A college student’s guide to situationships

February 13, 2025

Two people walking together and above them a “Relationship loading” progress bar (kinda like a download screen from a computer) and an error message saying something like “Error 401: Relationship not found, are you sure you are in one?” — ILLUSTRATION: Yan Ting Leung / The Peak

By: Cassie Casual, SFU Studen

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching — a time of excitement, love, and overpriced bouquets for couples. For others, it’s the perfect excuse to gather with friends, share a warm dinner, and reminisce about how nice it is to be single. However, modern dating is, at times, not that simple. What about the grey areas between romance and friendship? In the spirit of V Day, let’s talk about the in-between — the sometimes undefined, unspoken, and ever-complicated world of modern relationships.

Honestly, nothing falls into the grey area of romance more than situationships. It’s not as informal as a hook-up, with its sex and physical intimacy without formal commitments. Neither are they as clear-cut as friends with benefits, which is when friends hook up without any formal romantic labels. Situationships are both of these things but also neither.

What even are situationships?

Simply put, a situationship is a relationship without its grand titles — no boyfriend, girlfriend, or partner — just two people engaging in acts of intimacy without a clearly defined commitment. But, unlike a hook-up, there are signs of a relationship such as occasional dates, doing “couple-y” things together, and a difficult but existent acknowledgment of a sense of romance in public settings. Essentially, it feels like you want to experience the magic of One Piece but you are too scared of committing to its 1,122 episodes, so you decide to watch YouTube recaps of the seasons instead. I mean, the end product is the same right? You get to experience what it’s like to be in a relationship without actually being in one. Of course, you also don’t get labeled as just a friend who gets called up for sex every now and then — take that, friends with benefits.

A situationship is a relationship without its grand titles — no boyfriend, girlfriend, or partner, just two people who engage in acts of intimacy without having established a clear form of commitment.

But you are not in a situationship, right? It is just a thing with your classmate — having them over once in a while, eating out together, and cuddling. I can’t comment on these personally, but feel free to run them against common signs of a situationship. The most obvious has been dealt with in the last paragraph: the lack of clear labels. Then there are the subtler signs like avoiding difficult questions that define the dynamics of a formal relationships: “At what point do cuddles turn into sleeping together?” Situationships tend to blur boundaries — risk, but maybe fun? The two people involved can also have conversations that mirror the avoidant nature of the relationship — deep talks may happen occasionally, but mostly, it’s just a lot of ghosting, sporadic texting, and intermittent conversations. Lastly, situationships can be superficial. By this, I don’t mean fake emotions or intimacy. While there’s not much commitment, there is usually quite a lot of intimacy. What I mean is a lack of involvement in the daily comings and goings of each other. No invitation to friends’ picnics, family game nights, or group ski-lessons at Whistler. Take these signs with a grain of salt. My experiences with a situationship are slightly different, dare I say, even healthy. While these are said to be typical signs, sometimes, your “situationship” can get along with your friends, talk to you everyday, and be bold enough to set boundaries.

A situationship does have its perks. You have time to assess whether a larger commitment fits in your life — and, just as importantly, whether it aligns with your partner’s. Some people may fear committing long-term into a relationship — a situationship is a chance at experiencing what can potentially be a future relationship. There is also something nice about not being tied down by the rigid social expectations of a relationship. Situationships also help you brush up on how to communicate with potential partners. Ironically, a situationship’s greatest weakness is communication itself — remember what I said about texting spontaneously? However, like a typical interview answer, this weakness can also be a strength. If a situationship falls apart due to poor communication, it forces you to develop the skills needed to navigate nuanced conversations and maintain the delicate balance between a relationship and a casual hook-up. There are also the less-philosophical benefits as expected: intimacy, affection, sex, and honestly, a pretty fun time.

Have I made situationships sound too appealing? A life lived in shades of pink? Believe me, they can be — my experiences in the past few years would be a testament to this statement. But, before everyone jumps onboard this low-commitment, high-energy ship, let’s talk about some of the downsides. One, it is very uncertain where they will lead to. Usually, without clear boundaries and expectations — not to mention imperfect communication — what you want and what the other person wants might be completely different. This becomes even more challenging if you develop feelings (it’s easier than you think) while the other person doesn’t — or vice versa. Second, low commitment is a double-edged sword. It means there’s always a chance both sides are seeing other people. If you’re looking for monogamy, then beware of getting into a situationship, it might not be the right fit. Situationships may also be unstable. Sometimes, situationships may feel superficial and lean more towards the hook-up side of the spectrum. A friend with benefits, at the end of the night, is still a friend. Situationships are different. Lastly, don’t pursue a situationship if you are already struggling to find time. For something with no certain end, they do take a lot of time and energy (both physical and emotional) so think twice before you find yourself deciding whether to cry about a midterm or about getting ghosted.

I am not going to take a side here and say situationships are objectively good or bad. Some people like them, some people don’t. Personally, I found my experience fun while it lasted and I enjoyed the company. There were plenty of dates, cook-ins together, and intimacy. But both of us were not looking for anything formal so it was mutually-beneficial. Plus, in the end of it all, we ended up becoming really good friends. I am not going to tell you how to end a situationship like my blogs do, but like any form of a relationship, making it a good experience is totally up to you and your partner. It’s important to remember that even when you are not in a formal relationship, you and the other person still have a form of responsibility towards each other — whether it’s honesty, respect, or simple kindness. A situationship will only be a fun experience if both sides respect each other’s boundaries, emotions and well-being.

As expected from a low-commitment, casual sharing of intimacy between two people, situationships are flexible and have their own benefits. But, they can also fall apart easily, fall into a one-sided love story, or simply, just outright uncertain on where the ship might ultimately dock. But, we have to come to terms with the fact that popularity of situationships will only increase with the advent of internet dating and hook-up culture, particularly in university. But, as always, stay safe and protected, no matter the situation.

Sex work has never been for women

Peak Web

February 11, 2025

ILLUSTRATION: Tatiana Rasco / The Peak

By: AC, SFU Student

Content warning: brief mention of child exploitation and descriptions of sex work.

As society becomes more accepting of sex-positive narratives, it simultaneously created a new landscape of sex work for young girls. Platforms like OnlyFans have simplified and encouraged access to the new digital age of sex work; instead of having to be in physical contact with a stranger, you can be digitally connected and seemingly not need to worry about any potential danger that comes with physical intimacy. OnlyFans especially rose to prominence in mid-2020; as sex work was pushed out of the physical world, it developed in the digital one. OnlyFans becoming popular allowed sex workers to continue to make a living while allowing them to remain in the comfort of their own homes with their own hours, taking “working from home” to the next level. Moreover, for marginalized sex workers, online work helps them continue making income safely. Sex work is a legitimate source of income and expression, but under the patriarchy, the industry is exploitative. Adding a middle-man (literally, in this case) to sex work does not make it less exploitative, it only makes entrance to the industry easier.

Legitimate and safe entrance to sex work makes it accessible, which is important in a line of work that has historically and continues to heavily stigmatize its workers. Recognizing how sex work is exploitative under patriarchy, and that sex workers should be paid, safe, and satisfied in their work are ideas that can coexist. The Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons was passed with the intent to protect sex workers by criminalizing buying sex services to “reduce demand.” According to the Sex Workers Action Network, though, this forces sex workers into more dangerous situations by forcing them underground, “putting them at risk of violence, exploitation, and poor working conditions.”

Being able to continue sex work online removes some of this physical danger, but there are other dangers that accompany online sex work. As the western world embraces the sex-positive movement, there has been dynamic conversation of where this leaves sex workers; how can we be sex-positive safely?

While some claim that OnlyFans is a profitable and empowering way for people to take control of their bodies, it does not necessarily protect its user base. Despite claiming that it is an 18+ only website, a Reuters investigation documented “30 complaints in US police and court records that child sexual abuse material appeared on the site between December 2019 and June 2024.” According to the investigation, these cases contained over 200 explicit videos and photos of minors.”

“Selling digital content of yourself has become the new, sexy side-hustle, with many content creators promoting how they afford their extravagant lifestyles and encouraging their followers to do the same.”

Selling digital content of yourself has become the new, sexy side-hustle, with many content creators promoting how they afford their extravagant lifestyles and encouraging their followers to do the same. A recent example includes Lily Phillips, an OnlyFans star who slept with 100 men in a day for content. Even though she chose to do it and seemed “in control” of the situation, she later spoke out about the effects that it was having on her mental health. It is also important to note that she has a team of people who organized this event. This is notable for two reasons: one, most sex workers do not have a team of people working for them. This highlights how OnlyFans can become a business with the person’s body and actions becoming their brand. This may also provide a false sense of security, but in reality, her employees are benefiting from the repeated exploitation of her body and well-being for shock-value, views, and most importantly, profit.

Dr. Elena Martellozzo and Paula Bradbury, from the Centre for Abuse and Trauma Studies at Middlesex university, are concerned that the popularity of OnlyFans creates a competitive market for its creators, especially young women, to compete by “sharing more of their bodies, and perform sexual acts requested by subscribers to maintain their interest.” The deceptive opportunities that OnlyFans and other forms of digital pornography present young vulnerable women has re-created exploitation under the guise of autonomy. The owner of OnlyFans is, you guessed it, a man! A man who according to People Magazine, made over one million dollars a day from the platform in 2022. Does he have any real vested interest in the autonomy of his creators? More importantly, can he protect them? Since women sign up for the platform themselves, they feel as if they have complete control. However, the platform takes 20% of what its creators earn, which means that the average person on OnlyFans makes around $150 per month. Even women who have made much larger sums have spoken out about how “the money wasn’t worth it” due to the extensive emotional toll it took on them.

OnlyFans and its adjacent platforms have become mainstream with a vast majority of people now aware of their existence due to the social waves it made during its rise to fame in 2016. Despite popularity, these platforms won’t try to curb the stigma surrounding sex work, as the same criticisms and judgements still exist around women who engage in them. In 2023, Kirstin MacDonald, a teaching assistant in BC, lost her job when a colleague accidentally discovered her OnlyFans account under a pseudonym. This is not an isolated incident; employers do not want to associate with women who participate in sex work because they’re seen as “dirty” and their actions are seen as undesirable and desperate. Presenting OnlyFans as a legitimate source of income without supporting creators through the trauma that can come from their boundaries being pushed is disingenuous. Platforms like OnlyFans do nothing but offer a faster pipeline for young girls to participate, especially as the demand for pornography of teenage women (18–19 years old) is highest and other career choices are not half as lucrative.

The reality is that the patriarchy benefits from women engaging in sex work, and any attempt to take that empowerment into your own hands will be met with instant pushback by the patriarchy. Just because something is marketed as empowering doesn’t mean it is inclusive or inherently produces a net positive effect on society. Instead, the sex work industry can continue to profit on ignorance without addressing how users can be protected under the guise of empowerment and the deception of agency.

To read about the experiences of sex workers, The Peak recommends checking out our 2020 article,“Myths and realities of being a camgirl, told by a camgirl” on our website. If you’re a student who wants to share an opinion about sex work industries or lived experience as a sex worker, please email opinions@the-peak.ca.

VPL bans free expression

Peak Web

February 11, 2025

the outside of a VPL — PHOTO: Aria Amirmoini / The Peak

By: Phone Min Thant, Staff Writer

In a meeting last July, former CEO and chief librarian of the Vancouver Public Library Christina de Castell prohibited the library’s staff from wearing watermelon pins representing solidarity with Palestine. The decision came after the VPL received a number of complaints from the public regarding said pins.

In response to concerns from staff, de Castell said, “Pins that have a political symbol and represent personal beliefs are not appropriate to wear in the workplace.” When asked about other forms of political expression the VPL has engaged in such as pride flags and orange shirts, de Castell remarked that the library only engages in “advocacy” for issues in which the governing body has “an established and documented position.” After de Castell’s resignation in December, her interim successor, Dawn Ibey, continued to defend the VPL’s decision by saying that the mandate of a public library is to “educate and provide information . . . in a way that is non-partisan and unbiased.”

If the VPL engages in selective political activism, doesn’t it contradict their narrative of being “non-partisan and unbiased?” Besides, why should a library serving the public, with its diverse views and perspectives, aim to be apolitical in the first place? While it’s problematic that the VPL thinks it should be apolitical, it is only when it comes to support for Palestine that Canadian institutions throw their appraisal of diversity out the window, and rosy words about freedom of expression are replaced with chants of ignorance and negligence. VPL is regretfully one such institution.

“If there is so-called neutrality through freedom of expression which allows a transphobic speaker to hold a public event in the same space where others wear rainbow pins and celebrate pride month, then shouldn’t watermelon pins also be included?”

First, let’s examine the VPL’s official policies on freedom of speech and expression. Its “inclusive library services” include encouraging “the right of access and the right of representation of diverse groups and experiences” as well as the active promotion of perspectives that have historically been marginalized. In addition to this, the Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA), which the VPL is a part of, advocates for the right for Canadians to hold, express, and share their thoughts and opinions. The CFLA ensures that libraries under its oversight uphold these rights and freedoms.

The VPL’s selective understanding of “freedom of expression” is especially noticeable when compared to their response in 2019, when it refused to block a controversial room-booking by transphobic speaker Meghan Murphy for a public speaking event. Despite much public protest and scrutiny against Murphy’s transphobic views, the VPL allowed the event to continue undisrupted, citing “intellectual freedom” and “freedom of expression.” They doubled down and said that people whose perspectives “may be contrary to the library’s vision and values” may also use the library’s services. Its new policies in the wake of this debacle confirmed that the library will only take action if the Criminal Code or the BC Human Rights Code are violated.

The library put up this statement after the event: “The library believes that freedom of expression and access to ideas and information are essential to the health and development of a democratic society.” This is inarguable, but isn’t the ability to show solidarity with an oppressed population also a sign of a democratic society? If there is so-called neutrality through freedom of expression which allows a transphobic speaker to hold a public event in the same space where others wear rainbow pins and celebrate pride month, then shouldn’t watermelon pins be included? After all, wearing such pins doesn’t violate any criminal law, but banning staff from wearing them sounds like it does.

The VPL said all of its staff’s “unique contributions are respected,” right? Clearly this isn’t an issue of “unbiased” politics or “personal beliefs.” The key problem lies in Canadian public institutions’ antagonism against any advocacy for Palestine. From public universities to the parliament, any movement supporting Palestine gets repressed, silenced, or ignored. The banning of watermelon pins at the one place that is supposed to be educating and informing the public on all perspectives shows that there is no neutrality or compromise when it comes to Palestine — despite Palestinians having experienced discrimination historically and hence deserves even more advocacy from VPL according to its policies. As an institution that stocks George Orwell’s 1984, a book explicitly about censorship, oppression, and constant surveillance, the VPL needs to do better than censoring and silencing what it doesn’t like.

Hinge is a game, and I’m losing

Peak Web

February 11, 2025

Two phone screens with Hinge open. One shows a chat where the phone owner is responding to a picture with two men asking to be referred to the older one assuming it’s the father. The man responds saying that the man is his professor. In the second image, someone’s Hinge bio is displayed. It features a picture of a theatre play set. The set includes a giant hand. — ILLUSTRATION: Victoria Lo / The Peak

By: DILF Hunter, SFU Student

From 2023 to 2024, I was a frequent user of dating apps out of boredom. I gained nothing from my experiences other than various ridiculous screenshots of jarring or hilarious interactions, and a somewhat deeper understanding of why people say Vancouver is an un-dateable area. Oh, you don’t care about the chronicles of my dating life? Too bad, I didn’t ask, so please indulge in my experiences! Kisses!

First of all, most of these people are profoundly humourless. They see the half-Russian in my profile and immediately turn off their funny. “Guess what, I also wear Adidas and drink vodka,” or “Wanna hear the only words I know in Russian?” or “So, you a communist?” YOU’RE NOT FUNNY! YOU ARE UNORIGINAL! If I wanted to hear the same five jokes, I could go on 9Gag or iFunny circa all of the late 2010s and kill my brain cells on my own. I am a communist, but that’s beside the point!

However, they’re not all hopeless. I once saw this person’s profile. His name was Quennel. First of all, sick ass name. Second of all, I did not reply to his profile because of him but rather a picture that I saw of him and an older fellow, who I thought was his father (silver fox alert). I said, “Can you refer me to your father? Thanks,” in hopes of fulfilling my dreams of being a DILF connoisseur. He later replied, “That’s not my father, that was my professor,” and I responded, “My fault, og. You’re cool too.” I still think about Quennel, and his professor . . . more often about his professor.

I once encountered a person who looked exactly, and I mean EXACTLY, like the villain Kingpin from the Spider-Verse movies. Don’t get me wrong, I respect the drip. The suit and the stature really gave an impression. What got me was the prompt that stated “I want someone who: will watch me box.” Buddy, you’re NOT helping your case here. Just say that you fell into the wrong universe somehow and you’re trying to get back to your alternate reality! I also had the pleasure of meeting a giant, grey, ominous-looking hand! Comprised of what you may ask? Human people. Yep, every finger had a face. I was too scared to respond to the picture to find an answer, but it seemed to be part of the scenery of some sort of play, and to this day I regret not asking what the hell I was looking at.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of meeting new people, but at what cost? I’ve had my share of liking women and, the pain of breaking off a WLW relationship is worse than getting laser hair removal on your armpits; I can attest to both. Most if not all of my experiences have looked like this: I am blessed by the sight of a charming lass, either she or myself respond to one of our prompts, and then radio fucking silence! That’s how I know she’s just like me because I too fall off the face of the earth after one interaction. But damn it, give me a chance!

“When can I see you?” Please don’t make plans with me, I only exist on my phone! I’m not an AI maiden wife, but, like, you’re never meeting me. What do you mean these are actual people? Nonsense! This is literally just a game on my phone, pure entertainment. And they designed it like that too, implementing a literal pay-to-win mechanic with the whole HingeX thing and buying roses to give out. This is literally me just playing Animal Crossing and giving random villagers flowers!

Monday music: Twee love songs

Peak Web

February 10, 2025

freestocks-Y9mWkERHYCU-unsplash — PHOTO: freestocks / Unsplash

By: Petra Chase, Editor-in-Chief

“P.U.N.K Girl” by Heavenly
Twee was originally British slang for sweet to a “nauseating” degree. Heavenly was one of the bands who emerged in the ‘80s in opposition to the “increasing harshness in the post-punk music scene” under the UK indie label Sarah Records. These disparately dainty bands reclaimed the word, defining the genre with wispy guitar, ‘50s and ‘60s nostalgia, and whimsy lyrics. Heavenly is for fans of fellow twee Sarah label-mates, The Smiths. “P.U.N.K. Girl” is a peppy, sapphic spell-out-the-letters song about seeing the soft side of a punk girl who everyone thinks is “bad.” It’s about knowing there’s something soft under her shell and waiting to know her more.

“Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” by She and Him
I can’t talk about twee without mentioning actor/singer Zooey Deschanel, who refined twee as an aesthetic in the 2000s along with the likes of Feist and Regina Spektor. Deschanel is known as the queen of twee for her ‘60s silhouettes and quirky, sentimental spirit. She and Him is Deschanel’s musical duo with producer M. Ward. You’d probably recognize their radio-friendly Christmas discography — their “Baby it’s Cold Outside” association adds to their nostalgia.. Their 2008 debut, Volume One, brought ukulele and piano-driven lovelorn folk songs. In this one, Deschanel sings about waiting for an anonymous “him” to come over and play. Adorably earnest lyrics like “I think you’re just so pleasant” sung in her adorably earnest voice leads to a euphoric eruption of doo-doo-doo’s and sugary harmonies.

“Using You” by Mars Argo
When I joined the Mars Argo cult following in 2015, she was making music and experimental videos on YouTube with a MySpace meets The Beatles meets Lolita fashion vibe. The otherworldly character she played in videos contributed to her being a (somewhat sensationalized) mystery in that corner of the internet when she disappeared from the public eye and the channel was removed. Brittany Sheets (Mars Argo) finally holds the rights to this song a decade after its release and is returning to music, a win for her and for your ears. Her bubblegum voice is the definition of twee as she cheekily sings the double entendre of the chorus: “You’re the only one / Who’s making me come / To my sinful senses.” Originally released in 2011, “Using You” opens with a hilarious Weezer reference and flip-flops between being fed up to asking, “Am I naïve to think that he could be the love of my life?”

“My Slime” by Fousheé
Fast forward to 2021: Fousheé’s airy voice and way of using “slime” as a metaphor for infatuation pays homage to the cuteness of twee. She pairs pure phrases of adoration with sexual lyrics like “gorilla grip, it’s tight” and “get your fork and knife.” The music video plays on Bonnie and Clyde where Fousheé swoons while robbing a bank with her “partner in crime.” This might just be an accidentally-twee song from an alternative artist, but the fashion choice in the video is undeniably twee — teddy bear backpack, Peter Pan collar, bow in the hair.

Red Leafs clawed down by the Wildcats: SFU WBB Game Recap

Peak Web

February 10, 2025

A girl in a white and red uniform attempts a lay-up while surrounded by players in black and red uniforms. — PHOTO: Kaja Antic / The Peak

By: Kaja Antic, Sports Writer

Editor’s note: included stats were retrieved on February 7, 2:00 p.m.

The first full week of January not only saw the return of classes to Burnaby Mountain, but also the return of SFU women’s basketball.

The Red Leafs hosted the Central Washington Wildcats in the West Gym on January 9, their first of two matchups against the Wildcats this season.

SFU head coach Bruce Langford sent out the usual starting line up; redshirt seniors Makenna Gardner and Arman Dulai, senior Sophia Wisotzki, junior Myrlaine Shelvey, and sophomore Rilyn Quirke — the group that has started every game of the season to date.

The Wildcats earned an early 9–0 lead in the first 2.5 minutes of play. The Red Leafs fought back against the visiting team, leading 13–12 halfway through the first quarter. The two teams continued to trade baskets back and forth, with SFU coming out on top 18–17 after the first 10 minutes.

SFU and Central Washington started the second quarter how they had ended the first — with the lead changing multiple times. It wasn’t until halfway through that the Wildcats started to pull away. The visitors scored 18 points over the next 5 minutes, with the team’s defence confining the Red Leafs to only three points in the same time frame.

“The visitors would score 18 points over the next 5 minutes, with the team’s defense confining the Red Leafs to only three points in the same time frame.”

Headed into halftime, the Wildcats led the Red Leafs 46–32, having outscored the hosts 29–14 in the second quarter alone. Aside from the basketball game, breaks in play also allowed for performances from the SFU Athletics Dance Team on the court. The dancers kept the energy high in the West Gym, performing in smaller groups and as a larger troupe, equipped with red and white pom-poms.

SFU tried to mount a comeback as the second half began, though Central Washington still held the edge with a 69–50 lead after thirty minutes of play. Even though the Red Leafs outscored their American visitors 20–13 in the fourth quarter, the home team fell 82–70 after the final buzzer went.

Despite the loss, the Red Leafs still had some decent statistics over the Wildcats. The team earned 24 points off of turnovers, compared to Central Washington’s 16. As well, SFU players off the bench earned 20 points, whereas the Wildcats’ bench only managed to score seven.

Wisotzki scored the most points for the Red Leafs, earning 27 of the team’s 70 points over the course of the game. Second in team scoring was freshman Sophie Bergeron, netting nine points after coming off the SFU bench.

Despite a strong start, SFU is struggling to keep up with their Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) opponents — having a 4–8 record in GNAC games at the time of publication. Still, Wisotzki leads GNAC scoring with over one hundred points more than the nearest opponents, even while her team is seventh out of 10 in GNAC standings. With the season ending on March 1st at Seattle Pacific, the Red Leafs look to rebound to keep their GNAC Championship hopes alive.

Where’s the sexy in sex?

Peak Web

February 10, 2025

ILLUSTRATION: Multiple bodies tangled together, but with eyes looking elsewhere — ILLUSTRATION: Winnie Shen / The Peak

By: Anthony Houston, SFU Student

Not too long ago, right after hooking-up with a guy I met on Tinder, I thought to myself, “Man, that was such a boring interaction.” There were many factors influencing my perception: it was the first time we met, it had been a long day, and honestly all I could think of was getting back home rather than going on this impromptu hookup. Being the self aware queen that I am, it was obvious that I wasn’t really putting in an effort. The guy was good looking and seemed like a genuinely nice person, yet, I felt like I rushed through the interaction without being present in it. Walking back home, all I could think about was how transactional it all felt — and where had all the sexy gone from having sex?

Honestly, who even knows what being sexy is? It’s one of those subjective things that changes from person to person — some might find biting your lips sexy, while others might find it cringy. To me, sexiness is a whole mindset. I don’t usually go to parties or events, they aren’t my vibe, but when I do, I make the most out of it. I choose a well-thought, color-coded outfit, matching accessories, and perfume, because to me the biggest part of sexiness stems from a conscious effort to look and feel good. It’s that confidence boost you get from knowing (or thinking — let my unrealistic self be) all eyes turned to the door just because you walked in. It’s the allure you bring into the room, and what you do to allure someone out of it. It’s exchanging glances and holding eye contact, it’s the way you carry yourself on the way to making the first interaction. Putting in the effort and feeling sexy, both in appearance and mentality, is what makes a night special, whereas hooking up can honestly feel like crossing an item off my to-do list. Hookup culture has made it so much easier to skip this entire set of rituals. No time or place for allure — no slowly building up the anticipation, no effort at all. It usually goes down to text, meet-up, and sometimes sex.

It’s that confidence boost you get from knowing (or thinking — let my unrealistic self be) all eyes turned to the door just because you walked in.

I’m definitely not against having hookups, nor do I think that being/feeling sexy during casual encounters is impossible, actually on the contrary. Hookups and casual encounters can help you experiment with different ways to express yourself, find new ways to feel sexy, and develop confidence during sex. Many people deal with different forms of sexual anxiety, which can include “concerns about performance,” or anxiety about your body image. Having the option of facing said anxieties in a more casual encounter can be a positive way to deal with them. For others, hookups can help them discover their sexuality. However, casual encounters can also lead you down a path of apathy, of sex just being a transaction of and for pleasure. Being able to skip through some of the more ritualistic steps of courtship has stripped so many opportunities for being sexy. Even in casual sex, there should still be some forms of allurement and sensuality that differentiates it from just scratching an itch.

As a queer man, finding inspiration for being sexy can be . . . odd at times. I don’t look at the almost always shirtless men at the covers of Men’s Health and think, “Yeah, that’s the epitome of men’s sexiness.” Similarly, I don’t feel like I’m the target demographic for People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” issue — Idris Elba and John Krasinski, sure, but starting the whole thing with Mel Gibson just makes me feel out of place. For the longest time I’ve conflated sexiness with having broad shoulders, six-pack abs, and a jawline that could cut diamonds — an ideal that felt tailored for a specific type of man I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to become. I’ve learned about sexiness from mostly women, icons like Lady Gaga, Audrey Hepburn, and the many iterations of the femme fatale. Very different examples, but it’s their confidence and poise in anything they do — that scene-stealing presence, their ability to command any gaze that dares be directed their way.

Now, does that mean we should all ditch hookups for the sake of only having encounters when exuding sexiness? When we are serving femme fatale realness? Absolutely not. There’s convenience and purpose behind hookups. To some extent, they’re part of the courtship behaviour of the 21st century. Casual encounters have their time and purpose, they allow you to explore and know yourself without the anxiety of having to meet a certain standard for a partner. However, do be careful when casual encounters start feeling a bit too . . . casual. I’m not here to tell you how to have sex, but if you find yourself heading to a hookup in your Crocs and that one old pair of underwear that’s barely holding on, maybe take a moment to ask yourself — do you really want to have sex, or are you just feeling a bit lonely right now?

SFU students to vote on fee increases

Peak Web

February 10, 2025

This is a photo of an orange door that says “executive committee” vertically on the side of it on the window. — PHOTO: Courtesy of The Peak

By: Yasmin Hassan, Staff Writer

Editor’s note: As an independent student society, The Peak Publications Society would financially benefit from the Vote for Student Life referendum and non-editorial staff members are campaigning for it. We’ve taken steps to prevent conflict of interest from affecting our reporting of this issue, such as ensuring the writer and editors of this piece are not involved in or informed by the campaign. The Peak remains committed to objectivity and representing diverse student perspectives on issues that affect students. We invite students to share their perspectives by emailing news@the-peak.ca for future coverage.

From February 10, the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) executive and general committee elections campaign period is active. With this period of the elections comes the Vote for Student Life referendum, which proposes an increase in student fees to go towards a number of independent student societies and the SFSS health and dental plan. The referendum aims to establish a student fee “increase of $1.50 per full-time student and $0.75 per part-time student each semester for four independent student societies,” along with $12 and $6 respectively towards SFSS membership for health and dental. This makes the total proposed increase $18 for full-time students and $9 for part-time students.

“The SFSS, Embark Sustainability, Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group (SFPIRG), The Peak, and CJSF Radio are all funded by relatively small fee levies voted on and approved by SFU students,” states the referendum. These fees, which haven’t been adjusted according to inflation in 9–30 years, will also be indexed to inflation annually starting in Fall 2026. Indexing a fee means linking fees to inflation as reported by the BC government and ensuring the cost of running the student groups matches the inflation rate.

Over the years, these student societies have struggled to keep up with rising costs. Inflation has increased by 26% since Embark’s last fee adjustment in 2016, 42% for CJSF since 2008, 48% for the SFSS since 2006, 57% for The Peak since 2003, and 84% for the SFPIRG since 1995.

The student societies state they aim to maintain and expand “the quality and quantity of programming, services, and resources.” Students can cast their votes for the levy increase and SFSS elections from February 27–28 via a link sent to their SFU emails.

How the increase will affect student groups

The Peak interviewed Noëll Cousins, director of engagement at SFPIRG, to find out more. SFPIRG is a student organization “dedicated to social and environmental justice.” Their “areas of work include education, action, research, and community-building.” Cousins explained how an increase in their funds would support more student employment opportunities like their work-study program or the “People’s University” political education project, and bringing back their Antithesis magazine. Cousins said the increase would also help SFPIRG platform students’ work and improve their student events by inviting speakers to SFU. Cousins said they want to ensure “folks are able to put food on the table and be able to meet their own needs,” emphasizing the importance of living wage jobs that develop students’ skills. According to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives BC, one–third of BC workers make below a living wage.

“Instead of just surviving, there’s actually space and room to really thrive and offer students [ . . . ] what it is they want and ask for.” — Noëll Cousins, director of engagement, SFPIRG

She also noted that the increase would put SFPIRG “in a position where [they’re] moving with the times in a specific way, and don’t have to be in this existential fear or crisis all the time” around operating. “Instead of just surviving, there’s actually space and room to really thrive and offer students and provide back to students what it is they want and ask for.”

Why the health and dental plan is increasing

The Peak attended the biweekly SFSS Council meeting on January 29. “The SFSS health and dental plan ranks one of the lowest in coverage among other comparable student societies across the province and the country,” said Sam Killawee, SFSS vice-president internal and organizational development. The Peak verified this. “85% of certified SFSS members have expressed interest in improving essential benefits under the health and dental plan.”

The Peak interviewed Killawee for more information. He explained that the last successful referendum to increase the health and dental plan fee was in 2017, leading to a 5% fee increase or decrease policy in any given year. This means the SFSS could increase or decrease the health and dental fee at their discretion to “allow them more flexibility to match fee changes.” In 2020, the SFSS pivoted to a fully insured model, decreasing the risk of “massive fluctuations in healthcare planning costs.” However, the 5% increase policy expired in 2022 and has never been used since. In the 2024/25 SFSS term, the SFSS Board of Directors and Council decided to cut student services as they “couldn’t increase fees to the level that the insurance provider was now charging.” Killawee said this was “not something any of us [at the SFSS] wanted to do.” He added, “Rates of the plan have gone up significantly in recent years, particularly around the dental program.”

To ensure the plan’s future, the referendum would increase both the basic and enhanced care plans by $97, aiming to restore coverage and expand benefits. For full-year coverage, the enhanced plan would increase from $267.08 to $364.08, and the basic plan from $207.40 to $304.40.

How students can opt-out

As the fee increase may be challenging or undesirable for some, students have the option to opt out. As for the health and dental plans, “Students will retain the option to choose a lower level of coverage at a lower cost” or opt out entirely.

Methods of opting out vary and can be found linked here on pages six and seven. Students can learn more about the independent student societies by visiting their respective websites.

The Peak will continue to cover the SFSS election.

Activists protest recent TMX agreement at Burnaby City Hall

Peak Web

February 10, 2025

This is a photo of a hung-up banner that says “Protect the Water” / “Protect the Land.” It features drawings of an orca, salmon, a turtle shell, a bison, a hummingbird, and more. — PHOTO: Olive Visser / The Peak

By: Olive Visser, Peak Associate

Content warning: brief mention of violence against an Indigenous person.

On January 28, climate activists and community members gathered at Burnaby City Hall to oppose the city’s recent community contribution agreement with Trans Mountain Corporation. The agreement involves an expenditure of $20.1 million from Trans Mountain to support the development of “emergency response and safety planning” for the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion project (TMX). It also prevents the city and Trans Mountain from speaking negatively about each other.

The federal government purchased the Trans Mountain expansion project in 2018. Many have criticized its parallels to Canada’s colonial history, with multiple First Nations — the Squamish Nation, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and Coldwater Indian Band — claiming the project was started without proper consultation. Activists continue to call on the government to consider Trans Mountain’s impact on the environment, animal life, and Indigenous sovereignty.

The protest was supported by Mountain Protectors, Burnaby Residents Opposing Kinder-Morgan Expansion, Protect The Planet, SFU350, T-Rex Against TMX, the Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment, and the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.

Anishinaabe Elder Jim Leyden (Stem-may-kochx-kanim) opened the event by celebrating the recent release of Leonard Peltier, an American Indian Movement (AIM) activist who was controversially arrested in 1975 for the death of two FBI officers. AIM “is a grassroots movement for Indigenous rights” that was “founded in 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.” Bill Wilson, a Kwakwaka’wakw Hereditary Chief and politician who passed away four days prior, was also honoured.

Darcy Demas from Oceanside Dakota followed with drumming and sang the “AIM song.” The song originated within the AIM in response to the murder of an Oglala Lakota man, Raymond Yellow Thunder.

“It’s a very important thing that we have to do. It’s to protect the sacred. Those trees, those are sacred to us,” said Demas, regarding the rally.

Burnaby mayor Mike Hurley stated the community contribution agreement is not a “gag order,” which is a legal restriction on information sharing; the agreement means the city requires “pre-approval” from Trans Mountain before any public releases.

Elan Gibson from the Burnaby Residents Opposing Kinder-Morgan Expansion said it was “shocking news to have this agreement done without involvement of the community.” She noted that by-laws like “the Community Charter and Local Government Act [requires] advanced public notice of matters of public interest.

“At the base of Burnaby Mountain, below the university, sit two time bombs.” — Douglas Courtemanche, climate activist

“The pipeline wasn’t even supposed to be completed until they had submitted emergency preparedness plans,” she continued. Gibson said she was told an emergency preparedness plan would not occur until “late 2026 or 2027.” She believes this is “too late,” citing California’s recent wildfires and a decrease in humidity across Canada.

Douglas Courtemanche, climate activist and plastic surgeon at BC Children’s Hospital, spoke about the danger of tank farm fires and explosions: “At the base of Burnaby Mountain, below the university, sit two time bombs.

“There have been many tank farm fires,” he continued. “By the end of 2022, there were over 600 tank farm fires around the world.” Courtemanche also said “research suggests it takes about five days to extinguish a tank farm fire.”

In 2021, the City of Burnaby released a risk assessment for the Burnaby tank farm that cited an “unusually high risk, particularly for seismically caused tank fires,” which are fires triggered by earthquakes. Natural Resources Canada predicts “a one in five chance of a very strong earthquake” occurring in Vancouver within the next 50 years.

“There are 29,000 undergraduate students at SFU, 5,200 graduate students, 1,100 faculty, and thousands of staff. Those on Burnaby Mountain do not have an escape route,” Courtemanche explained. “The effect on the land is devastating [ . . . ] It’s polluted with heavy metals like lead and arsenic and the residue of electrical equipment and composite plastic products.

“The City of Burnaby needs to stand for and with the people of Burnaby,” Courtemanche expressed. “And each of us, as Leona Prince says, needs to be a good ancestor.” Prince is an award-winning educator from Lake Babine Nation and Nak’azdli Whut’en, and belongs to the Likh Tsa Mis Yu (Beaver) Clan.

In a statement to The Peak, SFU stated, “To evacuate Burnaby Mountain, SFU worked with the City of Burnaby on an emergency evacuation route for pedestrians to leave campus and to accommodate emergency vehicles in case roadways are blocked. The SFU emergency route runs through Burnaby Mountain Park between Centennial Way and University Drive, following the existing trail alignment.” They also stated that they are “one of the partner agencies with the City of Burnaby-led multi-agency, full-scale emergency response. The full-scale exercise is expected to take place in 2027.”

During the rally, some attendees entered a Council meeting to present Mayor Hurley with the “Dinosaurs of 2025” award. “Burnaby City Councillors are pedalling us towards extinction,” said Mountain Protectors in an Instagram post. One person in a red dinosaur suit was detained by Burnaby RCMP for causing a disturbance. According to Mountain Protectors, the activist was not read their charter rights nor were they informed of their right to legal counsel.

The Peak will continue to cover the Trans Mountain expansion.

The Book Nook: Cookbooks from Cameroon to the islands of Comoros

Peak Web

February 7, 2025

A wooden chopping board, black mortar and pestle, various spices, knives, and a cast-iron skillet on a wooden surface. — PHOTO: Todd Quackenbush / Unsplash

By: Izzy Cheung, Arts & Culture Editor

In Bibi’s Kitchen
Hawa Hassan and Julia Turshen
Available to borrow from the Vancouver Public Library

Published in 2020, this book collects recipes from Eritrean, Somalian, Kenyan, Tanzanian, Mozambican, South African, Madagascan, and Comoran bibis (grandmothers). Ma Kauthar’s mango chile sauce is a hit in this cookbook, combining the sweetness of this tender fruit with the kick of jalapeños. She uses this sauce “with every main dish, from her chicken biryani to stews, curries, and more.” In this book, you’ll also read about cinnamon-spiced zanzibar pilau and Ma Gehennet’s hearty vegan shiro.

A Spicy Touch
Noorbanu Nimji
Available for purchase at Black Bond Books

A Spicy Touch is Noorbanu Nimji’s love letter to her Ismaili Muslim and Kenyan heritage, fusing recipes from both cultures to create her own unique tastes. After initially moving to Calgary in 1974, Nimji began teaching the Ismaili community how to cook. This soon blossomed into creating and publishing her recipes. A Spicy Touch features Nimji’s takes on creamy bharazi (pigeon pea curry), pillowy-soft mandazi (coconut donuts), and tomatoey chana wagharia (chickpeas and eggplant). Consult her book for hearty dishes sprinkled with warm cardamom or tangy chutneys to spice up your meal.

Yawd
Adrian Forte
Available to borrow from the Vancouver Public Library

Canadian-based chef Adrian Forte puts a modern spin on Afro-Carribean dishes in his first cookbook, Yawd. Forte’s penchant for cooking runs in the family — as a child, he would help out in the kitchen of his grandmothers’ restaurant in Jamaica. The book showcases recipes with “African ancestral ingredients” such as ackee and saltfish fritters with a crispy, tater tot-like exterior. Be sure to check it out for Forte’s fiery rendition of coq au vin made with a juicy jerk-chicken marinade.

Saka Saka
Anto Cocagne
Available to borrow from the Vancouver Public Library

Anto Cocagne’s Saka Saka is not just a cookbook stuffed full of delicious recipes from Gabon, Cameroon, and more, but it’s also a lush collection of landscape and food photography of the cuisines’ regions of origin. With the recipes come “the main characteristics of these cuisines, the specialties of each region, the produce, [and] the ideal pantry.” Plantain fufu, a simple snack needing only plantains, cassava tuber, and red palm oil in this book, is featured with a fun twist — each piece is cut into cookie-like shapes. Typically, this dish is served as a ball or rolled.

IMAGE: Courtesy of Page Street Publishing

Black Rican Vegan
Lyana Blount
Available to borrow from the Vancouver Public Library

Published in 2023, Black Rican Vegan combines Black and Puerto Rican tastes to create dishes like bronx fried oyster mushrooms. Every recipe in this book is vegan, meaning that you can enjoy these dishes without consuming any meat — yes, that means getting to eat pollo guisado (braised chicken) sans the chicken! Chopped cheese is a New York classic, and chef Lyana Blount puts a delicious vegan spin on it that includes ground beyond meat and sazón for an extra kick. If you’re looking to avoid meat while savouring rich flavours, give this book a read!

IMAGE: Courtesy of WORKMAN PUBLISHING COMPANY

Black Power Kitchen
Ghetto Gastro
Available to borrow from the Vancouver Public Library

Presented by Ghetto Gastro, a culinary group with origins in the Bronx, Black Power Kitchen is “part cookbook” and “part manifesto.” Founded by Jon Gray, Pierre Serrao, and Lester Walker, the collective “layer[s] flavour the same way hip hop layers samples and interpolations: as a way to expand, comment, shake up, share, and revel in our collective memory.” Nose-tingling seasonings are plentiful in recipes like their king jaffe jollof, which combines curry powder, tamari, soy sauce, cinnamon, and more.

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