2SLGBTQIA+ groups, clubs, and teams in the Metro Vancouver area

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November 26, 2024

A photo of a group of runners — PHOTO: Ted Eytan / Flickr

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer

Finding like-minded community through groups, clubs, and teams is a great way to do what you love while making friends. In the Metro Vancouver area, there are numerous organizations dedicated to 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals connecting with one another, be it through sports, art, reading, and more. This article highlights a few of these spaces and the intriguing activities they have to offer.

Canadian Aviation Pride (CAP) is a not-for-profit organization designed to uplift and connect 2SLGBTQIA+ aviators and aviation enthusiasts, with a focus on “promoting diversity and inclusion in aviation.” The group “hosts regular events, including Pride festival parties and booths.” CAP also provides awards on an application basis for 2SLGBTQIA+ community members interested in pursuing flight education. To learn more, see their website:
aviationpride.ca.

Following the theme of flight, Vancouver Queer Birders is a collective of avian enthusiasts welcoming all queer individuals regardless of birding experience. The group hosts bird walks and even offers up tips on bird watching and life lists, which are lists of “all the species that a person has seen over their lifetime.” For more information, check out their Instagram, @vanqueerbirders.

While similar in name, you won’t get to spend much time exploring the woods at The Birdhouse. This venue, located near Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood, serves as a space for art and events such as the recent Trans Day of Remembrance gathering, various shows, balls, concerts, and more. “A venue run by and for trans people,” The Birdhouse is run by business partners Paige Frewer and Ryn Broz. “Traditional queer spaces don’t always meet the specific needs of trans folks, so trans people started making those opportunities for themselves,” The Tyee reported of the space. They’re intentional about “gender-affirming” camaraderie, “tailored support and resources,” and “daytime and substance-free” events for youth and folks recovering from trauma. For more information, see their Instagram, @birdhouseartspace.

For a slower, more relaxed option, readers can check out Rainbow Country Book Club. The group meets monthly to discuss their latest page-turner, which is chosen by public vote. To see more, visit Rainbow Country Book Club on Facebook. If you’re new to the area and are looking to get out and explore, consider checking out GayVan Tourism. “Regularly updated information provides an interactive resource for consumers, travel agents, travel industry providers, and those wanting to reach the LGBTQ+ community.” The company site highlights activities and destinations in Vancouver and beyond, while highlighting local 2SLGTQIA+ events. To learn more, see their website: gayvan.com.

Vancouver Gaymers is a group of gamers in the broadest sense; they play video games, board games, and however you would categorize “lazer tag, corn mazes, amusement parks, and so much more.” Members are wholly encouraged to bring any games they enjoy and would love to share. For more, visit Vancouver Gaymers on Facebook.

For those looking to log some kilometers by foot, there is Vancouver Frontrunners (VFR), “a safe and friendly environment for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and their friends to enjoy running and walking.” VFR often meets up post exercise for a group meal too. The group also hosts the annual Vancouver Pride Run & Walk at the end of July, which helps benefit 2SLGBTQIA+ charities focused on empowering queer youth. See vancouverfrontrunners.org for more information. If you’re more into team team sports, Vancouver Rogues Rugby might be the best fit for you. Not only were the original Rogues RFC the “first openly gay/inclusive rugby team in all Canada,” but this reboot has built fighting against racism, transphobia, and homophobia core to their identity.

Maybe you’re less interested in land or sky and would rather take to the water. Sisters in Sync is “Vancouver’s first and only queer women’s (trans-inclusive) dragonboat team.” Dragon boating is a race in “large canoe-like vessels” with up to 16 people in one boat, paddling to be first across the line. Sisters in Sync is open to those interested regardless of experience. To learn more, check out sisterinsync.ca. However, if you’re more into being in the water rather than over the water, you might consider joining the English Bay Swim Club. The club has been active since 1982 and is all-inclusive to trans and gender non-conforming folks.

This list is far from exhaustive and only begins to scratch the surface of 2SLGBTQIA+ groups, clubs, and spaces in the area where joy and community are waiting to be found. From hockey to yoga to lawn bowling, there is so much more out there to explore!

What Grinds Our Gears: Laughably inconvenient goSFU updates

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November 26, 2024

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flipsnack-Hp4RPL_Z6wE-unsplash — PHOTO: flipsnack / Unsplash

By: Olivia Visser, Opinions Editor

SFU students like to complain about our digital infrastructure. I can attest to this because I am a student, and I’m complaining right now. Everything from Canvas being slow to courses filling up in minutes is enough to earn a top post in r/simonfraser. I like to imagine that SFU’s IT department had these posts in mind when they decided to schedule their latest update during most people’s enrollment dates — a crisp screw you to the haters.

This isn’t a complaint against SFU’s IT department as a whole; I know it takes hard work to keep our systems safe and running smoothly. But surely a line must be drawn somewhere that isn’t the hopes and dreams (and wallets) of fourth-year students trying to finish their required courses.

And don’t even get me started on how non-user-friendly goSFU is in the first place. They should take some pointers from my high school club’s Weebly website. Yes, I know there are site functions that Weebly wouldn’t be able to accommodate, but that’s where ingenuity comes in! When has Weebly ever let us down? #goSFUgoesWeebly2k24

Trump’s re-election is a step backwards for Canadian society

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November 26, 2024

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Digital vector art. Donald Trump and Pierre Poilievre standing side-by-side, their backs to each other. Behind Trump is the US flag, and behind Poilievre is the Canadian flag. — ILLUSTRATION: Winnie Shen / The Peak

By: Olivia Visser, Opinions Editor and Yildiz Subuk, Staff Writer

Content warning: mentions of racism, Islamophobia, and genocide.

After being re-elected to serve a second term as US president, Donald Trump and his cabinet have already begun to target Canadian borders. While during his first term he imposed tariffs on Canadian steel exports, and he now threatens to do so again on a wider scale — that is just one piece of the narrative. Trump’s re-election doesn’t only pose an economic threat to Canada, but also a social one.

There has already been a rise in xenophobia — prejudice towards people perceived as foreign — in Canada between 2019 and 2021. The most glaring indicator of this spike has to do with hate crimes, as they increased by 72% during this period. From East Asian hate to racism towards South Asian communities, bigoted individuals are becoming increasingly comfortable expressing their hatred towards those who do not constitute as “Canadians” in their eyes. When it comes to making Canada a safer and more equitable place for migrants and marginalized communities, Trump’s presidency signifies a step backwards. As he and his cabinet fear-monger about how Canada’s lack of border control presents a gateway for “terrorists” to enter the country, they will speak to many Canadians looking to make their bigotry known.

Trump recently announced that Thomas Homan will be in charge of American border security. Homan, who has been tasked to carry out the largest mass deportation plan in American history, has criticized Canada’s borders for being too flexible. He also actively uses the word “aliens” to describe undocumented immigrants, which dehumanizes them. To Homan and Trump, undocumented immigrants — which includes families seeking asylum from dangerous conditions — are a threat to national security. According to the National Institute of Justice, undocumented immigrants commit fewer crimes than American-born citizens, by a large margin. Trump’s pick for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, also stated that “terrorists and known criminals continue to stream across US land borders, including from Canada.”

There is already a growing sentiment in Canada that targets immigrants as aggressors, while immigrants tend to be one of the most vulnerable populations in the country. A culture of anti-BIPOC slander is on the rise, where people who are not perceived as “white” are looked at as outsiders. For instance, a BC Conservative candidate was recently under fire for comments about “Muslim inbreeding” and for saying that Canadian society is incompatible with Islam. This didn’t stop him from winning in his riding, which suggests that racism wins votes in Canada too.

When it comes to making Canada a safer and more equitable place for migrants and marginalized communities, Trump’s presidency signifies a step backwards.

Trump’s presidency is dangerous to racialized people because he along with his cabinet have labelled non-white immigrants as threats to the nation, and this rhetoric is catching on in Canada. Anti-immigration policies have already begun in the country, as the Liberal government plans to cap immigration levels and the Conservatives have made it clear in their campaign that they want to cut immigration further. Capping immigration, which would bring more financial detriments than benefits, does not provide any real solutions to the affordability crisis. Instead, it seems to be a way of subtly reaffirming to those who already believe immigration is an issue that it will be “taken care of.”

The language used by Pierre Poilievre, Conservative Party of Canada leader, reflects similar tactics used by Republicans to garner support. Trump has run his campaigns based around nicknames rather than substance, as stirring division garners more support than concrete policy. Insulting titles like “sleepy Joe” and “crooked Hillary” are an easy way of appealing to radicals who vote based on reactionary rhetoric, and Poilievre has evidently been taking note. The Conservative candidate has been using similar tactics, calling NDP leader Jagmeet Singh “sellout Singh.” The nickname has since been used to spread online hate towards others with the same last name — a common title given to Sikh men “as a symbol of equality in their faith.”

Poilievre also has endorsement from far-right extremists like Alex Jones and those present at the freedom convoy, an event that saw the expression of hateful acts from nazi flag waving to violence. Far-right extremism, according to research from The Organization for the Prevention of Violence, is any form of violent extremism carried out by people with right-wing ideologies. Their research also touches on the rise of crimes targeting Muslim people in Canada following Trump’s first presidency.

Canadian politics, especially within the far-right, have radically shifted since Trump was elected in 2016. While the alt-right is not necessarily a popular ideological group in Canada, many members of the alt-right have not only been involved in hate crimes, but have comfortably expressed hateful views towards marginalized communities since Trump’s first term in office. And despite Canadian support for Trump still being relatively low, there has been rising support for the Conservative Party of Canada, and far-right rhetoric has been bleeding into mainstream media and opinion. A survey by Abacus Data projects that 42% of Canadians will vote Conservative in the upcoming election. Another survey by the Environics Institute found that 58% believe “immigration levels are too high” in the country.

The re-election of Trump can and will worsen sentiments that target marginalized groups in Canada. There is currently a wave of bigotry that is slowly spreading across the country. While there have been efforts to mitigate this, such as tightening laws on hate-speech, the re-election of a soon-to-be convicted felon who faces a series of sexual assault allegations and is celebrated by white supremacist groups is a step backwards in ensuring Canada progresses towards being a peaceful and welcoming country for all.

South Korean 4B movement gains interest following US presidential election

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November 26, 2024

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This is a photo of three people in witch hats holding up signs in Korean as part of the 4B movement. — PHOTO: AFP / Free Malaysia Today

By: Sofia Chassomeris, News Writer

Content warning: mentions of gender-based violence, sexual assault, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

November 25 marks the first day of the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. The international campaign begins on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and ends on December 10, Human Rights Day. It is a time to reflect and make a “commitment to ending violence against women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals.” Following the re-election of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the US, more American women have shown interest in joining the South Korean feminist 4B movement.

In the past few years, South Korea’s National Police Agency reported on the country’s “sharp increase” in dating violence against women, including sexual assault and homicide. The Agency stated a record high of over 77,000 cases in 2023, with only 310 individuals prosecuted for their crimes. Critics of South Korea’s legal system, such as the Korea Women’s Hotline, point out that the small percentage of violent crimes against women that actually get reported are also treated as minor or “accidental” occurrences.

As a response to this, the 4 B’s in “4B” represent the “four no’s” that participating South Korean women follow in response to misogynistic violence. They are “bihon, bichulsan, biyeonae, and bisekseu, which translate to no marriage, no childbirth, no dating, and no sex with men.” For most women, the movement takes the form of “quiet feminism,” in which women practice its principles but refrain from disclosing their feminist position publicly for their safety.

The 4B movement started on an extremist South Korean online forum called “Womad.” Experts note “Womad is a product of ‘Ilbe Storage,’ a right-wing website that expresses hatred toward women” with a history of members sharing nude photos of women without their consent. Despite “consistent public requests to shut down Ilbe,” the forum remains unrestricted. “This is a society where a trusting boyfriend commits a crime like this because they think it is nothing serious,” said one petitioner.

According to The Korea Times, many “radical feminist” communities “have wrongly developed the original concept of pursuing gender equality to a gender war,” with forums like Womad “mirroring” gendered hate speech and sharing posts about committing violence against men. Some of these women were part of the 4B movement, but it does not represent the whole.

The 4B movement caught attention abroad in the weeks following the 2024 US presidential election. The election of Trump and his party’s promise to implement Project 2025 — what the BBC calls a comprehensive “set of proposals that would expand presidential power and impose an ultra-conservative social vision” — has worsened concerns about reproductive rights. The Guardian reported that searches for 4B “spiked by 450%” the day after the election.

Canada has also experienced a rise in support for conservative politics. With increasing “dissatisfaction with the federal Liberal Party,” leader of the Conservative Party Pierre Poilievre and conservative premiers have appealed to many Canadians concerned with the heightening cost of living. Across Canada, conservative parties are imposing barriers for 2SLGBTQIA+ children in their education and medical needs. In Alberta, premier Danielle Smith’s government passed a bill requiring parents to “opt-in for their child to be taught” about gender identity and sexual orientation. In 2023, the United Nations’ Commission on Population and Development stressed that “deprivation of access to education on sexual and reproductive health and rights results in a range of harmful practices,” including “high levels of gender-based violence.”

Indigenous women remain the most “disproportionately affected by gender-based violence.” They are more likely to be victims of homicide, intimate partner violence, and sexual assault. It has been five years since the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released their final report in 2019, which includes 231 calls for justice “intended to address the root causes that sustain violence against First Nations, Inuit, and Métis women, girls, two-spirit, and gender-diverse people.” However, only two calls to action have been fulfilled, and more than half haven’t been started. The National Inquiry’s most recent Interim Report stressed that the government needs to take responsibility and “support accountability” for transformational change to be possible.

Speaking on the rise of the 4B movement, Ju Hui Judy Han, an assistant professor in gender studies at the University of California, told NPR, “What I think is most important is that it’s about women recognizing that they’re in a collective struggle and that there’s a collective sense of frustration.”

She also told CNN that this “movement is unlikely to become mainstream in the US.” She predicts it will be short-lived, and that “those inspired to join it as a result of the election are overlooking the fact that plenty of women voted for Trump, too.” Exit polls show that 45% of women, specifically, a majority (53%) of white women, voted for Trump in the 2024 election. In the recent BC election, 25% of BC Conservative voters were women, while 60% of women voted for BC NDP.

Read the full extended article on The Peak’s website, the-peak.ca.

Faculty for Palestine sends letter to SFU on May referendum breach

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November 26, 2024

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This is the outside of the Academic Quadrangle at SFU in the fall. — PHOTO: Shirlyn Zobayed / The Peak

By: Sofia Chassomeris, News Writer

On October 16, SFU’s Faculty for Palestine (F4P) sent a letter to SFU president Joy Johnson asking for transparency around a referendum breach this summer. Specifically, on May 17, voting by faculty to pass two motions around Palestinian liberation was reported to have been hacked. After the votes were later recast and the motions were passed, 13 faculty members opposed the motions and brought them to a BC court to argue for their nullification.

F4P is a “network of faculty who support the cause of Palestinian liberation.” In May, the group brought forward two motions for a vote among members of the Faculty Association of SFU (SFUFA): the motion on Israel/Palestine tells SFU administration to “condemn Israel’s destruction of the education system in the Gaza Strip and call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and an end to scholasticide in Palestine.” The second motion, the motion to divest from arms production, urges the university to divest from corporations that gain revenue from military equipment and other war-related products. SFU currently has shares in “BAE Systems, Booz Allen Hamilton, and CAE Inc.” According to SFU’s divestment policy, “the degree [to which the company] is involved in contributing to social injury and the severity of the injury” are considered by the university when the institution’s “social responsibility as an investor is questioned.”

After the hack occurred, “SFU’s IT department found that 305 identical votes were cast in a 30-minute period on the last day of voting,” according to independent publication The Maple. SFUFA members recast their votes using a different online voting platform. Both motions were passed by the union on June 7.

SFU provided The Peak with a statement regarding the incident: “There was no access to data within the system, so no personal information was compromised and identification of voters was not possible. The breach was not possible via the user interface, it required very specialized knowledge of software systems.” They also said that the WebSurvey application tool used for the referendum “was retired this summer as originally planned.”

SFU stated that since “the identity of the responsible individual(s) could not be confirmed, this incident is now considered closed.”

F4P’s recent letter stated the university failed to deal with “the grievous interference” and it is “entirely insufficient to argue [ . . . ] that the matter is closed because no personal information was compromised and the voting system has now been changed.” The letter asks the university for transparency around “whether the investigation identified the person(s) responsible for the interference” and if any disciplinary action was taken.

“It is now up to the SFU administration to do the right thing.” — SFU Faculty for Palestine

The Peak corresponded with F4P, who stated, “SFU has provided minimal information on what happened and who is responsible for the breach. Faculty are extremely disappointed that the university only acknowledged this breach recently while making it clear that the case file is closed.

“We expect more from our administration,” they continued.

13 faculty members who opposed the motions filed a petition challenging “the right of SFUFA to even put the motions to a vote.” In August, these faculty asked a BC court “to order the union to nullify the passing of the motions and reimburse them for their legal fees.” They also went to the “BC Supreme Court to declare what they call ‘impugned motions’ null and void,” and argued the union acted outside of its purpose under the BC Societies Act. The 13 faculty members included Rachel Altman, Shafik Bhalloo, Mark Collard, John Craig, Richard Frank, David Freeman, Paul Garfinkel, Steven Kates, Alexandra Lysova, Michael Silverman, Rochelle Tucker, Kay Wiese, and Rina Zazkis. The Peak reached out to these faculty members for comment, but didn’t receive a response by the publication deadline.

According to the Vancouver Sun, these faculty claimed the motions express “in a provocative manner a position on a deeply divisive political and geopolitical issue.”

“It is the right of any trade union to raise its collective voice on political issues of the day,” said F4P. “For professors, this means raising our voices against scholasticide — Israel’s destruction of all 12 universities and hundreds of UN schools in Gaza.

“SFU should have nothing to do with the arms industry or genocide [ . . . ] It is now up to the SFU administration to do the right thing,” they continued. “At this point, the administration has promised to review its so-called responsible investment policy.” They referenced SFU’s most recent October 28 statement on “responsible investments” as absurd, citing the university’s claim that “by divesting from fossil fuel companies, SFU no longer has a voice at the table to advocate for change.”

“Are they seriously suggesting that staying invested in oil and the arms industry is somehow the right ethical choice?” F4P stated.

This is a story The Peak will continue to cover.

Aurélie Rivard and her remarkable Canadian legacy

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November 21, 2024

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A woman in a Canadian Olympic uniform waves to a crowd behind the camera as she holds a Canadian flag on her shoulders. — PHOTO: Courtesy of @aurelierivard / Instagram

By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer

Aurélie Rivard has won the most medals of any woman in Canadian Paralympic swimming with a total of 14 Paralympic medals — six gold, four silver, and four bronze. She has won another 19 world championship medals and holds a plethora of world record titles to her name. She’s an inspiration to swimmers everywhere!

As a 28-year-old Paralympian from Saint-Jean-sur Richelieu in Québec, Rivard is a powerhouse in the pool and has been swimming professionally for over a decade. Having been born with an underdeveloped left hand, she’s part of the S10, SB9, and SM10 Para-athletic classifications. She has stated that swimming throughout childhood was an escape from being bullied for her disability. Since then, she’s found a sense of belonging within the Para swimming community and made waves in the pool by scooping up more medals and records than one can count.

Over 12 years into her swimming career, Rivard has been one of the top athletes to watch on the international stage. She has competed in four summer Paralympic games — London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024. In Paris, she brought home another three medals — one of each colour. Although, I’m sure the best part was when she returned home from the games to see the newly-named Piscine Aurélie-Rivard — the pool where she trained as a child. What a milestone.

Rivard holds world records for the S10 100m, 200m, and 400m freestyle, as well as Canadian records for multiple events. She first made a splash in the pool by placing on the podium at London 2012, scooping up a silver medal. Since then, she has placed on the podium at all Paralympic games she’s attended, alongside multiple world championships, Commonwealth Games, and Para Pan American Games.

Remarkably, Rivard has been awarded Female Para-Swimmer of the Year by Swimming Canada five times — from 2014 to 2016 consecutively, in 2019, and in 2021. Her training grounds are at Club de Natation Région de Québec. As a senior member of Team Canada, coached by Marc-André Pelletier, it’s no wonder she has such a legendary career.

When not taking laps and breaking records in the pool, Rivard is busy studying as a law student at Univerisité Laval. Talk about having a lot on your plate! Before she makes her next splash — whether in the pool, her future in the courtroom, or anything in between — she’ll be sure to continue to make waves when it comes to her career highlights and records overall.

To Aurélie Rivard — it’s clear to see why you’re such a legend already at such a young age, and you’re not finished with your professional swimming career quite yet.

Félicitations!

A guide to winning the armrest on airplanes

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November 21, 2024

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Empty airplane cabin. You can see two rows of two seats and the clear skies out of the windows. — PHOTO: Aayush Shah / Pexels

By: Cam Darting, Peak Associate

High school history class focused on all sorts of armed conflicts. It taught us about the French Revolution, the World Wars, and more. However, they failed to teach us about one ongoing war that impacts people daily: the war for the armrest on the airplane.

Whether you get to rest your light and fragile arm on that hard plastic armrest can dictate your mood for not only the flight but the entire trip. You don’t wanna be sad walking around Hongdae looking for BTS because of a tired forearm, do you? Let me help you answer that: ANIYO! As a veteran of the war of armrests on an airplane, I am here at your Beck and call, almost like a Cat, to guide you through this battle and come out Victorious! (see what I did there;))

Like every war, you need to come prepared for battle. It is KEY to show up in a puffer jacket. Not only will it keep you warm from the harsh airplane air conditioning blasting from above like a puss-filled pimple being popped, but your puffiness will increase your volume. As a result, your puffer’s fabric reaches over to your neighbour’s personal space, making the person next to you feel uncomfortable, resulting in them leaning to the opposite side. You may think that is selfish, but I think it’s just a form of self care, and self care is never seen as bad in the eyes of Gen Z.

Next, try and get your ass to your seat ASAP. You better be the first person to enter that airplane because positions matter. Being the top or bottom . . . of the line matters (get your mind out of the gutter). Being the first in your row to sit down gives your puffer more time to expand and take up square footage.

Now, for the battle itself. This is where tensions get high, and people’s true colours show. You need to be fierce. You need to be cut-throat. You need to instantly place your elbow on that damn armrest. If you follow the two steps outlined above, the next piece of advice won’t be needed.

If you find that your neighbour has taken the armrest first, you need to act fast. How? Push their arm off and place yours down like the princess it is. They’re mad? Don’t care. They’re upset? Not your problem. They call the flight attendant? Ignore their ass. You need to do whatever it takes for your pretty little arm to be resting. BTS is counting on you. I am counting on you.

What Grinds Our Gears: Transit isolation

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Peak Web

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November 21, 2024

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The inside of a bus full of people wearing masks — PHOTO: Lisanto 李奕良 / Unsplash

By: Sofia Chassomeris, News Writer

A unique fatigue sets in after a long, wet day, dragging the hems of your soggy jeans across a bus floor and nearly getting bowled over by high schoolers on their way home. It’s loud and uncomfortably warm, and the person in front of you (re: on top of you) smells like that drugstore shampoo you used to buy from a time you’d rather forget.

Common symptoms of hyperindividuality call for simple, over-the-counter remedies: turn up the music, look out the window, and check out of life until you get where you’re going.

There’s the unsettling thrill of being so physically close to people you are emotionally strangers to — we stand face-to-face-to-face, toes stepping on others — but when I look at you I must look away, and you must do the same.

Every time I tap my Compass I commit to the fantasy that nobody else in the world exists, and it makes my stomach churn. It’s a deep-seated anger that masquerades as annoyance over coffee with friends who already understand and are tired of hearing it.

Yes, they say. I feel lonely, too.

And then we take SkyTrains to the opposite ends of the city, in cars packed with other humans, too anxious to let a glance be more than fleeting.

Individual liberties, my ass. The windows fog from our shared breath and we still have the audacity to view mere association as less than beautiful.

Do we not owe each other acknowledgement?

Hello!

Hello?

Hidden Gems: Local trans-owned businesses

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November 21, 2024

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Chalk lines of blue, pink, white, pink again, and blue again drawn on concrete depicting a trans flag. — PHOTO: Katie Rainbow / Pexels

By: Yasmin Hassan, Staff Writer

Wednesday, November 20, is Trans Day of Remembrance: a day to “honour the memory of transgender people whose lives were lost as a result of anti-transgender violence.” Qmunity is hosting both a gathering at The Birdhouse to hold space for the community, and a vigil at Victory Square to mourn. This week, and every week, find ways to uplift trans folks by making the effort to be educated about issues in the trans community, and supporting trans-owned businesses. Here are some businesses based in so-called Vancouver you can check out.

Life of Bria Comics
Online

From webcomics, to graphic novels, to voice-over art, the Vancouver-based illustrator Bria does it all! Bubbly yet morbidly funny, Life of Bria stemmed from her experiences coming out as transgender. Her free graphic novels touch on many different elements ranging from horror, to time traveling, to the experiences of a trans woman through her own lens! She also does commissions!

Peau de Loup
1529 Venables St., Vancouver

PHOTO: Courtesy of @peaudeloup / Instagram

By using up-cycled material, Peau de Loup revolutionizes gender-neutral clothing for anyone and everyone! They describe themselves as “a vibrant and inclusive community that embraces self-expression and authenticity.” While they offer tees, sweatshirts, bottoms, outwear, hats, and more, my personal favourite is their railroad coaches jacket!

Big Bro’s Barbershop
2375 E Broadway (at Nanaimo St.), Vancouver

Big Bro’s Barbershop, founded by Jessie Anderson in 2015, was developed to provide “a place where trans people could receive hair services without hassle.” They “host a number of projects, fundraisers, and independent contractors,” continuing to serve Vancouver’s trans community nearly a decade after first opening their doors. If you want to donate, or can, they also have a GoFundMe to relocate their shop to a more accessible location for patrons!

Samonte Cruz Studios
Online storefront

PHOTO: Courtesy of @samontecruzstudios / Instagram

Cruz is a mixed-gender, mixed-race metalsmith who developed their abilities in goldsmithing while recovering from a serious spinal cord injury. They even worked at SFU in 2006 as a permanent coordinator for the LGBTQ+ Centre, supporting trans and gender non-conforming individuals! Cruz creates jewelry tailored to your wants and needs, such as uniquely personal wedding rings, all while running workshops and making music on the side. They’re an incredibly multifaceted individual, and so is their work. A piece that stood out to me was the solid gold balisong necklace, which pays homage to their Filipinx heritage!

Man Up — Queers and Beers
44 W 4th Ave., Vancouver

Looking for a fun way to spend the night? Say less, Man Up has you covered. This organization highlights drag performances and offers a space for queer individuals of all walks of life to have a good time. While they’re known for doing pop-ups, they are mainly located at the Birdhouse (which is an amazing venue, by the way)! Catch them there next time on November 30 for “Break the Internet,” a drag show for cyber divas.

Red Leaf women fly, men fall at 2024 Canadian Tip-Off Classic

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November 21, 2024

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A man in a red basketball jersey jumps to swat a basketball away from a basketball hoop. — PHOTO: Kaja Antic / The Peak

By: Kaja Antic, Sports Writer

For the second consecutive year, 12 college basketball teams from across North America streamed through the doors of the Langley Events Centre. The 2024 Division II Conference Commissioners Association Canadian Tip-Off Classic took place from November 1 to 3, as the SFU Red Leafs men’s and women’s teams played host to their NCAA Division II counterparts.

The Red Leafs men’s team was joined by fellow Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) programs from Saint Martin’s and Western Oregon, along with the fifth-ranked Dallas Baptist, 14th-ranked California State University of San Bernardino, and Hawai’i Hilo who went undefeated at the 2023 tournament.

The women’s team was met on the court by GNAC peers Seattle Pacific, along with St. Edward’s from Texas, Dominican from California, 11th–ranked Gannon, and fourth-ranked Tampa.

Spectators filled the rows of seats. Some from local areas came looking for entertainment in the collegiate tournament, while others had seemingly travelled to cheer on a visiting school. I noticed a passionate contingent supporting the University of Hawai’i-Hilo Vulcans, some even carrying pom-poms that would be shaken whenever their team scored a point. Opposing teams not playing at the time would filter in on occasion, likely scoping out their competition for upcoming games.

The Red Leafs women’s squad had a decent showing through the tournament, going 2–1 over the weekend. The team earned wins against St. Edward’s and Dominican, but fell to Tampa 66–51 in the final game. Tampa was one of two women’s teams to go undefeated, with Gannon also earning the 3–0 statline.

Two Red Leafs earned “Player of the Game” honours, with senior Sophia Wisotzki gaining the title by scoring 31 points in a 78–62 win against St. Edward’s, and junior Myrlaine Shelvey being awarded the designation in a 77–67 win over Dominican.

The men’s team struggled throughout the tournament, going without a win over their three games played just as they had in the 2023 Classic. They weren’t the only team to go winless over the weekend, as GNAC rivals Western Oregon also went 0–3. Saint Martin’s, the final GNAC team in the tournament, went undefeated. Despite good offensive performances from players like sophomore Irish Coquia and junior Luke Howard, SFU was outscored 228–189 in losses to Hawai’i Hilo, CSU San Bernardino, and Dallas Baptist.

Two Red Leafs gained spots on the tournament all-star teams, with Wisotzki earning first team honours in the women’s tournament, and Coquia earning second team honours in the men’s tournament.

As both teams’ collegiate seasons begin, the men’s team hopes to improve on a 2023–24 season that saw them placing ninth out of ten in GNAC standings, only above Western Oregon on the conference table. The team went 4–14 against GNAC opponents, and had a 6–23 record overall.

The women’s team also looks for improvements on last year, after their season ended in a 65–51 loss against Central Washington in the GNAC Women’s Basketball Championship. Overall, the team held a 17–14 record for the 2023–24 season, with a 10–8 record against GNAC opponents, earning fifth in conference standings. The 2024–25 campaign already looks promising, as the team’s 2–1 record is an improvement on the 0–3 result they gained in the 2023 Classic.

Both the men’s and women’s programs begin their GNAC campaign on December 5, with the men’s team playing at Central Washington while the women’s team plays host to Seattle Pacific in SFU’s West Gym.

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