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The many layers of disability and athleticism

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Photo of the horizon with a mountain peak on the forefront and a mountain range on the background.
We need to rethink the way our world looks at fitness.

By: Olivia Visser

What does a disabled athlete look like to you? The Paralympics might come to mind, with their innovative mobility devices for competitors, or the 69-year-old Xia Boyu, who summited Mount Everest as a double amputee. Disabled athletes come in many forms, yet those with invisible illnesses are often overlooked in the sports community. As a disabled athlete with an invisible illness, I sometimes feel alienated from both communities.

Social media can be deceiving. I hike and climb on my “good days,” which are few and far between lately. Nonetheless, I try to take advantage of them. The pictures I post of mountains and cliffsides are rarely without their own painful backstories: maybe I experienced a pain flare-up halfway through the hike, or my body struggled to cool itself while slogging up steep switchbacks. Usually, I return with at least a mild ankle sprain and spend a few days in bed afterwards. Some might think I’m irrational, and I’ve seen my fair share of internet comments to know what people might think of me. People already judge those who put their lives at risk by pursuing extreme sports, and mountaineering regularly faces debate for being “addictive, selfish, and deadly.” Certainly, “disabled mountaineer” would be a punchline in some circles.

It’s not just what I’ve seen online — I’ve made plans with people who blocked me after discovering I have medical conditions, despite those conditions being irrelevant to our outdoor activity. Maybe they see me as a liability or think I’ll slow them down. Who knows? I’ve never been in an accident, and I carry a satellite phone whenever I’m outdoors. I’ve taken courses and worked my way up slowly while doing physiotherapy. Currently, my health doesn’t stop me from getting where I want to go, so it hurts when people make assumptions about my abilities. That’s not to say I don’t understand the risks or take calculated actions to mitigate them, but sometimes the barriers in sports feel more social than physical.

It’s easy to feel excluded when performance is such a valued component of many sports communities. I used to overwork myself to increase my climbing grade but ended up feeling discouraged during extended periods of pain or weakness. Trying too hard also exacerbated my symptoms and caused more injuries. It wasn’t healthy. I had to learn to give myself permission to rest and lower my expectations. More often than not, I just focus on having fun nowadays, as I think that’s what sports should be about. Sticking to “easy” alpine hikes and climbs means I can seek out views and experiences without too much physical pain, or worrying about crushing records. High-intensity activity is fun sometimes, but it’s certainly not for everyone.

I was never actually very good at sports growing up, due in part to my medical condition. When it started to noticeably progress as an adult, I took that as a sign to hike as much as I could, in hopes of becoming strong enough to achieve my goals of summiting various local peaks. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was out three days a week training, sometimes in the dark with a headlamp. Over the past two summers, I was pleasantly surprised to find that rock climbing is a low impact sport which allows me to use flexibility and strength while exerting little force. I learned I could do the things I’d always dreamed of.

Many people would benefit from rethinking how our society looks at athletics. It’s exclusionary to prioritize being the best at a sport over having fun and overcoming personal barriers. One study found 40% of Canadians are intimidated by the gym, and this sense of intimidation is amplified if you belong to a visible minority group. Twenty-two-year-old influencer and wheelchair user Sophie Butler said, “Accessibility isn’t just about ramps and lifts, it’s also about attitudes and values.” For some, athleticism may look like challenging yourself with weights or going mountain biking. For others, taking a stroll with their mobility aid is an athletic activity. We need to consider individual differences and goals if we want to make athletic spaces comfortable for everyone.

Disabled people lack representation in sports environments, as the fitness industry promotes an “ideal” athlete archetype that simply isn’t attainable for most. The Paralympics receiving less media coverage than the Olympics and a lack of diversity in advertisements are two examples of this. Degree launched a film campaign in 2021 called “Watch Me Move,” aimed at highlighting the diversity of para-athletics. The campaign emphasized that “fear of judgement” is what keeps many people away from being active, not physical ability. Expanding our understanding of athletics means recognizing that disabled people are diverse and capable of many different things.

I sometimes feel isolated from the disabled community as well because of my invisible illness. It feels like my good days are too good for me to use the disabled label, because strangers who see me achieving my goals probably don’t know what goes on behind the scenes. I know most of it is just in my head, but these worries are reinforced by systemic barriers, too. Recently, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) announced its shift to International Paralympic Committee (IPC) standards for competitions. This is troubling, as IPC standards also underwent a recent criteria change and extended the list of non-eligible impairments. Disabled people with conditions that cause joint instability, impaired motor reflex functions, and hypermobility will no longer be eligible to compete in parasports. This is troubling especially since competitions match people depending on the function and severity of their disability. What does someone do if they’re too disabled to compete in regular sports, but not disabled enough for parasports?

While awareness is the first step towards equality, disabled people are likely to continue facing barriers in the years to come. I hope this doesn’t stay the case as our society slowly moves towards embracing accessibility, but experience tells me we’ve still got quite a lot of work to do. If there’s anything meaningful I’ve learned as a disabled athlete, it’s that fitness is for everyone. Instead of hyper-focusing on performance, we should prioritize personal goals and having fun. Don’t be deceived into believing you don’t belong to the fitness community because of your activity choice. If you’re active, congratulations, you’re an athlete in my books.

Masks4EastVan notes the importance of wearing masks

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This is a photo of an individual sitting on a bench outside. They are wearing a mask while they look at their phone. They are sitting alone.
PHOTO: Aria Amirmoini / The Peak

By: Karissa Ketter, News Editor

Masks4EastVan is an initiative started by two SFU students. Jane Shi is a fine arts graduate student and Vivian Ly is an undergraduate student. Both identifying as queer people of colour, they began this initiative to put pressure on the government. “We hope to sustain this work as long as we can, though we are only two disabled volunteers ourselves,” said Ly in an interview with The Peak. 

COVID-19 has been shown to disproportionately affect racialized and disabled people because of social inequalities: living in worse environmental climates, less access to healthcare, and reduced access to social services. “We weren’t going to wait for the government to keep us safe.” 

The organization “is a grassroots mutual aid project that distributes N95 or equivalent masks to neighbours in East Van and to rural parts of British Columbia.” 

Since BC has stopped the province-wide mask mandate, the amount of people wearing masks has decreased rapidly. This decision has been a part of what created strain on the healthcare system in the past year across Canada. Hospitals face issues with staffing, workload, and hospital capacity. 

Doctors are asking citizens to wear masks indoors to help ease the strain on the healthcare system, especially as other respiratory illnesses are circulating at higher levels than what’s to be expected for the season. Wearing a properly fitted mask can reduce the risk of infection from 56–83%, depending on the type of mask. CBC News reported hospitalizations for COVID-19 are higher this fall than any other fall throughout the pandemic; these numbers have almost doubled from October 2021 and are nearly four times more than October 2020. 

Former scientific director of Ontario’s COVID-19 science table, Dr. Fahad Razak, told CTV News Canada should reinstate the masks mandate to reduce transmissions. Since November 9, the University of Waterloo has reinstated their mask mandate to be in effect until the end of the fall academic term.

According to Shi, their goal is “to create access to personal protective equipment that would otherwise be unaffordable to communities in East Van and remote parts of the province.

“We knew that there were many people who were still struggling with being safe out in the community and not being able to afford high quality masks, especially low-income disabled people and people in congregate settings,” said Ly. “As a low income, disabled person myself, I struggle to regularly buy effective well-fitting masks for myself and have to rely on others or on programs giving away masks for free. I knew many others in the same boat as me.”

Shi added wearing masks helps create more accessible spaces. A study conducted across over 60 school districts found schools with a universal mask mandate had 72% fewer cases of COVID-19 compared to schools where masks were optional. Shi hopes to see more people wearing masks so disabled people can safely go out into the community. “That’s a collective effort that shouldn’t be placed on individual disabled people or even individual grassroots efforts. The onus is still on the government.”

Ly explained they created this initiative in response to the “lack of financial supports and equitable policies coming from the government.” Shi added that despite “individual politicians supporting and donating to us, we know that we can’t rely on slow-moving, ineffectual policies before looking out for one another and creating mitigation efforts.” 

Ly and Shi noted people who use drugs, people who are incarcerated, “immunocompromised folks, sex workers, front line direct services workers, poor folks, [and] houseless folks” are often the most at risk for having a lack of access to personal protective equipment. Shi added, “This is reflective of the systemic inequities and layers of oppression within Canadian society.” 

At the time of the interview, Masks4EastVan had distributed over 13,000 masks around the community. They provide large masks, medium masks, youth masks, and transparent masks which help those who are deaf or hard of hearing read lips.

Ly said, “Many do not realize how deeply ableist it is to tell immunocompromised and other disabled people at high risk for COVID-19 to just stay home.” Throughout the past year, many with disabilities have advocated for stronger COVID-19 measures to be able to safely participate in daily activities. 

Ly explained roughly 25% of disabled people are low-income. This means they “cannot afford the expenses to simply stay at home, avoiding school, work, public transportation, grocery stores, [and] medical appointments.

“We all know at least one immunocompromised or at risk person, whether they disclose it to you or not.” Roughly 22% of all Canadians over the age of 15 have at least one disability, according to the Government of Canada.  

Masks4EastVan is currently fundraising for their initiative. At the time of publication, they have fundraised over $9,500 towards their goal of $20,000. 

To learn more about Masks4EastVan, or to contribute to their fundraiser, visit their website at chuffed.org.

Monday Music: Songs for Scorpio season

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Peak Web
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“Monday Music” in orange block text on a yellow rectangular background with rounded corners and an orange border.
Monday Music: your weekly themed playlist. Image courtesy of The Peak.

By: Jerrica Zabala, SFU Student

Content warning: mentions of gun violence in lyrics.

We’ve reached the peak of Scorpio season and the air is powerful, sultry, and arousing. There’s a certain seriousness to being a Scorpio and these magnetizing bass lines will allow you to tap into this power. Find themes of ambition, healing, mystery, and justice as we emerge into the stormy season.

“Deal Wiv It” by Mura Masa & Slowthai 
Photo credit: Polydor Records

From Northampton, UK rapper Slowthai has heads turning and ears perking with his politically-charged tunes highlighting local injustices in the UK like Brexit and social class disparity. “Asked for a pint for three quid / he said it’s a fiver / well, that’s gentrification you prick!” His blunt, clever charisma caters to anyone who encounters a Scorpio moon as he declares: “deal with it.”

“Comme Des Garçons (Like the Boys)” by Rina Sawayama
Photo credit: Dirty Hit

If I could summarize Sawayama’s music in one word, I would say kaleidoscopic. Feeling like you’re in a slump? Listen to these pulsating tunes and let me know if you’re a “believer” after. She expresses her confidence, “like the boys,” while making fun out of the way traditional masculinity attempts to display confidence in society. It’s giving intense Scorpio rising energy — replenished and served.

“Boomerang” by Yebba
Photo credit: RCA Records Label

Those who believe in karma will feel its force when encountering a Scorpio Mars or listening to Yebba sing. As this songbird tells the story of an abusive relationship, she finds herself in an obsessive stand-off between her emotions and the logic behind her decisions, with lyrics like “If I shoot him in the head / then he’s dead / and he’s livin’ on my mind.” But don’t worry, whatever you do to Yebba, she swears “it’s gonna come back like a boomerang.” 

“In My View” by Young Fathers
Photo credit: Ninja Tune

Young Fathers, a trio from Edinburgh, Scotland, have taken inspiration from biblical and gospel themes to create “In My View.” The R&B, hip-hop, post-punk song has multidimensional lyrics and emotional undertones. It hints that when vulnerability is expressed in a relationship, it’s not always reciprocated at its fullest. Their ambiguous lyrics of “writing blank checks,” or wanting to be “king until I am,” reflects that love without depth is unfulfilling — any Scorpio Venus placement can tell you that.

SFU volleyball navigates turbulent times during transition period

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Peak Web
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photo of Hanna Kolof celebrating after winning a point.
PHOTO: Wilson Wong / SFU Athletics

By: Simran Sarai, Sports Writer

The SFU volleyball team has faced tough competition so far during their 2022–23 regular season, recording 12 wins and 13 losses heading into their last week of regular season play. While the team is five wins behind what they were last season, this year’s squad has managed to pull off some outstanding feats, including taking down the nationally-ranked Alaska Anchorage in October. The Peak reached out to head coach Gina Schmidt and sophomore outside hitter and defensive specialist Hanna Kolof to learn more about that victory, and how the team has worked together to move past losses this season. 

At the time of their match-up, Alaska Anchorage was ranked ninth in the nation. Since then, they’ve climbed up into the fifth position. Kolof described the win as “an incredible feeling knowing our team was able to do something no one else in our conference has been able to do. We’ve worked hard all season and have trusted the process, so it feels great when we get rewarded with a win like that.” 

SFU certainly hasn’t been rewarded with their schedule, being dealt “one of the toughest preseason schedules in [their] conference.” This included facing off against multiple opponents ranked in the top 25 nationally. Though the team recorded 13 losses, they “played 10 five-set matches this year,” with 40% of their matchups requiring a tie-breaker set to determine the winner.

Head coach Schmidt runs her team on a forward-thinking model. Win or lose, players walk away from a match understanding what worked to their advantage. “We either win or we learn,” Schimdit said, “I’d prefer to always focus on the positives rather than the negatives.” This mentality helps keep the team focused on the games ahead. It also demonstrates a certain level of trust Schmidt has in her players to understand what they could have done better, and how they can correct it before the next match. 

Playing games, sometimes multiple, on a weekly basis also leaves players with little time to collect themselves before the next game: an endless cycle of rinse, wash, and repeat. This is why Kolof “likes to reflect, but not sulk in a loss.” 

“Our season is very fast paced. It’s important to stay focused on the next games ahead, while also reflecting on what we can do better to get a win the following week.”

Alongside challenging opponents, the Red Leafs have also suffered from multiple injuries, propelling newer and lesser-experienced players into bigger roles. Despite adjusting on the fly, Schimdt believes the team “has responded well.” This has been the case for the new setters stepping into the place of last year’s cornerstone, Julia Tays. Aside from filling big shoes, Schmidt acknowledged that “it always takes time for [the] setter/hitter connection to get locked in.” But, she added that the team have “spent a lot of time working on that component of our game” and “seen [their] numbers improve accordingly.” 

Coach Schmidt explained that in a season like this one, when the team has faced tough competition and losses early on, the “goal is to always learn from the experience and focus on how we can be better the next time.

“We try to stay focused on the things we can control and keep working to get better every day. And I think this continued focus on the process has shown in our team’s results in the second half of conference play.”

The Red Leafs will play their last two GNAC games on the road, taking on Seattle Pacific University and Montana State Billings. Heading into the last weekend of conference play, Schmidt says the team strategy is, as always, “to stay focused on the present,” noting that “anxiety or fear only creeps in if players are thinking about the past or worrying about the future.”

Horoscopes: November 14–19

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An illustration of a girl with long flowing hair. Astrological signs and stars shine around her.
ILLUSTRATION: Marissa Ouyang / The Peak

By: Hana Hoffman, SFU Student

Aries

You woke up feeling tired, it’s just one of those days. But remember that energy-boosting mushroom item you had the last time you played Mario Kart? Yes, it’s still in your possession because you didn’t use it during that race! Now’s a good time to use it. Always keep an energy item in your pocket because you never know when it will come in handy.

P.S. the energy item is not four shots of espresso

Taurus

Whatever it is you want to do, whether it’s picking up a new hobby or acing your next assignment, just know you’ve got the power in you. You’ve been daydreaming about a new talent you want to learn, we all know it. So go and chase that dream before your responsibilities start chasing you!

Gemini

Maybe you have days when you doubt yourself too much, or you underestimate your intelligence and skills. Well, let me tell you something. Take this invisible reverse card from this page. Yes, you have the power to see invisible things. Now keep this reverse card in your pocket and you’ll see all your fears and doubts transform into confidence.

Cancer

Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day. This whole time you’ve been believing that you have control over the weather, but this was actually a misunderstanding. The truth is you have control over whether you get good or bad grades in your school work. Don’t get the “weathers” mixed up!

Leo

Two, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate? Leo! Your special skill is being able to keep your cool even through busy times, and we want to let you know that you’re awesome. You totally have the “Keep Calm and Study On” vibe that everyone loves. Keep it up!

Virgo

If you don’t already know, you’re a very nice person. Being kind is your special talent and you’ve been using it to conquer all the challenges, obstacles, and stress you’ve been facing in your studies. That’s right, you’ve been killing ‘em with kindness.

Libra

A cool fact about you is that you are immune to procrastination. But ONLY if you switch your morning routine with your night time routine. So that means watching TV and doing all of your homework when you wake up, and chugging down a banana milkshake while packing your backpack before you go to bed. Either that, or you’ll have to get the procrastination eliminator vaccine.

Scorpio

Let me tell you a little something . . . Everyone has been telling you that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But for Scorpio, there’s also different fruit that keeps the feelings of stress and negativity away. The only way to find out is by trying various fruits to figure out which one does the magic for you.

Sagittarius

On this gigantic planet with over seven billion civilians, there’s only one of you. Therefore, with your uniqueness you have the super power to stand out and be that eye-catcher in all your classes, interviews, social groups, and more. Keep being yourself and let the opportunities find you.

Capricorn

An interesting fact about you, Capricorn, is you have the superpower of getting things done speedy like Sonic the Hedgehog. However, the rule of thumb to activate this power is to get eight hours of sleep. Seems worth it to me!

Aquarius

‘Tis the season to take advantage of your superpower. You are the only horoscope to be resilient from the rainy weather that non-Aquarians can’t stand. While everyone else gets moody and sleepy whenever it’s raining outside, you’ll have the ability to keep the same energy and enthusiasm during all the activities you have planned for the day.

Pisces

When phones are low on battery, they can recharge by connecting to a portable charger. When Pisces are low on energy, they can recharge by connecting to a set of headphones and listening to their go-to motivation playlist. Pretty neat, eh?

Need to Know, Need to Go: November

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Peak Web
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Illustration of a blue calendar, with "Need to Know, Need to Go" written on top
Arts & Culture events to catch around the city. Image courtesy of Brianna Quan

By: Petra Chase, Arts & Culture Editor

Eastside Culture Crawl
Where: Various locations in Vancouver
When: November 17–20, varied times
Various ticket prices

The 26th annual Eastside Culture Crawl Visual Arts, Design & Craft Festival features over 425 artists. For four days, explore the art of diverse mediums and artists at streets and studios across Vancouver’s Eastside Arts District. The event includes demos and workshops, such as a stone carving demo and painting with alcohol ink. Use their map to find a spot hosting an event near you.

TWS Community Workshops: Feeling Bodies and Lyric In-Tension ($28.92)
Where: Online
When: November 20, 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

The Writer’s Studio is a recurring webinar that connects writers to guest instructors for unique writing lessons and workshops. This session is led by Sonnet L’Abbéa, a writer, professor, organizer and emerging musician. They are the author of three poetry collections: A Strange Relief, Killarnoe, and Sonnet’s Shakespeare. In this workshop, you’ll learn about the “elusive concept of a vibe,” and how to create tension in poetry.

Lunch Poems featuring Tawahum Bige & Heidi Greco
Where: Teck Gallery 515 W Hastings St. at SFU Vancouver’s Harbour Centre campus
When: November 16, 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.

Lunch Poems is a favourite event here in the Arts section, and for good reason. Held at SFU Harbour Centre on the third Wednesday of every month, tune in to talented poets as they read their work at this free event. Tawahum Bige is a “Łutselkʼe Dene, Plains Cree poet and spoken word artist” who just released their debut poetry collection, Cut to Fortress, on top of an EP in May 2022. Heidi Greco is a Surrey-based writer, editor, and book reviewer whose environmental activism has influenced her work.

We haven’t forgotten about Peng Shuai and Brittney Griner

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Peak Web
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photo of a sign at a protest asking for change.
PHOTO: Markus Spiske / Pexels

By: C Icart, Staff Writer

Content warning: mentions of racism and sexual assault 

Fifty years after Title IX, a groundbreaking law in the US that “banned sex discrimination in federally funded education programs,” the growth of women’s sports is undeniable. Title IX increased the amount of women competing in sports at the high school and collegiate levels. Since then, women’s sports have “​​higher ratings, greater attendance, more sponsors, increased prize winnings, and greater media coverage” than ever before.

While there is much to celebrate, there is still inequality on and off the court. Sports may be entertainment, but it can’t be separated from politics. Athletes regularly use their visibility to make political statements. Over 40 years before Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the American national anthem, African American cheerleaders from Brown University caused a stir by staying seated during the national anthem. They followed in the footsteps of athletes like Tommie Smith and John Carlos in speaking up about anti-Black racism and violence in the US.

The Olympics, historically and even today, highlights relationships between different nations. During the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, African American athlete Jesse Owens won four gold medals. At the time, American journalists described this “as a blow to the Nazi myth of Aryan supremacy.” Ironically, Black athletes still experienced discrimination once they returned to the US. This year, countries like the US, UK, Canada, India, Australia, Lithuania, Kosovo, Belgium, Denmark, and Estonia cited “atrocities against the Uyghur Muslim population in the northwest province of Xinjiang” as the reason for not sending top officials to the 2022 Beijing Olympics. However, this boycott was only diplomatic, and all of these states did send athletes to compete in China. 

In November 2021, Peng Shuai, a Chinese tennis player, was censored online and disappeared after accusing a former senior politician of sexually assaulting her. Any conversation about her and the man she accused was heavily censored in China. Shortly after the post was made and taken down, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) suspended all tournaments in China and Hong Kong, and a statement was released: “We expect this issue to be handled properly, meaning the allegations must be investigated fully, fairly, transparently, and without censorship.” Yet, this did not happen, and the WTA is still returning to China. 

Since then, Shuai has made minimal public appearances and has denied that she had ever made allegations of sexual assault. There are still concerns that she can’t speak freely. This is partly because, almost a year later, she still hasn’t directly posted on her own social media. 

While news surrounding Shuai and the allegations have gone cold online, Brittney Griner made headlines this week. US Embassy officials visited the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star in Russia, where she is being detained. Griner was sentenced to over nine years after vape cartridges were found in her luggage. As cannabis is illegal in Russia, the athlete pleaded guilty to smuggling “less than one gram of cannabis oil” into the country. This happened as Griner was going to play for the Russian Premier League, which many WNBA players do during the off season for additional money. WNBA players make significantly less than NBA players and can make one million dollars a year in Russia, compared to less than a quarter of a million in the US. 

In the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Griner is viewed as a political prisoner. That view is substantiated as Biden “offered to exchange Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms trafficker serving a 25-year US prison sentence” for the release of Griner and Paul Whelan, who is detained for espionage charges. 

When these women were at the top of their respective sports, all eyes were on them. Shuai spent 20 weeks at no. 1 in doubles, while Griner is a two-time Olympic champion. We can’t turn away now that they are no longer on our screens. Athletes regularly willingly make political statements; however, when they are used by governments for political purposes, it’s important to recognize the difference and speak up, especially when athletes can’t. 

You can join the #WeAreBG campaign, by signing petitions and writing notes for Griner.

Social media fitness culture is damaging

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someone lifting a barbell
PHOTO: Victor Freitas / Pexels

By: Olivia Visser, Opinions Editor

Content warning: mentions of eating disorders and body dysmorphia

Social media is a useful tool that connects like-minded people, but it also has the potential to cause massive damage. In recent years, online fitness communities have been growing in popularity. If you’re an Instagram user, I’m sure you’ve at some point been bombarded by questionable “what I eat in a day” videos, or advice for getting six-pack abs. I’m someone who believes fitness is for anyone who’s interested in moving their body. It can take many forms, from commuting by bike, to weight lifting, or taking casual walks. Toxic fitness culture on social media discourages people from trying new activities, and contributes to an uptick in self-esteem issues and mental illnesses like body dysmorphia.

A large number of fitness influencers take self-improvement to the extreme, which sends the message that you can never be happy enough with your achievements. It’s concerning to see active and healthy individuals feel the need to subscribe to intensive workout programs or fad diets. Samantha Lego told Insider Magazine that after a 12-week workout program, the excitement of her new body was short-lived. She found herself panicking after eating food, and obsessing over feeling bloated.

I see this often on social media: influencers sharing tips for dealing with “bloating,” and only showing off their bodies before meals. Your stomach is supposed to increase in size throughout the day, but fitness culture sells the idea of a flat stomach that’s simply unattainable for most. These ideas have incredibly damaging effects for social media users. More and more people are engaging in restrictive patterns of eating and exercise, which can often be categorized as an eating disorder. Body dysmorphia, a mental illness causing preoccupation with physical appearance, is also on the rise among young people. Surely, it doesn’t help when influencers share how little they eat in a day to stay small.

Another concerning aspect of Instagram fitness culture is its reliance on pseudo-scientific claims or insignificant lifestyle changes that will supposedly transform your existence. It’s unsurprising that pyramid schemes and health scams are finding their way onto fitness influencers’ pages. From users selling useless and dangerous “detox teas,” to scamming people with expensive workout programs, it’s clear this space has some serious issues with misinformation. We should use utmost caution when we see non-professionals sharing medical advice, or making grandiose claims.

Popular media’s characterization of fitness is exclusionary. It leaves out fat and disabled people, many of whom are physically active. It can perpetuate shame for those who have less of a desire to be active, or do so in unconventional ways. It’s also a very white-dominated arena. Many people of colour and Indigenous people face access barriers and racism in fitness spaces. That’s not to mention the barriers faced by queer and trans folk and disabled people when it comes to fitness environments. Social media isn’t much better in terms of representation for marginalized people.

Physical activity is a great way to feel in tune with your body. Because of this, we should promote fitness for everyone who’s willing and able. Social media sells the idea of a dream body at the expense of physical and mental well-being, which has immeasurable consequences for vulnerable users. Body positivity was a big thing a few years back, and now we’re seeing the emergence of what’s known as “body neutrality.” Intuitive eating counselor Anne Poirier described body neutrality as “prioritizing the body’s function and what it can do rather than its appearance.” While both schools of thought have their use, society would undoubtedly benefit from a reduced emphasis on physical appearance.

Automation should help workers, not harm them

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an empty computer lab
PHOTO: Jonadan Cheun / The Peak

By: Jared Murphy, SFU Student

In the 20th century, economist John Keynes correctly predicted that automation in the industrial sector would continue expanding and threatening jobs, which we’re currently seeing in North America. In some ways, Canada’s shift towards automation parallels the transition towards cleaner energy. Many labour intensive jobs are being automated away or changed dramatically. Without effective transition strategies, this hurts the working class: 10.6% of whom face a high risk of automation-related job transformation.

The Canadian government must act now, to offer legitimate solutions that actually benefit the working class. Canada needs to develop strategies that consider and support those with vulnerable jobs. We see this with the Just Transition advisory body, which aims to support displaced oil and gas workers by centering their voices, offering economic opportunities, and “minimizing the impact of labour market transitions.” Little help is offered for those displaced or threatened by automation.

In one of many examples, those with power and capital have set their sights on those with some of the most fragile futures in the market: the transport industry. With self-driving trucks threatening the job that employs 5% of Canadians, where do they turn? While there are many hand-wavey responses to those skeptical of self-driving trucks like “it’s safer,” and “it’s more efficient,” I’m proposing we take these ideas about automation and look at them not through the lens of economics, but of humanity. I honestly don’t care how safe the cars are marketed to be — they’ve been proven unsafe on multiple occasions. I care about what rapid automation will do to our society, and more importantly, who it will leave behind.

People lose their financial stability in careless market transitions. You can’t shove industrial workers with their own skill sets into the same box as the laptop class of professional email senders. What will a transition like this do to Canadian society? With 10.6% of the labour force facing job loss or transformation from automation, our government needs to act swiftly to prevent further unemployment and financial insecurity. Livelihoods are at stake, and the social outcomes of a massive shift like this can’t be justified solely by corporate and national economic growth.

Recently, Freshii was caught up in a scandal over people finding out they were outsourcing their cashier jobs to Nicaraguan workers for $3.75/hour. In one Global News article, the blame is shifted from the Freshii Board of Directors, and onto Canadian’s backs. According to them, virtual cashiers help the industry “grapple with its biggest crisis ever: staffing shortages.”

This example is particularly concerning, since automation should serve to benefit workers and consumers rather than corporate profits. Instead of recklessly automating jobs on a whim, businesses should work to address the reasons for staffing shortages, some of which include low wages and poor COVID-19 strategies.

Technology accelerates at an exponential rate. People don’t. As capital continues to barrel over workers left and right, will we wake up one day in the soon prophesied Universal Basic Income (UBI) utopia? Or, will what has happened for the last two hundred years continue: stagnant wages, higher cognitive demand, less free time, and higher wealth inequality? For these reasons, I’m not sure UBI is just around the corner. If we can take a step back, maybe the current growth by any means function of capitalism needs to be re-evaluated, and shifted towards a market that prioritizes workers’ autonomy and the right to a living wage.

Hidden Gems: Three spots to treat your palate

By
Peak Web
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A spread of various curries, rice, and naan in metal dishes
PHOTO: Jambo Grill

By: Clarence Ndabahwerize, Staff Writer

Tap Restaurant
15350 34 Ave #101, South Surrey / Mains $26–$50

Tap is a fine dining spot perfect for celebrating milestones. If you watch MasterChef or spend a lot of time perfecting your culinary skills, you’ll want to experience their exquisite dishes. Last time I went, I had “beef tenderloin served with phyllo wrapped mashed potato, wild mushroom demi glaçe, and café de Paris.” A particularly good option from the menu is the “duck served with warm chickpea and apricot salad, asian greens, beet purée, and fennel jus.” For dessert, I recommend the profiteroles filled with a house-made vanilla gelato and topped with a chocolate-espresso ganache.

Jambo Grill
3219 Kingsway, Vancouver / Mains $13–$40

Jambo Grill boasts a vast menu with east African and Indian dishes: an embodiment of the special connection between the two regions. For starters, you have to try the cassava mogo. Salted, of course. My personal recommendation is the sukuma wiki, which is beef cooked with kale, rapini, cassava (a root vegetable also known as yuca or manioc depending on where you’re from), leaves, and spinach. It’s served with a side of ugali (maize bread) or chapati (a popular flatbread in India and east Africa). While you’re at it, try some warming mandazi bharazi with some soothing masala chai.

Blossom Teas
23-7198 Barnet Road, Burnaby / $5.20–$9

Blossom Teas is hidden below Burnaby Mountain. It features delightful fruit and milk teas, which one may complement with boba. Ordering is best done online prior to arrival. The real treats are the mango drinks, which can be topped with ice cream. The cheese foam is also highly rated. You’d be right to suspect a bit of a sweet tooth from me. 

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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us:
[email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024