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SFU commits to offering a living wage to entire SFU community

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The photo is of the SFU Burnaby campus. The Academic Quadrangle and the reflection pond can be seen.
The community voiced the need to include worker voices in decision making processes. PHOTO: Allyson Klassen / The Peak

By: Pranjali J Mann, News Writer

This month, the SFU Board of Governors passed a motion to begin the certification process for becoming a living wage employer. 

According to Living Wage for Families BC, living wage is calculated by providing an estimated “bare-bones calculation” for wages as needed by the employees to meet their expenses. Under this wage rate, “employers take into account their employees total wage plus benefits. If employees receive non-mandatory benefits, the living wage rate is reduced.” 

SFU’s announcement aims to address the issue of low wages among their food and services workers and “will explore the creation of a program that supports educational opportunities for contract workers, provide access to additional campus benefits where applicable, and find other ways to enhance inclusion for contract workers as members of our campus community.”

The living wage and benefits are set to reach the contract workers in “a phased approach as contracts are renewed over the next three years.” 

To understand the announcement and its benefits, The Peak reached out to Yabome Gilpin-Jackson, SFU vice-president, people, equity, and inclusion. She said, “This move underscores our commitment to listening to our people and taking meaningful action that will have a positive and substantial impact on the lives of workers in our community. Moving toward becoming a living wage employer is an exciting step on our journey to greater economic equity and social inclusion.”

Contract Worker Justice Campaign 

The Peak interviewed Kayla Hilstob, a member of the Contract Worker Justice (CWJ) campaign coalition at SFU. She said, “Having a living wage is a very positive thing [but] outsourcing is really the root of the problem. And so, workers can have better wages, which is great, but their hours are usually cut, they are laid off seasonally, they have to apply for [employment insurance] all the time. Their benefits are worse than their counterparts at different universities. So yes, it does touch on one of the problems, but it’s not the main problem and there are all sorts of other problems that stem from outsourcing.”

Explaining the underlying issues with outsourcing workers, she said universities will select the lowest bidder to reduce their costs when looking for an external company. “What that means is cutting wages, cutting benefits. So, whoever can provide basically the cheapest workforce to the university, will get the contract. That in itself is the problem and that’s why workers are being paid less, having less benefits and have access to much less of the facilities on campus or basically none.” 

Hilstob’s interview also highlighted the problem of invisible labour and poor “working conditions that have a lot of arbitrary power imbalances” contract staff are exposed to. Some of the key matters included not having enough time off, inadequate uniforms, and allegations of discrimination, she explained. 

Workers’ voices

Similar problems surfaced in The Peak’s conversation with some workers within the cleaning and food services. One anonymous worker alleged they were given inadequate breaks in the heat. The interview took place in another language and has been translated to English by a fluent speaker. “They just give us a five minute break. That too, we have to call five minutes before taking the break. And after the five minute break, you have to inform them that.” They added their request for 10 minute breaks have been declined and are assigned two to three floors per person. The Peak was unable to independently verify this due to the publication deadline. 

The Peak also spoke with Nouha, a dining hall staff member. She indicated parking and daycare are key areas of concern for her. “I have a few women right now. They’ve done their job, but they don’t have any childcare. And they need some, at least for one day or two at the daycare. Who do we approach for that kind of help?” 

Nouha revealed the current wage is incapable of keeping up with inflation. She said, “Even though they gave us good pay, it’s not enough without the living wage.” Nouha added they receive a $0.40 raise in their second and third year of working, but that it does not account for inflation.

Hilstob noted the lack of direct involvement of the workers’ voice in the decision making process. She said, “When they did a study on outsourcing at the university, they published through Deloitte. They just published it. They didn’t speak to a single worker when they did a study about outsourcing.” Another worker said, “Someone should be there to listen to our problems. They should be solved right away. Nobody listens to our issues. Who should we tell them to — some higher officials or bosses? No one has ever made an effort to listen.”

Lastly, Hilstob stated, “We consider this announcement a win, but it’s not enough. Our goal is ending outsourcing and we’re not stopping until we win this goal [ . . . ] And so, we hope that students, staff, faculty, more contract workers, anybody else who wants to be involved in this campus community — we hope that you will join us!” 

This is a developing story that The Peak will cover in future issues. For more information on the CWJ campaign, visit their website.

“X: Psychiatric Solitary Confinement” gives patients their voices back

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EIC
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A women lying down in bed
PHOTO: Megan te Boekhorst / Unsplash

By: Roshi Chadha, SFU Student

Content Warning: Mentions and descriptions of psychiatric solitary confinement, traumatic experiences, mental health policies, and mistreatment of mental health patients

On July 7, SFU department of English hosted X: Psychiatric Solitary Confinement, a live performance by Erin Soros, SFU Shadbolt fellow. This event was conducted through Zoom and focused on mental health policies around solitary confinement for psychiatric patients. The discussion and Q&A portion of the event was moderated by Harsha Walia, an activist and author from South Asia with a home base in Vancouver. 

Previously, I had never thought of the plight that mental health patients go through within different psychiatric wards across the world. As someone who plans on working within the healthcare field, I knew this was an important topic to learn about. 

The event had accessibility features like live transcription, links to various articles and resources related to the event, spoken words by performers in the chat, and audio description throughout the performance. As the event could trigger audience members’ traumatic experiences, a content warning prefaced the performance and they welcomed anonymous questions from participants.

As the event unfolded, I tried to imagine entering a room with no sound. Suddenly a voice tells you, “No window, no lamp for reading. You cannot read, no clock. The one light in the ceiling is inescapable.” 

There were several performers who voluntarily joined Soros to help her run the event through their voices and powerful words. Many of them had also experienced forced mental health treatments and had joined to share their opinions and thoughts. This had a powerful effect of conveying solidarity to the audience. 

The performance started with the description of a person who is isolated in a dark room. As one of the performers said, “Words like ‘solitary confinement’ [are] borrowed from the realms of prison and its punishments.” As mentioned during the performance, restraint and seclusion are two different words in literature but in psychiatric language, are used interchangeably. This conveyed how convoluted the whole psychiatric model is and why there is a need to address these social concerns. 

I could feel the tension, uncertainty, and sadness as the performers kept on explaining the sufferings of someone who goes into confinement. “Come back. You cry to the wall. Come release me.” The performance showed their need to be released and free in the outside world. As they uttered the words, “No dialogue no movement,” I imagined it must feel like everything comes to a standstill for a person held in there. What kind of life or treatment is this? 

After an incredibly powerful performance, some audience members shared their experiences with one another, followed by a Q&A session. Soros discussed the legal challenges around BC laws. She explained how the government fought against the Council of Canadians with Disabilities’ charter challenge to the Mental Health Act. Now, the topic of solitary confinement is being challenged under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, drawing on principles from the United Nations Convention of People with Disabilities. Soros concluded the event by highlighting the importance of being a witness and how she hopes to be a witness for others who go through these actions of ill treatment and be a voice for them. 

Redirecting Responsibility: Corporations are causing climate change, not individuals

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A group of people sit on a front lawn at night, directly overlooking a massive forest fire at night.
Individual efforts have minimal impact when our government refuses to regulate corporate greed. PHOTO: Mike Newbry / Unsplash

By: Annalisse Crosswell, SFU Student

The climate change conversation is constantly evolving. It’s gone from “does it really exist?” to “why should I take responsibility?” to “someone has to take responsibility but who is it going to be?” If you asked questions about climate change in the late ‘90s, you were likely told we’re simply overdue for an ice age. However, 20 years later climate change is a reality impossible to ignore, with more people choosing to contribute to the solution rather than passively letting the problem persist. It’s going to take more than individual citizens’ choices to turn this around. Now, more than ever, corporations need to do their part to fix the climate disaster they overwhelmingly contribute to.

Our individual efforts to combat climate change are already impacting corporations. Despite the fact that documentaries like the 2014 film Cowspiracy were probably the first time many young people considered issues like water consumption in agriculture, research says that the US plant-based foods market grew 20% in 2018. This positive impact is visible four years later in the expansion of vegan aisles at the supermarket and the number of environmentally conscious businesses now operating in cities like Vancouver.

Corporations still fail to make sustainable choices on their own, and it’s evident in reports calling out brands like H&M for “greenwashing,” a term used to describe the practice of falsifying or exaggerating sustainable company practices. The shipping industry alone accounts for almost 3% of global emissions  while also causing an enormous amount of damage to ocean life. One of the most prominent shipping companies, Maersk, was recently caught in greenwashing allegations. The company claims it purchased eight ships that could be carbon neutral, but experts allege that this isn’t possible. Something needs to change, whether it comes from within the decision-making ranks of corporations or through government intervention.

At the end of the day, most corporate decisions are made on the basis of financial gain. One avenue for demanding corporate responsibility is through our consumer voices and habits. This is done primarily through our purchasing power, where we choose products that reflect positive values and boycott products we disagree with. The other important solution, of course, comes from our elected government. Through governance, not only can corporate responsibility be mandated, like through minimal packaging mandates and taxes, but it can be integrated into governmental processes as well by choosing sustainable products, partners, and practises. Vancouver may be enacting this now through its plastic bans, but this is just a stepping stone in one city.

Younger generations today are unable to enjoy the notion of a future within their lifetimes, and they’re becoming increasingly angry about that. Given that Gen Z’s consumer trends and business models seem to be environmentally conscious while corporations create far more emissions than an individual ever could, it only makes sense to turn to their generation for help. While it would be nice to think corporations might make these changes out of the goodness of their capitalistic hearts, the reality is that we don’t have time to wait for their initiative. Stronger government mandates regarding zero-emissions vehicles and plastic use need to be put in place. This needs to happen quickly if we want to see a future beyond the apocalypse we keep envisioning in the media.

Dangerous Heights: We need to respect local mountains

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A wide angle photo of the rocky Golden Ears Mountain ridge.
Responsible recreation should extend beyond our trail practices alone and towards Indigenous justice. PHOTO: Lukas Mann / Unsplash

By: Olivia Visser, Opinions Editor

For those living in BC, local mountains may appear accessible enough to negate their risks. Towering peaks over 1,500 meters high are an hour’s drive from most major cities, and can be summitted in three to eight hours. What sounds like an alpine hiker’s paradise is also what contributes to a yearly influx of millions of outdoor enthusiasts entering our province, many unprepared for danger.

The outdoors is for everyone, but certain precautions must be taken to ensure nobody gets hurt. New hikers might be unaware of the famed “ten essentials” designed to remind people of the tools needed for emergency survival. These include things like extra clothing, a first aid kit, food and water, and a light source. Others might intentionally overlook certain essentials in favour of packing light. While it’s easy to assume you won’t be the “unlucky” one, accidents can happen to anyone, regardless of ability or experience.

Another aspect of safe outdoor recreation is researching your destination beforehand. Some rocky peaks require extensive experience to safely travel, and even then, they’re still dangerously exposed. In the winter, research is especially important as an average of 23 people die in BC every year from winter recreation accidents. Avalanche skills training courses are crucial to navigating snowy backcountry terrain, as is keeping an eye on avalanche forecasts.

Danger doesn’t always come from exposed peaks or unstable terrain, though. The Grouse Grind was named one of the top 10 most dangerous hikes in the world because it’s underestimated by unprepared hikers. The challenging 2.9 kilometer trail is almost entirely vertical and can catch unsuspecting travelers off guard. According to Outside Magazine, over 80 technical rescues, meaning rescues that involve targeted skills and gear, occur on the Grouse Grind every year.

With high temperatures like we’ve seen in recent years, hiking also becomes more strenuous. North Shore Rescue (NSR) issued a warning during last year’s heat wave after an experienced hiker passed away from heat exhaustion while hiking Crown Mountain. NSR urged hikers to “be realistic” about their activity in the heat, and to bring double or triple the amount of fluid they think they’ll need.

Most importantly, BC’s hiking culture often overlooks important Indigenous histories. From mountains being named after colonizers who never even visited BC, to hikes that travel through sacred Indigenous territory, being aware of our impact on the land we travel is paramount. Our research should involve looking into local Indigenous rules and regulations, as well as their histories.

For example, t’ak’t’ak mu’yin tl’a in7in’a’xe7en (popularly known as Black Tusk) has a rich history for the Sk̲wx̲wú7mesh Úxumixw. The ancient stratovolcano spire is said to have formed when a Thunderbird flapped its wings angrily in response to quarreling between two villages. This caused the volcano to erupt, which buried the village of Spo7ez in a landslide. Survivors returned with the message that everyone needed to work together to foster peace.

Viewing locations like t’ak’t’ak mu’yin tl’a in7in’a’xe7en as a mere photo destination perpetuates colonialist attitudes about nature that exclude Indigenous peoples. Respecting these mountains involves taking precautions while we travel, like packing out litter and protecting plant life by sticking to official trails. However, our efforts only scratch the surface unless we make an attempt to understand the cultural significance of Indigenous land. Only then can we truly appreciate the beautiful landscapes we’re surrounded by.

Dining with Sophistication: Culinary reviews by Reginald Trashpánda III

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Humour
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An illustration of a snooty raccoon critic in glasses.
ILLUSTRATION: Maple Sukontasukkul / The Peak. Another soaring attempt in the journey of fine dining!

By: Nercya Kalino, Staff Writer

Rating: ★★★★★

Location: SFU Surrey, AKA Nirvana

Food: Literally everything you could ever imagine. Ever. Five star experience, my friends. Taste the stars at this lovely campus!

It is I, your beloved Reginald Trashpánda III, whilst all of you peasant folk were on your holidays, I took the initiative to go on a conquest. By the grub, it is not what I expected. You see, your campuses provide a splendid variation of taste. How does one think I became Reginald Trashpánda III? My travels have provided me with the knowledge I will now share with you, my followers. After an exhausting two weeks of bin surfing and adventuring, I begrudgingly must admit that SFU Surrey has a lot more to offer than the Burnaby campus.

As you all are aware, the campus is right in the city center, which by default means more bins. Now I am not being greedy, but hear me out. There is a whole world in the “mall,” as you humans call it. The back alleys, the endless garbage, and oh, the compost . . . It’s so moving, so many delightful delectables.

The first night we arrived, the other fellows welcomed us and took us to the main heart of it all. The fast food bins. The restaurants had large portions of meat — raw, cooked, dry, packaged — I will leave it to your MEATY imagination. There were also a large selection of fruits, wasted from grocery stores: gifts for moi. The prepackaged foods — some old-fashioned popped, stale, wet, let’s not forget the exploded cans. Quite frankly, I do not know where to start. It was textures, colors, smells, and all to my choosing. A magnificent cornucopia of dreams I could once only imagine!

My favorite spot was, by far, the fruit section in the bins. Nothing there surprised me except for the amounts, these luscious nuts and dried fruits had me immersed. At one point, I did not think I would make my way back to reality. It was a fantasy. The rotten mangoes, the oozing watermelons, and the bags of moldy oranges were all for taking. I think I need at least a week of fasting to regain my posture, but as of now, my blessed belly is dragging along the floor.

There you have it, it was not as much as this campus deserves, but I wanted to take the time to appreciate the SFU Surrey campus for showing me the limitations I once set for myself. Who knows, I might visit again really soon to impart with you more expert culinary reviews.

 

How about I don’t develop emotionally?

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Humour
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Illustration of a person shrugging at a nebula behind them

By: Maya Beninteso, the Emotionally-Mature™ Peak Associate

To whoever, or whatever, the fuck is out there,

Hey, remember me — the person you keep on presenting (unwanted) opportunities for character development? The person who does not want to play the game of life on “hard mode,” as the kids are saying these days?

Well, it’s me. And I am done.

I’m over your frivolous attempts to have me grow as a human. Call it denial, but I’m fine just the way I am, and, I’m fine (or . . . no, I’m not — it’s not your business!). Don’t get me wrong, I understand the value and, no doubt, the stability that comes with being well-adjusted. But imagine how boring life would be, how boring I would be if I were well-adjusted. What on earth would I do in the morning? Make my bed? Meditate? Start assignments that are due in two weeks? I refuse. I like my chaotic mornings — it’s my normal. I look forward to the hour I spend in bed trying to figure out what I should do first, followed by taking a two hour reflective shower (sorry, environment) while listening to Taylor Swift. Although I know all too well that this isn’t an itinerary that exudes efficiency, it’s predictable as in . . . lacking change. See an emerging theme here?

Ah, yes, change. It’s marketed as this wonderful thing that we should strive to achieve, but I detest it with my entire being. My sole argument is that there’s a time and a place for change. Do I want my grades to change? Yes. Do I want to emotionally develop as an individual? Absolutely not! That would require effort,  introspection, and breaking cycles I don’t quite want to address right now (hence why I ghosted my therapist, sorry Reginald). This isn’t even a procrastination-type situation, just leave me alone! Stop sending wise NPCs on this “journey we call life” to brainwash me into being mature. Let me cry when I get a [insert subjective bad grade because I don’t feel like being judged by you, too]. I deserve to feel bad! Let me place my entire self-worth on my academic progress. Because, after all, it was ultimately the fear of failure that got me here in the first place. It may not be healthy, but my, what is anxiety if not useful. My point is that it’s hard to go full nihilist into “nothing-I-do-matters-because-I’m-on-a-floating-rock” when you are constantly pushing opportunities for growth onto me.

Maybe you should change, huh? Thought about that? What if I conjured up unwanted opportunities for the sake of your growth? For example, when you decided to abruptly end my friendship with the only human I ever started a conversation with in lecture. The only lesson I learned is one that most already know: never talk to neighbouring students in a lecture hall, only turmoil will ensue. You wanted me to work through the pain and come to some grand life-altering lesson that I would remember forever, right? Well, too bad. I told you, I have no intention of personal growth, or what have you. None. You know, it’s okay to give up sometimes, people give up (on me) all the time!

Listen, I used to try and help others who appeared to be struggling, too. I wanted to help people, but helping others distracted me from my problems. Maybe you should seek help, dear universe.

To summarize, number one, stop the character development attempts. I’m an adult, you’re too late, this is permanent now. Number two, get help.

Not-so-sincerely,

Maya

Horoscopes September 5–11

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Humour
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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: Max Lorette, puts the “ho” in horoscopes

Aries:

Have you remembered to pack an umbrella in your backpack yet, Aries? Don’t forget you live in a temperate rainforest; the weather can change with a drop of a hat. Plus, we all know that you forgot to check the forecast before leaving the house today.

Taurus:

The Stars are warning you to stay clear of the top floor of the Bennett library this semester. There is a monster that lurks deep in the reference section that preys on naïve Tauruses much like yourself. Don’t say I didn’t caution you!

Gemini:

Stuff as many pens in your bag as you can this semester, Gemini. You never know when that one hot person in your lecture might need to borrow one. This could be the start of a beautiful new romance, my beautiful Gemini! Actually, while you’re at it, make sure that you pack plenty of gum as well. Can’t be too careful!

Cancer:

This semester, The Stars challenge you to reduce your coffee intake. No, seriously. Five cups in one day is really pushing it. The Stars are seriously concerned about you. Oh dear, it looks as though you’ve vibrated into an entirely different dimension — better luck next semester I suppose.

Leo:

With the final days of summer soon upon us, The Stars have told me to remind you that it’s important to appreciate the warmth and sun while you can. Pretty soon, much like your mental state, darkness will creep upon the land. Might as well work on your tan in the meantime.

Virgo:

Did you remember to buy all of your required textbooks? No seriously, did you remember to buy all of your required textbooks? Did you remember to buy all of your required textbooks???!!! Better check again before the bookstore is overrun with first years. Happy Virgo season!

Libra:

There is no better time for reinvention than the dawn of a new semester, my darling Libra! Why not get a new haircut? Why not put on a fake accent in your classes? That way, you can easily slip into witness protection when you need your next assignment extension.

Scorpio:

Dress to impress on your first day of classes! That way, when you inevitably run out of inspiration, hopefully, your fellow scholars will simply remember how sharp you looked back in September. I reckon they’ll even forget the Supernatural shirt you wore during finals week.

Sagittarius:

Sagittarius! This is your reminder to craft yourself a perfect playlist for the Fall season. Romanticize the absolute hell out of your otherwise dull and boring university experience. Real talk, sometimes it’s the little things that help you get through gruelling academia.

Capricorn:

Don’t forget to review your essay formats before you write your next paper, Capricorn. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to remember how to cite in APA after you’ve been conditioned to Chicago your entire academic career. Especially when you’re going to inevitably be trying to wrap up all your citations at 4:00 a.m. the day before your essay is due.

Aquarius:

Don’t forget to reward yourself after your accomplishments, Aquarius. It can be easy to get wrapped up in the next goal, but the Stars have told me that you’ll be less hard on yourself if you take the time to appreciate each feat. For example, the next time you do well on a test, why not get nipple piercings at Claire’s? What could possibly go wrong with that? (Note: they don’t actually pierce your nipples. Trust me, I’ve tried.)

Pisces:

This semester, the stars have advised you to pick up a new hobby to keep your spirits up. Fall term always feels pretty hard, but the right hobby can totally brighten your weeks up in between endless assignments! For example, my favourite thing to do in my spare time is your mom!

Hidden Gems: Local Eats

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Photo of indoor interior of Kokoro Tokyo
PHOTO: Kriti Monga / The Peak

By: Charlene Aviles, Peak Associate

Looking for a new restaurant to visit on your study breaks? Step outside your comfort zone and visit the restaurants below!

Coffee Monster / 15285 101 Avenue, Surrey / $3.50+ for most menu items

Right beside ICBC Guildford, Coffee Monster is a great spot for a relaxed study session. From pastries, to ice cream, to coffee, this café has menu items for everyone. I was so happy when I realized they sold matcha tiramisu cake, a combination of my two favourite desserts. I’ve tried different matcha-flavoured drinks and desserts before, but Coffee Monster’s matcha tiramisu strikes a good balance between maintaining the matcha flavour without making it bitter or too sweet. There was matcha powder sprinkled on top of the soft and fluffy cake, making the matcha flavour stronger. Customers from Surrey can order through Uber Eats.

Fratelli Bakery / 459 E Columbia St, New Westminster, BC / $3.05 per pastry or $36.50 per dozen

While running errands, I stumbled across Fratelli Bakery. Staying true to their roots, Fratelli is decorated with colourful Italian soccer memorabilia. Their crème brûlée was almost sold out, so I made sure to get the last one. They garnished it with a fresh raspberry on top, which was a nice contrast against the rich custard. They have a wide range of macaron flavours, like salted caramel, pistachio, and more. The salted caramel was my favourite since it was a good balance of salty and sweet. Customers can also place their pick up orders via phone (604-777-2524).

Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba / 6049 Silver Drive, Burnaby / $8.95+ for main menu items

Located a short walk from Metrotown Mall, Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba offers a wide variety of savoury dishes, such as mazesoba, ramen, and donburi. When I first entered the restaurant, I was amazed by the aesthetics. The fairylights and the Japanese street signs made the atmosphere welcoming. For those who haven’t tried raw egg or fish before, there are alternatives on the menu, like the shio mazesoba. The pork and salty seaweed complemented each other nicely. They also offer some toppings for each dish, like sashimi, cheese, and bamboo. Normally, I am not a big fan of vinegar. However, Kokoro’s vinegar was mild rather than overwhelmingly sour, which helped draw out the flavours of the mazesoba. Kokoro offers delivery through the Fantuan Delivery app and Uber Eats.

La Meza Grill / 11955 88 Avenue, Delta / $9.95+ for main menu items

Growing up, La Meza Grill was my family’s go to spot for authentic Filipino cuisine. This restaurant features dishes from different regions, highlighting the unique variety of flavours. The portions are big too, which makes it perfect for dinner with a big group. My family usually orders the pork BBQ skewers. Its sweet and tangy BBQ sauce compliments the marinated meat well. Customers can also order takeout online or through DoorDash.

Breaking News: Media needs to acknowledge their biases when reporting on monkeypox

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A close-up 3D representation of a round, fluffy virus particle.
We can report epidemics without provoking ignorance against marginalised groups. PHOTO: CDC / Unsplash

By: Kelly Chia, Humour Editor

Content warning: mentions of racism, homophobia

Monkeypox cases are increasing globally and were declared a global emergency in late July. Since then, western media outlets are proving they don’t care about stoking bias toward marginalized groups, especially Black and gay people. Their coverage dehumanizes groups that already experience considerable stigma, so it’s pertinent that news media immediately makes training against racist and biased reporting a priority when covering epidemics.

In the case of early monkeypox outbreak reporting, news outlets like CNBC and The Independent used images of Black people with monkeypox when reporting local outbreaks. As a Chinese person who lived through early COVID-19 reporting that used photos of East Asian people, and heard it described across outlets as the “China virus,” I can confidently tell you what this does. It insidiously frames the people depicted as the root cause of the virus, and inadvertently gives the public a group of people to blame. Their message was clear then as it is now: African people spread the disease that’s now (thanks to travellers) in your hometown.

The Foreign Press Association Africa (FPA) released a statement condemning western news outlets for framing monkeypox as a disease that only affects African people. FPA quoted the WHO’s comment that monkeypox occurs globally and can “afflict anyone, regardless of race or ethnicity.” They questioned if media is “in the business of ‘preserving white purity’ through ‘Black criminality or culpability.’” Indeed, the media’s decision to use images of Black people or those living in Africa to report the disease, rather than using images from local outbreaks, deliberately shapes troubling narratives of African countries. This type of reporting has the effect of normalizing stigma against people of African descent.

Additionally, early monkeypox reporting suggested the disease was primarily transmitted through sexual contact between gay men, since a lot of initial cases were seen in men who have sex with men. The Africa CDC also condemned this, saying they “have not seen any evidence of any specific group of persons being affected by monkeypox.” They noted this categorization would distract outbreak response and advised to “avoid definitions and communications that may stigmatize those exposed.”

The CDC recognizes it can spread through “direct contact with monkeypox rash, scabs, or body fluids from a person with monkeypox.” While this could mean sexual contact, it can spread through any contact with lesions which can form anywhere on the skin. WHO suggests close contact is the most common transmission route, but long periods of exposure to respiratory droplets can also lead to infection. Studies are still underway to expand our knowledge of the virus.

While it’s important to note the initial outbreaks affected a lot of men who have sex with other men, it’s equally important to report these outbreaks in a way that doesn’t target them or perpetuate stereotypes. We’re already seeing the effects of depicting monkeypox as a “gay disease” — a disease that only gay men can get. The Guardian noted that right-wing commentators have been quick to mock monkeypox victims who are men who have sex with other men. There are also incidents of men being attacked with reference to their sexuality and monkeypox. Reporting like this centres and blames queer men as the only monkeypox victims: parallel to the mistakes of AIDS/HIV news reporting in the ‘80s.

Discriminatory reporting makes it more difficult for queer men to seek healthcare or feel safe, especially in a time where more 2SLGBTQIA+ rights are aggressively being stripped in the United States. At least 80 children across multiple countries have already contracted monkeypox, which poses a threat to daycare and school settings. Media outlets must accurately report the virus to prevent outbreaks in school and childcare settings, instead of using queer men as a scapegoat for community transmission.

When western news media suggests the disease only occurs in these marginalized groups, they alienate people absorbing their reports by fostering inaccurate and biased beliefs. In reality, diseases don’t stay within one community. The fear, stigma, and moral judgment perpetuated by reporters who carelessly make marginalized groups culpable lingers. This disease affects you regardless of your sexuality, your ethnicity, and your region, much like many other diseases. It’s time for western media to stop playing into the narrative of regional purity and exception by perpetuating epidemics as foreign. Instead, western news media needs to focus on local facts and outbreaks, and undergo bias training to unravel their biases before reporting on stories that concern marginalized groups.

(Re)Approaching Accessibility: COVID-19 long haulers won’t teach us anything new about disability

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Illustration of the wheelchair disability symbol, made up of many different people.
Privatization won’t fix our underfunded healthcare system. ILLUSTRATION: Nazmus Sakib / The Peak

By: C Icart, Staff Writer

Long COVID could change the way we think about disability in Canada, but it probably won’t. It’s been over two years since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Although vaccines were created and administered, there’s still so much we don’t know about the disease — like the full effects of long COVID.

There isn’t currently a uniform definition of long COVID, but some have called it a “mass disabling event.” Long COVID is one of the many names referring to post-COVID conditions, which include varying health problems like fever and brain fog, which can last years. On top of long COVID disabling some individuals, others have pre-existing disabilities that increase their risk of exposure and/or infection. Because of this, long COVID poses an exceptional risk to the disabled community.

As we navigate this pandemic, more research is underway surrounding long COVID. Some American studies estimate long COVID affects 10–50% of COVID-19 survivors. Another study found that reinfection increases the risk of developing long COVID. This is especially concerning with the lifting of COVID-19 mandates and our “return to normal.” It means millions of people are joining the growing category of those living with chronic illnesses. This has many adverse effects on people’s lives. For example, Statistics Canada reported that 40% of Canada’s low income population is disabled.

A push for healthcare privatization is happening in Canada, which is concerning. Four premiers got together at a healthcare summit and discussed the possibility of delivering more services through the private sector. Contrary to their claims, privatizing healthcare will not “take pressure off the public system.” It will increase the number of people avoiding necessary health care because they can’t afford it. How is this an improvement on our system? In fact, even those wealthy enough to afford the extra care wouldn’t necessarily be better off. They’d be more likely to receive unwarranted procedures. COVID-19 simply put a spotlight on the already existing inadequacies of our healthcare system, as we weren’t ready for this pandemic. Canada has an accessibility problem, and it’s only getting worse.

So what can we do? There are claims that COVID-19 long haulers are changing medical activism. However, disability justice activists have been speaking up and doing the work for a long time. Canada’s lack of accessibility is not because of a lack of activism, it’s due to a lack of action from our governments. Will this change in the wake of COVID-19? Has it changed in the wake of other “mass disabling events” like the HIV/AIDS crisis? Will our government continue to treat certain people like they’re disposable?

Now, we see less people wearing masks and social distancing, but the pandemic isn’t over. We need to stop implying that increased numbers of people with disabilities will inevitably lead to better healthcare access. Canadians shouldn’t wait until they get long COVID or are personally affected by healthcare privatization to advocate for better services. We need healthcare and social services that center disability justice.

COVID-19 long haulers are joining the disability justice movement, but we’ve always needed these resources. If history repeats itself, the general public will look the other way, so real change will count on effort from everyone. It’s time to pressure our provincial governments to step away from the privatization of healthcare, and invest in improving access to public healthcare.

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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