand protesters and the RCMP eventually escorted her off the premises.
Following the event at UBC, the UBC Indigenous Student Society, Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, and BC Assembly of First Nations all condemned the “university’s decision not to prohibit the demonstration.” In an open letter, the Union wrote that residential school denialism “promotes white supremacy, racism, and misinformation.”
Tarene Thomas, a First Nations PhD student at UBC, told CBC that the demonstration “created an unsafe space on campus for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis staff and students.” She said the university “should have done a better job at protecting us,” and that even after leaving campus, “it [the event] still heavily impacted me. I still had a really awful day.”
This situation is part of what Carleton sees as a growing trend in Canada of residential school denialism. Carleton, a former SFU student, is now an assistant professor in the University of Manitoba’s history and Indigenous studies departments. Here, he has extensively studied the history of residential schools in BC.
During the webinar, he asserted that the rise in denialism regarding the cultural genocide and forced assimilation of Indigenous Peoples perpetrated via the use of residential schools can be partially attributed to “willful amensia.” This is a form of denialism where people are resistant to the idea that Canada could have perpetrated such violence. Politicized forgetting has led to certain people profiting from spreading misinformation about residential schools online and garnering attention by hosting inflammatory debates against professors and students regarding the issue.
Carleton believes this problematic theme is all too common on university campuses. “It gives the false impression that [these are] duelling, equally weighted views,” he said.
“Denialists will make pleas to academic freedom, freedom of speech, the necessity of debate and dialogue, as a way of further entrenching these ideas as legitimate; as ‘another perspective.’”
— Dr. Sean Carleton, assistant professor of history and Indigenous studies at the University of Manitoba
At numerous reprises during this webinar, he referred to residential school denialism as “a copy and paste of Holocaust denialism,” where people use similar tactics of spreading dangerous and hurtful misinformation to garner media attention.
Despite this wave of misinformation, Carleton holds hope for the future. “The truth has been established,” he said. “We just need to keep building better relationships and focus on dignity and respect for one another.”
SFU’s new Southeast Asian research initiative set to host its first event
By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer
Editor’s note: The Peak’s arts & culture editor, Phone Min Thant, co-led this event. He was not involved in the editorial process of this article.
The School for International Studies’ newly formed Southeast Asian research initiative will host its first event at SFU’s Vancouver campus on February 11. The ice breaker event aims to provide students curious about Southeast Asia a chance to discuss research regarding the region. It also aims to express the initiative’s future direction and bring together scholars from different post-secondary institutions in the Lower Mainland who study Southeast Asia, such as international studies professor Dr. Tamir Moustafa, political science professor Dr. Shivaji Mukherjee, and Capilano University political science professor Dr. David Matijasevich.
The Peak reached out to the event’s organizers and co-founders of the initiative, Phone Min Thant and associate professor Darren Byler, to learn more. Min Thant’s research focus is on China-Southeast Asia relations in the 21st century, while Byler’s is “the role of infrastructural state power in contemporary capitalism and colonialism in China, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia.”
Min Thant explained that his experience at the 2025 Canadian Council for Southeast Asian Studies conference partly informed the creation of the Southeast Asian research initiative. “There’s so many universities with a very active Southeast Asian Studies program or at least a Southeast Asian collective,” he claimed. “I saw so many people from SFU who are really interested in Southeast Asia as a regional studies. I thought, why don’t we create a collective — a gathering of all these Southeast Asianists and group them into one place so that we can collectively inform each other of conferences and other events happening around Canada.”
Both Min Thant and Byler highlighted the region’s importance to the study of international relations, with Byler noting the “hundreds of millions of people that live in Southeast Asia.” He said, “This is a site that has a number of growing economies that could be referred to as middle powers in the way that Canada is positioned.”
Southeast Asia “offers lessons which can be applied to countries like the US,” Min Thant added. “You can see a lot of resurgence of authoritarianism, right-wing ideologies — Southeast Asia has seen all of that and has been seeing all that since independence” from several colonial powers in the 20th century.
Min Thant highlighted that the ice breaker will serve as a stepping stone for future Southeast Asia-centred events. “We were debating if we should jump right into action, maybe do a conference, a mini-SFU conference, or a research symposium. But, we realized we don’t really know who’s going to study Southeast Asia as a region,” he said.
Byler said, “We’re hoping that because this is a student-led initiative, that keeping it a bit more informal, where everyone has a chance to contribute and we hope all voices can be heard, that students will feel a kind of ownership over the process and that they’ll want to get invested in building it.”
Min Thant emphasized that the event serves as a great opportunity for all students, regardless of their knowledge of the region. “You can learn from your peers, you can see what’s going on in Southeast Asia,” he said. “We might have discussions on current events in Southeast Asia, maybe co-authoring opportunities for papers.
“If you’re simply interested in Southeast Asia as a region, if you’re from Southeast Asia, drop by and see how it is and maybe consider joining the initiative!”
— Phone Min Thant, event organizer and collective co-founder of the Southeast Asian Research Initiative
You’re not better than polyamorous folks
By: C Icart, Co-Editor-in-Chief
I’m just going to cut to the chase: the hate around polyamory is weird. It comes from all sides of the political spectrum and from individuals of all sexual orientations, but today I’m talking to the monogamous queers making “why do poly people look like that?” comments or jokes. While sometimes it can just be throwing shade in good fun, by ostracizing people who are alternative, visibly queer, gender nonconforming, and considered not “conventionally attractive,” you sound exactly like queerphobic bigots. Repeating talking points that misogynists commonly use online normalizes judgment.
“Polyamory, or consensual nonmonogamy, is the practice of having multiple intimate relationships, whether sexual or just romantic, with the full knowledge and consent of all parties involved.” This is slightly different from polygamy, where one person is married to multiple people. According to the Canadian government, polygamy is illegal because “there is a growing consensus that polygyny [a form of polygamy where one man has multiple wives] violates women’s right to be free from all forms of discrimination.” It’s important not to conflate polyamory with hierarchical polygamous marriages where spouses are exploited.
Polyamory is an umbrella term that encompasses many different types of nonmonogamous relationship styles. This can include throuples or triads where all three people are dating each other. A lesser-known style is solo polyamory, where “someone has multiple intimate relationships with people but has an independent or single lifestyle.” While throuples and triads challenge the norm of being in a committed relationship with only one person, solo polyamory challenges the idea that people must aspire to “traditional relationship milestones and goals,” like living with a partner, merging finances, and getting married. Looking into polyamorous relationship styles as a monogamous person has pushed me to think about the norms and expectations I’ve internalized when it comes to romantic relationships.
While not all polyamorous people are queer, there is considerable overlap between both communities and both challenge heteronormative monogamy. Heteronormativity places “heterosexuality as a social norm or as superior to other sexual orientations.” I bring this up because I can’t help but read this impulse from queer people to make fun of polyamorous folks as a form of homonormativity. Homonormativity refers queer people who conform to heteronormative ideals. Embracing homonormativity is a strategy that is often used to gain social acceptance. Tangibly, this can look like upholding institutions like marriage and the military by seeking to be included in them. This assimilationist mentality does not question why state-sanctioned marriage should be “the sole pathway to economic and legal security” and instead accepts it as long as same-sex couples can do it too. Using the strategy of highlighting similarities and saying that “we’re just like you, except gay” has been effective in securing some rights, but it also implies, “if we weren’t just like you, it would be OK to marginalize us.”
So, when a TikTok asking, “why do poly people look like that?” went viral last year, what was implied is that they look different; as in, they don’t fit the imposed norm. Multiple people stitched the video with clips from polyamorous content creators to illustrate what the original poster presumably meant by “that.” The clips predominantly feature people with facial piercings and bright hair. Most of the comments on this type of content are mean, saying things like they look like they smell. While the original video doesn’t say it, it’s clear the comments interpreted “that” as shorthand for “ugly.” Many poly people also decided to stitch the clip embracing their style and looks, challenging the assumption that it’s bad to look like “that,” in this case usually alternative.
Having conversations about polyamorous people where you judge them based on their looks says a lot about what is actually bothering you. While this may not have been your intention, by making fun of polyamorous people you imply that not being conventionally attractive is bad. It sounds eerily similar to the incel forums writing about Becky, who is described as “a feminist who ‘will likely die [sic] her hair green, pink, or blue after attending college.’” It also sounds like the common homophobic phrase, “I don’t care if you’re gay, just don’t rub it in my face.”
While I understand that you’re mad at your ex for trying to open up your relationship even though you were clearly not OK with that (which is awful), the solution is not to start parroting discourse that is common in incel/queerphobic spaces.
People like the person who made the viral TikTok I’ve been referencing will use your comments and jokes to prove that, even within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, there are “regular” people who are also judging people who “look like that.” At the end of the day, you’re punching down and revealing to everyone around you that you’re not as progressive as you want to appear. In an effort to distance yourself from stereotypes of degeneracy and hypersexuality, you want to let everyone know that you’re one of the “normal ones.” The problem is they’re not going to pick you, and when queer rights are under attack, this affects all of us, no matter how we look.
Long Story Short: Romance is a sidequest but the prize is the friends I made along the way
By: Noeka Nimmervoll, Staff Writer
I have been in my fair share of serious relationships since I was a teenager. They’ve given me some of the most wonderful experiences — loving someone with your whole being and sharing a life is an incredibly special thing. They’ve also provided me with a mirror: relationships tend to show you the sides of yourself that you were hoping to avoid. Am I single, you may ask? Yes, girl, yes, I am. I have no regrets about my relationships, in large part because of the friends I made along the way.
The longest-lasting impact of being in romantic relationships, for me, has been meeting people through my partners. Some of the people I’ve met have become long-term friends, who I love. I sometimes think I’ve made some questionable dating choices, but I’m always reassured of my taste by the people who my exes surround themselves with. The friendships which came from multiple ex-partners have shown me that platonic love is so strong, and can certainly be more resilient than romantic love. The girls I know as a result of my exes make me feel like a divorced mom, saying shit like, “I’ll always love them because they brought you into my life.” These girls are funny, intelligent, strong, brave, and so so sexy. I love them so much and our bonds are stronger than any relationship I’ve been in.
In romantic relationships, I have always struggled to be honest about my physical boundaries and my energy levels. Once a certain level of intimacy has been established, I find it hard to say, “I don’t want to be touched,” or, “I don’t want to talk right now,” without hurting the other person’s feelings. There always seems to be the underlying fear of losing them, which is a part of relationships that I don’t like at all. Every scenario feels like a reflection of our situation; if we talk every day and we start talking less frequently, does that mean we’re not doing well? If I bring him to a family event, does that mean we’re really serious? If I don’t like his mom, does that mean something wrong with him will come up down the line?
I don’t feel that stress with my girlfriends. It feels honest to say, “I feel like shit, can we just hang out today?” The girls get me, and they’ll understand if I want to leave early and be home by myself, or if I need to take a bit of space. We weave our way into each other’s lives wherever it works, and if things get weird, we can always take some space. The timeline of a friendship isn’t as stressful to me because it feels more secure; you know you love each other, and that your relationship will naturally wax and wane over time.
Platonic love is unselfish, where romantic love holds the risk of becoming transactional. I have certainly made some sacrifices in romance that friendships don’t require. Like, “I do not like your mom but I’ll smile during this monthly family dinner that I’m obliged to join” or “you gave me head so now I feel obliged to give you head.” I don’t know about you, but I do not do that for my friends. It can get really difficult to balance obligations and personal boundaries in romance. It’s kind of awkward, especially while you’re still getting to know each other, and it takes a ton of skill in self-knowledge and communication to make it feel mutually respectful.
Beyond all that, we often want to be in romantic relationships because of the way they make us feel. That is not the full picture, but that’s always made me so uncomfortable about romance. It’s not specifically me that you want; it’s a feeling that I provide to you. It can get a little icky! With my girls, I want to be around them; their attitude, personality, and uniqueness. It’s a real kind of love, and it’s not transactional. I would do anything for them.
Romantic love is a beautiful part of life; of course it is. It’s just optional. We don’t need someone who sees us in a different light than anyone else. What we need is someone who’s got our backs. Friends always have my back. Like, last year, when I was in the thick of a messy breakup, my friend opened her home to me and helped me get all my shit back. I’ll never forget that.
I am no longer looking for romance in my life. My ultimate goal is to have an army of girlfriends that share values and support each other to the bone.
This is my Sex and the City dream (minus the sex) where I have a gaggle of girlfriends that share their dreams and discuss their lives without fear of judgement or reprehension. Thank you, ex-partners, for getting me one step closer to my dream! To my girlfriends, I love you so much.
Love and Anarchy: The perfect TV show for this Valentine’s
By: Mason Mattu, Section Editor
What does the future of the publishing industry, playing a youthful game involving lipstick, swimming in a pool naked, anti-capitalist conversations, and a steamy workplace relationship all have in common? It’s Love and Anarchy, a Netflix Swedish rom-com that is the most refreshing thing you can watch this Valentine’s season.
The show follows the story of Sofie Rydman, a married, middle-aged mother of two, as she enters a new consulting position at a failing publishing house. Here, she begins an affair with a 20-something-year-old IT temp named Max. However, their relationship isn’t anything seen in a typical office age-gap romance like Babygirl. In a youthful game of truth or dare, the pair takes turns holding Sofie’s lipstick. Whoever has the lipstick has to dare the other to do something unconventional, like walking backwards for an entire day, yelling at management, or even embarrassing themselves in front of authors.
Yes, romance is prominent in the show, but it’s not at its core. For Sofie, who is trapped in a loveless relationship, this simple game tells her that it’s OK to be creative again. It’s alright to embrace her inner author and let go of the corporate world that she’s been trapped in. That there’s someone in life who can love both herself and her whimsical attitude without calling a therapist because of it (yes, her husband actually does that). While Max and Sofie have a consistent “will they, won’t they” throughout the two seasons of the show, it is clear that, no matter their fate, they have both taught each other to embrace the silly goofy side of them, to take life less seriously, and to truly fall in love with the mundane.
Another prominent theme of the show is the struggle between capitalism and creativity within the publishing industry. Sofie was raised by a communist father who often stands outside of grocery stores with signs reading, “Stop consumerism.” As Sofie pushes for the publishing house to adapt to the “modern” (and ultra-capitalistic) landscape of the industry, her dad acts as a sort of devil’s advocate, reminding her that she once was in love with writing and literature, not after chasing dollar signs.
What I like most about this show, beyond the nuanced and multilayered messaging, is the fact that each character is on their own journey.
Whether it’s Sofie and her interpersonal relationships, Max and his struggle with an always-displeased mother, and co-workers navigating the future of the publishing industry, everyone’s on their own journeys that are reflected within a wealth of subplots. I’ve never seen such a complex workplace comedy before.
Perhaps the standout performance of the show belongs to Reine Brynolfsson and his role of Friedreich, a nearing-retirement literary agent who represents the old guard of the publishing industry. Adamantly against new developments, such as e-books and podcasting, he serves as a reminder of what literature ought to look like in an era of modernity. Though he always has something to say about “the radical left,” or “the woke agenda,” Friedreich is on a journey of acceptance of both himself, his age, and of the changing landscape. Brynolfsson is such a dynamic actor and was an outstanding choice for this role.
If I had one issue with this incredible show, it would be that the representation of anti-capitalist ideas is muddled. Often, the audience is left confused as to whether the show runner wants them to be on the side of embracing the commercialization of literature, or sticking with the old guard. Nonetheless, the message does become clear at the end of the show.
Overall, I would strongly recommend anyone with some free time this Valentine’s Day to grab your partner, cuddle up, and watch a few episodes of Love and Anarchy. It’s a love story . . . but also so much more.
The Peak’s rating: 4.5/5 raccoons. It’s a good show to watch — but maybe not with your parents (might be a little too spicy . . .)!
Queer Asian love stories about identity beyond acceptance
By: Maya Barillas Mohan, Staff Writer
Queer movies incorporate sexuality into narratives that extend more broadly into self-identity, and how love is ultimately a force of collision. At the heart of two East Asian films I watched this week, tumultuous love stories unfold as characters contend with themselves in their relationships.
Struggles in love are much more complicated than the mechanics of social acceptance — a frenetic kind of desire swallows everyone, indiscriminately.
East Palace, West Palace (1996)
Being gay is taboo in Beijing, where the movie’s protagonists, young writer A-Lan and police officer Xiao Shi, are based. This movie depicts desire with a focus on interior friction instead of social approval. Married to a woman but actively cruising, A-Lan accepts his society’s hostility. As intimacy is continually monologued as presupposed by or following brutality, A-Lan fades the hardships in his life behind how alive he feels when he cruises. Coalesced pain and satisfaction accumulate in A-Lan’s writing, but the stories he tells Xiao Shi during an interrogation overlap with lived real experiences.
Xiao Shi’s homophobia is a symptom of his own incompatible desires with his outwardly rigid identity. The dialogue-heavy movie unravels into an examination of the belief that suffering and intimacy are inseparable as the interrogator flips to become the interrogated.
The cinematography is beautiful, as it draws leisurely through parks and peeks voyeuristically through glass. Movements feel vibrantly choreographed as the characters dodge and return each other’s touch across the screen. Shown in rich colour, the film explicates sexual identity as something complicated, brutal, and ineffaceable.
Set in Vancouver, this diaspora film follows Chinese Canadian Jake as he grapples with his identity in the context of his heritage, conflicting interests of photography and basketball, and complicated attractions to his long-term girlfriend and next-door neighbour. Typical of coming of age stories, Jake’s identity emerges from a variety of conflicting influences that contradict vicarious expectations imposed by his immigrant parents. While his classmates broadcast their lives, Jake hides behind the camera instead. His interest in photography suggests self-identity is something constructed from the view of others. Creative framing resembling Instagram posts establishes an alienating social dynamic of spectator and poster. It invites the viewer into Jake’s life, as it separates from what he shares online.
In the film, Jake must also confront the role sexuality plays in his social life. At the climax of the movie, Jake has his first queer experience, leaving the viewer to wonder if this is the first moment of honesty to his suppressed desires. When social media outs Jake to the whole school, love becomes a buoy in gossipy waters and something to float Jake through expectations he drowns in. At the end of the movie, Jake’s efforts to conquer shame pay off, as he becomes someone he is proud of.
Across time, these movies transmit the struggles of love as amorphous processes beyond queer-exclusive acceptance narratives. How others perceive someone is not always the truest iteration of their identity. Both of these films show how this uncomfortable speculation evolves into a satisfying ending once people can articulate their desires. These films centre on queer relationships, but never treat queerness as the ultimate end of their characters. After all, who you love is only part of why.
